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

by L. C White

  He looks at me with a light snigger. “You’re right to hate me.”

  “I don’t know you.” I keep my eyes on the path ahead. “And hate is a strong word.”

  “Look, there is no excuse for what I said to you last night. I was having a bitch fit.”

  “You really don’t need to apologise.” He stops on the spot as I continue to stride on.

  “I do,” he says, making me turn back to him.

  I just want my stuff back, and for him to leave me alone. I can’t handle him. I really do want this guy to touch me all over. It’s the most stupid nonsensical feeling, I’ve ever had. Acting like Virgin Mary for years, has made me hot for this bad kind of guy. Crazy levels of heat.

  “Do you want me to tell you the truth?” he asks as I close my eyes, my knees bobbing spontaneously.

  “Not really.” I listen to him approach.

  “I’m not used to being around beautiful girls,” he smiles lightly.

  I snort out an annoying laugh, feeling the blood rush beneath my cheeks, and over my forehead. He’s trying to lighten me up, but has only made me squirm inside.

  “I’m not like other guys, and you’re definitely not like any girl I’ve come across before.”

  My lips straighten because I don’t know how to take that remark. He’s gazing at me, and the cold air around us becomes too thick to inhale correctly.

  “I’ve seen your drawings,” he says in a low tone with lusting eyes.

  Oh my god. I can’t bloody breathe. He’s actually been snooping in my stuff. He’s seen things no one else has. Oh fuck, he probably thinks I’m a slut or something. I can’t be near him. I don’t give a shit that he has my father’s expensive equipment. He can damn well keep it. I’m now dashing down the path to get away from him.

  “Maeve, hold on!” He’s at my side, juggling the equipment in one arm, gripping onto the sleeve of my coat. “It was an accident. I picked your stuff up, and they just fell out of the folder.”

  I can’t look at him. My heart is racing and I’m mortified. Accident or not, I’m so angry at myself. I wish I’d never brought the damn thing with me. My eyes are on his dirty trainers, searing with a shameful glaze.

  “Maeve, you’re really talented.”

  “Oh god, this is so ridiculous,” I say to his feet. “Bet you’re loving this.”

  “No.” He removes his hand from my sleeve, and takes a step back. “You really need to rethink your career. You should have your pictures hung in art galleries.”

  Wow, I think he really does like them. I gradually raise my eyes to his. I’m blushing, no, I’m seething, plucking up the courage to say something cordial.

  “I don’t know whether to thank you or hit you,” I say in a whisper.

  “How about both,” he grins.

  My head is yelling, ‘kiss me, kiss me.’ He has my hormones on fire. His eyes slim and he clears his throat with a noticeable swallow.

  “As soon as I’m being honest,” he says as I hold my breath. “I don’t know why, but I like you. A lot.”

  I’m stumped. Does he like me because he’s seen my drawings and thinks I have a dirty mind? Does he think I’m easy? I’m here to do a job. This has to stop. I’ve never fraternised with clients. To be frank, virgins don’t fraternise. I don’t bloody know how to.

  “I wanted to kiss you after I made you crash into that tree, for fuck sake,” he says in frustration, getting angry with the tripod that keeps slipping from his grip. “Weird, I know, but still I want to kiss you.”

  He gives up and drops all my equipment on the ground as my mouth and eyes gape open. He steps over the tripod to stand over me.

  “I’m different, Maeve. And you, for some messed up reason are driving me nuts.”

  Even though every inch of my body wants to leap at him, I don’t. Surely this is not normal. No man has ever just blurted out feelings to me before. I feel like this is a prank, and he’s just going to laugh at me if I tell him my true thoughts; that he’s totally welcome to my body, and I’d like him to be my first.

  “Maeve, you think I’m crazy. You think I’m a dick. And there are things I cannot tell you about me,” he says. “About my family.” I gulp down as he soaks my nerves up like a sponge. “But I still need this.”

