Her face went red as she held a breath. ‘Jasper’s still in love with you; he did that because he wants you back.’
‘We were never meant to be together; he wasn’t for me. I only went out with him because of you,’ I said, throwing the truth straight at her face. She didn’t understand that Jasper needed help; I had to stay away from him. She narrowed her eyes and looked away.
‘Jasper isn’t perfect, but he’s a good person.’
My pulse rocketed and I moved closer to face her, to make sure that she would understand me well this time around.
‘Listen to me, Georgiana. I don’t want to talk to Jasper. I want him to stay away from me. Pass him that message and make sure he understands,’ I said through gritted teeth.
‘You’re a fool, Julia,’ she spat, stepping backward. ‘Jasper has a bad temper but you won’t be happy with that vampire. Jasper is abroad, but he is looking to talk to you as soon as he gets back to London.’
‘Georgiana, let me get this straight. You can’t tell me who I can and cannot be happy with. I’m not interested in talking to Jasper. I have moved on and I suggest he do the same,’ I said.
She didn’t stop me this time. Georgiana obviously didn’t know the dark side of her brother and wanted to protect him. She had no idea what Jasper was like. When we were together he was controlling, impulsive, and was obsessed with me. We did share some loving moments together but those were few and far between. He travelled a few times a month, leaving without any explanation. There had been times when he would beat up guys because they stared at me for too long. I was much happier without him. My ex-boyfriend just wouldn’t give up. I knew he’d find a way to talk to me and I had to be ready. With Jasper I had to have eyes in the back of my head.
Kate found me about an hour later; this time around she was drunk, kissing a good looking, dark haired wizard. The fire burned and people danced and sang around it. I drank more, but in the back of my mind I kept hearing Georgiana. I didn’t quite remember what happened after my conversation with her. The next thing I knew I was in my own bed, moaning about the loud music before drifting off to sleep.
In the morning my head was throbbing with pain and my stomach growled. I made a mental note to avoid going out with Kate’s family in the future. The clock on the wall was showing a quarter to eleven in the morning. For a long moment I stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to move, and I somehow fell back to sleep. A loud knock woke me just after midday and I covered my face with the pillow.
Who the hell wanted to see me on Sunday morning? I’m dying here.
It took me a moment to get up; dizziness hit me, but I kept walking. I made another mental note to ask Kate if I had a drinking problem. I didn’t dare to look in the mirror; I couldn’t worry about my looks when I was dying from the biggest hangover in my life.
‘Hello, beautiful. You look like you had a hell of a night.’
In normal circumstances I would have closed the door and told him to wait until I made myself look decent. Right now I didn’t care; my head was hurting and I had to get back to bed. Nathaniel looked immaculate, as usual, wearing a white T-shirt and black pants.
‘I don’t remember inviting you here,’ I muttered, yawning. Maybe I should care more. After all, the man that I shared the most intimate moments with was in my apartment and he looked deliciously handsome.
He smiled and something melted inside me. ‘I meant to see you later, but I changed my mind. Can I come in?’
No, you can’t.
‘Fine, but I don’t even know why you’re here. I’m not feeling well and I plan to sleep for the rest of the day,’ I told him. He came in and shut the door behind him. Instead of going back to bed I went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water.
‘How much did you drink?’ he asked, taking the kettle out of my hands. Our fingers brushed, charging my wrecked body with electricity. I clenched my teeth and tried to ignore it.
‘I don’t remember.’
‘Come on, go lie down and I’ll look after you,’ he suggested, watching me intensely.
‘You don’t have to do that,’ I said.
‘I want to, so go back to bed and let your boyfriend take care of everything.’
‘But you’re not my boyfriend,’ I corrected him.
‘I will be.’
I didn’t have the energy to fight with him, so I left him to it and went back to bed. Half an hour later, when I thought he was already gone, the scent of limes and lemons swirled my senses. When I opened my eyes, his face was only a couple of inches away from mine.
