Shades of Red

by T L Christianson

  The firelight flickered, making Owen’s skin and eyes look like gold, his hair as black as night.

  His mouth explored my neck, his lips worshiping my skin. His light draw on my nipple made me cry out in pleasure. I tasted his neck and felt him shiver.

  I felt his desire pulse beneath me, but Owen denied me, torturing me with kisses and nibbles on my skin. My fangs slid out just a little, and I still bit his earlobe, not breaking the surface.

  “Come on,” I breathed to him.

  He smiled enigmatically and pushed me backward onto the towel, admiring me under the light of the blaze beside us. He pushed my knees up and kissed my inner thigh.

  “Oh!”

  His curious eyes wandered my body, as his hands followed. He kissed my hip bone and stroked me, making my breath come fast.

  When his mouth touched my core, I couldn’t have put a coherent thought together to save my life.

  The hot wet sucking strokes made me climax almost immediately. His fingers slid inside me, stroking, and working me just up to the edge. His other hand held me in place with a firm grip on my thigh, and I writhed in pleasure against his restraint.

  Then, his kisses traced over my belly, to my breasts, before he thrust into me. I wrapped my legs around him and bit his shoulder, drawing a little blood.

  Wave after wave of pleasure took my breath.

  I drew more blood from him, and he groaned in pleasure. We felt like one person, moving in sync with one another.

  I realized that I loved him. There was no going back.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Christmas came, and so did the snow… lots and lots of snow. We lost power, but the house had a backup generator and lots of wood for the fireplaces.

  Gabriel had gone, Flor had time off and Elaine had stocked the kitchen, so it was just the four of us on the estate.

  Christmas morning, I woke up around six a.m. The house was filled with the smell of fresh pine and coffee. In the kitchen, Owen sat at the table assembling a large plastic toy. He looked up when I approached, screwdriver in hand.

  “Who’s that for?” I asked as I poured myself a cup of coffee.

  “Jack, it’s a workbench. Next year, I’ll ask Santa to put the toys together before delivering them.” We shared a chuckle, and I sat across from him at the table.

  “Good luck with that.”

  He reached across the well-worn wood, his expression grim. “I wanted to thank you for being there for Becca and Jack when I was gone. They told me you took them Christmas shopping and made cookies with them.”

  My eyes crinkled thinking about our adventures. “They’re precious. They actually kept me from missing you so much.” I stared down into my swirling cup, before looking up again. Owen was back to toy construction. “Want me to make breakfast?”

  He shrugged. “Sure, how bad could we screw up pancake mix and bacon?”

  Later on, Becca crept down the stairs to the living room. Owen and I watched as she discovered all the extra packages under the tree.

  “Jackabo!” she shouted up the stairs. “Jack! Santa came! Come down here!”

  After a moment, the boy stumbled down the stairs, eyes wide as he found his workbench and wrapped packages with his name on them.

  The kids were wild with happiness at their bursting stockings and presents under the tree.

  That day felt like an ordinary family Christmas… it was perfect.

  My cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

  Owen took pictures of everyone opening their gifts.

  I sat and watched Becca and Jack unwrap Barbie dolls and Legos. Finally, I gave Owen my gift and watched him as he carefully opened it.

  The pile of wrapped presents was neatly tied together with red ribbon. It was black licorice and sudoku books, along with crazy socks. But the real gift was the framed photo of the kids. Jack sat on a rock with his large dump truck, and Becca wore a pretty pink dress with running shoes, her hair slightly mussed and dirty.

  Shaking his head, Owen laughed in wonder. “These are beautiful. I feel like you captured their personalities in these.” He placed my gift on the mantle.

  Then he pulled something from the secretary desk in the corner. “This is for you.”

  I took the package from his hand, and we all sobered. I knew the small jewelry box couldn’t be what it looked like, but it did scare me a little.

  After removing the paper, I noticed that it was too big to be an engagement ring.

  Opening the black velvet box, I found a silver necklace inside with a flat circle bangle. I was afraid to touch it. If it was silver, I’d never be able to wear it.

  “Wow, this is beautiful.”

  Was this a test? Did he know what I was?

  Owen stepped behind me and removed it from the box before leaning over and clasping it around my neck.

  I tensed up but realized it wasn’t making me itch or burn and sighed in relief.

  “It’s white gold. Do you like it?” Owen’s eyes crinkled with amusement, and we all admired the bangle.

  “Wow… wow! I love it! It’s perfect.”

  Later that night, Jack fell asleep on my lap, his hand still clutching the charm his father gave me. I untangled his small fingers and carried him to his bed.

  When I walked back through the kitchen, I grabbed a beer and sat back on the couch in front of the tree.

  Owen joined me a few minutes later, seeming troubled.

  I took a long pull from the bottle and sighed. “Becca finally asleep?”

  “Yep.” He took a sip of his own drink after popping the top. “We need to talk though.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Okay. What’s up?”

  He looked around the room and sucked in a breath. “Okay, this is stupid, but I have to know.”

  Finally, his gaze settled on me, and I shook my head. “What?”

  “Are you…” he pulled on his neck with one hand, “are you Moroi?”

