Flirting with Danger

I wrote this story for a swap on http://www.swap-bot.com. It involves vampires (I just had to write something Halloween themed for October.). I hope you enjoy it!

Flirting with Danger 

By Candace Shultz 

I woke up underneath the bleachers on the football field. I felt hunger in my belly and fire in my veins. I opened my eyes, looking up at the night sky. The stars shined brilliantly, almost close enough to touch. I could even see the rings of Saturn. Wait, that's not normal. I sat up quickly and looked around. Everything was clearer, sharper, and closer. I peered between the bleachers to the football field, empty except for a grasshopper chirping loudly in my ears. I heard cars driving on the highway and voices from inside the school. Then I heard a rustle behind me, so I whirled around. I saw him and the memories came flooding back.

~ ~ ~ 

I liked him the moment I saw him standing at his locker in the hallway, surrounded by girls. He was a new student. I had been going to this school my entire life and never saw him before. He was tall with dark brown hair and piercing gray eyes. He had on his black leather jacket and jeans with holes in the knees. He looked dangerous. He was a bad boy. I had to have him. So I flirted without actually talking to him. I'd make eye contact and smile coyly. I dressed in tighter clothing. I showed more skin. Other boys became interested, but I just ignored them. I had eyes only for him: Derek. It didn't take long for him to notice me. We had a football game a week after I first saw him. That's where he made his move.

I had just arrived to the football game and was looking for my friends when I heard my name. I turned around to see who called me.

“Sierra,” Derek said. I looked into his eyes and became mesmerized.

“Yes?” I replied, my heart beating faster. He knew my name.

“Hi, I'm Derek,” he said. He wore his leather jacket again.

“Yeah, I know. I've seen you around,” I said as I flipped my blonde hair behind my shoulder.

“I've seen you around too,” he smiled, flashing his dimples at me. “So, do you want to sit together?” He motioned towards the bleachers. The game had already started, and most people had already sat down to watch the game.

“Sure,” I nodded. We found a seat next to my friends. I introduced them before turning to watch the game. My brother played quarterback on the team, so I was here to cheer him on. During the game, Derek and I chatted and flirted. At half-time, he asked if I wanted to get some food.

“Yeah, let's go,” I replied. We stood up and he nodded towards my friends.

“Do you want to come too?” he asked.

“No, I'm sure they'll be fine,” I looked pointedly at my friends, hinting at my need to be alone with Derek. They nodded their agreement and giggled as Derek and I walked away from our seats. He grabbed my hand as we walked down the bleachers. We headed towards the food stands, but suddenly he twirled me into his body and kissed me. Then he whispered in my ear.

“I've been wanting to do that since I first saw you,” he said. I no longer cared about the football game, whether or not my brother won. The only thing that mattered was Derek at that moment. We sneaked behind the bleachers and sat on the grass. He kissed me again. I let him put his hand on my thigh as the kiss deepened. Then he trailed kisses down my neck. I was enjoying the feel of him against me until he bit me.

“Ouch! I don't like that!” I complained, but he didn't stop. He sucked on my neck. Within seconds I felt dizzy. The sounds of cheering and people talking faded and the lights dimmed until everything was black. The next thing I knew, I woke up on my back staring at the stars.

~ ~ ~ 

I looked at Derek standing across from me in the dark. He moved towards me, but I stepped back and yelled, “Don't you come near me!” He just smiled at me, though he stopped walking.

“What did you do to me?” I asked. I still felt like my body was on fire, and my stomach really hurt.

“I made you into a vampire,” he shrugged his shoulders. I stared at him. I remembered the feel of his mouth biting down on my skin.

“Why?” My body started to shake.

“Because I like you,” he smiled again and walked towards me. This time I didn't stop him. He caught me as I fell, my hands clenching my stomach.

“Why does it hurt?” I cried.

“You need to feed. You need blood,” he replied. He held me against him.

“No! That's gross!” I yanked my body away, but my stomach had me doubling over in pain.

“Here, take a little of mine.” Derek bit his wrist, then he offered it to me as blood dripped down his arm. “Hurry, it'll heal soon.”

I turned my head away, but he put his wrist to my mouth and forced me to drink it. I felt a pain in my gums as two teeth began to sharpen. The smell of his blood was intoxicating. It didn't matter that he was offering the blood he had just taken from me, altering my life forever. I sunk my teeth into his flesh and drank. The burning in my veins and the pain in my stomach abated a little, but he moved his hand away before I could satiate my hunger.

“That's enough,” he said. “It's time to hunt.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me out from the bleachers.

“Hunt?” I looked at him with confusion, but then I understood all too clear as I heard the voices again in the school, voices I couldn't have heard if I was still human. Derek dragged me towards the sound. “No!” I yelled as I yanked my hand from his.

“No?” He turned around and glared at me. “I am your owner! Your creator! You'll do as I say.” The power of his words blasted into me. I cringed. His eyes softened. “We'll deal with our relationship later, but if you don't eat, you'll feel excruciating pain, then death. So come on.” He held his hand out towards me. I hesitated, but as I felt the gnawing hunger return to my belly, I decided to take his hand.

We walked into the school towards the voices. Soon we saw two janitors. One man mopped the floor as the other leaned against the wall, a cigarette lit in his mouth. They never saw us. One second Derek stood next to me, the next he had his hands wrapped around the neck of the man with the mop. A loud snap resonated through the hall, and the cigarette fell from the other man's open mouth. Before he could scream, Derek broke his neck too. He turned towards me.

“Couldn't you just have hypnotized them or wiped their memories afterward?” I asked. I stared down at the lifeless bodies.

“Yes, but it's easier this way for your first time. There will be no survivors today,” he replied. He knelt down and bit into the smoker's neck, drinking his blood. He paused and lifted his head. He looked me in the eye and said, “Except you.”

“Now eat,” he commanded me. He waved his hand towards the other janitor. His power washed over me again, and I felt compelled to walk towards the body. I felt my vampire teeth against my tongue as the smell of blood filled my nose. I bit into the man's neck and hungrily drank his blood. The sound of mouths sucking on flesh filled the otherwise empty hallway.