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“Mr Knight... Mr Knight!”
Adrien growls as his fingertips delicately comb through my hair. We’ve been locked up in this room all night in our own wonderful world, and now Sara is pounding on the door, ruining it.
I slide my head against his bare chest to see his face. His elbow rests over the crown of his messy hair, and he’s clearly pissed-off that we’re being interrupted.
“Mr Knight.” She bangs again.
He peers down and kisses my head. “Not one fucking day am I free.”
“She has a key?” I pout.
“Yep. Which I’ll be taking off her soon enough.”
He shuffles to the edge of the bed and picks up his jeans. He heaves and wiggles his superb butt cheeks to cover his naked flesh. I wriggle and turn over into the foetal position. I don’t want to leave this room. I don’t want to have to walk out of that door and have the reality of what he is, slap me in the face again.
“Get some sleep,” he says, thoughtfully tiptoeing through the door panel.
I don’t want to sleep. I want him back here with me. To forget what he told me, and pretend it never happened.
***
I’M UNSURE WHAT TIME it is. I’ve been suspended in serenity and have lost all notion of time and space. It’s Adrien’s voice that eventually cajoles me to sit up. He’s yelling brash then low, like he’s trying not to disturb my non-existent slumber.
Great. Last night, his admission, it’s all returned to haunt and quiz my own sanity. I mean, Sara must know what he is. She used to be Laurie’s red, according to Dom. Which also means that Laurie is a vampire. I shudder my shoulders, hoping to shake Laurie from my thoughts. I didn’t like him when I thought he was human, now I know he’s a vampire, he scares the shit out of me.
I stand up with the bed sheet draped over my arms, thinking. Okay, maybe what Adrien has told me has to remain between him and I. The best thing to do is to act ignorant. To be my simple self in front of Sara.
I slip my black dress up over my shoulders, pull out my hair, and creep through the wall panel.
Adrien has his back arched over, reading a piece of paper on the kitchen counter. Sara aims her nasty eyes at me. I’m not going to let her bother me. I’m here on Adrien’s wishes, not hers, and I don’t really care if my presence is putting her nose out of joint.
I repay her daggers with a condescending grin and subtle wave. “Morning.”
Adrien looks over his arm at me then hands the paper to Sara. “This can wait,” he says. “It’s new year’s day, Sara.”
I hang back with my hands held before my waist. She’s still staring at me, and now everything has gone awfully quiet. I look to the window, awkwardly.
“It’s fine Elizabeth,” Adrien says. “She knows what I’ve told you.”
Oh crap. Why am I blushing? It could be because I haven’t quite registered the truth yet myself. I feel very similar when the topic of my mum’s sex toy shop comes up. Like it’s some dark secret that I don’t want to even think about.
“And you?” I ask nervously, because frankly I cannot say the V word again.
“Yes, I’m a vampire, Miss Lovell,” she says sharply.
“Sara,” Adrien snaps.
Well, I guess I should have known the bitch wasn’t human in the first place.
“Sorry,” she grumbles. “But do you think it’s a good idea her knowing all this. I mean, you destroyed the contract.” She moves by the island, closer to me. “Maybe it would be best if we... well you know.”
I take several swift steps back, ready to run. Adrien grabs her black sleeve as I recoil, noting a darkness in her eyes.
“I will kill anyone who touches her,” he warns. “That includes you, Sara. Do you understand?”
“Yes, of course.” She smiles nervously.
Oh my god. This is nuts. I’m shaking.
“Elizabeth.” Adrien gestures his head at me as I gawp. “You okay?”
“Hmm-hmm.” I exhale the terror.
“Sara, get hold of the covens,” he orders. “Tell them tonight we are holding a get together at The Mill. All drinks are on the house. I want to introduce Elizabeth to everyone.”
Coven? I thought that was a witch thing. Hell, I think I’ll just get back into that bed and hide beneath the sheets. My freaky dreams of clowns and red balloons are easier to condense than this.
Sara picks up her things and heads toward the door, but then she stops next to me and side-glances.
“Miss Lovell.” I fidget and slowly turn, ready for her caustic lashes to hit me. “Happy new year.”
“Happy new year,” I mumble as she walks away.
***
I TAKE MY PHONE OUT of my bag and sit on the bed. I have twenty-six missed calls, and seven text messages. The first message is from my mum, asking me why I haven’t called. Then another, wishing me a happy new year. There are two from Cate. One telling me to call Nathan because he’s lost it, and she’s going to Pete’s because he has kicked everyone out of the party. And the second, she thanks me for leaving her alone. Then I see his name, Nathan. He sent it at 11.30p.m. There are slurred words, well this is a slurred message. I get the gist of it straightaway. I’m a total mind-fuck. Why did I kiss him? Do I have any idea how he feels? Yadda-yadda-yadda. I toss my phone on the mattress as Adrien enters.
“You don’t have to go,” he says as I massage my temples. “I’d like you to stay. I’ll have a change of clothing brought for you.”
“I have my own clothes. Besides, I think I need a timeout.”
“You don’t want to meet my coven?” He looks disappointed.
“Yes,” I say in a deep breath. “I think.”
“Okay, have your timeout. I’ll be waiting outside your apartment at eight thirty.” He smiles. “Then I’ll show you what I do. Show you that you have nothing to fear.” He holds a tonic out to me.
I frown at him. Not more revelations, surely.
“What you do?” I take the bottle of tonic and toy with it.
He walks into the wet-room and turns on the shower. “Yeah, besides my own real-estate business. Now drink up.”
“Okay, can you explain to me what’s in this stuff?” I swish the liquid around. “I’m guessing it’s not a vitamin supplement.”
“It’s supposed to decrease the scent of blood pheromones that come from your pores. Some kind of herbal recipe created centuries ago,” he explains. “Makes you less tempting to vampires. It’s harmless to you.”
“And it works does it?”
“For me, no. You’re always tempting to me,” he says with a shrewd ray over his lips. “But for others it will.”
I go silent. I have to. All this is too much to take in. He wants to introduce me to all his vampire friends. Shit, I’ll be walking around The Mill like a goddamn appetiser.
“I’m pushing this too far aren’t I?” He sighs, noting my lack of enthusiasm as he sits down beside me.
“You think.” I grin faintly.
He lifts me onto his lap so I’m kneeling and we’re nose to nose. He places his hand delicately against my neck and gazes completely into me.
“I’m in love with you. If I’m going to be with you, I need you to know everything about me.” He kisses my lips. “Now, take a shower with me.” He beams a smile, his nose brushing over the tip of mine.
He cranes me up high from beneath my arms. I’m awestruck how strong he is. He has just lifted the whole one hundred and fifteen pounds of me, as though I’m as light as air. And now he’s running his mouth up my belly and between my breasts. He has superhuman strength.
With my feet back on the floor, I stand before him as his fingers slope around my hips. He chuckles at my amazed expression.
“Elizabeth, I don’t need to hide who I am from you now.” He winches my submissive body up again, nibbling my lips as I bind my legs around him.