‘I made you breakfast,’ he said quietly. I could have sworn that my heartbeat stopped, but I pretended to look away.
Focus! That’s his trick. You are in control of this situation.
He stood up, smiling, and placed a tray on my lap. He’d made me scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast.
‘Thank you, I feel better already.’ I smiled.
‘You don’t need magic to cure a hangover, just good food. Come on, eat up, because I’ve got a surprise for you.’
Another mind-blowing orgasm?
‘Surprise?’
‘I’m taking you somewhere.’
You and your perverted mind should get a grip!
I tucked into my food, keeping away from sexual thoughts. He was playing his role well, but I would make him work harder. I hated that he didn’t realise how much he hurt me, acting like nothing happened.
Nathaniel knew how to prepare a breakfast. I cleaned my plate and watched him for a moment, indulging my mind with his body. He took my plate to the kitchen so I snuck out to the bathroom. I looked like I’d been hit by a thunderstorm, so I had a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and used makeup to cover the dark circles under my eyes. He was lying on my bed when I came out of the bathroom.
‘Do you remember how much fun we had on this bed a few months ago?’
Of course, I remembered. I would never forget that intense, sensual night we’d shared together. The next day I had to go shopping to replace the mirror and two light bulbs we’d broken. Whenever we made love my power came alive, exploding and damaging everything around us. I flushed and a smile crept over his face.
‘Not really,’ I said hoarsely.
‘I love when you go all shy; it turns me on.’
‘Stop talking and listen,’ I warned him. ‘I’ll go wherever you want but under one condition.’
‘Which is?’
‘Today we are going to talk, that’s all. There won’t be any kissing and we most certainly won’t be having sex,’ I said firmly. Something shimmered in his eyes.
‘We’re both sexually frustrated,’ he observed, licking his lips.
‘It doesn’t matter. This relationship isn’t about sex,’ I said, folding my arms together.
‘You know, I can’t stop thinking about that night, when you were spread underneath me, naked.’
So what are you waiting for?
‘That’s what I mean,’ I hissed. ‘We’re going out for a normal date like normal people do. I’m sure you shagged someone while we were apart.’
He narrowed his eyes and stood.
‘There hasn’t been anyone else since we’ve been together,’ he said, approaching me. ‘I have eternity to fuck your brains out and I’m going to show you that you can trust me again.’
‘And how are you going to do that?’
‘You will see,’ he replied, sending me a wink. ‘Women have been asking me for exclusive relationships for years, but I never listened. I didn’t want to listen, until I met you.’
His voice was smooth and hypnotic and I wanted to believe him, but I didn’t know if I should. We’d only known each other for a few months, but I was still afraid to commit, knowing that I would fall in love with him. My body wouldn’t say no if he asked me to make love to him right now. I was lost and captured by these new unexpected emotions.
Don’t even go there, Julia. You don’t love him.
Chapter twenty
Nathaniel didn’t use his limousine; instead he drove toward central London. We didn’t talk much and I wasn’t sure what to expect from our romantic rendezvous in the city. Many people were taking advantage of today’s glorious weather. The sky was clear of clouds and the temperatures were high. Londoners had enough of the rain that kept bothering everyone the past few weeks. I was on a date with Nathaniel La Caz; I still couldn’t quite believe it.
‘Where are we going?’ I asked, feeling a little nervous.
‘We’re going to walk alongside the river and then we’ll have a late lunch,’ he explained. ‘You know, like ordinary people do.’
‘Lovely, so that’s your master seduction plan?’ I asked, smirking.
‘We’re just having lunch,’ he said, smiling. ‘We won’t be sleeping together until you beg me to fuck you.’
Not a chance.
‘I doubt very much that I’ll ever beg,’ I said, waving off erotic memories from the elevator. He smiled again but didn’t say anymore. He was dreaming if he thought that I was going to beg him for sex. We walked by the river, passing families with children, enjoying the sunshine. I liked lazy late Sunday morning in central London.
