7. Dinosaurs

Vincent

Her lips were warm and soft against my hard, cold lips. I was surprised at first, terrified even. I didn't want to be in that position, although I loved every second of it. I threw the 'vampire rule book' out the window and took a taste of temptation.

I put my hands at her sides. She was warm and delicate. I gently caressed her sides, my hands sliding down her curves to her narrow hips. I could feel her body heat shiver against my cold fingers. I felt her hands wrap around my neck. The kiss lasted a few more seconds before I pulled away. She gasped in surprise.

" You have perfect lips" I remarked.

I smiled down at the small girl as she blushed and brushed her hair from her face.

" You're really cold" she blurted out, still dumbfounded by my kiss. She was still, like she was remembering how to breath. We stayed quiet until she was breathing normally again. " What are you afraid of?"

" A lot of things" I replied with a smirk.

" Like what?" she challenged. " That you'll hurt me, like you keep telling me. I'm not afraid of you hurting me."

" I could hurt you by…."

" But you won't" she almost yelled.

It's hard to convince someone of something you don't fully understand. I looked down into Gaby's eyes. She looked so determined to make this work. She was so sure she would find happiness with me. I was too, but I wasn't sure how long it would last. The bell rung before I could say anything. She looked scared. Scared of being away from me for whatever amount of time. She slowly backed away to the entrance. I planned to leave through the exit on the other side of the room.

" See you later" she said, fully turning away to leave. I watched her walk to the door. Play it safe and be sad or live dangerously and be happy? I made the choice quick.

" Gaby" I called out. She stopped and turned to me. I blinked hard as I got ready to say something I had never said before. In all my 98 years of existence. " Will you go on a date with me?"

The hours of school seemed to fly by when she said yes. I was happy, genuinely happy. Last time I was this happy was when I was liberated from Isaac's coven. Now things were good. I had my best friend, a great family, and Gaby, the final piece of me. I went home on foot, so happy I just had to run.

I got home later than everyone else. I decided to take a trip into the forest and mountains. I yelled with joy as I jumped from tree to tree. My clothes were ripped and covered in leaves and dirt. Nella was angry because I messed up her immaculate house.

I went upstairs used my shower. It one of few times I actually needed to use it. Vampires don't have body odor problems, but I had dirt and leaves in my hair. I took a short bath and got ready for my first date. I dressed in a red dress shirt and khakis. I put on cologne. I hoped I was ready, I had never had a date as a vampire or a human. Pathetic.

I went to go ask Gregory on dating advice. I assumed he would know something, growing up in the most modern times. Angelo was a merchant apprentice in the 1600s and Xavier was a womanizer. I opened his door to see his talents in action. He was sitting on the couch with Kara in his lap, and they were kissing. Actually, it was more of a make out session as they groped each other. They heard me and broke it up. Kara was embarrassed and Gregory was angry. I quickly shut the door, but smirked as I went downstairs.

I saw Xavier and Brandon playing video games in the living room. Nella was fixing Juliet's hair in the kitchen. Edgar and Angelo was talking in the dining room, which we really used as a conference room. All these rooms were adjacent with open doorways.

" Going out?" Antonella asked.

I was about to answer when Juliet cut me off.

" Yes. With a human girl. Who's fifteen!"

The men stopped talking, the mom stopped brushing, and the boys stopped playing. It was an awkward silence.

" I think its good for you" Angelo said. " You should be around people, that's why we live among them."

I was leaning against the doorframe to where the men and the girls could see me.

" My daughters are 15" Edgar stated. I looked at him oddly. " Well the twins Madison and I adopted and turned vampire were 15. Serena has a mate, a '22' year old man. He's training to be a Volturi guard, the boy has a bright future. Although, its funny how it looks so inappropriate when , in fact, Serena is 30 years older than him."

" Your pep talk is starting to ramble" Angelo told his friend.

" Yes, but her sister Scarlett is single. A pretty girl, light blond hair and a body not fit for a fifteen year old girl. She said she likes blond boys."

" Enough" Angelo said, seeing I was getting embarrassed.

