I said good-bye to Kate in the early hours of the morning, so happy I didn’t have to work next week. Roberto was waiting for me outside the office. I wasn’t pleased with the idea that I had to use Nathaniel’s limo. It was bad enough that I didn’t have a car, much less relying on a vampire.
Just before Roberto turned in to my street, I saw police lights near my favourite grocery store. The road was blocked, so we were stuck behind other cars.
‘I’ll walk from here; it’s only five minutes,’ I said to him. He was just about to start protesting when I added, ‘Come on, this place is full of police. I'm going to be fine.’
I got out of the car before he could stop me. A lot of people were standing on the other side of the pavement. I saw a few police cars parked outside the shop. I recognised a familiar face. My dad was just leaving the building with two other officers. My stomach flopped; I knew that if my dad was here, then there was trouble. I crossed the street and shouted, ‘Dad!’
He noticed me and nodded to the police officer who was holding the pass to let me through.
‘Julia, what are you doing here?’ he asked, looking anxious.
‘I just finished work; someone gave me a lift. What’s happened?’ I asked. He walked me to the side, looking annoyed with himself. More officers were coming in and out from the upper apartment above the shop. I smelled blood and the air was thick with spells. Despite the early hours of the morning, many people came to stare.
‘Someone reported that two more elves were kidnapped,’ Dad said, looking around. His bright blue eyes pierced me with worry. A cold chill blazed down my spine.
‘What? Another kidnapping?’ I gasped.
‘Julia, darling, you know I shouldn’t tell you any of this, but you don’t live far from here and this is worrying because this neighbourhood is quiet.’ He added quietly, ‘We also found a body, but I can’t tell you any more. I will send an officer with you; I don’t want you to walk alone from here.’
‘A body?’ I choked, feeling the blood drain from my face.
‘Yes, Julia. Please let Stewart take you home. I can’t talk about it. This place is a mess.’
He fetched another police officer within seconds and told him to escort me home. I thought that I remembered him; his name was Stewart and he was a wizard. He was part of the Paranormal Squad.
‘I’ll give you a call tomorrow, just make sure you stay in the apartment,’ Dad said firmly and nodded to Stewart.
I agreed. Plus, I couldn’t disturb him while he was working. Stewart smiled and we started walking off, leaving the crime scene behind. It was after five o’clock in the morning, but many people were gathered around the street, probably hoping to see the body.
‘Busy night, huh?’ I asked him, trying to make this less awkward. We were close to my house, but I was still uneasy. I wanted to know who was killed and why, but I knew Stewart wasn’t going to tell me anything. I could only wonder if that murder had anything to do with Claudia’s kidnapping.
‘You can’t even imagine. Earlier on, we had a call about a rape, vampire and fairy is never a good combination,’ he said, sounding tired.
I swallowed a giant lump in my throat. Tell me about it.
‘Okay, I’m here. Thank you for walking with me,’ I said once we were outside my apartment.
He nodded. ‘Take care of yourself, Julia, and stay away from vamps.’ He shrugged and walked away.
I exhaled.
‘I know that I have to stay away from vampires, but this one is still in my head, so how can I get rid of him?’ I muttered to myself, walking through the door.
Chapter nineteen
You and alcohol just don’t go well together. It’s like me and your blood...we lose control too quickly.
Next day, I woke up at three o’clock in the afternoon. I didn’t have to get back to work until the third of January. It could be a little tricky to get used the normal hours of the day. In the past few weeks, I had done a lot of late shifts and gone thought a lot of drama, but with a bit of magic I should adjust my body clock back to normal.
As soon as I was wrapped up in my favourite dressing robe, I switched on the news. Dad was right: there was something bad going on in London.
‘Young male has been identified as an employee of La Caz Corporation. He was found dead last night as the neighbours reported loud screams and arguments. Jason Stone was twenty-five and he lived alone. He never had any trouble with the police. The investigation is still pending.’
