Love with Fangs (The Witching Hour Series Book 1)

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  He didn’t give me a chance to reply, because he rolled up his damaged window and drove off.

  Chapter thirteen

  The days after.

  When I got home, I used my grandmother’s potion to heal my face. I was a little bruised, but overall glad that I was still alive. My magic wasn’t strong enough and I couldn’t even heal myself. My bed was calling me, and tomorrow, I didn’t have to be in to work until late afternoon, so I was glad that I could finally rest. Nathaniel believed he recovered vital information, but I still wasn’t that convinced. Claudia had been missing for over a week now, and I nearly got myself killed—again.

  After that, days started dragging and my dad wasn’t sharing information with me anymore. Whenever I called, he kept telling me to be patient, that his hands were tied, and he couldn’t tell me anything new. I didn’t know what to believe anymore, and Nathaniel wasn’t calling me back either.

  A week later, I answered the phone at work, feeling even more miserable.

  “Hello, Paranormal Personnel—”

  “You have to tell me everything. What’s been going on? I haven’t heard from you in weeks.” Nicky’s voice rang in my ear.

  I had to pull the phone away from my head. Nicky knew that she wasn’t supposed to be calling me at work, but when I glanced at my mobile, I realised that I had at least five missed calls from her. Nicky was my good friend. I was supposed to call her a few days ago, but since there had been so much going on, it had slipped my mind. Nicky was nearly six feet one and looked like a supermodel. She used to earn a living doing photo modelling. Fairies were beautiful, and both her parents came from a very old family, so Nicky inherited excellent genes. Nicky was more advanced in her magic than I was: she could influence people’s emotions, produce fairy dust, and even make it stop raining. She loved her magic, but sometimes used it in excess. She also had two little ones.

  The office was relatively quiet, and I wanted to tell her what was going on. I knew that I normally didn’t talk about private matters at work, but this was special circumstances and I was on my own. Kate had gone out to see a client, so I quickly went over everything that had happened during my meeting with La Caz, then I told her about Claudia and my confrontation with the vampire in the club. Nicky was gasping a few times over the phone, trying to keep up with me.

  “Oh, dear, your poor cousin. I hope your dad can find her,” she said, then added. “Don’t you think it’s strange that La Caz came back and asked you out? Vampires know that they shouldn’t get close to elves or fairies. It’s in their protocol. But you’re saying he’s half vampire. Hmm… then maybe he doesn’t just want your blood, maybe there is more?”

  “He said he wanted to get to know me a little better. I don’t know, Nicky. He seems arrogant and pretentious, and he’s rich, but something tells me that he’s not going to leave me alone. Plus, I kind of need him because of Claudia.”

  “I’ve never made friends with a vampire, so I can’t tell you what to do. But don’t mess with your dad’s investigation.”

  “I knew you were going to say that.”

  “We know what’s right and wrong, but hey, maybe you should go out with him and find out exactly what he knows about that injection. And if he tries anything, then, you know, kick him in the balls with your magic.” She laughed.

  “C’mon, this is serious. He’s gorgeous and smart, but he’s only looking for someone to sleep around with. He’s not serious about a long-term commitment.”

  “I knew a fairy who had sex with a vampire, and she said that the sex was mind-blowing.”

  “My fingertips inflamed when he was with me in the restroom. The magic inside me was going crazy,” I whispered, embarrassed

  “That should tell you something.” She laughed, and I couldn’t help but agree with her.

  My mind was shouting that Nathaniel La Caz was bad for me, that nothing good would come from being close to him. But my body… Unfortunately, our paths had already crossed.

  “So, how are the kids?” I asked, shifting off the subject.

  “They’re fine, growing way too fast. At the moment, Kyle is playing with fairy dust, but Maggie doesn’t show any supernatural abilities. I'm pretty worried.”

  I loved Nicky’s children. Kyle was only five and Maggie three; they were sweet and sometimes I babysat them. “She’s too young. You need to chill out a little. After all, she has the most magical parents she can get.”

  We chatted a bit more, but five minutes later, a client came in and I had to hang up. I made a mental note in my head to see her this week. I couldn’t stop thinking about Nathaniel. Later on, I went home with a headache.

  The next day was hectic. The Christmas rush had finally started, and I was up to my elbows trying to coordinate everything. Rufus had employed another girl to help us deal with the demand for temporary workers after the incident with the chainsaw, although I was glad that I’d met Michael. If it weren’t for him, I would have been dead already.

  The phones were ringing off the hook and we were slowly running out of space for new candidates. I worked more day shifts and a couple of weekends. We employed a lot of vampires, werewolves, witches, and hags. For obvious reasons, many fairies and elves were sticking with call centre and admin work.

  Kate kept my secret about my meeting with La Caz in the office. I was glad she didn’t say anything to Jennifer. It wasn’t easy to forget about him because I’d been dealing with his company nearly every day.

