A few minutes later, Gina came down the steps looking gorgeous. He’d never seen her looking so good before and couldn’t figure out what was different about her. He immediately stood up to greet her and then saw her father coming in to the foyer area to see them off.
“Gina princess. You call if you need anything, you hear?” her dad said. “I want you home by 9:30 not a minute later.”
Mr. Doony shot Mark a look as if to tell him no funny business and then followed it with an eerie smile. Mark didn’t quite know what to make of those gestures, but he figured he’d better not pull any funny business and get her home right on time or early if he wanted to stay on her dad’s good side.
“You know I will, Daddy! See you later,” Gina said to him with a smile and then gave him a big hug and kiss on the cheek.
“Mark,” Mr. Doony said, “Can I have a quick word with you?”
“Yes Sir,” Mark said, walking into the other room with her dad.
“You take care of my little girl, you hear?” Mr. Doony said. “I don’t want her home one minute past her curfew and you better drive safely in that vehicle of yours,” he said, as he peered out through the window at his old station wagon.
“Absolutely, will do!” Mark said, smiling, yet nervous. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“I should hope not young man. Now you two have a nice time at the movies, and we will see you shortly,” Mr. Doony finished.
“Ok! Bye, Daddy!” Gina said as the two of them left her house.
“So, you ready for a fun night?” Mark said, trying to sound excited.
“You bet!” Gina said. “Can’t wait to see this movie. I hear it’s supposed to be amazing.”
“Yeah, me, too!” Mark replied.
“So, what’s new cutie,” Gina said, looking over at Mark.
“Oh ya know, nothing much,” Mark said.
“Well, I heard your sister came back. You must be happy about that?” Gina asked.
“Sure!” Mark said.
“Well, you’re a man of many words tonight, aren’t you?” Gina said, jokingly.
“Sorry, Hun. I’m not feeling so well,” Mark said.
“Want to go home?” Gina asked.
“Um, not really,” Mark answered. Although that was about the only thing he wanted to do right now.
“Seriously, if you want to go home, I understand. You don’t have to worry about me,” Gina said.
“It’s not that I want to go home necessarily. I’m just not sure I can sit out for an entire move,” Mark said, feeling queasy at the thought of it.
“I have an idea,” Gina said. “Why don’t we just go back to your house and watch a movie there? At least that way, you will be comfortable in your own home.”
Mark actually liked that idea. He didn’t want to disappoint her though and make her stay in with him because he wasn’t feeling well.
“If you want, I can drop you at the movies and you can meet your friends there? I don’t want to hold you back, babe,” Mark said. “Really, or, I can bring you home. You don’t have to come over and take care of me.”
“Don’t be silly, I want to be with you. I want to take care of you. Please let me,” Gina begged.
Mark felt so lucky to have such a sweet girl in his life. He didn’t know what he did to deserve a great girl like her, but he didn’t want to risk losing her.
“Ok, then you can come over. It will be fun, I promise. We can make popcorn and watch whatever movie you want,” Mark said.
The two were stopped at the stoplight in town and Mark looked over at Gina. HE couldn’t help but notice how delicious she smelled. She wondered if perhaps she’d gotten a new perfume, but felt silly asking her that. Guys aren’t supposed to notice those things and he didn’t want to come off as weird to her.
“You smell nice,” Mark said, trying to hold back his excitement.
“Oh, really?” Gina said, sounding a bit confused. “Thanks!”
“Sure!” Mark said, feeling a bit silly for saying anything at all.
The scent of her body infused the car and he could barely control himself. He didn’t know if it were his hormones raging or if it was something else. Either way, it made him feel hungry. He felt a huge hunger pain that made his stomach make a loud, grumbling noise.
“You hungry?” Gina asked, looking over at Mark’s stomach.
“Oh, yeah! Guess so!” Mark answered.
“Should we pick up some dinner?” Gina said.
“I just had dinner,” Mark said. “Not so sure why my stomach is acting up.”
“Did you have enough to eat?” Gina asked.
“Yeah, I did. I think, anyway,” Mark replied.
The light turned green and he floored the car trying to get his mind off of Gina’s scent, but he couldn’t. He put the windows down thinking it might help but that didn’t help either.
“Mark, are you ok?” Gina asked.
“Why?” Mark asked.
“It’s freezing out!” Gina replied. “What are you doing?”
“I’m sweating, I’m not sure what’s happening!” Mark said, getting all hyped up.
Gina leaned over and put her hand on Mark’s neck and then put her hand on his forehead. Mark couldn’t help but to put his tongue out and take a small lick of her skin as she moved her hand up to his forehead. She didn’t even notice he did so.
“You feel cold,” Gina said. “Are you sure you’re feeling hot?”
“Stop questioning me!” Mark yelled. “I know how I’m feeling.”
“Geez, no need to get upset, Mark. I was just trying to help.”
“Well you’re not helping me! You’re making it worse,” Mark snapped.
He couldn’t believe what was happening and he couldn’t believe this temper that was coming out of him. It was completely out of character for him, and he didn’t know what to do about it. He couldn’t control himself despite how much he tried.
“Who are you?” Gina said. “I feel like I don’t even know you.”
“I don’t know myself right now,” Mark said, as he pulled up to another red light on the outskirts of town. He looked around and realized he was the only car on the road. It was a desolate part of town, and he knew this was his opportunity. He knew he had to seize on his feeling and on his cravings for Gina. He hated to do this to her, but at the same time, he knew he had to. He knew the only way to find out what was really going on was to give in and taste her. To taste her blood and flesh.