Star, Starland Vamp Series, Book 1 (24 page)

As I drew near, he leaned across the black interior, opening the passenger door for me.

“Shall we?” he asked, as I slid into the comfortable seat. “I could definitely get used to this,” Zac said with a smile, leaning over to give me one sweet kiss, before he gunned the engine and quickly sped off the lot and back onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

As soon as we were safely a distance away, Zac took the exit onto I-81toward Maryland.

“Are you hungry?” Zac asked, this time as if I was any other person, sending a thrill through my body.

I looked at him with a half smile, unable to resist the temptation. “I could eat,” I said with a sly smile, then added, “What you have in mind?”

Zac smiled, mischievously. “No comment!” he said, laughing, shaking his head, then looked directly at me. “You know how to drive a man crazy, you know that?”

I laughed, enjoying his discomfort. “Only you.”

Our eyes met and held, then he turned his attention back to the road and I sat back, relaxing. It felt good to let someone else be in control for a change, so I decided to enjoy the ride. We passed several restaurants when Zac spotted what he wanted. “Olive Garden?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Sounds good,” I replied, smiling, looking out the window. But he knew me well enough to know what I was really thinking.

As he pulled into the parking lot, I quickly looked around, but there was nothing. “It’s safe,” I said to Zac, looking into his eyes.

“Can you give me a minute?’ he asked, pulling his cell phone from his pocket.

“Sure,” I answered with a smile, getting out of the car, knowing he was calling his mother. In the parking lot, I took the opportunity to stretch and look around, and from every angle, there was nothing. For once, it felt good to relax a bit. I took a deep breath. No rogue vamps, no running for our lives, no Glocks, although mine was still safely tucked into the small of my back. But I knew the feeling of security would be short lived, for the best was yet to come.

“You ready?” Zac said, gently breaking my reverie, extending his hand, and I took it without looking back.

“Sure,” I replied, as we walked into the restaurant. “How’d your mom take it?”

Zac sighed, then responded, “Surprisingly well.” He took a deep breath, then continued, “She was glad that I was safe and wanted me to come home, but she knew that I couldn’t. She hit the roof when I told her I was going to pay a visit to my father. Then she calmed down and told me that she’d been waiting for this day for a long time.” 

I didn’t say anything, letting him get it out. He needed time to adjust and, actually, he was doing a great job of it. After all, he was an ordinary high school student yesterday, and today his whole world turned upside down. It was amazing to me that we had only known each other a few days.

A moment later, the hostess ushered us to a secluded table, a booth in the corner. It’s good I didn’t have to intervene. We could talk in private without prying eyes and ears. I took a seat and Zac slid into the booth across from me as the hostess brought us breadsticks and water.

“You’re waitress is Tracy and she’ll be here in a minute,” the hostess said with a kind smile, giving Zac a discrete once over, but I smiled sweetly, knowing she could look all she wanted, because he was mine.

“Thank you,” Zac replied, reaching across the table to take my hands into his. He tried to smile, but failed miserably, thinking of his mother.

“Don’t worry,” I said, gently broaching the subject. “Rick and Annie will protect your mother. They already are.”

“Who’s Rick, by the way?” Zac asked, and the way he said it wasn’t the slightest bit accusatory.

I smiled, thinking of Rick. “He’s my best friend,” I replied, searching for the right words with a faraway look in my eyes. “I’ve known him for years.”

Then Zac looked me square in the eye, his eyes narrowing. “Do you trust him?”

And my eyes never wavered. “Without a doubt. He’s saved my life more than once.”

Zac nodded, then asked in a low voice, “Is he a vamp, too?”

I laughed, thinking of Rick. “Of course. He turned me years ago, and he’s actually the only family I have left.” I looked away, thinking of my own father who had been gone for so many years now. But in my mind, it really didn’t seem so long. Then a thought occurred to me. “Why do you ask?”

“Just checking,” Zac answered, taking a deep breath. “After what we’ve been through today, I had to ask. I’m just trying to figure out who’s after me and why.”