  His hand reaches out to the side of my face and I flinch back. He hovers out his fingers however, and now they slip over the side of my neck, softly. I shut my eyes, exhaling aloud. I feel his lips touch mine. I’m physically shaking, not with aversion, but excitement. Blood rushes to unused and deep areas inside me. This is not the kiss of a liar. It’s a kiss of true seduction. Like in my drawings. My fantasies.

  My phone starts to ring in my pocket, and in shock, I thrust myself away from him. That self-doubt about my lack of experience, has stopped the need, abruptly. Shit. I’m so fuckin dumb. I can’t let this happen.

  “I’m… I’m sorry.” I pull my phone out as it stops ringing, to see Dad’s missed call. “I have to go… I have to…” I point and begin to jog toward the house.

  Fuckity-fuck. I feel like I’m going to cry. I can’t work here any longer. I’ll quit my job. I don’t care about my dad’s stupid business. Keeping my sanity is more important, and being sane around Daniel is impossible.

  ***

  I make it back to the house. Thankfully he hasn’t caught up to me. As I near the door, Liz emerges. She’s looking at me as though she knows what has just happened, and is extremely disappointed. To have a girl the same age as me, scowling like my mother would, is freaking me out.

  “Is everything okay, Maeve?” She crosses her arms over her green blouse.

  “Yep, fine.” I look behind me to make sure he’s not there.

  “Your new car is parked at the side of the house,” she says. “Want to take a look?”

  My eyes stay on her for a moment and I see something bizarre, a total blackness flickering across her pupils. Very weird and fast, like the rapid blink of a reptile. It must be the lighting out here, playing tricks on me. It has to be.

  “Err… maybe later. I’ve just about finished, so I’m going to sort out my things, and… and…” I step by her and head to the stairs. “I’ll get going. My father will call you to finalise everything else.”

  I think I flew up that staircase without actually touching the floor, and now I’m gasping with my back against the door. What the hell is wrong with me? More importantly, what is wrong with these people? I’m so freaked-out I don’t even care that I have a brand spanking new car outside. I think I’ll feel more at ease calling a damn taxi.

  Chapter 7: Honesty Sucks

  Daniel

  I can’t believe she has actually gone ahead, and dragged that witch here, when I told her no. This is all I fuckin need. I drop Maeve’s equipment at the bottom of the stairs, and look through into the kitchen to see, Liz and Gwen, sitting there like nosy do-gooders, discussing me.

  “Where have you been?” Adrien asks. “No good having a cell phone if you’re not going to use the damn thing.” He slams my iPhone on the dresser by the stairs. “And what have you said to Maeve? She’s in a rush to get out of here.”

  “Nothing!”

  “Can’t be helped,” Gwen calls over, her white eyes dazzle over the rim of her huge shades. “She’s a Muse. She’ll probably never even know it, but strange folk like you will be drawn to her, and vice versa. She’s a talented magnet for strange.”

  She says shit like that so casually. Every time I see her she’s all myths and legends. Just for once in my life, I’d like to talk about a ballgame, or something dull, like the crappy weather in this country. But no, my life consists of fuckin tarot cards, spells, and frigging blood bag deliveries. All I want to do is clear the air with Maeve. But no, I’m going to have to listen to a load of bullshit voodoo instead.

  “Daniel,” Gwen says in a warning tone. “It was only a matter of time before the Dhampir showed up in you again. You need to learn how to control it, now it’s grown in you.”
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br />   Adrien takes my bicep in a firm grip. “A word please.”

  I shake him off, then follow him into the gym. I’d rather listen to the mother of all lectures than have my cards read, inhaling that shit incense Gwen uses, which clogs up my throat.

  I watch his sneakers pacing up and down, wishing he’d just spit it out. I know he’s going to tell me I need help. I know he’s going to call me an ungrateful dick. And I know he’s going to say I should think about Liz in all this.

  “Will you not talk to me?”

  Okay. Wasn’t expecting that question.

  “About what?”

  He lets out a pissed-off laugh. “You know what. You talk to Nathan. You’ve probably told that girl upstairs more than you have told me.”

  “There is nothing to talk about… I’m fine.”

