From Sunset to Nightfall by Shawna Whalen (best mobile ebook reader txt) 📕

made sense. My forehead furrowed as I thought and rethought. Finally I sighed and looked up at Daniel. “The most logical one I can think of would be…a v-vampire,” I said slowly, choking out the last word. When I said vampire I noticed Daniel’s eyes open wide but recover quickly as if nothing happened.
Daniel turned his head as if I were right. As if he was disgusted with himself. I didn’t want to be right, but it didn’t matter, I kept telling myself over and over again. I reached out one of my hands and gently placed it on his arm. “Like I said, it’s doesn’t matter.” He turned his head back to me and placed his hand on top of mine again. His hand was hard and cold on top of mine.
Now Daniel’s brow furrowed. “What are you thinking?” I asked as I turned over my hand under his. He looked down at our hands briefly then looked at me. “I’m thinking that…this is wrong,” he said still looking at me. I was looking down at our hands, with my other on top of his, tracing the shape of his hand on mine. “Wrong how?” “Wrong like, you shouldn’t be near me,” he said and started to withdraw his hand from between mine. My hands were limp together as he removed his.
“I don’t believe that,” I said, looking at my hands and shaking my head. Daniel sighed heavily. “It’s-it’s not safe for you. I don’t know if I can control myself that easily.” I was still looking down at my hands when I heard him get up and move. I glanced up to see Daniel twenty feet away from me in the trees. “You have before and I know you can. You won’t hurt me,” I said impassioned. I started to get up then sat back down when Daniel stepped back more.
“I’m not afraid of you,” I said bravely. I was hoping that my tone wouldn’t sound too shaky, because I wasn’t afraid. Daniel’s eyes cautioned me as he walked slowly to the imbedded grass where he’d sat and sank to the ground once more.
We sat on the grass and talk for what seemed to be only a short while when Daniel suddenly rose from the ground floor.
I looked up at him from the ground, confused at his expression. He swiftly grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. “What’s wrong?” I barley gotten out of my mouth just as Daniel threw me over his shoulders and onto his back.
It felt like we were flying through the forest as Daniel ran. It didn’t feel like he was running. His breathing was normal and he didn’t seem to get tired. I was gasping as we ran, looking around at all of the trees-that I could make out as trees-were making me dizzy and nauseous. I tried to ask Daniel what was happening and where he was taking me but the flipping of my stomach was overtaking me.
I noticed that Daniel started to slow as we approached the little circle parking lot where I had parked. Daniel stopped as we reached my truck. He stood there, waiting for me to get down off of his back but I was frozen in place, hoping not to hurl on him.
I locked my mouth closed as he reached around to release my grip. “Liz, it’s okay now. You can let go,” Daniel said as he tried to untie my linked hands around his neck. Wait, he said it’s okay now, what was wrong before? I finally came to realize that my stomach wasn’t going anywhere and that I could let go from around Daniel’s neck.
Daniel turned, grabbed me from his back; pulling me into a cradle on his crest, in his arms. He went and sat down on the rock near the truck. He started laughing while I looked terrified, I’m sure. My breathing wasn’t normal yet, I was still gasping but not as much. When I finally got enough oxygen, I tried to ask Daniel what was going on then I realized that my throat was dry. I tried to clear it when Daniel propped me up on his knee.
“Are you okay?” Daniel asked as he observed my expression. My breathing was normal again when I answered; in a raw, scratchy voice. “Y-yeah,” I sounded like a 40-year-old smoker. Daniel stood me on my feet slowly. I wobbled a little, but I was sure it wasn’t from him running. Thinking about him running made me remember not even five minutes ago in his little meadow when he look worried or something. Then when he stopped here, he’d said that it was okay.
“Wait,” I said reaching out to Daniel. He was headed to the passenger door. “What did you mean by ‘okay’?” Daniel’s brow furrowed just little. He stared at me for a second then looked down laughing. He chuckled to himself then sighed. “Liz, I meant ‘okay’ because I thought that you might think you were in danger there.” I sighed. “Oh. But I was with you, so I’d never be in danger, right?”
This time Daniels brow furrowed even more. I was standing in front of my truck and Daniel started to walk toward me slowly. He thought about my question for a long time and then whispered, “I hope not.”

