Part 5 (1/2)

”You are beautiful Willow. In fact you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met.”

Was he serious? His words made me want to melt. As much as I disagree with that statement, something about the way he said it made me believe that it was true.

Before I could stop myself I leaned up on to the tip of my toes and captured his mouth with my own. As soon as our lips met it was like every nerve ending on my body exploded with feeling. I've heard people talk about feeling a spark from a kiss but this was a full on Fourth of July fireworks show.

I felt his hand at the back of my head pulling me deeper into the kiss. His lips were the most delicious thing I have ever tasted in my entire life. I have never wanted someone as bad as I did in that moment. Every part of my body begged to feel his touch.

I nearly whimpered when he pulled away breaking the kiss. I wanted nothing more than to devour him and he seemed like he was in pain. His eyes were shut and his body was shaking as he released me.

”Tobias? Are you ok?”

I put my hand against his back gently when he didn't reply. He spun around so fast I had to jump back. His eyes completely lost the green and seemed to be a deep red color.

Every part of his body seemed to ooze danger. It was almost like he had become some kind of animal.

”Um, Tobias?”

I backed away from him slowly but it seemed that every step I took he followed until he had me pressed back against a mirror.

”Tobias!” I cried out to him desperate to snap him out of whatever trance he seemed to be stuck in.

I watched his attention turn from me to the mirror behind me. His eyes were focused on his own reflection. I wasn't sure what he was going to do, but I knew that I'd be a complete idiot if I wasn't afraid of him.

”Willow...” His voice came out as a whisper.

I looked back up at him and saw the beautiful green eyes staring back at me. His face was pale, almost like he had just seen a ghost. Actually, he looked like he was about to be sick.

”Oh G.o.d. I'm so sorry.”

The look on his face broke my heart. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and tell him that it's ok and I was fine, but as soon as I reached out to touch him he backed away like a terrified abused animal.

”What just happened?” I couldn't stop myself from asking. I needed to know what the h.e.l.l that was.

”I told you I'm cursed. All of us are.” His eyes looked sad and empty at his confession.

”So you're cursed to have eyes that change color and scare people?”

”Not exactly.”

”Then what is it?” I know he promised to explain it to me tomorrow but I've run out of patience.

”I'm a vampire.”

I stared at him, waiting to see a smile or a hint of a laugh, but there was nothing. I think he might actually believe what he's saying.

”A vampire?”

”Yes, a vampire.”

I was trying to wrap my head around that. He actually thought he was a vampire. Oh my G.o.d. He wasn't lying. It was all starting to make sense. Amelia couldn't die, Tobias hates being out in the sun, he can manipulate people's minds, his eyes do a strange color changing thing and now that I think about it, I've never seen him eat anything. Ever.

”Holy s.h.i.+t!” I felt a little light headed.

Tobias came over to me and brushed his thumb against my cheek gently. It was the softest thing I have ever felt. Even though he just admitted to being a vampire, I wasn't afraid. Being around Tobias makes me feel safer than I ever have in my entire life.

”Are Tristan and Mia vampires, too?”

”No. The curse affected us all differently. Tristan is a wolf, and Amelia really isn't anything. She just can't die.”

A wolf? Seriously? Well that explained a lot.

”What about your other brothers?”

”What about them?”

”How did the curse affect them?” Tobias looked a little hesitant to answer me when I asked.

”Well, my youngest brother Colton is a fire starter.”

”What is a fire starter?”

”He can create or manipulate fire with his mind, or a wave of his hand. None of us really know how it works, not even him. He still doesn't have it under control, so he's off with Jeremy trying to find a way to fix it.”

”That sounds awful, how old is he?”

”He stopped aging at nineteen.”

I couldn't believe it. Facing something like that at only nineteen must be so hard on him. He's probably scared but at least he's not alone.

”Who's Jeremy?”

”Jeremy is my second youngest brother. He stopped aging at Twenty one.”

”Why is he the only one who went to help Colton? It sounds like he needs all of you. He's probably terrified.”

”He's more in denial. Refuses to acknowledge that he's a freak. I told him the sooner he accepts it the faster he can control it. And the reason Jeremy is with him is because Jeremy can't get hurt.”

”I thought that you were all immortal.”

”We are cupcake, but just because we can't die don't mean we don't feel pain.” The way he looked at me was as if that was supposed to be obvious. I wanted to slap him.

”So Jeremy's gift is not feeling pain?”

”First, none of this is a gift. Second, not exactly. Jeremy is a ghost. He's alive and you can see him. h.e.l.l, you can even touch him. Only thing is, he can't feel you. He can't feel anything. Even when he pa.s.ses through walls he doesn't feel a d.a.m.n thing. Which means when Colton burns him he doesn't feel it and it doesn't even leave a mark.”

I couldn't imagine existing in a world but not really being able to enjoy it. Poor Jeremy couldn't feel the warmth of the sun or a cool summer's breeze. He can't even feel the loving touch of another person. That must be h.e.l.l.

”You're right. It doesn't sound like a gift at all.”

He just nodded his head and stood silently. We must have completely lost track of time, because the woman from earlier came over and thrust a pair of shoes into my hands and began rus.h.i.+ng us out the door.