The Mistress of Black Grove Manor (67 page)

“First time too.” She gave him a smile. “What did you order?”

“The Elvis burger.” His eyes sparkled, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t.

“I thought about that one, but I’m thinking the poutine burger.”

His eyes sparkled. “How adventurous of you!” he laughed softly. I’ve noticed so many people are just ordering simple things, it’s nice to see someone who wants to take a risk.”

The waitress came back quickly to give Darian his order, and boy did it look good. Becky stared wide eyed. She took their order, and Darian was right- most people were ordering simple things. Becky was the only one who had ordered something interesting.

The burgers were good, the company- at least the people Becky had come with- on the other hand was lacking.

She tried several times to take part in the conversation, and it’s not that they didn’t welcome her; it was just that the conversation was boring. She found herself drawn to the man beside her. Maybe it was just because he was new and interesting.

Nonetheless when he pushed himself out of his seat and left he gave her a soft smile, telling her he would see her tomorrow night- and it sounded like a promise.

Becky finished her meal, her mind on Darian the entire time. The way his lips had felt against her still felt a rush through her body.

By the time Ash and Becky got back to their dorms it was past 10:00.

“I think that guy liked you,” Ashley said.

“I thought you liked him?” Beck challenged her. She shrugged.

“No point in trying something that won’t work. I think the only thing he was interested in was you.”

Becky’s brow furrowed. She didn’t like the way that sounded. It’s not like she was a meal or something. But she didn’t say anything. She thought about the man she’d spent the night talking to. Despite his cold touch she’d had a lot of fun talking to him- and the idea that he would be interested in her made her heart skip a beat. She didn’t want to admit just how happy it made her to think that he had been interested in her. Suddenly, the idea of class tomorrow night was thrilling.

Chapter 2

The next day passed slower than most.

Becky tried to ignore it, she tried to tell herself that it wasn’t true. That all days felt this slow. When she came home from her run she changed quickly, not willing to admit just how much effort she had put into her outfit. Today it was a pair of jeans with a simple black tank top that might have showed a little bit of boob. She covered it with her light brown pleather jacket and grabbed her school bag. She tied her hair up in a bun as she walked from her dorm to the classroom, and applied a little red lipstick.

I’m not going to go out of my way to look good for him.
She told herself, but still she couldn’t help hoping that he would think she looked good.

She grabbed something to eat for on her way to class and headed there as fast as she could, silently hoping she’d meet up with him before classes started.

She didn’t meet up with him at the beginning of class, but he did pop out of the blue just as they were all making their way into the classroom.

“Hey.” He whispered touching the small of her back.

Becky’s heart skipped a beat. “Hi.” She said breathlessly, his cold hand still touching her. Her eyes locked on his for a fraction of a second.

A lopsided grin spread over his face and he gave her a nod towards a set of chains.

“Did you miss me or something?”

“No.” Becky said a little too quickly.

“Shame,” He whispered in her ear. “I missed you.”

Becky’s heart skipped a beat. She took a deep breath, hoping he couldn’t tell how flustered that had gotten her. She took a deep breath and sat down in the chair he’d motioned to.

He sat down beside her and pulled out an old fashioned journal from a bag Becky hadn’t noticed hanging at his hips. He pulled out a pen and turned to her.

“How’s it going?”

His eyes sparkled as he looked at her, giving her a once over.

Suddenly Becky wished she’d have put a little more thought into her outfit.

“About as good as it can be for an overtaxed student I’m guessing.” She gave him a wicked smile. “And what about you?”

“Better than I’d expect.”

He stared at her during the entire lesson. He was hardly paying attention, even though this was one of his favorite classes to attention. The wonderful thing about being who he was, is that he could go to as many schools as he wanted and he could take as many classes as he wanted. And he loved it. Over the years he’d watched the teachings change. He could still remember the days when they taught that the earth was flat, of course that was a very long time ago and while it may seem crazy for people to think that the human race actually believed it at one point, it had been a wonderful time.

Although, Darian was sure nothing could beat the late 1800’s. That was his favorite time, and the Old West; that would always hold a place in his heart.

He turned to the girl beside him. She was staring ahead at the profession as he spoke about vampires and how they’ve been represented in the 2000’s. Some of them minded. Darian didn’t.

There was no doubt it had become easier for us over the past 100 years, and the idea that we could be accepted, even loved and desired- well, that made Darian want to know more. It made him want to keep living. 

She caught his eye. A smile flashing across her lips. Darian’s heart skipped a beat.

Unlike what most people thought, they did still have hearts- that they still had a way to fall in love.

“Do you believe in fate?” He asked as they stood.

“Yes.” Becky admitted, her cheeks flushing. “Do you?”

A soft, sad, smile touched his lip. “I do. I believe that we have no choice in it. And that one way or another it will happen.” He sounded lost in thought. Lost in the past as he grabbed his school bag. “Would you allow me the pleasure of walking you home?”

“Um, sure.” Becky pulled out her cell phone, and sent a quick text to Ash letting her know that if she didn’t arrive soon to be worried. She tucked her phone away and followed Darian out of the classroom. She couldn’t help noticing the way people looked at them as they walked out together.

