Blood & Secrets: The Night Movers Vampire Series Book 2

by Helen Bright

  “I do not find that one as funny as the other jokes,” he said shaking his head.

  “They’re both really good, Gregor,” I laughed. Then I noticed Josh in the doorway watching us. Gregor stood up and gave me a kiss on the top of my head.

  “Goodnight my Keeley. I will watch this comedian again on the internet another time, and I will see if I can make sense of his repetitive words. I do not like to think I cannot ‘get the joke.’ I will see you in the morning. And goodnight to you, Joshua. I have told Keeley that she can have the room next to mine tonight if she wants.”

  Josh stared at me open mouthed. I ignored him, took the TV off pause and resumed watching. He came and sat down next to me on the sofa and sighed heavily.

  “I’m sorry, Keeley. So fucking sorry for my words and actions today, you didn’t deserve any of it and neither did Dan. I called him and apologised. Both he and Freya have forgiven me, and I hope you will too.”

  I put the TV back on pause and turned to look at him.

  “Josh, I don’t know what to say to you tonight. I’m still a little hurt that you carried on like that, but I appreciate your apology, and I’m glad you apologised to Dan and Freya.”

  He held my left hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the centre stone of my engagement ring.

  “Don’t move bedrooms tonight Keeley. Stay with me, please. I don’t ever want to spend a night without you if we can help it. Obviously, work will mean we sometimes have to be away from one another, but I don’t ever want us to spend a night apart in anger.”

  He was sincere, I could tell that from the look in his eyes, but I also needed a little breathing space, and I wasn’t sure how to tell him that without it coming out sounding bad.

  “Josh, for tonight, I want to sleep on my own. I have a lot of thinking to do, and I would just like to come to terms with all the changes I am going to have to go through myself before I can share this new life with anyone else. Do you think you can give me the time and space to do that?”

  He looked like I had just slapped him, he was so hurt by my words. But I couldn’t back down now.

  “I love you Josh, and I don’t want to hurt you. But if you love me as much as you say you do, then you will do as I ask and give me some space. Please.”

  “I do love you Keeley, more than you could ever know. I just feel like I’m going to lose you and it’s making me crazy. I knew I should have stopped all that ranting earlier, but I couldn’t stop myself saying all that stupid shit.”

  “We’ve known each other for years, Josh. But I think that we rushed into being a couple far too soon and we made excuses that it was okay because we both wanted each other for so long. Gina told me that a vampire will know when they meet the one, and that will be it for them, but we went from sleeping together to getting engaged within a few days.”

  “Are you saying you want to break up with me?” he said, the tone of his voice showing how anxious he had become by my words.

  “No, that’s not what I am saying. I like being your fiancé. I like that you are mine. But maybe we could take a little time to date each other. I know that because I had Daisy and we had work to do that our time was limited but I …”

  “You want me to take you out somewhere. Like a night out or something? Keeley we can do that as a married couple, we don’t have to be dating.”

  “I know that, but I haven’t had much dating experience, Josh. I’m almost twenty-five, and I was barely an adult when I got pregnant. When you are a mum, your every waking moment is about pleasing your child, and while that’s a great thing to do it’s also exhausting and leaves you little or no time for yourself.

  “For the last twelve months, I’ve had nights out with the ladies from Night Movers once every couple of months, and that’s the only time I have felt the thrill and excitement of doing something for myself. Like doing my hair and make-up and wearing going out clothing instead of work clothes.

  “I have never once in all that time gone on a date. I would love it if I had the excitement of knowing that the man I have fancied forever wanted to take me out. I could take my time getting my hair and make-up just right, putting on some clothes I felt super sexy in so that I could feel confident in myself. You could come to the door to collect me and tell me I looked nice, and maybe sneak a quick kiss.

  “Then you could take me to a restaurant or a club so we could dance. You could flirt with me all night and make me feel really wanted, then when you brought me home you could kiss me for ages on my doorstep. And maybe after we have been seeing each other for a while, you could invite me back to your place and seduce me.”

