Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Kip
Secrets, Secrets Are No Fun
My phone buzzes on the nightstand, waking me up. Groaning, I pat around the bed, looking for Charlie. My hands meet cold, empty sheets. Huh.
“Baby?” I call out, only to be met with Nacho’s meowing. “Hey, buddy, where’s your other dad?”
Meow.
I squint open my eyes, the room barely illuminated by the rising sun. No Charlie in sight. What time is it?
When I grab my phone, I’m met with a text.
Charlie: Kip, help. Meet me in the basement of Blood Rose. Hurry.
What the fuck? I’m awake now. Why would Charlie be at the Blood Rose? And in the basement, no less? My blood run cold at the thought of Charlie being in that basement, where I spent so much time alone in the dark. There’s no reason for him to be there. And if he really is, that’s not good.
I struggle out of bed, tangled up in the sheets, and then hop around the room quickly throwing on clothes.
“Something strange is afoot, Nacho.” I mumble, grabbing my phone and wallet.
Meow meow.
Kip: coming. u ok?
No response. What the hell is going on? Before I head out, I check Tyson’s room, and find that he’s not here.
I have a bad fucking feeling about this.
I can feel the bond tugging at my chest, telling me that something is wrong.
Charlie shouldn’t be at Blood Rose, especially not alone. I do the only thing I can think of.
Kip: Lisette, it’s kip. i think sumthing is wrong. can u meet me at blood rose? in basement? please.
I rush over to the club to find the front door unlocked, which is…odd, given that it’s a weekday and it’s like six in the morning. I was hoping that this was some mistake, but the door being wide for me doesn’t bode well.
“Hello?” I call out into the dark, seemingly empty space.
This feels like the start to a horror movie.
The bond pulls at me, tugging me deeper towards the entrance to the basement.
Everything inside of me is screaming at me ‘don’t go down there you fucking idiot!
”. I desperately don’t want to see that dark and dank room again.
What if it’s a trick? What if I’m being lured down here to be locked up again?
Maybe Charlie isn’t actually here. God, I hope he isn’t actually here.
“Please, Lisette, get here quickly.” I clasp my hands and look to the ceiling, praying for her to come save the day. Because I have a feeling I’m going to need saving.
The door to the basement creeks open ominously.
“Charlie?” I call out, my voice shaky.
Using my phone as a guide, I descend the steps, my heart racing. I feel like I’m gonna puke.
“I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid. It’s just a room, Kip. Pull yourself together.” I psych myself up. I can do this. I’m a big, badass vampire. I’m not afraid of the dark. Or jail cells. Or creepy fucking basements. Nope. I’m too cool and buff for that.
The door at the bottom on the stairs is propped open slightly. Please don’t let me be walking into my own demise.
“Baby?” I whisper, casting my phone’s flashlight around the dim space.
The flashlight illuminates the cell at the back of the basement room. And there he is. My Charlie. Sitting with his arms tied behind his back, and a rag tied around his mouth like a makeshift gag.
“Charlie.” I gasp, running forward.
He shakes his head at me, just as the door to the room slams closed.
“Hiya, Kip.” Tyson’s voice rumbles from behind me.
I whirl around, spinning my flashlight in an arc until it lands on Tyson’s figure.
“Dude, what the fuck.” I wheeze. “What is going on?”
“Not much, you?” Tyson replies, unbothered.
Charlie mumbles something unintelligible around the gag.
I move towards the cell, ready to do anything to get Charlie out of there. Before I get too far, Tyson grabs my arm, yanking me back towards him.
“Uh-uh-uh. We’ve got some stuff to discuss, just you and me. If it goes well, I’ll let Charlie go. If it doesn’t…well…let’s just hope it goes alright.”
“Tyson, this is too far man. Whatever you think you’re doing, it’s wrong.”
He steers me towards a chair, pushing me until my ass hits the hard seat. He plops down across from me, crossing his feet at the ankles, with his arms crossed across his chest.
“That’s where you’re wrong, sugar. I’ve tried and tried, and fucking tried for years to get you to see reason.
And then, even after Charlie—” Tyson sneers the name, “came along, I fought at every turn to get you both to see that you don’t belong together.
But no matter what I did, you didn’t get it.
Well, I’m done trying. So no, this isn’t too far.