“When did
they
get together?” She heard someone whisper.

Her heart did a double take.
Oh god, people think we’re together?!
She had no clue how she was supposed to deal with that! She didn’t want him to feel awkward about it.

Becky cleared her throat trying to think of something to say. “So, I don’t see you around very much.”

“I just take a couple classes. For fun more than anything else.” He shrugged. “Something to keep track of the time.”

Becky raised an eyebrow, waiting for more but nothing came as they made their way across the parking lot.

“So do you live around here?” She asked.

The night wind whipped around them and for a split second she was thankful she’d gone with a bun, otherwise her hair would be all over the place.

“Sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” She repeated. How the hell?
It’s like he’s trying not to make sense.
She thought.

Darian shot her a grin. “Why? Do you want to hang out or something?”

Becky returned his grin, but for a couple seconds she didn’t say anything. “Are you asking me to hang out with you?” She raised an eyebrow but her heart skipped a beat, worried about how he would answer her.

He turned to look at her and laughed softly, not answering her question. They made their way closer to Becky’s dorm. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. She had been hoping he would say yes, or at least imply that he wanted to see her again, but he hadn’t so much as said a word about it.
He’s probably not interested.
She thought, and he was just trying to be polite by not saying anything. She’d been there before she knew what it was like. 

It doesn’t matter.
She told herself. And it was true. It wasn’t a big deal if he wasn’t interested in her. They would see each other every now and then on Thursdays, but he would probably go back to not noticing her.
Then why did he seem so interested in me last night?

Darian walked beside the woman, he moved closer to her without an effort; it almost looked like he was gliding to most people he was sure of that. He’d seen the way others like him moved. He knew how effortless it looked from the outside.

There was something about her. He’d known it the second he’d seen her. Now it was all beginning to make sense. He’d been traveling last night; but not to this time last. So why had he showed up outside that cafe?

It wasn’t abnormal for him to show up somewhere he often went, so he hadn’t put much thought into why it was here and now that he’d gone to, as opposed to the 1980’s to catch a Nirvana concert.

It was her.
Well, not really her doing it. That wasn’t how this kind of thing worked, but it was her that had brought him here. Sometimes if he was supposed to be in one place at one time everything would get all wonky and work on its own.

He’d once gone to sleep in Paris at the height of the 1940’s and woken up in Japan in the 1800’s. Thankfully he’d been able to steal clothes before anyone took notice of him, though he found that a simple black jacket and jeans did him well in most times it was always best to be safe and know where you were going before you got there.

Darian took a deep breath of her, the scent of blood mixed with coconut, vanilla, and life. Life has its own scent. Some find it disgusting. The decaying of the body, the rebuilding of it. Personally he found it wonderful. He find it beautiful, to Darian it is part of the beauty in life.

Darian looked around them. There was something going on here, something he didn’t fully understand but he did understand that she was part of it. That we were part of it.

Darian needed to see her again and I knew it, but what would be the cost if she had to see him again? What would happen to her?

Darian had had his life taken away from him when he was just a boy. The girl walking beside him was just a girl compared to so many, but he knew the signs. He’d heard about the attraction. The feeling. The urge.

The lust.

That’s what it was. It was a lust for her blood. Just her

s. He could walk into any room and not give a person a second glance, but when you found your one you knew it; because you wanted nothing more than to taste them.

No.
He thought. The chances of finding your one were rare, even for the elders like him, they were beyond rare.

It was a lapse on his behalf. He’d showed up here for some reason and decided she
had
to be involved.

“So,” She cleared her throat. He could hear the nervousness in her voice. He’d been so sidetracked with his own thought he’d almost forgot they were together. “Are you taking any other classes right now?”

“No.” He said.

Becky almost jumped as she turned to face him. She hadn’t noticed he was that close to her. Becky tried not to let it show how taken she was, but failed. She let out a soft laugh.

“You startled me there. I guess I’m not used to walking with someone on my way home from this class.”

She tried to ignore the feeling she got in the pit of her stomach, as her gut twisted.
Something is wrong.
She told herself, brushing the thought away as fast as it popped into her mind. She motioned for them to turn onto a sidewalk.

Becky led the way along the sidewalk, Darian walking beside her silently.

“Tell me,” He spoke softly. “Are you from around here?”

“No.” I said. “I’d moved here for school. What about you?”

“I’m from all over the place.” He looked around in the darkness. “But I like this place just fine. I feel like it could be home if I wanted it to.”

“Then you don’t want it to be?”

“I’m not sure I want any place to be home.” He said after a moment's thought.

Becky’s brow furrowed. He was talking in riddles and she knew it, she wanted to pry but she didn’t want to be rude.
Still…
she thought.

“Where are you from?” She couldn’t help asking. “I mean, where were you born or raised?”

Darian grinned. “I wish I could tell ya.”

Becky’s heart skipped a beat as he turned to her and gave her a wide smile. She swallowed dryly trying not to admit to herself what was happening. She was getting a crush and that was a bad idea.