Shade's Loss

  “Sure, whatever you say.”

  Damon did not care for her sarcastic attitude but he ignored it knowing it was her way of throwing her walls up and blocking everything.

  “Shade, this is serious and I feel you do not care.”

  “I just want to get to my brother,” she replied looking out her window with no emotion on her face.

  Damon grunted.

  “Have I offended you?” he asked worried about her answer.

  Shade looked over at him for the first time since the shower.

  “No, vampire, you have not. I’m just tired and aggravated by all of this.” Shade threw her hands up sarcastically.

  “Vampire?” he asked her with a raised eyebrow.

  “You said not to call you that in front of others, nothing about when we are alone,” she replied as she gave him a half smile and rolled her eyes.

  “It makes me feel like an old man when you say that.”

  Shade chuckled.

  “I would call you sexy but I feel that would be more inappropriate. Babe doesn’t suit you. Damon is so old century it is hard to remember. I want to call you Damien.”

  Damon let it go, she had a point.

  Another two hours went by and he began to grow restless. They were nearly there but they both needed a break.

  Damon pulled into a gas station and up to a pump.

  “Might want to stretch we got several hours before we are there.”

  He did not include the thirty minute ferry ride.

  Shade stared at the energy drinks longingly.

  Damon finished paying for gas and walked up behind her.

  “Vampires do not need any human food but our bodies can still process them, especially in the beginning.”

  Shade reached for one.

  “You can also call me your mate. I do not think you are ready for that, and it is not something you can say in front of others for now. I am sure you do not believe it but nonetheless it is true. Only my mate would have survived the demon attack because our blood calls to one another. Something to think about as we ride,” whispered, lips close to her ear, his breath moving her burgundy hair forward. Shade shivered with pleasure. She was confused by her body’s reactions.

  He only ate or drank anything when it was absolutely necessary lately to keep up the image of being human. He saw no point in continuing a habit that was unnecessary.

  A police car had pulled in the parking area next to his car and was reading his plates.

  Damon reached for Shade’s hand as she looked at various items for sale near the register. She seemed interested particularly in a purple bracelet that read Death in black letters.

  She tensed when his hand found hers and nearly pulled away until she saw the cop outside.

  She then realized that he had not been trying to stake a claim as her mate but preparing for any causality.

  Of course the police could not take them in. If for any reason they were delayed and needed blood near the humans, especially her it could be very, very unpleasant.

  Shade waited as Damon slipped some cash to the cashier and said to keep the change. He headed to the doors towing her along. The officer had now gotten out and was shining a flashlight inside the car.

  “Stay close to me, smile, act normal.”

  Damon was tense but as he walked up to the officer his body language changed.

  He instantly appeared relaxed, easy going, and content. A smirk settled on his face and his eyes lit up with mischief as he turned and shined a smile down at her as the cop turned and caught Damon’s look.

  “Hello officer, is there something we can help you with?” Damon asked with a southern Cajun accent, looking back at the officer and pulling Shade closer to him, their joined hands obvious to all. He kept them at a decent distance so she did not smell him and want to feed.

  “Not particularly. We were told to keep an eye out for suspicious folks, ones driving the exact same kind of car you have here. Is this yours sir?”

  “Yes, sir it is. I am on vacation with my girlfriend here, taking her to some friends while I got some time from work.”

  Damon walked Shade around the car and opened her door for her. As she went to get in Damon planted a kiss on her lips. Shade nearly jumped but Damon held her there a moment longer.

  “Let me speak to the officer cher, and we will be on our way.”

  Shade smiled at him with adoration in her eyes, playing her part well.

  “She looks kind of young there.”

  “Aye, she is only seventeen. Her birthday is in another week and the wedding scheduled for a month afterwards. Her parents are dead and her brother is out of town so of course I said she could meet my friends before the wedding.”

  The cop nodded and answered dispatch through the speaker on his shoulder. Damon had learned that these devices were actually brilliant and made things a lot simpler. Had he been mortal in this age he would have joined the service in protecting others, laying down his life each day.

  A call came through for a burglary in process around the block.

  “Take care and congratulations.” The officer hurried back to his car and shot out of the parking lot.

  Damon quickly got back in the car. They would not stop again and take any chances. If he had to fight his way out either Shade or the mortals would be hurt.

  Shade was wiping her mouth off still which hurt him more than he would ever say. He almost responded in a snide and rude way but he let it go. Out of all the women in the world the only one he wanted seemed annoyed at him.

  He put on his blank face and drove.

