sharee greene
Sample Chapters of the vampire with the pink handbag. These chapters slightly differ from actual book version which is fully edited.
The Vampire With The Pink Handbag
By Sharee Greene
Chapter 1- Day One
Oriole sat quietly and motionless by the water as he watched the waves, listening to the sea and pressing his feet into the sand. It was a sunny day and his white polo shirt and sky blue khakis seemed to match the scenery. But unlike myths from movies and stories humans read, vampires were not affected by the sun. Although his skin was pale - pure and clean and as smooth as a baby’s bottom, his beauty outshone it all. Everything about Oriole’s face was classically beautiful, from his chiseled cheekbones to his soft plump pink lips. His hair was very light blond and seemed to sparkle as if it was constantly kissed by the sun. It was full and wavy and his locks flowed with the wind’s tune. His eyes were haunting. They shined more than any human’s and were very odd in color - his left eye pale green in color, his right eye soft brown, like a shiny new bronze penny. His body was long and lean, but there was something feminine about him, as if he could easily pass for a young girl if he made an effort.
Although he was just eighteen, his gracefulness lent him maturity beyond his years.
Oriole grabbed his sandals and walked quickly towards his home further down the beach. As he passed, two human girls stared at him insistently, but he never returned their gaze. Woman just never really appealed to him, but how could he know for sure when he had never even had sex? This question seemed to haunt him, but there was always something saying, ‘you just know these things.” There was a part of him that just knew there wasn’t a strong attraction to woman. He wondered how this fact would affect him now, now that he was going to school with vampires. Their culture and ideas about men were very specific - sexuality was very traditional and vampire men were considered Casanovas. They loved women and enjoyed chasing after them. A male vampire’s confidence seemed to be directly related to his sexual prowess with women. Vampire men portrayed themselves as tough, strong and durable. They were providers and full of ego, and gayness was considered a trait only found in humans. However, Oriole had heard rumors that it was all a façade really and there was a place for his taste. It was just… enigmatic.
He opened the glass patio doors and entered his parents’ large home. Theirs was similar to most beach houses; awash with soft greens and mild blues, though their living room was so white inside it was almost dream-like. Soft pillows on the couch and pictures on the walls added the only, very necessary, color to the room. Grabbing his pale pink over-the-shoulder handbag, Oriole headed to class. It was his first day of college.
Opening the doors and entering the class were the most nerve wracking things Oriole had ever done. It felt so strange for him; about twenty vampires all staring up and watching him cross the room. Pale faces, beauty and grace in everyone, but all in different ways and no teasing aroma of human blood in the air. They seemed surprised by him and there were strong facial reactions, even an aggressive purr coming from a male vampire. This made him nervous. Although not everyone seemed hostile, a lot of them seemed puzzled by him. Already he could see similarities to human traits; there were jocks and nerds, as well as offbeat kids and rocker types.
The most noticeable boy sat in the back alone. His name was Quinn Cornell and he seemed to keep to himself. Quinn was not the athletic type, nor was he an ostentatious person. He was more like the creative, quiet, guy-next-door kind - well liked by all. A very artistic person, he was always sketching and painting. Quinn’s shoulder length hair was chestnut brown. He wore an obviously homemade shirt with a cool dragon sketch on it, and even his jeans were different, stitched red down the sides. He capped the look off with a pair of bright red and lime green sneakers. His hands were folded and he wore a large red ring. It was very shiny and noticeable. When he looked at Oriole he seemed impartial, rolling his eyes slightly, and then staring forward.
There was a girl in the back sitting alone. She had extremely curly, autumn brown hair and dark brown eyes. As soon as she made eye contact with Oriole, she looked down and bowed her head. Even with that act of introversion, she was somehow still inviting.
Oriole sat down next to her, but she did not look up. Instead she touched his hand lightly, and then quickly moved it.
“What was that?” Oriole asked, turning his body toward her. He didn‘t sound upset about it, just curious.
“Just my way of saying hello.” Her voice was extremely soft and gentle, with hint of sweet southern accent.
“Where are you from?” He asked inquisitively, because of her accent.
“Texas originally, but I been out here for four years now,” she answered. “I’ve never seen you at the vampire high school in town.”
“Well, we just moved out here from back East, but I’ve never been to any vampire schools.”
“What?” She said, shocked.
“I’ve never been.”
“Why?” She seemed very taken back.
“Not for me. I mean, we moved around a lot, but in some of the places we lived they didn’t have the option of vampire schools. Just depended on how large the city was, so I just got use to being around the humans. Yes, I was always thirsty but you get use to that. In the last town where I lived there was a fairly large vampire school; I just didn’t want to go is all.
“Did you ever attack anyone? I mean, did that make you go crazy?”
“No, I don’t have a very strong thirst. I only drink about once a day actually - and only from a cup. I’ve never ordered in before.”
“You never had delivery of fresh blood?”
“No.” She seemed stunned by his answer.
“So you have never tasted blood straight from the neck? You’ve never had their scent right there in your face - never listened to their pulse?” Jamie spoke with such passion.
“I was around them all day everyday and I just didn’t care much. A lot of vampires think that I must be a bit off as a result of being around the humans, but I‘m not crazy.”
“I can’t relate, but were they friendly towards you, the humans?”
“No not really. What’s your name?”
“I’m Jamie Lynn, and you?”
“Oriole - like the song bird. Ironically, I do have a nice singing voice.”
Suddenly all conversation stopped when the trio entered the classroom. One carried a football and with a hand towel draped around his neck, he came off rather flashy and haughty. He was the tallest of all three boys and seemed so full of himself as he flashed his fangs. He smiled - pure gold. His fangs were longer and far superior to other vampires his age. His dark brown hair was short and he had eyes of thunder, deep blue like the sea. His body was like a line backer’s - large, brawny and strapping. He had an imperial essence about him.
The guy to his left was much simpler. In fact, he was sort of nerdy, with big, reddish-brown hair. He had a very awkward walk, but his handsome face saved him. He didn’t seem confident and seemed to depend on the other. He just kept staring at everything the taller boy did and sort of mimicked him. The last was the most hypnotizing boy Oriole had ever seen before in his life. His long, darker blond hair flowed effortlessly down his back as he moved smoothly. He was pretty, with full lips, a boyish grin and trusting forest green eyes. There was something so fresh and innocent about him. He was the only one who looked over at their table and he seemed staggered when he saw Oriole.
“Those three guys seem rather stately,” Oriole said, intimidated.
“The one holding the football is Joshua Toby, the handsome blond is Rayon the 4th and the quirky one is Roland Parsh. People call them ‘the trio’ because they are always together and they’re very similar as far as status. All of them come from prominent blood lines and have more abilities then the average vampire.”
“They are gift holders then?”
“Yes, and they are somehow bound to each other. I don’t know the logistics to it, but respect them always.”
Just then Pear walked in. She was Jamie’s best friend and Oriole could not help but notice that Rayon seemed to stare at her. She sat down right next to Oriole and stared at him, smiling.
“So who’s the cutie?” Pear asked Jamie, as if he wasn’t sitting right there in front of her.
“His name is Oriole. He is new in town and he’s never been to school with vamps.”
“Really? That’s strange dude.”
Oriole noticed that Pear was not only bubbly and outgoing, but rather striking as well. With skin as dark and deliciously creamy as a chocolate bar and long brown hair caressing her freckle dotted prominent cheekbones. Her hazel eyes were slightly slanted, as if her African-American features were swirled with bits of Asian descent. Her red shirt was cut low and showed off her ample cleavage. Though her breasts were large, they were youthful and sat up well on her frame. Her long legs claimed their space as she crossed them, leaned forward and ran her fingers through Oriole’s hair.
