Vampire Friend

by V. B. Andrian

  I tried to control my breathing and calm the beating of my heart, his closeness causing me physical pain. “I’m sorry,” I managed.

  His arms flexed as his fingers traced a path up my arms. “Don’t be. Just try to sleep. You want me to leave?”

  I shook my head. “No. Stay.”

  “Okay, babe. I want to stay too.” He kissed the back of my head. “Sweet dreams, beautiful girl.”

  It took me plenty of time to calm my senses and finally slip into a sound sleep, that wasn’t interrupted until I felt Nate’s fingers caressing me again.

  “Ali,” he murmured, the rumble of his chest feeling divine. Oh, I was so far gone for him. “Beautiful, sweet Ali. Wake up, baby.”

  I was melting. Oh, it would be so unfair if whatever he planned on telling me wasn’t that he was ready to be with me. I wanted him so abundantly I wasn’t sure I would survive if he cut me off again. Two days ago I’d been certain I would gladly be nothing more than a friend if it was all he needed, but now… it would simply destroy me. I knew it.

  “My sleeping beauty,” he breathed, moving my hair from the side of my face to place a soft kiss on my temple. “Wake up. It’s Sunday. We’re going back today.”

  My eyes fluttered open and I turned to look at him. I scanned his gorgeous face and drunk him in. He didn’t pull back, which brought our lips merely few centimeters apart. My mouth went dry and my heartbeat accelerated. Heat surged through me, gathering between my thighs. The effect this man had on me was frightening. “Good morning,” I managed.

  A soft smile graced his lips, and his emerald eyes lit up as if burning from within. “Good morning. Sleep well?”

  I nodded. His breath on my lips was short-circuiting my brain cells. Suddenly I couldn’t stand it. I needed him to back away. “Nate,” I couldn’t hide the straining in my voice.

  He searched my face and pulled slightly back. “Too much?”

  I nodded again. “I’m sorry. I just… I feel on edge, Nate. The other night… What you said was so at odds with everything you’ve been telling me so far. I don’t know what to think.”

  His eyes roamed over my face again and he took a deep breath. He slowly turned me on my back and brought one hand up to cup my jaw. “Ali. I’ve messed up pretty badly, I know. But I meant what I said. I still want us to talk when we go back, but just know that what I want to say to you is good. I’m not pushing you away again. I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

  My pulse was erratic, as was my breathing. What he wanted to say was good. My previous want to put distance between us reversed, and now I thought he was too far away. “Kiss me,” I breathed before I could control myself.

  His mouth formed a full-on grin. “Love to.”

  The distance between our lips evaporated. The moment we touched I felt elated, full of energy, ready to combust. He brushed his lips on mine so sweetly, and in that moment I knew he meant it. I knew I wouldn’t have to wait for him any longer.

  “Will you stay with me tonight?” he whispered against my lips. “We can go by your dorm to pick up whatever books you’ll need for tomorrow, and I’ll drive you in the morning. Stay with me tonight. We’ll talk, and then I can sleep with you in my arms again.”

  “Sold,” I grinned up to him.

  “Oh, and one more thing.”

  “What?”

  “Ask me to kiss you again.”

  The gleeful smile that formed on my lips made him chuckle. “Kiss me,” I whispered.

  He didn’t hesitate. This kiss was different, firmer, more intense. He coaxed my mouth open and slipped his tongue in, clouding my mind completely with the taste of him.

  When we finally came up for air, we were both panting. “That was for your peace of mind as well as mine. I’m not messing with you, Ali. I’m done with that.”

  “Alright,” I whispered, trying to hold back a giddy smile and failing.

  He pushed the tip of his nose at the edges of my lips. “Smile, baby. I love it when you smile.”

  Blimey, I was about to burst with happiness. This was truly happening. In the back of my mind I thought perhaps I was dreaming, but the shivers of want raking my body by having Nate kissing me, touching me, holding me, made sure to remind me how very real it was.

  Loud knocking on the door startled me before Evy marched in and dive-bombed on the bed, making me squeak.

