Pulling away, I wasn’t even able to lick the puncture wounds. They began to close from my saliva on their own.
“You were alone on the beach this morning. You feel relaxed and almost fell asleep sitting here.” I told him in French. His eyes were closed from the high I’d given him.
Getting to my feet, I bounded up the mountainside until I came to my cabin. Digging through my things, I found a bottle of wine. I opened the top and took a swallow, swished and spit it out in the sink.
Then I threw up.
“Argh,” I sighed in disgust, splashing water to wash the basin out and trying not to look at the clumps.
Taking a gulp of wine, I swallowed and stood still for a moment to make sure the wine would stay down.
When nothing happened, I tucked my room key into my bikini top and walked down to the beach again. Thankfully, the sandy strip was now vacant.
The tide high, I walked into the water, transitioning into a belly float to look at the reef. The sea was crystal clear, and fish of all kinds darted in and out of the coral.
I didn’t have to breathe nearly as much as humans and enjoyed kicking my way around the small cove.
Heaviness lay on me again though. I’d gone far away, to the other side of the world to escape.
To escape the decision I had to make.
Walking back up through the water and over the lumpy, crab infested sand, I made my way to the porch of my cottage. I sat down on one of the lounge chairs and looked out through the trees and at the ocean.
Trying to clear my mind, I wanted to find a sense of peace.
But my thoughts whirled like a desert sandstorm.
Alexei, Aurev, Amy, Elsbet…The thumb drive.
I trusted Aurev, I believed him…But, he played his cards so close to the vest. All these years he’s harbored feelings for me.
I thought back to over thirty years ago when Sarah was just a neglected teenager in the New York foster system. Before medical school, before being a top researcher in the field of virology, she’d been a little urchin picking pockets on the subway.
I’ll never forget the expression on Aurev’s face when he’d met me for dinner at our usual restaurant, his eyes full of fire, and a small smile playing on the corners of his mouth.
After pulling off his woolen coat and handing it off, he sat and motioned for his usual glass of wine.
His expression wistful, he cocked his head, “I want to adopt a child.”
I choked on my water before clearing my throat and patting my mouth with the crisp cream-colored napkin. “Really?”
“A young girl picked my pocket on the subway today.”
“The crime in this city is appalling, why don’t you take a car? Why are you smiling?” I sniffed out a silent breath in exasperation.
He took my hand in his across our small table, and our gazes met with intensity.
“I know I took away your ability to have children. I want this for you. I want this for me. I can’t wait for you to meet her. I think you’ll get on swimmingly. I found the child to be intelligent and witty…” He frowned and shook his head, “Also, neglected. She’s an orphan, but we’ll make her part of the Clan.”
“How old is she?” I asked.
He shook his head, “No idea, but I’ll give you the name and address. I want you and Jonathan to make it happen.”
My mouth dropped open. What an odd request. The Clan did recruit, but usually from Universities or individuals who showed a lot of promise in particular fields. Not often children. Never children.
Aurev tapped his hand against the table, his ring making a thumping sound on the wood through the thick table cloth.
“Okay, but Aurev, if this is about me…” I shook my head.
Our meal arrived, and he hesitated, holding his fork and knife above his steak. “We know what we are, but not what we may be.” He quoted Shakespeare, and I laughed, thinking him silly, but this quote was prophetic at the time.
Eyes narrowed, he said, “Trust me.”
I had trusted him.
I’d found Sarah, a diminutive fourteen-year-old.
Aurev had been right. Sarah filled some emptiness inside of me that I hadn’t even known existed.
After four days, and several more paperbacks from the resort bookshelf, my restlessness had me packing up my things and taking the ferry back to the mainland.
I knew what I wanted.
Nothing mattered if I lost Aurev.
I couldn’t live without him.
There would never be anyone else for me.
For a time, I thought that the love of my life had been Leo, but it hadn’t. Leo had been a childhood romance and a fantasy of what could be.
Aurev was my best friend, my protector and the man who made my heart skip a beat with only a look.
After forcing myself to stay away, I’d come to this realization.
I loved my dark angel deeply, truly, faithfully and eternally.
And no matter what happened, no matter what he did, what he said, my heart would always belong to him.
As we neared the mainland, my phone picked up a cell tower and began to chime over and over again. Glancing down, I read the screen: You have 7 text messages
Pulling them up I saw that 1 was from Dr. Peters, 1 from Karsten, 3 were from Sarah and 2 from Aurev.
“What the?” Leaning against the boat railing, I tapped Dr. Peters name on my screen:
- Hazel, please come to New York immediately. Our new lawyer is not working out.
Frowning, I tapped on Karsten’s name:
- Sarah misses you and is making me very irritable with all the constant attention. Please return. Her constant watching of medical TV shows makes me long for the battlefield.
Sarah’s messages:
- Holy shitballs. Come home ASAP
- Also, Aurev is majorly fucked up. You should be here
- PLEASE. Call me and make arrangements to come home
Aurev:
- I love you.
- I miss you.
I smiled to myself.
Rubbing my hands over my face, I stared out at the water as we docked.
