Neither (The Noctalis Chronicles 3)

“How are they attached?”

“Right here,” I said, pointing to the spot where they met my back. He couldn't completely see them because my bra was sort of in the way. Sighing, I reached behind and snapped it off. I tossed it to the ground and wrapped one arm around my front. His heart picked up. Boys.

I bent forward so he could see better.

“See? They go right into my skin.” Moments later his hands prodded the spot where my wings met my back, looking and searching. Still unconvinced. “Go ahead and yank on them. They won't come up.”

“I don't want to hurt you.” That really made me laugh.

“Jamie, there's no way you can hurt me. I dare you. Come on. You know you want to.” Either the teasing or the curiosity got the better of him, and he took hold of my left wing and gave it a tug. I barely felt it.

“Harder,” I said. Really, he hadn't tried. He yanked again. Nope. He couldn't even throw me off balance.

“How do you do that?”

“I told you. I'm immortal. I'm a predator, so I'm stronger than my prey. That would be you.” I winked at him and his eyes bulge again. Somehow, he made even that movement attractive. He was one beautiful boy. His fingers went back to work on my back, and he peered at my wings from every angle.

His hands skated across the bare skin of my back. If I had been human, I wouldn't have been able to stay still. As it was, all I could think of was turning around and letting him touch me everywhere.

“It's not possible. It can't be,” he said when his inspection was over and I was able to compose myself.

“How is anything possible? I don't know. I just know that it's real. I'm real.”

I leaned down and got my bra, snapping it on before he could react. I sucked my wings back in, threw his shirt over my head and turned around. He stepped back and I could sense that his legs weren't going to support him. His knees buckled and I caught him, lowering him until he was sitting on the ground.

“Easy, tiger.” I sat next to him and waited a second before I said anything. “It happened three days after I swapped blood with this guy. Well, he wasn't a guy. He was this thing called a noctalis.” I went on to explain meeting Ivan, being changed and waking up as an immortal. He listened, his eyes fixed on my face.

“I just can't believe this is real. So you're a vampire fairy?”

“Pretty much. It's a weird mishmash of mythology, isn't it? If it wasn't my life, I'd say it sounded ridiculous.” I lay back and closed my eyes, listening to him think. Funny how many sounds humans make that they aren't even aware of.

It was like I could hear the clicking of his mind. His scent was all around me, and I fingered the material of his shirt. It was ginormous on me, but I didn't mind. I liked having something that had touched his skin, touching mine.

“Vampire?” he said. I knew what he was asking. I wasn't sure if he wanted the answer, though. “Was that what you were doing on the side of the road?”

“Yeah, I was going to use you for your blood. Everything I told you is true. I was trying to lure my prey.”

“You want my blood?” His fear spiked again, and I opened my eyes and turned my head so I could look at him. He tried to pretend that he wasn't scared of me, but he was. Everything else about him betrayed the lie.

“Yeah, I do. I want everyone's blood. It's part of the immortality deal. Can't get anything for free.”

He shifted, propping his elbows on his knees. “Why haven't you taken it? Not that I'm complaining, but it doesn't make sense.”

“I know.” I'd forgotten how to sigh, or else I would have. “It's complicated, Jamie, and I don't know if I have enough time to explain it right now. I don't know if I can explain it.”

I moved over to my stomach, propping my chin on my hands. Jamie watched me, as if I was going to dive at him.

“So, you're not afraid I'm going to rip your throat out?” I asked.

He shook his head, as if he was coming out of a trance. I hadn't meant to pull him in, but I couldn't really control it.

“I'm sorry. It sounds so unbelievable. You just don't look like you could hurt anyone.”

“Oh, Jamie. I have wings. Anything is possible.”

“I guess so,” he said, squinting at the sun, which was behind a veil of clouds, at least for a moment.

“I'm still not sure if I believe you, even though I don't have any more reasons not to.”

I sat up, moving a little bit closer to him, testing to see how close he would let me get. Like a frightened horse, you had to move closer slowly so as not to scare it. Something about horses triggered a memory.

There had been a farm down the road from my house in New Hampshire and sometimes the owner let me ride if I mucked out stalls and stuff. The memory sparkled like a shiny stone and flooded my brain. I grabbed onto it, making sure it would stay.

Jamie watched me, puzzled. I moved closer again until our shoulders were touching.

“That's okay. You don't have to. I just wanted you to know.” I bumped my shoulder against his, and it sent him off balance. I grabbed onto him again, but I didn't let go. We stayed like that, with me holding him for several heartbeats.

“Will I ever see you again?” He asked the question I didn’t know how to answer.

I let go of him. “I don't think so. It's too hard to be around you.”

“The... blood?” He had a hard time saying the word, as if it choked him.

“Mostly. There are other things I need to do, and I can't get involved with anyone.” I moved away from him.

He raised one eyebrow. So sexy. “More secrets?”

“Just a few. A girl never shares them all,” I said with a smile. “Not even an immortal one.”

“You just look like a girl to me. A beautiful girl, but still, a girl.” This time, he was the one who moved closer to me. He reached out one of his hands and dragged a finger down my cheek. As if he was checking to see if I was still real.

“I was a girl. Just two weeks ago. If only I could have met you then.” He took his hand away as if he was embarrassed. I touched his shoulder.

“It's okay. At least we met at all.” He looked down at his hands, turning them over. They're rough and calloused, probably from playing sports. Tough hands, soft heart.

“Yeah,” I said. It was an inadequate word for what was going on, but it was the best I could come up with when his scent was surrounding me.

“How long are you going to stay?” he said.

“I don't know. There are things I need to do.” I couldn't believe I was sharing that with him. I had a hard time controlling my mouth when he was around. It hadn't been a problem until I met him. What had he done to me?