The Vampire's little Mate (Sequel)

CHAPTER: 5

The boy Alex seemed to be the same age as Tanya. He was staying in a place like this, with no family, and no money of his own. Maybe her seemingly crazy suspicions were right. For all she knew he had found this place and killed the previous inhabitants, and Tanya had just been unlucky enough to be the next random victim he had chosen.

Before she had time to think about fleeing anymore, the door behind her cracked open slightly and his smooth voice came gliding out. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I...these shoes are just kind of stuck," Tanya lied as she tugged them off, pretending it was harder than it really was. It was too late for her to run to the car now, and the calming sensation flushed through her again. She felt again as if she truly wanted to be here.

After removing her wet socks and hanging them over the handrail on the side, Tanya followed Alex back inside and into the immense kitchen where he abruptly spun around to face her. "Tomorrow, everything will change," he said suddenly. She gulped, not liking the serious tone in his voice. She should have run when she had the chance.

"I will just be turning eighteen," Tanya said as she stepped back slightly.

"You will be a whole different person." Alex's eyes were withdrawn now, and the once permanent smile had faded. "And I will be partially at fault."

"What are you talking about Alex?" She could hear the panic in her voice as she tried to step back once again, but was unable to move.

"Don't worry, Tanya." He smiled somberly. "Once the clock strikes midnight, I can tell you everything."

"Midnight?" She almost laughed, despite her nerves. "You expect me to stay here until midnight?"

"Only if you will," Alex replied.

"Why midnight?" Tanya asked him.

"Don't make me say it again." He smirked. 

Tanya could distinctly hear his voice in her head repeating, "You will find out soon enough."

She looked at the black watch on her right wrist. It was now only seven o'clock. It wasn't so much that she needed to get back home, but how could she possibly stay here with this stranger for the next five hours? She glanced up into his eyes, and she saw something alluring and comforting...the need to stay was becoming overwhelmingly strong. Even so, when she let herself think about it, she knew this had to be a mistake, and she could not help continuously coming back to the possibility that this boy was far more lethal than he looked. But then something blocked those thoughts again.

"Do you have someplace to go tonight?" he asked her before she had the chance to speak.

"No..." It came out in a whisper as it had finally sunk in that she had no one to go to anymore, no one who would be waiting for her. Her Mom had gone, and home would be vacant and lonely. She should have agreed to have her friend Kiara ride home with her after all. She fought back the moisture in her eyes, biting down her lips and trying to force herself to suppress her feelings again.

"At least stay long enough to play that tune for me again, Tanya," he said, almost pleadingly. 

Hesitantly, she agreed to stay back and play her song for Alex. He sat beside her on the wooden bench as she placed her hands on the piano keys. She shut her eyes as she played flawlessly, even to her own amazement, considering she had only come up with it this afternoon while at school. She stopped abruptly when she felt his hands reaching across and touching hers. With a sudden gasp, her eyes flew open, and she found that his fingers were freezing. He smiled warmly at her, and she forgot all about how his fingers were cold in touch.

She returned to playing, his hands following the movement of her own. She relaxed a little as she continued to play until at last, the song was through, but he didn't remove his hands.

"I still cannot get over how beautiful it is," he said quietly as he peered into her eyes.

"Um...thank you," Tanya whispered, her cheeks growing warm. She glanced at her watch. It was only 7:15 pm. She sighed. 

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, and then noticed where her eyes had been looking. "Oh. You are anxious for it to be midnight, I believe?" Alex asked her.

"I guess so, yeah," Tanya said with uncertainty reflecting in her voice.

He nodded and slid off the bench. "Are you hungry?"

"A little," she replied honestly, before she had a change of mind, though. There was a nagging in the back of her mind, a faint worry that he might have intentions of poisoning her.

"If you could have anything right now, what would it be?" Alex asked her.

She laughed as she thought about it. "Umm...chocolate cheesecake, drizzled with caramel."

Alex shrugged. "I will see what I have?" Before he turned toward the kitchen, Tanya could swear she saw a glint of violet in his eyes, but she ignored it. It was probably her imagination playing tricks on her. He walked into the kitchen, tugging her gently behind him. As he opened the black door of the refrigerator, her hand dropped from his grasp, and she stood frozen in shock. Sitting on a glass plate on the top shelf of the fridge was a slice of delectable cheesecake, just the way she had described it. She shook her head in disbelief. She barely noticed that the rest of the fridge was empty.

"How is that possible?" Her voice was barely audible.

"Coincident?" he smiled. "Go ahead and eat it."  

"How do I know you have not poisoned it?" She gasped, letting her prior thoughts free.

The look of hurt in his eyes made her regret it instantly. "You really think I would poison you?" He frowned. "Would you like me to eat some of it to prove it is harmless?"

She nodded her head slowly, still unable to completely convince herself this strange boy had her best interest in mind, regardless of how kindly he had treated her so far. It could have all been a trap, for all that she knew. 

Alex shook his head in disappointment, but she watched him pull open a drawer. Wielding a silver fork, he took a bite of the cake and put it in his mouth. She watched, her heart pounding, as he chewed the luscious chocolate, and he smiled up at her. "See? It is perfectly safe."

"Okay." She gave in and took a bite. It was even better than she had imagined. She tried to fight the urge to eat the entire slice, but it was impossible. It was quite possibly the greatest food she had ever tasted. "Are you a chef?" Tanya asked him.

He laughed, the sound was musical, beautiful...She wanted to hear it again. "No. But I will have to let the baker at the local bakery know that you appreciate his work," Alex said.

"I still don't understand how you had a piece of cake just like the one I wanted, and also just lying around in the fridge," Tanya said while wiping her mouth clean of the chocolate residue, with a clean tissue.

Alex shrugged. "I told you purely coincidental."