  “I think we can definitely work some of that into our relationship, Keeley,” he said, grinning now as he raised my hand to his lips and kissed it.

  “You are right; it was a quick move for us. But know this Keeley, that excitement and anticipation you speak of, well that’s what I experienced every time I knew you were coming by to the office, or when I saw you after I looked after Daisy.

  “Over the last few months every time I put on my best shirt and jeans and came down to the Red Lion, knowing you ended up there after your nights out, well that was all for you too. And I know you need to do all this girly preening stuff you’ve just been talking about; but for me, you always look beautiful and sexy. Whether you are hot and sweaty after your exercise class with Gina. When your hair is all windswept when you have walked Daisy to school or when you are fully made up on a night out, you take my breath away and make me want you every single time. I’m not going to argue with you, Keeley. I accept that you need your space tonight, but do me a favour.”

  “What?”

  “Let me hold your hand and walk you to your room.”

  “Okay,” I said, glad that he wasn’t trying to change my mind.

  Josh had made sure all the doors were locked when he came in earlier, but he checked the digital security system just in case. We walked up the stairs, and I stopped outside the room next to Gregor’s.

  “Well, thanks for letting me walk you home Keeley. I’d like to see you again tomorrow if you’re not doing anything,” he said with a sly smile.

  “Umm, okay, I think I’m free tomorrow,” I said playing along.

  “Maybe I could pick you up and take you for breakfast?” he asked.

  “Yeah okay.”

  “Great, well goodnight Keeley.”

  “Goodnight,” I replied smiling.

  “Just one more thing,” Josh said as he took me in his arms and kissed the smile right off my lips. His lips were firm against mine, forcing my mouth open so his tongue could lap around my own. I felt my back hit the wall, and he pinned my arms above my head, still kissing me like our lives depended on it. I moaned and felt myself becoming wet, and he broke his mouth away from mine and started to kiss and nibble my jaw and neck, before coming back to kiss my lips again. My nipples and my sex started to throb all at once, and I tried to grind my pelvis against his, but the moment he felt me do that he pulled away from me.

  “See you tomorrow my love,” he said before kissing my engagement ring then walking away.”

  I opened the bedroom door and locked myself inside. I leant back against the door, still panting with lust. I’ve enjoyed every kiss that I have ever had with Josh, but that was something else.

  He had done exactly what I had asked by giving me some space tonight, but how he had me feeling right now, I could very easily go to him and beg him to fuck me. Josh had known what he was doing of course, and I had to smile at that.

  I wondered if he was in the room we had been sharing, feeling the same way I did. Probably.

  I had felt how hard his cock was when I ground up against him. How the hell did he expect me to sleep tonight after that performance? Well, it was me that had initiated this separate room thing, and it would do me no good to back down now. So I took off my clothes and climbed into bed wondering just how many hours it would take for me to get to sleep tonight.

  Chapter Thirty

/>   Gregor

  I took my breakfast in the office this morning. Keeley was in a much better mood today, although, with the strong scent of arousal and pheromones she and Josh left behind last night, none of us were able to get much sleep. The fact that I hadn’t had any type of sex since the week before I left Russia wasn’t helping. The same could be said about seeing the new toys and furniture in my playroom, yet not having anyone here to put in them.

  I was even considering flying out one of the human submissive’s that go to my club in Moscow. But if I did that they may read too much into it, and it would only ever be a sexual encounter for me. I didn’t do full on relationships with women; I just wasn’t built that way.

  If I had been then, it would have been the lovely Freya who would be by my side now. Instead, she had just begun a new relationship with Keeley’s brother, and I was about to call the woman who had become my very best friend many years ago. She answered on the third ring, and I could hear a child’s laughter in the background.

  “Gregor, how are you?” she asked with a light happy tone to her voice.