“Why did you go to school with humans?” Pear questioned, seeming confused.
“It was suitable for me at the time. Uh, that guy is coming over,” Oriole pointed out.
They turned to see Rayon the 4th making his way towards them. He pulled up a seat and spoke quickly, knowing class would start soon.
“Pear, you know you still owe me, right?” Rayon asked, grabbing her arm. He seemed to stare at her with such intensity, their eyes burned each other.
“No, I already paid you and you know this. What do you want?” Pear asked; sounding annoyed however her body language seemed tender.
“You know, if you keep playing games, I’m going to give you a love bite.” Rayon traced his finger across her neck softly. The site of that made Oriole tense up. He felt like he was in love. A love bite was very sexual and erotic. It was something that could only be experienced by vampires.
“Well, if you love bite her, she might fall in love with you,” Oriole remarked to Rayon.
“No, she wouldn’t do that. She’s just for fun,” Rayon replied. “What the hell is that on your hand?” he asked, moving closer to Oriole. No straight vamp would lean in that close and touch his hand, thought Oriole. Not unless he wanted to let him know he was gay without saying it…
“It’s just a tattoo. It means brave one,” Oriole replied.
“What’s your name, dude?” Rayon asked.
“Oriole.”
“Well, nice to meet you, my vampire brother. I am Rayon the 4th. Later, ladies.” Rayon walked back to his seat. Oriole felt like his heart stopped as he watched Rayon walk away smoothly.
Chapter 2- The Apple Tree
Oriole’s father was in real estate and his mother an airline pilot. They had moved to Virginia Beach because his father loved change – so much that moving around was becoming a common thing. Oriole had no siblings and loved being a spoiled only-child most of the time. Most young vampires did not separate from their parents until age thirty. So living on campus was not an option at vampire colleges, as it was uncommon not to live with one’s parents. While humans were legally considered adults at age eighteen, vampires were not of age until twenty-six. However, there were things they still could not do until age thirty, similar to the human distinctions between ages eighteen and twenty-one. Vampire emotions were different from humans - they were harder to control and took longer to mature. Vampires had much more responsibility to handle with their urge for human blood - an urge was stronger and more reckless with younger vampires. Older vampires had much more control.
Most vampires that were in prison were younger; ones that somehow lost their way, or didn’t have much home training. They were there for crimes committed against humans or other vampires. Young vampire emotions were constantly in struggle and the youth were often referred to as madness-pires, a vampire saying.
Vampires were diverse from humans in both their lifestyle and belief systems, as well as the ways of their parenting and tradition.
A vampire’s bite did not contain any sort of human-changing venom. In fact, vampire feeding was a well paying job for some humans. Humans could donate blood up to twice a month for good money. Their blood could be given the old fashioned way, which paid more, or it could be bottled and heated for later consumption. Vampires had their own sections in most towns and cities, and lived like humans. They also could live amongst humans if they so chose. It was simply a lifestyle choice, but most vampires choose to live in their own areas of town. Vampire society had its rules and regulations. There were vampires who made bad choices and committed crimes, along with vampire prisons for them. Vampires went to school, and then went out into the working world as teachers, cops or even actors – just as humans.
After school, Oriole took the girls home with him. He knew his parents wouldn’t be home and he did not want to be alone again. Pear walked right in, but Jamie stood at the door pacing.
“Are you going to come in, Jamie Lynn?” he asked.
“Well it’s your home,” she replied, as if it was obvious.
“What about it?”
“Oriole,” she replied, almost exasperated. “Can’t you feel that?”
“Feel what?” Oriole was oblivious.
“The energy is bad, so I can’t come in, but I can talk from here,” Jamie said, sitting down at the door, with her head awkwardly bowed towards the wide open door.
“Okay,” Oriole replied hesitantly.
“We can talk from here, Jamie. It’s all cool,” Pear reached for Jamie’s hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
Oriole sat beside Pear and crossed his legs. He felt completely in the dark about Jamie’s odd request.
“Baby girl,” his voice was affectionate. “You have got to hold your head up. What is it with your bobble head thing?” he demanded.
“I don’t like to hold my head up at times. I told you that already, just leave it alone.” Jamie was clearly trying to dismiss the issue.
“Okay, wow. I, ah, really just don’t get it, Jamie Lynn. But if you want to give off the impression that you’re insecure, then go right ahead, it’s your choice.” Oriole wasn’t always the most tactful and sometimes said what he was thinking without editing himself.
“Don’t be like that. You’re so close minded, Oriole!” Pear cried, reaching over and pinching him.
“I love her - I loved her instantly. She is my eclectic friend now, and I am willing to embrace all her madness,” he said now, touching Jamie’s hand as well, “But this is one thing you cannot do to yourself, dear. It’s such a shame, you have such pretty eyes.”
Jamie smiled, trying to hide her despondency. She hated that she could not explain the reasoning behind her actions. She liked Oriole and was discovering that though he was direct at times, that smile of his was contagious and open-heartedly innocent. Only a good guy could be blessed with a smile like that, she thought. Also, his touch was electric.
“I don’t mean to destroy the whole touchy-feely mood, but are we really going to sit at the door?” Oriole asked, successfully destroying the mood anyway.
“Yup,” Pear grinned to torture him further. “So how did you like you‘re first day at an all-vampire school?”
“It was fine,” he said quickly. He had more interesting things to talk about. “So, what do you owe him, that cutie Rayon the 4th?” Oriole asked, making it clear from his grin that there was only one thing on his mind.
“Well, we have sex all the time and I owe him a BJ,” Pear replied, casually.
“Oh, okay,” he said, with a straight face, obviously trying not to show any judgment.
“I should tell you that I am sort of a slut,” Pear said nonchalantly.
“Don’t call yourself that!” Oriole looked serious for the first time since they had met him and he seemed truly annoyed by Pear’s statement.
“I don’t want to come off like a know-it-all, because I’m not. In fact, I sometimes feel ignorant and completely clueless, but I am raw at times. I tend to tell it like it is, no bullshit, and I do this because there is no other way in my mind. I don’t like it when girls down themselves. You’re too precious to do that.” Pear was surprised at his earnestness and when he hugged her, she felt that it was her first real moment with him. Oriole was perplexing to her - he was either really even-tempered or really concentrated, it was very sporadic.
“I like the way you are Oriole. You can be so easygoing and relaxed to be around, but then there is this fervent side to you as well that comes out when you feel something strongly, I like it. Even your voice was different; you were really into what you felt.”
“True, I was,” Oriole admitted. “But I guess I just hate any feelings of worthlessness from others. It’s like looking in a mirror and I can’t stand it.”
Pear felt connected to him after he said that. She could tell he had issues like she did; there was something in his eyes, some feeling of desolation. Oriole seemed to be very subterranean in certain ways, but it didn't bother Pear, because in other ways he was very straight up, an open book.
“So I assume you have been giving yourself to that boy casually, but you like him deep down inside, don’t you?” Oriole questioned.
“Yeah, I just know that sex is the only thing I’ve got to give him. He isn’t goanna like me for me, I’m a realist.” Pear felt her heart sink when she said it, but it was true in her mind.
“Well, you can’t say that because he doesn’t know you like I do. You hide all the real sides of yourself from him,” Jamie protested.
“It’s like, I want to act real and I want to be visible to him, but it hurts to be myself. It literally hurts me to be Pear.” At that moment Oriole felt a strong correlation to Pear; she was singing his feelings with her words.
