~Take My Hand~

I don't know what's worse…being in a boring lecture or being in a boring lecture with a hot guy staring deep inside your soul. Quick Introduction, My name is Kiara.

I'm in class, eagerly taking notes as Professor Weissman talked with a note on his back that someone taped to it. I may not sound smart but trust me I am because it's been a week into my upper-level anthropology class, which I was forced to take by my Grams who said she wanted a better future for me and took something I love into it.

Professor Weissman was talking about a range of cultures over time—their similarities and differences. Which made my class easier cause I already know about all of that from my previous school years, school helps but for me it was only math that made me succeed.

But as I write, I feel something go through the back of my neck. I turn my head slowly to the right and back, meeting a pair of vivid beautiful red eyes. I looked back to get him to stop staring but…he didn't stop. One thing good about the boy watching me like a hawk was that he was insanely gorgeous and my panties dropped right there and then.

(What does this guy want…I never saw him in my class or on campus before and now he's here…And I would notice a guy like this…unless I was drunk and he was on a one-night stand or lunch.)

When he noticed I was staring back, the left side of his mouth lifted which means he wasn't staring at my eyes or my face. This mf was staring at my glossy neck.

(It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes. God I need to get myself together, and stop gawking at the poor gorgeous guy)

After I took a quick picture, I turned my gaze around, facing the middle-aged professor again but this time his back was filled with different color notes. Still feeling the stranger's eyes on me.

"AY WHO DID THAT TO THE POOR MAN?!" I yelled, to which the teacher yelled back, earning nothing. I was just trying to help the poor man, he never took the notes off, and eventually found out from another teacher later on.

Luckily, my junior-level class at this University ends within minutes.

I packed my book bag and started to leave, but the new guy's gaze is on me like duct tape.

(I can't keep ignoring this or else he's gonna burn a hole in me)

"Do you wanna fuck or something? Cause you are staring at me like I'm your next meal?" I yelled, alerting everyone but everyone knows who I am and honestly didn't care about my yelling stunts.

The new guy just chuckles, and I chuckled back, mocking him before leaving, But that still didn't stop him from staring at me.

(He probably was a player who just wanted some of this budussy. He has the build to be a player with a face like that and that, tall, muscular body. He already must be getting a lot of pussy all the time)

As I left the building, I tug my scarf closer to my neck, shivering in the chilly winter air. Hell yeah, it was snowy. Walking across the snow-covered campus, I look behind me. No sign of the new guy anymore and smiled because I felt like I put that mf in his place. Victory dance💃🕺💃🕺💃.

Anthropology 351 was my last class this Monday, so I'm free now. As I walk, my thoughts drift to the gorgeous guy dick vibe, and Professor Weissman's wife. And for some reason that got me thinking about the human cultures he spoke of.

(I wonder what Professor Weissman would say if he knew…what I was and how I'm crushing on his wife. There are more than just human cultures in the world)

But I may be crazy but I'm not that crazy, I'd never tell him that. Or anyone else, for that matter. Most humans believe that Vampires are just a myth. I did too when I was a kid in denial of who I was or what I was. I, however, know all about it, because I just happened to be a vampire myself.

I'm so lost in thought that I nearly walk right into someone. I stop short and look up into a pair of familiar blue eyes.

"MICAH!!" I jumped on the boy who was my childhood friend. "Sorry for almost running you over" I apologize when I noticed Micah turning his face away but I can see his red ears, and he placed me down and grinned.

"That was a nice way to say hey, Kiara. And don't worry you can run me over anytime" Micah blushed at the last part with a grin.

I laugh and he joins me, pale cheeks glowing redder. (Micah is adorkable as ever! With his blond hair, blue ocean eyes, and nice build that would look better with me on top.)

"I haven't seen you since forever. How's it been?"

Micah is a year younger than me–a sophomore. While my older cute ass was a junior, I was forced to stop teasing him since my Grams smacked me across the head when she heard me and you ain't finna catch me slipping.

"It's been good. Hey, wanna go to the student union?"

"A student what now?" I may attend school but I don't attend any of the activities they have or whatever a student union was.

"It's just the cafeteria"

I facepalmed.

"We could…you know grab some coffee and catch up?"

(Wow, it's actually nice to see someone so hopeful but I'm not thirsty and I'm gonna tell him straight up)

"Sure, let's go"

Micah's face lights up, "Awesome it'll be good to warm up with a hot drink, too!"

