CHAPTER 1 –LIVE, LAUGHTER, LOVE
Cold air blows my shoulder length dark dirty blond hair with light blond highlights across my brown eyes. I can still see the people of Minnesota walking up and down the boardwalk pulling on jackets and hoodies from the uncommon chilly air in June. But I wasn't cold, I never felt cold.
Leaning against the Video Store owned by ED my guardian brought back old memories. Five years ago my mother, Dell Sawyer died in a car accident. She was coming home from one of her art shows when she was hit by a drunk driver. My mother was an artist and a freelance writer, two talents I inherited from her. I spent three months in an orphanage and it wasn't that bad. It wasn't like I could live with my dad he took off before I was born. At the orphanage four guys, who are now my best friends would stop by at night and talk to me? We had a connection, and one day ED adopted me and as it turned out he was their guardian too.
They had a dark secret that I learned my first night. It didn't surprise me that they were vampires. I always loved stuff like vampires, werewolves. They only visited me at night so that was a big clue. Also, Keith the leader of the boys said when he went by the orphanage he felt a connection. Then when he saw me outside one night, he knew why. We belonged together, we are vampire soul mates.
That night was the night I became a vampire. I loved the boys with all my heart and Keith and I shared a bond that we hardly understood. There are two ways to become a vampire, drink one's blood, or get bitten. Keith chose to bite me, surprisingly it didn't hurt that much. He was gentle, and held me protectively in his arms. We slept with his arms around me all day, and then when night came he took me hunting with the others, Alex, Billy, and Brooke.
They were all impressed by my killing, and how fast I was, faster then any vampire they ever met. From that night on I've lived with the boys in the hotel that was destroyed when the big one hit.
Seventeen, I have been seventeen for five years now. Keith and I have grown even closer, I'm the only one that can call him Kiefer and get away with it. Alex, Billy, and Brooke have become even more like brothers. I even met three other girls who we turned into vampires. Keith could sense my need to have some friends that were girls, so I met some and when I told them about me and what I wanted they had no problem with it. This was good because if my plan failed I would have had to kill them. They were nice and I didn't want to have to do that to them. I think they agreed because they all had crappie lives, this was a way to get away from everything they ever known.
"Stephanie", I turned my head slightly to the left. There was Merissa dressed in a cute black dress and biker boots. She is the youngest out of all of us. Sweet fourteen year old Merissa, with her long red hair and big blue eyes Merissa lived on the streets for a long time. Her mom died during child birth, her dad took off, and so she was put into an orphanage. She was adopted but the family was abusive. She ran away when she was eleven. I saw her looking for food one night. Brought her back to the boys, told our stories, and then she agreed to drink Keith’s Blood. She really looks up to me, like a mother, I know my mom would be proud of me. Merissa was the first one turned and she always thanks me for finding her.
"Yeah Merissa", I whisper.
"Are you okay?" She grabs my hand and squeezes it tight.
"Just thinking about life after my mom died."
She just nodded her head and let go of my hand. Everyone knows to leave me alone when I think about life after my mom's death, well maybe except Keith, but we have a bond.
I roll my eyes; Kelli and Halle run across the boardwalk like complete idiots not caring who sees them. Kelli she loves music, funky clothes, and says the funniest things in the world. Halle is usually quiet and very smart. But once she was a wild child side kicks in she becomes a talkative rebel.
Kelli is seventeen like me as well as Halle. She was the second out of the three to get changed into a vampire. She has dirty blond hair a little bit past her shoulders. Her blues eyes sparkles as the lights from the rides reflect off them. I think about her life as I stare at her colorful outfit. Pink skinny jeans, green converses, a green tee-shirt that says Halle, ten rainbow colored bracelets along with one black, one that we all have with a bat on it. A beanie hat with the words Skater Chick sits perfectly on top of her head. One neon fishnet arm warmer on her left arm, one neon pink fishnet arm warmer on the right.
