Walking in at that moment with a pile of peaches, Jessica began giggling. “You love me, hush it, Dumpling.” Jessica looked away from Amber, “Lay! You look fantastic tonight, I knew Amber wanted to be twinzies with you tonight. She was saying how lovely it is that you hang out with a couple of older dies.”

  “Yeah, that is exactly what I said, Jess. You know me all too well.” Amber sarcastically offered and then faced Lay doing her best to ignore the appetizing smells emanating from the young woman. “So gd you could…erm, join us Lay.”

  Bubbly beyond her norm, Lay skipped around the work stand until she was beside Amber. “You’ll never guess what happened. Come-come-come-on Amber, guess-guess-guess.”

  Every breath that Lay expended in her excitement was another dagger directly into Amber’s throat and a heavenly reminder of how Lay ended up glued to the vampire. Closing her eyes, Amber finally stopped resisting and let the fvors from the girl pierce her memory and bring up the simple event that started it all.

  It was a few weeks into their move from Colonial Heights to Enly that Amber had walked into the woman by complete accident. Scouting the plot of nd that she wanted for their market, Amber had passed by the local bread store and had the sweet smell of honeysuckle pierce the fog within her new vampiric mind and remind her of the heated days of summer that she’d forgotten. Unable to do more than fall into her huntress mindset, Amber darted into an unlit alley and silently climbed to the top of a two-story building and followed the scented trail until she spotted Lay. Confused as to what she wanted to truly do, Amber crept down from the roof she watched the girl from and began walking nonchantly behind her. Right after getting a mouthwatering whiff of Lay’s fragrant blood, Amber stumbled and fell drunkenly against a building and uselessly breathed deep in an attempt to calm her raging impulse to feed.

  Once she’d realized the commotion behind her, Lay ran over to help Amber to her feet and patted her back softly. “There, there. I think you got dizzy, ma’am. Take a few deep breath-”

  Carefully keeping her distance so she could think clearly, Amber only sought to watch the intriguing young woman as Lay waved hello to her town-mates. All sembnce of control vaporized and Amber expelled her charming breath across Lay’s face and watched the girl turn into virtual putty.

  “So…pretty…I’m Lay.” She softly whispered in Amber’s ear.

  Unfettered need outweighed Amber’s body and she’d bitten Lay right there in the street with a few people walking by. Thankfully her bite and subsequent feeding looked exactly like two people making out, no one who passed by tried to stop Amber from feeding from Lay’s alluring blood. Lucky for Lay that it was people passing by with cute little giggles that saved the girl. Somewhere in the back of Amber’s mind, she stopped herself before she could turn Lay to dust in front of the townspeople. A mindful lick to her four holes, Amber had just reopened her teal eyes when she tried to release the charm. “It was nice to have met you, Lay. It would please me if you simply forgot all about our little kiss and you went on your merry way.”

  “So very pretty…” Lay slobbered down her chin and wiped it away slowly. “...but…I don’t want to forget such a lovely moment.” Lay giggled, “Your lips are all red and shiny, you smell like summer-rich soil, it’s so…soothing.”

  Stunned and unable to figure out why her charm didn’t disappear, Amber barely noticed when Lay began walking away with a content grin on her face. “Maybe next time we see one another you’ll tell me your name.”

  Somewhere along the months of nightly feeding from Lay’s rich blood pool, Amber had managed to make the charm more prevalent and stupidly told Lay her name. Subsequently, Lay began showing up every night, either at Moonshadow Fields, or at Amber’s small farmhouse. It was when the girl walked miles each way to their home that Jessica started to help Amber figure out what was going on with no success.

  Shaken by Lay’s tiny grip brought Amber back from the unfortunate memory and she shook off the past. “I haven’t a clue, Lay. However, you won’t be happy unless I guess..” Amber heard Jessica snicker, “...Let’s see…” Amber rolled her eyes and then pyfully fixated on Lay’s verdant eyes. “...you met a guy and we will be without your company as much?” Amber prayed silently that her guess was correct.

  “Nope!” Lay hopped in pce and hugged Amber. “I did it. I did like you told me to and…” Lay bounced to Jessica and gave her a lighter hug, “...I got a modeling job.” Lay fluffed her hair pretending to be pompous, “...I start tomorrow morning. I got a manager out of Richmond that hired me on the spot. I have a couple shoots with some car dealer and one for Azure clothing…you know, about a mile from here?”

  Pasting a mostly fake smile on her face, Amber half-pyed along. “Lay Povarti.” She put her hands on her waist, “I didn’t tell you to do anything, I suggested that you could be a model.” Amber leaned back on her foot, “It was your farmgirl beauty that sold your manager.” Unclear of why she did it, Amber quickly added, “Are you sure about this auto dealer? I want you to be careful, maybe take your sister with you.”

  “You always look after me, Amber. You’re such a great friend.” Lay crooned and leaned up to give Amber a kiss on the cheek.

  Although she was used to Lay’s overzealous need to touch and be hugged, Amber didn’t expect the kiss and turned to answer Lay and their lips met one another briefly. Painfully aware of what just happened, Amber grabbed Lay in her arms right before the young woman began to sway. “Crap.”

  Unable to contain her hysterics any longer, Jessica burst out ughing so hard that it made her double over trying to breathe. “You-you-you…” Jessica gasped for air as she embraced the merriment of the moment. “...just made…” She wiped tears from her cheeks, “...oh heaven’s…” It took a few more minutes for Jessica to completely gather herself. “You can’t leave the poor girl in limbo, make it official.” Jessica gave Amber a gentle kiss on the shoulder. “I was only kidding about the girlfriend thing.”