Bite, p.3
Bite, page 3
“Everyone seems to be having a great time,” Diane says while looking around.
“Oh yeah and it’s great that the weather held up too.”
“I love an Indian Summer,” she says with a smile.
Then she puts her arm around my shoulders and gives me a light hug and I fight back tears from the friendly gesture. She quickly pulls away and starts talking about the guy she was dancing with and how much she enjoyed talking with him, which helps me to shake the sadness that was beginning to overwhelm me. Diane is good like that; she can show she cares without saying a word and then switchgears so she doesn’t appear to be checking up on me. During this whole mourning period she hasn’t bombarded me with asking me how I’m doing or if I wanted to talk about my father. Diane truly let me be. Sitting here with her now doesn’t feel so bad and I actually start to enjoy chatting with her until Stacy and Amber run over to join us. Since they both love to gossip, I’m always on guard with them and based on their expressions it looks like they have some serious dirt to dish. Ugh like I want to be engaged in another conversation about who’s screwing who and so forth? I mean really who the hell cares?
They finally reach us and they sit in a way that nearly knocks Diane and me off the log and onto the sand. I’m ready to comment but I bite my tongue instead. Diane, however, doesn’t take the high road and while repositioning herself on the log she curtly asks, “What the hell ladies? Is it that serious that you had to nearly knock me and Gina on our asses here?”
Amber just giggles while responding, “Wow Diane dramatic much?”
Diane just rolls her eyes but her sour mood doesn’t dampen their spirits one bit. “Oh my god, you guys will never guess who’s crashing the party,” Stacy practically screams at us while damn near bouncing in her seat.
Her enthusiasm catches our attention and Diane looks at her questionably while asking, “Who?”
Amber, almost ready to burst, points over to our right and says with excitement, “Look!”
I turn in the direction that she’s referring to and I almost have to do a double take when I see them. I have no idea where these men came from but walking in our direction from the parking lot is five of the most gorgeous guys I’ve ever seen in my entire life. And I’m not exaggerating either. Looking at them, they all could have been models. No scratch that they could have been super models. Everything from their face to their clothes is flawless. The clothes they’re wearing are definitely from the latest trends and I find myself wondering why they would risk wearing outfits like that where they can get sand all over them. But my gawk-fest continues as I nearly start drooling when I see even their hair is perfect; not one strand is out of place. They are a bit pale in complexion but for some reason that didn’t matter because they are still attractive. No I don’t think attractive is the right word but my mind tells me that will have to do for now since I can’t think of any other word to properly describe them. But whatever it is, it definitely has every woman’s heart fluttering out of control.
They continue to stroll along the beach and they almost seem to glide smoothly as they walk on the sand while everyone else around them keeps stumbling and holding onto each other to stand up straight (okay maybe the drinking is affecting their coordination but I digress). Four of them look straight ahead not caring about anything that’s happening around them while one who is leading the group is looking around at the crowd as if he’s searching for something or someone. Just as they are about to pass us, he smiles at us and I hear the girls sigh in response and they whisper among themselves at how gorgeous they are. Stacy adds a few derogatory remarks where I even blush as they giggle some more while still ogling them. The one walking next to him seems annoyed by their comments and that has me curious. Did he perchance hear them? That would be impossible since they were whispering and I had trouble picking up some of the things they were saying and I’m sitting right next to them so he couldn’t have heard them. Maybe it was just my imagination or there is something extra in my water that has me seeing things. I keep analyzing it in my head and I slightly blush when I realize I am staring at him and I remember how my mom told me that it is rude to stare so now I feel embarrassed. I start to turn my gaze in another direction but before I could turn to look away, he glances right at me and as strange as this sound, there is a look in his eyes that seem to say he knows me. For a few moments we hold eye contact before he returns he gaze forward and they continue to make their way down the beach.
I continue to gape and I don’t realize that I’m holding my breath until I feel Diane lightly shaking me for my attention. I can’t get over how that guy turned to look directly at me but the big question is why did he look at me like that? I’ve never seen him before in my life but he stared as if he tonight wasn’t the first time he’s seen me. And how did he know I was staring at him so he could make direct eye contact with me? It just doesn’t make any sense. I’m completely lost in my thoughts as I try to put the pieces together that I tune my friends out which makes them begin to panic that I’m slipping into one of my crying episodes again. Diane calls Tiffany over because I still can’t focus on anything other than how he looked at me. My mind had captured his face and I wanted to be sure I wasn’t imaging what just happened. Tiffany is practically screaming and I finally snap out of my trance and focus on her.
“Oh my god Gina, what’s wrong,” Tiffany asks with concern all over her face.
“Nnn-nothing,” I stammer as I feel myself blush from my friends staring at me.
“Are you sure? I had to practically shake you just to get you to look at me.” I nod and she exhales with relief when she sees I’m really okay and she points to the guys walking away while asking, “Okay so who are those guys and what the hell is the fuss all about?”