  “Marcus, this is my fifth phone call and I’m fed up chasing you. If you still want to have a job by tomorrow, you better call me as soon as possible. Oh, by the way, I’m not taking any lame story about your father being kidnapped by vampires.”

  I put the phone down, shaking my head. Marcus didn’t show up for his shift and Lucinda was fuming. A few other workers had called off sick and they were short-staffed. I’d had a hell of a day. I had to deal with an order for twenty new assembly workers by tomorrow. Then a troll came in demanding to speak with someone higher than me because he didn’t get paid. By the time I went back to work, it was one o’clock in the morning, and he didn’t even let me sort out his issue. Jennifer had to run to the local Spar to get air freshener after the fuming troll left the building. I never in my life imagined the smell of cabbage and dog urine would make me gag so much.

  At three o’clock in the morning, I was exhausted. My brain hadn’t stopped working and I was loathed to ask Rufus for a couple of days off.

  Somehow, we managed to pull out twenty-two magical creatures to start work the next day. I didn’t know how I was going to make it to work again tomorrow, but then I reminded myself about the upcoming Christmas break. One week to go… only one more week.

  “Someone is tense today,” Jennifer teased. “Have you heard from Mr. Gorgeous vampire yet?”

  I smiled, but my neck muscles tightened. “No, I haven’t, and I don’t expect to hear anything back from him.” I chuckled. “Besides, why do we always have to talk about me?”

  “Because your life seems so much more interesting.”

  “Jennifer, don’t tell me there’s nothing going on with your life. What about those trips to the wildlife, swimming in the lakes with gorgeous men?”

  “I think you’ve been watching too much Disney, darling. We don’t swim with men. Most of them don’t like water. Besides, every guy I meet ends up being a twat.”

  “Welcome to my world.” I sighed.

  When I was closing the office, I remembered Jennifer didn’t bring her car today because her friend was picking her up. They were going in a different direction, so I didn’t want to bother them by asking for a lift. I was always the last one to leave and when I stepped out into the dark street, I realised I had to get back home on my own. For a split second, I thought about my dad’s warning. I knew he wasn’t working today.

  It was a cold December night, and the Christmas decorations were shimmering on High Street. I looked around, but I didn’t spot anyone. As usual, the s
treets were empty at that time of the night. The sky was scattered with stars and the freezing breeze ruffled my hair.

  The voice in my head reminded me that I was going to be fine. I was protected by my father’s magic and I had nothing to worry about. Normally hectic, Croydon High Street was immersed in silence. This part of London was peaceful; I told myself I wasn’t afraid. I just had to get to Clapham Station, and in fifteen minutes, I should be home. When I started walking away, I heard footsteps behind me. I was scared shitless to turn around to see whether or not I was going to be killed tonight.

  “Excuse me, Miss Taylor!” an unknown voice shouted.

  God, this was too cliché. Was he really going to pretend that he wanted to talk to me right now? Fear began to paralyse me. My limbs became heavy and my mind was screaming at me to start running. No one would hear me at this hour, and if the person behind me was magical, then I didn’t stand a chance.

  “Miss Taylor, please, I just want to talk.”

  I stopped and turned around to face my opponent. It was so dark that I couldn’t see who was after me, and for the first time in my life I was truly petrified—I was all alone. But surprisingly, my magic was under control. The stranger was short, broad, and hairy.

  “Who are you? I don’t have any money on me.” My voice squeaked in a high-pitched tone.

  “I was sent by Mr. La Caz to give you a lift home.” His voice was rough and steady; I didn’t recognise it all. I looked around again, but we were still alone. If he wanted to attack me, he could have done it already.

  “La Caz? What do you mean? Did he tell you to watch me?” I could feel my patience finally running out. He was obviously still feeling guilty about what had happened to me in the bar, and now he wanted to make sure I was safe?

  The stranger stepped forward and I could see him more clearly. He was a troll: short and overweight with gleaming watery eyes. He looked out of place. I knew that he didn’t want to answer because his jaw tensed; he looked uncomfortable.

  “Well, Mr. La Caz only told me, miss, that I had to make sure you wouldn’t be walking home alone. I know you normally get a lift, but I would lose my job if I let you walk in the middle of the night.”

  La Caz. I should have known. God, what do I have to do to find a normal guy in London?

  We both stood there waiting while I hesitated. I didn’t want this poor guy to get fired. Plus, my father had warned me that London was getting dangerous these days and I wasn’t planning to end up like my cousin.

  “Fine. Where is your car?”

  “This way, Miss Taylor,” he answered, looking relieved. We had to walk for more than five minutes before I saw a black limousine parked on the corner. We didn’t say anything else to each other. I sat in the back, wondering why La Caz was doing this if he wasn’t interested in me anymore.

