The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (36 page)

  
              Jack took me to one of the local restaurants downtown. He talked about the new painting he was working on, which only made me think of Tristan. Jack did most of the talking throughout dinner, my mind was somewhere else, but he didn't seem to notice.

    
              After dinner, we went to the student center to grab some coffee, and then Jack walked me back to my room.  “Thanks Jack, I had a really nice time tonight.”

   
              “Me too,” he said shifting, slightly uncomfortable. “I guess, I'll see you later?” he stuffed his hands in his pockets not sure what to do.

  
              I smiled politely at him. “Would you like to come in?” His eyes went wide. “I mean and watch some TV. I did just drink that large coffee, so I won't be able to fall asleep anytime soon.” He flashed me his crooked smile and nodded his head bashfully. I opened the door and turned on the light.

  
              After Josie had borrowed the TV from the A.V. Kids, we felt we should just invest in our own. We went out the next day and bought a flat screen with DVD player. “You can have a seat. I'm going to look through Josie's mess for a movie.” Jack awkwardly took a seat on Josie's bed while I dug through her pile of clothes trying to find a movie. “I know it's here somewhere. She just rented it the other day.”  I dug through a few more piles of hopefully clean clothes and found it under the bed.

  
              “Found it,” I said, popping up from the floor. I walked over put in the DVD, clicked play, and took a seat on my bed. “You don't have to sit over there. You can sit next to me, I don't bite.” I smiled at Jack as he slowly made his way over to me and sat down.

  
              “So what movie is this?” Jack asked, trying to get comfy.

  
              “I don't know? I think some horror movie. Billy picked it out. Apparently Josie gets scared and turned on at the same time.” I bit my tongue. I hadn't meant to say that last part out loud. I couldn't tell who was blushing more, me or Jack. I quickly got up to turn off the lights then sat back down on the bed and waited for the movie to start.

  
              The movie ended up being some slasher flick where some psycho goes around killing everyone. I covered my eyes at all the gruesome parts, which was most of the movie. “Ugh this is horrible, how can you stand to watch this?” I asked Jack, covering my face again.

  
              He chuckled and put his arm around me. “It's not that bad. Besides, it's not the movie that I'm really interested in.”

  
              “Oh,” I said, blushing again. He just smiled as I leaned in closer and rested my head on his shoulder.

  
              If felt nice in Jack's arms, not like the way I felt in Tristan's which was safe, warm, protected, and loved. Jack had a nice body from what I could tell, not cut like Tristan's, but there was muscle there. If I really were to compare them I would say Tristan fits the profile of an Adonis, molded to perfection in every aspect. Everything from his dark messy hair, his deep blue eyes that you could get lost in for days, down to his lean body. He was the world's greatest masterpiece. Jack you would categorize as the cute, but geeky nerd. Jack also had very unique eyes, there was something almost familiar about them, but they didn't hold a candle to Tristan's piercing blue. And...What the hell was I doing? What was wrong with me? I needed to stop comparing Jack to Tristan. There was no comparison, they're complete opposites, and Jack was the smarter choice.

  
              At least that's what my head was telling me. My heart was another story, but I chose to ignore it.

  
              I looked up at Jack as he watched the movie. He wore a blank expression. I turned back to the TV just as the killer ripped a fingernail off one of his victims and ate it. I shrieked, covered my face with my hands, and buried my head in Jack's chest. He laughed lightly at my reaction and wrapped his arm tighter around me.

  
              “Is it over?” I asked, peeking between my fingers.

  
              “It's over, you can look now.”

  
              I looked back up at Jack. “You must think I'm a wimp.”

  
              “I don't think you're a wimp. It is pretty gruesome.”

  
              “How come you're not scared?”

  
              “I am, but I'm trying to be brave. Don't want you to think I'm a wuss,” he said, giving me a half smile.

  
              “You don't have to pretend for me. I won't think you're a wuss.”

  
              He looked into my eyes just then and I could tell he wanted to kiss me. I knew if I didn't let him I wouldn't be able to move on, get pass whatever feelings I was still harboring for Tristan. And I needed to. So I took the initiative. I titled my head up and kissed him.

  
              I could tell he was a little surprised at first, but soon relaxed, and started to kiss me back. His lips were soft and small and they wanted mine. I could feel it in the way he kissed me.

  
              He slid lower on the bed and pulled me closer to him. He kissed me gently at first, and then with more aggression. Like he was hungry for it and couldn't seem to get enough. Way too soon he was on top of me and I couldn't breathe. “Jack,” I said, pulling my head back, but he didn't stop.

  
              His lips trailed down to my neck. His body pressed harder on my hips. I tried to push him back so I could breathe. He grabbed my wrists and thrust them above my head and gripped them tighter when I tried to move.  “Jack...wait,” I tried, but it was just a whisper. I heard a low growl come from deep inside Jack's throat. I felt a slight pinch, then a burning sensation on my neck. I winced at the pain but then relaxed as it was soon replaced by a sensual sensation. It felt good, really good.

  
              My whole body tingled with this strange, sexual feeling. A feeling I couldn't seem to get enough of. I pressed myself into Jack, wanting more. He gripped my wrists so hard I thought they'd snap. His mouth pushed harder against my neck. I almost let out a moan, but then he pulled back.

  
              My head was rushing, I felt like I was floating. I blinked a few times to try and focus. It was like I was in a dream, here one minute gone the next. I focused on Jack's face and noticed splotches of something on his chin and around his mouth. At first it just looked like smeared lipstick, but I didn't remember putting any on. I slowly started to come out of the drug induced coma I was feeling trapped in. I felt a warm, wet liquid drip down my neck. I reached over and touched it. I pulled my hand back to find blood on my fingers. I looked at Jack, feeling more lucid now. He had blood dripping from the side of his mouth, his face in a snarl. His teeth appeared to be razor sharp and his eyes, his eyes were glowing gold.