(I'm a kind-hearted person, I couldn't tell him the truth with that cute face)

We sat inside a cafe nestled in the student union.

I sipped on my chocolate mocha, people were looking at me weirdly cause peppermint mocha was popular today. But I didn't like the aftertaste of peppermint so I just went with chocolate, end of discussion. My chocolate mocha even had crushed-up chocolate bar(Hershey) pieces resting on the whipped cream. I swiped some of the whipped creams that spilled over the lid and licked it off of my finger.

When I finally decided to look up at Mich, he was staring at me in a trance-like state. Those deep blue ocean eyes are fixed on my mouth.

(I take it he liked the way I licked some whipped cream off of my finger or I have something on my face which I hope not) I licked at my bottom lip.

"That looks, um…really good." His voice cracks a little and he meets my eyes again. "I almost wish I'd gotten that instead of my plain old latte."

"Oh…Uhm..okay?..." I shrugged, feeling confused for some reason.

(Lawd, I must be looking delicious today because I have never seen Micah look at me quite like that…he has always been a younger nonrelative brother, but now. When did this cutie get a five-o'clock shadow going? It's so sexy…Wait, when did I start feeling the hots for Micah? Something is Hella wrong with me…) I pull my gaze from his light stubble to his eyes.

"I know we ain't from the same blood and I'd never do this to a sibling nor a friend but uhm…you want a sip?" I ask, holding my chocolate mocha to him.

Micah looks unsure for a moment, then gives me a half-smile.

(Okay, and when did his little smile get so…tempting)

"Sure, thanks"

Our fingers brush against each other as he reaches out to grab my cup. Little sparks flew through my hand.

(Am I into Micah? Or do I just want to sum virgin vitamin d?)

His eyes widened at our touch, cheeks going pink.

"So, how are your "genius-people" classes going?" I started a random conversation.

Micah was always a super-brilliant, geeky kind of guy, He's already in upper-level electrical engineering classes.

"Ha! We're not geniuses." He says as he takes a sip of my chocolate mocha.

"But my classes are going great. I'm on target to finish at the end of next school year, just like I planned."

I'm half listening to his boring answer, eyes flickering to his mouth that looked rather kissable but in reality, he had a dab of whipped cream on the corner of his lips. Before I can stop myself, my finger reaches across the table, and I gently swipe the cream off, rubbing it on a napkin. His eyes went wide and I noticed sparks in them, which was something I honestly didn't like to see in hook-up eyes the most.

(I fucked up didn't I?)

"Right. So you'll finish in three years as planned. Nice job, Mr. Brainiac" I tried to change the subject, which worked successfully.

Micah nods slowly, "uh right…yeah. So how about your classes?" His voice is squeaky.

The rest of our chat is punctuated with a few awkward minutes of silence. We exchanged numbers because I get a new phone every year and won't change my tradition any day before we head our separate ways.

As I head to find a book to read at the library, my head is still full of talk. Mostly: am I just trying to get in my geeky friend pants or am I just playing? Am I going to beat the new guy or am I going to hook up with him?

That night, I met up with my closest friend at the university, Gabby, for dinner. Like Micah and most of my friends growing up, Gabby is human. None of them have any idea that Vampires are real, much less that I am one, and I plan to keep it that way. Until I do decide to tell them.

I've trained myself to drive animal blood only, sometimes maybe a Lil pricks from a hookup or one-nightstand but it's only a little, not life-threatening or anything.

"Oh, thank God the burgers are here! I'm starved!" She yelled as she brushed her chin-length black hair away from her face.

Two plates with burgers and fries are placed in front of us.

This diner has the best—and cheapest—burgers in town. Since it's right by the campus, it's always full of University students.

"Thank God Forreal! I'm hungrier than a mf" I said before I bite into my medium-rare burger, my fangs come out a bit reacting to the juicy juices. Even animal blood in a burger is enough to cause a reaction, but I make sure to retract them before opening my mouth to speak.

"So, how're the tacky costumes coming along?"

Gabby frowns, causing her black and purple lipstick to crinkle. She's got a bit of an alternative goth look going on, she mostly wears black, gray, and dark purple and always with heavy eye makeup and goth lips, then, of course, there's the jet-black hair and pale skin. Maybe the fact that she likes to be different is what drew me to her, and I sort of think she's a bad bitch with the way she stunts. She even likes vampire shows.

"It's slow going. I swear to God, I'm the only competent costume designer out of the bunch!"

"Wow. Don't be so modest" I grin and she grins back.