‘What did you do last night? I mean, if you care to tell me?’ he asked.
Until Georgiana showed up I was having a good time. After that I drank way too much and lost the plot. I could only hope that I didn’t make a fool of myself like during my date with Loony.
‘My work colleague invited me to a family barbecue,’ I said. ‘But instead I ended up taking part in a Sabbath.’
‘Sabbath?’ he asked, frowning. ‘I thought only witches and wizards took part in those gatherings.’
‘Well, I thought that too. Kate mentioned that her plans changed and her family suggested that I come with them. It was like going to a supernatural festival. The food was amazing, but I think I’ll stay away from alcohol for a while.’
‘So you’re glad I rescued you this morning?’ he asked, turning to face me. Out of the blue the light insignificant conversation had turned into an intimate moment. Nathaniel looped his hand around mine, staring directly into my eyes, drinking me in.
Here we go again—my heart can’t handle this.
‘Hmm, I appreciate what you did for me,’ I began, ignoring my racing pulse.
‘You’re beautiful, my firecracker,’ he whispered. I swallowed a giant lump in my throat, ignoring the fluttering sensation in my stomach. I started counting to ten again; the useless expertise failed me before but I didn’t know what else to do.
‘I won’t be sleeping with you tonight.’
‘You have a very dirty mind, Julia,’ he said, smiling, leaning away from me. ‘I didn’t plan to sleep with you tonight anyway, but you know that you would love it if I did.’
I shivered, warmth dancing along my neck. His hazel eyes met mine, but he said nothing. A violent jolt of desire fired through my cheeks. Flustered, I tried to walk away, but he took my hand.
‘What are you doing?’ I asked.
‘Isn’t that was couples do? I’m holding your hand.’
‘But we aren’t a couple, Nathaniel. You’re still working on that.’ I chuckled, but my heart beat strong in my chest. Many human women were looking at Nathaniel as we passed through. He was so attractive it was easy to get distracted. The air around him buzzed with power, his movements were thoughtful but controlled. The heat between us eased off, but I knew that I would be back to square one very soon.
‘We will be,’ he added confidently. He was so full of himself, but I had to admit I liked his arrogant side. I was working so hard to hide the attraction between us.
We talked about Rufus for a while. Nathaniel didn’t believe that Rufus would sell out the agency and work for our rivals. Caleb McGregor was still a threat, and he hadn’t been seen in London for a while. I was sure that Dad knew more than he was prepared to say. After all, I ruined Caleb’s business, so I was next in the line to be assassinated. He no doubt wanted revenge.
‘He’s hiding; the police are after him, but he probably has people all over London,’ I said, contemplating the situation as we sat down in the restaurant a few hours later.
‘You’re right. He had years to build his network; money gave him power and people that he can rely on. After you and I broke up I was worried that he might want to look for revenge; that’s why I hired that bodyguard. I wanted to make sure that you stayed safe, and now he is dead because of me.’
‘So why does he hate you so much? I mean, what did you do to him?’
Nathaniel was looking at the menu, his shoulders tense, but he didn’t meet my eyes. ‘I didn’t do anything to him, Julia. Don’t let him ruin our lunch,’ he said with that odd tone he used when he was uncomfortable.
I could see he wasn’t prepared to talk about it and I didn’t want to push him. They obviously had some unresolved conflict, but I doubted that Nathaniel was ever going to reveal why they hated each other so much. The waiter approached our table just in time to take our orders. I still had a light headache, but I felt better than I had that morning.
‘So, did you like my flowers on Friday?’
‘Yes, they were very beautiful. How very thoughtful of you,’ I said, smiling. We were coming to that point in our conversation where I wasn’t sure what we should talk about next. Every time he looked at me I couldn’t stop thinking about our recent naughty encounter in the lift. His leg brushed mine, bringing back the feelings I wanted to hide, and I shivered.
‘I’m sorry about what I said,’ he said.
‘Hmm?’
