Chapter 1
Jess
Vinnie
Liam had called to inform me that Juno was alive. How? I had no clue. But he told me not to worry about Eden, they were sorting things out.
Vinnie and I were traveling to Miami, Florida to check out a vampire problem. I wanted to talk Vinnie into sparing the ones who had just been turned and hadn’t fed, I wanted to bring them back to Marksville, Louisiana where Rave Shadowend lived. I’d heard from April and Darren that he and his partner were vampires and living off blood donations with a girl named Yazu. They had tried to save a guy named Josh, too but he wouldn’t listen to reason.
I was nervous though, werewolves eating animals were no worse than us but it was still human blood they were drinking, the blood needed to be taken even if it was given willingly by donors.
Vinnie felt something for me but I wasn’t sure he’d be willing to trust me enough to transport the vampires back to Marksville from Miami with me. I should’ve called Rave as soon as I heard about the case but he’d been dealing with Max and who knew how many more lives would be taken before they got down here.
I sat silently as Vinnie drove, he had kissed me back at Natalie’s but something was off, something had always been off.
I just don’t feel comfortable doing more than that.
What did he mean? Did he want to go slow? But he looked so happy when I said I trusted him. Most teenagers who are in love are all over each other. Maybe the teenage-haze had come and gone for Vinnie with me years ago. Maybe when I left he felt betrayed so now he was cautious, seeing if I would leave again.
He said he would explain but it had been three months and he hadn’t said anything. I was worried. I didn’t want to ask in case it was an invasion of his privacy, sure we were in a relationship but secrets always come out slowly unless you’re thrown into the thick of them, like when Vinnie found my parents killing people, he shared what happened to his parents so I knew I wasn’t alone.
Why had I left? It had been a foolish, impulsive mistake. I was angry with Vinnie and I didn’t see what I was to him and I left him, alone.
“Jess?” he called breaking me from my thoughts.
“Sorry,” I replied looking over at him.
“We’re here,” he replied quietly noticing my disconnection to reality.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
If I asked, what would he do?
“Why aren’t you comfortable?” I asked nervously.
He glances at me nervously.
He pulls over into a parking lot.
“Is it because I left? Are you afraid you’re going to get hurt again? I’m not going anywhere, ever again, I promise, Vinnie,” I continue.
“It doesn’t have anything to do with what you did. It’s just the way I am, okay?” he answers. “I like being romantic and I love you in those terms but sexually…”
“What do you mean?” I question.
He seemed flustered.
“It’s hard to explain,” he says looking down at his hands.