I didn’t breathe for several seconds. I looked at the screen, where the presenter showed a picture of the man who died last night. I already knew he was a vampire: pale skin, large dark circles under his eyes. My heart was racing. He wasn’t one of our workers, but he worked for Nathaniel. I sank back into my seat, trying to make out what was going on. Why would someone kill a vampire and kidnap fairies and elves? Was it the same person? None of this made any sense. Maybe Nathaniel was involved after all and he was only playing me. Vampires loved elves’ and fairies’ blood and maybe Nathaniel was producing the shot using their blood. I was aiming to check that later. This was all too confusing.
It was time to talk to Nathaniel. Jason Stone worked for him and now he was dead. Was it was just a coincidence that he lived near me? I checked my phone, and I dialled Dad’s number. He couldn’t tell me any more than I already knew. I found out the Paranormal Unit had interviewed a few witnesses, but there was no news about Claudia. Dad assured me that sooner or later someone would start talking. I didn’t tell him about my speculations. I had to talk to Nathaniel first.
In the afternoon, I went out to have my hair done; after all, employees from Paranormal Personnel were getting together for our once a year Christmas celebration. After my appointment at the hairdresser, I chose my outfit. I ended up wearing a pencil dress with a tweed bodice and lace neckline and wool skirt. I added some glitter and killer heels and I was ready. Jennifer shared a taxi with me today; she lived on the way.
When she saw me, she said, ‘Girl, you look stunning!’
‘Thank you. I feel good and I'm so glad that I‘m not at work Monday.’ I smirked.
‘Bitch,’ she muttered, and I laughed. It was her turn to work this Christmas and she wasn’t happy about it. Jennifer, as usual, looked great, with a signature stretch long-length dress with lace insert panels.
‘Do you think everyone will show up?’ I asked her when we were moving slowly over London Bridge.
‘I hope so, but I’m not going to hold back. I’m going to get drunk,’ she chimed.
‘We should have a good time; we deserve it.’
‘You go, girl. Let’s get drunk and have random sex with some hot and rich paranormal,’ she whispered, giggling. I rolled my eyes and smiled.
Maybe I should. At least I would forget about Nathaniel La Caz.
Our party was at Grand Central, so we waited eagerly for the evening to start. We paid the taxi driver and walked inside, following everyone else who looked stylish and glamorous. The venue was stunning, dominated by a classy mix of red and black drapes, ornate columns, and funky decorations. We found our table. Rufus, Adele, Monica, Kate, and Alexandra were already there. I said hallo to a few paranormal creatures from the Bristol branch.
‘Ladies, you both look beautiful,’ said my regional manager. I sat between Jennifer and Mark, a vampire. I wasn’t surprised that Adele was sitting by Rufus, chatting to him with a big smile on her face.
‘I think we met once, during training,’ said Mark, smiling.
‘Oh yes, I remember, you were late.’
‘Yes, that would be me. I’m always late.’ He laughed. ‘I’m starving! I hope they’ll be serving soon.’
I think he noticed me going pale almost instantly because he added, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean eating anyone here. Apparently one of the chefs is preparing alternative dishes for all the vampires.’
‘Well, you had me worried there for a second.’ I chuckled. After that, I went to the ladie
s’ room for a minute to use my cover charm, just in case. After yesterday, I was paranoid. I came back just in time as the first course was served. It was beetroot and horseradish cured salmon. Mark’s dish looked the same but I could feel magic swirling underneath the plate.
‘Salmon is made from blood,’ Mark said.
‘Enjoy,’ I said, wondering where the chef was able to get all this blood. I could only hope that he wasn’t slaughtering anyone in the kitchen just to feed vampires. The starter was delicious, and I polished off my main course soon after it was served. By the time we had dessert, I could only manage to eat two mouthfuls of Black Forest gâteau.
The live band started playing on the stage. After several glasses of wine, I forgot about my good manners and went with Jennifer on the dance floor. Adele and Kate were already there. I never knew whether vampires could get drunk, but Adele looked flushed, whereas Mark was dancing with a human, staring at her neck. The atmosphere was fantastic; everyone was having a good time, and the music was loud.
