Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
JOANNA
This was such a terrible idea.
I don’t think I’ve ever made such a stupid decision before. Okay, I have. Accepting Aidan’s invitation to come into his house the other night was THE worst decision, but this is definitely a close second.
The lonely bug sunk its teeth into me after getting home from the movies with Raegan, and whether it was a demonic spirit or just Aidan’s secret glamour abilities, something came over me.
We opted to go see a screening of one of our favorite classics that was replaying this week, but the entire time I was there, all I could do was think about the fact that Aidan’s house was right below me.
Knowing he was potentially within such close proximity made my head spin.
All throughout the movie, my mind ran rampant with thoughts like:
I wonder if he can hear the movie from his house.
Does it annoy him?
If so, why would he choose to live below a movie theater when he values peace and quiet?
Do all vampires like peace and quiet?
Maybe there are vampires out there who like to spend their time in raves.
I bet there are secret vampire raves in the city.
I should Google it.
And it JUST. WOULDN’T. STOP. Good thing I’ve seen the movie a dozen times, because I remember absolutely nothing.
As we were leaving, I couldn’t help but glance at the stairs leading down to his front door.
There was no way for me to see if he was home, and this only led my mind on a wild goose chase as to where he could be on a Sunday night.
I was so distracted even Raegan could tell something was on my mind.
I had to lie and say it was another hard day at the rescue, which wasn’t technically a lie, because every day is hard when you’re taking care of ten plus animals.
Even so, I felt ten times more guilty by the time I got home.
Throughout the car ride back to the farm, I tried my best to find the root of my problem.
Maybe I’m just dangerously horny, so much that it’s affecting my brain’s ability to function properly.
Like, medical emergency levels of horniness.
Ever since Aidan and I hooked up, it’s been impossible to satiate that itch.
Not even my favorite vibrator has helped, and that thing always does the trick.
I knew it the day after it happened, and I know it now: Aidan Ward is the best I’ve ever had, and I need to know what else he has to offer.
This, on top of the three glasses of wine I treated myself to after I got home, are what led to this terrible, terrible decision. I, thirty-five year old Joanna Shepherd, sent a ‘you up?’ text, which then led to me needing to call and explain myself.
Now I’m on the phone with Aidan, listening to his deep baritone tell me I couldn’t stay away, and I want so badly to say something snarky, but he’s right. I really couldn’t stay away.
“What gave you that impression?” I finally ask, attempting to act none the wiser.
“Joanna.” Every time he says my name, a year is taken from my life. “I may be old, but I know what a booty call is.”
I choke on my wine. “Please, never say that word again.”
“Booty call? That’s two words.”
I groan loudly into the phone. “Ughhhh.”
His laugh causes a flurry of activity in my stomach. Either he’s giving me butterflies, or the wine was bad.
“Why did you call, then?” he asks casually, changing tactics.
I’m keenly aware that we both know why I called. He knows what I want, and now I’m chickening out. But why? Where’s the harm in admitting I want a little physical affection? Even if it is with someone who sent me on my way after sucking him off.
This is crazy. Feeling this desperate for a man is extremely out of character for me. Some vampire voodoo must be happening, because just the sound of his voice is making me want to race over there and strip.
Get it together, Jo. You’re an adult. Just admit you want sex.
“I have a proposition for you,” I tell him.
He hums eagerly. “Please, go on.”
I scoff. “Don’t act like you already have an answer before I’ve asked the question.”
“Oh, but I do.”
My eyes roll to the back of my skull. “Is there a reason you make everything so difficult? Or do you just hate me?”
There’s a long pause on the other end of the line—so long I pull the phone away from my face just to make sure we’re still connected.
Finally, after a minute of excruciating silence, in a much softer tone, he says, “I don’t hate you.”
I wasn’t expecting him to answer me so directly, but I can work with that.
“Alright, given that enlightening admission, I would like to share my proposal,” I tell him, then rush to say, “and think about your answer after I’ve asked, please.”
He doesn’t protest. “Okay.”
My palms sweat against the back of my phone.
“We had a pretty good time last week,” I start, “at least, I thought so.” I’m fumbling over the right words, but now that I’ve started, I have to spit them out.
“What I’m trying to say is: we have good chemistry.
