Annalise Writes

Chapter 8

"If you're thirsty, Lord Maxwell," I said in a noticeably shrill voice, "then, then, then—maybe I can give you water? Coffee? Tea? Or some juice?"

The vampire shook his head and continued stalking towards me. "No, no, Annalise, it is most kind of you to offer, but, alas, I fear none of those mortal concoctions you have listed shall be able to quench my particular brand of thirst..."

Lord Maxwell stopped mere inches away from my nose. He placed a cold, pale, clawed hand upon my face and lovingly caressed my cheek as though I was his beloved. His dark gaze locked onto mine in a mesmerizing manner.

My heart did a traitorous, little flip.

In low, panty-dropping tones, he whispered, "My love, you were the one who made me into a creature of the night! Thusly and henceforth, you ought to know better than any other soul what it is I crave most, what it is I yearn to sink my fangs into..."

My heart stopped fluttering.

Shit. I was in danger.

Pure, unadulterated panic settled over me as a few lines from chapter three of A Loveless Blood Moon Eclipse flitted tauntingly across my mind.

Lord Maxwell's bloodlust ran as deep as the bottomless indigo-black waters of Twilight Midnight Moon Sun Bay and raged as powerfully as the fiery, blazing, crimson flames from the last and final 666th layer of hell.

His fangs tingled with hunger, an overwhelming hunger to pierce the soft, delicate flesh of an unsuspecting, warm-bodied mortal...

Goddamnit!

Why had I insisted on including so many vivid and lifelike details about my characters?

These descriptions were now, literally, coming back to bite me—in the neck!

I cast a wild look around the room, searching for a way to save myself, and ended up poking a desperate finger in Jaxon's direction.

"Drink him, Lord M! Jaxon has, like, zero percent body fat! I bet his blood will taste way better than mine! Honestly, all I do is sit around and drink boba and watch K-dramas! You'll get fat if you suck on my neck!"

Jaxon glared. "Dude! Not cool, Annalise! How could you throw me under the bus like that? I thought we were friends!"

"Sorry, Jax," I mumbled apologetically, "but it's every man and woman for themselves right now! May the odds be ever in your favor!

"Are you quoting 'Hunger Games' at me, babygirl?"

When did Jaxon start reading... books?

This certainly wasn't a character trait that I had assigned to him in my story—

Lord Maxwell protested, "No, no, Annalise! Again, I appreciate your offer, but Jaxon will not do at all—for I have always found the blood of females to taste far sweeter and more to my liking..."

So, the vamp wanted a girl, eh?

I poked my head into the hall and screamed for my roommate. "Kyra! Get your ass in here!"

I heard her bedroom door swing open. Light footsteps hurried down the hall. Within seconds, my roommate was standing in my doorway.

"Yes? Did you need something, Annalise?" Kyra asked breathlessly.

My roommate leered in a starry-eyed manner at Lord Maxwell and Jaxon. She released a dreamy sigh.

I nudged Lord Maxwell towards her and pasted on a bright, fake smile.

"Kyra, you and your love spell brought Lord M to life, so... I've decided that the vampire is your problem now!"

Then, I grabbed my backpack and dashed out the room.

"I'm off to class! You guys have fun together, okay?"

"Don't you dare walk away, babygirl!" Jaxon called after me. "Come back! You can't run away every time things get tough between us! You owe me more than that! I deserve your whole fucking heart, all day, every day, not only when it's convenient for you!"

I cringed.

Oh, man!

Maybe my boys' critiques about their dialogue hadn't been completely unwarranted, after all?

Jaxon's melodramatics definitely sounded way more annoying now than how I originally imagined inside my head.

"I do not wish to drink from this wily, witchy female!" Lord Maxwell complained in sulky tones. "She frightens me."

I pretended not to hear him, either, grabbed my umbrella, and escaped out the front door.

I barely made it down the stairs of the apartment when I suddenly heard the sound of loud, frantic footsteps clambering after me.

"I'm coming with you, Annalise!" Jaxon yelled through the rain. "I swear to you, I won't give up on us!"

"What about your Hot Pocket?" I reminded him. "I thought you were hungry."

"Who cares about hunger when our relationship is on the line?" he declared brokenly.

Lord Maxwell stomped after us through the puddles on the pavement.

He exclaimed pathetically, "Annalise! You must not abandon me in my time of need! I shall surely perish without the sweet crimson nectar that runs through your veins!"

Even Kyra decided to tag along.

"Dude, you guys! I'm here, too! You can drink my blood, Lord Maxwell. I wouldn't mind..."

I growled over my shoulder, "Go away, Jax! Be gone with you, Lord M! Go home, Kyra! Or else I'm gonna be late!"

With a defeated look, Kyra slumped back to the apartment.

My boys, on the other hand, weren't nearly as biddable. They insisted on following me even though I tried, many times, to send them back to the apartment. As gray skies continued to rain down on us, Jax sidled up to my right, Lord M clung to my left, and we shuffled together under one umbrella.

For a minute there, it kind of felt like I was the main character in my own K-drama, and—not going to lie—I ate that shit right up...