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

by L. C White

  “God,” he murmurs, his hand running down my spine to my tailbone. “You have a real bad side, Maeve.”

  His hand slopes around my waist and onto my belly, when a beep sound makes me bolt upright. My heart flurries beats as his touch swiftly leaves my body. I flick my head around and frown over my shoulder, to see him pushing a button on his wristwatch. What the hell!

  “Look, I’m sorry.” He pats my thigh. “You’re going to have to wait.”

  “Are you joking?” I almost scream at him.

  “I won’t be long, I swear.”

  His face cringes as I dismount the bike, trying to keep my bits covered. I brush down the creases of my skirt angrily. I’m so pissed-off. He’s really turned me on, and now he wants to go off somewhere all of a sudden. I’m quite sure guys don’t do that. I was giving him the okay to fuck me on his bike, outside, in full view. I was strangely excited by the idea.

  “Maeve, I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

  “Well, you better,” I utter, my lust vanishing in a puff of frustration.

  He moves forward and starts up the engine as I sulk at him. He checks the time on his wristwatch, as though he’s forgotten something real important.

  “Where you going anyway?”

  “I’ll be back soon,” he says, ignoring my question, leaning over to peck my cheek.

  “I’ll come with you then.”

  “No!” He nearly bites my head off. “I’m just going to grab a six pack for tonight. Back shortly, sexy,” he winks.

  My frown follows as he rides down the narrow dirt track toward the road. I sigh out in suspicion as I march back into the farmhouse.

  I bend over to open the mini-fridge. I knew it; there is a full six pack in there. Maybe I’m being paranoid. I’m no pro, but what guy refuses sex to go for emergency beer?

  Chapter 24: Used & Betrayed

  Daniel

  I told Laurie, the only time I could meet with him, was when Maeve was asleep. But he refused and was real fuckin off-hand with me. Told me he’s sorting everything out on my behalf, and the time for fun was over. He told me a group of rebels were closing in on my location, and it would only be a matter of time before they found us. He’s been picking them off, one by one. There has been a revolt from the vampires who won’t work with the new ways. And if I want to keep Maeve safe, and my freedom, I have to follow his orders.

  I don’t want to lead the Voax. I’ve seen the shift in power, and I’ve kept my mouth shut, basically sucking up to Laurie because I need out for a while. The Voax want an end to The Order and Executive regime. They believe that no vampire should call higher rank on another, and profits from blood supply and business, shouldn’t be sent to the Nemuritori, for doing fuck all in decades. The power should be with those who work, not the freaks in hiding, existing off the backbone of others. To some extent, I can understand that.

  Even though Laurie has a rap sheet equal to Satan’s, he’s the only one who knows exactly what is happening inside my body. He knew everything: the headaches, rage, nosebleeds, and nausea. He understands I don’t want to lead. He understands that if I see Lillian again, I will kill her. He has explained that if I truly want out, he will stand by that decision, as long as I do as he asks. And he apologised for how he treated Liz when I had him pinned up against the warehouse wall. Maybe I forgave him too easily. But when he said I could have Maeve, my life back, and go anywhere I wanted, he had me listening.

  I could have gone to my parents. I could have told them what I know. But their duty is to The Order, and to Nathan. And even though they’ll die to protect me, they will also fight for what they think is right, and for me, I don’t know what is right anymore.

  I now understand what Maeve is to me. She’s my saviour, not my enemy. Since we arrived in France, I’ve been free from it all. No pain. No pressure. No hate. All I have felt is love. She has her moments of grief, quietly crying in the bathroom, and I’ve allowed her that time. I haven’t mentioned the world I come from once.

  The sun sets over the flatlands as I near the crossroads Laurie wants to meet me at. I see a black Audi parked up next to an abandoned barn. I’m late.

  I pull up before the barn doors, and I hear that bitch inside my head. Why the hell is Lillian here? I told Laurie the next time I see her, she’s dead.

  “You’re late,” her voice resounds, giving me the ultimate head pain.

