Crying out to Reality
The gymnasium no longer looked like a gymnasium. It looked like a castle from the medieval times just as Lacey had explained to the art club. The art teacher and her students had out done themselves. Lacey smiled as she touched the long wooden tables set up for the faculty to sit at. It was like Green Grove High gymnasium had went back in time and was a castle awaiting a grand ball.
The food on the table beside the King's table also made Lacey happy. The food pantry was going to have plenty of food for the Holidays.
"Your ideas are phenomenal, Lacey." Mrs. Hillman nodded to all the elaborate decorations. "As is your and Danny's story."
"Thank you." Lacey glanced at the students starting to pour into the doors. "Danny is the one to thank. He really has a knack for historical settings. He let me take credit but most of the things I picked his brain for."
"I knew you two would make great partners. You both have put in the work and it shows." Mrs. Hillman winked. "I truly found Daniel Vikram Desai's story fascinating. I was enthralled by it. I love that Danny was confident enough to use a version of his name. I guess the name Danny didn't fit the time period so Daniel was a good choice. Thanks for making this old teacher feel like she is doing a good job."
"You do a great job. Thanks for letting us experience the creative side to ourselves." Lacey assured her. "Not to mention, the idea did spurn on this charity dance. The kids are beyond excited to have a school dance based on a theme. I love it myself."
"I admit. You look stunning." Mrs. Hillman glanced at Lacey's cerise dress. "Where in the world did you find such a gorgeous dress? I never saw that deep shade of red before."
"On line. It took forever to find it. But I love it." Lacey laughed slightly. "I wanted to look like the character Laura from our story. Her dress was described as the deepest shade of red. She intrigues me."
"It is becoming on you. I also love how you fixed all those pinned up curls. You look amazing. Danny is going to love it. He is your date, correct?" Mrs. Hillman asked curiously. She couldn't help but think the two students would be gorgeous together.
"Yes." Lacey blushed slightly. "We decided to meet up here though because I had a few more things to go over in the daylight. Danny still reacts to the sun at times."
"Oh." Mrs. Hillman gave Lacey a knowing look. "I imagine that boy will be gorgeous in his outfit. I'm even curious. Bless my soul. I'm old but not dead."
Lacey couldn't help but laugh at Mrs. Hillman words. At that, Mrs. Hillman walked away to go check out the other students entering. Soon Jo was coming in the door with Rico. Looks like she took the advice from Lacey to ask him out. Lacey figured Rico was too clueless to notice Jo's crush.
"Hey, Lacey." Jo walked up pulling Rico along. The boy was definitely whipped in this new relationship. "This place looks awesome. So do you."
"You look great yourself." Lacey noted Jo's wench's outfit. Leave it to Jo to go against the fancier costumes. She noted Rico's peasant costume. "I'm not sure your class would be invited to a King's ball." Lacey teased as she nudged Jo's ribs.
"I know." Jo laughed at herself. "I thought I would crash the party and pray not to be rid of my head at the guillotine."
"Off with her head." Phoebe giggled as she walked up. She was dressed in a cheap costume but it was supposed to be a Queen outfit. Her date was a shy boy named Charlie, who seemed to feel out of place. He was dressed as a king to match her.
Sarita came in pulling Scott along. Scott seemed to hate coming but he'd never go against Sarita. Scott was hooked, line and sinker, to the girl. They were dressed in the exact some color of a deep forest green. They looked like Maid Marion and Robin hood. It was obvious Scott didn't care for the tights.
"Cute outfits." Lacey stated as she looked at her friends. She looked up to see a couple entering. "Oh brother."
Jo and Phoebe turned to stare in the direction Lacey was staying. Jo mumbled. "Great. Why in the world would Archie invite her?"