It didn’t take much to get Stacy started. Gossip is gossip whether good or bad. “Are you serious? You don’t know who they are?”
Tiffany and I shake our heads as she and Amber giggle and I feel the urge to hit them. I hate when they want to tell us something and they drag it out to make the moment more dramatic. It’s irritating when I see it on TV or in a movie I’m watching and I don’t want to go through it now. Tiffany is getting just as annoyed as I am and she groans hard before saying, “Just spit it out Stacy. Not all of us have the ins and outs of every guy in town so say what you have to say and let’s be done with it.”
Stacy sticks her tongue out at her but clears her throat to get our attention before she begins to speak. “Ladies, those are the hunks of all hunks, the cream of the crop. The men that puts all men to shame.” She adds a laugh before continuing, “They really don’t need an introduction but I’ll do the best I can anyway. The two that were in front are the St. James brothers. The taller one is Sam and he is beyond dreamy. The other is his older brother Charlie. The other three I don’t really know about but I’ve been working on it because they are just as hot. But I can tell you their names are Evan, Joseph and David. Hot right?”
“Totally hot especially Joseph who’s the younger one with the shoulder length hair. He’s just too cute for words,” Amber throws in before giggling again.
Diane ignores her and asks, “Well what are they doing here? I haven’t seen any of them around campus. Do they go to our school?”
Stacy gives her a look like she completely lost her mind before replying, “Oh honey they don’t need an invitation. Charlie St. James and his friends always crash a party and no one has ever thrown them out.”
Amber nods in agreement and with a huge smile she chimes in, “If they come to your party, then yours is considered the event of the year.”
“That’s right. Besides, it just means that Charlie is looking for someone to hook up with later.”
They both giggle some more while we take in everything she was telling us. Most of what they’re isn’t too bad but the part about Charlie is a little bothersome for my taste. Judging by my best friend’s expression she feels the same way as I do as Tiffany scrounges up her face before she asks, “So you mean he’s here to find someone to sleep with? What a pig!”
Stacy gets a little offended and replies, “It’s not like that. You totally have the wrong idea.”
“Stacy how am I getting the wrong idea when you just said he comes to these parties to hook up with someone? Weren’t those your exact words?”
“Okay I said it wrong.” Stacy gets a little flustered but she quickly pulls herself together as she says, “Despite what I said Charlie is a total gentleman. He doesn’t just take you home, sleep with you and that’s it. He takes you out on a date unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.”
Her confidence returns and she falls back to her normal gossiping self again and Amber takes over when Stacy starts up another giggle fit. “He does treat you like a queen. Charlie only goes to the finest restaurants so he usually hangs at the Hamptons as well as other choice spots around New York. He is quite charming and he will spoil you so rotten that you’ll be peeling off your panties before he even gets the check. Trust me, even the strongest of women has fallen under his spell.”
“That still makes him a pig but it sounds like one of you know about this first hand,” Tiffany says while giving Amber and Stacy a questioning look.
Stacy blushes a little as she responds coyly, “Yes I do. I only had one date with him but one date was all I needed.”
“Oh my God,” Tiffany nearly exclaims, “You slept with him on the first date?”
“Yes I did. What’s the big deal? A lot of women do it and I’m sure you have too so I don’t know why you’re sitting there judging me,” she replies while feeling a little hurt but doing her best to show she’s unaffected by Tiffany’s questions.
The last thing I want right now is an emotion fight between them. We need to keep things light because if one of them starts crying I know I’ll lose it. I give Tiffany a look as I ask, “Come on Tiff what girl doesn’t go all the way on a first date?”
Feeling remorseful, Tiffany says, “I’m sorry honey. I know I’m no saint myself but why would you want to go out and just sleep with someone knowing that’s all they’re looking for on the first date?”
Amber sighs as she says, “Because with Charlie he makes you feel like it’s like the hundredth date. When you talk, he actually listens and cares what you’re saying. He’s not showering you with worthless compliments. He is attentive and makes you feel comfortable like you’ve known him forever. The first date with him is something that you’ll never experience with anyone else. And the most important reason is he doesn’t treat you like a slut.”
Tiffany and I listen to them and try to take in what they’re saying but Diane doesn’t seem to buy it as she says, “Sounds like he just plays you so you’ll give it up if you ask me.”
Her and Tiffany break out into laughter while Stacy smirks as she adds, “You girls have no idea what you’re talking about. Trust me what we’re saying is not bullshit. And besides, as good as he is, you’d be an idiot to say no.”
Diane raises an inquisitive eyebrow as she asks, “Really? So how good is he?”
Since I see the direction this conversation is going to go, I excuse myself and get up. The last thing I want to do is stay here and talk about Charlie’s…well Charlie’s sexual drive. My lack of experience on the subject wouldn’t give me much to go on anyway and I get embarrassed just thinking about sex. But since he’s related to Sam, I really want to hear more about him and I’m not just referring to what he’s packing in his pants either (okay maybe I’m a little curious; sue me). What is Sam like on a date? Is he just as suave as his brother? What kind of women is he interested in? I blush at the last question since I know I’m nowhere close to his league but I can’t help my curiosity. Just before I walk away I softly ask, “What about the other one? Sam? What’s he like?”
