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

by L. C White

  Each one of us has a quiet moment to remember the good times.

  I look at the white table cloth as I sit down on the purple suede chair. As I lift my head, one of the pictures hung on the wall, catches my eye. It’s a white canvass with a blue and red pumping heart, and valves. The top half of the heart is blue and broken, like cracked ice. And the bottom, leaks warm blood. It’s an hourglass shaped heart, running out of love and life, and it’s having a strange effect on me. It’s screwing with my head. I don’t know if I’m just being paranoid, optimistic, or stupid, but I think I know who the artist is, Maeve. My Maeve. My eyes search the canvass for a signature, but the painting is nameless.

  “Daniel, are you okay?” Liz asks, squinting.

  I feel the eyes of the coven, watching my silent meltdown. My heart is on fuckin fire for her again.

  “I’m fine.” I push myself up from the table, the glasses clang as I clumsily knock it. “I need some air, right now.” I charge to the doors.

  Fuck. I need to get a grip. It’s impossible. She can’t be here, in Paris. Has she done as I asked: made a good life for herself, be happy, and forgot all about me? Or is the painting by another artist, and I’m just being a stupid irrational dick.

  I pace back and forth to my bike, my fingers locked over my head. It’s just a fuckin painting, but it’s a damn painting I know is hers. Oh god, what the hell do I do? I want to see her. I made her a promise. I promised to find her again, and I’ve just been too damn scared to. She’ll hate me now. I left her at her most vulnerable.

  “Daniel.” Adrien jogs down the three steps. “You’re behaving oddly again.”

  I blow out as I continue to pace. “It’s not what you think.”

  “The painting,” he says. “You think Maeve is here?”

  I smirk. You can’t hide a thing from Adrien. He’s no Vigore, but he knows the coven inside out.

  “I don’t know,” I bark. “I shouldn’t care. But fuck… I do!”

  Adrien grabs my arm with a firm grip to prevent me pacing. “Stop driving yourself mad. It’s not going to achieve a thing,” he yells, then takes a long breath. “What do you think you can do?” he hums. “You think you can hide away from her, because I can tell you with certainty, it doesn’t work. You do this to protect her, but like you, she’s probably broken. You can’t run away or fight love. It will only mess you up.”

  “So what am I supposed to do?” I shout. “Go find her, marry her, live happily ever after. You’re forgetting, I’m not normal. I’m the opposite of those kind of guys.”

  “There are no perfect matches, Daniel. If she feels the same way, then if fuckin necessary, you be broken, but in love together. There is no predictability when it comes to the heart. Whether human, vampire, or dhampir, it will happen, and those feelings will never die.”

  A short male bold waiter, wearing the Le Royal red waistcoat, pulls open the door to enter the restaurant.

  “Excuse me,” Adrien calls, releasing my arm. “There is a painting on the wall inside, a blue heart, can you tell me who the artist is?”

  “Monsieur, a young lady sold that to the manager a week ago,” he says in a broad French accent. “Wait one moment.” He goes inside and leans over the booking stand, then hurries back outside. “This is the exhibition she is showing her work at.” He looks at his watch. “It will be over soon.”

  I charge over to the waiter and snatch the pamphlet from him. I peer down at the map, and see that the small gallery called, Nouvel Art, is around four streets away. Then I see it, her name. I slide the pamphlet into my pocket, quickly get onto my bike, and start her up. I’m not going to give myself the time to talk myself out of this again. I need to fuckin see her. I’m thinking that now my life depends on it. Even if she tells me to go to hell, just to see her face, is worth throwing myself into the devil’s flames for. I’m in love with her, and that’s never going to stop. I need to tell her that.

  “Daniel!” Adrien holds onto my forearm as I twist the throttle. “Good luck.” He steps back with a sly grin.

  I pull out onto the road, watching Demetrius gawping at me through the window of his chauffeur driven Bentley. I smile and show him my middle finger. I don’t give a shit about my role. Maeve is all I need.

  I speed around the corner, into the old part of the city. My lungs swell and eyes water with the g-force, as I see Nouvel Art come into my view. An elderly couple exit the building arm in arm, as I pull up to the curb and cut out the engine. I hustle off my bike and race up to the glass doors, as a doorman steps out to stop me.

  “Excusez-moi, Monsieur, l'écran est presque terminé.” He holds his hands out.

  “What!” I shake my head. “English… do you speak English?” I yell, out of breath.

  “Sir, the exhibition, is nearly finished,” he says annoyed, as I try to dance around him.

  “There are people still in there!”

  “No one is allowed access now… sorry sir.”

  I growl out and march to my bike. Just as I’m about to kick the back wheel in frustration. The guard takes his eyes off me to open the door for some tall skirt with long legs. I take my chances, and race through the door, skidding down the glossy floor to my left.

  “Arrêter… stop!” the guard yells after me as I stumble into a plinth, nearly knocking over a huge vase.