‘I should have protected you better. I couldn’t stand that you nearly died because of me, so I did what I thought was right.’
He is making this so much harder for me. How am I not going to fall in love with him?
I swallowed hard, drinking some water.
‘Yeah, you were an areshole,’ I said, trying to make joke out of it, but he was having none of it. He touched my palm and leaned over the table so our faces were only couple inches apart. My heart was out of control, pumping blood through my veins way too fast. I had to stop talking; I couldn’t do this right now.
‘I couldn’t bear it that another vampire tasted your blood, then you nearly died because of the fire, because of me. I care more about you than you realise,’ he added.
My throat was dry and I had no idea what to say. Pressure was building up inside me, releasing tiny sparks of light through my fingers.
‘Nathaniel, I want to make this work, but I’m scared.’
I didn’t want to say how I really felt about him; the realisation hit me out of the blue. He was a Dhampir and I was an elf, so there were other issues that we needed to consider. I didn’t think I cared about what my grandmother thought anymore about my blood. I kept saying I didn’t want to be in love with him… but what if I was already in love with him?
‘We belong together, Julia. Sooner you get that, the better.’
My cheeks flamed. I wanted him to kiss me, but I held his gaze, inhaling sharply, licking my lips. He’d already burned me once; who said that he wasn’t going to do it again?
‘What about my blood, Nathaniel? Underneath everything, you’re still a vampire.’
‘I’ve already proven to you I can control my thirst. Your scent drives me fucking insane, but I’ll deal with it,’ he paused, smiling. ‘I would never deliberately hurt you.’
There would always be the problem with blood. I couldn’t possibly have any feelings for him already; he confused me and corrupted my mind. I needed to take things slowly with him. I didn’t want to love him yet, not until he was serious about me.
We spent a pleasant early afternoon together and, somehow, Nathaniel helped to lift the guilt about Rufus off my chest. After lunch he took me to one of his favourite sweet shops in London where we had coffee and cake. As we were leaving, my phone started vibrating
; I picked it up without thinking about who would be on the other line.
‘Hello?’
‘Hi, Julia, it’s Elena.’
‘Elena, hi, how are you?’ I asked, my voice breaking. I should have called Elena, but I was scared that she would blame me for Rufus’s disappearance. I knew things I wanted to keep to myself, but Elena was Rufus’s wife. She had a right to know what was going on with her husband.
‘Fine. I was just wondering if you could come see me today. I need to talk to you,’ she said in a small voice. I looked at Nathaniel and my internal fight began. She needed a shoulder to cry on, but I wasn’t prepared sit with her and lie to her face.
‘Sure,’ I replied, wanting to bite my tongue. ‘I’ll ask my date to drop me at your place.’
She mentioned that she was going to email me her home address. I always separated work from personal life, but right now Elena’s husband was missing and I couldn’t pretend I didn’t care.
‘I need to go and see Rufus’s wife,’ I said to Nathaniel. ‘Did you want to take me someplace else?’ I asked.
‘I had a place in mind’ he said and the corner of his lips inclined into a smile.
‘I have an idea of what you had in mind. Did it involve my bed?’
‘You’re the one suggesting it. If you want, I can come back later,’ he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. ‘Stop pretending you don’t want me inside you.’
I flushed and desire circulated through me, the air around us now tense with our erotically charged atmosphere. We both needed to have sex, but we both knew that this would just mess things up between us.
I smirked. ‘I won’t beg.’
‘Trust me, when your magic builds up, you will beg and you’ll be at my mercy,’ he whispered. ‘Come on, let me drop you off.’
I hate his guts.
‘Yes, let’s go.’
No, I think I love him.
I had problems and I needed to see a doctor. Dealing with Nathaniel was easy, but when it came to knowing what love was, I was a mess. It was safer when we were teasing each other. That way we didn’t discuss what we were both looking for. He had to show me that he was willing to give me what I wanted; he had to show me that he was willing to love me.
Paranormal Personnel Saga Box Set - Books 1-3 Page 35