  I squeeze through the barn doors. It’s dark, dismal, like that room she had me chained up in.

  I walk right up to her, and see she’s not alone. Two Sang apes, dressed in long black coats, appear to each side of her.

  “What’s this, you brought the men in black to protect you?” I bite down the effect she’s having on me. “Where’s Laurie?”

  “He sent me.”

  I look her up and down. She’s dressed in her usual whorish way: tight leggings, boots, and a vest which barely covers her tits.

  “So he sent you here to die?”

  She sniggers at me. Not the normal amused chuckle, a sneering one that indicates she knows something I don’t. I glare at her, wondering whose genes she has. The fuckin devils I’m thinking.

  “You’re taking too long,” she says. “Laurie and I have lost patience with you. So I’ve come to give you a little push in the right direction.”

  “The right direction for what?”

  Her boots scrape across the loose hay and dirt as she struts toward me. I make a fist down by my side, ready to punch the bitch in the face if need be. I’ve never hit a female before, but Lillian is not just some harmless woman. She’s a twisted sack of bones and blood, possessed by fucked-up evil.

  “You’ve had your fun with her. It’s now time to do what you were destined for.” She backs up, aware I’m going to retaliate if she tries anything. “Your first kill, is the kill that will change you. You’re going to fuck her pretty little Scottish brains out, then feast on her.”

  I snort out a laugh. She really is a whack-job.

  “It’s what you do, each and every time,” she says coolly as I silence fast. “The pleasure of the flesh in every way possible, tips you over the edge. Laurie had faith it would be done already, and he’s not fuckin happy you’re stalling.”

  I can’t stomach listening to her bullshit. I can’t even believe she’s here. She’s way too close to Maeve. This is what this trip is about? Laurie kissing my ass, telling me what I want to hear. He basically told me I’m free, and to bring Maeve here to get to know her. Has he been playing me; playing on my need to be free of all this shit. Or is this all Lillian’s idea? I’m too strong for them, and I won’t touch Maeve. He can go screw himself, and she can die. Do they really believe they can work me? They have no idea what I’ll do to protect Maeve.

  “You know what, fuck you, and fuck Laurie.”

  I turn and jog to my bike, when I’m grabbed by the Sangs. That anger flares up in me for the first time since I stepped foot on French soil. I propel my arms out to my sides, flicking the Sangs off me like bugs. Both crash into the barn walls.

  I gasp for air, my red flaming Dhampir making me twitch. I glare at Lillian, seeing her death before it happens, but she’s on me like glue. She throws me across the barn, and I land hard with her knees planted in my chest.

  My fangs are now displayed. As well as trying to fight her off, I’m struggling to fight the change. Hissing through my teeth, I watch her use her pointed red fingernail to slice down her wrist. She presses her blood against my mouth. I seal my lips tight, thrashing my head side to side, but her evil essence breaks through the seal. She’s smiling, rubbing her filth all over me.

  I close my eyes, feeling it take me. With one swift movement she’s up, flitting through the barn doors.

  I clutch my abdomen with the sensation something is trying to break out of my body. I’m not myself. I’m on fire with desire, hate, and this forceful power. I’m letting go of the light, and I’m becoming the dark. Now I know what I need. I need her. Maeve. She must see
the real me.

  Chapter 25: Evil Love

  Maeve

  Daniel has been gone for hours and I’m worried, but also going stir-crazy alone in this farmhouse. To take the edge off my thoughts, I’m taking a shower while drinking one of the beers Daniel thought we didn’t have. I slip my hand out of the green shower curtain, and set the bottle down on top of the toilet cistern. The water pressure is shit here, and every time I twiddle with the lever, the pipes in the entire house rattle. I wanted to relax, but standing in this tiny bathtub, under nothing but a lukewarm trickle, is pissing me off.

  “Stupid thing,” I grumble, flicking off the water.

  I grab the brown threadbare towel from the rail, and wrap it around my chest.