  Surprise flashed across my face, and I laughed. “Am I Moroi?” Oh, shit.

  “A vampire.” His eyes stayed on mine, his jaw twitching.

  “Wha… why do you ask that?”

  It was his turn to shake his head and run his hands over his face. “I saw the way you looked at the necklace I gave you. You seemed scared that it might be silver.”

  I still didn’t speak, and he squeezed his eyes shut. “Sorry, sorry… I’m losing my mind. I think I need more sleep. Forget I went crazy for a moment there.”

  “Wait a minute. I don’t think you’re crazy.” I drank another long sip then continued, “Are you a vampire?” I knew he wasn’t, but I was stalling.

  He laughed and looked at me with embarrassment, letting out an exasperated, “No.”

  “Then, why do you think I am?”

  He stood, agitated. “Let’s drop it.”

  I knew this was my opening. I had to come clean or keep my secret indefinitely.

  “How did you know?” I asked, my voice soft and barely above a whisper.

  He chugged the rest of his bottle and sat down again. “Actually, I wasn’t sure. You’re not at all like the Moroi I’ve known.”

  I nodded, as sadness clouded his features.

  “I’m just like you. I don’t hurt people or anything…”

  The muscle in his jaw twitched.

  “So, you know a lot of other vampires?” I asked.

  Narrowing his eyes, he answered, “Yes.”

  I felt a flush creep up my neck, and I tried to force some lightness into my voice. “I hadn’t met any until recently.”

  He stood and paced the room again. “The things that gave you away were things you can’t control. Your body temperature isn’t quite right; you’re not as warm as you should be.“ He stopped walking and pulled on his neck with one hand. “I took your temperature once when you were sleeping.”

  “That’s not disturbing at all,” I said sarcastically, pressing my lips together.

  “It was disturbing when you felt cold.”

>   I rocked my foot against his foot as he stood still. “So, what does this change?”

  Owen ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t know. I don’t really know.”

  After pacing the room again, he frowned. “Do you work for them?”

  I shook my head. “I work for you.”

  “Chronos Corp, the vampires I work for?”

  “No. I learned of the Moroi from being here. I just…” I stood and put my hand on his arm to stop his pacing, “I just want a normal life, with you.”

  He sucked in a breath. “I need to think. I suspected, but I didn’t really think it was true. I thought there was some other explanation.”

  “What…”

  “I’m sorry, Elizabeth, I just… I need to have some distance until I can figure out what this means for me, for my kids. I'm going to book you a room in a hotel for a week or so.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut, and when I opened them, Owen had wiped the emotion from his face. Except for his eyes, which were glossy with unshed tears.

  “So, what?” I cried out. “You just want me to leave?”

  He took the bottle from my hand.

  I reached out to touch him, and he flinched away from me.

  “Just for now, until I can think about what this means for us.”

  I gasped out a cry and searched his face. “Are you afraid of me?”

  “I feel like I don’t know you.”

  “You know me. Other than that, you do know me.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut, his voice tight. “But I have kids. It’s not just me…” His eyes opened, eyelashes wet. “Can you understand that?”

  Tears overflowed my eyes and ran down my cheeks. “I love them,” I scoffed. “I would never…” The thought that I would ever harm the children made me sick.

  He nodded. “I don’t think you would, but I’ve known a lot of Moroi. That scares me.”

  “I don’t know what you mean!” I threw my hands up. “I’ve never known others like me!” I shook my head and slapped the wetness from my cheeks. “Owen, don’t! Let’s talk, don’t make me go.”

  He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “Pack a bag and let me figure this out. I don’t want to hurt you, but I need to think.”

  I unleashed my vampire speed and nearly flew to the third floor.

  In my room, I was packing up my suitcase when I heard his steps outside my door.

  “Is this really what you want?” I spat at him.

  He didn’t answer, but stood in the hall, watching me, face impassive while I heaved my suitcase off the bed.

  Once in the car, my emotions overtook me, and my body was racked with sob after sob.

  I was so stupid.

  I thought that for once, for once, I could make this work. That I could be loved for what, and even who I was.

  When I looked back at the house, it took on a menacing shadow.

  Elaine was right; this was ending in heartache. My first instincts were right; why did I ever think that I could make this work?

  As I backed out of my spot behind the house, my car slid on a slick spot the plow had made.

  Pull your shit together!

  I focused on driving and grabbed a tissue from the console.

  I wasn't going to check into a hotel looking pathetic with tears and red eyes.

  As my car came to a stop at the hotel, the other phone chirped.

  Perfect timing!

  I put the car into park and looked at the text: Tick tock! Where’s our info? It’s been a while.

  I huffed, and typed back: I’ve been sent away and maybe fired! Thanks so much for the concern!

  Then I deleted my words. I might be mad at Owen, but I couldn’t let the others know what was going on. I didn’t know what lengths they’d go to get the information that they wanted.

  So, instead, I wrote: I can’t enter his study while he’s home, I’ll get caught.

  Satisfied with that, I chucked the phone into my bag.

  After checking in, I sat in my room emptying out the mini-bar and watching reruns on TV.

  What am I going to do?