  “No you’re not. And if you don’t start talking, it’s only going to screw you up more,” he blows out. “Believe me, I know.” I shake my head down at the floor, hating the look on his face. “Look, I want nothing more than to see you fly the nest, get the girl, and be happy. But face facts Daniel, to get any of those things, you can’t battle your demons alone.”

  “I told you, I’m fine,” I say in a more placid tone. “I just don’t need to be bombarded with your worry. Treat me like you would any of the other coven members. I’m trying real hard to get a handle on things, and I need space.”

  He walks right up to me with a cocked brow. “And what about the girl?”

  “I’m not going to eat her… I like her,” I admit.

  “Because she’s a virgin?”

  I open my mouth with a gut sinking burning shame, firing up my insides. I had no fuckin idea, and I’d have never even guessed, not with those near pornographic drawings of hers.

  “How the hell do you know that?”

  “Your mom told me,” he says.

  “And how the hell does she…” I shut my mouth for a second, nodding my head. “Forget it. No, I don’t like her for that.”

  “Okay, you can skip the card reading,” he says. “Go talk to the girl.” His head tilts to the door, signalling I’m free to go. “Be careful with her.”

  I move by him quickly, before he changes his mind.

  With the awkward equipment balancing in my arms, I tap on her door. My head is banging at the thought of rejection, but this needs to be done. I’ve freaked her out. That persistence in me comes from Adrien’s gene pool, and even I know I was full on with her.

  She doesn’t answer so I tap harder.

  “Maeve,” I say with my head against the wood. “I’ve got all your stuff here.” Still it’s silent. “Look Maeve, can we start over. Sorry about the whole kissing you thing. Don’t know what…” The door flies open.

  She stands there staring at me like she’s planned exactly what to say. She’s making me nervous. In an attempt to change the shit air between us, I hold out her things. She scoops them from my arms, walks to the bed, and drops them, angrily.

  “Have I to just leave?” I cringe.

  “No,” she barks at me, then runs her hands down her face. “I’m going to leave.”

  I follow her eye line to see she’s half packed her small suitcase.

  “I understand why you need to get out of here.”

  “No you do not.” She laughs in spite. “You can’t just go around kissing strangers like that.”

  “We both know that’s not what this is,” I say, moving through the doorway.

  She’s staring at me in total silence, trying to figure me out. I want to tell her where she stands, but how do I tell her I’m not what she thinks I am?

  “I saw something in the bathroom,” she says, still staring. “A…” Her head shakes. “An empty blood bag.”

  Fuck. I’m going to kill Dom. He’s the only one who doesn’t clean up his shit.

  “And your sister, her fucking eyes went black. Am I imagining things, because this family just isn’t right?” She might as well scratch her head, she’s thinking so hard. “I know what I saw.”

  Do you know what; I’m so sick of hiding the truth. This is a case that requires the truth from the off. She’s not the only human who knows about vampires. It’s common knowledge in the highest places. From the White House to the Houses of Commons. Shit, they’re everywhere, making deals, and running big corporate companies. The world is run by the damn dark. At least if I tell her, this strange girl who’s walked all over my reasoning, I’ll know exactly where I stand. She’ll run and blab, then she’ll be called crazy. Or she’ll stay. Either way, there is no option.

  I close the door and hold my hand out to the bed. “You’re going to want to sit for this.”

  “No, I’ll stand.” She crosses her arms, like most stubborn females do.

  “Okay. Downstairs, in this house right now, there are two vampires, and a witch,” I say, slow and clear.

  She laughs, her face all rosy. She’s in hysterics, and her eyes are watering. It’s the reaction I expected. She’s making me smile, and I’ve not smiled like this for a long time.

  “Oh yeah.” She covers her mouth, trying to muffle her laughter. “And what are you supposed to be?”

  “The vampires downstairs, are actually my parents,” I say, my face straight and honest. “I’m an anomaly. Dhampir they call me.”

  “This is a joke,” she yells and laughs. “Right?” Her laugh dies away and is replaced by silent doubt.

  “I told you to sit,” I say, taking a few steps closer. “It’s no joke, it’s the truth. There are millions of them. The only reason you don’t see, is because they keep it well hidden from you. The blood bag you found, is their main source of survival.”

