Blood Is Thicker Then Water

I looked at the ground as Pete and I stepped over sticks and leaves to get back to the playground he had kidnapped me from. It was about eight o'clock already and I knew the girls were probably worried but...I wasn't ready to leave. His presence alone made me calmer and lifted so many boulders off my shoulders. He was a vampire, I kept telling myself that. But in a way I knew he was the answer. He did not want to be what he was and therefore he could help me. I itched to reach out to him and touch his cold skin to my fingertips, just a taste of what it could be like to actually be with a creature so inhuman. But I held myself back from the pleasure I so desperately wanted to endure.

He must have stopped a few feet back once we reached the edge of the forest because I looked to my side when I passed the jungle gym and he was not beside me. I looked over my shoulder and he was looking to the ground just behind the moon's light and I turned fully to him, giving him my full attention.

"Your friends would not approve of this if they saw us together." He murmured and nodded across the street and surely, there were Alex and Aly.

"Alex would tell me to go for it." I smiled a crooked grin and he shook his head.

"What do you think would happen if we walked together into the public eye?" He asked and I shrugged.

"Who cares?" I asked and scoffed at him. "It's not like this involves anyone other than me, you and maybe even the girls." I huffed.

"And if any of the other leeches saw us they'd attack you." He glared.

"And I have my stake!" I smiled proudly with my hands on my hips and my chin toward the sky. I heard a small laugh come from deep in his throat and I smiled, looking at him. "Pete?" I asked, stepping toward him.

"Yea?" He asked softly and looked at me.

"Is this wrong?" I asked and I came up to him with our faces about a half an inch apart.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"To...feel like this?" I shook my head.

"Like what?" He asked and I rolled my eyes, knowing he'd make me say it out loud.

"Why do you gotta make me say out loud!!" I hissed loudly and he jerked me deeper into the forest.

"Will you shut up?" He growled and I pushed him.

"I can be as loud as I want!" I yelled at him and he glared, darting his eyes across the street.

"Adin, please." He stressed and I glared, biting my cheek.

"Why does it matter to you?" I asked and he shook his head.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt."

"Why?" I asked, urging him.

"Because I need you to beat Heath." He looked away.

"You and I both know that's not just it." I crossed my arms and pouted like a spoiled teenager.

"What other reason is there?" He asked, confused.

I dropped my arms and looked away embarrassed, knowing he didn't feel for me as I did for him. Why would he anyway?

"I'm sorry." I sighed and turned away. "I'm sorry I even thought the way I was, it was not appropriate." I began to walk away but his ice cold hand wrapped around my forearm and made me stop in my tracks.

"You know that can't be possible for us, Adin." He murmured.

"Can't it?" I whispered back over my shoulder.

"No. It can't." He said and let go of my wrist and I clenched my eyes shut in sadness at the loss of connection.

"I can keep a secret." I whispered.

"Adin, please." He stressed.

"Pete..." I sighed, turning to him and measured him up with my eyes.

"Yes?" He asked and put a hand on his hip. I took a careful step toward him and came nose to nose.

"I've always been the one in my family to do everything right. You may not believe it, but I did everything that was expected of me. I have strategies. I use them to my advantages and do my job every night. For once, I want to take a chance. I want to take that risk with you and not look back until we fall together." I looked up at him. He was fairly short but still about 3-4 inches taller than me. He was stiff, not knowing what I was going to do. I knew the smell of my blood was strong. Being this close. It wasn't what he was used to. He'd probably never taken a familiar before. And here I was, the vampire slayer, offering my neck.

"Adin..." He murmured and I stretched up on my tip toes so my lips were grazing his ear.

"Please..." I whispered, my breath hitting him just behind the earlobe.

He moved his head so his face was facing mine and I reached out my hands to grip his forearms, then slowly and gently, ran them up the length of his arms. Over his muscles and onto his shoulders. He was stiff, not knowing what to do and I gripped the back of his neck, forcing his face closer to mine.

"Take the risk Pete. With me." I murmured with my lips brushing against his and he shook a little.

I wasn't going to go the rest of the way. This was his choice from now on. My eyes searched his and I could feel his heavy, cold breath on my face. Debating. Choosing.

I don't know why I was doing this. I knew I was going to hell now for sure. No stopping my trip. I got a parking spot with my name on it.

Then I felt him slowly begin to relax beneath my touch and his arms gently circled my waist, bringing me closer to him and I smiled slightly.

He hissed a little knowing he was going against his better judgment but he must have thrown it out the window because that's when I felt his lips on mine.

His cold, hard lips. So different from the warm ones I had touched before him. Even with the contrast, it sent a warm shiver down my spine and I pulled him closer, reaching for more connection.

He was guarding something, I knew, because his muscles were still a little tense with awareness.

I ran my fingertips from his neck and down his spine to try to calm him. To make him more comfortable with me.

It worked a little. But when he pushed me into a tree, my back scraped against the bark and I winced at the pain. I could feel a tiny bit of liquid, soaking through my shirt but not a lot, but I also felt his nostrils flare against my cheek while his head was angled and he flew away from me faster than I could imagine possible.

The kiss was over. My lips felt free. The cold air touched my mouth and sighed. Pete was clenching his fists in aggravation and I felt the my back to feel the damage. Not much. Just a few spots of blood. Obviously he has never drank from any human at all.

"You ok?" I asked softly and he shook his head.

"Stay back please." He ordered and I stood straight, waiting for him to calm, but he didn't.

"You've never...?" I asked, knowing he'd know what I meant.

"No. I've never tasted human blood." He said.

"How do you...?"

"My friend makes something to stop my craving." He said.

"Your friend?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes, I have 3 of them I live with." He said and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Pete, I..."

"I don't think we should try that again." He said and I looked down.

"You can't control what you feel, Pete." I whispered and his head snapped up to look me straight in the eyes.

"And how is it I feel?" He hissed harshly and I glared.

"Judging from the way you raped my mouth I'd say it's pretty intensely." I growled and he scowled.

"You came onto me." He pointed.

"So? Didn't mean you had to go the rest of the way, I gave you that choice!" I pointed and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm a guy, what do you expect!"

"Look pretty girly to me." I crossed my arms, now defensive.

"And you must love the girly ones don't you?" He laughed darkly.

"No. I just thought your ass was hot." I shrugged.

"...Really?" He asked, all defensiveness gone from his eyes as he leaned back and looked at his butt over his shoulder.

"Oh Jesus Christ." I threw up my hands in surrender and turned to get out of the forest.

"Adin." I heard him call after me as I headed for the girls.

"Yea?" I hissed.

"Meet me back here tomorrow night. I'm gonna have you meet the guys." He said.

"Now you wanna see me again? Are you bipolar?" I questioned and he rolled his eyes.

"You're cute when your mad." He smirked, teasing.

"Shut up." I shot and turned again.

"See you at 6:30!" He chuckled and I growled, crossing the street.

I could still feel the ghost of his lips on mine.