Red Knight Box Set (Books 1,2,3): Contemporary Vampire Romance

by L. C White

  “I guess I owe you a lot of answers,” he says as I approach him.

  “No Nathan, you owe me nothing.”

  “No, I have to set things right Liz.” He’s so straight-talking now. “A lot has been happening over the last three years, and I cannot go over everything.”

  I roll my eyes at him. “Nathan, it’s fine. I’m just so glad to see you.”

  He smiles at me for a second, then shakes his head. “No, I have to. I need to clear the air. So first off, I’m sorry. My job takes up a lot of my time, and I always had this fear that if I got in touch, I’d put you in danger.”

  “You’ve been promoted?”

  “Yes.” He holds his hands out at his sides. “You’re looking at the head of the Vigore council, and head Executive, London. Now I know why Adrien always had a stick up his ass. It’s not easy.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yep. But there’s also a reason I accepted every position, Liz.” He tilts his puppy eyes on me. “So I can be damn sure you’re safe.”

  That’s it. I can’t contain my emotions. He’s done all that for us. All these years serving The Order. I grab hold of him and squeeze. I don’t cry anymore, but that lack of release only intensifies my feelings.

  “You’re safe Liz.” He hugs me back. “Your Mum and Jeff are fine, currently on a world cruise. Cate is married to Pete.” I push myself back and frown in shock. “Yes, be thankful you dodged that invite,” he laughs, “I’ll make sure to send you the photos.”

  Just knowing that everyone has moved on, has lifted the guilt I’ve been carrying. It’s been with me since my funeral. I always thought vampires had no empathy, but that’s so far from true. I feel everything, tenfold.

  “You and Sara then?” I say to change the subject.

  He grins a loved-up beam. “Yeah, she’s done what you couldn’t. She’s changed me. And that’s why we’re here?” I curl my lip, confused. “I’ve spent too much time away from my best friend, and she certainly isn’t going to miss my wedding.” I cover my mouth with my hands. “I was wondering Liz, if I could have my wedding here?”

  I tremble a little, still with my hands pressed against my mouth, to stop myself screaming with excitement. He arches a little, pulling my hands away from my gaping lips.

  “There is something else,” he inhales. “Would you do me the honour of being my best lady?”

  I leap at him and yell, “Yes-yes-yes!”

  He laughs, hugging me tightly. “You don’t have to wear a suit,” he jokes. “But you have to get very, very drunk with me.”

  Adrien appears in the doorway. He leans against the frame, arms folded, smiling. Nathan prizes my arms away from his shoulders.

  “Liz, your husband is watching,” he teases then kisses my cheek. “Right.” He claps his hands together and rubs. “Alcohol, is through there right.” He makes his way to the kitchen, shaking Adrien’s hand before going through.

  I stand in the middle of the room gazing at Adrien’s beautiful, satisfied face. He organised all of this for me. He’s given me back a part of my past, my human past, and I can’t describe how happy I am. I run to him as he walks toward me. I jump up into his arms and kiss every inch of his face.

  “Thank you… god I love you,” I gasp.

  He kisses me back then says, “This is only a small drop in the ocean for what you deserve. You have given me everything… a Son. Every moment with you is the only heaven I’ll know.”

  I rest my forehead on his. “Poetic tonight aren’t we?”

  “Behave.” He puts me down. “Looks like we have a wedding to organise.” He opens up his arm. “Ready to take on Sara?” he chuckles.

  I thread my arm through his. “I’m Nathan’s side. You can have Sara.” He leads me into the kitchen.

  I have everything I need. I don’t care for the human life anymore. Being with Adrien, Daniel, and my new family, is all that matters now. I may be dead, but I have never felt so full of life. All that counts, whether human or vampire, is being content and happy.

