Toxic (Venom Series) Book Three

by Kristen Middleton

  “I shouldn’t have let her talk me into ordering her a second glass of wine.”

  “I doubt it would have made much of a difference, even if you hadn’t,” I replied. With or without the wine, she was dead set on landing Liam.

  “Good evening, Sir,” said the butler, taking Aiden’s jacket after we entered the castle. “How was dinner?”

  “Superb,” he replied, running a hand over his shorty spiky hair. “Thanks for asking, Dobs.”

  “You’re welcome. How was your meal, Mr. Rylan?” he asked Liam.

  “Decent,” he said, taking his hair out of the ponytail, which had gotten messy from wrestling around with Melody in the limo.

  “Decent? You must have eaten about four pounds of steak,” said Melody, patting his stomach. “I don’t know where it all goes, but you definitely know how to put it down.”

  Liam grabbed her hand. “Didn’t I tell you to keep your hands to yourself?” he said with a gleam in his eyes. “Looks like I have to teach you a lesson.”

  Her eyes widened and she giggled. “Who’s going to help you?” she teased. “Wimp.”

  “That’s it,” he said, grabbing her around the waist. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

  “Stop! Put me down!” she squealed, beating on his back.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got a good spot to put you down into,” he said, walking away from us.

  “Liam,” warned Aiden.

  Liam turned around and gave him an innocent smile. “Don’t worry. I’m just going to see if this one floats or sinks.”

  Aiden grunted. “The pool?”

  Liam winked.

  “The pool?!” she cried. “Don’t you dare! Put me down!”

  “You have a swimming pool?” I asked. “How come we haven’t seen it?”

  “It’s an indoor one. It’s located in the north wing,” said Aiden.

  “Chelsey! Help!” cried Melody.

  “I guess neither of us have made it over that way yet,” I replied, ignoring my cousin. From the laughter in her voice, she really didn’t want to be helped.

  “Feel free to use it whenever you want.”

  “Thank you,” I answered, wishing I would have grabbed a bathing suit when we were shopping. I knew the castle was big, but had no idea there was an indoor pool.

  “Can she swim?” hollered Aiden as he carried her away.

  “Yes!” I replied.

  “Would you like me to follow them?” asked the butler, watching Liam disappear with Melody down the hallway.

  Aiden sighed. “No, I’m sure they’ll be fine. Did we get any visitors while we were gone?”

  “No. Not that I’m aware of,” he replied, plucking a piece of lint from his uniform. “Were you expecting company?”

  “I wasn’t too sure, actually.” Aiden turned to me. “I need to make some calls. Why don’t you make yourself at home and if you need anything, ask one of my staff. Oh, and my cell number is programmed into your phone, in case you need to ever call or message me.”

  “Thanks so much for everything,” I answered, feeling as if it’s all I’d been saying to him since we’d met.

  “You’re welcome, lass. One thing… keep your bedroom window locked,” he warned.

  “Why?”

  Aiden smiled grimly. “You never who might try to come through it. Not only do we have to worry about Lucian, but there are other unsavory vampires in Ireland. If they hear that I have two, young, beautiful American girls staying in my castle, they might decide to investigate.”

  The statement made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I hadn’t even thought about that. “Oh. Okay. Good idea.”

  He touched my arm. “If you do run into Lucian, while you’re in Dublin, it’s very, very important that you don’t look into his eyes. That’s how they charm people. The vampires.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

  He relaxed. “Good.”

  “Can I get you anything, Ms. Chelsey?” asked the butler, as Aiden’s phone began to ring.

  “I’m fine,” I said as Aiden answered his phone and walked toward his office. “And, it’s just Chelsey.”

  “My name is Dobs, by the way,” he said, smiling. “And just like Mr. Rylan said, if you need anything, we’re all more than happy to help.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate it. Everyone has already been so kind to us.”

  “That’s our aim.” He cleared his throat. “Tell, me -do you like to read?”

  I smiled “Yes. Actually, I love to read.”

