Page 3
Story: Seth
Chapter Three
Aubrey
Aubrey blew out a breath and ran a hand through her hair before she glanced outside, absorbing the silence that the darkness brought after the sun had set for the night.Something that she’d grown to love since becoming a vampire.
She smiled to herself as she caught the sound of the crickets starting to chirp right outside her cabin window.She would enjoy them while she could.Soon it would become too cold for them to survive the winter in the mountains of Colorado.
She left the house and after locking up, slid into her old, yet reliable car for the short trip into the center of Snowfall.
For the past week, she had awoken far earlier than her instincts told her was safe.But since class the previous week, she had been unable to sleep until dusk, grateful for the blackout curtains that covered the tiny windows of her home when she had awoken in the early afternoon.Her sleep patterns had changed because for the first time in her life, she had a craving that had nothing to do with blood.
Aubrey had been on her own for as long as she could remember.When she lived with her mother, the older woman had thought Aubrey was a bother and acted as though she had no daughter.Because of her mother, she had learned to take care of and keep to herself.Nothing changed when she had been turned into a vampire.Instead of seeking companionship, she became more of an introvert than ever.
After her first day of class, strange new feelings developed.She couldn’t identify them right away because she had never experienced them before.It took her some time to realize that she was curious about the tall, handsome man.But more important than that, she desired him in a way that sent her body tingling whenever she thought of him.She wondered how she could desire a man she had met for a brief moment, but logic fled when it came to her feelings for Seth.
From the moment she’d gotten home from class, she tried to keep busy.She had somewhat succeeded by getting plenty of work done, but she couldn’t go several minutes without her thoughts moving back toward the one man who made her feel more than she would’ve thought possible.
And every time she thought of him, a clear image of him standing casually outside of the classroom, waiting for her, would come to the forefront.When she felt truly desperate, she would close her eyes and replay every word he’d spoken to her and every natural movement he made.With her perfect recall, she remembered the way his lips curved into a gentle, yet breathtaking smile when his gaze caught hers.During the conversation, she told herself to keep her eyes locked on his, but she couldn’t prevent her gaze moving from his lips and farther down, to blatantly peruse his toned body, not even trying to hide her interest.She shivered as she thought about the broad width of his shoulders, his defined chest and stomach emphasized by his tight black shirt.But she couldn’t stop there; her eyes slid down to his narrow waist and down over the jeans that wrapped around his muscular thighs, leaving little to the imagination.
Seth was gorgeous and she couldn’t help but wonder why he looked at her with interest.When the brunette sidled up to him and hugged his arm in a familiar way, she didn’t miss the way his muscles tensed at the touch, but she was too inexperienced to know whether his reaction to the other woman was positive or negative.Something in her chest throbbed at the sight, taking her by surprise.Before she could think about reacting, she found herself near the door that led outside to her escape.She couldn’t prevent looking back one last time; when he met her eyes, she gave him a smile and left, determined then and there to drop the class and move on with her life.
But she shook her head when she entered the empty auditorium and took a seat at the back of the classroom, clear across the room from where the others had sat last week.She took a quick glance at her watch and cringed at the time.In her eagerness to capture a glimpse of Seth again, she had arrived fifteen minutes early.Although she had gone back and forth with her decision to disappear, she couldn’t help but want the opportunity to at least see him one more time.If he moved on to other interests, then she would know that he wasn’t worth her time and her decision would be made for her.
Taking out a notebook and one of her favorite pens, she opened to a fresh page and started to doodle.She didn’t need to take notes because of her perfect recall—one of the few benefits of being a vampire, in her estimation—but she needed to do something with her hands.She felt proud of herself for being brave enough to show up.It was against her nature to hang around crowds, but it didn’t stop her best friend from telling her that she needed to get out more, and he was the reason she had signed up for the class in the first place.
Cole had been the first person she’d met after she had been turned, and instead of ignoring her, he befriended her.Over the years, they had fallen into an easy friendship.She had no secrets from him, but he was under the impression that she needed more people in her life, even though the thought of social interaction terrified her.
