Star, Starland Vamp Series, Book 1 (19 page)

“Sure,” Zac replied with a smile, then added. “But I wouldn’t mind being alone either.”

If he could only read my mind.

I laughed again as Zac pulled the car into the school parking lot. He pulled the car into the nearest parking space, and threw it into park. “Come here,” he said, pulling me gently toward him between the bucket seats. His lips lightly brushed mine, a gentle caress as I slid my hand into his hair, pulling him closer as hunger enveloped us both. His lips moved over mine as he pulled me tightly into his arms. My lips trailed kisses down to his neck, letting him breathe as I took a breath to control the burn within my throat. But it wasn’t bad. Controllable after such a hefty breakfast. My lips found his again, but this time with a gentle caress. Then a few moments later, Zac pulled away and moved to the hollow under my ear. “Keep that up and we won’t be going anywhere.”

I laughed and gave him one more last sweet kiss. “Come on,” I said, opening my car door, as much as I hated to. I wanted nothing more than to sweep him away to a safe place where we could spend the rest of eternity together. But, alas, I knew we had to face this thing head on. We just couldn’t run away. And I knew he wouldn’t be safe again until we did. 

Zac gave me a crooked smile, then got out of the car and opened my door, then flung his back pack onto his shoulder. Quite the gentleman. I doubt if it came from his father.

Everyone watched in awe as we walked toward the front plate glass doors of the school, but I saw only him. Then Zac gently slid his hand down my arm, taking my hand, sending chills throughout my body with just this simple gesture. Man, if he only knew what he did to me.

Inside the school, I pulled Zac close to my side protectively as we made our way to our Government class. Zac subtly slid his arm around my waist as we walked, then glanced at me and grinned, dazzling me beyond belief. I had to shake my head to return my focus. My eyes darted down the hallway. I couldn’t place it, but something was wrong. I took a deep breath, checking to see if I could catch a scent, but there was nothing.

“Good morning!” Ms. Parks greeted us with a warm smile as we took two seats together in the back of the class. The all-too-perky Ms. Parks called the class to order for the announcements, as Zac stole a glance in my direction. One corner of my lips raised into a half smile as I forced my attention back to Ms. Parks. The electricity between Zac and I was tangible, thick in the air.

I tried to shake the impending feeling of doom and tried to pay attention to Ms. Parks. But the electricity between us and the impending feeling of doom made concentrating difficult. The class went without a hitch, although my eyes frequently darted toward the door.

“What’s wrong?” Zac whispered, catching me looking at the classroom door. He was much more astute than I had imagined.

But I just shook my head, giving him a warm smile as a grin spread across his lovely face. After class, Zac took my hand as we walked to our honors history class. I still had the feeling of unease as Zac slid his arm around my waist again.

“Come on, Lisa,” Zac said worriedly, his eyebrows pulling together. Then he pulled me to the side and leaned on a locker and ran a hand through his sandy brown hair. His azure eyes bore into mine with concern. Then he took my hand into his and asked, “Lisa, if I’m moving too fast …”

I laughed and the sound of bells reverberated off the walls. If he only knew what had been going through my mind yesterday and last night, he wouldn’t be saying that. All I could think about was sharing his blood and his body. I frequently had to remind myself to focus.

“What?” Zac asked innocently, eyeing with a look of concern.

“It’s not you,” I said, shaking my head, feigning a smile. “I promise.”

Zac wasn’t fooled. “What is it, then? What’s bothering you?”

“You really notice everything, don’t you?” I hedged, as one side of my lips curled into a half smile, then flipped my wavy brown hair over one shoulder.

Zac smiled, dazzled, then replied seductively, “I notice you.” His beautiful blue eyes bore into mine, and at that moment I wanted to spill. I wanted to tell him everything, but knew I couldn’t dare. I wondered what he would think if he knew I was a vampire? Would he turn and run? He would probably never want to see me again. I sighed at the thought. “Come on, tell me,” he persisted.