“Good question,” I replied, then took a deep breath, letting the air fill my lungs, then gently squeezed his hand. “But don’t worry, we’ll find out. You won’t have to hide out for long, then everything can go back to normal.”

Zac laughed. “What’s normal after this?”

“Good evening,” our all-too-perky waitress interrupted. She was all of about 5’2” with her hair cut into a perky brunette bob. She must be Tracy. “What can I get for you tonight?”

“Ladies first?” Zac asked, giving me a wink. And I knew I could definitely get used to this.

“I’ll have the Fettuccini Alfredo,” I ordered, not looking at the menu, then added. “Oh! And a Mountain Dew.”

Zac laughed, shaking his head.

“And for you, sir?” Tracy asked, again, a bit too perky.

Zac just looked at me, amazed, still shaking his head. “I’ll have the same.”

“Okay, you just go right ahead and enjoy your salad while I get that for you,” Tracy said, placing a giant salad in the middle of the table, along with white china plates. “Now if you two need anything, you just holler, you hear?”

She must be from the South.

Zac grinned and thanked her, then she left us to ourselves. “You really like Mountain Dew, don’t you?” Zac asked, laughing, lightening the mood.

“You have no idea!” I replied, as Zac laughed. It felt good to laugh with him. To the world, we appeared to be typical teenagers out on a date. No one would guess where we had been and where we were going.

Zac and I chatted casually, leaving the rogue vamps outside, just enjoying the night and the company, almost like a real date. “You’re truly amazing, you know that?” Zac asked me, smiling.

I just laughed, enjoying our time together. A few moments later, our meals were there and we were slurping our Fettuccini Alfredo and enjoying the night.

When we were almost through with our meal, Zac looked out the window into the dark night, then back to me. “Do you think my father will still be in the office tonight?”

“Doubtful,” I replied, nibbling on a bread stick.

“Come on,” Zac said, taking my hand, leaving some twenties on the table. A few minutes later, he ushered me out the door. Outside, my eyes quickly scanned the parking lot and it was still clear. No rogue vamps in sight. My heart fluttered as he opened my car door for me.

“Where are we going?” I asked, already having an idea, as he buckled his seatbelt and sped out of the parking lot.

“Well,” Zac began, not taking his eyes off the road. “It looks like we’re safe here for now, so would you mind if we get a room? I know what it sounds like and if you like, we can get separate rooms …”

My heart pounded within my chest. Knowing Zac has given my heart more exercise than it’s had in years. “It’s fine,” I reassured him, then softly added, hating to bring everything up, but it was inevitable. “Zac, I’m not leaving you alone.”

A few minutes later, Zac threw the car into park in the parking lot of a La Quinta Inn and turned off the engine. The silence between us spoke volumes, until he broke the silence. “I just want you to know that I’m not going to take advantage of the situation,” Zac replied apologetically. Continually the gentleman, just like the men of old.  

“Zac, it’s okay,” I replied, then leaned across the seat and gently kissed his perfectly shaped full lips.

Zac started to get out of the car, but I told him he’d better let me go with him. I wasn’t about to let him out of my sight. So a few moments later, Zac was at the counter, getting the room, while I stood guard at the plate glass windows, watching the car and the parking lot.

Within minutes, we had the keys and were safely in a room on the first floor. I quickly checked out the room and everything was fine. We were alone, as I locked and bolted the door.

“Why don’t you take a shower and relax while I keep watch,” I told Zac, as he pulled me gently into his arms.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight, either,” Zac said, and a moment later, his lips crushed down onto mine, pulling me into the contours of his chest. His lips explored mine, then moved down to my neck. His breathing grew intense as he reached down and slipped off my white T-shirt, revealing my white lacy bra beneath as my breath caught.

“Have you changed your mind?” I breathed into his ear, remembering what he said to me earlier in the forest, on the hood of his car.

“No, but I was thinking about what you said earlier,” Zac said, smiling mischievously. “I love you, Abigail. I’ve waited for you for so long.” And a moment later, he was kissing me, pulling me onto the bed. He kissed down to my stomach, then back up to my ear. “I want to please you, Abbey. I love you so very much.”

