Chapter 35
Florence | Edinburgh, present day
Fortunately, Damian didn’t seem to mind that I sucked his blood and gave him a partial memory wipe when we first met.
But we couldn’t discuss it further as his root canal appointment was nigh.
Pity we got cut short as I was still feeling in the mood after my almost orgasm.
But he kissed me hard on the lips before I left his exam room and said he’d message me after work.
Plus he said ‘I love you’ again and shot me a misty-eyed look before he started disinfecting his chair.
Feeling on top of the world, I practically skipped home to do some work on my memoir.
I guess I’ve had a lot to say for myself, but I think it makes for good reading.
I would like to give myself a happy ending (for the book, not the other kind!) so I’ll need to write Damian into it.
I’ve been thinking of adding him in as a modern Dickensian-type character called Dimpleton Rinks because he does have such a cute dimple when he smiles . ..
Twenty minutes later, I get back to writing after having had a lovely daydream about Dimpleton Rinks doing naughty things to me with his large cock. I don’t think the story will suffer if I add in some more erotic scenes. Sex sells, as they say.
I’ll let Hester read it and see what she thinks. She likes spicy romances. Sadie’s not much of a reader; she prefers audiobooks, but she’s welcome to read it too if she wants since she’s in it from 1921 onwards.
I know her, though; she’ll want me to change it if she doesn’t agree with how I’ve portrayed her. But I reserve my right as the author to write anything I damn well want, even if it offends her delicate sensibilities. Hmm, I might not let her read it after all.
My phone lights up with a invite from Damian to come to his for a movie. I smile to myself. Last time I went round, there wasn’t much movie watching happening.
***
Three hours later, I’m heading home, my pussy throbbing pleasantly. We began a movie, but the good doctor wanted to christen his new bed. And who was I to say no? Besides, it was another vampire movie, and I’ve seen them all.
Damian said I could sleep over, but I know he’s tired after a busy day at work. So I stayed with him until he fell asleep, rubbing circles on his back.
I’m walking down the road to the bus stop and recalling the evening when my solar plexus starts pulsating madly. It could be because I’ve been thinking about Damian naked, but I know it isn’t.
Oh no. Not here, not now!
Out of the corner of my eye, a sleek black car keeps pace with me, and I start walking faster. I try not to look at it and keep moving, but the tugging sensation worsens.
A low throaty chuckle emits from my right, and I turn my head slightly to see the tinted window has been lowered.
‘Hello, Florence. Still looking as lovely as ever, my beauty. Even after a century.’ Alexander’s amused voice floats from the depths of the pitch-black car. I can’t see him, but the scent of roses wafts from the open window. The smell of death and fear.
I walk faster, fists clenched, purple spots pricking the edges of my vision.
‘Leave me alone!’
‘No, my love. You knew there would be consequences for your actions. Too bad you won’t get to say goodbye to that mortal you’ve been toying with. But it never would have worked out anyway.’
The car pulls to a stop and in one blink I’m next to it, reaching for the door handle against my will.
‘Get in. You and I are going for a drive.’
Oh fuck, I’m going to die tonight … and then he’s coming back for Damian.
Alexander huffs a laugh. ‘You always were astute, my darling.’
No, I can’t let him kill me—I have to rescue Damian.
The thought of my lovely boyfriend being ripped to shreds by this monster jerks me out the stupor he’s put me in. I yank my hand away from the car door as if it’s burning.
‘Fuck off!’ I scream, backing away so quickly that I nearly knock over an older lady walking a poodle.
‘Is he harassing you, dear? Bloody perv, I’ll take care of him.
’ Whipping out her phone she punches in 999.
‘Police please.’ She walks around to the front of the car to read off his number plate in a loud voice causing Alexander to growl in annoyance.
The poodle is barking and going nuts, so I don’t wait around, and sprint back to Damian’s flat. Phew, saved by a vigilant dog walker!
It’s stupid and reckless as anyone could see me, but I choose a darkened spot at least and clamber up to the roof—not an easy feat in a long skirt and a corset. Lowering myself to the top-floor apartment, I bang on the window.
A sleepy Damian, wearing a T-shirt and boxers, heaves it up. ‘Hey, did you forget—’
‘No time to explain. Emergency.’
Before he can protest, I’ve reached in, plucked him from the room, and flown off towards the Old Town.
We’re cheek to cheek with his arms looped around my neck and my arms gripping tightly around his waist. Damian’s shocked breath rasps in my ear, and his galloping heart is making it difficult for me to concentrate.
But I need to as I’ve only ever flown with Sadie. We were practising one night in case we needed to get away quickly from Alexander, and I dropped her. She landed on her feet in a graveyard, but she kept harping on about it for years afterward.
Keep as still as possible, I tell him nervously. And close your eyes if you’re afraid of heights.
Damian obediently squeezes his eyes shut, but his body is quivering in terror as I shoot up to the cloud cover. A low moan escapes his mouth as the frigid winter air rushes over his extremities. I need to fly fast so he doesn’t get hypothermia.
I attempt to connect with Sadie, but as per usual, she’s blocking me. This time, it could be to her detriment.
Hester!
Hester!
Hester!
