Touching Deep

Chapter Two

I curled into a comfortable position on the overstuffed couch, notebook in hand. It was well after two in the morning but I wasn't worried about where Reese, my roommate, was so late. He held an odd schedule that one did. Living with him for over 6 months had gotten me used to stranger things then that.

It had been late, too, the night he stumbled onto the car I had been using as my home, when I frequented clubs and other such places to keep warm. I would rather freeze then go back to Jasper House, where everyone knew about my oddity. There were no well-meaning friends to tell me the chance I was taking by moving in with a guy I had only known 2 months, and I knew what could happen.I just wasn't worried.

Reese still didn't know why I had chosen to live in a car rather then stay with my friends. Even so, he had never once tried to put the moves on me. We both had our boundaries, knew which ones mattered and didn't push those. Life with Reese was easy, simple. But I wasn't sure how much longer I could get away without telling him.

By the time I heard his key in the lock, the clock showed it was just after 3. I arched my back in a stretch and stood to greet Reese, "Hey there. Have fun doing whatever you do?"

Reese nodded with an impish grin, setting down a small garden that was a bouquet down on the table. They were slightly wilted from having to sit out in the summer night for hours. "Yah. Got some flowers from your friend."

"Having a 'stalker' isn't as glamorous as it seems." I said absentmindedly, scouring the plants for a note, anything. Stuff like this had been coming for a few months now.

"You'll have to tell me what you're doing that I don't know about. All the guys at Fangz are scared to talk to you because you're always seen with me."

I picked Reese's shirt of the chair next to him, tossing it into his mess of a room. Another thing I had had to get used to was the fact he showed off all his piercings at every chance he got. Even if he was alone, he went shirtless as much as what he tells me anyway.

I shrugged, sitting at the table and flicking the used Snickers wrapper at him so he would throw it away. "I have never met someone I that was able to keep vampire hours and have Snickers as a major food group, and look as healthy as you do."

"I am a man like no other. Hey!" He yelped when I hit him on the back of his head with my hand, "That was so not cool, Sara."

"Stop calling me Sara, I like Adrah better."

" told me your friends call you Sara. If I'm not a friend, am I dog meat?" Reese was joking now.

"Agh, fine. Call me I can call you Noah?"

"You know my weakness, young cricket. Yes, you may call me Noah."

"Cricket? Isn't it supposed to be 'young grasshopper'?"

"I like Cricket better. Its more different sounding."

-------------- 2 weeks later-

My head bobbed to the beat of the music, gloved hands expertly putting Reese's dark hair into numerous, thin but long braids. The leather gloves I always wore were a second skin to me now so they no longer hindered me. Reese and I were sitting on one of the many couches Fangz provided for it's patrons; me being perched on the back of the couch while he sat below me. To either side of us was our normal group of friends- Grin, Magic, and Lotte.

Grin sat to Reese's immediate left, one leg bouncing with his pent up energy. He was a small, pale blond boy with bright black eyes; normally he could be found out on Fangz dance floor, stealing the spotlight with his moves. The two girls sat on his other side. Lotte, petite with short brown-black hair, was leaning over to whisper into Magic's ear. Magic was about the same size as Lotte, but her skin tone was much darker. The darker one began grinning, only to drag her friend on to the dance floor. I had long ago noted the oddest thing about our group, dubbed the Immortals by other club goers. Everyone but me had black eyes. I always attribute it to contacts, seeing how they pretty much all dressed like the usual Goths and ravers Fangz got.

"'ey, where are you two going?" Grin shouted, almost pouting to be left out of the fun. He was sticking close by Reese's side tonight for some reason.

"The dance floor, of course." Lotte gave him a mysterious smile, before hurrying after Magic. I shook my head; when those two got together it was trouble.

"Grin, hand me my drink, would you?" I had half of Reese's head done, and he was being patient. Then again, the boy had a lot of hair. I took a drink of my Pepsi before handing it down to Reese so he could get a drink.

"Thanks." Reese leaned back against the couch but I prodded him into sitting up straight with my foot.

The two girls had been gone about ten minutes, allowing me to get a few more braids done. When I saw whom they had dragged in behind them it nearly caused me to fall off my seat, saved only by grabbing Reese's shoulders and pulling myself to sit down beside him.

It was him. The only man to truly scare me. He was the one who caught me in the alley that night; the night Reese had found me. He was also the only person whom I had been able to touch without having them come close to dieing on me.

"Abram, good to see you man." Grin smiled nervously, eyes darting to me as he stood up to greet the man with a hug. Grin knew him. Magic and Lotte obviously knew him. That left.

"Reese."

"Huh?" He looked at me, eyes nervous as well.

"You knew." Abram was silent through the exchange, even going so far to try and move back. Lotte caught him and shoved him forward again.

"Knew?"

"About that night. How I was attacked."

"It, it wasn't an much as a, uh, quest for knowledge?" Abram seemed much more nervous now that he had to confront me without having the upper hand. He could deal with it; I was not a happy girl.

"Shove it. I really don't need to hear your crap." I was on my feet, wheeling on Reese, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"He told me not to. Abram-"

"So, is this boy, like, the leader of you? Does he have psychic powers or something?"

"No. Sara, listen. He wanted me to protect you. Abram saw you that night here, with that boy. There are people here that for that power." Reese, for the first time since I had known him, looked worried. Worried about what, I didn't know. It could be worried for me, or about what I would do. Either way, I was mad at him and the other Immortals.

"Stop it, Reese. Just," I looked him in the eye, "Stop." I turned on my heels and walked out of the club. I couldn't be around them right now. The tank top and raver pants- the latter raided from Reese's closest- were neither the best nor the worst for the summer night. I shook my head a few times, my hair falling into my eyes only to have me pull it back.

How could he do this to me? Reese rescued me! Why would he want to betray me? And to a man who scared me so bad? This is what you get for moving in with someone you barely know. A little voice taunted me.

No! Reese probably didn't mean to hurt me. He was just trying to help me. Keep me safe.

Safe? From what? The bogey-man?

Safe .

See? He was lying. He's been lying to you all along.

But Reese won't even kill a fly. How could he mean me harm?

How had he come across you that night? That other man told him where you were. That Abram's behind this all.

Maybe so, but wouldn't he have come for me months ago?

Maybe he has been. You still don't know whose been sending the flowers.

"No!" I shouted into the formerly still air. The few people that were out at this hour gave me frightened glances and hurried away, probably thinking I was some sort of druggie.

I stood there, in the middle of the sidewalk with my chest heaving. I was on the verge of tears, trying to keep hem at bay and mentally berating myself throughout the internal fight. This was why I tried to keep from getting attached to people. They betray you. Simple as that.