“What happens is, when you treat your body like it’s nothing, you start to feel like nothing,” Oriole stated, quoting someone who had once told him the same thing. “You’ve let your body become numb and you think you didn’t feel anything because it didn’t matter to you, just being his plaything. Then you realized it’s just a slow burn that creeps up later, because you do feel pain when you just screw boys like that. You’re real and full of emotions and it hurts you, but you keep doing it because that pain is all you’ve got. There is nothing else but emptiness inside you and you wonder how you got so hollow,” Oriole said solemnly.
“Yes,” Pear said, in a tone that showed she was desperately agreeing with him. Her body moved forward towards him. “You’re very poetic. You’re words were like a melody; they just flowed. They really touched me,” Pear said, obsessed with the truth in Oriole’s words.
“I think that I’ll lose my virginity when I’m in love,” Oriole said.
“Love is good and you should wait, don’t be careless with yourself,” Pear replied, speaking from experience. She looked down at the floor.
“You’ll do the same from now on,” Oriole said, more a statement than a question.
“I can try, but no promises.” Pear liked the pushiness in his words; it sort of made her feel taken care of.
After the girls left, Oriole decided to take a walk and check out his new neighborhood. He would do things like that to cure his loneliness. He was fearful of the idea that he would never find a soul mate. When those feelings crept up on him, he needed to walk to clear his mind. Oriole had been walking for a bit when he felt something hit his head. He looked up to find a boy sitting in a tree, throwing apples at vampire speed. The boy jumped down and the moonlight slowly revealed his face.
“That was your welcoming to the neighborhood, new boy,” Joshua Toby said condescendingly.
“Gee thanks. That was very welcoming,” Oriole replied sarcastically.
“You know, you humiliated yourself with that pink bag you choose to wear. I can‘t relate to the color choice.” This was exactly what Oriole had feared, judgment from his own kind.
“It‘s my taste. Lucky for you it doesn’t matter what I wear, because you don’t have to wear it,” Oriole said snidely, turning to walk away.
Oriole hated boys like Joshua, who fed off humiliating people. Joshua reminded him of someone he had hated in the past, so he wanted to get away from him quickly. Suddenly he felt Joshua tackle him to the ground, but he could tell that he wasn’t using all of his strength; he was being mischievous. He held Oriole’s arms down and pinned his legs to the ground with his knees. He was huge on top of Oriole, and they were now face to face.
“Admit it, you’re a little faggot. Say it, ‘I’m a fag,’” Joshua growled aggressively.
“No! Get off me, you big jerk! Guys like you have got to prove their manhood. I’m not hiding anything!” Oriole replied defiantly.
“Make me get off you, pussy cat. Do something.” Joshua was now using more strength, which made Oriole nervous. Joshua’s voice was taunting and Oriole could tell that beneath the straight face, there was real anger.
“Get off me, I mean it.” Oriole kicked him hard in his stomach then made a rapid run for it, but Joshua was faster. He ran with immense speed. Oriole had never seen any vampire move that quickly. He had seen some fast ones at the prior year’s track contest, but nothing like this. Josh was now directly in front of him, and Oriole was terrified. This was a big vampire boy and Oriole wasn’t sure of his motives. He knew that Josh could easily lose control.
“Relax; I’m not going to hurt you. You look like a weak girl, I would feel bad.” Joshua’s voice was still mocking, but he seemed calmer now. “Let me walk you home, little buddy. Really, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Oriole was somewhat relived. Joshua Toby seemed perfectly composed now, walking with his hands in his pockets. Joshua was hard to read. He had a very mystifying way about him because he showed no emotion. His face expressions never changed. He was all physical, it seemed, and showed his feelings only through his actions. This was weird to Oriole. Most people’s feelings showed when they were doing something extreme or feeling strong emotion. He found Josh to be very attractive, just too manly, in his eyes. He could not understand why Josh was bothering him. This came from nowhere. Josh had seen him all day at school and never showed any sort of interest, bad or good. He seemed completely impartial to Oriole.
“Look, dude, sometimes I get all stressed out about new people. Also, girls make me crazy. I feel the need to show so much masculinity all the time, not to mention all the extra testosterone we vampire men have – it’s three times the amount of human men! I was just taking my frustrations out on you. I needed somewhere to direct my stress. We’re cool right?” Joshua asked, his voice and facial expressions still devoid of emotion.
“Yeah, it’s cool. I’m over it. You don’t have to walk me home; I can get there, but thanks for offering.”
Joshua looked surprised, almost disappointed, but he kept walking him anyway. He seemed to be getting closer and closer to Oriole. There was something spine chilling about him, Oriole thought to himself.
“I don’t mind walking you. You’re just a little dude and some vampires hate gays. I just want to be sure you get there safe.”
“Okay, cool, but what makes you so sure that I am gay? Have you ever even seen a gay vampire?”
“It’s not about what you are; it’s about how apparent it is. There are many gay vampires, but it‘s sinful to just wear it on your sleeve. It‘s a direct embarrassment and insult to our kind. Back in the day, you would have been put down like a dog for that. Essentially, you‘re a weak link to our kind and we don‘t tolerate weakness from our men. We have to be protectors.”
“How am I wearing it on my sleeve?” Oriole asked, with a bemused look on his face.
“If you don’t know the answer to that, then you’re not only weak, you’re senseless.”
“Well, I just don’t see how you can call me something I am not even sure that I am. Even if I was gay, I‘m no embarrassment to our kind. I represent myself. That’s the reason I stayed so separate from vampires. I ‘m just my own person; I don‘t feel the need to be everyone else’s idea of a strong vampire male.”
“You are so gay.” Josh looked him over as he said the words. He was finally showing slight emotion; there was disgust in his voice. “So, why did you move here?” Joshua seemed to be asking just to change the subject.
“My dad likes to move around a lot, so we came here to Virginia Beach. I guess it was just our next stop.”
“May I ask you something? And please don’t take offense,” Joshua asked, as if he genuinely cared about offending Oriole.
“Yeah. What?”
“Why do you look like an actual girl? I mean, you’re actually pretty.”
“I don’t know. Sometimes I wish I was a girl, because it would be easier than being a feline vampire boy, but I’m not, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Oriole stared up at the sky. He was becoming tenser. Talking about the one thing that he was most insecure about made him anxious. This question was something not many people had asked him to his face, and it mattered.
“I know that. It’s just bothering me because your face, it’s really appealing,” Joshua said awkwardly, staring at Oriole. But once again, Oriole could not get a read on him because there was no sentiment when he spoke, just words. Oriole felt uncomfortable and Joshua was confusing him. He was kind of glad his house was coming up.
“This is my house, so I’m going to go in, but thanks again for walking me.”
“Your parent’s cars aren’t here. Can I come in to chill out?” Joshua’s query was awkward to Oriole and he wondered why he wanted to come in.
“How do you know their cars aren’t parked in the garage?”
“Because I can’t smell them.”
“I know we have strong senses and all, but me, myself, I can only smell humans fiercely, or trees… things like that not… ah… cars.” Oriole said, sounding perplexed.
“Anything that has a scent, I can smell exceptionally well, and everything has a scent, no matter how faint or unimportant the object may seem. I can smell everything profoundly. It took me years to control it and not feel like I was being attacked by the scent of things.”
“It’s that severe, your sense of smell?” Oriole asked surprised.
“Yeah, it is.” Josh eyes grew large. He squinted and held his ears, tilting his head a bit, like he was hearing something that annoyed him.
“What?”
“Nothing. It’s just that damn cat in the alley.”
“Where? I don’t hear it.” Oriole said, craning his neck to look around.
“It’s on Johnston Street. You probably wouldn’t hear it.”