  She waves her hand at me then crouches down to her case. So I’m guessing she wants out of here. It’s done now, so we can both move on, live, et cetera, et cetera. I’m not going down the same road my parents went down. No, screw that. I want her badly enough to be honest.

  Still crouching she sniggers, then bounces up to her feet with this cocky smirk on her face.

  “Are you on medication?” she asks.

  “For?”

  “Well, you’re clearly insane.”

  I sit down on the edge of the bed, watching her. “I’m telling you the truth. Do you want me to show you?”

  Her head moves back and she frowns perfectly. “There is nothing to show, because it’s simply unfeasible, Daniel.”

  “I can take you downstairs right now, and have my parents explain to you. They’ve had to do it many times before,” I say, still amused by her unwillingness to believe.

  “You’re crazy!”

  She kicks the lid of her suitcase shut and grabs the handle. Forgetting to zip it closed, several pairs of her panties fall on the floor. I blow out a frustrated breath, trying not to focus on the white cotton and lace. I don’t think she’s even noticed. I can’t just pick them up and hand them to her. She’ll probably think I’m a dirty knicker sniffer.

  “You really need some help. No, you need admitting. A padded cell is where you should be!” She flings open the door, and comes face to face with Liz.

  “You really had to do this now?” Liz scowls at me, then looks at Maeve with sympathy. “Maeve, the door is right down those stairs. Or you could stay, have a glass of wine, and we’ll smooth everything out.”

  Maeve kind of sways in indecision. “Wine?”

  “Yes, wine.” Liz wraps her arm around Maeve’s shoulders. “Come on, you’re safe here, and we have all the answers you need.” Liz guides a bemused Maeve out onto the landing.

  ***

  I left it a good ten minutes before coming downstairs. I knew she’d need a large drink to take that edge away.

  As my feet land on the hallway floor, Adrien grips my arm, pulling me away so I can’t go through to the kitchen.

  “You really had to tell her?” he growls in my ear. “She’s not fuckin ready!”

  “Yes.” I hit away his hand. “I think everyone should know the truth. It would s
ave a lot of wasted time and energy.”

  “You idiot,” he says. “Does she know about you?”

  “Kind of.”

  He gives me this real arrogant shitty look, almost smirking. “And just how do you think she’s going to react, when she finds out that the man who raised her, is a Devotee. A fucking vampire,” he hisses in my face. “You’ve opened a goddamn can of worms, at the wrong time!”

  Shocked, I brush my hands down my face. “You could have told me.”

  “I didn’t know you’d suddenly come over all Saint like with the truth,” he grumbles deep. “Or that you’d try and get the girl into your bed!”

  “Can you not leave that part out?” I ask.

  “Of fuckin course. But she’s got the knowledge now,” he says. “She’ll work it out eventually. Get in there.” He shoves my shoulder. “Go witness the shit you’ve caused.”

  ***

  In thirty minutes I’ve watched Maeve glug down three glasses of white wine, as Liz and Gwen explain the vampire world to her. I’m sitting on the work surface beneath the kitchen cupboards, watching her pale shell-shocked face. She hasn’t said one word, and she appears to be in a world of her own. I’ve listened to the whole subject on how my parents met. How Liz felt the same. How the vampires have coexisted with humans for centuries. How she has nothing to fear.

  “Maeve sweetie,” Gwen says. “Just think of this as a new discovery. Nothing to be frightened of, honey.”

  Maeve downs what’s left of the bottle. She’s beginning to look fresh. She slides her empty glass across the marble, and glances at me for a fiery second.

  “So, what about him?” She turns away. “What is he again?”

  He. He. Shit, she asked that question like I’m some grimy disease. I huff out, trying to be calm as I roll back my shoulders.

  “You’re his birth mother, right?” she goes on, with disgust in her voice.

  “Yes,” Liz says. “Daniel is half-human, half-vampire. Dhampir.” She smiles all motherly at me. “He’s just Daniel, a part of our family, our coven.”

  “And he doesn’t… he doesn’t drink blood?”