  “Might I suggest our library? It’s in the south wing and Mr. Rylan has quite a selection of books. You can also download some ebooks to your new phone, if you’d prefer to read them that way.”

  “Actually, I think I might check the library,” I said. “There’s nothing like holding a real book in your hand and turning the pages.”

  “I agree. I’m ‘Old School’,” he said, smiling. “If the ever stopped making real books, I think I’d have a stroke.”

  I smiled back. “I know what you mean. I’m kind of ‘Old School’ myself, when it comes to reading.”

  “Then you’ll love the library. There are thousands of books, many very old. You’ll find everything from Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, to The Stand, by Stephen King. There is also a copy of Fifty Shades Of Grey, if you prefer something a little more… risqué.”

  I laughed. “Good to know. Thanks so much for telling me about the library.”

  “You’re welcome. Would you like me to show you where it is?”

  “No, that’s okay. I like wandering through this place. It’s even fun getting lost.”

  He nodded. “Yes, it can be when you’re young and adventurous.”

  “I’m not sure how adventurous I am, but it’s intriguing, for sure. Well, goodnight, Dobs. If anyone is looking for me, I’ll be in the library or reading in my chamber, for the rest of the night,” I said, turning toward the hallway leading south.

  “Very good.”

  THE LIBRARY WAS massive - three stories high - with dozens of antique bookcases filled with wondrous things to read. Just as Dobs had promised, many of the books were very old and frail while others were obviously new releases. Fortunately, the books were organized by author and I eventually made it up the spiral staircase to the second floor, where I found a series that I’d been dying to read. As I was looking at the back of one of the books, I heard a loud “thud” from somewhere below.

  “Hello?” I called, walking over to the railing that overlooked the first floor. The lighting was soft, creating shadows across the walls and it seemed almost eerie.

  “Dobs?”

  I waited for a few minutes in silence and then eventually shrugged it off, thinking it had to have been my imagination. Shoving a loose strand of hair behind my ear, I turned around and stumbled right into Slade’s chest.

  “Oh my God,” I gasped, as he grabbed my elbows to steady me. “Slade!”

  “Sorry,” he replied, smiling down in amusement.

  I pulled away from him. “Don’t ever do that again!” I snapped. “You could give someone a heart attack.”

  “Sorry,” he repeated, now looking serious. “I really didn’t mean to sneak up like that.”

  “Right,” I said dryly. “That’s why you made your presence known.”

  “I did. Didn’t you hear me drop in?”

  “I heard something, but it certainly wasn’t a ‘hello’ or… ‘I’m here’! I mean seriously, next time announce yourself or something.”

  “Point taken.”

  I sighed and wished that I wasn’t feeling so happy or giddy about him being there. “What do you want, anyway?”

  “I’m just checking to make sure Lucian isn’t around,” he replied, walking around me and over to the bannister. His eyes scanned the lower part of the library and then he looked up at the floors above.

  “What is up with everyone coming down so hard on Lucian?” I asked, feeling exasperated. “T
he poor guy went home, probably in a lot of pain.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Aiden said they had some kind of altercation.”

  Slade grinned. “I heard, actually. I hope he kicked Lucian’s ass.”

  “You’re just as bad as he is,” I mumbled. “Why can’t you all just… get along?”

  “Believe me, Lucian doesn’t want to get along and there’s where the trouble lies.” Slade walked back over and his eyes searched mine. “Chelsey, what is the first thing that you think of when you hear Lucian’s name?”

  I frowned. “Why?”

  “Just… how does thinking of him make you feel?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess when I think of him, I feel… relaxed and warm.”

  His forehead wrinkled. “Relaxed and warm?”

  I couldn’t explain it but to me Lucian felt like a favorite blanket. Comforting. “I know nobody around here trusts him, but I feel like they’re wrong about the guy.”

  “Why is that?”

  “I don’t know. It’s something that I just feel really strongly about.”

  “An instinct?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “How long have you known Lucian?”

  “I just met him today.”

