Dare to Bleed (Emily Sullivan Series) (5 page)

I woke the next morning feeling refreshed but sore. I could barely get out of bed. I wonder if this is what old age feels like.

I got to work with two minutes to spare. Harold, my boss, was sitting up against an enormous clock. He had a clipboard and a sharpened number two pencil, jotting down notes as we all piled in.

Harold was the biggest dweeb in the entire world. You know those movies that make fun of nerds? That’s Harold, always dressed in mismatched clothing, a pocket protector in his left breast pocket and thick glasses. He has flaming red chaotic hair that never seemed to know which way to part. He was extremely awkward and very rude. Every day he gave me a reason to punch him in the face. I had to fight the urge because I needed the job and it paid my bills as well as my shopping obsession.

I got to my desk, plugged my head set in, opened up my email and sorted through the spam. Harold cleared his throat, and I looked over at him. He was staring at me, pointing at his wrist as if to say I was late.

My phone beeped to let me know I had a call.

“
911, what’s your emergency?” I greeted the caller.

“
Help, my daddy was eaten by a gator,” a girl screamed into the phone in a deep country accent. It actually sounded like, “Halp, my diddy was ate’n by a gator.” I put my head in my hands and prayed for the day to hurry up and end.

By lunch, I’d had two alligator attack phone calls, and I received a compliment that I had a sexy voice. He even asked if I wanted to switch jobs to become a sex phone operator. I respectfully declined, although I seriously thought about it for a few minutes. I was always envious of strippers. They have such confidence. I could barely stand to be naked by myself in the shower every day.

I left work late, so I didn’t have to listen to Harold. He was early every day but don’t ask him to wait even a minute late. No siree, he needed to get home and play World of War Craft. I decided to give my regular 7-eleven one more chance. If it failed me, I would never go there again.

I pulled in and turned off the ignition. I was checking my phone as I walked in, and saw that I had a text from my best friend, Kimmy. ‘Yo ho, call me’ is all it read. I would have to call her when I got back to the car.

I met Kimmy a few years ago, during my attempt to be a normal person. I was doing a semester at the local community college and Kimmy introduced me to the amazing world of skipping school. Needless to say, we had a lot of entertaining times together and both flunked out. We stayed friends and never went back. She’s now a hairdresser and a mighty fine one at that. She is always getting into trouble and makes the most inappropriate comments. But when I’m with, her we never stop laughing. She’s my soul mate, My unfortunate luck is that she is a girl.

Kimmy has the most beautiful brown curly hair I have ever seen, I was always jealous of her hair. She has brown eyes with long eye lashes. To say she is beautiful is an understatement. She never has a problem getting a man.

The door jingled. I looked up, surprised to see a guy in a ski mask pointing a gun directly at Billy. I missed a heartbeat for about two seconds. I thought I was having a heart attack and placed my hand on my chest.

Chapter Five

“
Get on the floor,” the robber yelled, pointing his gun in my direction. I actually considered arguing because I didn’t know when the floors had last been cleaned and I was in a brand new outfit. I reluctantly got down on the floor, which is not easy in a skirt and heels. Both Billy and the robber stared at me as I tried to gracefully get to the ground. I used the rack of potato chips to steady myself down. I tried to keep my face off the nasty floor.

The robber was short, probably a teenager. I really didn’t think he would shoot us, but I didn’t want to take any chances. He started walking toward me, but I was more worried about the Cheetos smell on the floor and what I had to eat at home for dinner. He grabbed me by the back of my neck and pulled me up. He was really strong for such a little guy. It took his strength to help me to my feet. In that outfit there was no way I could have done it on my own. For a second, I was thankful I wouldn’t have to go through that embarrassing, awkward moment of trying to get up. He pulled me by my hair toward the cash register.

“
Why the hell did you make me get on that nasty floor in the first place?” I asked angrily. I don’t have courage unless it dealt with my fifty dollar pair of heels.

He gave me a crazy look and stuck his gun to my head and turned back to Billy. “Now empty the register or she gets it.”

I never understood why people say that line. I get what? I think I get a bullet but why didn’t he just say ‘or I’ll shoot her?’

Billy gave me a look of terror and started opening the register. The door jingled as some poor soul walked in. I felt so bad for the customer.

“
Get down!” the masked man yelled at the unlucky visitor.

“
I would let her go if I were you,” a familiar voice said. Ezra! Thank god!

The robber pulled my hair harder. This guy was really getting on my nerves and now he was hurting me.

“
Ezra, it’s just a teenager. That gun probably isn’t loaded,” I yelled, trying to save him unnecessary fighting.

In response, the kid pointed the gun up in the air and pulled the trigger. The sound of the shot hurt my ears. It took a minute for my hearing to return.

“
Never mind, Ezra, forget what I said,” I whispered. This guy was pissing me off. First, he made me ruin my new shoes and now my ears would never be the same. I slammed my leg down as hard as I could, stabbing my beautiful new heels into the top of his shoe. I then turned around and went to punch him in the face but before I could, Ezra had the robber by the throat as if he weighed nothing. The gun fell to the ground.

“
But… you’re—” the robber started to say, stuttering.

“
That’s right I’m a vampire like you,” Ezra interrupted, before he could finish.

I felt stupid that I hadn’t seen it before. The guy was pretty strong. But then again, how was I supposed to know? Ezra was the first vampire I had ever met. I hadn’t seen any fangs. I didn’t think there was any way to tell a human from a vampire. I turned to Billy to see his expression, knowing he had to be in shock, learning that vampires were real. He had a blank stare, as if he had heard this all before. As he closed the register, he seemed very calm.

I walked over, grabbed a paper, plopped some money down on the counter and walked out.

