His Vampire Mate

Chapter One: Too Close

⚜ Nina’s P.O.V. ⚜

“So what exactly am I supposed to be doing?” I probed, crossing my arms as I watched the boys- i.e. Ryder, Xavier, Seth, Grayson, Raul, and Ethan race across the field. My black platforms rubbed against the sand as I moved my stance to rest on the other foot, and Lindsay chuckled under her breath.

“You and I are seeing who wins. Bella is texting her boyfriend.” She snidely remarked while Bella suddenly giggled out of nowhere. “Aren’t you a little cold in that outfit? It’s December, and you’re wearing a skirt.”

I pointed to my white knee-high socks, “I’m plenty warm- trust me, winter is my favorite.”

“It’ll start snowing soon too.” Lindsay sighed, watching as the boys reached the middle. “Trent always loved the snow.”

My eyebrow quirked, but I reduced my face back to its impassive stare. If there was someone else involved with these people, I wanted to know who it was. “Who’s Trent? Will I get to meet him?”

Lindsay looked at me, her face stuck between shock and hesitation. “He, uh… He went away.”

“Oh.” A strange mood entered the atmosphere- I wondered what happened between her and Trent. I focused back onto the boys as we sat on the bench that was usually reserved for people in the football team that were benched. I wanted to focus on who was winning, but I couldn’t help it as my eyes drifted to Grayson as he ran. 

His muscles were pronounced, and glistened from his sweat in the sunlight. His muscle tank was loose and baggy on his torso, his basketball shorts black- his legs were so strong. His brow furrowed, his eyes focused ahead as he mouth was set in a firm line. I muttered to myself, “Goddamn.”

His head swiveled to me, meeting my gaze as he slowed down from running. Grayson grinned, his dimples prominent, and I swallowed as I clenched my jaw and looked away. I huffed, cursing myself as I focused on the grass’ early mildew. I couldn’t let myself get distracted like this- it was an amateur move. How could an eighty-seven year old vampire like me- still frozen as an eighteen year old girl -be so distracted by this boy?

“Hey.” I avoided eye-contact as Grayson walked up to me, and the other boys had just finished the race. They looked at us with questioning stares, and Lindsay walked over to them, leaving me with the charming golden-boy. Grayson Rossi- a werewolf and close friend of the Alpha of the Blood Moon pack. Me- a middle aged vampire who was seeking to get his pack to be my slave. What a disaster. “How’s your morning going?”

I looked back up at him, feigning innocence and shyness. I knew everyone could hear me from where they were- they were werewolves after all. “I’m just a little tired. How about you?”

“I’m pretty good. Sweaty, of course.” He laughed, and I smiled in amusement. 

“Why did you give up?” I asked, both curious and trying to bide time. The morning air was cold, but I relished in the way it felt against my exposed skin. 

“Well, because I wanted to talk to you. And I figured that would be better than just trying to win a race.” The way he smiled at me made me feel so many emotions at once. I scoffed to myself, ignoring my feelings.

“Well was it?” I asked coyly, standing up- our bodies in close proximity.

“Was- What?” Grayson asked, confused.

“Was it better?” I smirked at his smile of amusement, before turning and walking towards the others. I heard him sigh to himself before following. 

Xavier scoffed just as I neared, “It’s just because you’re an Alpha.”

Ryder rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms, his face smug. “Sorry that I’m better, Xavi.”

Seth sighed as they argued, and looked at Lindsay with a frown. “They’re going to be arguing for a while now, aren’t they?”

“I don’t see why- I’m obviously the fastest.” Lindsay remarked with a scoff, looking at her nails. “But boys will be boys, I suppose.”

“I’d say I could definitely compete for the fastest.” I placed my hands on my hips, grinning devilishly at them. They all chuckled, and I knew why- they thought I was human. 

“I’m sure you could, girl.” Lindsay said, grinning. I still felt like one of those pathetic wannabes, following around these people like I reeked of desperation.

“And she means that in an obviously sarcastic-free way.” Grayson put his arm on my head, smiling as he looked down at me. The school’s warning bell rang, and everyone started to walk back towards the school and away from the football field.

I frowned in annoyance, moving his arm off of me as everyone walked ahead. Grayson pouted playfully as I started to walk past him, before he grasped my hand gently but suddenly. My instincts told me to turn quickly, but I stopped myself before I could do more: that small and fast move he made had almost blown my cover.

I scowled as he bit his lip, looking down at me with a nervous and apprehensive expression. “I’m sorry- do I bother you?”

“Not really- I just get… nervous around you. And I don’t like it.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Since I met them the other day, they have been so welcoming, and it was unnerving. They had to know something- why were they so outgoing and nice? Even Lindsay and Bella gave me a ride today- But I didn’t know what to do about Grayson. He was hot- but I couldn’t. I barely even knew him. 

“I hope not too anxious.” Grayson said kindly, his dimples prominent as he smiled. I chewed the inside of my lip, looking down at our connected hands. The sensations from his touch overwhelmed me... I pulled my hand away slowly.

“Of course not.” I spoke, feigning shyness. “I just need to get to know you more is all.”

Before he could respond, I turned around and avoided his eyes. The rest of the group was already headed inside the double doors to the highschool- I cursed under my breath. I needed to go to class now-

“So I guess I’ll see you in class?” He asked, and I turned to give him a polite smile before walking away and rolling my eyes once he couldn’t see me. A part of me felt bad- he was a genuine guy and obviously had good taste, but he was still just a distraction.