Regina was holding on to Archie's arm as they entered the auditorium. She was dressed in a dark green dress that had a tight fitting bodice. Her breasts peeked out of her dress showing her ample cleavage. Lacey glanced down at her own dress. She had cleavage showing as well. So did Jo. However, Regina had really made sure she looked like she was poured into her dress. The dark green dress had gold trim and gold designs around the bodice of the dress. Her hair was in loose tendrils that had small pink flowers throughout her reddish blonde hair. She smiled at all the boys, who were already flanking around her. It seemed Archie was going to be the envy of this dance.
"Because she's gorgeous." Rico stated causing him to receive a smack at the backside of his head. Jo glared at him. He stuttered. "Just sayin'"
"She is gorgeous." Lacey blew out air nervously. "Very, very gorgeous."
Lacey couldn't help the tingle of jealousy in the pit of her stomach. That woman was once Danny's lover. She didn't know how intense their relationship was. But the way that Regina had acted around Danny their first meeting, Lacey figured it was more sexual than anything.
"Not as gorgeous as my Lady Lacey" A husky voice sounded behind them.
The group turned to see Danny standing with his ankles crossed as he leaned against the wall. He looked beyond gorgeous. He always did. However tonight, he was beyond what anyone expected. Danny wore a white ruffled shirt that reminded Lacey of a pirate shirt. He had a black hooded cape that was opened revealing the shirt. It hooked onto him with a golden chain that had some type family crest on it. The crest had a deep red jewel shape on it.
Lacey, as well as the rest of the females, allowed her eyes to travel over Danny's body. His white shirt was belted at the waist with a large buckled belt. He wore black linen pants that were stuffed into high boots that buckled at the top. He looked like he was pulled from medieval times. It was noted by all the ladies that Danny decided to allow stubble to play on his face rather than shave. His hair had a tousled style. Lacey swallowed trying to relieve the parched dryness from her throat.
He smirked as he took in the view of Lacey. She was by far the most gorgeous female at the dance. He knew Lacey had tried to find a dress similar to Laura's dress. She did a good job in her search. The deep red color accented her dark tresses of hair. The leather bounding tied tightly around her causing her breasts to push up nicely from the red material. Laura would be found lacking if she stood next to the lovely Lacey. Yes, they looked alike and could pass for each other. Yet, Lacey's demeanor had so much more power over Danny. She caused his heartbeat to quicken.
Lacey finally spoke after she caught her breath. "Danny, you look amazing."
Danny uncrossed his ankles and stepped forward. "Amazing best describes you, my fair lady."
Lacey bit her lip as she tried to contain her racing heart. Danny picked up Lacey's hand to kiss it. His eyes darted up to hers as his lips lingered on the top of her hand. Once again, Lacey bit her bottom lip tightly and swallowed.
"You look hot." Phoebe stated as she peered at Danny. "Ummm. Sorry."
Her date's face reddened feeling embarrassed for her. Danny leaned up from kissing Lacey's hand. He looked over Phoebe with a leering gaze. "As do you, my queen."
Phoebe giggled slightly as she pulled Charlie to her. Her face flushed as red as Lacey's dress. Danny then turned to Rico.
"What a lovely wench you have." Danny winked at Jo. "I'm surprised a peasant as yourself could afford a wench such as her."
Jo was the one blushing and giggling now. Scott pulled at his tunic hoping Danny wouldn't try to charm Sarita. However, Danny loved to taunt the mere mortals as Scott. So he did just that. He smiled at Sarita. "What a lovely lady you make, Sarita. Too bad your Robin hood feels inadequate next to his Maid Marion."
Sarita sarcastically raised her eyebrows. "He is inadequate next to me. That's why I keep him around. Scott knows it."
"Sarita." Scott whined. But he shrugged. "Yeah. I'm lucky."
"Danny, you need to quit teasing the ladies. We all know what a charmer you are." Regina approached with Archie. The boy seemed to be led around like a puppy on a leash.
Danny assumed that Regina had picked Archie's outfit as it complimented hers. They both were of upper class attire. He raised his eyebrow noting Regina's dress. It was very similar to the dress he had ripped away from her body at their first meeting.
Regina knew he remembered. That was her plan. She licked her teeth seductively as she peered at Danny. "I'm thirsty. Aren't you?"