” I can feel him about to interject, but I quickly stop it.
“Not in our daily lives, obviously—you totally need an attitude adjustment—but in the bedroom, we make a good pair.”
Aidan remains quiet on the line. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad sign, so I just keep going. “I don’t have anyone in my life to satisfy those particular needs at the moment, and my guess is that you don’t either. So, what if we made an arrangement?”
I expect there to be another pause, but he speaks up the second I’ve finished. “And what are the details of this arrangement?”
“It’s just sex,” I insist. “No emotions involved. Just a couple of times a week, whenever we’re both available. And we tell no one. This is just between us. There’s no need getting the town all riled up thinking we’re dating or something.”
“Right,” he deadpans. “We certainly wouldn’t want people thinking that.”
Is it just me, or does he sound the slightest bit disappointed? I choose to ignore it. “Is that something you would be interested in?”
“Just sex?” he reiterates. “You’re not going to suddenly become enchanted by me and beg me to bite you?”
I scoff. “I don’t know what sort of kinky vampire shit you’re into, but no, I will not become enchanted by you. I need to scratch an itch. And it’s your fault I’m itchy in the first place.” I instantly regret my choice of words.
“Do you ever think about the words coming out of your mouth before you say them?”
“Nope.” Probably should. Probably won’t.
“Figures.”
Another pause. “So you agree?”
He sighs. “Yes, I agree.” I hear shuffling. “I’m out right now, but meet me at my place in an hour.”
My stomach does a backflip. “Tonight?!”
I can practically hear the smile on his face. “You wanted to start something, so let’s start it. Why wait?”
He’s right. It’s now or never.
I slip on a pair of sneakers and grab my jacket. “I’ll see you in an hour.”
I knock lightly at the front door and wait for Aidan to answer. When he does, he’s wearing no shirt, only a loose pair of slacks halfway buttoned.
Saliva floods my tongue and I have to force a swallow. “Am I early? Did your first appointment run a little over?” I know he debunked my theory of him being a ladies man, but it’s still just too fun to mess with him.
Aidan smirks with disdain. “You caught me as I was changing.”
He steps aside to let me in, and I catch the smell of his body wash. He smells citrusy and delicious, like bergamot or fresh oranges.
I also notice he looks tired.
“Did you just wake up from a nap? I didn’t know vampires took naps.”
“I sleep like everyone else,” he says as I follow him into the living room. “But no, I just got back and took a quick shower.”
I feign shock. “Making sure you’re sparkly clean for me? How sweet.” Aidan snarls, and I’m pleased with myself. “You do look tired though,” I add.
He gestures to the couch, and I make myself as comfortable as possible. It’s only my second time here, but I’m starting to get a feel for it. The dark and moody aesthetic has grown on me.
“I’m low on blood,” Aidan says.
“What?” Am I supposed to know what this means? I’m very aware that my heart is beating faster, and I’m worried he can hear it.
He sits across from me on that damn velvet chair. “That's why I look tired. I need to replenish soon.”
“Replenish?”
“You don’t know how vampire biology works?” He looks surprised.
“No,” I say truthfully. I didn’t go to a mixed school with paranormals, so I know very little about their ways of life. “Why don’t you tell me?” I drop my bag on the floor, remove my jacket, and sprawl out on the couch.
His eyes widen, and there’s a sparkle there. It only lasts a second, but I catch it. I fight a smile.
He likes my annoying charm. I will make a note of this for the future.
“A human is turned by having their body completely drained of blood. Then the sire provides a small amount of their own to initiate the change. But a new vampire must feed within the first twenty-four hours of life, or it will not survive. We must drink blood to replenish and maintain the blood we need to keep us alive. Our bodies function the same as when we are human, the only difference is we do not produce blood of our own anymore.”
“So, you’re saying, if you don’t drink blood, eventually you’ll…run out? Does it just evaporate?”
He smirks. “Not quite. It’s more complicated than that.
It’s similar to how a body might reject a transplanted organ.
We have a few days before our bodies reject the blood and we replace it with new.
It’s part of why the stereotypes are so frustrating.
We do not enjoy the taste of it—it’s not something we crave—we literally depend on it to survive. ”
Suddenly I have a million questions. “If you don’t mind my asking, where do you get yours?”