I just shook my head, forcing another smile. What would I tell him? That I was a CIA agent sent here by his CIA head father to protect him from rogue vampires? He would think I’d lost my mind. “It’s nothing,” I hedged, pulling him down the hall. “Let’s go to class.”

Zac’s eyebrows pulled together. He wasn’t fooled, but let me lead him down the hall to our Honors History class. Zac and I walked to what was becoming our usual place in the back of the class to two desks setting together. And as Ms. Ross called the class to order and began her boring lecture, I wondered who could possibly want Zac. If the purpose was to get to his father, then how did they even find out about him? Why was there a million dollar price tag on Zac’s head? That price tag would definitely make protecting him much more difficult. Throughout class, I considered the possibilities, but it just didn’t seem to add up. What was I missing?

Then I caught Zac’s eye across the aisle, filled with concern. “Meet me in the hall in two minutes,” Zac said under his breath, then rose from his seat and headed toward the door, taking his backpack with him.

Ms. Ross said nothing.

Panic rose from deep within my chest and I had to literally keep myself from rushing at vamp speed out the door after him. He was unprotected in the hallway with who knows what after him. My God! What was he thinking?

Then, again, I had to remind myself that he didn’t know.

I sighed, then grabbed my backpack and headed for the door, as well, when Ms. Ross stopped me.

“Can it wait a minute?” Ms. Ross asked, her eyes filled with suspicion, as she indicated her lecture.

“No, really it can’t,” I replied. Not waiting for an answer, I headed out the door.

Ms. Ross didn’t try to stop me. Lucky for her.

As I rushed into the hallway, all kinds of scenarios ran through my mind ranging from Zac being kidnapped to killed within those few minutes, but in the hallway, standing lazily off to the side, stood Zac. I breathed a sigh of relief as he simply said, “Hi.”

“What were you thinking?” I asked, my eyebrows pulling together.

“I was thinking about you,” he replied, concerned, pulling me down the hallway. “We need to talk.”

Well, here it goes. At least it was good while it lasted. As he pulled me into a vacant classroom, I had no idea what I was going to say or how much I was going to tell.

“Now,” Zac said, then pulled me to a vacant seat and took one across from me. “What’s going on?”

I sighed, leaning hard against the back of the chair as it cracked. Oops. “What makes you think something’s going on?”

“For one thing,” Zac said, raising his voice slightly. “You’ve been acting strangely all morning.”

“How?”

“You look worried,” Zac said, taking my cool hand into his warm hand, but he pretended not to notice. “What’s going on, Lisa?”

And I wondered how much I should tell him. I was in love with him and he didn’t even know my real name. I just shook my head and lowered my eyes.

“Talk to me, damn it!” Zac said raising his voice, causing me to look up with a start. My eyes flared instinctively a brilliant green. Then I quickly rose from my seat to face the windows, turning my back to him so he couldn’t see, while I quickly pulled myself together. “Lisa? What was that?”

“What?” I hedged, feigning innocence, looking out the classroom window onto the parking lot.

Zac placed his hands on my shoulders and quickly turned me around, then looked directly into my eyes. “Your eyes …”

I turned my attention back toward the window again.

“Lisa!” Zac yelled, turning me around again as I instinctively growled and pulled away, my eyes flaring. I quickly averted my eyes, turning my attention back to the school parking lot out the window, but saw nothing.

“Don’t ever do that again,” I said in a low voice, calming myself again.

“Lisa,” Zac said in disbelief. “What was that? What’s going on?” But this time, he made no attempt to turn me around.

“Zac,” I said in a husky voice, filled with dread. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

Zac placed his hands gingerly on my upper arms then whispered into my ear. “Lisa, whatever it is, I can handle it.”

I sighed, laughing without humor. “You say that now …”

“It can’t be all that bad,” he said into my ear, wrapping his arms around me from behind, cradling me to his chest, resting his chin on my shoulder.

