Unbound (9 page)

“You do what you need to do.  I will let you be but it’s going to happen and you know it.  We’ll be bonded and this relationship will be forever.  We’ll be happy together and our families will prosper.”  She retreated agai
n. The front door slammed
behind her as she left the condo.

* * *

A few weeks had passed since school started and Dani was concentrating on her studies.  Olivia and the rest of the group had been going to Thirst twice a week.  She got annoyed with Dani for not going but she’d been avoiding Chase.  She thought about him too much and had dreams about him that left her frustrated and wanting the real thing.  Dani feared she wouldn’t be able to resist touching him if she ran into him again.  Charlie had stayed behind a couple times to study with her.  He was just like Kenna, a natural brain.  It was Friday and after two weeks of work and no play, Charlie had talked her into attending her first frat party.

Lucas called twice a day, every day.  He was still trying to make up for the fight and his drinking.  She’d already forgiven him of course.  After all, she’d been no angel herself that night.  She hadn’t done anything wrong but the thought was there and guilt over it assailed her.  Dani just didn’t want Lucas drinking like that.  He could do whatever he wanted to do but no one should drink until they don’t remember the night.

She hung up with Lucas before entering her first class of the day.  He seemed agitated when she mentioned going to a party but Dani wouldn’t be editing anymore.  She was telling him everything because they both had to get used to living apart.  He went out with his friends and she was learning to deal with it.  Besides, she didn’t drink the way he did so he shouldn’t be worried.

The rest of the day dragged.  She tried to think of an excuse for not going out.  Olivia would be pissed if she cancelled.  The fall air was crisp and clean smelling after her last class.  Autumn had always been her favorite season.  She stopped on a bench to enjoy the weather and admire the scenery.  Her favorite area of campus where the arching trees hold hands was now starting to change colors.  The leaves fluttered in the light breeze and Dani was content, just taking it all in until interrupted by a voice she couldn’t believe she was hearing.  Dani snapped her head around when he said, “There you are, stranger.”

“Lucas!”  There he stood looking like home.  His steel blue eyes made her heart skip. 

She squealed as he dragged her over the back of the bench and into his arms.  He spun her around in circles and kissed her hard.  It felt so good to be in his arms again.  He was whispering, “I love you,” between every kiss he placed from her forehead all the way down her neck.

“What are you doing here?  I can’t believe you’re really here.”  She murmured still attached to his neck, afraid if she let go he would disappear.  She prayed it wasn’t another crazy dream.

“I couldn’t be away from you any longer.  I had to hold you,” Lucas cooed against her temple.  When he finally released her, they walked hand and hand to the dorm.  A bunch of Dani’s friends were there watching TV in the common room.  Olivia caught sight of them first.  She jumped up and ran toward them, getting the attention of the others.  All the introductions were made with the exception of one.  Charlie had been there when Dani came in but he was gone before Olivia finished squealing.  The three of them went up to their room.

“You are still coming tonight, aren’t you?”  Olivia pouted, hoping Dani’s visitor wouldn’t ruin the evening.

“She’
ll be there with a date tonight,
” Lucas
assured her with a smile.

“I thought you might want to be alone,” Olivia wagged her eyebrows at the couple.

“I don’t want to interrupt Dani’s evening.  I just want to spend it with her.”  Lucas was absently brushing his hand through her hair.  He’d propped himself up against her headboard with her resting against his chest.  Dani knew if they were alone he would have her naked by now.  That had been all she’d wanted for so long.  Now she was hedging a bit.

“I’ll tell you what.  After the party I’ll go stay with Lindsay.  You guys can have the room to yourselves.  We just have to figure out how to sneak you in the building.” 

“Are you sure, O?”  She felt bad about putting Olivia out of her own room and Dani could tell by Lucas’s possessive handling that there would be no going back if they had the room to their selves.

“Just call me cupid,” Olivia smiled devilishly, “How long can you stay?” she asked Lucas.

