I'm in Love with a Vampire but I'm a Vegetarian!

Introduction

I could barely hear what my friend Chelsea was saying to me over the booming music around us. "---get---drinks!" I grab her wrist and shake my head no. I was the designated driver for this girls' night, as I didn't drink, and if she drank much more, I know I will be cleaning up vomit from my car later. Of course, Chelsea just laughs and pulls herself free from my grasp, not really that hard considering we are both clammy from the body heat trapped in this small club. Honestly, I am sure there is so many people here it is a fire hazard safety concern.

I push that to the back of my mind and try to chill out. Hard to though when the music isn't my favorite, I don't drink like pretty much everyone else here, and I can feel sweat pooling in every crevice of my body, despite the lack of clothing covering my body. Overall, this girls' trip is just me complaining in my head and babysitting my friends'.

As I think, I glance around; I can see Chelsea grabbing a few more drinks from the bartender (who honestly looks just as ready to cut her off) but my other friend Dana has disappeared from her earlier spot on the dance floor. Probably convinced a guy to follow her to the bathroom. Not a sight I want to witness but I really should make sure she is okay-

My train of thought gets interrupted by the bartender setting down a drink, "A sprite, from the young lady over there." I hold the beverage between my hands as I glance up at the woman across the bar. The gesture is sweet but how long has she been watching me to know that I am not drinking alcohol? Especially since pretty much everyone else here is...

The woman is tall—at least 5'10, and has dark skin that reminds me of fallen fall leaves, but it looks as smooth as river pebbles. Her eyes, a bright blue contrast to the rest of her, stare at me. I am not used to such attention from women, and I can feel the heat fill my face. I quickly avert my graze, instead, focusing on the bubbles the are moving around my drink. I try to calm my racing heart and I can feel my face began to cool off—well cool off as much as it can in this club.

The relief my heart felt did not last long as the seat next to me becomes occupied, I look over as slyly as I can in my peripheral vision and am met again with those dashing blue eyes. I quickly glance down at my drink, using the little black stir stick they put in every drink to occupy my nervous hands. For what seems like minutes but was probably only seconds, nothing is said.

Of course, she is the one to break the ice—I am not so bold.

"You don't look like you're enjoying yourself. Not your scene?" Her voice is deep, a little rough, like she smokes. But she doesn't look like a smoker to me. I stay staring at my drinking, watching as the ice shifts as it melts, "How did you know not to gift me a vodka shot or something?" I know it is rude to ignore her question, but I can't shake the cautious feeling she has been watching me.

The woman lets out a small laugh, goosebumps cover my skin, as if a cold wind had suddenly swept past, "Straight to the point kind of girl, aren't we?" I give a little nod, feeling slightly embarrassed about the forwardness of my attitude. "Well, all it took was some context clues. You aren't dancing. You look miserable. You definitely have all your wits about you. And I saw you order a sprite earlier."

I look up from my drink, feeling like an asshole for being so accusatory. The woman has a smile on her face, it's small but even so, her bright white teeth shine through. I give her a small smile back. "Sorry. I guess I am just overly cautious of strangers. My name is Talia." The woman's smile widens. "Oh, so I get a name now? How gracious of you." The woman teases me, and I know my cheeks are a lovely shade of red. "Well, think of it as a gift for my earlier attitude. I shouldn't have accused you. I don't even know you." My apology is sincere but she shakes her head.

"You're apologizing? You're so sweet." She reaches forward, her long green painted nails running along my jaw before gently holding it. I usually don't let strangers get so close, much less touch me, but she is so captivating and calming, it doesn't even remotely bother me. There is a moment of stillness between us, the only sound is the rhythmic thumping of the music. The moment breaks as she sighs, shaking her head again and dropping her hand. It is then that I realize her hand had been a cool touch on my warm face; it felt nice, and I already wish she hadn't dropped it.

"Oh, little red..." I purse my lips together, little red? What an original pet name for a ginger. A bit of sarcasm flits through my brain as she talks, "you should trust no strangers. No matter how captivating you think they are. No matter how charming they find you. You should've accused me because you don't know me." My pursed lips crush themselves into a thin line, thinking. She is right. It just felt natural to apologize. Like I should've trusted her regardless. She is just so comforting. "I'm sorry... for apologizing for accusing you I guess." I let out a small laugh, trying to break the slight seriousness that had wedged its way into the conversation. I want her to think I'm fun, witty... charming, like she said earlier. Right now though, I feel like a newbie gay who can't figure out her way around a decent woman.

"Awh, you're so cute with you're cheeks all red. Do I make you feel flustered?" I can feel her eyes on me but despite the embarrassment evident in the hue of my cheeks, I actually don't feel very flustered at all. "Actually. I feel very calm around you. Almost as if I have met you before, but I haven't. I know that.... But you just feel... I don't know... familiar? ...Safe?" The last word comes out in a whisper, as she is a stranger, and I definitely don't want to be murdered tonight.

Her head tilts, her eyes squint at me, probably out of curiosity for why this girl would utter such strange things. She finally speaks, leaning in toward me. I can feel her breath on my neck, and I am hyper aware of all the loose hairs being gently pushed by it.

Every hair on my skin is raised, but not because I'm scared. I let out a small breath I didn't know I was holding as she speaks. "While we have never met before little red, I could think of a few ways in which we could become familiar with one another, none of which I would have an issue exploring." This, her words, they definitely make me flustered and I have to take a breath to calm down my quickly beating heart. "That sounds amazing but... I'm not that kind of girl. I don't do one-night stands. No offense to you... but I just don't even know your name."

Her dazzling white smile doesn't falter as she grabs my hand. Her hand is cold but it feels nice in my warm clammy one. "How about we start off with a dance then? I can tell this is not your type of music but, why don't we pretend we are listening to something else..." I let her gently pull me away from the bar as she continues, "perhaps something slow?" She drawls out the last word as she draws me in closer, her blue eyes never wavering from me. Her stare is intense, but I can't bring myself to look away so instead I give her a small nod, "Okay... let's do that." As if my body would've been capable of pulling itself away from her magnetic allure.

She gently guides me closer to her; I can feel her cold hands holding my hips through the thin fabric of my dress. I wrap my arms loosely around her neck, trying not to think about all the sweat I have on my skin. I lay my head against her chest, expecting to hear her heart instead of the music, but instead I hear her humming.

I close my eyes and try to block out all the other noise except the low vibrating melody coming from her lips. We sway back and forth and I forget about all the sweat and the babysitting and the world in general for a few moments. For what feels like only seconds, but in reality, was probably much longer, we stay like that. Her low melody wrapping around us, the feeling of her cool skin against my overwhelming warmth. Everything felt right for that brief moment. But then it all came crashing down as a scream ripped through the melody.