I wasn’t upset. Probably more in shock than anything. I just needed to get away from Ezra. I couldn’t look into those beautiful eyes in my unpredictable state. He had just saved my life…again. I didn’t know what the robber would have done if Ezra hadn’t been there. I felt like I was piling up a list of reasons I owed Ezra, I couldn’t even remember why I was avoiding him to begin with. As soon as I got to my car and opened the door, Ezra called my name. I jumped because he was standing right next to me when he said it.

“
Holy crap, Ezra! What the hell? Why do you have to keep sneaking up on me? You scared the shit outta me.”

He gave me a stare that made me feel like a piece of raw meat sitting next to a starving pit bull. He was wearing a long sleeve tee shirt and a jacket. It was still fairly warm outside. I guessed vampires didn’t care about temperature differences.

“
What?” I snapped when he didn’t say anything.

He just continued to stare at me with those beautiful blue eyes that sparkled in the evening light. Shit, he can read my thoughts. I couldn’t keep thinking things like this.

“
You’re blocking me,” he said as he studied my face. I couldn’t think of what I had done differently. The news that I could block him was good to hear, so he didn’t know I was admiring him. Maybe this could work out between us. The more I looked him over, the more I wanted him. He was so smoking hot it was hard to resist touching his rock hard pecks. After the day I’d had, I just wanted to run my hands up and down his muscles and kiss his neck. Just to be in his arms would make the pain go away.

I must have stopped blocking him because he took me in his arms and gently grabbed the back of my neck. He pulled my face to his and softly kissed my lips. He ran his hands through my hair and gently pulled, which gave me goose bumps.

As I had wanted to do, I ran my hands up his chest and back down to his abs. I could count his six pack through his shirt. He slipped his tongue into my mouth as we continued to kiss, pulling me tight to his body. After a minute, he pulled away.

I didn’t want to open my eyes, but was curious about what his expression would say, so I did. He was staring me down with the same blank expression on his face

“
You figured out how to block me.” He stood uncomfortably close to me. He was so tall I had to look up to him.

“
So what did you hear to make you do that?” I asked. I was curious to know how I blocked him, I needed to learn so I could do it more often.

“
That I’m irresistible and maybe things could work between us,” he said as a smile broke across his face. Of course he would hear the most embarrassing things.

My stomach growled, reminding me that I was hungry and tired. I needed a shower after being on the nasty floor. And maybe some wine to calm myself after what had happened tonight.

“
Can I come home with you?” he asked. I’m sure he meant so he could make sure I was safe but as he said it my heart skipped a beat and I had a tingle down below. I had a flash of him joining me in the shower and had to grab my head as if it would block him out.

“
Oh God, please tell me I just blocked you,” I said, embarrassed.

He chuckled and grabbed me around my waist, pulling me close to the bulge growing in his pants. Guess I hadn’t blocked him out. I felt mortified and knew my face must be bright red.

“
How about you stay out of my head? I can’t block you, but it’s so rude to invade my privacy like that.” I pushed him away. I was now so embarrassed I was angry.

I crawled into my car and slammed the door. He was standing in the same spot as I peeled out of the parking lot. I had to keep my emotions under wrap. I felt like I was going to cry at any second but if I walked into my mother’s house crying, she would be halfway to her shot gun before I could begin to explain. She was extremely over protective. I couldn’t do it, tears leaked out as I turned down her street. If I went inside, I would be required to explain the situation to her and my mother and men do not mix.

The Christmas I was six years old, we were standing in line to get a picture with Santa and the guy behind us hit on my mother. He said she was a fox and asked for her number. My mother responded by breaking the guy’s nose. Now that I think back, her response was slightly dramatic, but that’s my mother for you. I’ve never seen her even look at a guy before, let alone date anyone. I have no idea how I came to be, since I’ve never met my father. I’ve never even seen a picture of him, and we do not discuss him, at all.

I decided to leave her paper on the porch. She wouldn’t understand and would be extremely upset but it was only a stinking paper and I needed to get home. I would have to make up an excuse later about having some sort of virus that I didn’t want to give her. The entire way home I pondered what disease I could use and tried to keep my mind off men. I pulled into my normal parking spot and noticed a familiar silver car.

I dragged my feet as I walked toward my apartment, wondering if he had made himself at home inside or if he’d actually listened to my plea for privacy and was waiting outside. I threw my shoulders back and went up the stairs, letting out a sigh of relief to see Ezra leaning against my door.

“
Surprised you didn’t just let yourself in,” I confessed as I unlocked the door.

“
I’m a vampire. I need an invitation,” he said, which shocked me. I thought that was a myth. He started laughing. “That was a joke, Emily.”

I started laughing with him. I was just about to shut my door when Gavin’s door flew open and the girl who was there earlier stormed out.

“
You’re a jerk, Gavin,” she yelled, stomping down the stairs.

I shut and locked my door and turned around, Ezra was standing across the room, staring me down with that same look he had earlier. It made me nervous to have someone look at me like that, especially when they looked at hot at Ezra.

“
Do you want something to drink?” I said it to break the silence but after I said it I realized how stupid it sounded. I covered my face in embarrassment.

“
I am a loser. Sorry, I forgot.” I really had forgotten that he was a vampire and only drank blood. I wasn’t about to offer him a drink from my neck. I wondered what that felt like, it must hurt. I let my hands down, and Ezra hadn’t moved.

He started walking in my direction. I know now what a mouse feels like when a cat spots it. My life flashed before my eyes. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me but the look he was giving was saying either he wanted sex right here and now or that he was about to eat my head off. He was standing inches away from me, and I could smell his cologne, like cool water. My heart pounded as he gently rubbed my arm.

I leaned in response to his touch. Our chests were touching as his hand moved up my arms one last time and kept going, until he held my face. His cold touch felt good against my warm skin. He softly kissed my lips.