Screaming her name over and over in my mind is my only option, since I can’t project thoughts to her, but luckily it seems to work.
Hester: You OK? What’s wrong?
Me: Thank God you heard me. I just bumped into Alexander, and I can’t reach Sadie. Can you get back to the flat pronto? We need to check on her.
Hester: Fuck! I’m just heading back from my acting class. I’ll be there in five.
Panicking, I fly as fast as I can to Ramsay Garden with Alexander’s damned nursery rhyme—‘Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home’—and his maniacal laugh ringing in my head.
If he’s hurt Sadie, I’ll rip his head off ...
Damian shudders in my arms, and I realise I’ve said it in his mind.
I drop us outside the front door, and Damian sags against the railing, white-faced. But there’s no time to comfort him.
Hester appears beside me in a flash.
‘Quickly, get him inside,’ she says, and we whisk Damian through the front door. I relax slightly.
Apart from Damian’s hoarse breathing, the house is silent and in darkness.
‘Sadie?’ I call out.
There’s no answer.
Hester: Did she go out?
Me: No, Elliott was coming over.
She jerks her chin towards the staircase.
Hester: They must be in her room. We should check on them, just in case.
I nod and slide my hand into Damian’s sweaty one and tug him towards the staircase.
I don’t particularly want him to witness whatever’s happening between Sadie and Elliott in her room.
But I can’t leave him alone either as he’s scared out of his wits, he can’t see, and I still haven’t explained what’s happening.
I bumped into Alexander down the road from your flat, I tell him as we climb the stairs to the top floor.
He squeezes my hand and lets out a breath.
I figured it was something like that.
I add, We’re checking up on Sadie and Elliott.
He nods. OK.
I kiss his hand. Don’t worry, I’m sure they’re fine. We’ve been pretty good at evading him so far.
However, this changes things a lot. Alexander knows about us. So Damian’s options are now ‘be turned’ or ‘die’, which is hardly a choice in the scheme of things.
We reach Sadie’s door and listen, but there’s no sound or movement.
Me: Can you detect her in there?
Hester: Yes.
Me: Is she alive?
Hester: Yes.
I squeeze Damian’s hand in relief.
Me: She’s in there. And alive.
Damian: Thank goodness!
Me: Yes. Luckily, it wasn’t a major disaster. But you should stay here with us for now so we can protect you.
Damian nods, and I sense his fear return full force at what that means.
Wanting to see Sadie with my own eyes, I knock on the door and turn the handle, which opens easily. Her bedroom is set into the eaves of the roof, so the ceiling is vaulted. With my night vision, I spy the top of her blonde head over by the bed. She’s sitting on the floor.
However, Damian can’t see. So I reach out to switch on the lights.
Hester: Wait, Floss, I don’t think you should turn on the—
But it’s too late. Soft yellow floods the room, and I hurry to the other side of the bed and let out a gasp.
Sadie is covered in blood; her eyes are closed, and her mouth is open in a silent scream. She seems to be paralysed.
Me: Keep Damian back. Something’s wrong.
Hester: What is it?
Me: I don’t know. She’s in shock.
I crouch next to her and grasp her shoulder gently.
‘Sadie? Are you hurt?’
Her eyes open, and she lets out a thin caterwaul, which causes the hairs on the back of my neck to rise.
Sadie: Alexander’s taken Elliott. He attacked him right in front of me! This is Elliott’s blood, not mine.
Hester: Oh my god, how did he even enter without being invited?
Sadie: He broke in through Floss’s entrance.
Me: What the fuck? How?
Hester: The blood bond may have given him right of entry. He was waiting for you to get back, Floss, so he could—
She gives a sharp tilt of her neck to one side to indicate it being snapped. Thank fuck I was at Damian’s. I feel sick with relief at my lucky escape and try to concentrate on what Sadie is saying.
… He must’ve got bored and hungry because he stormed in and hauled Elliott out of bed.
He plunged his fangs into his neck, tasted his blood, and muttered, ‘How intriguing.’ I took the chance to jump on him, but he threw me on the floor.
Elliott was yelling for me to save him. But Alexander compelled me to freeze in place, so I couldn’t do anything. He dragged him off.
Me: I just bumped into Alexander driving down Leith Walk. Elliott must’ve been in the back seat of his car.
Sadie moans and rocks when she hears that.
If you’d both done your duties like I asked you to, we wouldn’t be in this position. Not only is he our only source of blood, Elliott is my—
Sadie cuts off abruptly with an anguished look.
Me: I’m really sorry.
Hester: No, it’s my fault, Floss. I take full responsibility. I’ve been distracted lately. For different reasons ...
Sadie (silently screaming at us): I’m going to stake you both if he dies!
I glance at Hester. Holy shit.
Hester: We have to get him back. But exactly how we’re going to manage that, I have no idea.
Distressed and fearing for my life on two counts now, I sit back on my heels and discover Damian has escaped Hester’s clutches and rounded the bed. He’s staring bug-eyed at blood-soaked, wailing Sadie.
‘What the hell is going on? Where’s Elliott?’
‘I take it back, Dr Rhodes. It is major.’ I attempt to sound unconcerned but fail miserably. ‘In fact, the situation has just been elevated to a monumental disaster.’
To be continued ...