  “I am all the better for hearing your voice my darling Freya,” I answered truthfully.

  “Oh Gregor, I have so much to tell you, but after speaking to Josh and Keeley yesterday evening, I suppose you have heard some of it already.”

  “That you have found love with Keeley’s brother?”

  “Yes. Are you happy for me, Gregor?” She asked hesitantly.

  “If you are happy my darling, then I am happy too. If this is the right thing for you Freya, then it should not matter what anyone else thinks. Did Alex speak to you last night?”

  “Yes. Well, sort of. He rang to ask me if it was true that I was involved with Dan, and I told him it was. He was very quiet for a while and then he told me he loved me. Julia grabbed the phone and nearly burst my eardrums as she squealed in a really high pitched voice, that I was so lucky, because Daniel was one of the sexiest guys she had ever seen. Then I heard Alex kind of growl, and Julia said, ‘apart from Alex of course.’ Then Alex mumbled something, and I heard Julia say prove it, then the phone went dead. So at this moment in time, I’m not sure what Alex thinks, although I can guess. Josh rang us back last night and apologised to Dan and me, and I appreciated that.”

  “Will you bring him to meet me, Freya? I am sure I met him at Alex and Julia’s wedding, but I would like to be introduced to him formally.”

  “Yes, of course, Gregor. It is important that you both meet. After all, you are my best friend, and I need you to like him.”

  “I adore his sister so if they have similar personalities I’m sure I will like him also,” I told her.

  “How is Keeley? Josh seemed really worried about her, Gregor. He said she appeared to be drifting away from him last night?”

  “Well, I think I can safely say it doesn’t appear that way anymore. Keeley needs to make her own choices, Freya. Like you have done. And we all need to respect that. Josh included.”

  “I know; I just worry that…”

  I heard Keeley’s daughter in the background say, “Come on Aunty Freya. I want to see the sharks.”

  “Gregor, I’m sorry, I’m going to have to go. I will call you tomorrow, Okay.”

  “Okay, my darling. Have a good day.”

  Before I could think any more about the phone call, I noticed a vehicle pulling up the driveway. It was a little white van with the words, ‘Chloe’s Flowers and Gifts’ written on the side.

  I went to the front door and opened it before the little dark haired woman had a chance to ring the bell.

  “Oh, hi there, I have a flower delivery for Keeley Saunders,” she said as she walked back towards the side of her van. She opened the sliding door and took out a large floral display in various shades of blue with white accents. After handing me the display, she then turned back to the van to retrieve a dozen red roses in a crystal vase, which was encircled with a bow in the same coloured red as the roses.

  “After you,” I said as we walked into my dimly lit hallway. I wasn’t worried about the little human woman being around Keeley. I knew she had taken blood before breakfast this morning, and she hadn’t ever seemed to exhibit any signs of blood lust anyway.

  “Keeley is in the dining room with her fiancé. I will just let her know of your arrival,” I said warily. We had left the front door open, and I didn’t want Keeley to be affected by the sunlight if she came out into the hall.

  I knocked on the dining room door before opening it. Although they were both fully clothed, Josh and Keeley were in a very compromising position. Josh sat on a dining chair, his hands under Keeley’s pretty cami top. Meanwhile, Keeley sat straddling him, kissing him passionately. Keeley jumped away from Josh’s lap and turned to face the window while she adjusted her top. Josh stood behind the high-backed chair obviously trying to hide the bulge in his jeans.

  Again the scent of arousal hit me hard, so I quickly closed the door on the couple and told them I would leave the flowers on the hall table.

  “Is everything okay?” asked the woman with the roses.

  “Yes, she is just finishing something and will be along shortly,” I said as I made my way over to the front door and closed it.

  I put the display I carried on the hall table then took the roses from the woman and placed them alongside.

  “I’m Chloe,” she said as she held out her hand for me to shake.