“I don’t. I can’t hear things that are that far away. You sure you can hear it?” Oriole questioned.
“Yes, I can and yes, I am. So are we going to go inside?”
“Ah… you sure you want to hang out with someone you assume to be gay?” Oriole asked, in a lighthearted way.
“Yeah. I know who I am. You being gay doesn’t change me,” Josh said confidently.
Oriole let him in and they sat in the living room quietly watching TV for about a half an hour. Joshua seemed perfectly comfortable.
"This is a nice house. Your parents are loaded," Josh said.
"Yeah. Lucky me, spoiled with money, but neglected when it comes to love. Next subject. So, what's up with you? What’s on your mind?" Oriole seemed to rush him, like he wanted to get to the point of the visit. He was impatient.
“So have you, like, had sex with dudes?”
“No Joshua, I don’t do that. I’m not a whore.”
“So having sex makes a person a whore?”
“No, not really, dude, but I guess if I had sex with a guy, I would be a whore,” Oriole replied.
“Having sex with a guy means you’re horny. It doesn’t make you a whore. Why do you think that way, Oriole?”
“All vampires think that way. I mean, if a girl sleeps around, she is a whore. The only way a vampire man can be considered a whore is if he goes too far. The only way a vampire man can ever go too far when it comes to sex is if he did it with another guy, right?” Oriole reasoned.
“Some say that, but some also say that all vampire men are whores in general, when it comes down to it,” Josh shot back.
“Well, then wouldn’t that mean that all vampire men are gay or bi?” Oriole questioned.
“No. You’re so simple minded, Oriole. So, ah, you’ve never been with a guy before?”
“No, and why doesn’t this topic disgust you, Josh?” Oriole asked.
“I’m just trying to show you that I’m cool about this. I mean, you being gay and all.”
“You don’t have to show me anything. Just chill and let’s watch the game.”
“Okay cool,” Josh replied.
Oriole could feel him still staring, and then he felt Josh unexpectedly running his hands through his hair softly. Suddenly he touched Orioles face. Oriole could not figure out what was going on. He was stunned. Josh’s gentle touches felt so good, so affectionate. He’d never felt that loved before.
“Your face is so soft, like a girl’s. And honestly it’s prettier than any girl I have ever seen. I was hard all day, thinking about your face.”
Oriole felt staggered at those words. He jumped back, but Joshua only moved closer, his big body almost crushing Oriole. He moved on top of him and started kissing his neck, placing Oriole’s hands around his waist. Joshua was breathing heavily against his neck and whispering his name softly. He kissed Oriole’s neck deeply, turned him over, pressing his crotch against him. He was so big that Oriole could feel him through his pants. He felt that he wasn’t ready for that kind of contact.
“I want your body. I want to be inside you,” Joshua said aggressively, breathing heavily.
“No. I can’t do that right now. I don't even know you and I am not going to do this.” Oriole was firm.
“Why not? Let me take you, right here, right now.”
“I’m not ready for anything like that yet, seriously.”
“Why? Are you scared? I will be gentle to start, don’t worry.”
“Please, just let me up. I don‘t even understand where all this is coming from. I’m not ready for sex, Josh.”
Joshua grabbed his neck and bit into it hard. It was pleasurable, but Oriole also felt that it was unwelcome. Oriole shivered. He had never been love bitten before.
“I marked you. Now all the secret fags at school will know that you belong to someone.”
“Whom do I belong to?” Oriole asked, puzzled.
“Me. You’re mine now. From the moment I saw you in class, I knew I was going to have you,” Josh announced.
Oriole shuddered at the thought. He felt uneasy and a little taken back. Josh wasn’t making sense to him. Josh’s physique worried him as well. He was big, and he reminded Oriole of someone he hated. He was attracted to Josh, but this was so new to him, he needed time to adjust. It was surprising that someone wanted him, and by the feel of his manhood, badly.
“So, fine then. Today you don’t have to give it to me. I guess we can go slowly, for now. I’ll be back tomorrow night, and don’t you dare tell a soul.”
“I’m not. I wouldn’t do that to you, Josh, just let me up please. I don‘t understand this. Why are you telling me that I belong to you? It‘s like you went from one thing to the next within the blink of an eye. ”
Josh let him up, then pulled him to his feet, like he was a rag doll. Joshua kissed Oriole deeply then scratched his neck. He was marking him again; this time he grabbed his face with one hand and his manhood with another.
“Don’t give this to anyone else but me. You’re mine,” Joshua said aggressively.
“Are you gay Josh?” Without any warning, Josh smacked him so hard that his face felt like it was on fire. Oriole was staggered.
“Look at me. LOOK AT ME!” Josh screamed. He grabbed Orioles’ face, moving his head up and down and forcing him to look at him from head to toe.
“Someone like me doesn’t have gay DNA. Use your brain, kid.”
“Then why do you want to have sex with me?”
“Sex does not determine your sexuality. Sex is simply a physical act, but sexuality is mental. You’re gay, Oriole, not me.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Josh.”
“Yes, it does. If you were taught anything about life, you would know these things. You’re very ignorant, but sexy all the same. I’ve decided I’d like to have you physically, and that’s that. Let’s be serious, you welcome it. Deep down, you want me too, Oriole.”
“Truthfully, I don’t know if I like you very much, Josh. Personality wise.”
“You don’t have to like me; you just have to want to bone me.”
“I don’t just ‘bone.’ That’s not who I am.”
“Are you a male vampire or a girl vampire? Because you don’t have the ways of a male.”
“I don’t have the ways that you interpret as a male vampire is what you mean to say.”
“It’s not a matter of interpretation, it is a matter of facts!” Josh snapped back quickly, still showing his strange lack of emotion.
“You think you know a lot, Josh.”
“Think? I don’t do too much thinking, Oriole, if you have not noticed. I act first. I will see you again soon.”
Before Oriole could blink, Josh was gone. Everything about Josh was convoluted, making Oriole feel unsure. He knew that he disliked Josh, but for some reason he also felt intrigued by him and turned on by his ego and robustness. These were all qualities he usually hated to see, but there was a mystery to Josh. He seemed to be beyond any other vampire, as far as his abilities, and this was attractive to Oriole. He was angry that Josh slapped him, but he also knew that vampire men were rough, and for them fighting was second nature. They were animals, and like bears and lions, this was part of their nature. It was their way of portraying power over the pact.
Oriole never fit in to the norms, which was why he liked to go to school with humans. They didn’t have as much animalistic tendencies. They just left him alone, which he was fine with, though he was lonely. The alternative was to be around his own kind, but he knew he was different in ways that could really hurt him in life. This was a constant battle that he fought inside - the desire to fit in but also the determination not to.
Chapter 3- Eye Of The Tiger
When Oriole got to school the next day, he felt very panicky about what happened the prior night. He wondered how Joshua would act towards him. He didn’t want to be ignored, that would hurt, and he was not willing to be anyone’s secret romance. He was wearing dark jeans that pooled in cuffs over his white sneakers. The collar of his sky blue polo shirt was flipped up and he wore a chain with a skull symbol. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, making his face look sharp and smooth.
His fears were confirmed when Joshua and his friends walked right by him like he didn’t exist. Without even a look or glance his way. It was mind-boggling and made him feel indignant and wounded. Oriole felt someone grab his shoulder. It was Pear.
“So, you ready for day two? Can you handle that?”
“Yes, I’m ready for this school,” he replied.
“You look cute today, Oriole.”
“Thanks. Where is Jamie?” he asked.
“Well, when she woke up she felt it was a bad energy day. She doesn’t come to school on those days,” Pear said.
