Chapter 8

Instead of getting soup Jesse waited until dark to rush out to the store and buy us meat.

It was odd. He just brought back these huge raw steaks. Since it was October we had time until the club would be busy. It got dark early but never early enough for Vampires I guess...

Just like before I thought it was ridiculous, the idea of feeding. That is, until Jesse put the food down in front of me and all of a sudden I was eating it without complaint or question, as happy as a dog with a bone. Something took over me and I couldn't think. I just ate until it was all gone. Then I woke up to myself all sticky and strong.

From the look of him Jesse seemed like he felt just like I did. It was humiliating really. That's why neither of us talked before during or after.

I took a long bath after that and just sat in his tub feeling strange and deranged. We both agreed that we'd wait until at least 9 to go.

The time was dragging though and I wanted to be strong. At least without daylight there would be less to drain us. And Jesse was right, the steak was better than the soup at feeding our needs.

All I could think about was Aubrey though. I couldn't call. I couldn't text.

I sat in that tub with the warm water soothing my sore muscles and I thought about what it would feel like to drink her. Maybe I could do it without hurting her? There had to be a way right? I mean… I was still alive.

I suddenly wanted her more than I ever could before. I thought of her back there on the bed, the way her eyes narrowed, the way she panicked, her breath quickening as I waited to taste her. I'd always wanted to be bold like that with her but I never had the balls, not before. It was Aubrey's rules, always Aubrey's rules. And I had liked that before but there was something in us that I never let myself think about or talk about out loud. I never let myself tease her or control her. I liked that she controlled me. I usually liked that so what was this? Why was I different as a vampire? What did it mean?

I only wish now that I knew.

Instead I was sitting in Jesse's bathtub alone and wishing I could just taste, just a tiny piece of her, just a drop.

The more I thought about it the more dreamy my memories of us became. I had thrown her down on the bed like she was so light, just a feather. My mind flashed back and I felt it as my hand ventured beneath the water and down my body.

It excited me to think of her like that now. There was no danger in this. I was alone. I couldn't hurt her. Ugg, that memory of her. I replayed it again. What had I done? I'd taken her and thrown her on the bed. That's it.

My own breath sped and I gasped.

I was touching myself. Fuck, when did that start?

Shit… As soon as my finger slipped down between my legs my memory flashed back so fast to my tongue on her neck. I pressed hard without meaning to. In my mind my hand flew to Aubrey's neck, my teeth sharpened and I quickly pierced her skin and drank, sucking her warm blood into me and hearing as she gasped.

A knock came at the door and I muffled my own scream by shoving my hand into my mouth. My other hand was still between my legs and I was cumming hard, harder than I had in a long long time.

I could hear Beca's voice outside the door. Jesse had let her in.

I let my eyes drift shut as I collapsed into the bath and remembered the look on Aubrey's face as I bit her in my vision.

There was no saving me…

I was doomed…

Beca was asking Jesse questions and all I could think on the other side of his door was, but how can he resist her?

He'd been a vampire much longer than me. Our sexual visions were sharper now, more vivid. Even that orgasm caused me to scream. How long had he been dealing with this? And what if these cravings and urges only got stronger? I can't even be in the same room as Aubrey, I can't. So how is he doing it?

Chapter 9

I pulled the drain on the bathtub and stood up, water dripping down my body, I could feel every molecule of it as it slid away, splashing back into the tub and down the side onto the floor. I could just hide in here. Maybe he hadn't told Beca that I was here. I was afraid I would feel something like I did before. That I would want to hurt Beca to suck the life from her. I guess that wasn't really my intention with Aubrey. I just wanted a taste. I didn't want to hurt her and I hadn't.

That thought cheered me a little. Enough to step out of the tub and grab the towel that Jesse had given me. Curiosity got the better of me in the end. I didn't really know how we were going to explain why I was there or how my hair had gotten wet but I wanted to see Beca and I wanted to see Jesse around her with my own eyes.

