Page 161 of The Last Vampire
His purple gaze is locked on mine, as if I’m all he sees, and my heartbeat stumbles. I know Tiffany is glaring at us, but fuck her pessimism. This ismyfantasy, not hers.
“Good morning, Lore,” he says, leaning in to plant a kiss on my lips.
Blood rushes to my face, and he murmurs in my ear, “Do not tempt me so early in the day.”
“Then don’t be so damn charming,” I whisper back, and he smiles, revealing sharp, sparkly teeth.
“Wait! Don’t get food yet.” Trevor rushes to our table, slamming his bag on the floor and settling into his chair. My roommates set down their plates and sit.
“Last night,” says Trevor as Zach sits beside him, “we tried going to the LUB but couldn’t get in. The wardrobe moved, and the wall caved in.”
He pans across our faces, like he’s waiting for us to express our shock. “That’s crazy,” says Salma, and Tiffany just looks down at her plate.
“Maybe that’s why that wing of the manor had been blocked off,” I say. “It wasn’t stable.”
“The whole wardrobe moved and the wall crumbled.That’s not strange to you?” Zach stares at me, and maybe it’s just guilt, but I feel like he knows I’m lying.
“We never should’ve gone into that room,” says Tiffany, grabbing her plate and standing up. “That coffin was cursed.”
“The fuck? I thought you wanted to write a story on it!” Trevor sounds bewildered by her dismissiveness. “Why aren’t any of you upset?”
“Tiffany’s right,” says Salma, also standing up. “I was getting bad vibes in there.” Then the two of them head to the buffet line, leaving me alone with the guys.
“What’s up with Carter?” Trevor asks me. “Her period not over yet?”
“I fucking told you that’s not funny.” Zach’s pale face is bright red, and I’m not sure I’ve heard him curse before, so he must be especially pissed.
“She friend-zoned you, man, get over it,” says Trevor.
This only seems to make Zach angrier, and he says, “I told you it’s not like that between us. Don’t take out your frustration with Salma on us.”
“I don’t have any frustration!” snaps Trevor.
Just then, Cat strides up to him. “Hey, we still on to meet after dinner tonight?” she asks in her low drawl.
“Fuck yes,” says Trevor, standing up with his empty plate and escorting her to the buffet line.
When Zach gets up to follow, William says to me, “Eat.”
I scoop some eggs with my fork and ask, “What are you going to do over break?”
“I could go to Nate and Cisco’s. Not like they will be using their apartment. And I would be close to you.”
I set the fork down. “What if someone finds you there? The other vampires could be scouting their condo, trying to find out what happened to them—”
“I know, I know,” he says. “I was not being serious. We both know I must remain here. It is the only place that is safe.”
“What about blood?”
“Let me figure that out,” he says, stroking my cheek. “You do not have to worry so much.”
Salma sets down her plate, followed by Tiffany, then the guys. Everyone seems tense, so we eat mostly in silence. I feel William’s fingers stroking my knee under the table, and even though I hate that there’s a strain among my friends, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this good before.
His lips hover near my ear, and he whispers, “Maybe tonight, after dinner, we could…”
He trails off, but I’m barely stifling my smile.
“We could… what?” I whisper back.