“I have to leave tomorrow evening.  I can’t miss work on Sunday.”  He informed them with a frown and a shake of his beautiful blond head.

“I think we will hit the party early and get back here so we can chill alone.”  Now Dani was wagging her eyebrows and Lucas laughed at the silly gesture.

They crossed campus in the dark and Dani gave Lucas a tour, pointing out which buildings she had classes in and anything else that was familiar on the way.  You could hear the music from the party a block away.  Earlier she’d wanted to stay behind but now she was excited to share this experience with Lucas.

Entering the front door of the frat house was exactly what she’d expected.  There were people everywhere dancing and swaying to the music just like at the club.  Every corner and hall was full of people.  There were speakers in the corners of every room piping in loud thumping hip-hop.  Lucas looked around and his expression was half way between joy and concern.  He liked the party but not the idea of her attending them without him.  This may have been a bad idea after all.  He smiled and put out his hand to her for a dance.  They danced, laughed and talked as much as possible over the music.  Lucas wrapped his arms around her for a slower dance and his body rubbing against hers was warm and familiar.

“Maybe
we can find something to drink,”
He suggested and grabbed her hand to tow her down the hall.  Dani felt a pang of jealousy as every girl they passed looked at Lucas like fresh meat.  In the kitchen, there were several kegs on tap and large basin of some kind of punch people ladled into cups.  It was an odd purple color.  A guy walked up and added a bottle of grape juice and a whole bottle of clear liquor to the mix. 

“What is that?”  Lucas wondered aloud.

The guy smiled at them and spoke slowly as if he were speaking to children.  “It’s called Purple Jesus.  Everybody brings a bottle of liquor and dumps it in.  Then we add enough grape juice to make it purple.”  He poured a ladle full in a cup and handed in to Lucas.  He took a big swig.

“JESUS!”  Lucas coughed and sputtered while the guy laughed.

“And that’s why it’s called Purple Jesus.  That’s what everybody says the first time they try it.”  Laughing aloud he walked away. 

Lucas held the cup out for her to take a drink.  “I don’t drink.”  Dani wrinkled her nose.

“It’s alright if you’re with me.  I won’t let you go overboard.”  He gave her a chiding look and all but forced the cup into her hand.  She’d missed him so much and wanted to make him happy.  Peer pressure was a bitch.  She took a big gulp from the cup.  Coughing and gasping she handed it back.  He laughed as he put his arm around her waist and led the way to one of the kegs.

“Maybe you should start with something less potent.”  He handed her a cup of beer and watched expectantly.  She took a drink at his coaxing.  It wasn’t pleasant but not nearly as bad as the other stuff.  He chugged his cup and refilled it with beer.  Lindsay and Olivia came down the hall with their eyebrows drawn together at the sight of her holding a cup of beer.  Dani shrugged and inclined her head toward Lucas.  One of the guys hanging out in the kitchen struck up a conversation with Lucas and they stood several feet away.  Dani spoke to Lindsay as Lucas continued to drink and talk with a group of students.  They were making her uncomfortable taking turns staring at them.  She could hear them talking about her hair and complimenting Lucas on his taste in women.  Occasionally he would come and refill her cup or insist she have a drink of his purple punch.  Numbness was setting in. “Maybe you should take it easy.  It’s not like you to cave this way.”  Lindsay chastised her for giving into Lucas’s wishes.

“I
’ve
miss
ed
him so much and he has to leave tomorrow.  I don’t want to ups
et him.  I want him to be happy,
” She
slurred leaning against Lindsay.  “I gotta pee.”  Dani realized it was unusual for her to announce her need for a ladies room as she staggered down the hall.  She saw a guy she recognized and she couldn’t seem to stop herself from being social.  He was on his cell looking confused. She patted him on the shoulder.

“Don’t I know you?”  Realizing too late that this sounded like a pick up line.  “I mean, really.  I have seen you somewhere before haven’t I?”  That close it was hard to miss how large and absolutely yummy the guy was.  He looked like a body builder with the face of a very tough angel.