Class was boring, mundane. They taught nothing I didn’t already know- wait. There was new math? Since when? I grunted in annoyance, reading the methods and such but- Urgh! What the hell??

“Need some help?” A voice spoke to me, and I looked to see the guy in the desk beside me smiling encouragingly. It was free time to work on our homework, so I guess he was just being helpful?

I raised a brow, “Who are you?”

“My name’s Spencer- Spencer Turrell.” He held out his hand, and I ignored it with a scowl. He sighed, rolling his eyes, “But I’m guessing you already know that since I’m practically the school pariah.”

“What for?” I asked. He hesitated, realizing I was just cautious about people instead of thinking he was the ‘pariah’ he said he was.

“I used to be asexual- that’s what I thought I was. I raised awareness, made clubs for anyone else who was also asexual, and etcetera...” He said, looking around with annoyance as he whispered to me. “But it turns out, I’m actually both gay and demisexual. So now I look like an idiot.”

“I don’t see why it matters when everyone else has been confused about more, or even been a worse idiot.” I had always hated those who discriminated because of sexuality- “If it makes you feel any better, I used think I was lesbian, then straight, and then bi…” Spencer chuckled as I smiled, “But I realized I’m pan now, so… yeah.”

“I guess we all have that phase where we discover ourselves, right?” Spencer said, smirking.

I chuckled, before pointing down at my math worksheet. “So I’m guessing you know how to do this, right?”

“Of course.” Spencer said, leaning over and helping me along. We talked for the rest of class, and he even showed me to the next one- I still didn’t know exactly where everything was. I had only been going here for a week before I met the wolves at that cafe.

It was already after school- lunch had been a bust. I ended up spending it with Spencer, and had never managed to see the group; they probably went out or something. I ran a hand through my curly hair, taking off the nerdy glasses as I walked down the sidewalk and towards the exit gates on the side of the school. People were taking off in their own cars in the parking lot- I sighed, having cravings for the beautiful red liquid my kind feasted upon. My small and black backpack slung over my shoulder felt a little heavy- I didn’t care as long as it was stylish.

A horn beeped at me from the left of me- towards the almost empty yet still crowded parking lot. I looked over to see a classic mustang; The car was like a blast from the past- a dark red 1965 Ford Mustang convertible with a white top. I never had one of my own, but in the time I was growing up- they were everywhere. I leaned over, furrowing my brows as I saw who had pulled over in the school’s parking lot to honk at me. Grayson sat in the driver’s seat, a full-blown grin as he leaned on the console to look at me.

I scoffed, “This is your car?”

“Technically, it’s my dad’s but I get to use it.” His eyes were smiling at me with adoration, and I didn’t know why. “Want a ride?”

I stood up straight, looking around before walking up to the passenger’s door and opening it. I placed my backpack on the floor of the car, and sat down, putting my seatbelt on and closing the door. I pursed my lips as I glanced over at Grayson, “Me letting you drive me home doesn’t mean anything.”

“Never said it did.” He smirked, shifting the gear as he started to drive with only one hand on the wheel. Now that I examined his clothes, which were obviously different from this morning- I noticed they fit his body really… really well. His black hoodie with its sleeves scrunched up at the elbows, his bleached blue skinny and ripped jeans that fit his muscular legs, his white vans… Why did he have to clean up so well?

And now that we were in close proximity, I noticed how good he smelled. My sense of smell as a vampire was very heightened, so I could smell everything about him. His scent was like citrus and pomegranate- deliciously sweet with a lemony tang to it. I found myself leaning in closer, and I could also smell his blood- my favorite flavor; O’Negative.

“Hey, you okay?” Grayson’s voice startled me, and I was shocked to find myself halfway across the console and leaning over with my face like I had wanted a kiss- what the hell was wrong with me?

I leaned away, nodding with a swallow. “Yeah, sorry. I just-” I trailed off, shaking my head. “You just smell really good.” I chuckled, looking over at him.

“Oh.” A blush rose in his pale cheeks, and he chuckled along. “Thanks- You smell nice too.”

“What do I smell like?”

Grayson slowly pulled over by my street- the drive was short after all- and smiled. “Like wild blueberries and cheesecake.”

“Huh.” I mused, looking outside of the window and to my ‘house’. Lindsay and Bella probably told him where I lived, no doubt about that. My dad usually stayed at the mayor’s office and went out doing his ‘operations’, and I stayed here at the ‘base’. I sighed, “So I guess I’ll see you around then, Gray.”

“Gray?” He asked, his smile turning to one of amusement instead of genuinity. 

I let out a giggle, as I opened the door and looked at him with a raised brow, “Yep.”

“Can I give you a ride tomorrow?”

“If you must, Gray.” I smirked at his eye-roll. I got out of the car, and he saluted me as I closed the door, and he drove off. I turned to my house, resisting the urge to look at his car before he turned down the street- My house was a two-story, a simple basic town-house.

I opened the door, scoffing as I saw my brother lounging on the couch. His blonde and long hair held up halfway in a bun as his legs laid on my coffee table. His clothes were splattered with blood-

And tied to one of my dining chairs beside him with duct tape was a woman with bite marks all over her exposed skin- she was about to pass out, weak and pale. I glared at my brother, “Lexi, what did you do?”

My brother grinned, “I did you a favor, dura.*”

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*dura - fool (female) [russian]