“That is the silliest thing I ever heard! Why does she do things like that?"
“It’s complicated. You will understand her more as you get to know her,” Pear said.
“Well, at lunch today its secret sharing gossip time.”
“Cool, but with you, I get the feeling it’s always gossip time,” she said, smiling.
“Why is that?”
“You’re kind of feminine, you know, and girls gossip.”
“I guess,” he said quietly.
“What’s wrong?” She asked.
“I don’t know. I guess the way you vampires think.”
“You vampires? You’re a vampire too, Oriole. And how do we think?”
“I can’t explain it. It’s like, any little thing can mean that someone is gay, or not tough enough. Like being timid means you’re gay, or wanting to gossip means that I’m being a girl. So much stereotyping and judgment. It just annoys me.”
“Humans think like that too,” Pear countered, defensively.
“Yeah, but sort of not as extreme, or whatever. I can’t describe what I mean correctly. Just forget it.”
“Look, I’m sorry I made you feel like that. I like you a lot and want to be good friends,” Pear said sincerely.
“I feel the same,” Oriole replied. They walked holding hands.
The day went quickly. Joshua ignored him all day. It was like Josh didn’t notice him at all. Oriole stood at the lunch counter for a long time. He was extremely picky and did not know which blood type he wanted at the moment. There were humans standing in a line labeled ‘Fresh Blood,’ sort of like they were a human vending machine. They were each wearing a tag around their wrist labeled with their blood type, age and ethnicity, as well as what they charged to allow vampires to drink from them. Next to the humans was a station similar to a fountain soda dispenser, where blood was available for a much more affordable price. Oriole suddenly felt someone leaning next to him.
“So what’s the deal with you and Pear holding hands? You’re a fag, right?” Rayon the 4th asked.
“Well, actually I am bisexual, I think. I don’t know what I am?” Oriole said, placing his cup under the dispenser. He pressed the button labeled ‘Mexican Female.’
“I always get mine fresh. I can’t stand the fountain stuff - is it heated properly?” Rayon asked.
“Yes, it comes out at a perfect temperature. It‘s just as good.”
“Why don’t you just have it fresh? Is it a money issue?”
“No, I never drink it fresh anymore.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a habit I started when I went to school with them. I found that drinking blood fresh made it harder for me to control myself when I was around humans. Drinking from a human who isn’t soliciting can get you arrested. Once I got used to the cup, I stuck with it. It was a way of disciplining myself.”
“Well, you’re not in an all human school anymore. Drink like a man.”
“No thanks for now.”
“You’re gay. You don’t look bi or act it. Quit messing around with me.”
“Well, there are some chicks who I do find myself drawn to - it’s rare, but it happens. But for the most part, I‘m just not attracted to woman,” Oriole said.
“You sound so confused about who you are and what you want. Look, is she freaking you or not?”
“No. We’re friends, but your mouth is very foul, Rayon. I like it.”
“Stop flirting, I’m straight. I know a lot of guy vamps swing both ways, but not me,” Rayon retorted.
“They do?” Oriole questioned.
“Well, I think so. There is an undercover gay scene here that only dudes know about,” Rayon said, moving a little closer. Oriole felt like he was letting him in on something by telling him this information, even though he said it in a nonchalant way.
“I don’t participate. It just doesn’t appeal to me,” Rayon declared quickly.
“So who does?” Oriole asked.
“I’m asking the questions here, little girl,” Rayon growled.
“Okay fine, but just to let you know, Pear is a rock star.”
“I know that, but even if I liked her, she sleeps around, so it would look bad for me to make her my girl.”
“So you care what others think?” Oriole whipped back.
“Everyone does - even you,” Rayon accused as he walked away.
Oriole watched Rayon saunter off. It took a minute for Oriole to put together his longing for Rayon with the butterflies in his stomach whenever he was near. He had a crush on Rayon. A big one. Unfortunately no one could know about it and that was heart wrenching for him. Oriole walked towards Pear slowly and he sat in front of her. They were the only ones at their small table
“So, what was Rayon talking to you about?” she asked.
“You. He was trying to see if me and you were a thing.”
“Quit it! He doesn’t care at all.”
“He does care, Pear. That’s why he asked me about us.”
“Whatever, he just wants to continue screwing me because I’m a good lay.”
“Let’s test it. I see him peaking over here at you,” Oriole said. “Let’s make out like we’re a couple, it’ll be fun.”
Oriole wanted to kiss her because he did have a slight crush on Pear, but also, he knew that with Joshua sitting right next to Rayon, he would definitely notice. It seemed Rayon noticed anything Pear did and he would use that to annoy him. Oriole was desperate for attention, and when he didn't get it, he acted out.
“You sure about that? Because I don’t think he would care.”
Oriole grabbed her face and kissed her passionately, running his fingers through her hair and stroking her face - basically mimicking what Joshua did to him. He found that he liked kissing her and it was fun, but there wasn‘t any infatuation involved. Pear kissed back. She was wild and kissed just as fervently as he did. It turned Oriole on and he could see why Rayon was into her. Just then, she bit into his neck; right next to the place Josh had marked the night before. Oriole was astounded. What was with the biting whenever passion was involved, he wondered.
Suddenly they heard cheering. Apparently they had put on a major show and everyone was watching. They laughed and took a bow. Oriole didn’t even look over at the trio; he wanted to seem like he didn’t care. He could not understand his own behavior - he disliked Josh, yet wanted to bother him because he was upset Josh was ignoring him. He wondered why he even cared that he was being ignored by someone he considered a downright jerk. He also wanted to irritate Rayon, which he didn’t understand his own reasoning for either.
They ran outside and up to the bleachers, gushing about their kiss. Neither one participated in the athletics going on around the field below. Oriole felt something hard hit his face. It was a football. He looked up to see the trio standing there, but he didn’t know which one threw it. Then as the ball fell, Josh retrieved it and threw it at him again. Well, at least he could finger the culprit.
“Stop it!!” Pear screamed angrily.
“Forget you, slut,” Joshua growled, walking towards her.
“You better back up, you big freak,” she said, fretfully.
Joshua was quick, and within seconds he was in front of her. He grabbed Pear and tossed her off the bleachers easily, like she was weightless. Just like that, she was in the air. Though the fall would have been huge, Rayon caught her and placed her down gently.
“Don’t worry. No one’s going to hurt a chick,” Joshua said to her, then turned his attention to Oriole. “But you, I could beat to a pulp." He glared directly into Oriole’s eyes.
“No, leave him alone! I don’t understand you guys,” Pear shouted from the field below, where Rayon set her down.
“He is a man. He should defend himself.” Rayon called.
“That is no fair fight,” she said, running back up the bleachers.
Oriole grabbed her hand and they zoomed off faster than he had ever run before. They were almost back inside, but Joshua was relentless and he caught up rapidly. He grabbed them both and tossed them backwards, spilling them onto the ground. Oriole felt frightened. He wished he were a girl so he didn’t have to take the whopping that he feared he was about to get.
Rayon ran over and helped Pear up, but kicked Oriole back down angrily. Oriole regretted kissing Pear. He knew that Rayon was soft on her; he just didn’t think it would back fire like this. He felt himself crawling away. Josh laughed and the trio began to corner him when Pear jumped in front.
“You got to beat me to get to him, guys. I will not stop defending him,” said Pear, standing tall over Oriole.
“What, you like this guy?” Rayon said, laughing, with a hint of envy in his voice.