  I take a side step to hide behind a grey felt panel, displaying these miniature oil paintings of Paris. I wait, peeking out to see the plump guard returning to his post, muttering to himself. I force out a breath. The gifts I’ve hidden away, would have been handy back there. But I can’t use them; it will only fuel my Dhampir. I’m powerless now, and that’s just the way I want it.

  Making sure the coast is clear, I slowly make my way to the back of the panel, and begin to stroll down a dark hallway, trying to blend in with the arty crowd.

  I eventually find her, not Maeve, but her work. I told her she was awesome. She has five works hung on a black wall dedicated to her. I’m not into art, but her paintings, I could look at all day. Again each one has a shit hot erotic look, but these works aren’t of people fucking, I’m realising these works are of us. A close of our legs wrapped around the saddle of my bike. The window of the bedroom she gave herself to me in Killiecrankie. I smile, noticing a single cherry lying on the windowsill. My view moves onto the next painting, and I choke up. I lower my head, unable to look at it. The eyes of my monster, gleaming red, and bleeding tears. Is this how she still sees me?

  I’m nudged in the back. I glare up, watching this tall skinny guy walking away, no apology, fuck all. I turn back to the wall and see her final piece. I slowly make my way to stand right in front of it. My chest tightens. The piece is called: Gone. It’s a close of my hand on her cheek. Only I know it’s us in the back of Adrien’s car. The detail of my fingers, and her tear falling over my thumb, shimmering, are telling me I’m too damn late. She’s used art to get over me, and maybe she’s succeeded. I should have done this the moment I got my head straight. Me coming here now, is a mistake.

  Chapter 35: A Second Chance

  Maeve

  I shut myself in the ladies bathroom, and subtly check that each cubicle is empty. I have a great swelling excited scream to release, and if I don’t do something about it, I’m going to burst. I did it, got my first commissioned job for a lucrative French couple, who want me to create several paintings, from a picture of them on their wedding day. I can now call myself an artist. I giggle, pressing my hands to my lips. I needed this so much. I needed something for me.

  After the funeral, I was an utter mess. I hadn’t heard a thing from Daniel, and as I stood by Dad’s grave side, I felt myself falling into something that didn’t want to let me go: depression, confusion, and a loss of self. I couldn’t tell what was what. Who were vampire colleagues of my dad’s, and who were real friends. I didn’t want to be angry at him, but I was. How could he not tell me? Did he think I’d love him less, or be afraid? I would have accepted him, and it’
s hard to believe he couldn’t trust me.

  I spent days alone, drawing and painting out my pain. Then I realised, that I had to at least try to live again. I put the family business up for sale, and it was immediately snapped up off the market. Then I went to stay in Manchester for a month, at a friend’s house. It was while I was job hunting there, I found out about this exhibition, for new and talented artists. I sent them an email, containing my most recent work, and was shocked when they chose me for their rising star wall. It was all so quick, and I had no time to think or worry about it. Then I realised, as I hung up each picture, it was my broken heart I was going to be displaying. It was all Daniel.

  My fingers knead my upper lip, as he flocks around my mind again. I can’t do this, sink into the dark, where he’s all I can think of. He never even called me, so I’m wasting my damn time being miserable over him.

  I march to the sink and swill my eyes. I guess I’m trying to pretend there are no tears left for him, when they’re blatantly fighting to fall down my face. Shit, this is supposed to be a happy moment for me.

  I yank out a handful of paper towels, and wipe my face dry.

  The bathroom door squeaks open. My patent pumps step back as an awkward cough escapes my throat. I gather myself and smile at the evening’s coordinator, Liza Ann.

  “Well done Maeve,” her polite French tone sings.

  “Thank you Liza.”

  “Oh, no need to thank me,” she smiles. “The night is not over for you yet. You have another potential client, waiting in my office. Come on, work to do.” She claps her hands before she leaves.

  I take a few calming breaths, trying to get my mind back into the professional zone, as I walk out onto the corridor. I wasn’t expecting one client, never mind two. I was happy just to have my work on show in Paris. The cultural capital of the world.

  I knock lightly on the frosted glass of Liza’s office door, but no one says anything, or answers. I gulp down and open the door, while tapping at the same time. The lighting is very dim in here. I see the back of someone’s head, over the top of a leather high back chair, before the burning embers of an open fire. I close the door quietly and make my way over, trying to be as self-confident as possible.

  “Hi, I’m Maeve O’Riley.” I turn to look down in the chair and my heart ceases to beat.

  I can’t fucking do this!

  I hurry across the room to the door, but he’s next to me, holding it shut. Daniel is here, shit. Why now, after all these months? Why here, when I’m doing my damn best to make something for myself, and forget all about him?

  “Hear me out,” he breathes down on me.

  My eyes have already begun to water as I back away from him. He looks really well, healthy, and still so beautiful. I’m still hopelessly in love with him, but I can’t go through what happened again. It’s not fair. Him being here is like a cruel twist of fate. Fate knows I still need him, and has thrown him back into my life.

