Blood & Secrets: The Night Movers Vampire Series Book 2

by Helen Bright

  “I want to bond with you, Keeley. Do you know what that means?”

  “Gina told me that it’s where you take my blood at the same time as I take yours, and that makes us sort of married forever.”

  I remembered her telling me a few more things, but I wanted Josh to explain it more.

  “The exchanging of blood part is right, and that usually happens during sex, but it’s much more than being married forever. It means I have an unbreakable bond with you, and that we can sense when we need each other, or we feel happy or sad. Eventually, we will be able to communicate telepathically with each other too, and as long as you continue to take my blood regularly, you will never get ill or age so you will live as long as I will.”

  “When would you want to do it, Josh. Would you want to wait until we are married first?”

  “No love, I want to do it as soon as possible, but it will have to be when Daisy is away with her grandparents, as the urge to touch each other and have sex is too strong when you first bond. So it would be best if Daisy wasn’t around to catch us in the act; because in the first few days there will be many, many acts.”

  I giggled at his words and the dreamy expression on his face. He grinned down at me and kissed me before whispering in my ear, “Let’s make love again.”

  This time, our lovemaking was more frantic from the start, and I wrapped my legs high around his waist as he drove into me. We came together when he once again bit into my neck.

  Afterwards, he carried me into the bathroom to get cleaned up in the shower. I felt a little tender when he rinsed away all the sticky evidence of our sex, so he gave me a little of his blood to help me feel better.

  After we had gotten dry, I slipped on a nightshirt before going to check on Daisy. She was sound asleep and I was grateful for that. It meant that tonight I could fall asleep in Josh’s arms, and after telling him I loved him that’s just what I did.

  Chapter Eight

  Josh

  I woke at three a.m. to Daisy tapping on my shoulder, so I turned over carefully, removing my arm from around Keeley’s waist.

  “Daddy I need a wee, and my covers come off my bed,” she said with a light sob.

  Keeley was sound asleep, so I got out of bed as quietly as I could, glad that I had remembered to put on some boxer shorts before I went to sleep. I took hold of Daisy’s hand and led her back towards the guest bathroom so that we wouldn’t wake her mother.

  She pulled down her pyjama bottoms and I lifted her up onto the toilet.

  “I want mummy to sleep with me,” she said as she finished her wee and scrambled off the toilet. I pulled her bottoms back up and turned on the tap to wash her hands.

  “Mummy’s tired, Daisy. It wouldn’t be fair to wake her up when she’s already asleep,” I said yawning.

  “Well you aren’t asleep so you could sleep with me instead,” Daisy said, putting far too much soap on her hands.

  I washed off the soap and dried her hands before carrying her back to her bedroom. When we got there, the quilt was on the floor to the left side of the bed.

  “How did this happen, Daisy?” I asked as I began to make the bed again.

  “I think a tree monster wanted to take it,” Daisy said adamantly, as she took my hand in hers.

  “There are no tree monsters Daisy, and I think you have been watching far too much Ellie the Fairy Queen, so your imagination’s running away with you.”

  “Like the tree monster running away with my covers?” she asked.

  “No tree monsters, remember?” I said as I lifted her up and put her in bed. I covered her up and then laid on the bed beside her. Daisy turned over and cuddled up to me.

  “Daddy…Why do you get to sleep next to Mummy now and I don’t?”

  Now how did I answer this? I wasn’t sure what to say or if I should let Keeley explain, but I decided to try and explain things in a way that I thought she would understand.

  “Well, Daisy, when a mummy and daddy love each other they get to sleep in the same bed so they can cuddle each other if they need to.”

  “But I love you and mummy, so that means I can sleep with you, too.”

  Drat. That didn’t go as well as I thought it would.

  “But when a mummy and daddy have a big girl like you and Queen Ellie, that means the big girl gets her own bedroom because only babies need to sleep with their mummy’s and daddy’s. And you, Queen Daisy, are certainly not a baby,” I said kissing her on her nose.

