AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Maybe I should move,” I mutter, then shake my head. “No. I was here first.”
Who am I fucking kidding? I can’t call dibs on this building and make him move. He can do whatever the hell he wants. He’s higher on the food chain than me.
My hand lifts to slap against my neck, covering the spot that still burns from his intense gaze. I’m going to have to start wearing turtlenecks or scarves whenever I leave the apartment now. I don’t care if it’s summer and over a hundred degrees. I’m just going to have to deal with the thick Georgia humidity making the material stick to my skin and leaving it sweaty and itching.
“Better than losing a few pints of blood,” I whisper. “Or worse.”
I jump five inches off the floor and spin mid-air when the sound of knuckles rapping against the wood breaks the silence around me. I take an involuntary step backward, my head shaking as my heart pounds against my ribs.
“Answer the door, Eden,” a deep, familiar voice calls out. When I don’t respond, he adds, “Please. I promise I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to talk.”
I suck the inside of my cheek between my teeth and chew it lightly. He sounds sincere. And he wouldn’t attack me the day after vampires revealed themselves to the world and swore they weren’t actually killers, would he? If they’re trying to integrate into society, that would be a poor move.
I know I’m rationalizing, but my feet carry me toward the door anyway. I want to see what he has to say. Besides, if he wanted to kill me, he could’ve done it a few minutes ago. Jerked me into his apartment, never to be seen or heard from again with no one the wiser.
Swinging the door open, I step back, keeping a few feet of distance between us. I’m equal parts relieved and disappointed to find he’s put on a shirt, even if it is only a skin-tight tank that hides, well, nothing.
“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice resonating with the apology. “I was only teasing you before, but I should’ve known it was too soon. My sense of humor sometimes gets me into trouble.”
I swallow thickly and nod, unable to find my voice. My mind is at odds with itself, fear and desire warring inside me for supremacy. Why does he have to be so fucking sexy?
“Can I come in?” he asks when I remain mute.
“No!” I shout quickly.
There. If I don’t invite him in, he can’t trap me behind closed doors and suck out all my blood. Right?
As if he can read my mind, he rolls his eyes and steps over the threshold. Shaking his head, he steps back out and resumes his previous position as I gawk.
“That myth is false. I don’t have to be invited in to physically enter a space, but it’s rude and, in most cases, illegal to do so without permission.”
My mouth twists into a frown. Shit. If denying permission doesn’t work to keep vampires out, what will? Sure, Jesse seems to have a penchant for following societal norms—at least for now—but that doesn’t mean the others will.
How will I keep myself safe? How will the human race as a whole stand against these creatures now that they’ve stepped out into the light?
Before, they were restrained by their secretive existence. They couldn’t leave a trail of bodies in their wake, or they’d have exposed themselves eons ago. But now?
Now, they were no longer in hiding. If they decide to massacre whole towns, who would stop them? Were our modern weapons even effective against them? Maybe if we used silver bullets. Or wooden projectiles.
Jesse remains still and silent, seeming to realize I need a minute to process my thoughts and make a decision. That’s so considerate of him. Nice. Respectful. He’s really—
Wait. Stop. What am I thinking? He’s a vampire.
My eyes narrow as I study his expression. It’s blank, revealing nothing.
“Are you controlling my thoughts right now?” I ask, my tone accusatory.
“No, I’m not,” he says on sigh.
“Can you? I mean, do you have that ability?” shoots out of my mouth before I can stop it.
“I’ll be happy to answer all your questions,” he says, “just not while I’m standing in the hall. We can go back to my apartment if you’ll feel more comfortable.”
An ugly laugh barks out of me. “Not gonna happen, buddy.”
He shakes his head and sighs again. “We’re neighbors. Neighbors hang out together. This doesn’t have to be weird.”
“Really? It doesn’t have to be weird?” I ask, my voice laced with sarcasm. “Just a single, defenseless human girl hanging out on the couch with a vampire? Nothing weird about that. No.”