  Shade looked over during her attempt to remove any remnants of the kiss and saw his jaw tick. He was upset again.

  “Ah hell, it is not what it seems Damon…” she began.

  “It can wait until we are there. I will never touch you again though, you can relax.”

  Shade felt wounded. Torn that she had hurt him, that her body wanted him, and how her mind was terrified at the idea of closeness with a guy.

  “Damon…” she tried again.

  “I said it can wait,” he interrupted her before she could explain.

  Shade felt tears fill her eyes. She turned away from him but not before Damon caught them. He cringed as he saw that. There was just no way to win with her.

  Both sat avoiding the other, hurt by the other, unaware of the others true feelings. Neither would be the first to share the new developing feelings between them. Despite Damon’s years he was still young. He had died when he was just becoming a man. The only experience he had was hunting and killing.

  As they come upon the bridge that carried them to the dock Shade started getting nervous. She was never fond of water and they were really close. She did not think like a vampire yet, did not realize that only fear held her back from being a great swimmer.

  She did notice the difference in her body, the subtle changes that were occurring. Her muscles were becoming more developed. Her body was adapting itself to its perfect shape. She was young when she had been changed and therefore always would be. The only changes that would happen were those any eighteen year old would have aside from the extra strength and speed differences.

  She needed muscles to be stronger and faster so of course the vampire blood cells would feed on anything in her body that was inferior.

  Shade realized the bridge ended at a dock that met with a barge, a ferry.

  Apparently they were going to an island, somewhere in the south. She had seen signs after the border that indicated they were actually now in South America. Even though all the signs were English and screamed of Louisiana. Damon’s speed had them through several states now. Shade was confused on how fast they had gotten from Pennsylvania to New Orleans. While she had been unconscious a lot had happened and she had been so distracted that she had paid it little to no attention.

  Damon paid a teller and waited in line as the ferry pulled in. Either he had known when the ferry would dock or they were lucky.
r />   It was getting dark now and still quite warm.

  Damon moved slowly forward, a grimace on his angelically beautiful face. She had caused the pain he was in, first by running to him and falling into his arms when she needed a hero to save her and her brother. Second instead of draining her dry or passing her along he chose to keep her, knowing his world was already too much. Thirdly, he had he had turned her, because a demon had mortally wounded her He was now running with her despite knowing she would be the reason he would be sentenced to death.

  She was a thorn in his side and now he seemed interested in her. He was polite and gentle with her. She was being a sarcastic and pathetic baby whining and making snide comments and acting like he was a disease. What a way to behave towards your mate, Shade, she thought, if he is telling the truth. He said before he changed her that changing someone was special for mates. You could be a Master to as many as you wanted to be but Sire only one or two. In a Daywalkers case none. He was sentencing himself to death when he chose to keep her.

  Shade sunk deeper in her seat, hiding from both Damon and the water. She was feeling mortified. She had allowed her emotions to override her normal sensibilities. Normally she was cynical but never offensive and hateful.

  She could feel as the car move forward over the metal plank way that connected the dock, to the ferry. The car lurched a little and the tiny bridge wobbled up and down from the weight. The bouncing caused her to feel queasy. She covered her head with her hands and cowered as low as she could and tried to think of other more pleasant thoughts.

  “You will be fine Shade. I have done this many times. I will not allow harm to come to you,” he said. His hand inching to hold hers, but knowing she did not want his touch.

  From Shade’s confined spot she could see his hand move towards her and back to the steering wheel again. He wanted to placate her she realized, like he had been trying to do the entire time.

  Shade understood in that moment that this man cared. Her brother was werewolf now and more than likely a stranger to her. She was pushing the only person in the world that could help her away and alienating them.

  She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as once again the car rolled over something. The car moved on for a moment then came to a complete stop.

  “Would you like to get out while we wait?”

  “Nope,” she replied in a tiny squeamish voice. The top of her boot was starting to cut into her leg. The position she was in was severely uncomfortable.

  She thought she heard a slight chuckle but she was not coming up to find out.

  “I parked underneath in the garage if it makes you feel better, and it is black as night up here, so you can come up if you want.”

  Shade peeked out and sure enough all she could see was Damon in front of her, as she sat sideways in the seat. She peered wearily over the dash and saw glittering from more parked cars.

  “It will take forty-five minutes to actually get to the next dock but we will have to get in line in about twenty-five to thirty minutes. Relax and stretch out,” Damon said in a more pleasant tone. It seemed her childish antics had cheered him up.

  Shade did as he said and looked him in the eye. Now was a good time as any to explain things she guessed.

