Xander's Chance

"Hold that pose, Xander," the man on top of her whispered.

"Hold that pose, Xander," Laurencio directed.

Jessi looked at him, perplexed as to how Laurencio heard him from the ten feet separating them.

"Wanna see it again?" Xander asked.

"See what?"

"Break out those fangs, Xander."

Laurencio repeated the words.

"So he does what you say," Jessi said.

"They all do. It's one of my special talents," he said. "I can manipulate minds."

"And you're a vampire. I get it. You're messing with me."

"Watch," he directed. He lowered his head until his hot breath tickled her ear. She shivered at the sensation of his roughened jaw against her cheek and the heat of his bare chest. "Pretend it hasn't been five years since you've gotten laid, Jessi, and relax." His whisper was barely audible, even as his lips moved against her ear.

"Hey, pretend it hasn't been five years since you've gotten laid, Jessi, and relax," Toni taunted.

"You son of a bitch!" Jessi hissed at Xander. "It's been four, and now everyone knows it!"

Xander eased away from her, satisfied. "Ready for the fangs?"

"Secrets of a Vampire," she recalled suddenly. "What total fan girl doesn't want to be bitten by her idol."

"Fan request granted."

The photographer's assistant yelped suddenly, and she turned her head, needing the distraction from the infuriating wall of pure male lying on top of her. She saw the camera in the sand, one of the tripod legs two feet shorter than the other two. Laurencio rushed towards it, snatching it from his assistant and cradling it to check for sand. Gerry was covering up a laugh while Toni appeared startled.

"This might hurt a little."

Jessi's focus returned to Xander. His face six inches away, he was gazing at her with a strange light in his eyes, but it wasn't the glow that caught her attention.

"Omigod. Those look so real!" she breathed, staring at the four inch fangs.

Xander was silent for a long moment, holding her gaze. She couldn't see any signs that the fangs were a prosthetic. They were the same shade of white as the rest of his teeth and seemed a natural extension from his gums. He'd been holding her down when he put them on, puzzling her as to how he did put them on. They were even with the teeth around them, as if his incisors had just …grown.

Like Jonny's.

"It wasn't an invitation!" she blurted out. "You are not going to bite me. I don't care what you make Laurencio say."

"You sure?" His half-smile was back. He squeezed her forearms in reminder she wasn't able to do anything about it if he did decide to bite her.