But that fact didn’t stop Cole from dragging her to the club to act as his wingman, even though the results of the outings usually ended in abject failure.
The man had a horrible track record with dating.
He always managed to find the asshole in the club and proceeded to get his heart stomped on until he was sitting on her couch at three in the morning, crying into ice cream that she kept in her freezer in case of break-up emergencies.But each failed relationship didn’t stop him from trying again, as he liked to point out to her each time it happened.
She shivered as she inhaled Seth’s scent, bringing her out of her thoughts.Before she could lift her head to search him out, he slid into the seat next to her, taking her by surprise.The outraged murmurs that erupted across the room caused her lips to tilt slightly, but she schooled her features before she glanced to her left at Seth.She couldn’t quite meet his eyes, but as she focused on his lips, quirked in a smile, something inside her relaxed.
Aubrey wanted to turn and speak to him but something immobilized her.It had been a long time since she had spoken to anyone new, and she sensed that the conversation with Seth would be more important than a normal, everyday discussion.
“How long ago were you turned?” Seth asked.
“Ten years.”
“How old were you when you turned?”
“Seventeen.”
She watched as he slid his hands toward the edge of the desk and gripped it as she answered his questions.She heard his heart speed up and his sharp intake of breath; a giggle escaped her before she could contain it.But his next question wiped the smile off her face.
“Do you have family, or are you alone?”
“Alone.Well, not completely.After I turned, I left home.”
Her words were cryptic, but she didn’t know how to explain her situation without seeming pathetic.She had Cole and her work, and before she’d met Seth it had been enough for her.But as she glanced into his expressive brown eyes, she couldn’t hold back.
“When I was human, it was just me and my mother.She was my mother in name alone.Although we didn’t get along, I didn’t want to hurt her.The first days I remember that I only thought of blood and wanting blood, so I left.I haven’t seen her since, and I haven’t tried to find out how she’s doing.I have no idea why I’m telling you any of this.”She scoffed but couldn’t turn away from his gaze.
“Because you can trust me.”Seth turned to the front of the class when the professor entered and started to speak.
Could I really trust him?
Aubrey
Aubrey blew out a breath and ran a hand through her hair before she glanced outside, absorbing the silence that the darkness brought after the sun had set for the night.Something that she’d grown to love since becoming a vampire.
She smiled to herself as she caught the sound of the crickets starting to chirp right outside her cabin window.She would enjoy them while she could.Soon it would become too cold for them to survive the winter in the mountains of Colorado.
She left the house and after locking up, slid into her old, yet reliable car for the short trip into the center of Snowfall.
For the past week, she had awoken far earlier than her instincts told her was safe.But since class the previous week, she had been unable to sleep until dusk, grateful for the blackout curtains that covered the tiny windows of her home when she had awoken in the early afternoon.Her sleep patterns had changed because for the first time in her life, she had a craving that had nothing to do with blood.
Aubrey had been on her own for as long as she could remember.When she lived with her mother, the older woman had thought Aubrey was a bother and acted as though she had no daughter.Because of her mother, she had learned to take care of and keep to herself.Nothing changed when she had been turned into a vampire.Instead of seeking companionship, she became more of an introvert than ever.
After her first day of class, strange new feelings developed.She couldn’t identify them right away because she had never experienced them before.It took her some time to realize that she was curious about the tall, handsome man.But more important than that, she desired him in a way that sent her body tingling whenever she thought of him.She wondered how she could desire a man she had met for a brief moment, but logic fled when it came to her feelings for Seth.
From the moment she’d gotten home from class, she tried to keep busy.She had somewhat succeeded by getting plenty of work done, but she couldn’t go several minutes without her thoughts moving back toward the one man who made her feel more than she would’ve thought possible.
And every time she thought of him, a clear image of him standing casually outside of the classroom, waiting for her, would come to the forefront.When she felt truly desperate, she would close her eyes and replay every word he’d spoken to her and every natural movement he made.With her perfect recall, she remembered the way his lips curved into a gentle, yet breathtaking smile when his gaze caught hers.During the conversation, she told herself to keep her eyes locked on his, but she couldn’t prevent her gaze moving from his lips and farther down, to blatantly peruse his toned body, not even trying to hide her interest.She shivered as she thought about the broad width of his shoulders, his defined chest and stomach emphasized by his tight black shirt.But she couldn’t stop there; her eyes slid down to his narrow waist and down over the jeans that wrapped around his muscular thighs, leaving little to the imagination.
