Vampire at 14 Penrose Lane (re-write)

4. The Corner Vampire

CHAPTER 4

I follow Max across the crowded floor.

The latest hits play softly through the speakers. But you can't hear the songs in the noisy hall. Four rows of red paper cups line the steel table with a few platters of dry crackers and cheese. The organizers pulled little cash out of their pockets for this event.

I glance left and right at the humans and vampires mingling. The humans smile alongside me. They aren't afraid, or if they are, they don't show it.

"You're frightened." Max steps back and whisper. His violet eyes glancing at me, and I blink away. "Vampires can smell fear... and you're reeking of it. Relax, no one will hurt you here."

I try to keep my gaze to myself, but tingles stab the back of my neck. Prickles crawl up with eyes following me once again. I shake the odd feeling away. The sensation feels like last night with the hooded stranger, but these prickles feel different. Not from fear, but from something else... anticipation.

I glance at the dark corner of the hall — a faint whisper that appears to beckon me. A tall man stands. His arms cross over his silk black shirt that matches his trousers as he leans his back against the bricked wall. He drops his head with lowered eyes. I can't see his face, only his black hair that is cut short at the back and full in the front, with a few tendrils tousling down his forehead. 

He isn't socializing.

I purse my lips. He looks dark and menacing. Definitely a vampire. His blue tag proves my suspicion.

"Isla, meet Aero," Max says as I accidentally bump into his back. I didn't realize I was so distracted.

Max chuckles. "You're okay there?"

I nod, embarrassed. "Uh, huh."

"This is my girl's work friend, Isla." Max introduces me to Aero. Aero's amused grey eyes surveying me.

Work friend? I scrunch my nose. Billie and I were not at all.

"Nice to meet you, Isla?" Aero greets me. Oh dear, another vampire. He reached out his hand, and I glance at it. My fingers digging into the strap of my bag.

Do I take it? I don't know.

I loosened my grip to shake his hand, but he retreats it. The vampire pulls a stiff smile and blows out a frigid breath. "She's scared as fuck," he grumbled.

"I'm sorry," I say with guilty eyes.

Aero nods. But I can see I offended him.

Max tries to explain my shyness to the unimpressed vampire. But I hate this. Feeling completely useless, I very much regret my decision. This isn't working out. It's a huge mistake.

My head flits around, looking for Billie. She's the only one I know. But once more, my gaze returns to the vampire in the corner. He still drops his eyes to the ground, and I find myself gawking at him.

He isn't being friendly like the rest. Did he not crave blood? His skin is slightly tanned but looks ashen. I guess years of no sun and drinking nothing but blood did that.

The two vampires beside me drone on, but I didn't listen, my full attention taken by the vampire in the corner. He looks alone, like he doesn't want to be here, but has no choice. The same as me.

I stare at him as much as I like. He isn't looking. The first time I can really study a vampire. Narrowing my eyes, I examine him further from a safe distance. Vampires and humans weaving between the sizeable gap between us. Suddenly, in a split second, reddish brown eyes raise up to me and air sucks out of my lungs.