  “Morning, children,” she said with a grin, wiggling her eyebrows at Nate who hadn’t bothered pulling back, and was still hovering above me with our lips barely apart. “Have anything to share?”

  “Sure,” Nate slowly pulled back and smirked at her. “I’d like to share the fact that doors are kept closed to keep people out, not for them to barge in.”

  “Aw!” Evy mocked. “Thank you, bro. Now, can you kiss the girl in front of all of us? We need concrete evidence to use against you in case you try to chicken your way out of this again.”

  All of them? What did she mean? I dared a quick glance behind Nate, only to see the blurry outlines of Kay and Luke, both standing at the doorway with their arms crossed. I felt my face burning with embarrassment and let out a low groan.

  Nate chuckled and dropped his forehead on mine. “Ali?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “Let them suffer.”

  He laughed. “Nah. They’ll hold it against me.” And with that he kissed me again. A chorus of catcalls and whistles erupted around us that made me start giggling. “You’re not helping, Ali,” Nate said with a smile.

  “I can’t help it.” I laughed harder. “Can you all please bugger off? I know this is your house, Evy, but privacy is always appreciated.”

  Evy waved me off. “Oh, if I gave you any more privacy things would have gotten pretty heated in here. Now, get your asses out of bed. Last day of breakfast from Martha’s hands.”

  I opened my eyes as wide as they would go at the idea of Martha’s delicious pancakes. Nate saw my reaction and started laughing, shaking me along with his body.

  What could I say? The woman was an amazing cook!

  We stacked our luggage in Luke’s car and said our goodbyes. Kay and Evy had taken a few days off and had booked a hotel room in San Diego to spend together, just the two of them, so Nate was riding back with us. I could swear Martha was in tears when she hugged me goodbye and asked me to take care of her baby-boy. Which sounded odd, considering I was merely an eighteen-year-old girl, but it also made me feel warm inside. I would take care of him and give him everything I could.

  The ride back was fun, Nate sitting in the back and constantly toying with the tips of my hair while we played various games to pass the time. The closer we got to Los Angeles, the more I felt a knot in my stomach – in the good sense. Anticipation, excitement and hope were a heady mix of feelings. Not to mention my love for him.

  Luke pulled up outside Nate’s flat, where Nate would drive me to my dormitory to take all I needed for my sleepover. Nate rushed upstairs to drop our suitcases and grab his keys, and then he was back on my side.

  When he parked outside my dormitory, he rushed to my side of the car to open my door and help me out. Everything felt like a dream, more so when he held my hand as we walked to the building’s door, bringing it to his mouth to press a soft kiss on each of my knuckles.

  And like every other dream, it was time for my sudden awakening.

  “Alicia?”

  At first I didn’t register the voice was referring to me. I had gotten so used to having everyone calling me Ali that my full name sounded weird.

  “Alicia?”

  When the voice got closer, I realized not only that I was the man’s point of interest, but also that he was someone I knew. His accented voice brought me cold shivers, and I froze on the spot, unable to turn around and acknowledge his presence.

  Nate sensed my stiffness when I stopped walking, and turned to look at me in worry. “Ali? What’s wrong, baby?”

  “Alicia,” the man said again, more firmly this time and standing right behind me. Nate appe
ared to notice him at that point too, and I felt his body going rigid as he turned around slowly, something I still couldn’t muster.

  “Can I help you?” Nate asked through gritted teeth.

  “No, thank you, mate,” the man said. “I’m here for her.”

  At that point I spun around so forcefully, Nate actually had to steady me with an arm around my waist before I fell flat on my face. The sight before me was out of a nightmare. Charles. Bugger. Mother hadn’t booked a ticket because Charles had. And it was why Oli hadn’t alerted me. She was keeping an eye out for Leanna, not Charles.

  I’d told Nate about Charles once, and I was certain the British accent didn’t go unnoticed by him. His arm around me tightened, and I felt him pressing at my side in a protective and possessive manner. All I wanted in that moment was to press my face against his hard body, and make everything else disappear. Or rather make Charles disappear.

