Read First Sight (The Ivory Series, Book 1) Page 16
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Vaughan appeared through my bedroom window and everyone took it as their queue to leave, no one stopped to ask any questions. Soon we were alone, just the two of us. Taking me in his arms and squeezing me tightly to him, his head buried against my neck “Are you ok?” he breathed urgently, his voice shaking.
“Yes” I lied.
“Did she hurt you?”
“No.”
“I shouldn’t have left.”
I freed myself from Vaughan’s embrace and moved to the edge of the bed, where he moved closely beside me. “You weren’t to know. Did you see your brother?”
“Yes” there was a light in his eyes at the mention of his human brother, although his face was still looking drawn and circles were appearing under his eyes.
“Did you feed?”
“No.”
“Vaughan!”
“I was going to on my way back.”
“You should feed now.”
His face looked shocked at the thought of going “I won’t leave you.”
“I’ll be ok.”
He closed his eyes and shook his head “I’m not leaving” he put his arms around me and pulled me to him; we fell back onto the bed together. My head rested against his shoulder. “I wish I never had to leave you” he mused.
“You would get bored of me pretty quickly.”
“I doubt that.” He said laughing to himself.
We lay silently for a few minutes until I asked “Has Heidi joined the other coven?”
“It appears that way.”
“Why is she so against us?”
Vaughan was silent.
“Are you going to tell me, or will I have to torture it out of you?” I teased as I propped myself onto one elbow. Call it women’s intuition, but I had a feeling from the moment I met Vaughan that Heidi had a crush on him, but I wanted him to say the words.
“Ha! I’d like to see that.”
“Tell me” I said more seriously this time.
Vaughan let out a long sigh.
“Is she in love with you?”
“Heidi feels she has a claim to me” his words were slow and deliberate.
“Is that an old fashioned way of saying yes?”
Vaughan laughed “With my kind, we don’t form relationships like humans do. We don’t fall in and out of love, change partners when things don’t go our way.”
My face screwed up in confusion.
“What I’m saying is, we don’t date” he gestured his fingers to be inverted commas “Once we find the one, that’s it. We are with them for all eternity.”
“So, like a marriage, but with no divorce” I surmised.
“Yes. When you find the one, there are no others, you are bound forever.”
“So Heidi thinks you’re her true love?”
“That’s a better way of putting it” he was avoiding my gaze. I knew there was more to the story and talking about it made Vaughan feel uncomfortable. But after tonight, I had to know what I was up against.
“Have you given her reason to think that?”
“Yes, I’ve slept with Heidi.”
I could not help but feel jealous. Heidi was so beautiful, and a vampire, how could Vaughan refuse someone like her.
“Nicola, be realistic. We have both been with others before, am I right?”
I nodded.
“There’s not the same connection as when you’re in love. It’s not that different to being human. Emotions are still involved. Nicola, look at me please” he tilted my face towards his “Yes, I have had sex with others before, but you are my true love, the emotional connection I feel when I’m with you is more pleasurable than the desires of the flesh.”
“So what does this mean, with Heidi?” I asked looking up at Vaughan “If she thinks you’re her soul mate, but you are with me?”
His face looked sorrowful, he closed his eyes and turned his face away.
“Does she want to kill me?”
“We are predators Nicola. It’s in our nature” His voice was nonchalant. Eyes still closed.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Do you want me to stay tonight?” Vaughan asked, still not looking at me.
“I never want you to leave my side.”
“I thought you’d bore me?” he gently teased, opening his eyes and smiling.
I tilted my face up to his and kissed him, his lips softly brushed against mine, the coolness made me shudder and I pulled myself closer to him. Vaughan gently pushed me away “I’m sorry.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to feed?”
“I’ll be ok.”
My eyes looked over his face, the dark circles under his eyes, the pale blue fading even lighter.
“I don’t want you to be in pain.”
“Being away from you is more painful.”
“What’s going to happen with the other coven?” I asked.
He shook his head “I don’t know.”
“I know you worry about upsetting me with all of this. But I don’t want to be kept in the dark. I have a right to know.”
“I know you do.”
“But?” I urged for an explanation.
“I’m scared” his voice was soft.
“I know you’ll protect me Vaughan.”
“That’s not what I’m scared of.”
“Then what?”
“I’m scared that you’ll see me for the monster I am and realise that my world is not safe for you.” His eyes were misted pink with tears.
“I won’t leave you, if that’s what you’re worried about. As long as my heart beats, it’s yours.”