  I pick my freshly washed cotton panties up from the bed, and pull them up over my legs beneath the towel. I did give them a good scrub in the sink, but they don’t feel like cotton anymore. They feel rough, like paper knickers.

  I’m beginning to miss my home comforts, and the guilt over my dad is getting to me. As bad as it sounds, when Daniel is here, I can handle it. He doesn’t know it, but he’s kind of been my secret support. Now there is the sting of a tear over my eye, and I’m angry. I should be with Dad, not here hiding from a messed up world. I suck in a breath as I yank up my trousers, shaking off the upset.

  I walk out onto the narrow landing, fastening the buttons up on my shirt. My eyes are drawn into the darkness of the spare room. Something on the dressing table has caught my eye. It’s the edge of a jewellery box, lined with silver. I haven’t once snooped around this farmhouse, but now I’m alone, I’m more than curious to find out more about Laurie.

  The thought has crossed my mind several times, as to why a vampire would own such a feminine old-fashioned house. I’ve been in several properties owned by vampires, each one is very extravagant and modern. I’ve seen enough to guess the taste of the undead is stylish. Dad always told me you could know about a person before meeting them, by looking around their home. Maybe this house is a fixer-upper, bought and forgotten about.

  Thinking of my dad, I make my way into the spare room, and flick on the dim wall light.

  I slide the heavy jewellery box from the dresser, and perch on the edge of the pine single bed, flipping up the lid. My finger moves aside an old pearl bracelet, and some bits of dress jewellery. All that seems to be in this blue silk lined box, are cheap trinkets.

  As I go to shut the lid, I notice the corner of the silk beneath the top, has come away from the box. I run my finger over it to feel either card or thick paper. Biting my lip, I tug the silk lining back, to find an envelope. I know it’s wrong to read a person’s personal correspondence. But fuck it, who’s going to know.

  I pull the folded letter out of the envelope and open. It’s wrote in black ink, and to my surprise it’s in English, not French. What I also see is a small smudge of blood, like a finger print. I bring the letter up to my face, and begin to read it quietly.

  To my Daughter

  One day you may find this letter. One day I hope you understand that I did not abandon you. Even though you are not of my blood, I carried you for a short time, and I loved you. Before I’m taken, I wanted to write this letter to say, I am sorry you had to be born this way. I am sorry for not being there. And I am sorry I allowed him to use my body so he could use you. I did not have a choice. I was a prisoner, brought to this house to be turned, and to give you life. The moment I held you in my arms, is the moment that will ease my death.

  Daughter, please do not let him use you for his own gain.

  My sweet girl, goodnight.

  Your surrogate Mother, Anna Marie.

  Holding my breath in shock, I stuff the letter back into the envelope, and slide it into my trouser pocket. I can’t fuckin stay here after reading that. Some poor girl died here. Shit, Laurie killed her. All this could be a trap. He could be watching us right now. I truly thought I could trust Daniel, but now I can’t trust a soul.

  I should never have come here. At least I knew where I stood in London with the coven. How do I get out of here? I have only a few euro to my name. There is no landline here. I left my cell phone at the Shard. And I have no damn passport. I have fuck all to get me out of this situation.

  I jog down the stairs and through the kitchen, when the headlight of Daniel’s bike shines through the lounge. For the briefest second the urge to run away from him, takes me. But I don’t. The feelings I have for him, tell me to stay; tell me that I can trust him. He’s been so tender, so normal, and I can’t see how he knows what Laurie used this house for.

  I take a step forward as the front door flies open. I pull the letter out of my pocket as he walks inside with his head down. I have to tell him we’re not safe. He cannot trust Laurie, and we have to leave.

  Just as my lips part to warn him, a dense dark atmosphere takes over the entire room. My chest feels heavy, the hairs on the back of my neck rise, and as I gaze at Daniel lifting his head, an icy rush of air surrounds me.

  I drop the envelope down by my side. It is now irrelevant. Daniel has blood on his neck and hands, and even though I should be shitting myself right now, I can see he’s been crying. His arms are shaking in fear. Something terrible has happened to him.

