ROMANCE: Paranormal Romance: The Valley (Book One) (Fun, Sexy, Mature Young Adult Vampire Shape Shifter Romance)

by Charlotte Swanpol

  On the other, and this was my mamma’s wisdom talking to me from beyond the grave, would there be consequences? My mamma taught me that nature was not to be disturbed, that we should live in harmony with the environment. Who knew what the end result would be if you used natural resources like mad, all while blowing smoke into the air?

  It was a fascinating turn, and I was interested to see how it would go.

  “I’m in the middle of negotiations with this town. If the town comes through, I shall build oil rigs across the town, as well as a few factories. No worries, though. I promise that these will not collide with your farms or other buildings. Some tycoons will tear down farms and evict people from their homes just to build a factory, but I believe that this is wrong.”

  Everyone nodded. “How do we know you’re not lying?” one asked.

  Ashton smiled. “Because I wouldn’t want someone to do that to me, so why should I do that to someone else?”

  They all began talking amongst themselves again. This process repeated for almost an hour, with many back and forths between peasant and aristocrat. He ended it by saying he only hopes for the best in America, and then he left the stage, his bodyguards escorting him. Some applauded, and others booed. The crowd broke away, and then I was left scratching my head.

  I still didn’t know what to think of Ashton. He was quite good looking, he seemed charismatic and well-intentioned. But so was a politician. I didn’t know the real Ashton, nor would I probably ever.

  With the crowd thinning, I wondered where I should go next. The speech was less thrilling and instead more interesting. The craving for excitement was that of a ravenous beast, and I needed some way to nourish it. But how?

  I walked for a bit, and then I noticed the saloon. Gary’s Grubby Saloon, the wooden sign read. I’ve been here a few times, but I thought the place would be a bit more packed since all the talk of the town would be about Ashton. Would he be good for this town, or would he be a bust? It would be interesting to hear about.

  I walked into the saloon, and sure enough, it was packed. Tough cowboys were playing poker on the table as the servers gave them full glasses of beer. A Gypsy danced on stage, all while two people fought over the last cup of ale. There were even other black people in the saloon. As for me, I found a nearby seat at the bar. The gray-haired bartender asked me what I wanted.

  “Just give me an apple cider,” I said. “Not too much on drinking.”

  The bartender spoke. “I love your type. Some will condemn you for not wanting to get drunk, but that means less struggle for me. I don’t have to ask you to leave because you’re too much of a drunkard.

  He poured me a cider, and I sipped on it. As I did, someone to the right of me made a “Hmm.”

  I turned to my right. The man in front of me nodded. “A woman who stays sober. I like that.”

  This man had has dark hair in a mess, along with his mustache. He dressed in ordinary, if slightly torn, clothes, and his face had a few patches of dirt on it.

  At first, I thought he was a bum who begged for enough coins to fuel his alcohol addiction. But then, I looked past the dirt. I imagined if this man was cleaned up and had nicer clothes. Then, I gasped.

  “Ashton?” I asked.

  Chapter 2

  The man nodded, but then put his finger to his mouth. “Shh…”

  “Sorry.”

  This was so strange. Not only was he dressed like a peasant, but he had no bodyguards around. I didn’t see anyone close by who could even be a bodyguard in disguise.

  He looked around, and then when he realized the coast was clear, he began talking softly to me.

  “Since you know my secret, I’ll give you a million dollars if you don’t tell anyone.”

  I chuckled. “Seriously? I promise I won’t tell anyone. No one would believe me, anyway.”

  He snickered. “I suppose so. You may be wondering why I’m dressed like everyone else, huh?”

  I nodded.

  “Well, that’s my secret to being a successful businessman. Most tycoons, as I said in my speech, were born into wealth. They have no idea what it’s like to be poor or live with the ‘normal’ people. Every time I visit a town, I take some time to play the part. I dress up and watch other people. I learn what they’re gossiping about, what their dreams are, and why they fear people like me. Even though I grew up like them, I still want to go back to how I was so I’ll never forget where I came from. It’s good for me, and good for my business practices.”