  Red Muse

  Chapter 1: Rebel

  Daniel

  My life is what you could call unusual. In fact, I’d say it’s completely fucked-up, weird, and a living nightmare. Everything was great back home, until my parents decided to pack up everything, and drag my ass here, to this cold, grey, miserable place. You see I’m special, so they keep telling me. I guess I should know that myself. I’ve been on this earth for just over ten years, yet I’m double that in age, in size, and in mind. I’m rare. Sought after. I’m a goddamn freak of nature. Dhampir is the term. I’m a being born of human and vampire. I swear, if I had a dime for every time I’ve heard the words, ‘Daniel, it is important to stay off the radar. Don’t get in with the vampire crowd. Watch your back and keep your mouth shut.’ I’d be a billionaire and wouldn’t be here in this shithole. Don’t get me wrong, my parents have always been open with me about the past. But when Adrien pulled some strings to get me into college, and offered me a taste of normality, I didn’t expect that six months later, I’d be here in the UK.

  College was freaking awesome. The girls even better. No one had a clue what I was. I partied hard and study went out of the window. Spending all my life cooped up in home-school, had given me a rebellious streak. The only reason Adrien got me a place at Northwest College in Wyoming, is because my growth had come to a stop, and I was desperate to breakout. He thought it would be good for me to have the freedom I’d missed out on, and was worried I’d rebel and do a runner, if I wasn’t given the choice. Now I wish he hadn’t bothered. I’ve had a taste of humanity, and it’s been taken off me because of some leggy blonde Vigore.

  “Daniel!”

  Liz just leave me alone. I’ve found a dark area I can hide in like Quasimodo. All I need is a bell to frigging swing on.

  “Daniel.” She comes up into the attic, regardless of me ignoring her.

  I don’t mean to be all dicky about this. I understand what they’ve been through for their love, and for me. But jeez, does a moment to wallow in self-pity mean nothing to them. I need out of this godforsaken country.

  “I have a box of your things,” she says, as I continue to blank her.

  I pull my baseball glove out of a box of my memorable junk. Dom gave it me for my birthday. My fourth/eighth birthday.

  “I’ll leave it here,” she says in that, ‘please talk to me tone.’

  My eyes stay on the box, but I can see her in my side view. She’s doing that motherly fretting thing, hovering around me, and it’s pissing me off. No one has a clue how fuckin hard this is for me. I mean I look the same age as my parents, and it’s hard work to keep up this pretence that everything is fine. I’m not like them. I’m not like no one. I have no identity because I’m the only one of my kind.

  I close my eyes, squeezing the baseball glove with my fingers until they burn. The pain is back, and I’m trying my damn best to keep the fury inside. My chin drops to my chest, to hide my demon from Liz. She is aware of these sudden screwed-up attacks I keep getting, and she’ll only make it worse if she fusses. It’s the strangest sensation, almost powerful. It’s rage, but with it comes this overwhelming knowledge of the world, like I’ve been here before, lived through every era. It makes me hurt, in a good way. It makes me feel invincible.

  “Daniel, you having one of your funny moments?” her voice is almost a fearful whisper.

  Holding back the grunts, I drop the baseball glove and turn to her. “No… Liz.”

  The look in her eyes cools me a little. The disappointment on her face has guilt filling my chest. I can’t call my mom, mom. Now she’s my goddamn sister. And Dad, well, he kind of likes the fact his son is now more his younger brother. I’m so sick of what I am. I’m sick of being told what to do, and who I can spend time with. I’m sick of being labelled special, when to be frank, there is fuck all special about me. I can’t flit like my parents. I can’t heal. And the special gifts I had when I was born, reading people, being able
to influence thoughts, well, they all vanished years ago. All I was left with, was this frigging speed ageing, and now these Hulk like episodes. My life is like a messed up version of a backward Benjamin Button. And to top off this shit life trip, I’m in Killiecrankie. Killie-freaking-crankie.

  “Daniel, I know this is all strange for you, but just give it some time,” she says. “None of us want to be here, and it’s only for a few weeks, until your dad has cleared the air with the Vigore council, and sold this place.”

  I nudge the box across the square table, hard. I don’t want to hear this. I know it’s my fault we had to up sticks and leave. I knew Jessica was Vigore, she fuckin told me. We’d been seeing each other for a few week, and she thought Adrien and Liz had adopted me: a poor human orphan. I thought it was a good cover story at the time. Looking back, I was thinking with my dick.

