Chapter 8 The vampire

Aria’s pov

My stomach is like a bottomless pit…….

The moment the plate hits my lap, I forget my name or where I am. I forget there are vampires and strangers everywhere, and I dig in like a starved wolf. My hands tremble with the need to eat and I shovel meat into my mouth, barely chewing, only swallowing and reaching for more. My throat burns from the speed of it, but I cannot stop. It is messy, it is shameful, but it feels wonderful. One might think I am a starved homeless.

The first bite is like pure heaven, the second bite calms the ache in my belly, the third makes me moan. I am dimly aware of people moving past me, laughter echoing through the room and music vibrating the floor beneath my feet, but none of it matters. There is only food and my desperate need to devour it.

When the ache in my belly lessened enough to let me breathe, I blink and suddenly remembered that I am sitting in a vampire’s house surrounded by strangers. My lips feel greasy, my fingers are sticky, and I know without even touching my face that there is tomato sauce smeared across my face. Nice one Aria……now I look like I don’t have home training.

I look around, searching for a napkin, a tissue, anything to save a shred of my dignity. Of course, there is nothing. That is when the laughter comes, like a low chuckle, smooth and warm. It rolls over me like velvet. I glance sideways, and remembered that the gorgeous Vampire from earlier is sitting beside me, watching me like I am the best kind of entertainment. His smile looks sinful, teeth flashing with his baby blue eyes bright with mischief.

“Easy, beautiful,” Adrian drawls, amusement dripping from every syllable. “The food is not running away.”

I turn red. “I am so sorry,” I mumble. “I swear I am usually more civilized than this. Do you—do you maybe have a napkin? This must be so embarrassing.”

He shakes his head, still laughing, as if my shame delights him. “Relax. Nobody cares, everyone here is too busy doing their own thing to focus on you. Besides…” His eyes flicker over me, deliberate, slow. “…I happen to think there is nothing more beautiful than watching someone eat like their heart depends on it.”

I freeze, unsure if he is complimenting me or mocking me. He seems nice…..but there is something there that I don’t quite like. I finally risk a glance around the room, desperate to change the subject. My face got redder when I realize he is right. Nobody is looking at me, no one is whispering or pointing. They are too busy with their own…….whatever it is they are doing. A girl giggles as a guy bites her neck hard enough to draw blood. A pair of students lounge on a couch half-dressed, their lips pressed together in a kiss that looks more like war. I have heard of what goes on in human parties, I never get to go to one. With what I see here, the supernaturals were kicking things up a notch.

Adrian chuckles softly at my discomfort. When I glance back at him, he is studying me with his chin resting lazily on one hand, his elbow propped on the armrest like a king on his throne. There is no denying it, he is beautiful. Too beautiful. I know what he is. With that skin, the way he carries himself and the way people fears him he has to be one of those vampire nobles my brothers told me stories about. Though unlike the vampire girls he haven’t showed me his fangs.

I looked away grabbing my sandwich, whatever the cook put in this needs to be studied. I felt a shiver run down my body, I looked up and right across the room, standing rigid and watching me like a storm is him.

He is tall, impossibly so, broad shoulders straining his shirt, his posture commanding enough to part the crowd around him. His hair is blonde, his face sharp and perfect. His eyes……dear God…..his eyes glow faintly gold, like a cat about to devour his prey. The look on his face is pure dislike, like I am filth that somehow wandered into his air.

I know that look. I have seen it before from various students around the school, yet from him, it hurts in a way it should not. He does not know me, I do not know him……still, the disappointment I felt from his stare stings worse than Philip’s betrayal ever did.

I want to look away, but I cannot. My eyes are chained to his. Then I felt Adrian’s hand slides against my throat, fingers resting lightly as he leans close enough that his breath brushes my cheek. “After you finish eating,” he murmurs, “why not stay a while? I can show you how to really party.”

The sound that rips through the room is savage, I jumped. A growl, low and violent, like thunder cracking inside a chest. What was that? My gaze moves back across the room just in time to see the stranger’s face twist in fury before he spins on his heel and storms back into the house.

My pulse races so fast I can barely breathe. Adrian laughs softly at the retreating figure. “Touchy, touchy, I wonder what that was about.”

My skin burns where his hand touched, but it is not Adrian’s fingers I feel. It is the ghost of golden eyes, the echo of that growl from the stranger.

“I can’t stay,” I whisper, pushing the plate away. “This is not my kind of scene. I still need to read the school’s portfolio and unpack. I have so much to do.”

“Exactly why you should stay,” Adrian replies smoothly. “Once you read our school’s rules and regulation, you will never step foot in a place like this again. Stay. Have fun for one night before reality starts.”

His stare is too intense and for a moment I wonder if this is where he uses some kind of vampire coercion, bending my will until I nod.

“Is this where you use your power on me? The one where you compel people to obey?”

He laughs, head thrown back in genuine amusement. “Those are myths, beautiful. If you have to go, you have to go.” He tilts his head. “Though I would rather you stayed.”

“I cannot,” I say firmly, rising to my feet.

“Then I will take you back to your dorm.” He stands gracefully, towering over me, and gestures toward the door.

I open my mouth to refuse, but nothing comes out. There is something in his tone that makes disobedience impossible. “Can I take my food with me?” I ask, still licking the taste of roasted meat off my lips.

Adrian tilts his head, smiling. “The caterers in the kitchen will pack you something. Follow me.” His tone makes it sound less like an offer and more like a command. I kept my mouth shut and follow.

In the kitchen, one of the vampire girls from earlier already have a bag waiting for me. She shove it into my hands without meeting my eyes, her face twisted in silent resentment. I do not need words to know that she hate me……..well, I hate you too. I wonder how she knew to pack the food, maybe some kind of vampire sense. I want nothing more than to escape this house and never walk back in.

He leads me outside to his car. It is sleek, black and dangerous, just like him. I slide into the passenger seat, clutching the food bag like a lifeline. The drive is mercifully short, he stops right in front of my dorm. It hit me that I never did tell him my dorm, how did he know? God, I really hope these people can’t read minds.

He leans over the passenger seat, smiling. “Good luck, beautiful. Stay out of trouble.”

Before I can answer, his lips curl and for the first time, he lets me see his fangs. They glint in the moonlight, sharp and white, both terrifying and mesmerizing. Then he drives away without another word.

I stood there, clutching the bag of food. Good luck for what?

I turn toward the dorm. I just want to crawl into bed and forget this night. I take a step and a rough, deep, dangerous voice cuts through the darkness.

“Leave this place right now. You do not belong here.”