  “That’s interesting,” I said. I knew my words sounded a little vague, but I really was intrigued. No man had gone so far as Ashton did, and that made an already unique man even more of a mystery. “By the way, my name is Rosy.”

  “I suppose it is. And hello, Rosy. How do you feel about my speech?”

  I blushed, looked away for a second, and then said my words. “You’re a great speaker, and you did manage to change my mind a bit. But I’m still skeptical about this new world that’s coming our way.”

  Ashton nodded. “Indeed, indeed. In a way, I am as well. I do wonder if what I’m doing is right, or if I’m playing God. Then again, as I said in my speech, every inventor probably thought that.”

  He ordered another beer, taking a light sip of it.

  “I’m just surprised you’ll talk to me,” I admitted. “I’m poor and black, for crying out loud.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “What do either of those things have to do with you being a person who’s good to talk to? Some of the wisest men I’ve known make pennies an hour, and some of the smartest minds come from a black person. I’m glad to see that slowly, this country is considering you on par with the white man.”

  I sighed. “Same. But we still have a lot to go until we’re on equal footing, if we’ll ever be.”

  “Indeed. Even all the money in the world can’t make me wave a magic wand and make all the ills go away. But you know what, I believe this revolution could help. I see blacks and whites working together, trying to go beyond the ground we’re trapped on. I imagine us making machines that can soar to the heavens and beyond.”

  He then turned around to face me. “But enough talk about me. I want to hear about you. How have your struggles been?”

  “Honestly, my life has been blessed so far. I mean, some people discriminate against me, but I have a house, a farm, and all that other stuff. But I’m growing bored of that. I don’t know if it’s because I’m growing older or what, but I needed some thrills. That’s why I decided to go to your speech. I needed some excitement, and I thought the crowd was going to hang you, to be honest.”

  Ashton laughed. “Same here. Even my bodyguards couldn’t defend me against an angry mob. But I feel you on that. That’s another reason why I like to be one of you guys. My life can be quite boring, too. I have maids who clean my house, fix me meals, and pamper me. I have farmers who tend to my ranch, writers who prepare my speeches, seamstresses who make my clothes, and trainers who make sure I’m in tip-top shape. It’s great having it all handed to me, but sometimes, I like to live the life of someone who has challenges.”

  I laughed. “You get more interesting by the minute,” I said. “I’m just one pile of boring, honestly.”

  He shook his head. “I beg to differ. The fact you’re quite well off considering your skin and the ignorance of this town is quite an accomplishment.”

  “Really?” I said.

  He nodded. “Really. I like that in a woman. You seem ambitious, and I need more of those people in my life. Even the people I associate with are dull. My speech writer doesn’t want to be an actual speaker, for instance.”

  He stood up. “Anyway, I’m leaving before people begin noticing. If you want, you can come visit me. I’m staying at the inn tonight, in the third room from the right. I do need some company.”

  With that, he walked away, and I was left to scratch my head.

  A powerful oil tycoon actually wanted to talk to me some more? I thought he was just doing this to h
umor me, but now, I wasn’t so sure. Should I go to the inn, or should I go back home? I didn’t want to ignore an offer by a rich, and cute, man, but I also wondered if he was playing me like a piano, and I’d end up knocking on a door that led to an empty room, or a room occupied by someone else.

  Well, it was worth a shot, I supposed.

  I explored the town for a bit, and then I headed to the inn. The first floor had the VIP rooms, and I went across the hallway to the room where he claimed to be, people around me giving me dirty looks. Knock! Knock! Knock!

  The door soon opened, and I saw Ashton standing behind it. This time, he was dressed more regally, wearing a bathrobe made from the finest materials.

  “I see you took up my offer,” he said.

  I walked inside, marvelling at the VIP room. I couldn’t even dream about staying in here for the night. The bed looked extra fluffy, the furniture was made from polished oak, and there was even a bathroom, where I saw a luxurious tub.