“He is my friend. Just leave him alone,” she pleaded. “Rayon, I thought better of you. This is cowardly, he is no fight,”
Oriole was holding himself, curled up on the ground his head was between his knees. He was crying, which made Joshua laugh loudly. Oriole hated him for this. Josh was acting like a bull-headed moron, and it was sickening him.
“Look at him, he is a coward. Let’s just go. He doesn‘t know what it means to be a man and stand your ground. What kind of vampire is he? This is disgusting,” Rayon said now turning away. Roland followed but he never said much. In fact, he seemed distant from what was happening. He was rather quiet and seemed displeased by the other guys’ behavior.
Joshua stood there staring at Oriole. He bent down and picked up Oriole’s head. Oriole’s face was red he was crying so hard.
“Don’t think you’re off the hook. I’m going to get you when you’re alone.”
He touched the bite marks that Pear had left. Now Oriole knew exactly why he was so mad; she had marked him. Josh walked away and Oriole stood. Pear held him while he continued crying. Deep down he wished he was like them, warrior guys who would do whatever it took to defend their pride. But he didn’t defend his pride, instead he cried and this bothered him. He was also hurt that Josh was behind it all.
He knew male vamps were brutal; he had been beaten many times before by a guy who looked like Joshua Toby. How could Josh like him but want to harm, him he wondered. Why were male vamps so full of ego? Women were lucky, in Orioles mind. At least normal guys didn’t want to hit a girl, he thought to himself. Oriole realized that the game was different for him - he was a man and it was looked at as okay for vampire males to brawl. He realized that in a relationship, he could be beaten, and it would be pretty much fair game. He decided he had to protect himself by dating woman. He had to get Joshua away from him. It was clear Josh was jealous about Pear, but his violent response wasn’t the reaction Oriole was looking for. Love was not a battle to him and being hit was not ideal. Jealousy wasn’t attractive either when it came to vampire men he realized. If Josh wanted him, he would have to relax on the tough guy bit. It was too much for Oriole.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know his crew would come at you so hard,” Pear whispered, still holding him.
“It’s not your fault. I brought this on myself.”
“No you did not. They had no right.”
“I’m a man and I should act like one. That is reality, we are vampires.”
“No. Men don’t beat on someone half their size, okay. You’re brave, Oriole.”
Oriole didn’t believe that for one second. In his mind, he felt he had to start fighting back. There was to be no more running and crying when danger came. He was a vampire and he had better start doing whatever it took to maintain his humility. If not, male vampires would never respect him, which could make him a target.
When he got home, Oriole locked all the doors. He knew his parents would be gone, they always were. He was a neglected child and money was how they showed attention. At least they had left a note. It simply said ‘business trip, 4 days,’ so he knew he would be alone all week. Most vampire parents smothered their children and parented them constantly, worrying for the young ones, but his parents were very different. Even though young vamps needed lots of guidance, they seemed to give nothing but freedom.
Oriole stayed in bed all day crying. He was hurting for many reasons. He sometimes hated who he was as a person. Why wasn’t he like the others? Why so pretty and sensitive - where was his testosterone, he wondered. Out of the blue he heard noises. Oriole leapt up and ran down the stairs to see what happened. Josh was sitting on the couch. His hands were folded and his face showed no expression.
“You’ve got to go. My parents don’t want company here.”
“I saw their note, four days alone,” Josh said.
“Look Josh, you and I aren’t a thing. Frankly, I just want you gone.”
Within seconds Joshua was in front of him, pulling Oriole towards him.
“I don’t like you being pushy with me like this, Josh.”
“I’m a male vampire, this is how we are. You should know that, you’re not a girl.”
“So what? I want a guy who is yielding with me. Just get off me. Are you crazy? And how dare you enter my home like this, without my permission!”
“I go where I want, when I want. As far as me treating you tenderly scrap - that’s just not going to happen. Love is retained for girls and we’re boys. We make love like animals, and guys like you learn to take that. You should know this!!!” Josh was screaming.
“No. I don’t want you. I don‘t like anything about your aggressive way of doing things,” Oriole responded.
“Oh yes you do. You just really don’t get me. But I can hear your heart beating and it‘s not from fear. You want me. You made the mistake, Oriole, when you let that female dog mark you and kiss you in front of me. You’ve got to be trained.”
“Trained? What am I, a dog?”
“Yeah, you are my bitch and I told you that this is how it is, okay. When a guy makes you his, you simply oblige.”
“I don’t want that sort of relationship and if that’s what you’re looking for, find another boy. I admit it, you turn me on in some ways, but you also turn me off, Josh.
“I’ve had plenty of boys and I’m always the guy of the relationship. None were like you, Oriole. You really want to be treated like a vampire girl? Get real. Gay male vamps make girls their wives and treat them like a prize, and then they have a guy like you on the side. Usually guys like you know their place and are happy to comply.”
“Then I will be alone, because your coldness, I can‘t tolerate it,” Oriole said, turning away.
“No, you will not be alone when I exist. I could never leave that face alone.”
“Yes, I will be alone. Get away from me.” Oriole was crying again.
“What is wrong with you? Stop the crying game! No vamp guy is going to adore you; you live in a fantasy world.”
“You’re attracted to me because I’m different, because I’m like a girl, but you hate it so much at the same time.”
“I don’t want you thinking you’re going to break me; make me start treating you like a schoolgirl,” Josh snarled.
“So you think being hard on me will keep the distance you want? You don’t want to ever feel affection for me.”
“Stop talking to me like that!” Josh burst out. It was like hearing Oriole say those things made his ears bleed. There was emotion, now but it was cold and bitter.
“Look, I told you where I stand and I know where you stand, so good bye Josh,” Oriole sighed.
Josh looked surprised and hurt. He backed up, and then just lunged forward, pushing Oriole against the wall. He started kissing Oriole roughly and grabbed at him. Oriole tried to reject him and kept pushing him away. Josh seemed frustrated. He held Oriole’s hands up and was now face-to-face with him. Oriole was crying softer now. Josh grabbed his face and kissed his cheeks and lips. Oriole could feel his fervor. He could tell that Josh wanted him badly.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you break me. Just give into me my way and you will not regret it,” Josh said.
His face was pressed against Oriole’s and he seemed solemn. The moment was intense and Oriole had never felt anything like this before. He was feeling adoring feelings for Josh. He didn’t understand how the detestation for Josh turned into this zealous fire inside him.
“No, if you can’t treat me with kindness and tenderness, then I don’t want you.” It took a lot of strength for Oriole to keep up the act. In all reality, he wanted Josh so badly in this moment, but he had to stand up for himself.
“You don’t want me!!!” Josh screamed. His voice broke and Oriole could tell the rejection was getting to him and he wasn‘t use to it.
One single tear fell down Josh face and Oriole was surprised. Where did that come from? He watched Josh back away. He didn’t want him to leave. He wanted him near - wanted his kisses and affections.
“Well, when you’re ready to give into me, let me know,” Josh said.
“When you’re ready to treat me like I want, you let me know,” Oriole replied.
“Then it is a matter of who breaks first, because we want each other, but our wills will not bend,” Josh declared.
Josh walked away and Oriole fell to the floor. His feelings were so unclear to him and it just felt like something shattered inside him. He hadn’t realized he wanted someone so badly. All the isolation he had endured was slowly killing him inside. Maybe being treated like that would be worth it, rather than having this feeling he felt now in his stomach. Just maybe, but then again, maybe not.
Chapter 4- Torture
It was a rainy day and the clouds were grey. Oriole thought to himself that the day matched his mood. When he got to school, he instantly walked to the dining hall to wait for Pear to arrive. He sat on the floor staring down at his feet, never looking up. Students sat at the tables drinking breakfast - either the fountain machine or fresh blood, and mostly Type A for breakfast, a vampire preference. Those who choose it fresh would have the human sit next to them and would drink from them and chat simultaneously, just like humans would do while eating.
