Zone Zero (Book 1 of 3)

Chapter 10

I let my eyes flutter to adjust to the light and try to lift my head but I feel so heavy and weak that I stay still.

I am back in the large four poster bed being caressed by the satin sheets once more.

"Waking up are we?" Alex's voice fills the room as I try to understand what has happened but am drawn a blank. The last thing I remember is darkness.

"What happened?" I mumble.

The bed dips down as Alex perches himself next to me before stroking my hair away from my face and placing a wet wash cloth on my forehead.

"Well, you passed out but not before vomiting all over my jeans." His voice is calm as he speaks almost as if he isn't mad, but I am instantly struck with shame and fear itself.

"Are you really that afraid of me?" He asks coolly almost as if he is another person.

I look over to him and try to read his face but he looks so serene that I can't tell what he is trying to get from me. I am so confused with everything he is doing. One minute he is teasing me, the next yelling and the next he is tenderly caring for me. I can't keep up.

Slowly I push myself up so that I am sitting upright and facing Alex dead on. If I am to confront him, now is the time.

"I can't read you. Normally with people I know what they are up to just by looking at their face, but with you it's impossible. Maybe it's because you're a vampire or maybe it's because you are better at it then I am. Either way I lose. It's not something I enjoy doing." I let myself be honest in hopes that he might spare me a painful death.

His face is expressionless as he stares into me and I can feel my calm exterior begin to waver. Something about him makes a part of me want to curl up into a ball and cry while the other part is oddly drawn to his sympathetic side. But the other side of him that threatens me sure does scare the hell out of me.

"Winning isn't everything you know." He whispers calmly just loud enough to hear.

I notice his hand move from the corner of my eye but I keep my gaze locked on his brilliant blue eyes. Something so kind and forgiving lurks behind them, which is what I feel is luring me in. Why can't I stop myself from staring into his amazing blue eyes?

I feel his fingers catch a stray lock of hair that caresses my face and push it behind my left ear all the while never faulting from our shared stare. His fingers linger a few moments longer then they should and slowly they drag down my jawline and lower onto my neck.

His cold touch sends a shiver down my spine that shakes me to my core. Sensing this, he quickly removes his hand and breaks our intimate stare by standing and stepping away from the bed.

"You need to get some rest."

Alex strides to the door almost too quick for me to see and slams it behind him. The sound of a door locking follows and I am left with nothing but my curiosity.

What was that?