  “Your room’s amazing,” I said.

  “It’s nice,” he admitted. “I’ve stayed in better ones, though.”

  “I couldn’t even imagine.” I gave the room a tour, and then walked up to him. “So, how come you wanted me to come over, anyway? At the end of the day, I’m still a nobody, while you’re a powerful oil tycoon. What use do I have to you?”

  He sat down, pulling out a polished pipe. He sprinkled a little tobacco in there, lit it up, and took a draw from it. As he blew out smoke, he sighed. “Because you’re one of the better girls I know.”

  I scoffed. “Quit humoring me. I’m not that good.”

  He shook his head. “No, I really mean that. All the women I know I can divide into three categories. First, you have the girls who just want me for my money. Most of my maids fall into this. At first, it was good to have a harem of them, but after a while, you realize how boring and vapid they are.”

  He blew some smoke from his mouth, looking like a dragon. I muttered, “Lucky maids” under my breath.

  He continued. “The second category is the spoiled girl. Most oil tycoons I know are older than I am, and they have daughters who are grown. They want me to marry them to combine families, but all of them I refused. Most of them are just airheads, who think they know everything because their daddies are rich. A few of them know some business practices, but their practices are as knowledgeable as the man who runs a grocery.”

  I rolled my eyes, imagining a rich heiress trying to jump on Ashton.

  “It’s annoying. Then, you got the third category, and the rarest. A woman who doesn’t seem to care about my wealth, is more interested in me as a person, and who isn’t spoiled to death because of her parents.” He turned around to look at me. “And you’re that woman.”

  I blushed, backed away, and raised my hands. “I’m not great. Why are you picking me, of all people, to be interested in?”

  He shrugged. “Because I like you.”

  My heart hadn’t pounded so fast since the time one of my horses almost trampled me. “You like me? But I’m black.”

  He sighed. “Stop with that. Your skin color doesn’t mean a damn thing. In fact, if a tycoon marries a black woman, I can see this influencing the masses. Maybe we can bring tolerance to this world.”

  A grin spread across my face. “Even though I haven’t been the worst example of discrimination, I wouldn’t mind that.”

  He nodded. I continued. “But besides that, I’m not really that good-looking. I’m too hefty for your average woman, for example.”

  He shook his head. “I, personally, like that in a woman. Some of the best women I’ve known have been bigger. To me, a bigger woman means a bigger heart.”

  I grinned. At this point, I realized there was no way this man was pulling my leg.

  He stood up, took one last draw of his pipe, and then extinguished it. I walked towards him, and we faced each other. Some chest hair poked from his robe, and I realized how manly this guy was. He wasn’t shriveled up and old like most billionaire tycoons.

  He grabbed my waist and pulled me in like this was a dance. Our lips touched, and at first, I didn’t know what to do with them. Then, he kissed me. The kiss was small at first, and we pulled away from each other to look in one another’s eyes.

  As I did so, I never realized how strikingly blue they were. They sucked me back in, and I ended up pressing him against the bed as we kissed each other.

  I’ve never been too romantically involved. I’ve had a few quickies with men my color, but none wanted to commit. Some were even intimidated by me. But I had enough experience to give him a run for his money. And considering he has a lot of money, that’s something.

  We pulled away from each other, and he panted, some drool coming out of his mouth. I then pulled off the bathrobes tie and parted it. Underneath the robe, the billionaire had defined muscles mixed in with some chest hair. He was all man, and I ended up licking my lips. I then removed it entirely, and my eyes widened.

  “You’re huge,” I said. The manhood between his legs was half-erect, but already, it looked bigger than most black men’s, even. I imagined that thing going inside me, and my own womanhood grew wet at the thought of it.

  “This penis has pleasured many women, and I know you’ll love it,” he said.

  God, did I want it! Usually, I liked a bit more foreplay than what I had, but I just wanted to skip it and go on with the fucking.