  I took her to my bed, and as things got heated, my pendant was ripped off my neck. She jumped off me like a fire poker had been shoved up her ass. Then Adrien just had to barge in. Jessica screamed at me, asking me what I was, as he guided her naked butt away, coming up with some lie to hide the truth. Now I have the talisman symbol that’s supposed to protect me, tattooed on my damn chest. So I don’t need to listen to how Adrien is fixing my mistakes, covering our tracks. Because I know it’s my fault we’re here.

  “Liz, why here; why not another State? Adrien has an apartment in New York.”

  “The council is based in London, and he has business to attend to. You know all this.”

  “Why couldn’t I go with him? I fuckin hate this place.”

  She shakes her head at me. “You know why.” She huffs and puffs. “The whole Jessica incident has been kept under wraps, thanks to your dad. He needs to make sure the lid is kept on it.”

  “He’s not my dad,” I snap. “Jeez, I can look after myself. I’m not Meredith. Do you think I’m going to rip some virgin off the street, drink her blood, and go all Dracula on your ass?”

  “God, you’re being such an ungrateful shit.”

  I smirk, “I’m being rational. I mean, I look the same age as you, how long do you think I can stick around and be told what to do. I’m not a fuckin kid anymore.”

  “First off, you may have grown up quickly, but you are still my son.” She’s real pissed at me now. “We don’t feel obligated to protect you. We love you. You want to be all grown up, then act it. We’ve sacrificed everything to hide what you are.”

  “Yeah,” I bite down and inhale. “And don’t I know it.”

  I hear her apologetic outbreath. “Daniel, I didn’t mean it like that. Look, was your life not good before Jessica? You can live a normal life, and your dad and I will do everything we can, to make sure that happens. But you have to be careful. We were warned by Demetrius, and he’s not the kind of vampire you don’t listen to. He gave us a chance, so we do everything he asked, and blend in.”

  I turn back to my box of knickknacks. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. The only thing I want to do, is get the hell out of this house.

  “Daniel, I don’t want to be here anymore than you. This place has memories, some good, some not so much. It reminds me of my family; my human family.” The sadness in her voice has me turn to face her. “So just for now, deal with this.”

  ***

  I sneak out of the front door, zipping up my hoody as the chilly wind hits my neck. This shitty weather makes me even more depressed.

  The headlights of Dom’s Porsche flick on as I approach. This is the only thing he came here for, so he could have it taken out of storage.

  He walks around his vintage boy toy, kicking each wheel, and inspecting the sleek silver body. He loves this car too much. It’s been here in the UK since my birth, and every time he’s wasted, he likes to show me the picture of it, he keeps inside his wallet.

  “Danny,” Dom smiles, wiping his hands on an oil rag. “Gorgeous isn’t she?”

  Jeez, is he about to start banging his car.

  I put on an interested smile. “Yeah, she’s as sexy as the pics. How about I take her out for a spin.”

  I’m pushing my luck, but I have to try and steal some wheels to escape this place. I’ve left my two wheel beauty at home. My BMW G310Z, black and green baby, is in our private garage. God, I feel sick thinking about her not being maintained. She’s one of the first off the production line. Adrien gave her to me for my ten and a half years on this earth. You see, no one celebrates half years do they? But my ten and a half years, was the equivalent to twenty-one. The only perk of my crappy existence I guess.

  He bursts out laughing. “Yeah, good one.”

  “Just messing with you.” I pat his back, throwing him off the scent, because my plan really is to take his car.

  He leans into the driver’s side, running his hand around the polished wooden steering wheel, then starts her up. The exhaust spits then grumbles low. I pout and nod. She sounds good, healthy, and reliable enough to get me miles away from here.

  I watch Dom beaming as he pumps his foot on the gas pedal, to create the perfect mechanical sound. The growl and vibration travels from the soles of my boots, and up my spine with a tingle. It’s a sound only a man can appreciate.

  Dom steps out, leaving the door open and engine running.

  “British racing green was the original colour, but she had a bump in eighty-one, and was resprayed silver.”

