Growing Wildflowers | WLW

Field Thistle

I stare at Jamie, trying to keep my expression neutral but I know I'm not succeeding. She can't be serious. She wants to be... A blood sucker? A vampire in a family of hunters?

Jamie's propped up on her elbows now so she can look at me. She takes my hesitation as her cue to explain herself. "It would be safer. That man wouldn't have been able to drain me if... I was like you." Her lip quivers as she relives the night. "I would have been able to defend myself."

This is a terrible idea. Somewhere, deep down, Jamie knows it too. She has to. I open my mouth, clamp it closed again. I have to tell her why this is a bad idea but I don't know where to start. I sit up and take her hand in mine.

"Jamie." I sigh. "The transition period lasts for days. And those days are excruciating." I remember the pain in my throat and try to shake the thought from my head. "You'd be irritable and thirsty all the time." I almost chuckle at the next part. "John kept me locked in the basement while I got used to everything." I look her in the eye for the first time since I started explaining. "What Parker's doing isn't normal. He shouldn't be letting newborns run around the city."

Jamie's eyes are focused on her comforter as she snaps the hair tie around her wrist. I want to take her hand in mine again, tell her I'm sorry but I know she needs time to process. Finally, when it feels like my chest is going to explode, she nods.

"You're right," she admits. "I'm just so scared." Her lip quivers.

I can't help myself. I pull her tight against my chest. "I know it was a close call." I swallow the lump in my throat. "I shouldn't have left you by yourself."

Jamie pulls away from me and presses her pointer finger over my lips. "Shh. Don't do that."

"Do what?" I speak around her finger.

She flashes a knowing look. "Take the blame for something out of your control."

I roll my eyes playfully and take her hand before she can pull it away from my mouth. "I'll never leave your side again." I press my lips to her knuckles.

Jamie's lips quirk into a smirk. There's a devious glint in her eyes as she pushes herself from the bed. "In that case..." She walks to the attached bathroom. When I don't move, she glances over her shoulder. "I thought you weren't going to leave my side."

I can't fight the goofy smile on my face as I hop to my feet and follow her. The shower is cranked on before I get there. Jamie wraps her arms around my neck and stands on her toes to kiss me once I'm in the steamy bathroom. For once, she doesn't have to tell me what she wants. I already know.

She guides my hands to her waist and takes my lip between her teeth, biting hard. I pull her shirt off, let my eyes linger on the perfection of her tan skin and misplaced freckles. Jamie blushes under my stare. I'm pulling at her bra while she's unbuttoning my pants and, after a blur of clothes coming off and sloppy kisses, we're in her shower.

I press her against the wall and lean over to kiss her neck. Hot water streams down my back as I bite the soft skin on her neck.

Jamie lets out a little gasp that turns into a chuckle. "I know it shouldn't turn me on so much when you do that but—"

I bite her again, this time harder. Not hard enough to break skin but hard enough to leave a mark later. My stomach jolts with butterflies at the noise she makes in the back of her throat.

"Gwen." She moves my hand to her waist again, pushing it down lower when I don't pick up her hint. "Please."

She moans as I slip my fingers inside of her. My confidence is waning fast but I try to hide it and focus on the way she moves her hips against my fingers. I've never done this before. I can't help but wonder if Jamie can tell.