Breathless, I whispered into his ear. “What are you saying, Zachary?” It was the first time I’d called him by his full name.

He kissed my neck as my breathing came faster, and I arched my back in ecstasy as he laid his body beside mine, pulling me close, then stroked my hair, looking directly into my eyes. “Abigail, I want to share my blood with you.”

“Zac …” I said, pulling back slightly, but he wouldn’t let me go. “I don’t want to take advantage of you … of the situation …”

“Abigail …” he said, kissing me very sensually, and I knew if I didn’t stop him soon, I wouldn’t be able to stop. “I love you, I love you so very much …”

And a moment later, my hands gripped his shirt and slipped it off his body, revealing beautiful, well-defined muscles beneath. I softly kissed his chest, letting my hands and lips gently explore the contours of his broad chest, as he moaned in ecstasy. “Zac …” my voice was merely a whisper. I was torn, not wanting to take advantage of him, of this situation, but wanting him so badly, warring within myself.

Then he gently took me into his arms, his azure eyes melting mine, “Abigail, share my blood.” And a moment later, I took the Ballistics knife strapped to my ankle, and ever so slightly, pierced his neck as red, crimson blood oozed from the wound. I hungrily licked the crimson trial, then covered the wound with my mouth and drank in his luscious life force, stronger than I had ever imagined it to be, as my hands pulled his body onto mine. And a moment later, I pulled away, breathless, as he kissed my neck, and my chest, down to my stomach, then back up to my lips as his hungrily found mine.

Then Zac did something that I didn’t expect.

He took my knife and ever so gently pierced my neck as I writhed and arched my back with pleasure. And a moment later, his lips were on my neck, drawing in my life force, bringing me to new heights, as our souls caressed. A moment later, he pulled back to look deeply into my eyes, and his wound was already beginning to heal, as was mine. My blood has healing powers for humans. But the look in his eyes was one of ecstasy as his lips crushed down onto mine, then rolled over onto the bed, pulling me tightly within his powerful arms, and I knew I was home.

As I rested my head on his beautiful bare chest, I knew I was completely his. I lay beside him, stroking his hair, as he fell into a deep slumber. And as I watched him sleep lying beside me, I knew our life together had just begun.

I watched Zac sleeping peacefully throughout the night, as the pale light of morning peered through the windows. I laid my head gently on his broad chest, listening to the rhythm of his heart and his steady breathing, thinking of the night before, and unable to believe the direction the night had taken. As I remembered sharing my blood with him, and Zac sharing his with me, it was the most sensual experience of my life. Watching him sleep, I knew everything had changed and that my life, and my love, was irrevocably his.

“Zac …” I gently whispered into his ear, kissing his neck. “Zac, honey, it’s time to wake up.” I gently cooed, gingerly kissing his chest, then his neck and his cheek. “We need to get going.”

“Hum …” Zac said, smiling, his eyes still closed. Then he wrapped his arms around me. My breath caught as he slowly opened his beautiful azure eyes to look into mine. “Good morning, dear,” he said with a smile, as he gently kissed my lips. Content, my lips moved with his in familiar ways, as happiness and joy like I’d never felt before filled my heart.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked, pulling back to look into his lovely eyes.

He smiled broadly, then replied, his eyes unwavering, “I was dreaming of this gorgeous girl …”

I laughed, reaching a hand up to gently stroke his hair. “Oh? Anyone I know?”

“No,” Zac smiled mischievously, then stifled my laugh with a kiss, wrapping his muscular arms around me, pulling me to his chest. His lips moved with mine gently, taking his time, as if we had all the time in the world, as if it was just us, and no one was outside lurking in the shadows threatening to steal this moment from us. He rolled me over onto my back and leaned into my chest, giving me one last, sweet kiss, then pulled back to look into my eyes, gently stroking my hair. “Good morning, gorgeous.” Then his lips moved to my neck, kissing it tenderly, then he looked directly into my eyes. “This is wonderful, waking up next to you. You’re the first sight I want to see every morning.”