A few hours later, I was completely drunk; Jennifer was holding me, but she could barely stand up herself. I must have had way too many shots of tequila in the past hour because I felt light-headed. I didn’t usually enjoy getting drunk, but after the events of past few weeks I thought that I needed it—besides, I couldn’t get Claudia out of my head.
Jennifer vanished, telling me she was going to the rest room. My magic was buzzing in my ears; my limbs were numb, but I was moving with the rhythm of a song, having the best time of my life. I lost track of time and I didn’t care that I was alone on the dance floor, feeling relaxed and happy. My fingertips were tingling as the alcohol rushed through my veins.
‘I think you already had enough.’
The sexy, low voice folded over my shoulder, and I stumbled backwards, trying to regain my balance. Before I knew what was going on, I was held by someone. My mind was spinning. Then I recognised his scent: mint leaves and lemon. My heart started pounding.
‘Oh, Mr. La Caz, this is a private party—no snooping around.’ I giggled, lifting myself away from his body. I needed to pee; my bladder was bursting, but I couldn’t stand straight.
‘Julia, how much did you have to drink?’ he asked. I searched for Jennifer, but she was nowhere to be seen and the floor was crowded with people.
‘You are naughty, Mr. La Caz. You shouldn’t ask me about that. I'm having a good time and I…
I felt sick. I was going to vomit right there in front of him. Suddenly my body was drenched with a cold flush of sweat.
‘C’mon, let’s get you to the toilet before you’re sick in front of all these people.
I don’t remember how I got to the toilet, but I vomited all my dinner and cried a little. I must have lost consciousness for several minutes because when I stirred back to reality, I wasn’t in the loud room anymore; I was in a car.
‘Kiss me, Mr. La Caz.’
‘Julia, you are drunk so please just lie down until we get home.’
‘But I want you to kiss me. I'm agreeing to your proposition.’
‘Julia, you won’t remember any of it tomorrow. Please stop tempting me.’
‘Nathaniel, I'm not feeling too well...I…’
‘You and alcohol just don’t go well together. It’s like me and your blood...we lose control too quickly.’
I opened my eyes and I had to shut them again. A pain shot through my forehead and I moaned. My body was numb and the bright light was pouring into the room, increasing the throbbing pain in my skull. I rubbed my eyes and looked around.
This isn’t my room. What the hell?
The bedding was soft and smelled of lavender and jasmine. I closed my eyes, wanting to drift to sleep, but then I realised that I had nothing on apart from my knickers. I started to panic, but I was so hung over that I couldn’t even remember what I was doing in this stylish place. The room was spacious, with large windows and bare white walls. A large wardrobe was opposite the mirror and dressing table. Everything looked immaculate. I tried to bring back memories from last night.
What is the last thing that I remember?
Party, food, and then I danced. That’s it. Nothing else.
I drank a lot. First a lot of wine with the meal, and then Jennifer kept bringing me shots. Then I gasped, because my memory flashed back to the point when I was in the car with Nathaniel. He’d showed up on the dance floor. And then he told me that I’d had too much to drink. Next thing that I remembered, I was vomiting in the toilet. In a panic, I checked for any bite marks. There were none. I walked to the mirror and checked my neck. Still nothing.
I looked at my phone. It was twelve o’clock and I wondered whether La Caz had done anything else to me, but deep down I knew that I would remember whether or not we had sex last night. I looked in the wardrobe, trying to see whether there were any other clothes that I could wear. I couldn’t walk around this strange room naked.
Men’s shirt, huh? That will have to do.
The shirts were fresh and smelled of him. I was glad that it would at least cover my bum. My nerves were eating me away. I was probably in his room, waking up half naked with the biggest hangover of the century.
Someone knocked and then Nathaniel La Caz entered. He closed the door and gave me a lazy smile. When I looked into his eyes, I felt ashamed of myself, exposed and vulnerable and stripped apart from all the dignity that was left in me. In the broad daylight, he looked like a human; his sandy hair was damp and he was dressed in a grey jumper and jeans.
