Laney (13 page)

My muffled screams came from under his hand as he whispered my name with his rancid breath, his fangs showing in the moonlight. He held me down on the bed and pressed his body on top of mine to hold me in place. I screamed as loud as I could, but it was still muffled by his hand. He turned my head to the side exposing my neck. Tears fell from my eyes; my Knight wouldn’t be saving me this time. My body shook as I broke down crying. He trailed his fingers down my neck and I closed my eyes tight.

“You’ll make a nice appetizer before I move on to your aunt down the hall.” His voice was hollow and dry.

A surge of courage pulsed through me and I bit down hard on his hand. Warmth rushed into my mouth; it tasted foul. He jerked his hand away and I screamed as loudly as I could.

It startled me awake. I quickly sat up and searched around frantically as I flipped on the light from my bedside table. I was alone in my room at Lilly’s. It wasn’t real; it was a nightmare. My heart was still pounding and my breathing was labored. I was safe, though I didn’t feel like it without Oliver. I dropped back onto the bed and started to sob into my pillow, hoping Lilly hadn’t heard me scream and not wanting her to hear me cry.

Chapter 16 - Superman

I woke up with a start. I must have fallen back to sleep while I was crying into my pillow. That dream had really shaken me and I just wanted to be back in the comfort of Oliver’s arms. My lips felt sore. I assumed it was from crying, but when I looked into the mirror, I found that wasn’t the case. In the dream I had bit his hand, but, in reality, it must have been my bottom lip. The lower right side was swollen and dried blood was crusted to the side of my face. I checked my pillow and it, too, was smeared with dried blood. I cleaned myself up as best I could and tried to clean the blood off my pale-blue pillowcase, but, in the end, I pulled it off and threw it in the washer with a load of towels and bleach. I showered; even though I knew it was just an awful dream, I felt like I had to wash him off of me.

It was still early when I started getting my stuff together. I had everything packed and ready to go by the time Lilly woke up and came downstairs. I hated not having my car. I couldn’t wait to get back and to see Oliver again.

“I heard you scream last night. What was that about?” she asked, as she poured herself a cup of coffee. I had started a pot in the hopes that the smell would get her out of bed.

“Bad dream,” I answered. I was hoping it would be left at that and that there would be no mention of the crying.

She turned to face me. She was about to take her first sip when she caught sight of my lip. It wasn’t that bad, but she noticed. “What happened to your mouth?”

“I bit my lip while I was sleeping.”

“That must’ve been one heck of a bad dream.” She took a seat at the kitchen table across from me. She glanced past me and noticed my stuff ready to go by the door in the entryway. She eyed me curiously. I gave her an impatient grin. Seeing my eagerness, and knowing she couldn’t talk me out of leaving early, Lilly quickly got ready and drove me back to my apartment.

The drive made my patience run thin. It seemed she was driving as slowly as possible. I had an overwhelming urge to step on the gas for her, but I didn’t. What seemed like the longest trip into town ever finally ended with my apartment complex in sight. She pulled into the parking lot; I had the passenger door opened before she completely stopped.

“Laney!” she scolded.

I gave her an apologetic smile. I grabbed my bags and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you. I’ll call you soon,” I said, jumping out of the car.

I didn’t wait for her response. I had spotted Oliver’s car and I was on a mission to see him. I ran up the steps toward the second floor with a plan in mind: Throw my bags inside the door at my place and then head straight to his. There’d be no chance to miss him.

I rounded the steps to the top and there he was. He was sitting on the shaded top step focused on his phone.

“Hi,” I said, breathless from running up the steps, but mostly from the sight of him.

His head snapped up from his phone and he smiled that beautiful smile of his. My heart fluttered and my stomached flopped. Oh, how I missed that smile and those feelings. I smiled back.

His smile faded and his brow furrowed. “What happened to your lip?”

I sighed. Really, it wasn’t that bad! “I bit it in my sleep.”

I climbed the last few steps to the top. He took my bags and set them at our feet. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of me and he pulled me in for a hug—a real hug. I returned it, wrapping my arms around him, burying my face into his firm chest, and breathing deeply. He smelled so good. I recognized that same feeling from before picking up and pulsing through me.

“You asked me before if I liked it here,” he said softly into my hair. I nodded. “Well, I do, but only when you’re here.”

My pulse raced and something inside of me stirred.

“All I think about is you,” he whispered.

My stomach dropped. “I know the feeling.” I said it so quietly that I didn’t know if he had heard me. I smiled to myself with the satisfaction that he felt the same way about me as I did about him.