We eat and chat until our plates are almost clean. Then a group of University jocks passes by our table, one of the guys has a bandage on his hand…a fresh wound.

My nose instantly went south while I wanted to go north at the scent of human blood. I tense up, feeling my heart pounding crazy like I'm having a heart attack. (Don't inhale, hold this control as well as you can hold your liquor and yes I drink) Since I have both vampire and human ancestry, my blood lust isn't as strong as a pureblood vampire would be but it's still like a powerful addiction.

"You okay there, Kiara? What's wrong?"

I put my hand on my forehead dramatically, "…it's my monthly flow. It's bothering the hell out of me! I need to head home and take some ibuprofen"

"Oh…well I hope you feel better"

I nodded and left.

By the time I got home to my apartment near campus, I felt much better. When I get home, I call my grandma–basically "grams," as I call her. She's the closest thing I've had to a parent since I was six. My mom died right after giving birth to me, an only child, and my dad died when I was six. So, his mom, Grams, raised me from then on out. She still lives in town. She's a really sweet, strict lady, if a bit rough around the edges. She's also a vampire.

We chat about our days for a while, then Grams says, "I came across one of your dad's old sweaters today, it got me thinking about him when he was a boy."

(Honestly, I barely remember my dad but tears are stinging my eyes already. Cause I always use the excuse that he died because there was no milk in this realm)

Dad and I had been kinda close, but then there was an accident.

"You want to hear a few stories about him? Like when he came into his vampiric powers? The hunting?" Grams asked.

(It could be useful to hear more about how he handled his addiction to human blood.)

"Sure, I ain't got nothing better to do but honestly you know, in all the stories you've told me about him, you never told me about when he came into his vampire powers," I stated.

"It's a rather….sensitive topic for a young vampire who's lost her parents. I was protecting you in a way. Not that you're not strong."

I get comfy in my bed, ready for the story. "Well, thanks. I DO say I'm pretty tough if I do say so myself" I taunted.

Grams laugh hard at that.

"But I could use some tips on the whole 'not biting people' thing!"

"That's the real trick, isn't it? Well, your dad was five when he started to come into his vampire abilities. The craving wasn't as strong at that age, and he'd only had animal blood…but when he was a teenager, some vampire friends got him to go hunting one night…for humans."

I gasp, covering my mouth. "That's dark but friends will do that to you. They'll make you change and do things you honestly never even dreamed of doing"

I was only six when he died, but my dad always taught me to stay away from human blood. It was the only way we could live among humans and not be seen as mosquito monsters.

"I take it that he…"

"Kill a human? Yes, once…and after the beating, I gave his ass he never did it again after that mistake"

I almost laughed at the last part but it still feels like someone punched me in the gut. I've given in to temptation before, but I've never killed anyone.

"And before you get all judgemental like you normally do, I have to"

"..." I blink rapidly.

(I've heard about other Vampires killing humans–even trying to wipe them out. But my dad? Grams? That's weird)

"Uhm..okay..no judgment yet…but how did you both get over the addiction?"

"Well, just like I've told you, breathe through your mouth, not your nose. It'll weaken the scent, but there was also a powerful herbal mixture a pureblood vampire gave me."

"Like medicine? Why didn't you ever give it to me?"

"Sorry, Baby. It was all used up well before you were of age and the vampire I got it from disappeared to Europe. I couldn't find him again"

"I see. Wonder if we could find the recipe for it or find someone else that makes it."

"That's a good idea. I'll give you all the info I know about the guy from before but please don't make any poison like last time. You could find some clues!"

We chat a bit more, then Grams turns the conversation to her favorite topic. "So, got yourself a baby daddy yet?"

I sigh as my mind flies first to Micah, then the gorgeous new guy who kept staring at me. "I mean, it's just the same usual hook-up. I don't have a boyfriend yet…but I'll keep you posted!"

We talk a few minutes more, then say goodnight.

After Tuesday morning classes the next day, I head for lunch.

I'm about to cross a busy street right near campus to head to my favorite noodle place, when a small girl, about three or four, rushes into traffic. "That's the traffic you're running into" I yelled as the girl trips into the road right in front of a speeding car.

Her mom seems paralyzed from the shock, so I'm about to go save her but that's when I noticed Micah rush out from behind me. He dives and grabs the girl, wrapping his arms around her. He tosses her, rolling her away from the oncoming car but the car brakes too late and it hits Micah…harder than a popcorn box thrown at your head.

To Be Continued