The Underground City of Cinders

Chapter 11

I didn't realize how big the city was until we were on our way to dinner. Chloe's restaurant happened to be on the opposite end of town. Well, my old apartment that is. I was a little sad to be moving out because it was so nice but there was no way I was going to stay there with Dimitri blowing up on me all the time. I honestly didn't think I was safe back at the apartment.

I looked over at Chase to study his gorgeous profile and he glanced back at me for a second, smiling, before focusing back on the road. I also didn't realize how silent the car ride had been until now. I think Chase is trying to give me time to process what happened but I am thankful for that. I think if we tried to talk to each other, it would be awkward.

I snuck another glance at Chase and he smiled without taking his eyes off the road this time, "Enjoying the view?"

I blushed and nodded. Chase smiled and moved his right hand and placed it on my knee with a reassuring squeeze. His action wasn't meant to be sexual at all but I began to feel a burning deep down in my stomach I had never felt before. Wow, I am falling so hard and so fast for Chase it's ridiculous.

I moved his hand from off of my knee and entangled my fingers into his, which made him smile. It began to get a little awkward so I decided to break the silence, "So who is Chloe?"

Chase glanced at me for a second, "A really good friend of mine. We've known each other since we were very young, we practically grew up together."

"Well that's lucky you guys are both vampires now."

Chase nodded, a somewhat pained expression wrinkling his features, "Yea. It wasn't luck. Chloe was turned before I was, right out of high school, and we didn't really see each other after that. There was an occasional text but that was pretty much it. It wasn't until I had a few years of college under my belt that we saw each other again. Chloe explained the situation about becoming a vampire and I honestly thought it was some sort of practical joke. It put a strain on our friendship for a while but we got through it thankfully."

"So how did you get turned?"

"Chloe did it. I asked to be turned. We have the type of friendship that will last no matter what life throws at us. I didn't want to have to give up a really good friend so Chloe changed me and here I am."

I nodded, "That sounds like a fairytale compared to what happened to me." Chase looked at me with an eyebrow raised. I sighed at the long string of memories begining to play in my head, "Dimitri... he corned me in an alley. I was walking home from school. I might just have an overactive imagination because I felt like someone was following me so I ran down an alley to hide behind a dumpster. I thought the darkness would hide me. I was hoping whoever was following me would walk right past the alley but I didn't know the man chasing me was a vampire."

Chase chuckled, "Yea you were kind of screwed the second he saw you. I don't think I've ever seen a human outrun a vampire."

I nodded, thankful for Chase trying to lighten the mood, "I know but anyway, I was hiding there in the alley and all of a sudden I was pinned against a wall. It felt like I was trapped because no matter what I did he didn't stop. All of a sudden, there was a burning pain in my neck, I began to feel really weak and tired, and I think I passed out because I don't remember anything after that. I do remember waking up in my bed at home though with a pissed off mom in the other room."

"She was mad at you?"

"Oh yea. To say she was pissed would be putting it lightly. From what I can guess, Dimitri brought me home and told her I passed out drunk at a party. She was going to ground me but she knew I was too old so she just started giving me the silent treatment."