“Yes, I’m sure it’s her,” h
e said into the receiver while looking at her.  “Dani, how are you?” he looked at the phone and rolled his eyes.  “I mean Danielle.  How are you, Danielle?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to disturb you.”  She stumbled past him and he steadied her before she ran into the wall.

“I’m Cayden, a friend of Chase’s.  You probably recognized me from the club.  I haven’t seen you since that first time.”  He said this with the phone still to his ear.  That was odd but Dani was too numb to care.  “Are you here alone?” he asked.

“I’m here with some friends and my boyfriend.”  There were so many people passing in the hall she’d been pushed a bit uncomfortably against Cayden.

“Your boyfriend is here?  Do I know him?” he asked then he jerked the phone away from his ear. The person on the phone was yelling. He turned away from her to prevent her from overhearing and said, “I can hear you so stop screaming.  I’m trying but she’s drunk.  Why don’t you get your ass over here?”

“I really gotta find the ladies room.”  She took off before she peed on his feet and tripped twice on the way up the stairs.  She realized she was drunk when she had to lean against the wall to stop the room from spinning while she relieved herself.  Going back down the stairs was slow going.  She pushed through the crowd back to the kitchen but Lucas and his new friends were gone.  This was bad.  Dani wanted to leave and didn’t think she would make it alone.

Lindsay appeared suddenly from a door Dani had assumed was a pantry but it led to the basement.  “Lindsay have you seen Lucas?  I’m ready to go back to the dorm.”  She slurred leaning against the wall.

“I just saw him downstairs with the jock squad.  He’s trashed.  You don’t look so good either.”  She looked Dani up and down disapprovingly.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she slurred, and headed down the steps ignoring Lindsay’s critique of her appearance.  She needed to find Lucas and get out of there.

She found him at the bottom of the stairs with his new friends laughing at someone vomiting in the corner.  “Lucas I’m ready to go now,” she yelled over the music.

He
turned to look at her, annoyed.
“Don’t be
such a bitch.  It’s still early,”
He snapped.

A bunch of girls she hadn’t noticed laughed from behind her.  The leader of the jock squad patted Lucas on the back and said, “That’s right man, you can’t let a bitch ruin your fun.”  He stepped closer to her and picked up a lock of hair from her shoulder and sniffed it, “If you want I can distract her a while.”

Dani smacked his hand away and the effort knocked her off balance.  She stumbled against the railing, hurt that Lucas would speak to her that way and more hurt that he would allow this jerk to speak to her the way he had.  She glared at Lucas as he laughed with the others and went back to partying.  Anger and embarrassment carried her up the stairs.  She lurched for the door to find h
er way home before passing out.
On the porch,
she literally ran into Cayden.
He onc
e again saved her from a spill.
She looked up
to find
his amused face.  Leaning into him, all her muscles went limp.

“I don’t think I can walk home.”  She paused.  “Hey, has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?  Damn boy.  You are beautiful.”  It sounded like her voice but she didn’t remember deciding to say the words, true as they were.

“Don’t worry, Dani.  I’ll give you a ride.  To answer your question, I have been called handsome or attractive many times but I don’t believe beautiful is one I’ve heard.”  He scooped her up into his arms and smiled down with something like satisfaction in his hazel eyes.

* * *

Chase pulled up to the address Cayden had given him to find Danielle being loaded into Cayden’s car.  “What happened to her?”

He pushed Cayden out of the way and snatched her up trying not to jostle her too much.  He leaned her limp body against the side of the car.  He supported her head while he checked her for injury.  Looking her over, Chase’s heart sped.  He was using his lower body to pin her against the car in an effort to hold her up and the contact was torture.

“She fell into me literally and said she couldn’t make it home alone.  She passed out.  I was going to take her to the dorms and try to track her scent to her room.”  He looked on, annoyed at Chase’s attitude.  “You should talk to her about feeding on people that are over intoxicated.  The practice is dangerous and a bit unethical.”  Cayden filled Chase in.