  “Would you trust him with your life?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Yes you do. Either you would or you wouldn’t.”

  “Then yes, I guess?” I felt like I could very well trust him with my life, which even I knew didn’t seem right. But, that didn’t mean I didn’t feel that way.

  He looked angry. “You’ve definitely been charmed.”

  “That’s what Aiden and Liam think, too.”

  “And you don’t?”

  I shrugged.

  “Don’t you think it’s weird that you’re trusting someone you’ve just met? One of my kind that preys on humans?”

  “You don’t prey on us.”

  “I’m one of the very few exceptions.”

  I sighed.

  “It isn’t like you.”

  “What do you know about me?” I said, getting angry. “Other than it was easy to get into my bed. Maybe you’re the one who charmed me.”

  His face darkened. “I never charmed you.”

  I tried reading his eyes, but I couldn’t. For all I knew, he had charmed me. Obviously, he wasn’t going to admit to it.

  “Listen to me, it makes no sense that you, of all people would trust a stranger, especially one that is a vampire. Not after everything that happened back in Shore Lake. How can you not see that?”

  My mom and dad’s faces popped into my head. Then my grandmother’s, and finally Susan’s. He was right. I shouldn’t be trusting his kind and it didn’t make any sense. They’d all hurt me in one way or another. Including him.

  “Okay. How do I become ‘uncharmed’?” I asked.

  “YOU CAN’T, UNLESS the vampire who charmed you removes it.”

  “Like a curse?” she asked dryly.

  I nodded. “Pretty much. Or, if he dies. That would also remove it.”

  “You’re not going to actually kill him, are you?” she asked in surprise.

  Knowing how much that thought bothered her made me want to squeeze the life out of his scrawny little neck. “That depends on whether or not he becomes a bigger threat.”

  “Can’t we just ask him to remove this stupid charm?”

  “If I can find Lucian, I’ll threaten him until he does. If that doesn’t work, violence is definitely an option.”

  “Violence?”

  “Hell yes. Did he bite you at all?” I asked, raising her chin with my finger and tilting her head from side-to-side. “He could have made you forget about it, afterward.”

  “No,” she replied, jerking her head away from me. “Not that I’ve noticed.”

  I lowered my eyes and noticed her chest rising and falling quickly.

  Oh yeah. She’s very pissed at me.

  “What about underneath your clothing?” I asked, trying to ignore the way my body was beginning to react to her presence.

  Chelsey took another step back from me, her jaw set. “I didn’t see anything.”

  “Sometimes a vampire will bite you in an inconspicuous area, like the back, the hip or the chest area,” I said, lowering my eyes.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, then I’ll make sure to check myself everywhere.”

  I imagined my own teeth sinking into her soft breast and my throat went dry. “You do that.”

  “Slade.”

  I looked up. “What?”

  Chelsey looked into my eyes again. “Can we be honest here? I mean, really honest?”

  Shit. “About what?”

  “Did you charm me? To get what you wanted?”

  “No,” I said firmly. “Why do you keep asking me that?”

  “Because I need to know. Anyway, why should I believe you?”

  “I would never do that to anyone that I-” I stopped.

  She glared at me. “Want to screw? Is that what you were going to say? Because it’s more challenging?”

  The word ‘loved’ had almost slipped through my lips. Easily. Too easily. “No. Anyone that I cared about.”

  She laughed coldly. “Cared about? Right. You’re really something.”

  There was so much pain in her eyes and I couldn’t bear it anymore. I couldn’t have her hating me or think that I’d been using her just for sex. It was time for the truth. “I know you’re angry with me, Chelsey…”

  “Angry? Really… and why is that?” Her tone oozed with sarcasm.

  I sighed. “Because I was an asshole earlier.”

  “So, you admit to being an asshole?”

  “Yes. It was my intent.”

  She barked out a laugh. “Excuse me? You’re intent? Why would you intend to be a total prick?”

  I moved closer to her. “Because I wanted you to stay away from me. I needed you to.”