“Laney, will you go on a date with me? A real date—just us?” he asked in a tender voice.

A quiet “Yes” was all I could get out, although I wanted to scream, “
YES! YES! YES! What took you so long?!”
but I figured that might freak him out a bit.

He kissed the top of my head. “Tomorrow night?”

I nodded against his chest and he squeezed me tighter.

“Oh, by the way, I fixed your car.” He let go of me with one arm, but kept the other one snugly around me as he pulled my car key out of his front pocket.

“How did you get that?” I pulled back a little to look up at him, but I didn’t let go.

“You left it in my car.” The smile that started at one corner of his mouth told me otherwise.

Letting go of him, I took it, raised an eyebrow at him, and worked it back onto my key ring.

“Kiera put together a little star party tonight on the roof. Would you like to go?” he asked.

With a wrinkled brow, I asked, “Kiera?”

“Yeah, I think you know her. She’s your roommate, right?” he joked, but my feelings were hurt. Why hadn’t she told me, even texted me about it?

“What’s wrong?” he asked, brushing my hair behind my ear.

“It’s nothing.” I shook my head and headed for my door.

He grabbed my hand and stopped me. “It’s something.”

“When did she do this? Plan it?” I asked.

“Carter told me about it this morning. I don’t know when she planned it. Why, did something happen between the two of you?”

“Not that I know of. I haven’t really seen her lately…but I don’t think so.” I wondered what her deal was and why I hadn’t been invited. I was a little put out.

“Maybe it’s nothing,” he said tipping my chin up to meet his eyes. Oh, his eyes were so green and so mesmerizing. Now that I could see them with a hint of sunshine piercing through the tree branches, and no sunglasses, I saw that even as dark green as they were, the outer ring of his iris was even darker. “Let’s go, okay?”

“Okay.”
Anything you say…

“I need to get a few things done. I’ll be back for you tonight. Sound good?”

I nodded and he leaned in to kiss my forehead. I closed my eyes and enjoyed his cool lips on my skin. Tingles ran through me—I had missed this.

I also had things to do. I put all of my laundry away, my fancy new underpants included, and my pile from the floor that I had shoved into the closet the other day.

I found a note stuck to the bathroom mirror:

Hey stranger! If you get home in time, meet us up on the roof for a little star party and bring your “friend” ~ I miss you—K

That made me feel a little better, but it was still odd that she had only left me a note. Why hadn’t she called or texted me? I pushed the thought aside. I had other things to think about—mostly my upcoming date with Oliver. Just the thought of it sent tingles through me, but it also caused a nauseating nervous knot in my stomach.

It was dark. I had cleaned the apartment, my homework was done, and I was completely ready—had been for a while—when Oliver knocked on the door. I opened it and he took my breath away. He was standing there in his usual jeans, chucks, and snug-fitting T-shirt—this time it was black with a silver “Superman” emblem. His hands were behind his back and he’d been looking down as I opened the door. He lifted his head and his stunning emerald eyes met mine. I stared at him, soaking up his beauty. Never in my life had I been captivated by anyone or anything the way I was by him.

“Are you ready?” His voice was like a drug to me. I needed it; I needed him…

“Oh, um, yeah. Come in. Just give me a second to get my key.”

I grabbed my key from the kitchen counter and when I turned back, he was there. I jumped and squeaked a little, surprised he was so close.

“I picked this for you,” he said in a quiet and shy voice. He held up a small red rose. My heart melted as I took it from him.

“Thank you,” I said, looking into his eyes, though it didn’t seem like enough. The rose smelled wonderful. I wrapped my arms around him and, gathering all my courage, I stretched up on my toes and quickly kissed his cheek. I pulled back without looking at him. It was enough just to do it. I put the flower in water and we quietly headed for the roof ladder.

Our apartment complex, which was subsidized by the college, was a collection of eight two-story buildings. Each building had four, two bedroom apartments to it, two on top and two on the bottom. The star party was being held on the roof of one of the two-story apartment buildings in our complex—not ours or the boys’ building; it was the one behind Carter and Oliver’s. We had to climb the roof access ladder to get to the top and I’m really not sure we were supposed to be up there.

“Ladies first,” Oliver said, gesturing to the ladder.

As I started to climb, I was thankful I’d worn jeans and not a skirt. I reached the top and looked down. He was still standing at the bottom looking up.

“Are you coming?” I asked, with a playful smile.