Kelli's mom died when she was seven from brain cancer. Then when she was thirteen her dad died in a plane crash. She was placed in an orphanage, no one wanted her. She ran away at age seventeen, and met me five days after her grand escape. ED did not want any problems so he called the orphanage, said her found her and wanted to adopt.
I giggle as Halle twirls around in circles laughing her head off. Shoulder length dark dirty blond wavy hair flies around her. Brown eyes open taken in the trippy scenes that fill her eyes from the dizziness. Black skinny jeans, red converse, and a red lacey tank top are her choice in wardrobe.
I should tell you that halle was in an orphanage since she was two, both parents died on a cruise to Hawaii. I saw her outside one night, talked and five weeks later she knew my secret. Two days later ED adopted her, and then she drank Keith's blood.
I turn to look inside the store. Keith, Alex, Billy, and Brooke are giving ED a hard time like always. I roll my eyes and stare at Keith. I can't believe he is all mine and that I am all his.
"Steph", Kelli and Halle shout hugging me. Kelli twirls me around and as I spin I see the boys staring with amused faces.
"Well, Well, Well girlies what are we doing", Brooke asks as the four of them strut out of ED's Video Store.
"Shut it Brooke", I spit.
"Ouch that hurt worse then a stake through my heart."
"Cry me a river", Kelli remarks sarcastically.
"Let's move out", Keith booms already sitting on his motorcycle.
Marissa skips over and gets on the back of Alex's bike while Kelli sits on the back of Brooke’s. Halle gets on the back of Billy's bike taking her time. I jog over to Keith and jump on the back of his bike in a split second. I wrap my arms around him tightly and kiss him on the cheek. "Kiefer", I whisper into his left ear.
"Happy to see me", Keith questions in a husky voice.
"I'm always happy to see you."
"I'm going to hurl if you two don't shut up Brooke shouts causing our group to burst into laughter.
"Same here", Alex manages to get out between his laughter.
"Bite me", I say with a glare in my brown eyes.
"No, no, no Stephanie we bite humans not each other", Alex says.
"Expect Keith and Stephanie. They are always giving each other love bites", Brooke cackles.
"Brooke", Keith says. I can't see his face but I know the look is saying something along the lines of shut up before I have to hurt you.
"Can we go know", Halle asks quietly resting her head on Billy's back.
"Yeah", Keith reeves the engine to life before the word leave his mouth.
We speed off into the dark and mysterious night. I always loved the nighttime and now I love it even more. Especially with great friends and my vampire mate by me side. The boys zigzag across the beach trying to beat each other but Keith is in the lead he always is. Bonfires become balls of light and the people become a haze of colors as we zoom across the beach. It doesn't take long until we arrive at our home, the place where each and everyone one of use feels we belong.
Once inside we all sit down and relax. We already went out hunting and had our fill of blood. So now we can just chill until the sun begins to rise and we have to go to sleep. It didn't take long to get use to this lifestyle and I can honestly say I love it more then my regular routine when I was a human.
Brooke and Kelli are dancing like idiots on the fountain while Merissa and Alex talk about what they did tonight and what they hope to do tomorrow night. Billy is sitting quietly and Halle sits next to him reading a book.
Keith is sitting in an old wheelchair, his seat and mine. As I walk past he grabs my waist roughly and places me on his lap. I can feel him smirk against my neck and if I was human I would be blushing. I feel him nip my neck, not enough to draw blood but enough to let me know what he is doing.
"Brooke was right about the love bites", he whispers in my ear and then bites it gently.
"Yeah", I say with a dream like sigh.
"My charm strikes again."
"We're bonded Keith. We have that effect on one another."
He doesn't say anything but I feel him chuckle with agreement. He places soft kisses on my neck and holds me closer then before. Then he whispers those words I love to hear "I love you Stephanie. Always and forever."
"I love you always and forever too Keith", he plays with a strand of my hair as he kisses my neck. I lose the other vampires around me because right now it is like Keith and I are the only one's left in this use to be hotel.