Danny chortled slightly at Regina's obviousness. "I don't need to quench my thirst as of yet."
"I can get you a drink, Regina." Archie scurried away before Regina could answer.
Regina almost felt weak in the knees as Danny's glowing brown eyes stared at her. He was as always. Perfect.
Danny broke his gaze from Regina and turned to the lady that actually held his attention.
"Would you like to dance, Lacey?" Danny stuck out his hand towards Lacey.
Lacey had to shake out of her jealousy haze to accept Danny's hand. "Yes. I'd love to."
Regina ran her hands up and down her arms feeling a chill in the air. Jo popped her lips together trying to think of something to say to the strange girl.
"I never heard of how you know Danny." Jo rocked on her feet back and forth.
Regina didn't take her gaze off of Danny and Lacey on the dance floor. "For a short time, Danny was once my lover. Lacey is a very lucky female. Danny is an exquisite lover. The best I've ever had."
Jo glanced over at Phoebe. Both the females knew by the way Regina said the words. She still wanted Danny as her lover.
"He seems intrigued with Lacey now." Rico spoke up surprising Regina as well as the others around them.
"So he does." Regina turned from staring at the gorgeous couple to Rico. She glared at him causing Rico to pull at his collar nervously.
Archie came up handing Regina a glass of punch. "Here."
"Thank you, Archie." Regina linked her arm in his. "Show me around this gala."
"Sure." Archie smiled widely.
Jo felt like she was holding her breath the whole time Regina was there. The new girl in town made her feel strange. She seemed so unwelcoming around all females. Yet, the males were intrigued by her beauty. Rico made her proud by speaking up to the strange female.
"Rico…" Jo ran her hand down her date's arm. "Who is hotter? Lacey or Regina?"
Rico laughed. "Is this a trick? Because you beat them both."
"Good answer. But I'm serious." Jo continued to caress his arm. She turned to Phoebe's date. "How about you, Charlie? What do you think?"
"I …uh…well.." Charlie stuttered.
Rico saved the poor shy boy. "It is different attractiveness. Regina seems to draw men in with a sexuality. Like she is going to well basically have sex with them and please them. Lacey is a classy beauty. She makes a man want to give up his life for her. She is beautiful and it is unnaturally so."
"Really?" Jo laughed as Rico suddenly became nervous.
"Okay. Let me explain on better terms before I get in trouble. And remember you asked." Once again, Rico pulled at his collar. "Take Cole Farrell, the new night class instructor, and how to view him. You girls think he is hot. But Danny is at a whole other level to you all. I can see how the females seem intrigued by him. Cole is approachable and attainable while Danny is a fantasy. Regina is like Cole to the males. And Lacey is like Danny ."
Cole had heard of night classes being offered for students that were struggling in their studies. Therefore, he applied for the job. With a little help from his suggestive powers, Cole got the job. He wanted to see if any immortals were at Green Grove High School. That way if they were there to seek out and kill Lacey, he may catch on to their plans first.
Jo leaned up and kissed Rico quickly. "That made perfect sense. Now, let's go make out."
The music seemed to pound louder and louder with each gyrating body that was on the dance floor. The chaperones were definitely working hard tonight trying to separate teen bodies from dancing too provocatively. Danny and Lacey were the center of that problem.
Danny held Lacey tightly to him as they danced with her back against his front. His hands played dangerously close to her breasts. Not to anyone's surprise, Lacey could dance. She always could. Most of them hoped that Danny could not. They hoped to see some type flaw in Danny. However, he seemed to be able to keep up with Lacey's moves. Their bodies moved in sequence to the music. It was seductively enticing to watch the teens' bodies moving against one another. It seemed sexual yet had a classy and not trashy look to the dance.
