Frozen Flesh

Ch. 1 - House Party

Chapter 1 - House Party

Jake POV

I was at a house party when she bit me.

It sounds crazy, and even as I sit here with Diana dressing the wound on my arm, I have to remind myself that it actually happened. A girl went full cannibal on my arm.

Diana reaches up and rests a hand on my forehead, looking into my eyes as she takes my temperature. Her smile falters for a split second before she forces it back onto her face, and if I couldn't see the concern in her eyes I might almost believe nothing is wrong.

"I have a fever?" I ask.

She hesitates. "Yeah, I think so. I'm no expert, though. I'm going to go get Leo."

The door closes behind her with a click, leaving me alone in Leo's bedroom. The bite on my forearm is throbbing dully, but that's not what's on my mind.

Kim is going to kill me. I promised her nothing bad would happen tonight. I'm kind of a magnet for trouble, and I had to beg her to let me come out tonight.

I assume Diana will be a few minutes. Leo is still downstairs, attempting to clean the destruction left behind by the hundred or so teenagers that were here, and moving the stragglers out into the night. It's a miracle they managed to get everybody out at all, but Leo, Diana and I have been so close for so long that as soon as I got hurt it was all hands to the deck. Most of the people here left when they heard what happened to me, but some needed more convincing.

I took great pleasure in walking around the crowded house, flashing my disgusting wound at the assholes who wanted to keep partying. The funny part is, I would've been one of them, if the situation had been reversed. Even with blood gushing from my arm, I made a valiant attempt to convince Diana and Leo not to stop the party.

But they didn't buy my logic of "wrap it up and we'll deal with it tomorrow." Oh well.

Diana's still not back, and I swear I'll go mad if I have to wait any longer. I feel kind of shitty, though I didn't mention it to her. She'd just overreact and rush me to the nearest hospital. My head's pounding, my palms are sweaty and I think standing up would end with an impromptu meeting between my face and the floor.

I stiffly move myself around on the bed, then lower my back down, and sigh at the blissful feeling of the pillow against my cheek. I'll just close my eyes for a minute...

"Sorry I took so long- Jake? Jake? Leo, I think Jake passed out on your bed again."

I hear a sigh. "If he wasn't injured I'd flip that mattress without a second thought," Leo sighs.

I groan and crack open my eyes. "I think my hangover came early, guys."

Diana frowns and rushes forward, and the sudden blur of movement hurts my head. I squeeze my eyes shut.

Diana's hands are cool on my burning face, and I try to find the energy to make a joke about her putting her hands on me. Nope, I'm all out of fuel.

I hear quick, nervous laughter from Leo. "You know it's serious when Jake doesn't make a sex joke."

"I was thinking about it," I manage.

Leo's laughs in relief, but Diana is suspiciously silent. It's a strange contrast, my mind seems to be working perfectly well despite how slow and painful my body is. Usually my hangovers have a bad effect on my everything - vodka doesn't discriminate.

"Should we call Kim?" Diana asks Leo in a low voice, like I can't hear her.

"No!" I jerk upright. I cry out involuntarily as pain spikes through my head and my stomach turns violently.