What was going on with Aurev? Why was he, as Sarah put it, fucked up?
I texted Aurev: I’m coming home.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Stepping into the lobby in the Chronos Corp building had never felt more like home. The high ceilinged, marble entrance welcomed me in.
Walking through, I stopped at the large painting in the lobby.
Chronos, God of Time (1698)
Chronos stood, feet apart, scythe in one hand, hourglass in the other. At the bottom of the painting was a cherubic looking baby. I loved this painting. Aurev had several other historic canvases in his apartment and in storage.
Although they weren’t historic to him. They’d been painted at least a thousand years after his birth.
That thought always scared me a little.
I couldn’t even comprehend everything my dark angel knew, everything he’d experienced, living that long. His long life had been part of what warded me away and isolated him from the rest of us.
Shrugging off the stray thoughts, I headed through the guard station.
“Ms. Richards! Welcome home!” It was Max.
“Hey, have I missed anything?” I used my embedded chip over the scanner, the gate opened, and I passed through into the express elevator hall.
“Nah, it’s been quiet as usual,” he replied.
Taking the elevator, I waited to call Aurev until stepping out on my office floor—no answer.
I’d had my suit, stockings, and heels delivered to my old office. Opening the door into my law practice, I grinned like a fool.
“Hey!” A voice called out as I entered. “Thank goodness you’re back!” Came another exclamation.
“Hurrah!” Called out one of the other attorneys as he crossed the reception area. “See me when you’ve settled.”
I raised one eyebrow, “Is there som
ething big coming down the pipeline?” I asked him.
He only shrugged, “Nah, just the usual.”
“Ms. Richards!” Came a weary exclamation from our long-time human receptionist. “Thank goodness you’re back! What a mess! I’ve had Barney’s put the items in your office.” She then handed me several thick folders.
Smiling, I strode down the familiar glass divided hallway and stood in front of my old, empty office. The floor to ceiling view of the city stretched out before me, filling me with nostalgia.
Slipping inside, I drew the blinds on my glass wall and changed quickly.
When I tried Aurev’s phone, it went straight to voice mail again.
Tapping my pen on the stack of folders, I dug into my work. I slid smoothly back into my job and before I knew it, six hours had passed.
Enough was enough.
I made my way to Aurev’s apartment, my briefcase in hand.
The guard in the hall was one I knew, “Hey Evan,” I called out, and he nodded to me.
Knocking on my dark angel’s door, footsteps echoed on the hardwood on the other side.
When the door opened, there he stood, eyes dark, face drawn until he gazed up at me. Closing the space between us, I held him to me.
“I tried calling you several times,” I whispered into his neck.
He wore only a t-shirt and dress pants. His feet were bare and his usually neat dark hair mussed.
“What’s happened? Are you okay?”
Shaking his head, his face pale, he leaned in and kissed me. “What a mess. I’m glad you’re here. Nate has come back and is filling in for me for a few days.”
“What?”
Nodding, he motioned me to come in. I followed him to the couch and took his hands in mine. He burrowed his face in my hair, “Hazel.”
I held myself away from him to catch his gaze. “I should’ve…”
He interrupted me, “No. You needed to go. I’m just glad you’re here. You’re back.”
Studying me, his eyes flicked downward, “What happened with Elsbet is staying quiet.”
“Of course,” I whispered.
“I won’t burden you with the details, but Elsbet is gone.”
“Gone? As in gone or dead?”
“It’s better if you not know. Mary and Forest have been questioned. I’m sending Mary to Colorado for fifty years. Forest is too valuable here but is on probation. This is all confidential.”
I ran my fingers through his hair, “I’m so sorry that you had to go through this alone. I’m so selfish.” I pursed my lips.
“No. I wanted to keep it away from you.”
I smiled, “You’ve always tried to protect me and keep me safe.” Tilting my head and raising my eyebrows, I said, “But, you’d better keep me in the loop from here on out. Us not communicating is not going to work.”
“I know. You’re right.”
I laughed, “I wonder if I should record that for posterity.”
“Never, I’ll never repeat it,” my dark angel smiled.
Pulling him into the kitchen, I pulled out glasses for us both and filled them with blood and instead of wine, brandy.
“Drink this, you look terrible.” I handed him the crystal glass, realizing that it was from the same set he’d first given me blood in.
He raised his cup to me saying, “To trusting each other, always, no matter what.”
“Trust, no matter what.”
Our glasses came together in a small clink.
After sipping and staring into each other’s eyes, Aurev set his cup down.
“I’ll be right back.” He took off down the hall. Before I could protest, he was back, one hand in his pocket.
“Hazel, I am a very patient man. I would wait forever if I needed to, but I can’t wait, knowing I might lose you.”
I shook my head, “You’ll never lose me. I’m here, I’m never going anywhere ever again without you.” I whispered, running my hands along his stubbled cheeks and kissing his lips.
Aurev broke away from me, and getting down on one knee, he held up a simple gold ring.
I gasped, and tears sprung to my eyes. The ring was intricate and looked like one hand grasping another. This was an ancient Roman wedding ring.