" I like Edgar's plan" Juliet said. " Vincent should be with a vampire girl. Not a human."

" What about you?" Edgar called so Juliet could here. " You two look good together. Blond and brunette."

I heard Xavier and Brandon laugh.

" Vincent is like my brother. Also, his hair makes him look like a pauper. No offense."

I was getting agitated by everyone trying to find me a mate.

" Plus she already has a mate. Right babe" Brandon called.

He was almost as stupid as Xavier. No wonder they were fast friends.

" Is being a bad mate and a terrible lover grounds for execution?" She asked so everyone could hear.

I heard Brandon whisper something to Xavier. Something about her not saying that in bed. Xavier burst out laughing.

" Now I now why you liked this guy so much Juliet" he called back.

" Anyway, I'm leaving" I told everyone. I turned to leave. I got out the door quickly. Angelo told me something as I shut the door.

" Don't get too attached."

I drove in my Lamborghini to a local café. Everyone stared at the expensive car as it drove through the small, suburban streets. I parked on the street and saw Gaby. She was sitting at an outside table, looking into the sky. She was dressed back in her normal punk attire. It was a mainly black outfit, but for her it meant she was happy. She smiled when she saw me.

" Hey you" she said to me as I sat down.

" Hello" I replied with a nervous smile.

She pushed a mini pizza on the table towards me. I denied her offer.

" Why don't you ever eat?" she said chewing a piece with her hand in front of her mouth. I found it cute that she was lady like, even though she was dressed very tomboyish.

" I usually eat only my mother's cooking." She nodded. " It's a special diet."

I stifled back a laugh.

" I'm guessing that's part of your mysteriousness" she said after swallowing her food.

" There are parts of my life that I don't like to share" I said distantly.

" So, are you just going to watch me eat then?"

I ran my hands through my long hair. I studied her face, her small nose, her low cheek bones, and a beauty mark on the right side of her chin.

" I'm not sure what to do. This is my first date."

She almost choked on her soda.

" How is this your first date? You should be……oh right. The loner thing." I nodded. " Well, I'm not to sure what to do either."

She paused to take another sip. " I think we should do something fun."

By definition, fun was different to vampires and humans in the sense of activities.

" My idea of fun is a little different from yours" I plainly told her.

Her smile made me smile.

" How so?"

" I'm more of a thrill seeker."

She leaned in close.

" Really?" she asked teasingly.

I leaned in across the table. I could smell her tantalizing blood. Her hair smelled like raspberries than strawberries, different from the last time I smelt her hair. I felt her warm breathing on my nose.

" Really" I assured her.

" Well then" she started. She leaned even further. She put her cheek next to mine, her mouth next to mine, her neck next to my mouth. I bit my lip and drove my fingers into my thighs. I tried to relax my body as I held my breath. " Thrill me."

" You really shouldn't have said that."

" Make me scream" she whispered.

" Close your eyes" I whispered. She did so. I got up and appeared behind her. I took the folded napkin that was on my side. I wrapped it around her eyes like a blindfold. I took her hand and pulled her up. " Follow me."

She did. I led her to an alley a block away. I decided to thrill her. I would leave the car here and get it back later. I picked her up and put her on my back. This was a dangerous move. Literally and figuratively. " Hold on to your belongings."

I meant her cell phone and such, but she clutched me instead. Her arms were around my neck and her legs were on either side of my waist. I clutched her legs. " Keep your eyes shut."

With that, I ran at vampire speed. We flew by everything. To her, it probably was a weird sensation. I would not explain things to her. She giggled as her hair flew in the wind. I could feel her heart start to beat fast against my back. I ran faster as we entered the forest. I started jumping over logs. I hollered loudly as I usually did.

I tried to hide my excitement, trying to keep the suave look. To my surprise, she hollered as well. We ran up a large mountain. We were near the top in less than a minute. I stopped at a flat, open clearing. It was a hiker's rest spot. I let her down and led her to the edge. I let our legs lay on the steep, dirt hill. I took off her blindfold.