  “Undress yourself,” he suggested.

  I did so, but I turned around when I did. I was a tad embarrassed, especially with a mirror nearby. My breasts were always too big for my taste, and my womanhood, while tight, took a while to reach orgasm.

  As I grew naked, I turned around and looked at Ashton. “This is what I look like,” I said. I expected him to laugh at me, but instead, he smiled.

  “You look beautiful,” he said.

  I almost wanted to cry as he said those words. Other men told me I looked pretty, but they were just paying me lip service because they wanted a quick lay.

  This man, however, I could tell was being genuine.

  Chapter 3

  I lied on the bed, and he pressed me against it.

  “Prepare yourself,” he said. My body was already prepared, but I relaxed myself even more. I felt the tip of his penis press against my vulva, and then it slid inside me.

  I bit my lip, the sensation rising up like a bubbling volcano about to blow. And he was only a few inches in. My hand grabbed his, I closed my eyes, and then he started to thrust inside me slowly, building up momentum.

  My pussy drooled as he went inside and out, his movements precise and controlled. Somehow, he was able to touch all my sensitive spots to let my body ring out in a chorus of pleasure. The sensation was unreal! I was normally a hard girl to please, but this man knew how to get me off better than I did, apparently.

  “Ashton!” I screamed, my fingernails latching onto his back. I looked up to see Ashton, who looked like he was reaching his limit. It was interesting to see a billionaire, a man who practically ran the world, succumbing to the pussy of a poor black woman.

  We both shouted, and I was the first one to lose myself. My body tightened and then became loose in one squeeze as the orgasm rang throughout my body. This sensation spread to Ashton as well. The warmth of his seed filled my womb, and he had quite a bit in him. As he pulled out his cock, my pussy drooled with his sperm.

  I usually didn’t let a man release himself inside of me. Normally, the idea of children frightened me, even though society said that I should have them. I wouldn’t want to take care of myself as a kid, so why would I want to take care of my own kids? But, for some odd reason, I could see myself mothering Ashton’s children. Although, that could have been because we could easily hire a sitter.

  I tried sitting up, but it took a bit. He managed to get me good, and it took quite a bit to find my footing. But when I did, I started panting and smiling.

  “You were amazing,” I said.

  Ashton panted
as well, his penis returning to its flaccid state. “You were even better,” he added. “I can’t believe what I was missing.”

  We didn’t say too much after that. We relaxed for a bit before falling asleep.

  When I awakened, I expected to be back in my farm, into the boring world. What happened to me couldn’t be real; I was just having a dream.

  But as I woke up and looked around, I saw Ashton next to me, his arm wrapped around my waist. It was interesting seeing this billionaire sleeping like an ordinary man. He snored a little, and there was stubble across his face. For me, I found him cute like that, and I chuckled.

  He soon woke up after and gave me a kiss on the cheek. He then looked at the grandfather clock in the room. His eyes widened.

  “Yikes! I’m going to be late!”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.

  “My train is in a few hours. But the station’s already a bit far.”

  I watched as he scrambled to make himself look dapper as possible. First, he went into the bathroom, shaved his face, trimmed his mustache, and slicked back his hair. He haphazardly put on his suit as well. For me, I dressed myself in normal rags.

  “What’s going to happen to us?” I asked.

  He turned around, looked at me, and grinned. “I meant what I said. If you want to, you can join me. The speech was the last one for a bit, and I’m taking a week’s break so I can rest my head. I’ll be back at my mansion.”

  Did I want to go with him? Of course! But…

  “My animals,” I said.

  He nodded. “I got it. I’ll tell my representative to go to your house. He can round them up and take them to my ranch, where they’ll be treated like kings.

  The only connection I had to this town was now broken. This man thought of everything, didn’t he?

  I took his hand and we left the inn. We ran towards the carriage shop, some of the townspeople giving us funny stares. I ignored them and instead made my way to the carriage shop.

  Ashton rented the best carriage possible, and before long, we were off.