Chapter 9-Nerve Racking

We drove back to Billy’s in silence. I let Daniel drive because I knew he couldn’t stand for my slowness; well my trucks’ anyways.
I kept wondering when he would speak. I was fumbling in my head about everything I’d just learned in the past week. A week? It had seemed like eternity.
And what had he meant that he hoped I wasn’t in danger with him. He was the most harmless mythical creature out there, right? Were there more dangerous creatures out there? Would he protect me?
I kept my eyes on the moving forest outside my window as I pondered these aching questions. They kept creeping back up to the front of my brain, repeating over and over. I didn’t totally forget Daniel’s too still body in the driver’s seat but I slipped up on my thoughts by groaning and whispering ‘shut up already.’
I realized my mistake and looked at Daniel wide-eyed. Sorry, I mouthed. ‘No,’ he said shaking his head slowly. ‘Don’t be. It’s okay; it’s a lot to take in. I’m the one who should be sorry.’ He sighed and groaned, watching the road.
‘What? You? Why should you be sorry?’ I asked. I was racking through my brain trying to understand why he should be sorry for anything. I finally understand what true love it, and I wasn’t going to let it go.
We were half way to Billy’s house when he turned around a forest edge. We started driving down a long pathway. I looked at Daniel occasionally, he seemed completely at ease. Then he finally answered me as we drove up to a little yard with a big white house. This house was beautiful; I couldn’t imagine what the inside looked like. It was big and white with dark blue shutters and a porch that went all the way around the house. The railing of the porch was dark blue, just as the shutters on the stain-glass windows.
Daniel pulled the car up the yard a little more and put it in park. ‘Everything. I have everything to be sorry for. And I’m sorry for that,’ he laughed a little chuckle. ‘If you can’t tell already, this is my home.’ I smiled a little bit, almost laughing with him, but I was instantly nervous. If this was his home, then that meant it was his sibling’s home, too.
I gulped as Daniel got out of my truck and walked over to my passenger side door. Daniel saw my expression-terrified, I assumed- and calmed me down, a bit. ‘Liz, it’s okay. Do you remember what I told you yesterday during lunch?’ he asked smoothing my hair to my cheeks as I was hyperventilating. I was calmed just by his hands on my face, they were like marble. I knew I couldn’t speak just yet, so I nodded. ‘What did I say?’ Crap, he wanted a straight answer.
I swallowed my dry, burning throat and said, ‘That it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks. That it’s just us.’ I sounded terrible. My voice was no higher than a whisper, but because of my throat being dry it was scratchy.
Daniel nodded, and then looked above my head and into the house as if someone had said his name again. His face was suddenly serious. ‘Liz, I…I want you to meet me family. Officially.’ I gulped one drier gulp and winced.
Daniel noticed my wince and grabbed my bottle of water that I had thought to bring, from the console in my truck. ‘Here,’ he handed me the bottle, ‘Drink. It’s going to be okay,’ he promised. ‘I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you, ever.’ I nodded, not sure of my voice and took three big gulps of water.
As I drank I thought of his words. Did they mean what I’d thought they meant?
I drank almost half of my water-stalling-and then he grabbed my waist, pulling me toward the big house. My stomach flopped at the thought of his family in the other room and my heart fluttered at his touch.
As we approached his home, his father, Dr. Claude Collins from our local hospital and his petite wife, Ella Collins opened the door and stood at the steps. I gulped, and Daniel looked at me. ‘Don’t worry, everything will be fine. They’re actually excited to meet you.’ I doubted that very much.
They stood, beautifully at the steps of their
home. Dr. Collins and Ella, smiling as we approached them. "Liz?" Dr. Collins spoke calmly.
He was smiling wide as was Ella. I nodded.
"Well, it's very nice to meet," Dr. Collins said,
"Finally." He glanced at Daniel quickly.
Ella stepped from beside Dr. Collins and greeted
me with the most politest smile I'd ever seen.
"Liz, I am so happy to meet you. I'm Ella, and this charming gentleman would be Claude." I smiled slightly, "Yes, I'm happy to meet you too." I was so nervous that I was figeting.
Ella seemed to be over excited and pushed Daniel out of the way and hugged me gently.
She was hard and cold also, and her eyes were the same as Daniels.

Imprint

Publication Date: 03-21-2010

All Rights Reserved