Maybe I could figure out how he was managing not to rip her clothes off. I dressed in the clothes I had been wearing for days and neatly folded the towel, setting it on the hamper when I was done. The mirror was streaked with toothpaste stains. Boys really didn't know how to clean up after themselves. I frowned at my reflection and tried to fix my hair. It was the first time I'd seen myself since I'd become a vampire.

There was definitely something different. I was a little shinier. My complexion was very clear but almost even whiter than before. I'd always been pretty pale but now there was a sort of polish to my skin. I touched my cheek and moved my fingers over my skin. It was almost like porcelain.

The sound of Beca's voice made me jump. She was getting closer to the bathroom. I turned and opened the door, ready to face her. At least, I thought I was. I found them still in the bedroom. Beca was pacing and Jesse by the door.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"Chloe?"

"Hey, Beca, how are you?" I felt a tightness in my throat.

She looked back at Jesse and then at me. "What are you doing in Jesse's room?"

Jesse was about to say something but I got there first. "I had a bad night and Jesse helped me. He let me crash here. I was really sick." I pasted on a grin and willed Beca to take the story at face value. I was already sick of lying to people about this.

"Yeah, Chloe wasn't looking too good. I saw her at the club and it was quicker to bring her back here."

"Oh."

I was sure Beca was going to say more but she didn't. It was hard to tell why she was upset about me being there but that was normal. She hadn't ever really been able to make up her mind between who she liked more. I watched Jesse carefully. He was breathing normally and he didn't seem to have trouble being near Beca.

The smell of her was so different from Aubrey. It was kind of sweet but more on the earthy side. I liked it and it made me smile but I was able to control myself easily. What could be so different between the two? I'd had sex with Aubrey but Beca and I had never gotten that far. Maybe it was that or maybe it was because Jesse was there.

I wasn't really sure how to figure any of it out except to replicate the situation I'd had with Aubrey. That didn't really seem like an option since we weren't alone. Also, there was the little detail of not wanting to put Beca in danger.

"I guess I can leave you two," I started.

"No."

"No."

They said it at the same time and I couldn't help but laugh. "Okay." I didn't know if leaving them alone was really a good idea but I figured it was better if I at least went out in the hall. It was kind of tense in there and they couldn't exactly talk to each other with me there.

"Aubrey called me yesterday looking for you and she was about to organize a search party. Have you been here the whole time?"

Beca was going to go there and I couldn't distract her like I had Aubrey. "Um, I guess." I gestured to the bed beside me. " I was pretty out of it. Jesse just let me sleep it off." I put my right index and middle fingers up and curled my other fingers around them. "Nothing happened. Scouts honor."

I could tell she was still suspicious but she just nodded. "Did you at least call her? She wouldn't leave me alone because she couldn't find you and she thought I was hiding you or something."

This was going to be harder than I thought but at least neither of us was feasting on her like she was Christmas dinner. "Yep, I talked to her and everything."

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and glanced at the time. 8:49 "I should really go. I need to… go to the library. I've got a paper due." I rushed over and gave Beca a quick hug and turned her so that I was facing Jesse so I could mouth words at him. Meet me downstairs.

Then I released her before I could really get attached to her scent and rushed for the door. "Thanks for everything Jesse. I'll see you later." WIth a flourish I opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind me. I felt bad about leaving him to get rid of Beca but we had to get over to the club before our asshole vampire turned someone else. I could still hear them talking through the door.

"Well, that was weird. I mean, Chloe's weird in a good way but that was weirder than usual. And that story sounded like complete bullshit so you better tell me what's going on."

I rushed away, not wanting to hear the rest of that conversation right now. Either way, Beca was pissed at us and I didn't' really want to know if it was me possibly being involved with Jesse or vice versa that made her more angry. I would be better off waiting for Jesse downstairs in the common area, far away from angry Beca.