| |
Four days and three nights, and our time here is coming to an end. I haven’t given her a luxurious honeymoon in the sun. I haven’t treated her to restaurant food, with waiter service. All this has been for us both, is peace; a feeling of realness.
We’ve spent every minute of every day together, taking basic walks, exploring each other sexually, talking, and laughing. We’ve had no contact with the outside world, and I’m realising I want time like this with her. I think permanently. Nothing else matters when we’re like this. Not even all those who rely on me. I think my time as executive is truly over, and I don’t have any regrets about it.
I’m lying on the couch with her in my arms, holding her fingers up to the daylight. The songs she chose, sound through the house speakers as a light background music. But for me, the only music to my ears, is her heart calmly beating.
“I don’t want to go back,” she whispers.
I want to give her what she wants more than anything in the fucking world. And I will. I will eventually.
“You want to leave the world, and live in the wilderness?”
I feel her snigger. “Yes. Maybe you could become a farmer or something.”
“Well...” I instantly cease my reply as a wave of pain cracks across my skull.
She sits up, noticing a dramatic change in my tone. “Do you need blood?”
What a shit moment spoiling time for this feeling to return. Since the stag incident, I’ve been fine.
“No. I’m good.” Now I’m pissed-off because she looks worried. She never needs to worry about me.
“No you’re not.” She feels my head with the back of her hand. “You’re hot Adrien.”
I pull her hand away. “No I’m not.”
“You are. You’re sweating. You never sweat. I think you need blood.”
She tries to get up from the couch but I don’t allow her to. “You said you didn’t want to leave. So stay.”
I pull her back down into my arms, but she’s unwilling now, and thinks I need her to nurse me. She quickly squeezes out of my arms and hurries into the kitchen. She’s doing something that I despise, going through the private cooler I keep my feeds in. While we’ve been here, we’ve been nothing but man and wife, newlyweds, lovers. Now she’s the human girl, and I’m the fucking vampire again.
“Jesus Adrien. How much have you had. This was full.”
I’ll admit to myself that I have been taking up to five bags a day. I’ve gone from needing one or two, to five. That seems to be keeping the edge off at the moment. When we get back to London, I’m sure I’ll be too busy to even think about it. It’s not uncommon for a vampire to over indulge. Though, it’s not the normal thing for me.
“You shouldn’t be snooping, or interfering Elizabeth. Close the cooler.”
She takes out the last bag and comes to stand before me. Still her eyes are full of concern. She holds the bag out to me and shakes it, but I don’t take it.
“I’m your wife now Adrien. I’m not something you can keep in a pigeon hole anymore. I know you need this to survive. I know you need it every day. So just take the bag.”
I snatch the bag off her as she lingers, pulling the edges of her robe together. I’m not going to drink this in front of her.
She shakes her head at me. “I’ll go and change then.” She walks to the stairs.
I grip the cool bag, looking at the blood. I twist off the cap, but just as I’m about to drink, someone bangs on the door. No one can get through the gates without a key fob, so who the hell is it.
I screw the cap back on and drop the bag on the table, as the banging on the door grows more impatient.
“Hold on a goddamn minute.” I charge to the front door.
As soon as I open the door, Sara burst through the room like the world is about to end. Then a figure steps out from the archway. Gwen, the witch from Fallen Springs. Everything has been so great here, I forgot that when I’m not around the damn world falls to pieces.
“Gwen.” I step outside and open up my arm to guide her in.
Gwen is a middle-age witch, born blind. But she sees everything, and it doesn’t stop her being an overbearing paranoid brassy broad. Like the executives run affairs for vampires, Gwen is on the board of witches. Even though she never follows the rules.
“You should have drank that blood Adrien.” She smiles, linking up to me. “You feel like you’ve got a fever.”
“You both better have a good excuse for showing up here.” I close the door once Gwen is inside, ignoring her fever comment.
“Is that any way to greet your favourite witch. You’re a tough son-of-a-bitch to get hold of.” She plonks her carpet bag down, jangling her bangles, expecting a hug from me.
“I’ll pass.” I turn to Sara. Her heels slam down as she paces in the kitchen. “What’s going on?”
“Ben’s been taken by the vigore council. This is all Vincent’s doing. He’s cleared out the supplies at The Mill. He’s refusing to provide any vigore with blood, and has also increased the price for the sang. Oh, and Selene’s still in London, leaving a string of scraps behind her.” Sara trudges up and down, as my livid eyes watch her fret.
“WHAT.” I was right, four days and the entire chain of command has fucking crumbled. I pick up my iPhone, but my eyes land on Gwen, wondering what the hell she’s doing here.
“I can feel your eyes on me,” Gwen says. “I’m not the only one Selene’s been rubbing up the wrong way. She’s taken something from Fallen Springs. Something that her own Father entrusted to the witch’s board for safe keeping. Tell me Adrien, have you been feeling as sick as a new blood?”
I scowl at her. She’s speaking to me like I’m stupid. I don’t care what Selene took from the witches. Right now my concern lies with Ben.
“I read your cards Adrien. There’s a storm coming right for you,” she adds.
“Gwen, fuck-off with your mumbo-jumbo. Sara, is the jet here and ready?”
“Yes.” Sara finally stops pacing.
“Take Gwen back to London. In fact just drop her off anywhere,” I order, gripping my iPhone.
“You’re gonna need me,” Gwen says calmly.
“Sara, just get rid of her. I’ll meet you back at my apartment tonight. Tell Dom to arrange a meet with the vigore council.” I wait for Sara to do as I’ve asked, but she just stands there gawping at me. “NOW SARA.”
She marches to Gwen and picks up the carpet bag, cussing me under her breath.
She swings around to hit me with her furious eyes. “You not going to listen to Gwen?”
“No. Sorry Gwen, but fate is what we make. Your cards. Your potions and fuckin...” I wave my hand around in frustration. “Bullshit, are no good when it comes to diplomacy and business.”
“Oh really.” Gwen pouts. “Well boyo, I guess I’ll be seeing you around.”
“Come on Gwen.” Sara takes Gwen’s arm.
They both leave, thankfully before Elizabeth comes running down the stairs in a panic. I gaze up at her. This is not how I wanted this break away to end.
“What’s going on; who was that?” she asks.
I walk up to her and grab her waist. “We need to leave, now. Ben is in trouble.”
“Oh my God.” She covers her mouth.
“It will be resolved tonight. Everything will be fine.”
“You’re not going to tell me?”
“You have to trust me.” I watch her eyes hit the ceiling. “Elizabeth,” I plead.
“Fine, I’ll get my things.”
She jogs back up the stairs with the complete faith I can sort this out. The truth is, I don’t know where to start. All I know is, I won’t lose another Brother.