I laughed. “You have no idea.”

“Try me,” Zac said, gingerly turning me around as his cerulean eyes melted mine. “You can tell me anything, Lisa. I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

I grinned slightly. “Maybe we did in another life.”

“Maybe so,” Zac agreed. “All I know is that I’ve never felt this way about anyone else before. And whatever it is, I can handle it. I’m not going anywhere.”

“You say that now,” I said, trying to pull away, but Zac wouldn’t let me. Of course, I could break his hold with ease, but I let him hold me instead.

He gently raised my chin with his fingertip so that my eyes met his. “I know that your body temperature runs colder than mine. That’s something I’ve noticed with a few of my father’s friends. And you’re extremely beautiful, again, like my father’s friends. And your eyes actually glowed just now.” He paused, trying to choose his words carefully. “Who are you?”

“I’m Lisa,” I replied weakly, turning toward the window, unable to meet his gaze.

“Okay,” Zac said, summoning his courage. “Then
what
are you?” Since when did he get so strong, both physically and emotionally?

My breath caught as I turned abruptly to look directly into his azure eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“Come on!” Zac replied, running a hand through his sun-streaked hair. “People’s eyes just don’t flare like that!” Then he paused again and asked, “What are you?”

Still looking out the window, I replied, “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.”

I heard Zac take a deep breath behind me, summoning his courage, then asked once more, “What are you?”

I turned around at vamp speed and looked directly into his eyes, but he didn’t flinch. “I’m a vampire, Zac.” I waited for a moment, allowing the information to sink into his mind.

“What else?” Zac said, unmoved.

“What else?” I asked walking to the other side of the room at human speed in disbelief. “Isn’t that enough?”

“What else?” Zac asked again, his eyes boring into mine.

Then I knew I had to risk everything. I had to lay it out on the line and let the chips fall where they may. If he was strong enough for this, I had to be, too. But it was the hardest thing I’d had to do in 200 years. I walked toward him and stopped two feet in front of him. I sighed, hedging, but he didn’t budge, waiting patiently. “My name is Abigail Star and I’m a vampire.”

“And?” Zac asked, unmoved, waiting for me to spill.

“And nothing,” I hedged, unable to make myself say the words.

“There’s more that you’re not telling me,” Zac replied, his eyes cold, trying to absorb what he was hearing.

Suddenly the bell rang to go to our next class. Saved by the bell. “Zac,” I began, taking his hand into mine. “Go to class and I’ll tell you everything later.”

“The hell with class!” Zac said, releasing my hand, letting it fall to my side. “You can’t just drop a bomb like this and expect me to go to class! Come on, let’s get out of here.” He took my arm, pulling toward the door.

“Zac,” I replied, gently releasing my arm from his grasp. I would love to just leave with him, but we had to face it, head on. “You need some time to absorb what you’ve heard. Go to class and I promise I’ll tell you the rest later.”   

“Hey!” A deep baritone voice called into the room, as Coach Sullivan opened the door. “What are you two doing in here?”

“Just going to class,” I said, feigning innocence as Zac’s eyes darted to mine.

“Oh, no you’re not!” Sullivan’s voice reverberated off the walls. “You’re coming to the office with me!”

I looked at Zac apologetically. Well? He really wanted to know, so he was going to get his first induction into the vampire world.

“Actually, no we’re not,” I said gently to Mr. Sullivan as I darted at vamp speed across the room, taking his chin into my hand, forcing his eyes to meet mine. “You never saw us here. Now go to your class.”

Zac held his breath, watching silently as his eyebrows pulled together.

Coach Sullivan’s eyes went momentarily blank, then he turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He would have a headache later tonight.

Zac stared at me in disbelief, then asked, “How did you do that?”

“I’ll tell you later,” I replied, but I didn’t use my mind control on him. I never would use it on Zac. Never. Now that it was out in the open, a part of me really wanted him to know everything. Well, about me, at least.