Page 5 of To Crave Darkly
“Don’t mention it. Now Lori, I need you to listen to me and I need you to listen carefully. I don’t like to repeat myself. You were attacked by vampires last night. Some of the worst ones want to use you for their own devious gains and I’ve been charged with keeping you safe and bringing you in.”
“Woah, slow down there, big guy. Why me? Why do they want me? Wait, vampires exist?” My breath turned shallow. My heart danced in my chest.Dread tingled across my skin with the pain of a thousand needles. God, what had I gotten myself into now? It was because I pissed this guy off in the club, wasn’t it? He had drugged me or something and made me hallucinate. That must be it; vampires weren’t real. I closed my eyes tightly and hoped to god the effects of whatever drugs were in my system would disappear.
It’s just a dream. Just a dream. It’s not real. Not real.
I kept repeating the mantra over and over again but I couldn’t seem to get control of my breathing. My throat closed up and I tried to gulp down precious oxygen.
What was happening to me?
Two large hands gripped the side of my face, forcing me to open my eyes. Jasper was a mere inch from me and for a moment I forgot everything. Deep pools of infinitesimal blue swirled before me and I was lost again to the calm sea I saw in them.
“Lori, calm down.” His deep voice broke me out of the spell, and I was back in full blown panic mode again.
“Calm down?!” I screamed, pushing his hands away from me, “I will not calm down pal. Who do you think you are? You come into my home, roam about like you own the place, telling me that vampires exist, that I’m somehow important and you want me to calm down?” I couldn’t process this, couldn't think. I needed to get out. I needed air. I needed to breathe. I leapt to my feet and headed to my door but somehow Jasper was there before me. I didn’t even see him move.
“How did you...?” I asked but I already knew the answer to my question. I stepped away from him. “You’re one of them, aren’t you?” I kept walking backwards until my back hit the wall. Jasper advanced towards me, stopping with his face right in front of me. I felt his breath on my cheek. I thought vampires were dead - how could he be breathing? I was distracted from thinking by a strange pull from Jasper’s eyes. I couldn’t explain it but it felt like my whole world was centred on those blue eyes and everything else ceased to exist.
“Lori, you will pack your things and come with me.” His voice sounded hypnotic and I felt like I really wanted to agree. It took all my willpower not to. I pushed against his chest and noticed his look of surprise.
“I don’t think so. I think you should leave. I don’t need any crazy in my life, thank you very much.”
Jasper looked at me confused, “You will pack your things,” he said again, his voice all weird and husky. If I wasn’t so pissed off, I would probably find it quite sexy.
“Go to hell, jackass,” I said pushing at him again, but he didn’t budge an inch. He looked deep in thought, almost puzzled.
“I’m sorry for this,” he said, putting his hand round my neck.
“No, don’t kill me, Jasper, please,” I begged, but I felt a firm pressure below my left ear and everything went black.
Chapter 4
LORI
Again, I woke up feeling groggy What the hell? I opened my eyes and found myself looking out a car window. Shit. He didn’t. He couldn’t have. I sat up with a jolt and pain lanced through my wrists. He’d cuffed me to the fucking door?
“Jasper, what have you done?” I said through gritted teeth.
“I’m protecting you,” he replied without taking his eyes off the road.
“Stop the car,” I demanded, but he just carried on driving. He was completely ignoring me; what a jackass. First, he stalks me, then he saves me, now he’s kidnapped me. What the fuck was going on here?
“Stop the car, Jasper!” I shouted at him. I reached out with my leg and started to kick him.Ignore that, dickwad.
“Damn it, Lori!” The car swerved as I managed to make contact with his arm. I continued to kick at him wildly, hoping that he would stop the car, buthe grabbed my ankle. “Stop it,” he said gripping me harder, his hand a vice around my limb and I winced at the pain travelling up my leg.His hand completely wrapped around my ankle and I tried to ignore the heat from his touch. No way was I enjoying the touch of his skin on mine.
“Have you finished?” His voice broke my reverie and my eyes looked back to his face and the permanent scowl that seemed to be fixed there. He looked straight back at me, refusing to give up his hold on my leg until I surrendered to him. He growled and squeezed my ankle again, grinding the bones together to get my attention.
“Yes!” I screamed in pain laced with anger. It killed me to submit. To give up went against my fighter’s instinct but I just hoped I would get another chance to escape. I wasn’t going anywhere quietly with this brute until he explained a few things–like firstly, what the hell was going on.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Somewhere safe,” he snarled. Well, that could be anywhere.
“Why am I cuffed to the car door?” I snarled back. Two could play at that game.
“To keep you safe.”
“Why do you need to keep me safe?”