    
              I screamed and jumped off the bed. My head was still dizzy from the rush so I fell in my haste to get away from him. “Ella,” Jack growled.

   
              “Stay away from me,” I screamed, terrified.

  
              “Don't make this any harder. We can do this the easy way.” He stood to get off the bed and made his way towards me like a predator stalking his prey. I used the wall for balance and scooted my way up. I made a run for the door, but he caught me and pinned my arms to the wall. He moved so fast I almost didn't believe it myself. No human could move with speed like that.

  
              “I bet you're thinking you wish you took up running after all,” he said, letting out a malicious laugh. “It wouldn’t really matter anyways. You could be an All-star and still wouldn't be able to out run me. Although I do like a challenge,” he said with a vicious smile, as if tempting me to escape so he could feel the rush of a chase. 

  
              “What do you want?” I asked, trying to contain my trembling hands.

  
              “What should rightfully be mine,” he said, leaning in and exposing his teeth. Not wanting to get bit again I thought fast and brought my knee up into his groin. He cried out in pain releasing my wrist. I tried the door but it was jammed. I was trapped. I slipped away from him looking for some weapon or a form of protection. I only made it a foot before he reached out grabbing my ankle and pulling me down to floor.  He yanked me closer to him causing the carpet to give me a rug burn all up my back.

  
              I tried to scream, but he covered my mouth. “Do not, try that again,” he warned, eyes glowing fiercely. “I will take my hand away, but you have to promise not to scream. Don't want anyone coming here and pretending to be a hero. Trust me, you wouldn't want that either.” I nodded letting him know I would obey his request. He slowly moved his hand away, leaving my mouth sore from his tight grip.

  
              I took one long, disgusted look at him and spit in his face. He smirked, wiped it off with the back of his hand, and then cracked me across the jaw so hard I thought he might have broken it. I bit my tongue. I was not going to cry out in pain. I refused to show him any more fear. He allowed me space and I pulled back, standing up. He knew I couldn't beat him with having nowhere to go. He watched me curiously with a crude smile.

  
              There was a knock on the door. I opened my mouth to scream but Jack was on me within a split second covering my mouth again. “Keep your mouth shut. You say one word and I'll kill you before you even have the chance to blink.” I had no doubt he could, so I didn't risk it.

  
              “Ella?” I heard Josie's voice as she tried to turn the knob. Panic spread through my whole body. I prayed that Josie would just walk away. I did not want her to get hurt. She jiggled the handle but it was locked. She knocked again. “Ella...I'm sorry about earlier, please let me in...Hello?” When she got no response I heard her stomp her foot and walk off.

  
              I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. “Your friend is smart,” he said, his eyes gazing over me. He took his hand away. “Now, where were we?” His eyes started to glow, and he leaned down ready to bite me again. I was ready to strike out when I heard Josie's voice again. Jack stopped. He pulled back growling in irritation at the interruption.

  
              “Sorry Tristan, but I don't care if Ella's pissed at me or not. I'm not sleeping out in the hall because she's being a brat,” Josie complained. Jack kept his hand over my mouth, reminding me to be quiet as we heard a key turn in the lock. I was not going to let my friend's walk right into the lion's den without a warning.

   
              I bit Jack's hand, hard. He growled pulling it back and I screamed as loud as I could. “Oh my God, Ella!” I heard Josie call.

  
              Jack elbowed me knocking me down to the floor. “You're going to pay for that you stupid bitch.”

  
              “The door, break it down!” Josie yelled, as I heard thud after thud.

  
              My face was throbbing from where Jack hit me. I tried to crawl away but he grabbed my leg pulling me back to him.  “You're not going anywhere.”

  
              “Hurry Tristan!” Josie commanded.

  
              “I'm trying but,” Thud. “It just,” thud. “won't,” thud. “break.” Crack was the sound the door made, splitting apart from the hinges. Tristan and Josie came barreling through to find Jack with his arm around my throat. They froze not believing what they were seeing.

  
              “One step closer and I'll kill her,” Jack warned.

  
              “Josie, get out of here,” Tristan said, pushing her behind him.

  
              “No, I'm not going anywhere,” she said, standing firm.

  
              “Let her stay, I could use another snack,” Jack said smiling.

  
              I looked at Tristan, eyes panicked. I knew he was about to do something dangerous, something that might get us both killed. I heard a low growl come from Tristan. The same feral growl I heard from Jack earlier. Then just like Jack, his eyes started to glow, but not gold like Jack's. No, his eyes glowed, that beautiful blue I fell in love with. I looked into Tristan's eyes, trying to see if I could see or feel something like I had once before. The only thing I sensed was pure, raw emotion. It was very animalistic.

  
              Tristan charged Jack without a moment’s notice knocking all three of us to the floor. Both Tristan and Jack recovered quickly, jumping to their feet. They started to circle each other, waiting for the other to make a move. I heard Josie call my name, but it sounded so far off in the distance. I felt her hand on mine pulling me, trying to get me to move, but I couldn't. I couldn't take my eyes off of Tristan or Jack.

  
              The way they stood, there stance was battle-like. The low growls coming from both of them, the glow in their eyes, and the way they both moved with such speed. I couldn't make myself look away. “This is a dream, this has to be a dream,” I thought. This couldn't be real. The pain in my body from being thrown around told me otherwise.