Chapter twenty
Of course he undressed me. I was only in my knickers this morning. Oh no!
‘Miss Taylor, you’re up,’ he said, his voice still alluring. He smiled again and shoved his hands into his pockets. I knew that I went red almost instantly because I was standing in front of the mirror. I wasn’t even going to try to cover my nipples, because they were just there in his face, but he was still staring at my eyes.
This was mortifying, waking up in his house, not knowing what I did or said last night. Just kill me now.
‘Hi, Nathaniel. I’m confused about why I’m here,’ I said, straightening my back and placing my hands on my hips. Slowly his eyes moved from my eyes to my neck and then to my breasts and then wandered off to my face again. My heartbeat quickened, but I was going to hold myself together. After all, he was a man and if my nipples were staring him in the face, he couldn’t not look.
‘I brought you home. You were throwing up everywhere and I couldn’t leave you with your work colleagues, so I decided to take you to my apartment,’ he said and he winked at me.
‘How did you even know where I was? Have you been stalking me again with your dark magic?’
‘Can you believe in such a coincidence? I decided to take senior members of my staff to a Christmas party—we had a good year—and Lucinda suggested Grand Central,’ he replied, playing with his gold ring.
‘And you want me to believe that Lucinda chose the same venue where Paranormal Personnel decided to go?’
‘Yes, that’s what happened.’ He shrugged, looking annoyed. ‘So is this the end of your interrogation?’
‘No, I have a lot more to ask you.’
‘Well, I’m afraid that has to wait. If you’re going to stand here half naked, I might stop being such a gentlemen and I’ll rip your clothes apart and have sex with you right here, right now,’ he said and licked his upper lips. My heart lurched and the energy charged my skin.
‘We both know that is not going to happen,’ I snarled. ‘Can I have back my dress? I haven’t got any other clothes.’
He stepped towards me, and I was afraid he was going to touch me, but instead he passed me and opened the wardrobe.
‘Here, put this on for now. After lunch, we will figure something out,’ he said. He inhaled, closing his eyes for several seconds. ‘You need to cover your scent because one more minute or so, and I’m going to lose control and bite you.’
His voice was so low and husky; it sent an icy
shiver down my spine.
Fuck! I forgot to use my cover charm. I’m surprised I’m still alive.
I concentrated for a few seconds and whispered the formula, feeling the energy filling my skin, producing the shield.
‘I’ll wait for you in the kitchen. Just turn right and straight through,’ he said, as he passed me the trousers and left the room. I took a long deep breath just to make sure that I wasn’t going to pass out.
This attraction will take me to the grave. How could I be so stupid?
He only touched me once, but his presence was driving me insane. I went back to the bed, found my bra, and put his trousers on. If I heard him right, he’d restrained himself from sleeping with me. I rinsed my face under the water and looked in the mirror. My head was still pounding. I didn’t have any makeup on, but at least my hair was looking shiny.
Right. I need to calm down. At least I have to give him a chance. He looked after me and made sure that I was all right.
I left the room and found myself in a long corridor; I noticed large paintings showing Paris and London at night. The immaculate carpets were cream-coloured and when I walked into the dining-kitchen area, I was swept away by the stunning view overlooking central London. The kitchen was set in black colours, with a spotless granite surface and the latest brand-new cooker. Nathaniel was sitting on a chair, reading a paper. He looked even more gorgeous in the morning sun, and yes, London wasn’t cloudy today.
‘Come on, sit down,’ he ordered me. I sat next to him, mesmerised by the stunning view. I wasn’t even thinking about the money. No one could afford this kind of luxury working nine till five. I shouldn’t have been surprised at all. Most of the vampires were usually rich; nobody knew a poor vampire—but Nathaniel La Caz didn’t have years to accumulate this kind of fortune. He was twenty-seven and he was aging like a normal human being. ‘I prepared poached eggs on toast. I hope you like eggs?’