Page 37 of Heartbeat Girl
Clearing his throat, Pete spoke quieter. “Liam… this isJayne.You’re not just risking her knowing about us. You’re risking what fragile friendship we’ve finally built with her.”
“She’ll overthink herself to the point she’ll believe she imagined it,” I said. Walking over to the wall, I glowered at Steve until he backed away.
“You’re being fucking ridiculous,” Steve spat as he plopped down on the bed. “You’re being possessive over someone that doesn’t belong to you.”
I leaned against the wall, slid down until I was in a sitting position, and closed my eyes. Jayne’s tiny, rushed footfalls moved away from the doorway. “I think you realize by now…” I looked up at Pete and Steve and let the darkness burn through my gaze.
“That’s she’s off limits?” Pete asked with a sigh.
“The only one that’s forgotten is you,” Steve mentioned.
He was right.
“I’ve waited for this day to happen.” Pete stared at the wall between Jayne and me.“From the moment we left her that night at the hospital, I knew you’d do this, Liam.”
Yeah, I did too.But I wouldn’t do anything else.
“I’d never turn her,” I said abruptly, furious they’d imply I’d put her through what we’d been through with Marilyn. “Yes,I would love to, butnever. I’d never give Jayne to Marilyn, so I’ll never make her one of us. But I can’t walk this Earth without at least trying to get closer to her.”
“How close are you trying to be?” Pete dropped beside Steve.
“As close as she’ll let me,” I admitted without hesitation.
“If we have to erase her memories because of this stunt you pulled tonight, I’m never speaking to you again,” Steve promised.
“If we can’t find someone that can help us, our time is limited. I don’t want to waste any of it,” I stated.
Silence filled the room, and I rested my head against the wall.
What I’d been imagining, worrying, obsessing, and wanting since parting with Jayne after that first encounter was so close to me. It exhausted me to pretend any longer. I wanted her with us because I wanted her.
Something changed. Jayne’s panic was different. Yes, she still feared me…us. I smelled it the second her head lingered too long on my chest. I let her listen to my undead heart, knowing it would terrify her. Even though it hurt to see her fear me so much, I needed her todiscoverme and trust me. Jayne couldn’t, as long as she stayed ignorant of what I was. Most of all, I was sick of her believing I fucked around with women when it couldn’t be further from the truth. All I saw was Jayne.
And this was how we started.
Letting her discover me slowly. The same way I discovered her over the course of three and a half years. Maybe one day she’d give me the chance to tell her about the night we first met—the real meeting. I would tell her I had known her longer than the past year. And that my want for her began way before she knew me. It started the night she forgot about me.
Chapter Fourteen
JAYNE
Vampires. Bloodsuckers.
The Oppressors. Funny, charismatic rock band. I stayed up all night thinking back to everything I noticed about them. Most of the time, I browsed the internet, Googling movies and books about vampires.
My mind reeled like a scratched CD. I must be stark-raving mad. How did I end up working for not one, but possibly three vampires? Despite my questionable state of mind, I had my doubts.
First, I saw none of them eat. I lived with them the last week andneversaw them eat one bite of food. Bizarre, right? Anentireyear being around them, and I’d never seen them lift a fork or spoon. But I had seen them drink water and alcohol. Some might argue they ate their meals in private, but not once had I witnessed them snack.
Second, I’d never noticed them sleeping. Good lord, these guys never closed their eyes.
Third, what about that strange forewarning my body always got around the band? If I wasn’t overthinking the no heartbeat thing, then my terror made so much sense. A sheep knew to fear a wolf.
Oh, my God.I’m crazy. Entertaining the idea The Oppressors might not be human had to be proof of insanity.
Vampires slept in coffins. In some articles and stories, they rose as the dead. Or would that be undead? Some vampires even dug out of their graves and fed at night.Nope. Not possible.My band didn’t sleep in coffins or in burial grounds. They didn’t sleep at all. Other myths suggested vampires weren’t dead but creatures of the Underworld.
According to what I’d read so far, vampires had weaknesses—namely the inability to enter a domain without an invitation. Unable to enter holy places. Crosses. Helplessness when in their grave or coffin. Crossing running water. And the things thatkilledvampires were sunlight, apotropaic, or sharp objects. A stake to the heart or beheading destroyed the long living creatures.