“Hazel, I have loved you since I met you. In that first moment my gaze landed on you, I knew you were the only one for me.” He slid the ring onto my finger, and I exhaled a sigh in relief that it fit.
Standing, he took my hands in his. “This ring is a symbol of my eternal love for you, and a gateway to our new life together.”
When his mouth met mine, and as we stood there in each other’s embrace, we knew that we’d just made a commitment as strong as any paper or marriage in a church.
…Although, I would still insist on a wedding with all the fanfare.
Dear reader,
Thank you for joining me for the Shades of Red. If you loved these books, I’d appreciate a quick review Amazon, BookBub or Goodreads. It only has to be a word or two, but would mean the world to me.
For exclusive content, sneak peeks or updates, subscribe to my newsletter at:
www.tlchristianson.com/subscribe
Or join my reader's group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MoroiSociety/
- T.L. Christianson
The story continues…
In:
CARMINE
Blood and Thunder
the tempting next chapter in the Shades of Red
Carmine - Blood and Thunder
Chapter 1
I pumped up the blood pressure cuff on my patient, Mrs. Shaposhnikov. “Your blood pressure’s been high. Have you been taking your medications?”
“You Americans are trying to kill me with pills,” she admonished in her thick Russian accent as she waved a wrinkled hand at me. “All I need is my tincture. Maybe it will keep Kira away.”
Chuckling, I stopped pumping the bulb and watched the gauge. “Why do you want to keep your daughter away? Don’t you miss Kira?”
Mrs. S gripped my wrist tightly, piercing me with her rheumy gaze. “I tell you, one day you will come here, and I will be one of them…a moroi.”
Oh Jesus, not this again. The poor old thing was convinced her family was going to change her into a vampire. When, where or how this idea got into her head was beyond me. However, I knew unfounded fears like these were common among the elderly. I just needed to distract her.
“Kira loves you,” I sighed, slipping off the cuff.
Sitting down in front of her, I took her fragile hands in mine, and spoke softly, “No one is going to hurt you, I promise. This is just part of your illness.”
She snorted and pulled her hands from mine. “Child, I don’t have dementia. There are things in this world too strange to comprehend.”
She’d had this vampire fear before, so I wasn’t too concerned, but I’d write her grandson, Alexei, about it later.
Smiling, I tilted my head. “I’ll keep you safe—besides you’re my favorite patient.”
We were in the kitchen at a small wooden table. Standing, I poured water into the electric kettle and returned it to its base to heat up.
When my charge still hadn’t said a word, I turned to her. “Kira loves you. Are you worried about her visit? She’s coming an awful long way to see how you’re doing.”
Mrs. S narrowed her eyes and grunted, “Help me up. The moment I stop being useful is the moment I die.”
I pulled over her walker and gently helped her to her feet. Trembling, Mrs. S gripped the black padding of the aluminum frame with her fragile, bony hands. I held my breath as she shuffled over to the sink in slow motion. It reminded me of that cartoon movie with sloths. She turned on the faucet and dropped the black sink stopper into the drain.
Hovering, worried that she’d fall, I tapped my fingers against my thigh silently. As she squeezed in some dish soap, she wobbled, and I held her elbow to keep her upright.
“I still need to list
en to your heart; will you sit for me? I’ll do the dishes for you.” Except I’d put them into the dishwasher when she wasn’t looking.
“All right, just this time,” she told me over labored breath as she turned off the water.
I helped her back into the kitchen chair. Rubbing my stethoscope on my thigh to warm it, I placed it on her chest. I frowned at the whoosh whoosh. Mrs. S had a profound heart murmur. I gazed down at her hand on the teacup and nodded to myself. Her nail beds were blue, the cyanosis was getting worse because of her weakening heart.
Moving the stethoscope to her back, I listened to her lungs.
“Deep breath.” I pressed my lips together when I heard the expected crackle, a sign that fluid was still building up in her lungs.
“Did you get the pneumonia vaccination?” I asked, pocketing my stethoscope.
My patient nodded. She wasn’t sick, she was just old.
The kettle on the counter beeped, and I stood, pulling it from the base. Pouring a cup for both of us, I left room for milk. I didn’t like tea, but I poured one for myself anyway. Mrs. S insisted on it every time I came, and I decided pretty quickly that this wasn’t a battle I wanted to fight.
The china rattled slightly as I set it down on the table atop the cotton tablecloth.
Adding milk and sugar with her unsteady hand, she stirred her cup. “I want you to tell my daughter not to come here.”
I laughed, “Why? Kira and her husband brought you here because they were worried. She didn’t think that you were getting the care you needed in Russia.”
“My daughter wants one thing.” Her gaze told me that I should know what she referred to. “I was fine in the mother country. I don’t like it here. Food tastes strange. American’s are self-serving and wasteful. Everyone fake smile all the time, hmmph.”
I cringed, knowing I probably fell into that last category and added a sugar cube to my drink. “I’m sure not everyone here is like that.”
Shades of Red Page 62