  “What do you want Daniel?” I wipe a tear from my cheek.

  He moves away from the door, his gaze on me is fixed and unyielding. I want to run to him, wrap my body around his, kiss his face, and declare he has my heart forever, but I’m fighting it so hard. I’m fighting his alluring pleading eyes, his strong arms, and the sensual energy pulling on my heart. He hurt me. He ripped away my faith that there are good guys out there. I believed he’d come back for me, and he never did. He slept with me, made me love him, turned my world upside-down, and I lost everything. I need to be angry, but there is no fire left in me.

  “You came here to see me and you can’t speak?” I ask as he nods his head down.

  Oh god, this is so hard.

  “I want you Maeve,” he says in a gulp. “I should have never let you go.”

  “No you shouldn’t!” I cry and yell.

  “I didn’t want you to see me like that. Then I got scared. All I wanted was for you to be safe and happy.” He takes a step closer. “You saw my worst, and you saved me. You still save me. I didn’t want you to see all that again. My head was screwed, Maeve.”

  “That wasn’t your call to make. I was involved too much!”

  “I’m sorry, Maeve.”

  “Sorry… Sorry,” I shriek. “The funniest thing is, what you are, was nowhere near as important to me as us.”

  “Maeve, I didn’t want you to accept it, when I couldn’t myself,” he argues.

  My chest inflates with rapid breaths. There’s a whirlwind of anger, upset, and pure love whooshing all around me. How can I control this around him? Fuck, I can’t control it when I’m not with him. He’s in my mind, my heart, he leaks out onto paper in pencil and paint. He’s wherever I go, and whatever I do. He’s inescapable.

  “I loved you Daniel,” I weep. “And I can’t do this again with you.” I lower my head, tears completely taking over my view.

  “Maeve.” His warm arms fold around me, but I thrust him away.

  “Tell me why you came here!” I shout.

  His jaw grates and his lips quiver. I hate myself right now. I’m unintentionally pushing away the love of my life. I’m tearing down his walls because I want truths. Nothing but truths.

  “I’m here for you.” He steps closer, but not close enough. “I’ve never loved this hard, and it fuckin hurts.” He takes another step. “You was the one that saved me, and only you can save me now. I need you Maeve. And I swear to you, I’ll never hurt you again. I just need to know whether you feel the same. If you do,” he gulps hard. “You have to understand fully that what we have will never be normal.” His voice croaks, and the sight of his apprehension forms more tears to fall. “I shouldn’t have come here, but again something drew me to you. Tell me to go Maeve, and I will.”

  I become lost in his eyes. Everything around me hazes into irrelevance. He is what I want. He always will be.

  “You know I feel the same,” I say, quietly. “And I never expected normal with you.”

  He strides straight to me, and lifts me up into his arms. Our lips join passionately; a kiss we’ve both been saving and waiting for. I love this man for what he is. I can deal with the dark inside him, because what I feel for him, will always overpower that.

  We both pull back for air. He’s swinging me in slight movements so the tips of my shoes sweep over his boots. He brushes his nose and head against mine.

  “Never push me away,” I whisper emotionally.

  “Never.”

  I press my head on his, loving every second of being back in his arms. It’s a surreal moment, like a dream. I can’t even think of the future. All I know is right now, we should be together. We should always love in the present, not the past, or the future.

  “So, you going to be in Paris long?” he asks.

  “Long enough,” I smile, as the tears dry on my warm tingling cheeks.

  “Maeve, will you come and stay with me for a while? I have my own place. It’s nothing fantastic. It’s just a, well, a small…” he stutters with a sweet anxious twang in his tone. “Or we could just, well, see how it goes.”

  “Isn’t that normal?” I grin. “I thought normal was out of the question with you.”

  “Yeah, but, whatever you want…” his vocal cords dry up as his face flushes in embarrassment.

  “I’ll stay the night with you, Daniel.” I put him out of his misery. “One night, then we’ll see how it goes.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, really.” I softly caress his lips with mine.

  A knock on the door breaks our emotional kiss. We both turn to see Liza’s gaping mouth. I giggle as Daniel sets my feet down before his.

  “I think that just about covers everything,” Daniel says, as Liza kind of bobs in and out of the doorway, awkwardly.

  “Liza,” I smile at her. “I’ll collect my work tomorrow.” She nods her head, and in a fluster, closes the door.

  Daniel and I both release a lightened sigh. His fingers sweep down my forearm, and weave through mine. He looks at me with a war
m loving sexy beam on his lips, as we walk through the door.

  He’s mine, and I’m his. There can be no in-between with us. The moment we collided on that road in Killiecrankie, my heart became ensnared by his. We are both supposed to be on this path together, and there are no U-turns. We are destined to follow its course, and only time will tell where it will lead us.

  The End

  For all the latest on the Red Knight series click here

  https://www.facebook.com/RedKnightSeries/