To Save a Vampire - A.K. Koonce Page 0,15

doesn’t it?” I ask sarcastically.

My statement smooths away the annoyance in his features and his lips tilt up in a half smirk. Part of me warms internally at making him smile, even just a little.

How very human of us, to only vaguely remember someone else’s heritage and make history what we want. Why would our education system even teach us about something it would rather forget entirely? Pire. Pike does sound a little demeaning now that he’s mentioned it. The word feels heavier now. Weighted with hate and ugliness.

At the sound of my laughter, my mother stops working and watches us. Her eyes shifting from me to Forty-four.

“This is just a resting spot until it gets dark,” my mother says, letting her voice echo through the shallow cave. “We want to avoid traveling during the day. I’m sure by now they realize Forty-four is missing.”

She pauses, staring at Forty-four and myself until I stand. I rinse my face under the cool flowing water, gulping down as much of it as I can until I feel sick to my stomach. Then I walk to the other side of the cave, near our entrance, to sit alone. I put distance between myself and everyone else to make my mother happy.

My eyes catch glimpses of the thick forest below between the curtains of the cascading falls. The flowing water creates a soothing and courageous feeling. Tranquility fills me, and a small dose of adrenaline pools under my skin.

I run my fingers through the falling water and let it sting my skin with the pressure of the stream pouring down. I’m tired and muddy from the run through the woods, and I want nothing more than to dive into the blue water and wash away my problems. Rinse away my failed unity and my tense friendship with Ayden and all the new secrets my mother is keeping. Unfortunately, I can’t. Daylight still shines down on us, even from inside the cave the rays threaten the shadows.

So I sit on the edge and watch the glistening water, waiting for the sun to fade away like memories of a childhood.

My knees touch my chest, and I hug them tightly. Deeper within the cave my mother’s quiet voice can be heard planning with Ky.

“I trust him with her,” she whispers.

One angry glance from Ky tells me he disagrees with whatever she’s saying. My mother quickly looks my way before dropping her voice even lower. I try to listen longer, but their voices have fallen to a murmur. Curiosity and worry dips to the bottom of my stomach at the thought of my mother keeping something from me.

Ripper paces the ledge with a whine like he might take a jump at any minute. I can’t say I wouldn’t happily go in after him. And though I am no longer looking at him, I imagine our other new pet is still leaning against the dirty wall watching me. I still can’t decide if he is friend or foe.

My mother lays out a few wool blankets on the floor and after a couple of minutes Forty-four stands from his spot against the wall, walking over to the small fire. He pulls a new shirt from his pack and slips it on before lying down on the nearest blanket. He’s stretched out and his boots hang off the thin blanket, onto the cave floor.

I try with little effort not to stare at the way his abdomen peeks out at the bottom of his shirt, revealing every perfect line of his muscles. I sit with my head resting against my arms, resting against my knees, analyzing everything about him.

Before, at the compound, I was mesmerized by the features of the monsters surrounding me, but now I’m mesmerized by Forty-four’s body.

It’s that simple.

How have I never noticed how attractive he is? Were the others equally as handsome? I guess I’ve stopped thinking of him as a creature and more of an actual person. I almost want to be here with him, helping him. Saving him …

I can’t help but notice how flawlessly made he is. His dark hair is thick and his eyes, though they are closed now, capture light beautifully, like his eyes absorb the light and hold it captive within his mind. His jaw line is carved, hiding his lethalness in just another beautiful feature. My eyes trace his defined biceps and stray back down to the muscle of his chest and abdomen. And then he tilts his head slowly my