Bloodrose

Chapter 15

POV: Drake

I sat there with her in my arms, not going on from there.  I wasn’t sure if I could tell her, let alone tell her right now.  I opened my mouth and took a deep breath, then let it out.  For the fifth time.

“Okay.  So at some time you’re going to find that girl and this wouldn’t even be a good thing to start?” Marissa started to pull away from me and I panicked. 

“No, no.  That wasn’t what I was saying—”

“So it would be a guy?” Marissa looked at me with wide eyes.  “I didn’t know you would go that way but if that’s what you want—”

“Marissa please shut up and listen to me,” I finally lost the short thread that was holding my temper back.  I put my hands on my head and rubbed my temples.  “I’m sorry and please stop looking at me like I just ran over your cat.  I was trying to tell you that you are the girl I’ve been looking for.  Marissa you are the other half of my soul and the only girl or even human being that I could drink from and be completely satisfied.  Now, not every vampire ends up marrying or even dating their mate but from the first moment I saw you I was completely attracted to you.  You are not like any girl I have ever met and I feel so deeply for you that I feel like—”

“Drake.  Earth to Drake.”  Marissa was sitting in front of my now, waving her hands in front of my eyes.  “There you are.  Where did you go off to?  Are you ever going to finish that sentence?”

“Uh—”

“Hello, hello!” Jenna came walking from the forest with her hair completely messed up and her clothes wrinkled and not buttoned correctly.  Hunter didn’t do any better because his shirt tucked in the front and hiked up in the back.

“Well it looks like you two just had some fun,” I got out dryly, not liking that my moment with Marissa was ruined by my day dreaming and Hunter finishing too quick.  Jenna flipped me the bird then grabbed Marissa’s hand and carted her off into the tent.  I opened my mouth to object but they were already giggling with each other and I couldn’t resist her laugh.

“So when did you finally figure it out?” I looked over at Hunter and laughed when he was trying to straighten his shirt out.  “It’s on backwards.”

“How would you know,” He gave me a glare then looked inside to see the tag in front of his face and quickly tugged it around until he had it on right.

“So again I ask, when did you figure it out?” I laid my arm on my knee and looked at him.

“Yesterday.  I started liking her and yesterday I touched her, wanting to tell her and I felt a zap.  I kissed her as soon as I felt it.  She kicked me in the balls and when I recovered I told her.  She was shocked when I told her I was a werewolf.  Apparently she couldn’t tell what I was or even sense that I wasn’t human because I was her mate and the fact that I lived in such close relations with humans,” Hunter sighed and looked at the ground.

“What’s the story with that anyway?” I looked at him closely.

“There’s no way that Marissa is a werewolf if that’s what you’re asking.  No, my mom had an affair during her first year of marriage to who I call my dad.  He doesn’t even know I’m not his.”  Hunter ran his hands through his hair.  “My mom doesn’t know that he was a werewolf and she sure as hell doesn’t know I’m one.  I don’t have the heart to tell her that I know about the affair either.  As far as everyone knows we are a big happy family but my mom kept secrets.”

“How did you find out then?”  I looked him straight in the eye.  I didn’t know what this felt like, friendship outside of your family.  But I liked it.  And I was damn glad that it was with Marissa’s brother, someone I’m going to have to put up with for the rest of my life.

“The first time I shifted I ran through the woods, so confused on what was going on and he just showed up.  He told me everything, and I’m going to live with him and learn everything so I can become the Alpha once I turn twenty-five,” Hunter smiled at me, “I’m going to tell everyone what I’m going to Colorado to go to college.  I’m sure my parents will figure it out when they never get the bill, but it’s the best I could come up with.”

“When are you leaving?” I asked him this almost sadly.  I didn’t want the only guy I have ever even thought of being friends with leaving.

“As soon as the summer ends and Marissa and Jenna go back to school,” Hunter looked at me with sad eyes.

“Well damn,” I looked at the ground.

.               .               .

POV: Marissa

“Well we didn’t plan on actually doing it today but, you know, what’s done is done,” Jenna grinned like the Cheshire Cat at this.

“So I’m not going to be the naïve little girl you think I am and assume that was the first time.  When was your first time with him?” I smiled broadly at her.

“I wouldn’t call it naïve because it was the first time we had ever even dreamed of it.  Well we dreamed of it separately but it was the first time we dreamed of it together.  And before you comment again, it wasn’t my first time completely, but you know that.  I called you while I was getting dressed the next morning,” Jenna and I burst into laughter at that.

“So you know about the whole werewolf thing then?”  When she nodded I continued, “Well doesn’t it bother you?  I mean he turns into a dog for goodness sake!”

“He shifts into a wolf.  Thank you very much.  But to answer your question, no, it doesn’t bother me.  I’ve also been raised on the fact that all of this stuff exists, but so have you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I shifted until I was facing away from her, crossing my arms.

“Marissa you have been reading about this stuff since you could read by yourself.  Even before then because I know your mom read children’s books to you when you were younger.  Hell, for your seventh birthday you had a group of girls come over and watch Dracula with you.  Why do you think I’m the only one who stuck with you?  Because I understood you.  The obsession, the wondering if it’s real, the knowing in your heart that it is.”  Jenna moved in front of me so she looked into my eyes, “Marissa when you were younger you knew without a doubt that vampires existed.  Why is it so hard to think so now?”

“Because reality hurts Jenna.  Sure, while I was younger it was cute, but when I turned fourteen my father wouldn’t have it anymore.  My mom even had to give me my present in private because he ripped up my favorite copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  My mom made it up by giving me my grandmother’s copy.  My father disapproves of this so he has drilled it into my head these past couple of years that none of this exists.  That’s why this is hard for me.  Because I started believing the one thing I never thought I would.  Vampires don’t exist.”

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So what do you guys think?  I finished it today and I'm actually really proud of this!  Thank you everyone for reading and actually caring about this book as much as I do!

X. Rosie