  “Is that right? Well, give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done,” she replied.

  “I didn’t even want to flirt with Maureen earlier. I did it so that you’d think I was a prick.”

  “It worked and I do think you’re one,” she laughed coldly. “Why are you telling me all of this, anyway? What’s the purpose?”

  “To come clean. I should have just been honest with you in the first place, but I thought it would be easier if you were angry with me.”

  She stared at me for several seconds, looking confused. “Honest about what? What are you talking about and why are you playing these games?”

  “Because we can’t be together.”

  “What do you mean, we can’t be together? Because you can’t be monogamous?”

  “That’s not it.”

  “I just don’t get what you’re doing, Slade. I mean, we were together last night and that didn’t seem to bother you.”

  “I know… I know… It was a mistake. I shouldn’t have ever stepped inside of your bedroom, let alone made love to you.”

  “Did you just say that making love to me was a mistake?”

  I nodded.

  “You sure know how to make a girl feel special, Slade,” she said, her voice breaking.

  I realized my mistake. “Oh God, don’t cry,” I said, pulling her into my arms. My poor choice of words was only making things worse. “If it were up to me, I’d take you away and keep you with me forever.”

  It was several seconds before she answered. “You would?”

  “Yes.” I kissed the top of her hair, enjoying the smell of it. “You have no idea how much I want you. Even now.”

  “Um, I think it’s pretty obvious,” she said, a smile now in her voice. “Something is poking me in the stomach.

  I quickly released her. “I have to go.”

  “Wait,” she said as I walked back over to the railing. “So this is it? You’re just going to leave again?”

  I turned around to face her. “I need to dista
nce myself from you.”

  “I don’t understand why. For the record, I accept the fact that we’re different, with you being a vampire and all. What I don’t understand is why you’re having a hard time dealing with it. I mean, what is it that you’re afraid of? Losing control?”

  “No. That’s not it.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “Our lives are too different. Not only is mine dangerous, but it’s… eternal.”

  She just stared at me.

  “Do you know what it’s like to watch the people around you get old and die? And then watch it happen again, and again, and again?”

  “I guess I don’t,” she admitted. “But, what is that old saying? It’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?”

  I sighed. “Maybe, if you didn’t lived for centuries. After losing my family, and watching them die, from the shadows, I’ve realized that it’s easier to keep my distance from mortals. It might get lonely, but the pain isn’t so overwhelming.”

  She bit her lower lip. “What if you made me into one of you? A vampire?”

  “No,” I said firmly. “You have no idea how I wished that I could take away this curse and be normal. There’s no way in hell I’d ever make you a vampire.”

  She walked over and slid her hands around my waist. “But, I want to be with you,” she whispered, laying her cheek against my chest.

  “And I would like nothing more than to be with you,” I whispered back. “But, you deserve a normal life with children and a husband and,” I grunted, “a dog that won’t freak out because you have a vampire in the house.”

  Chelsey snorted. “Dogs don’t like vampires?”

  “Not particularly,” I answered. They often barked their heads off when they sensed me.

  “I don’t need those things,” she said, looking up into my eyes.

  “Not now, but you’re too young to give those things up.”

  She let out a long sigh. “Why can’t we be together now and worry about the other stuff later?” she said. “It’s not like we have to commit to each other for life, right now.”

  “You don’t want to waste time with me, Chelsey. Life is too short and I’d only hold you back from meeting the kind of person you deserve to have in your life.”

  “I wish you’d quit deciding what I need or want in it,” she said, looking frustrated. “You’re not my father and I am not a dingbat who hasn’t thought about the things that you’re talking about. I’m just saying – why can’t we enjoy just being together right now? I’m not looking for a husband or even a commitment. Maybe that’s how things were done when you first met Vanessa, but this is the twenty-first century. We can enjoy what we have right now and there isn’t a particular set of rules that we have to abide by. Today is all that matters and tomorrow is another day. Hell, maybe I’ll tire of you in a month or a week.” She laughed. “Did you ever think of that?”