The giggling immediately stops, as they all get quiet while Stacy replies with irritation in her voice, “Who the hell knows. Yes he is extremely gorgeous but that’s all anyone knows about him. Sam never talks to anyone. He’s real stuck up like his shit doesn’t stink.”
Wow talk about switching sides. A moment ago when they were walking on the beach, she was gushing along with every other girl that stared at Sam. It’s weird hearing the anger in her voice now and it doesn’t go unnoticed by the rest of us. “Guess someone got dissed by him huh,” Tiffany asks while not hiding the grin appearing on her face.
“Girl, he disses everybody. He only talks to his brother and his friends and that’s it.”
“So is that a yes he did diss you?”
“Are you kidding? Nobody can ignore me,” Stacy responds with impatience in her voice.
I see the catfight is about to start so I walk away without saying a word.
The Forbidden Fruit
(Sam)
I have never encountered a smell like that in all my years, or a face as beautiful as hers. Two sharp pangs straight to my cold dead heart. And the fact they’re both coming from the same source is good and bad at the same time.
As we walk past the group of the five girls, a breeze blows their aromas to us and the moment the smell of the girl’s blood hits my nose, I want to rush over to where she is and take her right there. Her blood smells even better than I could have ever imagined and my yearning for just a drop is becoming hard to resist. I don’t care if anyone else around me sees. I have to taste her. I flinch for a split second ready to make my move but Charlie catches my arm before I could run over and sink my teeth into her flesh. He releases it a split second later and I sigh as we continue making our way across the beach. Of course the humans can’t see our movements since it was too fast for their eyes and to them we still appear to casually take in the scene. My thirst for the girl’s blood still hasn’t dwindled and he mentally tells me not too harm the girl and I mentally ask Why?
His reply is simple, “Take a good look and see for yourself.”
And I did.
Love at first sight doesn’t even begin to describe what I feel. In fact, I don’t think I know exactly what I feel. Looking into her eyes, I only saw fragments of her mind. Weird, humans were usually so easy to read because their thoughts were always the same whenever they saw us. The males would be jealous because all the females would do nothing but stare at every move we make and talk about how handsome we are. Ugh so original. But hers is puzzling to me. It is like sitting in front of a TV, constantly changing the channel and only seeing a quick image before moving onto the next channel. It fascinates and frustrates the hell out of me. Then I really focus on her face and quickly look away.
No it can’t be. No way it’s the same girl. That’s impossible isn’t it? I knew he had a daughter but I thought she was away at college or whatever excuse she used to get out of town after what happened to him. But I’m only denying what’s right in front of me. I’m a fool if I don’t admit the truth, which I see clear as day with my vampire eyes. How could anyone not see that she is the splitting image of Harry Williams? Of course her skin was a tad shade darker than his but that is because of her mother’s Puerto Rican genes. But there is no doubt about it; she is Harry’s daughter. The daughter of the man we accidently turned into a vampire. Shit!
Charlie senses the change in my mood so we walk farther down the beach to get away from the crowd. Once we find a secluded spot, we pretend that we are hanging out like the others just in case a human happens to walk by. “What’s wrong,” Charlie asks. He gives me a look of brotherly concern while adding, “Why are you upset?”
The others become aware of my tension and wait. I frown as I feel my fangs growing longer in my mouth yearning to penetrate the girl’s skin. I keep my lips locked tight so they don’t see the thirst trying to completely take me and I give in to my instincts. But I should have known that I can’t hide anything from my coven and while looking into my eyes and feeling my pain of the hunger trying to weaken me since he’s been in the same situation too many times to count, Joseph asks, “Which one?”
“No,” I start softly, “I will not harm any one of them. Not tonight.”
“But which one is causing this discomfort,” he asks again without trying to sound too pushy.
Charlie tries to see into my thoughts to mentally guess but I feel his frustration as I block the girl from him. I see the pain in his eyes from me keeping something from him so I calmly reply, “It doesn’t matter. Nothing is going to happen tonight. You don’t have to worry about me.”
They all continue to stare at me waiting for me to do something but I remain where I’m standing and try to relax so my fangs will retreat back from their view. We are trying to blend in and I know I won’t pass as a human if my fangs are exposed.
But how can I help it when her scent is still burning my throat? My mouth is watering at the thought of me with her; my mouth at her neck while her blood is going soothingly down my throat. I am so engrossed in the vision that I don’t realize I’m in a crouching position until I feel David grab me by the collar to straighten me back up.
“Sam snap out of it. You want to start a panic,” he asks firmly.
Charlie stands in front of me to see who has become the meal I so desire. When I can no longer block him out and he finds her image in my head, he gasps as he says, “Sam no!”