  Daisy rubbed her nose against mine and said, “Eskimo kisses, Daddy.”

  She was the sweetest little thing, and I was so blessed that both she and Keeley had allowed me to be her father.

  Daisy cuddled up against me and yawned. I held her until she fell asleep and then I took myself back to my own bed, where the only woman I have ever been in love with lay sleeping soundly.

  Chapter Nine

  Keeley

  I couldn’t believe that I didn’t hear Daisy get up last night. I was so tired with all the worrying that I slept until my alarm clock went off this morning. Josh was alert as soon as he heard it too and had wanted to make love again. As tempted as I was, I didn’t have enough time this morning. Daisy didn’t have school today, so I knew I didn’t have to wake her and get her ready, but Gregor was due to land at Doncaster airport this morning, and I wanted to be able to get to the Manor to make sure everything was prepared for his arrival.

  I knew the house was fine, and the business I had been dealing with on his behalf was all as it should be. I just wanted to keep up the good impression that I had made when I met him the first couple of times. I really enjoyed my job and wanted to keep it because he was impressed with me as his P.A., not because he was friends with Freya and she wanted me to have the job.

  Once I was showered and dressed, I looked in on Daisy. She was still fast asleep, although I willed her to wake up so I could see her before I left. Today would most likely be another long day; so I wouldn’t see her until just before her bedtime, again.

  When I walked into the kitchen, I saw that Josh had made us both mushroom omelettes, and although I was nervous about Gregor arriving, I was starving, too.

  “I could get used to this Josh,” I said as I finished my omelette and drank the best cup of tea I ever had.

  “Well, so could I Keeley, although things will be different when I go back to work,” Josh sighed heavily and sat back in his chair. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  “What’s wrong, Josh?” I asked, going over to him and hugging him. He pulled me onto his lap and I laid my head against his shoulder.

  “Think about it Keeley, I work twelve hour nights, and you work full-time days. I should be asleep when Daisy gets up and at work when she goes to bed. I can see her when I get up at around three, but we will never get much time together as a family because when you arrive home, I will be off to work.”

  “We will work something out Josh; families have to deal with this sort of thing all the time. It will be okay, I promise.”

  “But that’s the thing, Keeley. Our family doesn’t have to deal with that sort of thing. I could sell my share of Night Movers. I know Sergei has expressed interest, as has Gregor. I would have to talk to Nik and Alex but to be honest, I really can’t see any other way to work this out.”

  “Just promise me you will think about it Josh, before you rush into anything,” I pleaded. “I would hate to see you lose something you love because of me and Daisy.”

  “But I want to build our bond together Keeley. Daisy needs me to be a father, not just someone she sees in passing and on weekends. That’s just how single families end up when they have no choice. Well, I have a choice. We have a choice. I have enough money for us to live off for a long time, even if I didn’t sell my share of the business. And then there are the houses and the pub…”

  “Stop worrying Josh; we can talk about this later. Now give me a kiss and I promise to give you a nice relaxing massage when I get home ton
ight.”

  “Can’t we have a quickie now? I’m sure that will relax me more than any massage would,” Josh asked hopefully.

  “No Josh, you randy sod. It’s okay for you men because you don’t have the messy part of sex to deal with, and I’m not getting back in the shower now I’ve done my hair and make-up.”

  “Well, you could let me have a little play, just to get me through the day Keeley. Come on; you know you want to…”

  He gifted me with the sexiest, yet playful look I had ever seen, as he traced his fingertips under my skirt until he reached the lace edge of my knickers. Flecks of amber once again appearing in his chocolate brown eyes as he became even more aroused. He nuzzled my hair at the side of my head, and I could feel the hard length of him growing against my bottom. I had to kiss him; I couldn’t seem to do anything else at that point. As his tongue snaked into my mouth, I felt him slip his fingers into my underwear and find the very spot that throbbed for his touch.

