Storm (Blood Haze: Book Two) A Paranormal Romance (3 page)

against mine, and the love he felt for me coursed

through every kiss. I slipped my hands inside his

shirt and felt his smooth skin with my cold

hands, but he did not flinch when my winter

wind-nipped fingers met his hot skin.

I parted my lips to allow his tongue to explore

mine, and I tasted his sweet breath. It was like

ambrosia, and the sweet nectar lingered around

me like perfume from Heaven.

One of his hands slipped under my sweater

and pressed into the small of my back. His hands

were warm, despite the frosty air, and they felt

intensely comforting against my skin.

“Say it,” he implored, pressing his lips against

mine again.

I was weakening. My resolve was breaking. I

didn’t know how much longer I could keep

denying it. Did I? Was it possible that I…

“Say it,” he whispered beseechingly into my

ear, his hot breath sending pleasant shivers down

my spine.

I cracked. Every fiber of my being was

screaming his name, and every bit of strength I

had melted away in one moment.

“I love you,” I whimpered. “I love you! God

help me, I love you!”

“Alice…” he whispered, kissing me even

more deeply than before.

I was lost in him. In that moment, I had not

only admitted to him how I felt. I had also

admitted it to myself. I didn’t want to feel that

way, but I had no choice. It was as if Fate stepped

in and shouted, “It’s inevitable! You love him!

Just give up!” And it was true.

I felt his weight pressing against me, and I

gave in. He pushed me gently down into the

downy softness of the moss. I could smell the

sweet, earthy scent underneath us as his body

covered mine. His weight felt so comfortable on

top of me, and his head bent down to deliver

another intoxicating kiss. I desperately wanted to

feel his skin against mine, and I lifted his shirt

over his head. He responded my tugging at mine,

and I rose up to allow him to take off my

sweater.

The morning sun had slowly crept into the

shade, and we were bathed in golden sunlight.

Despite the frigid temperature, the sun combined

with our body heat and it was almost sweltering.

He lowered himself on top of me, and the

sensation of his skin against mine was

maddening.

I wanted him. I’d never really thought about it

before, but suddenly I wanted him more than I

had ever wanted anything in my life. I wanted

him to be my first… before it was too late. I had

decided. It was time.

My fingernails raked a path across his back

and I struggled not to tear his remaining clothing

into shreds. It was all I could do to keep from

begging for it as his passionate kisses melted into

me. I reached down and began to unfasten his

belt, and his dark eyes stared into mine, suddenly

understanding what I wanted.

At that moment, just as I was about to

abandon everything, a queer sound escaped from

his pants. It was the muffled sound of his phone

chirping inside his pocket. The two of us exhaled

a heaving breath, and he rolled off me and onto

his back beside me. We both panted furiously,

trying to regain our composure.

Finally, he took a deep breath and pulled the

phone from his pocket.

“Hello?”

“Max,” I heard Kai’s voice through the phone,

sounding edgy. “Have you seen Alice?”

Max sighed. “Yeah, she’s right here.”

He handed me the phone.

“Kai?” I answered.

“Alice! Where have you been? I’ve been

worried sick!” he shouted.

“What?” I mumbled. “Why, what happened?”

“The school called your mother,” Kai

explained. “They said you didn’t show up to

school today and they were calling to see if you

were sick.”

“Damn,” I muttered.

“Where are you?” Kai asked. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I told him. “Max and I skipped

school, because he’s leaving town tomorrow. He

wanted one last day together.”

I heard Kai’s teeth grating together through

the phone.

Through clenched teeth, he said, “You’re

alone
with him?”

“Kai, he’s leaving tomorrow,” I explained. “I

might not see him again for a long time, maybe

never. I just thought I should spend the day with

him.”

“What are you doing?” he demanded to know.

“We’re just hanging out,” I lied. “Talking.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know,” I said truthfully. “Some lake.”

“Oh, my God, you’re at a lake with him?

Seriously?”

“Calm down!” I insisted. “He’s leaving

tomorrow, anyway. So what’s the big deal?”

“You
would
say that,” Kai grumbled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demanded.

“Nothing,” he muttered. “Have fun with him.”

With that, he hung up.

“He’s pretty mad, huh?” Max asked.

“Seems that way,” I agreed with a sigh.

“I’m sorry,” Max said sincerely.

“It’s not your fault,” I said. It was true. I knew

it was all my fault.

“It’s

not
your
fault,” Max insisted. “I

shouldn’t have brought you here. It was my idea,

and it was a mistake.”

“Do you really mean that?” I asked, hurt.

He was quiet for a moment, and then he said,

“No, I don’t mean it. It wasn’t a mistake. I’m

only sorry you’re being hurt by it.”

Neither of us said anything for a minute, and

then he spoke again, “Are you sorry you said it?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m not sorry. I meant

it. I just… I didn’t realize it before.”

“I don’t want to lose you, Alice,” he

murmured.

“Don’t go,” I implored him.

“I have to.”

“Is there still a chance to run away?” I asked,

only half-jokingly.

He chuckled and put his arm around me,

kissing my forehead.

“Sweet Alice,” he whispered, his lips still

pressed against my forehead. “I would run away

with you in a heartbeat… if it were possible.”

I sighed. I wanted desperately for it to be

possible. The thought of him leaving now… it

was unthinkable.

But the next day, he was leaving.

*****

Chapter Three – Alone

Kai was locked in his room when I got home

that day. He refused to answer, even when I

begged and pleaded. Only the sound of his

paintbrush angrily swishing against the canvas let

me know he was still alive.