Oriole could see that someone wearing blue converse sneakers was walking towards him, but he still didn’t look up. The person kicked his foot in an effort to make him raise his head, so he crossed his legs to force his feet out of reach.
“You’re in some mood today.”
Oriole looked up, then stood slowly, but kept a distance.
“Pear didn’t get here yet, Rayon. I’m still waiting on her,” Oriole said quietly.
“I can see that. Look, yesterday I was an ass. I am not usually the bully type.” Rayon moved closer to him. His voice rolled off his tong smoothly and when his eyes met Oriole’s, he quickly turned away. Oriole wondered if Rayon was attracted to him, and maybe fighting it.
“I know that. I knew you liked her and I made a bad call by kissing her. I know for you that meant I was calling you out. You saw it as a challenge, and like the lion you are, you defended what you considered to be yours. I know this. I get the mentality of guy vampires even though I don‘t have it,” Oriole said.
“You did make a bad choice, but still, you’re, like, half my size and she moves fast with guys anyway,” Rayon alleged.
“What does that have to do with this conversation?” Oriole said, annoyed.
“I shouldn’t have snapped on you. It‘s her nature to act like that. When we started having sex, I noticed she stopped dealing with other guys. I know before me, she got around and made a bad name for herself, but the thing is, I only had intentions on doing her then being done with her. I like her now. I got use to her not messing around with others, and then you show up. I know she is not my girl, and I can’t make her my girl because of her past, but I still don’t want you touching her. Now that I told you that, I expect you to respect it,” Rayon stated. He backed up a little and placed his thumb inside his belt buckle. He seemed tense.
“Why should I respect that? You just said she will never be your girl. If that is the case, then she is free. You can’t control her and at the same time never really claim her. That is ridiculous!” Oriole declared.
“Look, I’m not going to let any dudes kiss her, touch her or do anything else with her. You've been warned.”
“So now your back to threatening me again, Rayon?”
“Look, I don’t want to beat you - look at you. The thing is, you’re not listening to me so you’re leaving me no choice but to make you an enemy,” Rayon said, sounding frustrated.
“I don’t want to be your enemy, I just want you to think about what you’re saying, not because I want her, but because she is a friend to me now,” Oriole said, moving closer to Rayon. He just wanted to be near him, to try and read his body language. He seemed far more emotional and easy to read compared to Josh.
“That is fine. You want to look out for her, but at the end of the day, this is where I stand. Think about it this way, do you want her to act promiscuous?” Rayon backed away again. His body language showed signs of agitation and discomfort, but his eyes showed what Oriole read as attraction.
“No, not at all,” Oriole answered.
“Well, we want the same thing little man, so we get each other now?” Rayon moved closer to him. His body seemed relaxed.
“Yes, we do get each other. Just let her make her own choices and don’t do the egoistical male vamp thing. I don’t want some guy controlling her or treating her like she is property. I think you should stop worrying about others, because they are running around here very happily. They are making choices for themselves. But you can’t even be with the one you want because you care about what they think. So essentially, you are letting others steal your joy. That is just stupid of you.”
“It’s also a matter of trust. Can I trust her? No, I don’t think so,” Rayon countered.
“Well you told me she stopped sleeping around for you already, and you’re not even a couple yet. So yes, you can trust her.”
Rayon looked down. He seemed confused and sort of dazed, like he had a brain freeze of some sort. He hit himself on the head lightly then suddenly came to.
“You alright there? You seem befuddled,” Oriole pointed out.
“Yeah, I’m good. It’s just hard on me to concentrate on so many things at once.”
“What else is going on?” Oriole asked, bewildered.
“Ah, not in actuality in my, ah, mind, but anyway, maybe I am a cave man, but I can’t get over her past.”
“Well you should. That is just my opinion, because I can tell you like her,” Oriole reasoned. Rayon squinted his eyes he looked troubled again.
“Could you stop doing that? That, ah, thinking about yourself when you talk to me, Oriole. Just focus on one thought.”
“I’m not thinking about myself. I was talking about you, the way you obviously like Pear.”
“That is what you’re saying, but you are really sad about something. I can feel your mood… and also stop sending me those other vibes too.”
“What do you mean you can feel my mood?”
Pear came running up quickly. She hugged Oriole then hit Rayon on the shoulder. That was her way of saying hello to him.
“So, I get a punch and he gets a hug?” Rayon questioned.
“Yes, because you bullied my little man yesterday.” She squeezed Oriole’s face when she said it.
“You are getting really close to him so hastily. The way you defended him yesterday was peculiar.” Rayon raised an eyebrow.
“He is my buddy and he gets me. We’re alike - that’s why I like him so much.”
She grabbed Oriole’s hand when she said this. He smiled and felt close to her. Rayon could not stand seeing their connection; he was jealous of their closeness, the way that you could see on her face that she admired Oriole. That bothered Rayon. It was like she looked to him for affection, direction and support - all the things he wanted her to desire him for. This was very annoying to him.
Rayon could feel his throat burning with envy; his domineering attitude and insecurity could not take what he saw as competition. Vampire men had very large egos, and had a natural possessive nature to them. Rayon was shocked by how much this was getting to him. He even had trouble sleeping because he was thinking about the incident with Oriole the day before. He stayed up all night thinking of what to do to get him to step back. He knew that she would see him as a coward if he attacked Oriole again. He wanted her to see him as a man. In his mind, Oriole was not stealing her heart. He felt that he was gay. He was simply troubled that Oriole was replacing him; that with his support, she would not need Rayon.
Also the words Oriole said the day before about being bi, which did slightly concern him. He imagined bashing Oriole’s head into the ground repeatedly. Normally he wasn’t a jealous or violent person, but love had him thrown for a loop. Oriole was no stranger at sensing danger; he had been in a bad position many times. He could sense that Rayon was becoming invidious of him and this concerned him.
“I should go to class and let you two secret lovers talk,” Oriole said, stepping away.
“It’s not a secret,” Rayon acknowledged.
Oriole pushed them towards each other. He needed to make Rayon see that he wasn’t in the way. That he would back off. But before he could leave, Pear did something that staggered him. She kissed his cheek softly. She was becoming very affectionate with him. If Rayon weren’t there, this would have made him happy.
Oriole wondered if Pear even realized that Rayon was in love - that he was almost beat to a pulp over her just the day before. It was like she under-valued herself and really could not see how Rayon felt. She had more power then she realized, but felt she had none. Oriole was good at understanding things that were not actually said, but felt.
Oriole walked away swiftly. He had planned to get the two together, if even just so that he would not have trouble. He hadn’t realized the severity of the situation. Just his presence alone
bothered Rayon, even if it was just a friendship. The problem was her sudden dependence on Oriole.
As Oriole made his way to class he saw Jamie Lynn walking in. She rushed over and seemed happy to see him. He thought to himself that his effect on the girls was so strong, so quickly that if he were straight, he would be popular with girls.
“What is that on your neck?” she asked.
“You are the first person to notice, but you don’t miss a beat, Jamie. But you know what; I can’t answer that right now.”
“Why not? Who bit you and scratched you like that?”
“Okay… well, Pear and I sort of hooked up yesterday.” Jamie looked crushed, but Oriole didn’t get why. What was the big deal?
“Okay. Why did you two do that?”
“To make Rayon jealous, and later he tried to kill me.”
“Wow, I missed a lot! But it was just about Rayon, right?”
“Yes silly. I’m gay.”