She gasped like she couldn't breath. She cursed softly in wonder. We were overlooking the forest and Hawley all together. It was a beautiful. In more beautiful with Gaby by my side.

" How did we get up here in like…….two minutes? Where are we? Is this legal? Do you do this all the ti….."

" Shut up and enjoy the moment" I told her.

Her eyes studied the scenery. She smiled and her eyes twinkled. I smiled at her happiness.

" I think I'd enjoy it more if I knew what was going on? Like how we got here. They say the most important thing about traveling is the journey."

" The journey isn't over" I told her.

Her curiosity and disbelief were traits I liked.

" Where else are we going? The moon?" she asked.

" We're going down."

I got up and went to the back of the rest spot. I took something that someone must have left. A dirtboard. I returned to a speechless Gaby.

" What are you going to do with that?" she asked hesitantly.

"We are going to ride it?"

All she could say was 'we' before I picked her up in my arms and got in the board. I instantly pushed the board and we started down the hill, Gaby in my arms. She screamed as we rode extremely fast down the dirt hill. Bumps on the hill made us fly in the air. She yelped like a little girl when we did that.

I wasn't an expert in dirt boarding. Nor was I a novice. I actually hadn't done it before, but with my vampire agility and grace, how hard could it be? We were almost at the bottom of the hill and at another rest spot. At the speed we were going, we were bound to keep going off the clearing. I knew beyond the clearing was a straight drop.

I panicked for a split second. We soon came onto the flat surface. I jumped off the board and let it roll off the cliff. Gaby let out a scream as we flew towards the edge. I landed on my back and slid. A loud crack sounded when I hit. I knew the rock would break underneath me. I slid with Gaby screaming on top of me. I stopped with my legs hanging off the side of the cliff.

" What is wrong with you?" Gaby yelled, rolling off of me. She panted as she lay in the ground next to me, her head on my shoulder. " We could have died!"

" But we didn't" I said clearly and with a smirk.

She slowly regained her breath.

" If you do this kind of stuff everyday then what else is there to be afraid of?" she challenged.

" Dinosaurs" I said, putting my imagined scenario into play.

" What? Why?" she asked.

I played this philosophical answer for hours.

" Because dinosaurs are bigger than me."

She laughed.

" And dinosaurs don't exist" she added.

" You sure?" I smiled at her.

" Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

" A lot of things don't exist" I told her, the philosophy coming in. " But you can be scared of things that 'don't exist' ."

" I guess so. People can be afraid of monsters. Dinosaurs, ghosts, aliens, vampires."

I cringed at 'vampires'. I wanted to change the subject.

" Also, dinosaurs have the potential of pure evil." She giggled. " I'm serious. Dinosaurs can kill you in an instant and you can't do anything against a dinosaur. Not even loving it will stop its thirst."

I shivered from my own thoughts.

" Well it doesn't matter. Because as long as you're here, dinosaurs won't hurt me. You'll protect me from dinosaurs, right?"

" I promise."

Our first date ended after an hour of talking. I re-blindfolded her and ran back to the café. I drove her home without explanations. I gave my first ever girlfriend a kiss. We parted ways and I drove home. I was going to enter the house covered in dirt. Again. At least I was going to, but Drake stopped me.

" We're going out buddy" he said pulling me back. We started walking into the forest. I was confused. " We're going hunting."

" Vegetarian, remember?" I informed him.

" But this is the meal of meals" he said. " Even if you don't want to cheat on your diet, just come and watch this defining moment."

I sighed. " Is it that important?"

" Fine, don't come, but you know what you're missing. Its that girl we saved on Saturday. You smelled her. Delicious. I would've got her then, but I was full from those gangsters. Anyway, I followed her and I know where she lives. Heading over there now."

My jaw hung to the ground in shock. He was going to hunt Gaby. He would kill her and probably her family too. I couldn't let that happen.

" Wait" I called out.

It was too late. Drake was gone. I had to stop him. I ran in a different direction, hoping to get there first or at least cut him off. I promised to protect Gaby from dinosaurs. Except in this case, Drake and I were dinosaurs. I ad to protect her from my best friend. What a hypocritical dinosaur.