  “Hmm.” I try to look interested. “So, she’s still going strong then?”

  He pats the hood. “Yep, she’s in good working order.” He takes a step behind the door. “Get in, have a feel of her.”

  “Okay.” I shrug and quickly slide down into the firm black leather seat.

  I wrap my hands around the warm wood. It’s smooth and seems to fit my fingers perfectly. I glance at the basics: speedo, oil, and fuel dials. It’s simple. No mod-cons. Just a car with an engine. Doesn’t even have an Mp3 player. But now I’m sitting here, I see that Dom was right; you don’t need all that stuff. Sometimes man and machine is the perfect combination. I really want to take this car out for a spin. I need the buzz.

  “Told you,” Dom says, gesturing his head for me to get out.

  My brain is working hard here as I remain seated, pointlessly looking into the backseats. What would get Dom to leave his precious baby alone with me? Then it happens, a spark of fuckin genius.

  His hand is resting against the roof and he’s bent over, frowning down at me.

  “Oh, forgot to mention you have a message from that girl, what’s her face,” I click my fingers, “Vanessa. Something about video calling you at,” I glance down at my wristwatch. “Well, now.” Holy shit, his eyes are huge. “She’d like this car. Seems a classy chick.”

  I’ve only gone and done it. He’s now flitting through the front door of the house. I smirk, quickly pulling the Porsche door closed. I know all about his secret XXX video calls with Vanessa. Thankfully, I’ve never had a visual, only had the misfortune of accidently picking up the gross noises coming from his room.

  I make sure he’s well gone, shift the gear stick, and slam my foot down on the accelerator, leaving a trail of gravel behind me.

  Chapter 2: Collision

  Maeve

  Goddamn hair. Stupid idiot idea. I’m going to be late, and my dad is going to kill me. I’m going to make a shit impression with frigging purple streaks, hungover eyes, and the breath of death. Halloween sure has a lot to answer for.

  I’ve had my head over the bathtub, trying to wash out this ridiculous, supposed to be temporary hair dye, for the last half-hour. If I hadn’t been suffering from alcohol poisoning yesterday, I’d have probably succeeded. But no, I spent all day Sunday in bed, feeling sorry for myself, and now I’m being punished, big time.

  It was all my friend’s idea. We went to see this rock band called, Lost Generation, who were playing at an apparent haunted pub, in Edinburgh city centre. The dress code was Goth (not what I usually go for) so I wore black ripped jeans, a plain black vest
, and dyed the tips of my black hair, purple. To be completely honest, I looked a mess, and had one of the worst nights out, ever. I stuck with these lime green jello shots. Whereas my friends, and most of the other customers, were on something a lot stronger, in powder form. I hated the music, the company, and the crowd, so much so, those evil jello shots were the only thing keeping me there. Then I was hit on. The guy was hot and kissed like a dream, and the secret I hide, my virginity, became a real issue. I couldn’t do it, lose my goodness on some dark backstreet. Thankfully, the guy was understanding, frustrated, but a gent about it all the same. That was my cue to jump in a taxi, and get the hell home.

  This is my first big job for my father’s real estate company, and I’m going to fuck it up. I didn’t even want this job. But in this shit economy, I haven’t got a choice if I want to keep a roof over my head.

  I left college seven months ago, and I spent five of those months, going for interview after interview. I was desperate not to work for my dad, and he was desperate for me to become a part of the O’Riley business. The look on his face when I agreed to take the position was infuriating. His words to me were, ‘Art is a hobby Maeve. Hobbies are pastimes and don’t make money.’ So now I’m stuck, selling properties to the rich city suits, who want to come up here to live the rural life, because they think this place is like Braveheart or something.

  In one month, I have one sale under my belt, and I can tell you, it wasn’t easy. I’m not the kind of person who simply mingles with others, but I’m having to learn, fast. Dad thinks I’m too honest, and has told me to sell properties, sometimes little white lies are a must. But I disagree. I disagree so much that I’m still looking for the kind of work I want to do. Still hoping to produce the next artistic masterpiece. Wishful thinking is what I’m hanging onto.