  I should go back to school. Maybe science… maybe learn computer coding.

  This had always been my problem. I’d always been aimless. This was why I was driving that ambulance… why I married Alexander… why I ended up teaching in the middle of the effing Rockies… And why I ended up spying on the man I loved.

  I was like a plastic bag in the wind, allowing life to take me wherever it wanted. Drifting from one thing to another. Allowing myself to be used as a pawn instead of deciding where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do.

  Whereas Owen had set a plan for his life. Set dreams, goals, and made them happen. I had a long life ahead of me. Why had I been wasting it?

  Maybe I should become a college professor, teaching history or something...

  I needed to stop being a waste of a vampire.

  Chapter Fifteen

  As I sat in the room, crumbs around me on the bed, all the liquor bottles empty, I heard the text chime on the stupid phone I didn’t want.

  Iona: We’ve been monitoring your location. If you do not go back to Dr. Bennett’s home soon and send us an update, we’ll have no choice but to send in another operative.

  What on earth did that mean? I had been wallowing in self-pity, snacks, and alcohol. My brain felt muddled, and I wasn’t sure if I was drunk or in need of blood.

  It didn’t really matter though. As much as I was in the depths of despair, I couldn’t allow anyone to go into the Bennett house. I tried to organize my thoughts as best I could.

  Me: I will have your stupid information for you. Keep your knickers on!

  Okay… so not my most exceptional work of literature, but I was rough.

  I rolled out of bed and swept myself off. I decided to go for a walk in the icy morning air.

  After making my way to the river trail, I sat and stared into the babbling water.

  I would have to make a decision. If I was going to leave, then I needed to tell Owen about the other vampires.

  I needed a plan, but for now, I was wallowing.

  A loud, ungodly pounding woke me up.

  I ran to the door and found Owen, disheveled and unkempt. His eyes were dark and darted from side to side.

  Thinking he was there to apologize to me, I felt my face soften until he bolted past me, scanning the room.

  "Becca!" he called out. "Becca!" Then he turned to me, studying my expression. "Have you seen Becca?"

  I was groggy and yawned, shaking my head. "No, what's going on?"

  He was frantic and sat down on the sofa, head in his hands. "She's gone. I can't find her!"

  Fear instantly woke me up, and I began to pull on jeans and a sweater before shoving my feet into clogs.

  "I'll find her." I motioned to him. "My car's iced up. Let's take yours."

  When I started up the engine, I could tell he was out of his mind with grief.

  "You've searched the house? The old carriage house? Umm, the trail on the property? Called Flor? Elaine?"

  He had nodded to all these things, face ashen. "When did you notice she was missing?"

  "A few hours ago. I haven't called the police. If we can't find her, I'll call Chronos."

  I caught his gaze for a brief moment. "I'll find Becca."

  "I know." His fingers wrapped around mine.

  I gripped the dash and held on as Owen put the luxury SUV to the test. Finally, back at the house, he braked, and we slid a few feet on the snow-packed driveway.

  I jumped out and looked around, sniffing for her Cabbage Patch Doll smell.

  "She hasn't been outside," I told him, closing my eyes and scenting the icy air again.

  "Someone's been here. A stranger. This morning." Fear clenched my heart. "A vampire."

  I pointed to where the faint scent trail came from. "They came from there, the woods, maybe the neighbors’."

  He watched me intently as I followed the scent
up the stairs, entering through the screened-in back porch of the house.

  Stepping onto the stoop, the door squeaked and then slammed shut when Owen released it.

  "It's male." I focused on the intruder's trail.

  In the kitchen, I finally caught a whiff of Becca and held my finger up to stop Owen from disturbing the air.

  "Here." I pointed to the stairs and traced her up the servants' stairway to the second floor, and to her bedroom.

  The wooden floor creaked beneath Owen's footsteps, and I held my breath, hoping that the intruder wouldn't hear us. Nothing seemed out of place in the long hallway, and there was no sound other than the ticking of a clock.

  Owen nudged the bedroom door open, and it creaked as it swung wide.

  Nothing. I looked around at the childish clutter from Christmas and shook my head.

  Her scent was everywhere, so I followed another trail, one toward the small stairway that led to the third floor. Together, Owen and I rounded the tight curving stairway to the attic.

  When we reached the hallway between the schoolroom and my own room, I knew she wasn't up there.

  "The trails here are too old," I whispered.

  We backtracked and made our way down toward the kitchen again.

  This time, I followed the intruder's scent. It met up with Becca's and led down the main hall toward the front of the house.

  I sucked in a weary breath as I saw where both trails led.

  The study. The lab.

  The old house creaked and groaned around us as we walked the wooden floors in the hushed stillness.

  "Where's Jack?" I whispered to Owen.

  "Flor came and got him."

  I nodded, trying to push my panic away. Time was of the essence. If that vampire wanted her blood, she could be dead already. I swallowed and decided not to think about that.

  I would save her. I would get to her in time.

  My heart squeezed. I might be leaving here soon. But I couldn't just walk away from this family I'd grown to love. Something intangible, bigger than love, connected Owen and me.

  I felt like a fool, loving only to be thrown away like garbage.

  Again.