Max was leaving, and Kai wasn’t speaking to

me. I tried to call Jamie, but I only got her

voicemail. My mother and Will had gone to a

movie. I felt truly alone. Then I remembered

Max’s birthday gift. I went downstairs and found

the keys to Kai’s car in his coat, which hung on

the hook by the door. I knew Kai would be

furious with me for taking his car to see Max,

but he wasn’t speaking to me, anyway.

With Max’s gift in my hand, I got into Kai’s

car and drove to Max’s house. I guess Max saw

the car through the window, because he met me

outside the front door.

“Are you crazy?” he whispered. “What if my

dad sees you? You know he could track you if he

ever met you!”

“I had to see you one last time,” I said. “I

brought your birthday present.”

“Please, Alice,” he begged. “You have to go

before he sees you!”

“Fine, meet me down the street,” I agreed.

“Fine, fine,” he urged. “Just go!”

I got into Kai’s car and took off. Max’s eyes

followed the direction in which I was headed,

and I knew he would follow me soon. I pulled

into the parking lot of a gas station that appeared

to have been closed for some time. The windows

were covered with plywood.

A few minutes later, Max pulled up.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that

was?” Max admonished.

“I had to see you,” I said, tears filling my eyes.

“Your gift…”

I pulled the package from behind my back and

thrust it toward him, looking up at him with

puppy dog eyes.

He took it gently and sighed.

“I can’t be mad at you,” he admitted.

He placed the box on the hood of Kai’s car

and unwrapped it. Inside the box was a small

golden trophy. A figure atop the trophy held a

bowling ball as though he were about to release

it down the lane. The engraving on the plaque

underneath the figure read:
To My #1 Bowler,

Love, Alice
.

He was apparently stricken speechless. He

stood there motionless, staring at the inscription.

“Our first date,” he finally said solemnly.

“It wasn’t really a date,” I reminded him.

“Jamie was there.”

“It was a date to
me
,” he corrected me,

stepping closer.

“I have to get back,” I said. “Kai’s going to

freak out when he realizes I stole his car to come

see you.”

“You stole Kai’s car?” he asked, raising one

eyebrow at me.

“I had to give you your birthday gift,” I

explained. “I won’t see you tomorrow.”

“I wish I didn’t have to go,” he moaned.

“Me, too,” I agreed.

“I’ll think of you every moment of every day,”

he promised me. “Say it one last time.”

I stepped up until I was right in front of him,

and I stood on my tiptoes. He leaned down, and I

put my arms around his neck. My lips kissed his

ear gently, and I breathed, “I love you.”

He shuddered and closed his eyes, his arms

pulling me tightly to him. His cheek brushed

against my face, and his lips searched for mine. I

turned toward him, and he kissed me.

“I love you for every moment of forever,” he

said.

And in a moment, he was gone.

I stood there in the parking lot for several

minutes, almost hoping he would come back and

sweep me off my feet – taking me away into the

sunset. But he never came back. I listened

intently for the roar of his car, but I was met with

nothing but deafening silence.

I drove home, expecting Kai to meet me

outside, but he wasn’t there. I placed his car keys

back into his pocket and slowly trudged upstairs.

My feet felt like they weighed 200 pounds each.

I paused outside Kai’s door, and I heard the

telltale swish of his paintbrush flicking across

the canvas moodily. I didn’t bother to knock. I

went into my bedroom and collapsed onto my

bed in utter exhaustion. I fought sleep, knowing

that the next morning, Max would be gone. I

wanted to stay awake and at least savor every last

moment of his being in town, but my eyelids

finally became too heavy, and I fell asleep.

The next morning, I awoke with a feeling of

dread. Max was gone, and I might never see him

again. A lump rose in my throat and threatened to

turn into tears, and I swallowed it back. The last

thing Kai needed to see was me blubbering over

Max’s departure.

I took a deep breath and tried once more to

choke back the overwhelming emotions that

were assaulting me. Somehow, the sunlight

streaming through the crack between my curtains

seemed dull and lifeless, and the air in my room

seemed devoid of life. I couldn’t let Kai see me

like this.

I decided to get up and send Max an email.

Maybe if I could communicate with him now and

then, things wouldn’t seem so hopeless.

Max,

I’m assuming you’re already gone, and my

world seems empty without you. I miss your

friendship already. I miss you.

I know you had to leave, and I understand

why, but I hope we can keep in touch by email,

at least. Write soon.

Alice

I felt a little better after emailing Max, so I

went to see if Kai was awake. I knocked lightly

on his door, but I got no response. I sighed. I

heard no activity downstairs, so I went back to

my room to call Jamie. Voicemail again.

It felt like the whole world was conspiring

against me to ensure I was truly alone. I crawled

back into bed and tried desperately to fight back

the tears, but it was impossible. I’d never in my

life felt so truly alone.

I heard a gentle tap on my door.

“Come in,” I said, quickly trying to dry my

tears with my hands.

Kai peeked in. “Alice?”

“Kai! Come in!”

He came into the room and sat on the bed

beside me. Despite my best efforts, a tear welled

over and spilled down my cheek. He gently

brushed it away.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” he said.

“Please don’t apologize, Kai. You had every

right to be upset with me.”

“I know, but I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you, too. I didn’t mean to.

The only reason I didn’t tell you I was ditching

school with Max was because I knew it would

hurt you, and there was no reason to hurt you

since he was leaving town anyway.”

“I know,” he said gently. “I just wish you