Chapter 1
Snow fell around us on that crip New Year's Eve. We never found my father's journal, so this was the result. The plan that Joss and I had come up with. I was about to be staked to save the ones I loved. We stood facing each other in silence, the only sound being our breathing coming in near-silent puffs of air. We stood on opposite ends of the clearing in the forrest. If I made a break for it now, I could probably get away. Not that I really had anywhere to go if I escaped.
"I'm sorry I have to do this Vlad," He called out to me.
"But I'm afraid that I have no choice." He ran at me with an almost inhuman speed. Almost as fast as me. I squeezed my eyes shut and braced myself for that feeling, the feeling of being punched in the back, and then seeing my blood stain the snow crimson.
What I received was surprising. I felt a hand grip the hair at the back of my neck and pull my head up. A hand found its way around my waist and pulled me toward a strong muscled body. Then, I felt a pair of warm lips against mine. My eyes snapped open, and I gasped inwardly. Something forign forced my mouth open and I felt the slick, moist muscle enter my mouth and tease my tongue to join in a dance for dominance.
Joss was kissing me…
And I wasn't doing anything about it…
Until now.
I pushed him away forcefully and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
"What the HELL do you think you're DOING?" I shouted at him.
"Vlad, I'm sorry. I just need this one thing before I kill you. I want to tell you something before I stab you with a stake and regret never telling you anything, and carrying a giant burden around with me for the rest of my miserable life. I…"
He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath.
"I LOVE YOU VLAD!" He shouted and red colored his face.
I stared at him in silence. I was confused. Joss was dating Merideth. After I broke up with her, he took my place. Always with that damned smirk on his face. Whenever he was with Merideth around me, he would radiate superiority, and smugness. I always wanted to punch the living daylights out of him.
So what the hell was this?
"I know I've been hanging with Merideth and acting all lovey-dovey with her around you, acting like an ass and everything, but that was to make you jealous. I know it sounds girly, but it's true Vlad! I never loved Merideth! I loved you! The first time I saw you when I was the new kid in town, you just pulled me in. You had a certain allure that made me want you. The way you were like me. You sucked at videogames, you lost people you loved, and you had secrets that only people you wanted to know knew! Those aren't the only reasons. You stood out Vlad! You stuck out like a sore thumb, people picked on you, and you were a loner. JUST LIKE ME. The way you made clumsy look graceful, and picked on look silly, everything about you just screamed at me to love you!" Tears started streaming down his face.
I just continued to stare at him in disbelief. JOSS loved ME? Of all people?
"I don't even know why," He continued. "I'm a slayer, and you're a vampire. We're supposed to be mortal enemies. Why did I have to fall in love with someone who made my life so complicated? Why you? Sometimes you enrage me for no reason, and I realize that the only reason I'm mad at you is because you're YOU Vlad! And…I don't know what to do…" He stopped shouting. He fell to his knees and sobbed.
I'd never seen him look so vulnerable in my life.
I thought about what he said, letting him calm down in the process. When I actually thought about it, the way he was worse than me at gaming, the loss of his beloved sister like I lost my parents, and the way he had to hide the fact he was a slayer like I had to hide being a vampire. We were so much alike. He got angry at me without realizing it because of who I was. I realized that I was upset at him over Merideth, even though she has nothing to do with me anymore. Getting upset if Henry spent time with him instead of me…no…maybe I was upset because Joss was spending time with Henry instead of me…yes…I would always think, 'Damn…and I wanted to hang with Joss today…'I was in love with him too…
Shit.