  I took her hand in mine and felt a burst of heat rising inside me as I did so.

  “I am Gregor Antonov,” I told her when I finally found my voice.

  “Is this your home, Gregor?”

  “Yes. I am having it renovated, so I have a place to stay when I am over here for business.”

  “Oh, I read about you in the local paper. You are the Russian billionaire everyone’s talking about.”

  I was trying to concentrate on her words but the perfume she was wearing distracted me.

  “Your scent is intoxicating, Chloe. What perfume are you wearing?” I asked.

  “I’m not wearing any perfume,” she said with a blush. “It must be the aroma from all the flowers and candles in my shop.”

  I studied her for a moment. Chloe was short in height, about five foot four in the flat summer sandals that she wore. She was very curvy, although wider at the hip than the bust. But they were still much more than a handful. She wore stonewashed jeans with a navy blue v necked t-shirt that showed off her ample cleavage.

  Chloe blushed at my open appraisal of her body, and the blush carried on from her cheeks to her chest. The pink of the blush suited her pale skin tone. She had that Celtic look about her, with dark brown hair cut in a short style and tucked around her ears. Chloe’s eyes were an amazing blue-green in colour, like the sea around the coves in Cyprus. Her lips were full and seemed to be coated with a natural coloured gloss, though I feel red would have looked better. Her nose was covered in a smattering of freckles, making her appear younger than she probably was.

  All in all, she was someone that shouldn’t stand out in a crowd looks wise, but there was something about her that I found intriguing. Her beauty was natural, earthy but definitely feminine.

  Chloe was a little too voluptuous than she should be for her height, not something I was used to. The women who attended my club were generally lithe and firm, which helped them keep in a bound position for longer. But for some reason, I wanted to feel the swell of her soft shapely breasts when they were bound in leather.

  “My business card,” she said, handing me the white card with a fancy floral pattern, and then, “I hope Keeley likes the flowers.” Chloe smiled at me then took hold of the door handle.

  I didn’t want her to leave, not yet anyway. I wanted to look upon this curvy woman for a little while longer.

  “Chloe, if you are not in any hurry, could I take you on a tour around my home so that you can design some displays for a few of the rooms. I assume you did the beautiful arrangements for Keeley?”

 
“Yes, I did the arrangements, and I do have a little time. What kind of arrangements do you have in mind?” she asked, taking a small writing pad and pencil out of her back pocket.

  “Nothing too feminine in colour, just something to – how does my decorator put it? - Oh yes, ‘accent the rooms.’ If you get to know the rooms and do a few displays for them every two weeks or so when I am in England, I think that would be enough. Of course, If I am to host a gathering here I would want more displays that would be fitting for the event.”

  “Of course,” she said scribbling down a few notes, her blush from earlier gone. I liked the pink hue, so I decided to encourage a little more of it, as I placed my palm at the bottom of her back to guide her through to my study.

  I leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Of course this is a very manly space, can you think of any special touches you could offer me in this room?” I let my breath coast over her ear and the side of her neck before standing up straight again.

  “Well,” she began, but stopped to swallow nervously.

  “The tones in here are very neutral Mr. Antonov. You have the almost hessian colour of the walls, the oak of your desk and bookcases, and the tan leather of your chair. I think keeping the theme neutral would work best. We could use terracotta colours in the flowers, maybe carnations and gerberas, along with twigs and maybe some ferns to bring out the green of your desk lamp. I can supply a coloured vase, in a brown shade or dark green. And I could also supply you with fragrant decorative candles with a manly smell, such as sandalwood,” she said writing something down on her notepad.

  “I like those suggestions very much, Chloe, and call me Gregor, please. When women call me Mr. Antonov it makes me feel old,” I smiled.

  “You are definitely not old, Gregor,” Chloe said, and there was that shy blush again.

  If she only knew how old I was. I was nearly forty-seven in human years when I took the blood and became immortal, but that was over five hundred years ago.