“Oh, so you’re gay now?”
“Well no shit, Sherlock,” Oriole said, as if it were obvious
.
“It’s just… you say so many different things when it comes to your sexuality. I don’t know what you are.
“That is because I don’t know what I am.”
“You just said you were gay.”
“No, I didn’t. Not actually.”
“Do you have amnesia? You just said that, Oriole.”
“Not in that way. Look, this is a touchy subject for me is all.”
“Well, you were really casual about it and now you’re, like, really stand offish. I don’t know what to make of you sometimes. Sometimes you’re easy like a Sunday morning and other times you’re unbalanced.”
“How am I unbalanced?”
“You’re just not together, but then again you can be. I don’t know how to explain it.”
Jamie Lynn looked like she felt such perplexity, but she was calming down and grabbed his arm to head to class. They took a seat in the back. Oriole’s heart skipped beats when Joshua walked in. He looked so good today. He wore a pair of jeans that fit him so well and a red shirt that showed off his muscular chest. Even his hair looked good. He was fresh faced and relaxed and looked very mellow.
The girls were all over him. They would smile at him and giggle, grabbing him repeatedly and fighting for his attention. His popularity was definitely a turn on to Oriole and just knowing that Josh wanted him was an aphrodisiac. Maybe he should let Josh have him, just to keep his interest, Oriole thought to himself. Look at him, he could easily move on, and as a result Oriole would miss out on his first real romance. Should he just throw away all of his morals and self-respect to maintain those kisses and touches? No one was interested in him, not even his parents, and this was like a fairy tale - a guy like that wanted him, he contemplated. He understood Pear much more in this moment because she gave her body away for affection. It was pitiable but suddenly quite comprehensible.
Then he thought of the physical pain of losing his virginity. He knew that to be with Joshua right now would mean doing things his way. Maybe he was under valuing himself, he thought. Maybe Josh would break first. Maybe like Rayon and Pear, the love would come after the sex, in time. So many thoughts ran through his mind, it was like torture wondering how to play it.
After class he ran home swiftly and sat on his bed. He was lonely so he called Pear, who came over quickly.
“I have a confession to make,” he said.
“What is it?” she questioned, excited.
“A boy came on to me. He did this to my neck.”
“Oh, I saw that, but I didn’t want to invade. So which boy? I can keep a secret.”
“No. Sorry, it’s something I can’t say right now. The thing is, he wants to, like, own me. He doesn’t want to show me reverence. At least not the way I would like him to. Guys don’t feel they should do that with other men. He is so insecure about his sexuality that to treat me with compassion would make him feel gay. The guy is in such denial, he makes up all these creative reasons in his little mind why he is not gay,” Oriole sighed. “He says he doesn’t want to fall in love, or whatever. It’s like I have to accept it because all vamp guys are like that. Plus he is very sexy and I want him, but I just don’t know what to do. In public he ignores me and treats me like I don’t even exist. I can’t stand being ignored, but the fact that he ignores me makes me want him even more.”
“All this has been going on so quickly! Man, you work fast!” she said laughing.
“Yeah I know, but you know what they say about vampire affections,” he grinned.
“Yes. They come on like a hurricane - fast and strong. Okay, I think you’re over thinking things and your expectations are too high. Sex can be casual, just enjoy him. We’re young and in college,” she said
Her response was no surprise, Oriole thought to himself. He knew he asked her because she would tell him what he wanted to hear. He knew that people sometimes did that when they wanted advice, but not really the truth. They would ask someone who would most likely give them the truth they wanted to hear at that time.
Oriole thought to himself that people knew the personalities of those around them and they exploited that when needed. The mind was a funny tool. Hell, people lied to themselves every day. He was a pro at living in a fantasy world. He knew if he asked Jamie, she would have a completely different outlook, and he didn’t want to hear it. All he knew was that he yearned for someone to be there with him… and he wanted Josh to be that someone.
“How do I prepare myself for this?” he asked.
“Well, just let it flow. It’s going to hurt the first time you have sex, Oriole. I know for us girls it does, but I’ve heard what you got to take is worst.” They laughed hysterically. Oriole blushed. He was very afraid of that part.
“I guess I’ve got to take it like a man," he said playfully.
“You know what, just relax your muscles,” she said and they laughed again. He was glad he had her to talk to about such a taboo topic.
“Do you think you could get Joshua Toby’s number from your guy?” he asked.
“Holy shit, is he the guy? No way! That is a major score,” she gasped.
“You better take that information to the grave. He would kill me.”
“No way would I tell. He is no joke; he would kill you and get away with it.” Pear paused. “You realize who he is, right?”
“You know, all of them seem weird and different from most vampires, but I don’t know much about him. Who is he?”
“Well, his family is rich and prestigious. His dad is big time because he is very old and well connected. I heard his entire family are gift holders and that there is no weak link in their bloodline. That boy can have anyone - he is good looking and his future is set. I also heard his dad is, like, a big time famous lawyer and he has major legal pull with the humans. You can’t make a bad move with this guy. Seriously, be careful. Powerful people are not to be messed with.” Pear’s voice was grave. “He is one of those people who is use to getting what he wants, Oriole. Male vampires can be possessive when they are in love, so be glad he doesn’t want to love you. Just seriously understand who you’re dealing with and know that his pride is very much the center of his world. The trio are all gift holders and they are a unit.”
“Are they related? Are Roland Parsh and Rayon the 4th part of his family?
“No, the trio members are all friends, I believe, but they are very similar to each other as far as status. The fact that they too are all gift holders connects them as well. They all have similar families, really. It’s a mystery to me whatever they’ve got going.”
“Do you think Rayon could be bisexual, Pear?”
“No, not at all, but then again, I never thought of Josh that way and they hang out, so who knows.”
“Well, Josh doesn’t show emotion, but Rayon does, so if you’ve never sensed it, he probably isn’t,” Oriole said, sounding a little disappointed.
“Why do you ask?” Pear questioned.
“I guess because Josh is. I’m just wondering out loud.”
“Yeah, I can understand that. Be careful with Josh.”
“Okay, so I will be careful with this. Can you get his number?”
“Yes. I will just say that I have a friend who wants to hook up, which I do, so were not actually lying. I’m going to step out and make the call. I don’t want Rayon to hear you in the background.”
Pear gave him the number, and when she left, he suddenly became very anxious to call. He just had to see where this would go. So he called. He knew what this meant, but he was now willing to give Josh what he wanted, exactly the way he wanted. As the phone rang his heartbeat so hard he thought it would jump out of his chest.
“Hello?”
“Is Joshua Toby home?”
“Yes, this is my cell. Who is this?”
“It’s me, Oriole.”
“Well, I hope you realize that if you didn’t call to say what I want to hear, then you shouldn’t have bothered to call.”
“Relax, I know that.”
“So, tell me to come over, and be sure that you’re willing to go all the way.”
“Okay.”
“Okay what? I need you to say it.”
“You can come over.”
“And?” Josh prompted.
“I’m willing now.”
“Willing to do what?”
“Go all the way.”
“And do you understand that you’re mine if you do?”
“Yeah, I realize that.”
“I’m on my way.”
Joshua hung up quickly. The conversation was a lot shorter than he expected, but then again Josh wasn’t much of a talker. Oriole felt nervous. He could not believe what was about to happen tonight, so speedily. If you had told him just four days ago this would happen he would have laughed in your face. He was amazed at life’s constant surprises. He sat down on his bed, knowing that it would not be long now. It was time to experience something that meant a lot. His hands could not stop shaking. Soon Josh would be there, and he would be strong, aggressive and in control.
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