And if this little chat doesn’t work, if you prove it’s not far enough, I’m willing to do anything to get you to see the truth. ”
I hear Charlie grumble, and my instinct is to look towards him.
“Nope, don’t look at him.” Tyson grits out. “You’re listening to me.”
“Dude, I don’t understand—”
Tyson interrupts me. “Of course you don’t. You’re so naive. I can’t fault you for that. It’s plain to every other fucking person here but you, apparently.”
He stands up from his seat, coming to stand between my thighs. His hand comes up to caress my jaw, and I suppress a shudder. This is wrong.
“I love you, Kip. I have for years.” Tyson’s eyes are on mine, pleading for me to listen.
“Why do you think I chose you to pursue and exclusively use as my blood source? Your blood was so…exquisite. Potent. Drugging. Everything was going well, and then you died. But then, I had an epiphany. I thought, I can’t have your blood anymore, not as my sole source of sustenance, but I could have you. ”
“Tyson…” My eyes are welling up. I really am stupid. Charlie was right, Tyson is in love with me. How did I not see it before? But I can’t love him back. Not like that, not like he wants me to. My heart belongs to Charlie.
“But right after you turned, you met him.” Tyson’s voice grows darker, deadlier. “And what? It was love at first sight? That’s not real. What you two have isn’t real. Not as real as what we share.”
I hear Charlie scoff from the cell, but force my gaze to remain on Tyson. I don’t want Tyson’s attention on Charlie. This guy is fucking looney. I’m realizing now that this is worse than I thought. I knew he wasn’t who I thought he was, but this…this is next level.
“I tried to scare him away. And when that didn’t work, I had to take a new direction. Allie was a necessary casualty. And she’s fine now, so it was worth it.”
Allie…wait…“Allie, from Pump Palace?”
Tyson’s lips flip up at the corners into a small smile, like he’s recalling an especially fond memory. “Ah, yes. It was easy enough to place that backpack for her to trip over. And it worked out so well…so much blood.” His eyes flicker with lust, the tips of his fangs clicking down slightly.
“You’re joking.” I’m in disbelief. “You purposefully tripped her, letting her smash open her head, so she would bleed all over the gym and what? Make me lose it to bloodlust? Have me locked up? Why, Tyson?”
“Duh. It was all part of the plan. He said that if I got you in trouble and locked up, he’d help me with the rest.” Tyson mutters. “But then that fucking bitch, Lisette, had to get involved and clean up the council. She ruined my whole plan.”
I’ve lost track of his monologue. I have no clue what he’s talking about now. “The fuck are you talking about?”
“Oh, keep up, sugar.” Tyson says in a condescending tone.
“The council. I was promised by one of the members a spot on the council. At the very top. All I had to do was prove myself. And, not only that, but he said I could have you in my thrall. Once I proved that you weren’t fit to be a free vampire, you would’ve been recruited for the council’s use, and assigned to me.
Then we’d never be apart, and you wouldn’t have a say in it. ”
Charlie gasps in outrage. I don’t have to see his face to know it’s lined with fury.
“So you were just going to let me be…enslaved? To you?”
“Think it through. You chose him over me. You’re convinced that you’re in love.
I did what I had to do to get you back.” Tyson says it like it’s obvious.
Like he doesn’t know why Charlie and I are upset.
“Anyway, fucking Lisette messed it up. Kept an eye on me, and made sure you were released. So that plan fell away. Back to square one.”
“I’ve never once wanted to truly hurt someone, but I really want to fucking throttle you right now, Tyson.” I hiss. I’m fucking livid. “How dare you.”
“Oh, don’t be dramatic.” Tyson waves me off.
“We’re the perfect fit. I’m way better for you than chuckles over there could ever be.
We both work at the gym. We’re both built like Greek Gods.
Both vampires. How can you possibly expect a future with him?
He’ll die in like fifty years, and that’s if he’s lucky!
He could get hit by a car tomorrow. And then you’d be alone again.
He’s human, and humans are notoriously fragile. ”
“Uhhh, doesn’t that argument work against you? You wanted me when I was human…” This plan is convoluted and batshit.
“Yeah, well, I was constantly feeding you my blood. It worked out, didn’t it? You climbed that tree and broke your fucking neck. You’re welcome by the way, without me you’d be rotting in the ground right now.”
“Oh yeah, thank you.” I roll my eyes, sarcasm evident in my tone. “Being used as a walking blood bag, and then being turned into a vampire against my will. Love that for me.”