Seth was gorgeous and she couldn’t help but wonder why he looked at her with interest.When the brunette sidled up to him and hugged his arm in a familiar way, she didn’t miss the way his muscles tensed at the touch, but she was too inexperienced to know whether his reaction to the other woman was positive or negative.Something in her chest throbbed at the sight, taking her by surprise.Before she could think about reacting, she found herself near the door that led outside to her escape.She couldn’t prevent looking back one last time; when he met her eyes, she gave him a smile and left, determined then and there to drop the class and move on with her life.
But she shook her head when she entered the empty auditorium and took a seat at the back of the classroom, clear across the room from where the others had sat last week.She took a quick glance at her watch and cringed at the time.In her eagerness to capture a glimpse of Seth again, she had arrived fifteen minutes early.Although she had gone back and forth with her decision to disappear, she couldn’t help but want the opportunity to at least see him one more time.If he moved on to other interests, then she would know that he wasn’t worth her time and her decision would be made for her.
Taking out a notebook and one of her favorite pens, she opened to a fresh page and started to doodle.She didn’t need to take notes because of her perfect recall—one of the few benefits of being a vampire, in her estimation—but she needed to do something with her hands.She felt proud of herself for being brave enough to show up.It was against her nature to hang around crowds, but it didn’t stop her best friend from telling her that she needed to get out more, and he was the reason she had signed up for the class in the first place.
Cole had been the first person she’d met after she had been turned, and instead of ignoring her, he befriended her.Over the years, they had fallen into an easy friendship.She had no secrets from him, but he was under the impression that she needed more people in her life, even though the thought of social interaction terrified her.
But that fact didn’t stop Cole from dragging her to the club to act as his wingman, even though the results of the outings usually ended in abject failure.
The man had a horrible track record with dating.
He always managed to find the asshole in the club and proceeded to get his heart stomped on until he was sitting on her couch at three in the morning, crying into ice cream that she kept in her freezer in case of break-up emergencies.But each failed relationship didn’t stop him from trying again, as he liked to point out to her each time it happened.
She shivered as she inhaled Seth’s scent, bringing her out of her thoughts.Before she could lift her head to search him out, he slid into the seat next to her, taking her by surprise.The outraged murmurs that erupted across the room caused her lips to tilt slightly, but she schooled her features before she glanced to her left at Seth.She couldn’t quite meet his eyes, but as she focused on his lips, quirked in a smile, something inside her relaxed.
Aubrey wanted to turn and speak to him but something immobilized her.It had been a long time since she had spoken to anyone new, and she sensed that the conversation with Seth would be more important than a normal, everyday discussion.
“How long ago were you turned?” Seth asked.
“Ten years.”
“How old were you when you turned?”
“Seventeen.”
She watched as he slid his hands toward the edge of the desk and gripped it as she answered his questions.She heard his heart speed up and his sharp intake of breath; a giggle escaped her before she could contain it.But his next question wiped the smile off her face.
“Do you have family, or are you alone?”
“Alone.Well, not completely.After I turned, I left home.”
Her words were cryptic, but she didn’t know how to explain her situation without seeming pathetic.She had Cole and her work, and before she’d met Seth it had been enough for her.But as she glanced into his expressive brown eyes, she couldn’t hold back.
“When I was human, it was just me and my mother.She was my mother in name alone.Although we didn’t get along, I didn’t want to hurt her.The first days I remember that I only thought of blood and wanting blood, so I left.I haven’t seen her since, and I haven’t tried to find out how she’s doing.I have no idea why I’m telling you any of this.”She scoffed but couldn’t turn away from his gaze.
“Because you can trust me.”Seth turned to the front of the class when the professor entered and started to speak.
Could I really trust him?