Chapter 13
The denim clad person walked out from the shadows as the bicycle crawled to a stop in front of the mailbox. A bubble of cold laughter rose from their throat. Makes sense Damon would sack up with a woman. The girl didn't seem to be anything in particular and she smelled to be human.
"It's a great place."
"Whoa!"
Bella shrieked loosing her balance completely slumping over the bicycle. Convincing her heart to reverse back down her throat into her chest and sucked in a gulp of air.
Standing in front of her, blocking the picket gate was a guy. A tall, cute enough guy, kind of tanned with a mop of brown hair and striking green eyes that seemed to rake all over her at once.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you"
The guy said with hints of blush appearing to his cheeks. Bella chuckled and shook her head.
"It's alright; I was lost in my head
The green eyes man felt a smile build on his own lips in response. He could see the outline of the girl's almond shaped eyes through the gradient brown to yellow glasses.
"Is there something I can help you with?
"Actually yes. I would like to see the house"
"The house?"
Bella repeated feeling like she needed to pass time. Even though her head told her to not be an idiot and show the guy the house, her gut told her a loud resounding 'no'. She supposed it was because she didn't truly want to rent it. The house was slightly upstate in a good neighborhood and large enough for a family. Sure the rent money would be a good boost in her college fun but the thought of someone living in the house she grew up in, wasn't pleasant.
"The sign says it's on sale. I'd like to see it"
The green eyes bore in hers.
"Actually the sign says it's for rent"
She corrected taking the guy in again. Looking at his large hands she saw what was giving her the bad feeling. On his right hand, in the ring finger was a large gold and blue ring. Unless she was mistaken, it was identical to the one she found in the sand near Damon the day before.
"But I'm afraid it's been rented already"
The man smirked
"Really?"
Bella nodded and dismounted the bike. Slipping the ring from his finger sounded like a hard idea. Breaking a run for the house sounded stupid. So she smiled pleasantly
"Really. I'm sorry, maybe you can find something else around here"
Stefan pursed his lips. Cute as she may be, he was here for a reason. At the sight of the cold line that formed on his lips, Bella found herself hoping Damon would stop by. Not that he had a reason to do that but anyway.
When he closed the distance between them, everything inside Bella tightened in expectation. A mental countdown began in her head
"Okay, enough already."
He grabbed her, spun her around and backed her into the fence. Slapping his hands onto the fence posts on either side of her, he effectively trapped her in place. That cold smile disappeared and his forest eyes went from innocent to deadly in a blink.
"I know he's here. Where?"
"He?"
Bella choked out the single word and fought for breath. The only 'he' around here that can walk at day with that ugly ring is Damon. She was so screwed...
The green eyes swirled with shadows, darkened, narrowed, filled with tiny veins. He parted his lips and fangs appeared.
Crap.
"No more games."
He leaned into her, pressing his body along hers, driving the small of her back backwards enough for one pointy fence post to dig into her skin.
"I know he's here. I can smell him all over this place."
Bella's mind frowned. Green-eyes can smell Damon? That thought was oddly comical as her mind sought refuge in a little cartoon green-eyes going her garden in all four sniffing the ground. A giggle escaped her lips.
Stefan tightened both fists on her arms. He dipped his head, scraped the tips of his fangs along her throat until she shuddered. Pain there, too. A burning sensation. Above and beyond the pain though, she felt the slow, steady dribble of blood down her neck that told her he'd broken the skin.
To prove it, he licked her throat, while she groaned and closed her eyes briefly against the horror of this moment.
Then he lifted his head and sighed. Losing to the ripper was always too easy for Stefan. a small part of saint Stefan inside him was screaming that he should have listened to Damon when his big brother took Rebekah and the two tried to get him used to human blood
"Sweet. You taste so sweet. And your fear gives your blood that little kick I enjoy so much. Makes me thirsty for more."
Taking one hand from her arm, he reached for her hair, stroking his fingertips through it. it was soft and silky. Would look good on his pillows if she lived through the night.
"Now, this is your last chance. Where is he? Tell me and I'll go. Don't tell me and I'll turn you. It's worse than killing you. Here. Now."
Turn her? Make her into a vampire? His kind of vampire? even though the "offer" would be gold six months ago and a small part of her shouted "yes" even now, she knew better.
A hot tear slid down her cheek and mingled with the blood pooling at her throat. it's scent made her dizzy. Their posture brought her a year back to the dance studio only 4 blocks away.
Stefan leaned back at his blood coated mouth curled upwards. The fangs, even redder, glistened.
"Stubborn, aren't you? I like that in a woman. Makes the chase more interesting. And, I was hoping you wouldn't tell me where to find Damon. Good for you. Loyal and all that. Works out nice for me. I'll have you now and when I'm finished…when you wake…you'll tell me where he is. And we'll end him together before we…celebrate."
"I don't think so."
He laughed, delighted.
"You think you can stop me?"
"Probably not. yet that never stopped me"
She snarked t herself and with trembling hands pulled the pepper spray from her crossbody floral purse to spray his eyes. it only pissed James off but he let her go. if only it worked so well with green-eyes too...