  But instead, I mustered all my courage and looked at Charles stoically. “Charles. Lovely to see you.” Not.

  Charles’ eyes travelled between me and Nate, fixating on Nate’s arm around me where his eyes narrowed, before looking back at me with said narrowed eyes. “Let us not linger on formalities, Alicia. I’m here to take you home.”

  If possible, Nate’s hold on me turned firmer, bordering on painful, as his whole body shuddered, probably with anger.

  I rushed to answer before Nate could. “Thank you, Charles. That won’t be necessary. I wish you have a nice flight back to England, alone.” I made sure to hold his gaze in pointing out I was dead serious.

  Charles’ eyes flashed with obvious anger, but he held his face blank. “That is silly, Alicia. Let us finish this charade. You know you can’t keep it up for much longer, or you will lose your place at Oxford. Our flight leaves in five hours and we cannot miss it.” Then, without missing a beat he looked at Nate and added, “Everything is arranged for our marriage. We can even have it tomorrow if you wish.”

  I was so shocked by his last statement that I didn’t have time to react before Nate. A low growl emanated from him and he dropped his arm, taking a step towards Charles and practically shoving me behind him. “Listen here, mate. She’s made it perfectly clear she’s not going anywhere with you. And if you have any care for your self-preservation, you’ll leave right the fuck now.”

  Charles seemed undaunted and took a step towards Nate. The scene was almost comical. Almost. “No, you listen, mate. She is the heiress of one of the most successful businesses in Europe. Her place is in London, with me, as it was always intended by both her parents and mine. And it certainly isn’t in this filthy country, with some pathetic bloke like you.”

  “Her place,” Nate replied, taking the last step between them and coming head to head with Charles, “is where she chooses it to be. She’s an adult, capable of making her own decisions. Decisions that neither you nor the woman that dares to call herself a mother have a right to question. She’s not your property. If she chooses this filthy country and this pathetic bloke, there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  Um. I needed to intervene, immediately. And yet I was frozen on my spot, watching as the man I loved and one I detested fought over what I was going to do.

  “She belongs to me. I choose what she does and what not,” Charles all but growled. And that effectively snapped me back into action.

  Suddenly my blood was boiling and I wanted to smack his head against a wall. I shoved my way between them and pushed Charles. My sudden movement caught him by surprise, and he stumbled backwards a couple of steps. “I do not belong to you, or anyone,” I hissed. “You need to leave now Charles, and get that stick out of your ass before you hurt yourself. You and I are nothing, never were and never will be. Go find someone mental enough to deal with your narcissistic, obsessive ass and leave me alone.”

  Charles’ eyes snapped to me, staring hard. “This is absurd!” he yelled. “How can you disrespect your mother’s wishes? Your father’s dying wish? You and I are meant to marry Alicia, and I will not let you ruin that over a piece of shite like him.”

  Sensing Nate about to lunge at Charles, I pushed a hand to his chest to hold him back and seethed at Charles. “Do not dare to speak of my father with your disgusting mouth, and do not ever insult Nate again. You and Leanna are delusional if you think you can force me into doing something I don’t want to. What did you expect would happen if you flew out here? That I would simply let you drag me away? You’re the pathetic one, who tries to force his way into a marriage only to attain control over my father’s business. Go back to England, Charles, and stop bothering me. I swear if you come near me again I’ll find a way to make your life a living nightmare. And tell Leanna to do the same.”

  Charles’ gaze turned almost psychotic, and he grabbed my forearm. “If you don’t come back with me, you will be disowned,” he bit out.

  Nate exploded. “Did you just fucking threaten her?” he yelled, tearing Charles’ hand away from me, grabbing my arms and unceremoniously putting me aside to grab Charles’ collar. “Turn around and leave, you fuckwad, because your face is about to get acquainted with my fists. Stay away from her. Don’t ever talk to her again. Don’t ever touch her again. Don’t even think about her name ever again.”

  I placed a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him. “Nate,” I whispered. “Let him go.”

  Charles grabbed Nate’s wrists and tried to pry himself from his hands. “Get your hands off me,” he said, though I could see the flash of fear in his eyes. “I will sue you for everything you have and more.”