Tyson ignores my tone. “You’re welcome, sugar.”
“Yeah, that was fucking sarcasm, you ass. I can’t eat burgers anymore because of you! You know that was my favorite food.”
“Ah, what is a burger compared to eternal life and my commitment to love you for all of it?” He shrugs. Fucking shrugs.
The longer I sit here, the angrier I get. How was I ever friends with this guy?
“Okay, I think we’re done here.” I slap my knees and stand up. “Tyson, the only good thing you ever gave me was a chance to meet Charlie.”
In a blink, Tyson is in the cell with Charlie, gripping him by the throat. Charlie’s eyes are wide and panicked.
“Kip, sugar, you didn’t think it would be that easy, right? You think I’d let both of you go without consequence?”
I see Tyson’s hand flex harder against Charlie’s throat, and hear my baby choke. I want to rush Tyson and fucking pummel him into the ground, but there’s a good chance that would end up hurting Charlie too.
“Okay, okay. I’m waving a white flag here, Tys. Please, let him down. Don’t hurt him.”
“Good boy, Kip. Now, sit the fuck back down, and let me finish.” He nods his head from me to the chair I abandoned.
My body screams at me to fight him, but I ignore it, slinking back to the chair.
Once my ass hits the seat, Tyson squeezes Charlie’s throat once more, forcing a squeaky rasp, before releasing his throat and letting Charlie fall gasping to the floor.
My body jerks up from the chair, wanting to rush to Charlie’s side, but Tyson levels me a look that has me slamming back down in my seat.
I can’t take my eyes off Charlie’s quaking little body as Tyson stalks back over, sitting down gracefully across from me.
“Anyway, where were we?” He says nonchalantly.
“Yes, so Lisette made sure you were released, foiling my plan. So I had to pivot, again. Who knew being an evil mastermind was so much work? Seriously.” He sighs.
“So I tried again to convince Charlie that you two weren’t meant to be.
He, of course, didn’t listen. Doesn’t know what’s good for him, apparently. ”
“This monologue is getting really old.” Charlie rasps. The struggle between him and Tyson must’ve knocked the gag loose.
Tyson continues, pretending not to hear Charlie. “Then comes poor Bryant. I didn’t target him specifically, he just happened to be the one to pick up that greased dumbbell. Dumb luck. Get it, dumbbell, dumb luck?” he chortles.
I’m confused. I thought that Bryant smashing his own foot was far-fetched, but how could the footage lie? “But the footage…Joe and I looked at it. It didn’t show anyone messing with the dumbbells.”
“Only a little manipulation of the security footage for that. It was actually pretty easy. Snuck into Joe’s office, cut the footage, and then snuck back out.
” Tyson smirks. “Moving on, so Bryant smashed his foot, and the goal was for you to absolutely lose it over his blood. I have to commend you though, you kept it together. I guess the training I did with you actually worked.”
“Are you serious right now? First Allie, who is lucky all she had was a gash to the dome, and then Bryant? He might never be the same after decimating his foot with that fifty pound weight!” Oh my god. All of this, for what? To get me?
“I mean, their injuries are kind of your fault, no?” Tyson’s face is absolutely serious when he says this.
He honestly believes it. “Same with if something happens to Charlie today. If you had chosen me, none of these people would need to get hurt. And don’t get it twisted, I will continue to hurt people who get in the way of us. ”
“My hope was that I’d get you back to the cell after you attacked Bryant in a blood rage, and then my plans could continue.
But, you didn’t attack him. And then, Lisette came over and said that the rogue council members were taken care of.
Everything I had worked for, gone in a flash.
Which leads us to here, and now. My last resort. ”
“And what is that? What are you hoping to achieve with this?” I’m so fucking over this guy. If I never see him again, it’ll be a blessing. And where the fuck is Lisette? Shouldn’t she be here by now, helping?
“Well, I’m not going to get the spot in the council without my insider. Which is fine, whatever. I really only wanted it to have you as my thrall. So now it’s simple. I want you to break up with Charlie, because if you don’t I’ll fucking snap his neck like a twig.”
I choke on my own spit. “I’m—I’m sorry?”
“You heard me, Kip. You think you’re in love with him, right? Well, here’s your choice. Dump him, and he walks free, unharmed. Choose to keep him, and I’ll kill him.”