Danny's hand squeezed Lacey's side as he fought the urge to kiss her neck. He leaned down to whisper his wish in her ear before he acted upon it. That was a mistake. He smelled the distinct smell of Lacey's blood. His eyes caught the throbbing of Lacey's artery in her neck. It beckoned for him to taste of her. He could feel his heart thud against his chest harshly. His tongue ran along his teeth feeling his fangs begin to protrude. He wanted Lacey in every way. The sexual desire for her was beginning to cause him the familiar craving that he had hindered since Kayleigh.
Lacey wrapped her arms around Danny's neck as she pushed back against him. She didn't want to tease the boy. However, she was fighting against her own urges. Danny closed his eyes as the urge to taste of Lacey's sweet nectar of blood caused a craving beyond any he had felt.
Lacey felt the Danny's hot breath on her neck. She heard him moan slightly as his tongue jutted out to taste her salty skin. He said in such a weak pleading tone.
"Lacey, I can't fight this."
Lacey felt his body pull away from her. She felt his presence leave. She turned to stare at the emptiness behind her. She felt awkward on the dance floor without a dance partner. She made her way off the floor.
Coach Larson was headed to stop the couple from dancing too provocatively when he saw Danny release Lacey and walk away. Coach Larson was glad he didn't have to confront Danny Desai again. The boy made him feel strangely fearful.
Lacey had enjoyed the dance with Danny. It definitely would have the gossip hounds out and about come Monday morning. However, during the dance, he had left abruptly. Lacey wanted to be near him and feel him against her as the dance allowed them. However, she wanted it to be more at a private venture.
"Where did Danny go?" Lacey fixed her dress making sure to rid it of the wrinkles that Danny had pressed tightly into it.
"I'm not sure." Phoebe stated as she pushed her breasts up trying to look more like the other teen girls. Her date blushed at Phoebe reaching and taking his hand. "Are you two dating now?" Lucky girl, Phoebe thought.
"Yes." Lacey glanced around the crowded room for any sign of Danny. "We've been dating for a few weeks. But we're still friends too."
"Mmmhmmm." Jo chimed in as she pulled Rico up to be beside her. "With friends like that, who needs lovers?"
"Enemies." Lacey corrected her. "The saying is with friends like that, who needs enemies?"
"Not in your and Danny's case. Lovers is much more adequate. The boy wants you." Jo retorted as she leaned back against Rico's chest.
Rico had built up enough courage to wrap his arms around Jo from the back. He placed his chin on the crown of Jo's head.
"No, he doesn't." Lacey sighed in obvious disappointment. If Danny wanted her so much, why did he leave her alone on the dance floor? " Danny is ultra-seductive with every female with a heartbeat."
The group of friends laughed at Lacey's words. The boy did seem to charm any female within a mile radius of him. Regina had been listening. Therefore, she walked up to join the conversation. Archie was at her side as usual.
"I saw him go out the side door, Lacey." Regina added sweetly.
Regina knew why Danny had left in such a hurry. She had to appreciate his love for Lacey. She also had to appreciate his strength in fighting the craving for the blood that pumped through Lacey's veins. Regina had hoped that Danny would allow her to be his beloved immortal. She had hoped that she would find peace with him. Her hopes were dashed when she saw his adoration for the lovely Lacey Porter. It was never seen by her that an immortal would love a human so much that he would not make her one of his kind to feed off of. Even with Tyler, Regina had not tried to be near him as Lacey and Danny. Tyler had to stay his distance from his wife in order not to bite her and make her an immortal. No immortal had been in the predicament where they were so close physically and not bitten the female. Yet, Danny did Lacey. He was sparing her this life of immortality. Regina wished that her own maker had given her such a gift. But he had not. The same maker had made Danny into what he was accidentally. She had hoped that kindred spirit would cause them to have a unique connection. It had not.
"Thanks, Regina." Lacey smiled genuinely before heading out to find Danny.
When she stepped out the side door of the gymnasium/auditorium, she hesitated. It was raining out and the ground was saturated with puddles of water. She saw Danny in a distance. It caused her breath to hitch in her throat. He looked so lost and forlorn. Yet, he was as alluring as ever.