  “A few years ago after my parents died Mikhail was too young to care for me and I had no other family so I ended up in several group homes. One of which had a coach that had been abusing young girls such as myself. If they cooperated they got special treatment. He would be blind to them sneaking around or off the property. I was not one of those girls but I did associate with them. He cornered me a few times and offered the special treatment, of course I refused. After a month of rejection he got furious and threatened me. I avoided him for as long as I could but I guess he was particularly interested in me.

  “One evening he found me having a snack alone in the cafeteria area after it had been closed. Only one door was left unlocked. I had been studying and missed dinner so I went to get some fruit they left out for us. He must have seen me go in and took the opportunity. I have never been as scared as I was each time he attacked me.”

  “Why did you not report him?” Damon interrupted.

  “He said he would slip in my room while I was sleeping and slit my wrists so it looked like suicide.”

  Damon bristled and slammed his fist into the dash. It left a large crack and the sound echoed throughout the car, causing Shade to flinch.

  “Sorry, I am just angry that mortals treat their own kind this way. Go ahead.”

  Shade squirmed for a moment but continued.

  “The second time was worse he knocked me unconscious but once again he did not go all the way. I ran away and tried to tell Mikhail but the school had been waiting for me at my house and he was at work so they brought me back. I did not tell anyone because I feared they would not believe me. Another girl had tried to tell but she had disappeared a week later. Of course they had not believed her. He said he had killed her and hid the body.

  “When he came for me again I fought tooth and nail, like usually, but I got his skin under my nails and had left marks on his face. I had proof now. He nearly had… you know, when another student heard my screams and came in. The coach tried to deny it but another girl came forward and told as well. The scratches on his face gave my story the proof it needed. When Mikhail found out he was furious. I was in the hospital for two weeks. Since then I have had nightmares. Mikhail came to the school and beat the man really badly, which caused me to stay in the system for almost a year.”

  Damon had his eyes closed but he was clearly cross.

  “I wanted to explain why I’m the way I am. I’m used to jerks trying to take advantage of me. Reason my brother and I was in the park was because he was teaching me to defend myself. There were some other guys at the public school causing me problems. I’ve never had a boyfriend. Even Mikhail did not touch me unless he had to. I’m so sorry I offended you earlier. I was taken by surprised when you kissed me.”

  Shade felt the tears began to well up in her eyes. She was embarrassed to share this much but she wanted for him to understand, to not be hurt. It was pain that she had blindly caused.

  “Then for the first time ever my body responded to a man. I was completely mortified. I find myself extremely attracted to you and I thought that was impossible…” Shade sobbed her face in her hands and knees.

  Damon reached for her and pulled her into his arms. He hurt for her and realized that not touching her was making it worse. She needed comfort not him lusting for her. She needed to trust that a man other than her brother would not abuse her.

  He held her tightly wrapped in his arms, whispering softly. Shade poured all her pain into him. She was completely mortified and hysterical. Damon was turned towards her leaning over the stick shift. Her brother had given him the short version of the story, but Damon doubted he knew the whole story.

  “I will never allow anyone else to hurt you Shade. I know it will be hard but you can trust me. Give it to me and I will protect you. My mate or not, I will not touch you unless you want me to. I cannot turn off my feelings for you but I will not ever touch you in any way unless it is something you want. One day you will want to be touched again, and hopefully I will be there to show you it’s not all bad. It can be good and pleasurable too. For now though allow me to comfort you when you need it okay?” Damon whispered into her hair. He kissed the top of her head and held her to him.

  He heard the other cars starting up and realized he needed to get in line and wait with the others. Shade needed him right this moment though.

  Wiping her eyes Shade looked up at him, into his eyes. He was telling the truth. He really cared. She reached for him slowly, slipping her face into his neck and just holding him close. He smelled wonderfully, manlike and attractive. His muscles were hard but comforting at the same time. His arms held her close, her own making their way around his neck.

  Damon sat immobile as she moved against him. He closed his eyes as
her face found his neck. Her breath was distracting, pleasure and painful both. He cared so much for her that he tamped down any sexual feelings and just enjoyed the moment. She was so fragile that he feared holding her too tightly. He had to remind himself she was no longer mortal, not as strong as him but not nearly as physically fragile she once was. Now she was emotionally fragile and he had to remember that and not get offended at her.

  Shade slid back into her seat and smiled at him.

  He put the car into drive and followed the other cars back up to the top. It was getting close to three a.m. Damon put the car back into first gear as they reached the metal plank again. Shade turned and hid behind his arm this time.