High Stakes

Part Four

Part 4

NATHAN:

I don’t have any clue what just happened. Usually when vamps touch silver they respond with fight or flight--usually fight. Sang just looked startled, then sad, accepting; like silver was a part of her life. Then, she had actually apologized to me, after I had been the one to hurt her!

If this is an innocent, naive act the vamp is playing, then it’s a good one. She should get a fucking Academy Award.

She seems so small, so anxious. Plus, she obviously hasn’t been feeding well. She looks worse than Mr B, who seems to eat the equivalent of me only eating one meal every other day. I don’t know how he does it. All the other vamps we encounter glut themselves on blood. That’s why there are so many deaths of humans at vamps hands. So does this mean that Sang isn’t like that? It would appear so, but appearances can be deceiving.

Her skin is pulled tight on her form, and she’s got no extra weight on her. I’m surprised she has tits at all, the way she’s so malnourished. But they’re there--believe me, I checked. A few times, you know, to be thorough.

The dark circles under her eyes almost look like bruises, and it pains me to look at them. For some reason, I’m feeling empathy for this girl. She’s not a girl. She’s a creature. Right?

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, though I don’t check it. I know it’s Kota texting everyone on our group text about the first meet. He was just as perplexed as I was when we were talking to her.

I glance over at her. She’s crowding the window, trying to give me as much space as possible, or trying to get away from me as much as possible, either one. I enjoy the view of her legs as her skirt rides up a bit from sitting. I wish she was wearing a lower cut shirt… Shit! What the hell? She’s my enemy, not a potential girlfriend.

Sang must feel me looking at her, because she glances up at me, that unbelievably sexy way girls do from underneath their eyelashes. But damn, Sang’s eyelashes are thick and dark, and not gooped up with thick makeup. And her eyes? Brilliant green--beautiful. She presses her index finger to her bottom lip, and I follow it’s path.

That’s it. I’m done for. She’s getting under my skin.

I quickly look away, skin tingling, heart starting to beat faster. I glance a few seats up to where Kota’s sitting. He’s looking back, but not at me--her. And his eyes are thoughtful, and intrigued. Yeah, brother, you and me both.

 

SANG:

The air in the bus is stifling. Nathan’s heart is racing, from what I’m not sure, but it’s making his blood pump through his body at an increased rate, and the smell coming through his pores is almost intoxicating. I want to nuzzle into his neck, lick his pulse point, and then sink my fangs. Jesus! Not okay, Sang. Get it together.

I’m going to be surrounded by people all day. I’m going to have to get used to being hungry around people.

Finally the bus pulls into the school, and Nathan has his hand on my arm, gripping my elbow helping me up. I blush, although I don’t think I have enough blood in me to actually warm my cheeks.

Once we’re off the bus, his hand trails down my arm to grab my hand, and I glance down shyly. Is this normal? To touch someone you just met? My bag slips off my other shoulder and his hand releases me to snag it and adjust it back up.

Then he takes my other hand in his other hand, and I shriek and pull away as I’m burned again.

“Oh, shit!” Nathan looks upset, eyes wide, “Sorry, I forgot.”