  “Open your legs, Keeley,” he commanded, and despite my earlier reservations, I obeyed. He pressed his thumb against my clit and moved it in slow but firm circular motions. I waited for him to push the fingers he held at my entrance deep inside. But he didn’t. He just stroked my wet opening gently, a complete opposite to what his thumb was doing to my clit. I couldn’t help the moan that escaped into his mouth as he kissed me softly.

  I began to rock up against his hand, trying to force his fingers to penetrate me, but he held fast and wouldn’t let me set the pace. I had no control over this encounter, and it was too much for me to handle. I felt the tell-tale signs that an orgasm was building, and then seconds later I started to come. Josh thrust two fingers inside me, mid-orgasm, and I came again. One orgasm had blended into the other, in a seamless parade of spasms and flutters, my juices flowing over his fingers as he pressed them against that special spot inside me that only he seemed able to find.

  I whimpered as he withdrew his fingers. I couldn’t help it. It was involuntary, the same way my sex had tried to grip his fingers to keep him in place. Josh held the same two fingers that had just been inside me against my lips as if he wanted me to lick them. I flicked out my tongue and lapped the tips. He then put the fingers in his mouth and sucked.

  “You taste so good, Keeley. Especially when you come. I want to lap it all up, but if I do that I will have to fuck you, and you are right, we can’t do that right now. So go and change your wet panties and then it may be best if we try and avoid touching each other before you leave. If we do, I’m going to lose my resolve, and you won’t be leaving for work anytime soon.”

  I quickly got up from his lap and immediately felt how wet my knickers were. I went to the bedroom and put my knickers in the laundry hamper. Then I gave my sex and thighs a wipe with a damp washcloth before putting on fresh underwear. I wish I would have made love with him when he first asked me this morning. I was still so turned on, even though I had just had two orgasms. I will know next time not to deny my man.

  My man…I loved the sound of that. I wish we had both acted on our feelings for each other much sooner, instead of denying our attraction and love. But maybe it was better this way because our love had time to grow and become everything we needed it to be.

  I was pulled out of my daydreams by the sound of the front door opening and Freya’s voice as she yelled, “Hello.”

  I came out of the bedroom and walked towards her welcoming hug.

  “How are you, future sister-in-law?” she said with a wink.

  “I’m really good Freya, how are you?”

  “I’m excited actually, because Julia, Gina, and I, are off to shop for things for the baby. I was hoping we could take Daisy with us, too. I thought we could stop off at the toy store so that Aunty Freya can spoil her little niece.”

  “She has always called you Aunty Freya, but you will really be Aunty Freya when Keeley and I get married,” Josh said as he handed Freya a cup of tea.

  “That will make me an aunt twice over in one year,” smiled Freya.

  “I wish I was able to come with you. I need to get Daisy’s feet measured for some new shoes,” I told her.

  “I can get them measured and buy her a pair. What colour do you want her to have?” Freya asked.

  “I have the money here,” I said reaching into my bag for my purse. “And either pink or pale blue would be good. She will probably pick blue because of Ellie’s wings, though.”

  Before I could take out the mone, Josh had handed Freya a wad of notes.

  “I will buy Daisy whatever she needs from now on. I’m her dad, so I get to provide for her. Whatever she wants Freya, take it out of that. And buy her a new doll, especially if it says ‘will not absorb twelve litres of bath water.”

  “Okay. I’m guessing you bathed the doll,” Freya laughed.

  “Yes, I was conned into it last night, and I’m still draining the water out,” Josh said frowning.

  “I remember when we took it into the sea last year at Hornsea,” said Freya. “We carried it around in a sandcastle bucket for the rest of the week at my house until it was completely dry. That reminds me, will it be all three of you coming for a holiday at mine this year?”

  “Our first family holiday on the east coast of Yorkshire,” smiled Josh. “Of course, I can’t spend a full day in the sunshine, but enough time for a good paddle in the sea and fish and chips on the promenade or around Bridlington Harbour.”

  “Perfect. Just let me know when you are coming and I can get your rooms ready.”

