Guardian

**********Author's Note******

To:

cbarkins--well, sorry you find Matt so frustrating. But that's good :) I wanted you to hate his guts, just like Andy!

DaniD--Can't tell you the plans, except there's going to be some revelations happening soon, but first, another cliff-hanger, dun dun dun!

Firebreather--another chappie. And lucky you, there's a vampire! Hehe. Happy SB, and hope you did good on the xams :P

Please enjoy~

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My nova squealed around the turn as I shoved my foot against the brake and then the gas. I clenched my teeth as the rear fishtailed and then righted itself. The blood quivered in my veins as adrenaline shot into the furious stream.

To my left was the rocky face of the mountain, overgrown with weeds, moss, and twisted, stumpy trees. On the right was the rusted guard rail and a drop that made my heart quicken. I ate up the sensation, anything that would fuel the fury that was burning in my chest.

Maybe this was a little rash, I thought, as the car swerved into the other lane, nearly missing a beat up Ford.

But I was mad damn it! I needed to do something to release all the pent up frustration inside. My eyes and nose were stinging as I screamed and slammed my hand against the dash, the sudden pain spiking the gnawing sensation in my chest rise.

“Nasty, stuck-up, controlling bastard!” I shrieked, gunning the engine. “If the stick up your ass went any further, I’d see it when you flapped that stupid mouth of yours.”

When I was “dismissed” he had followed me, pulling me aside. I could still feel his hand on my arm, like there were a thousand worms crawling over the spot. I wanted to scratch the skin off.

“Don’t miss a day,” he warned and I had felt my face twist. “I also think it would be best if you didn’t leave your house at night.”

“What?” I hissed, trying to pull my arm out of his grip. There was this strange feeling coming from the heat of his palm. It went like a current to my chest and the bite on my neck. It made my heart flutter unevenly.

I didn’t like it.

“I’m just saying,” he said, voice dropping to a melodramatic whisper. I glared up at him. “You never know what’s going to come out at night.” A nasty smile curled his lips. “And it’s almost a full moon.”

He winked at me, jaws opening to a wolfy grin. Was he threatening me?! Was he seriously going to stalk me outside of school too?

I glared at his back as he turned confidently away. I hoped he could feel the needles I was sticking in his spine. My jaw still ached from how hard I had clenched my teeth.

I screamed again, hitting the dash repeatedly with my fist, wishing it was his face.

“I hate you!” I yelled. “I hate you! I HATE YOU!”

If only I could scream that to his face. It wouldn’t make much of a difference, he most definitely knew how I felt, but I still wanted to say it. I wanted to tell him what a useless piece of shit he was, living off his father’s money and other people’s fear.

I slammed on the brakes and the car screeched to a halt, the engine rumbling unhappily from my abuse. My skull slammed against the headrest and I bit my cheek.

“Damn it, why can’t you leave me alone?” I hissed, fingers clenching around the steering wheel. “I’m so sick of this.”

With a jerk I pulled over onto the shoulder. The door slam resounded against the stone, making the sound carry.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

I closed my eyes and tried to let go. The misty cloud that was descending around me left cold kisses on my cheek. The thought made my mouth quirk. The wind tickled my hair against my skin. I could feel the mountain, strong and resonant…or was that the ward?

My eyes fluttered open.

What was that?

I blinked, but was unseeing. With a different sense I searched, not finding the pursuit hard. This thing, whatever it was, was pulling me in. It was like the ward, but different.

I followed it through trees and weeds, through brambles and thorns. The wind shook dry leaves as I approached…a crevice in the rocky mountain face—a dark hole that repulsed and welcomed me at the same time.

It was watching me, and a hundred yards away goose bumps broke out on my arms and neck.

Inside the black, darker shadows moved and writhed and my stomach roiled with them.

A hissing wind escaped the inky depths, rustling the dry grass. I could almost hear words.

…shseresshh…

…shesssssheeerrrrrreee…

…heeeerreesshhhh…

She’s here.

The wind grew stronger, rattling the limbs on the trees. I wanted to pull myself back, but I was stuck, mesmerized by the churning black.

…ssisssssterrrrrrr…

“Lost?”

The word snapped me back to my body with a jump. For a moment, I could only breath and blink, pins and needles taking over every nerve in my body. Slowly, I let my gaze roll to the left, where a lean body was leaning against my car.

For the second time my heart stopped, then began to race. I recognized that white t-shirt and those worn jeans. Those thin, pale feet seemed very familiar, too.

Automatically my eyes rose to the sky, taking in the heavy gray clouds that lay over us like a blanket. Still, it was hours before twilight.

I swallowed, hiding the fear that was creeping up my spine and into my chest.

“You aren’t cold like that?” I asked, trying to appear nonchalant. It didn’t freak me out that a vampire had appeared out of nowhere, no car in sight, and had been standing beside me for an unknown amount of time. Nope, everything was a-okay.

“No. I’m never cold.”

The memory of his cool lips pressing against my pulse brought a shiver.

I had a sudden image of hitting him on the head with a bat to get in my car and drive away screaming. But, 1) where would I get a bat? And, 2) he’d probably kill me first.

Said vampire tilted his head back against the roof and innocently blew a giant pink bubble. It popped audibly in the silence. The sight was disturbing. I hadn’t even seen him chewing.

“So what is this?” I finally blurted. “Snack time again?”

He blew another bubble, this one larger than the first. It burst, spreading sticky pink gum down his chin. He sucked it in deftly, leaving not a trace, before straightening and turning to look at me.

“You weren’t coming for a visit?”

I held my breath, fighting the little summersaults my heart was doing. I ignored the way my blood was singing “so pretty, so pretty…”

“Of course not,” I growled, tilting my face away to hide the heat that was creeping up my neck.

“Oh.”

I heard another bubble pop.

“I missed you,” he said.

That’s it. He wanted my heart to burst. I swallowed hard, trying to push my pulse down with it.

“How could you miss me? You don’t even know me,” I mumbled, ready to ditch the car and just run.
“But I do know you,” he said, tapping his chest. “I know ev-er-y-thing.”

“Like what?” I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest. It wasn’t much, but it was a small barrier between him and me. This was really creeping me out, but I couldn’t do much with him in front of the door.

“I know that in second grade you picked your nose on a dare…and ate it.”

Oh lord, strike me down now.

“I know that your favorite color is pink, but you don’t want anyone to find out.”

Was he a weird dead-man stalker?

“And I know that, secretly, you enjoyed what I did to you.”

“Hey—“

He was quick. I didn’t see him move. One second he was leaning against the car, the next he was in front of me, hands on my arms. His fingers didn’t crush my flesh, though; they sat lighter than a bird and cool against my skin.

“Do you want to feel it again?” he whispered, words measured and deep.

My body sighed, ready to dive into bliss. Thankfully, my head wasn’t so easily won over.

“No way,” I breathed, tucking my blushing cheeks down.

His voice deepened as he spoke, and I shivered against my will, “I could make it better. Blood only tastes the best in one moment.”

I was afraid to find out what that moment would be. Death?

“Ecstasy.”

My fists curled against my chest as his thumbs began to swirl against my skin.

“One moment of complete bliss,” he breathed, lips suddenly brushing my ear. I felt my heart jump and something stir low in my belly. My breath was coming in fast and shallow as he continued. “It’ll feel so good, you’ll never want to leave my side.”

I swallowed around my pulse. Why did my legs feel like jelly? Why were there butterflies under my bellybutton?

“Just leave me alone,” I whispered, as much to him, as the sensations that were racking me.

He moved, that perfect face right in front of mine. Gray eyes stared directly at me, and a wry smile quirked those full lips.

“No.”