Lacey sighed out as she stepped into the downpour of rain. She knew her gown would be ruined but she didn't care. Something seemed strange about Danny tonight. She was going to see what it was. Maybe she could help him.
The rain was cold against her skin causing Lacey to wrap her arms tightly around herself. She stopped to lean against the brick wall that Danny leaned against.
"What are you doing in the rain, Lacey?" Danny glanced sideways at the lovely female beside him. "You'll catch a cold."
Lacey sighed out in frustration. His ruffled white shirt was now soaked causing his gorgeous body to be revealed slowly to her. His hair lay in wet ringlets of curls around his tanned face. How could he entice her with lust and incite her to anger at the same time?
"Why did you leave?" Lacey asked as she pushed her body up on the small wall. She allowed her legs to dangle over the side.
"I needed to cool off." Danny gazed over Lacey's body. "And with you being out here getting soaked, I'm not exactly cooling off."
"Oh..you mean.." Lacey's voice lowered in a whisper. So he dashed out of there because she was turning him on. Wow. Her body heated up as her cheeks turned a crimson color on top of her ebony skin.
Danny turned to her. He shook his head at her innocence. His hands went to grasp both her knees. He then pried her legs apart and stepped in between her awaiting thighs.
"That is exactly what I mean." He stared into her deep brown eyes. His clear caramel eyes glowed as his body pressed tightly into hers. "I'm too dangerous for you, Lacey."
"I can make up my own mind about that." Lacey's voice was so low and laced with lust that even she didn't recognize her own words.
"No. That is what you don't understand, Lace." Danny raked his finger over her cheek before pushing a wet tendril of hair from her face. "If I want you, I can have you."
"Please, Danny." Lacey giggled slightly. "You're a little too confident there."
Danny leaned in to stare into Lacey's eyes. He'd not use his seductive power on her. That was a lost cause for him. Lacey seemed immune to that particular power of Danny's. Instead, he would use the feelings that he was sure they both felt. It was no longer about the seducing power he possessed. It was about the emotions that resided in both their hearts.
His mouth came so close to touching Lacey's mouth. He whispered before closing the gap. "Am I?"
The lips sealed in a heated kiss. Lacey felt weak as their lips played along together in their seductive dance. Danny pushed past Lacey's lips with his tongue claiming entrance to the crevice of her mouth. Lacey wrapped her arms around Danny's neck as her fingers entangled in his wet tendrils of dark hair.
Danny's hands edged up Lacey's dress. The wet material clung to Lacey's toned legs as Danny's thick fingers pushed upward. Lacey moaned into Danny's mouth as she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He thrust into her as he pulled her tighter.
Lacey threw her head back when Danny surrendered the kiss. He allowed his mouth to travel down her neck kissing and licking as he went. He stopped on her artery sucking in slightly at her pulse point. Lacey moaned in satisfaction at his actions. She was surprised when she heard what sounded like a whimper come from Danny's mouth.
He pulled back causing Lacey to open her eyes. She watched as his glowing eyes seemed to become more luminescent. He bent to capture Lacey's mouth in a kiss again. He raked his tongue along Lacey's teeth. Instinctively, Lacey realized that Danny wanted her to do the same with him.
Lacey's tongue twirled on the roof of Danny's mouth causing him to grip tighter to her. Lacey's tongue then raked across Danny's teeth. Her eyes shot open when she felt the sharp edge of his fangs. She pulled back quickly. She stared into his glowing eyes.
Lacey's eyes traveled to see Regina standing at the open door of the gymnasium. Regina stared out with sad eyes. Suddenly, it dawned on Lacey. Danny hadn't named a girl , for Daniel Desai's story, Regina. She was actually that girl and Danny was Daniel.
Not saying a word, Lacey pushed her head into the crook of Danny's neck. She began to cry. Danny rubbed up and down Lacey's back. Tears poured from her russet eyes onto his shoulder. He knew it was tears due to the warmth of the moisture compared to the cold rain.
He knew that she knew.