  I just stared at them both as they were making plans for mine and Daisy’s life and it felt odd. It was usually me that decided everything that Daisy and I did. But now we had Josh.

  Our family of two was now a family of three. Even more, if you count Freya, Alex, and Julia. Daisy and I had always had Freya in our lives, so that wasn’t something that we had to get used to. But Alex and Julia will soon be officially my brother and sister-in-law, and Daisy’s uncle and aunt. I wondered if Alex would want Daisy to call him uncle. It would have to be a discussion for later, as time was ticking on and I needed to get to the Manor before Gregor arrived.

  As if reading my thoughts Freya said, “If you need to get off to work, I can get Daisy up and ready.”

  “Thanks, Freya that would be great. I was hoping she would be awake before I left, but I think she had a bad dream last night about tree monsters, so no cartoons for her today.” I grabbed the car keys, planted a big wet kiss on Josh’s mouth, and then turned to hug Freya before I left.

  “Is everything okay, Keeley? You aren’t stressing about Gregor coming over, are you? I know he can be a little intimidating at times, but he’s a really nice guy when you get to know him.”

  “No Freya, it’s not Gregor. It’s Maxim. Yuri is lovely, but Maxim is just awful. I don’t hate many people, but I hate him. He’s a bully who decided he didn’t like me for some reason and every time I see him he makes that known. Never in front of Gregor, of course, but others have noticed.”

  “I will have a word with the moody fucker if you want,” said Josh, his hand clenching into a fist by his side. This was the last thing I needed in my new job. My boyfriend beating up my boss’s bodyguard. I’m sure I could keep my job after that happened……Not.

  “I don’t want you interfering in this Josh. I can sort it out myself, so please, promise me you won’t do anything. Please.”

  “Okay, but if he hurts you in any way, Keeley, I swear I will take him down and he will never get back up.” I could see his eyes start to change; a red rim began to surround the amber flecked brown of the iris. I went to him and put my arms around him, hugging him tightly. I kissed him and felt the tips of his fangs graze my lips as he kissed me back. Freya pulled a chair out and it scraped the floor noisily, reminding us of her presence.

  “Thank you for looking out for me Josh,” I whispered in his ear.

  “Anytime Keeley, I will be there whenever you need me.”

  I walked to the door and
gave them both a quick wave as I stepped out into the bright sunshine.

  As I closed the door, I could have sworn Freya said, “Well, I never promised not to hurt him.”

  Chapter Ten

  Keeley

  When I got to the Manor, it looked like all hell had broken loose. Ryan was running around getting his team to fetch and carry everything from the old ballroom into the main lounge and study.

  I managed to catch him for two minutes, and he was able to confirm that all would be in order on the inside of the house by the time Gregor landed, which was half an hour from then.

  Nik was picking up Gregor, Sergei, Yuri and Maxim, and they should be arriving at the Manor in about an hour. I checked my email to find that Gregor had requested that I accompany him to buy a car for him to use while he was here in England.

  He had specified that the car was either to be a Volvo or an Audi, but must be a four-wheel drive, so he was not restricted in the winter. I phoned around and made an appointment with Luxury SUV’s in Doncaster, but the nearest Audi centre that could fit us in was in Sheffield, and that wouldn’t be until tomorrow.

  Another email came from a member of the Rothley boy’s football team. They cheekily suggested that Gregor should support their team and fund the cost of the new football kits as, and I quote, ‘that’s what rich Russians like to do.’ I thought the nine-year-old Tommy Hedley had shown some initiative by finding my email address and sending me his suggestions, so I decided to mention it to Gregor. He was keen to be accepted by the Town of Rothley and the village of Barrowfield where most of the acreage that came with the Manor lay.

  There was a twenty-thousand-pound fund that Gregor had set aside for such requests. He didn’t have to do any of this, but Gregor was a generous man and knew that in a small village and town such as Barrowfield and Rothley, a little money can go a long way.