  I take a wide step toward him, but he backs up, holding out his hand to stop me.

  “Maeve, I can’t stop it.” He shudders, shaking his head aggressively.

  A lump in my neck catches on my voice box, preventing words coming out. I gulp down twice, as my lungs work overtime to stop the panic setting in.

  “Daniel… what happened?”

  “I want you… Maeve,” his tone becomes a sneer. “I want you with me… always. You belong to me.”

  He’s now freaking me out. I should be far away from him by now. But his despair, his words, his need, it all feels so familiar to me. It’s like I understand that I’m the only one who can help him. I can’t leave, he has complete control of me.

  He strolls to me, his eyes red and hypnotic. His hand cups my cheek and I falter against his touch. As his fingers stroke my hairline, my insides ignite. He can move me where he likes. Make me do as he desires. He owns me. He owns my soul.

  I open my eyes to gaze thinly up into his Dhampir. His skin is so pale, so flawless and beautiful.

  “Maeve, take off your clothes.” His words don’t come from his mouth. They come from his mind, and into mine.

  I close my eyes and slowly turn my back to him. Standing in the darkness, my shaky fingers move down my blouse, opening buttons, bending to his will. My body stoops forward as I slip my shirt from my shoulders, so I’m standing in just my bra and trousers. I can’t stop. He’s making me do this.

  I shiver as my thumb and finger grip the button on my waistline.

  “Stop,” he commands. “Turn around.”

  My feet shuffle around in a circle. I still have my eyes closed tightly. I’m quivering, and if I open to look at him, I’m only going to cry.

  This is not the Daniel I’ve come to know. This is a god like being, and he’s making my blood run cold. I’m now scared, but still willing to do what he asks. It’s not a matter of choice. In his presence, there is no choice.

  “Look at me. Look at what I am,” his deep tone demands.

  Just as I expected, as my eyelids part to see him, tears seep over my cheeks. His eyes are still lost to the blood red, and now he’s removing his belt as he approaches me.

  I can’t fight it, and I can’t speak unless he allows it.

  “I will love you always, Maeve. But do you know what I will do to you.” I shake my head, holding back a snivel. “Hold out your arms,” he commands.

  I slowly bring my arms out before me, weeping. His abnormally warm fingers grab my wrists, and he wraps the belt around them. My legs bend; my body wanting to collapse.

  “Be still,” he says, glaring at me.

  He tightens the leather around my wrists so tight, even his power can’t stop me yelping. He tilts his hea
d, observing my terror with interest.

  “This is for your own good, Maeve.” He sweeps his hand down my face. “I know exactly what you feel for me. I can feel everything you do. You will always find a way back to me.”

  He takes hold of my bound wrists, and pushes me up against the wall. His face angles down so close to mine, his breath dries my moist lips. I swallow down again and again. I have to force out my breathing. I need to speak, and I’m straining so fuckin hard to make words.

  “Daniel… Daniel,” I croak and sob. “Wakeup. This isn’t you.”

  He comes to stand right before me and sniggers. “It is me, Maeve. It always has been.” He presses the palm of his hand against my wet cheek. “This is the problem. You will always see the good in me, when it doesn’t exist.” His fingers run hard down my neck and chest. “Do you want to know what I’ll do to you?” He nearly growls in agony. “I will fuck you to death. I will drink your blood. I will hurt you over and over because you’re mine. My Muse. My love. And you will forgive me, but I won’t forgive myself.”

  He releases a long arduous breath, lowering his head. He’s cringing and cowering. He’s changing. He’s becoming Daniel again.

  The dense air in the room lifts as he takes a step back away from me. His green eyes shimmer, leaking out his upset. I gasp out, still wanting his arms to come around me.

  “I had to show you, Maeve. You can never be near me. I had to make you see.”

  “Why?” I weep. “To scare me away from you!”

  “Are you not scared?”

  “No.”

  He charges right up to me and takes my face in his hands. He stares down at me, a single tear coming from his eye.