He started up the ladder and I looked around for the others. Kiera and Carter were embraced in each other’s arms and looking at the sky, not noticing anything else. She appeared to be pointing specifics out to him. There were three other people I didn’t recognize, all guys—probably Carter’s basketball buddies.

The rooftop was flat with vents and what I assumed were air conditioning and heating, units, along with other pipes and stuff I really didn’t care to know about. I turned my attention back to the ladder and Oliver was standing at the top rung, but not stepping onto the roof. His expression was strange and he seemed leery about stepping onto the rooftop.

“You okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine. I just don’t know if this is a good idea.”

“It’s fine,” I encouraged, holding my hand out to him. “Come on. I won’t bite.”
I did not just say that!

He gave me a wicked little smile and, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, he stepped onto the rooftop, taking my hand in his. He said, in a rather seductive voice, “I might.” He leaned in to kiss my cheek and his cool lips caught the corner of my mouth. My pulse quickened and I tried to pretend that did not just happen. What the hell was I going to be like when he finally did kiss me?
Holy Crap! What if he kisses me tomorrow? Will I be able to keep it together?

“Laney,” he said my name like it wasn’t the first time he’d said it. “You okay?

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, coming back to my senses. I was starting to have a Kiera panic. I didn’t like that. I pushed it all to the back of my mind, for now, and we headed over to the others, my hand in his.

“Hey, guys,” I said, coming up behind Kiera and Carter.

They whipped around and Kiera threw herself at me with a big hug causing me to let go of Oliver’s hand and stumble back a little. “Hey, I’m so glad you came,” she said, taking a step back to Carter.

“Thank you for inviting us,” Oliver added sliding his fingers back in with mine.

“I can’t find my cell and I don’t know your number by heart, so I was hoping you’d be back in time, and you are,” she beamed. She looked so happy and comfortable, not edgy and high-strung like normal. It suited her.

Time passed and more people began to show. Oliver and I sat on some sort of metal box—maybe an air conditioner unit—watching everyone mingle. Someone brought beer and we agreed that was an accident waiting to happen. We were on a roof—duh!

The night sky was a beautiful and star-crazed one. Oliver put his arm around me and pulled me into his side. He asked if I knew any of the constellations. I pointed out the ones I knew and he pointed out a couple I didn’t. It was nice just sitting there against him. Then, as most college or young adult get-togethers go, some drunken idiot threw up and we agreed it was time to go.

We said goodbye to Kiera and Carter. They seemed bothered about the drinking, but they were trying to hide it. They weren’t doing a very good job.

As we headed to the ladder, I tripped over someone’s empty beer can.
Really? All these pipes and vents and I trip over a beer can?
Before I even had time to brace myself, Oliver caught me in his arms.

“Wow, you’re fast,” I said, thankful I didn’t hit the ground.

“It’s the shirt.” He smiled and I laughed. “I’ll go down the ladder first in case I need to catch you again,” he said with a smirk.

“Whatever,” I smiled back, as he started down the ladder.

I made it safely down the ladder and Oliver walked me to my door.

“Sounds like we left just in time,” Oliver pointed out.

We could hear people screaming and yelling—silly things, like “I love beer! School is for sissies! My car is red! Squirrels Rock!”

“Nice,” I added sarcastically.

Sirens blared in the distance.

“I hope Kiera and Carter get out of there, so they don’t get in trouble.”

“See, I told you it wasn’t a good idea,” he said playfully.

“Whatever,” I laughed.

“Would you like a ride in the morning?” he asked.

I wanted to say, “
Of course!”
Instead, I gave him a cheerful, “Sure.”

I leaned my back against my door and he leaned in, looking into my eyes. He placed his hand against the door over my shoulder. He came in close like he was going to whisper in my ear and paused there. I could feel his cool breath on my cheek and down my neck. My pulse was racing. I wanted him to kiss me so badly, but I was also very nervous—the build-up was killing me. Then he kissed my cheek, catching the corner of my mouth again. It was almost like he was testing the water, seeing what would happen if he got a little closer. For me it was torture; I wanted his lips on mine and any amount of contact was just one step closer to the kiss that I
so
needed at this point. He pulled away, smiled a crooked smile, then stepped back.

“I better go.”

“‘Kay,” Was all I could get out.

He waited for me to step inside and then he said “Goodnight.” I gave him my best smile—like I could help it—and I closed the door behind me. My pulse was racing, as was my mind. I grabbed a bag of pretzels, plopped onto the couch, and turned on the TV, hoping to numb my mind. It didn’t work; he continued to wander around my every thought.