Sexting With A Vampire
Chapter 39

Raphael

I return to the lake where we are staying and watch Evan and Stella finish their training session under the sun.

I brought food, got a haircut(I ran away without paying since I didn't have a dime left after food), and then went to the gym before finding my way back to the forest.

"Hey," Evan rakes me up and down. Using his dirty t-shirt to wipe the sweat off his face. "Took you long enough."

"The nearest city was a couple of kilometers away," I say and continue sucking on the lollipop inside my mouth while bending down to show what I bought. "I hope you guys like hotdogs." "Do they come in blood flavor?"

"Ha ha, very funny," I glare at the vampire. "But yes, I actually got you some blood sausage."

To my surprise, Evan looks pleased and happily takes the sausage package from my hands to bring it away. It seems the two of them have built a place to start a fire.

"And for you..." I reach into the bag, pick up a juice carton and pause when I catch Stella staring at me.

Huh? Why is she giving me that weirded-out look?

"Umm..." Stella bites her lip, sizing me up. "You got a haircut."

"I did."

My teeth flash in a guilty grin. I feel awkward now that Stella pointed it out. She probably knows I did it for her, making this even more embarrassing. What the flipping heck am I doing?

I want to look good for my mate-that's what I'm doing. Still, my behavior is confusing me. I've never tried to court someone before, but Stella dislikes me, so I better start making her like me. Or die trying.

"Did you do it because I was throwing Thor jokes at you?" Evan asks while trying to start a fire. "Because it wasn't that bad. Though, it looks a hundred times better now."

Since I saved Evan's life, he has been easier to handle. He is trying to change, I think? We both want to make Stella happy. It makes us rivals, but it doesn't mean we need to hate each other. "Yeah," I palm the back of my neck. "It needed a cut, to be honest..."

"It looks good," Stella clears her throat. "Shorter on the sides, more hair at the top-I like that style."

My eyebrows arch in surprise. I never expected to receive a compliment from Stella in a million years.

I blush a little, highly unlike me, but damn.

Stella is standing there, watching me with her doe-eyes and freckles. More beautiful than an angel and so pretty I could die.

"Thank you."

She smiles. "You're welcome."

Evan sighs. "Are you two going to stand there all day, or do you actually want to eat dinner? I'm starving."

"I'm starving too," Stella says, picking up the bag I brought with me to join Evan by the fire. "I think I want to try one of those blood sausages too, see what the big deal about blood is." "Oh yeah?" Evan grins at her. "You curious about what it's like being a vampire, huh?"

I watch Stella drop the bags by her feet before Evan cups her face and peers down into her eyes. I wish I could avert my eyes because watching is physically painful.

Yet I can't peel my eyes away.

Stella is on her tip-toes, sliding her arms over Evan's muscular chest as he kisses her. Hard. There is tongue and dominance. No slow touches, only speed, and heat. When they smile against each other lips and Evan picks Stella up into his arms, I can finally look away.

"I like you, Stella-you're gorgeous."

Chuckle. "I like you too, Evan. Beautiful vampire."

My chest feels like it's been filled with lead. Yet I don't pout but walk over to the fire. I calmly grab a stick and take a knife, determined to turn it into a spear for the hot dogs.

The two love birds are still at it, saying lovely things to each other while I'm alone. I want in on the love game, but I'm unsure how to go about it since Stella seems to already be falling in love with Evan. Love.

More pain slices me like an ax.

To tell the truth, maybe I won't ever get to hold Stella. Run my fingers up her smooth skin, and get to know what her lips taste like. I haven't earned it, and I'm not sure how to earn it either.

I spear hot dogs on three sticks and have them in the fire. I only look up when I notice I'm no longer alone. Evan and Stella are standing before me, and Stella looks like she might want to ask something. I take a deep breath. "What is it?"

Evan crosses his meaty arms over his chest, protective of Stella as she braces herself to speak. The pleasant guy attitude is gone. Instead, he suddenly looks like a giant Doberman ready to defend his tiny girlfriend. Well, the joke is on him-I wouldn't hurt Stella.

Not anymore. I mean... I would have done anything to get her underneath me in the past. Nothing was beyond me-I'm ashamed to admit that, but I have to be honest with myself, don't I?

I was desperate for my red-haired mate, but... We bonded through a car ride, fought a demon, and I've heard Stella and Evan flirt with each other; they are good people.

And I guess that makes me want to be good, too? Does that make sense? I just want to be... Good.

"How did you open the portal to the demon realm?" Stella asks.

Silently, I size her up, smiling at her question even though the answer isn't funny. "I don't know."

She stares at me. "What do you mean you don't know?"

Evan growls. "Yeah, explain yourself."

"Okay," I place my hands on my jeans, meeting Evan's eyes before letting them drift to Stella's worried ones. "I don't know how it works, but... Leonora seems to be from a different realm, and demons appear around her. I think it's because she doesn't belong here... So all we needed to do was move places."

Evan blinks. "Leonora, that blonde elf, has always been followed by demons from other realms?"

"Yes," I answer honestly, grimacing. "It's gotten worse by the years... The demons are stronger and stronger. And now, if what you're saying is true about Lunaris, its at its peak. It's never been this bad."

Stella breathing in and out, eyes glued to mine. "Is Leonora at Lunaris at this moment?"

"I don't know," my grimace remains. "The phone calls won't go through-it might have something to do with the barrier around Lunaris."

"Yeah," Evan agrees. "I have this theory nothing goes in, and nothing comes out. The area slowly expands, though... And when Stella has awakened, we have to teleport inside."

Stella shudders. "I don't even want to think about how terrible it must be to be inside that barrier... Do you think anyone is still alive?"

I stare down at the ground with guilt piercing through my heart. "I hope so... I don't want to lose Leonora."

Stella wet her lips. "Do you love her?"

Do I love her?

I want to laugh at that question.

I lift my chin to meet her eyes. "Of course I do, but not romantically. Leonora is family and nothing else."

"Does she know that?" Evan asks. "That elf seemed pretty f*****g into you. Not that it's any of my business."

My heart falters again. "Leonora knows I don't like her that way, yet it doesn't stop her from..."

"Loving you?" Stella finishes.

I feel terrible. Leonora has always been there for me. Loved me. Cooked for me. And now she is in Lunaris, probably lost and afraid in a city filled with demons from another realm. I exhale. "Yeah."