  At that I laughed. “And what will you tell the court, Charles? That he was protecting me against you? That you were blackmailing me? Let me tell you something about that, because ever since the last few times you and Leanna harassed me, I’ve looked it up. There’s a specific term in my father’s will that leaves everything to my name, which I’ll be able to manage on my own the moment I turn twenty-five, with or without Leanna’s approval. On top of that, if Leanna misuses any of my inherited fortune while it’s under her care, she’ll spend the rest of her life bussing tables to make up for all the lost money. She cannot disown me, unless she wants to lose everything. So, here’s what you’ll do. You’ll go back to Leanna and tell her that if she wants to keep living the life she’s used to – which is only because of my father, mind you – she’ll stop trying to control me and leave me the fuck alone.”

  I hadn’t noticed I’d gotten right in Charles’ face and Nate was no longer holding him, until I felt Nate’s hands wrap around both my upper arms and pulling my back to his chest, letting me realize that I’d been one step away from punching Charles myself. And I would have probably enjoyed it.

  Charles regarded me for a long moment. And then his face turned pleading. The feeling however did not reach his eyes. “Alicia. I beg of you. Come back. Don’t throw away your life, your dreams, your family’s dreams.” He took a step forward to stand right in front of me and cupped one side of my face, catching me utterly by surprise. “Come back with me. We can start our future together. Think about us. About your mother. About what your father would want.”

  The anger boiling inside me had just reached nuclear temperatures. How dare he? But before I was able to open my mouth and ask him just that, Nate’s hands both left me to push Charles forcefully away.

  “Don’t you fucking touch her, you motherfucker. And if you really cared about her as you say, you’d let her make whatever choices she wanted. You and that bitch both. You’re just a bunch of money-eating, life-sucking hypocrites that only care for themselves. Get the fuck out of my face and don’t ever come near Ali again, or I swear it will be the last thing you will ever do.”

  Somehow, hearing Nate defend me like that evaporated all my anger in an instant. I leaned my full weight against him, wanting to be surrounded, protected by his presence and his warmth, and also calming him down. Reassuring him I wasn’t going to leave. Because somehow I knew this display against Charles was also pa
rt of Nate’s fear of me leaving. Nate’s arms once again swept around me and he held me close to his chest, with my head leaning just over his strong heartbeat.

  Charles’ face turned harsh again as he looked down at me. “Is this your final decision? Because we will take matters legally and you know it. If you don’t care about the business there is no way we are letting you near it.”

  Alright. That effectively brought my anger back full-force. “We, as in you and Leanna? Go ahead, Charles. You two are each other’s carbon copy. You can try to take my heritage from me as much as you want, but it will never happen. And that’s because my father had obviously known how far you and she would be willing to take things, and he made sure none of you ever got near Dover Co. You threatening me now will only further entrench my win in the court should you try to take it there. And the next time you even think of coming near me again, I’ll make sure to have a restraining order issued against you. And if you or Leanna ever try to contact me again and harass me, I’ll sue both your asses for everything you have. Is that understood?”

  Charles visibly stiffened and took a step backwards. “Of course,” he replied in all formality, albeit a little strained. “It was lovely seeing you, Alicia. I wish you the very best in your attempt to a medical career.”

  And with that he pivoted on his heel and left, letting me finally breathe in relief.

  Nate

  Barely holding myself back, I watched the motherfucker walk away, feeling Ali relax in my arms once again. If she hadn’t been here, I would have beaten the crap out of the snotty asshole. Thinking of what he’d told her, how he’d tried to manipulate her feelings into doing what he wanted… how he’d dared to touch her… I felt my entire body shudder with anger, and I almost pushed Ali aside to go after him and give him a ‘Welcome to America’ proper greeting.

  “Nate.”

  I tore my gaze away from the fucker’s retreating form to look down at Ali. She had turned towards me without me realizing it, and both her hands were cupping my face. I looked deep into her golden eyes, as another angry shudder ran down my body. Jesus, fuck, I wanted to break the guy’s teeth. One by one.