  “What’s your name?” I was thinking that now would be a great opportunity to question him about Nathaniel. After all, I still had no idea who he really was. As we were driving through town in the dim light, I could see the driver’s short, dark hair. He was built like a troll and he smelled of cinnamon and cat food. I couldn’t care less because I was indulging myself with the smell of Nathaniel La Caz—it was everywhere. His scent ignited my magic and awakened the butterflies in my stomach.

  “My name is Roberto, Miss Taylor.”

  “So, how long has Mr. La Caz been paying you to keep an eye on me?”

  “Miss Taylor, I might be in troub—”

  “Roberto, c’mon, I’m not going to say anything to him,” I said, staring at his reflection in the front mirror. “I don’t think that I’m ever going to see him again, so you can tell me. Seriously.”

  “At the beginning of November.”

  So, it was straight after that incident in the club. Nathaniel must have been pretty worried about me. Hmm, so maybe that’s why he acted so weird when he gave me a lift home? But hell, the man sure didn’t know how to pick up a damn phone. “And how long have you been working for him?”

  “Two years.”

  “And where is Mr. La Caz right now?” I hoped that he wasn’t waiting for me in my apartment. That would be too much right now. I needed to get my head straight and relax.

  Roberto seemed to know where he was going.

  “I’m not sure, Miss Taylor; I think he is at his apartment on Canary Wharf.”

  Of course, he lived in one of the best areas in the capital. I shouldn’t have even been surprised. Roberto dropped me home and I thanked him. I also made a mental note to make sure that from now on, I always had a lift home. I still couldn’t believe that Nathaniel hadn’t made any contact with me since that terrible evening in the bar, but he’d asked Roberto to follow me. Was he even going to tell me about this?

  At home, I logged into my laptop and checked my emails, but there was nothing from La Caz. Maybe he was trying to figure out who was kidnapping so many fairies and elves around London on his own. I just needed to be more patient.

  The next day, when I got up at four o’clock in the afternoon, I was still tired. I had night shifts all week, then I was off until January. I had been working hard the past few months, and I finally wanted to catch a break.

  This week was dragging, only because I was waiting for it to end. The demand for temporary workers was easing off, but as far as I knew, La Caz Pharmaceutical was still producing the shot that allowed vampires to stay away from human blood—and I was itching to call him. Adele, one of the vampires who worked as a consultant, told me more about this odd new medication since she’d tried it. She said she didn’t have to drink any more blood and her thirst wasn’t as noticeable as before. Lucrative Shot was available in certain pharmacies and a one-month course cost more than a hundred pounds. Adele was satisfied, and she said that her life had transformed for the better. I still believed that someone was using the blood of the fairies and elves being kidnapped, but I wasn’t sure why.

  Chapter fourteen

  The murder.

  Since the night Roberto had given me a lift home, I’d been thinking about Nathaniel more and more, not only because I wanted information, but also because I kind of missed him. He was still a mystery to me and I had no idea what he was planning next. I kept an eye on my emails every day, but he was being silent.

  On Friday night before my annual leave, I picked up the phone and dialled his number. I’d given him more than enough time to get back to me, but it looked like I’d have to keep chasing after him for now. Well, I didn’t have his private number, so I called the switchboard as soon as I got to work. It was seven o’clock, and I assumed he would still be there. After all, he was working with vampires, and the production was mainly going on at night.

  “Hello, La Caz Pharmaceutical. How may I direct your call?”

  Crap, that’s the same vampire, Emily, who didn’t want to let me into his office. “Eee, yes... can I speak to Mr. La Caz?”

  Kate lifted her head and looked at me, raising her eyebrow.

  “Mr. La Caz is in a meeting, so I can’t disturb him right now. May I ask who is calling?”

  “Right, okay, not to worry.” I quickly hung up, then exhaled, still staring at the phone.

  “You seem tense, Julia,” Kate said, eyeing me. She was a witch, so she would have sensed even if I was on my period. I hadn’t told anyone about our private dinner at the restaurant.

  “I just wanted to know why he wanted to keep an eye on me, that’s all,” I explained, playing with my pens.

  Kate narrowed her eyes. “Keep an eye on you?”

  “When I was leaving work the other night, I didn’t have a lift and he sent this troll to make sure I wasn’t walking home alone in the middle of the night.”

  Kate tossed her glossy purple hair behind her and smiled. “He still wants you, Julia; that’s the only explanation.

  “Yes, I presume so, but I’m reluctant to get involved with him. I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “I have these odd pulsations when I sense desire.” Sh
e chuckled. “I think you’re going to see him very soon. I just feel it.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “No, I don’t think so. He hasn’t contacted me for more than two weeks now, so he’s obviously no longer interested.” I shrugged, trying to dismiss Kate’s lusty vibrations, but I knew that it was a lie. I still wanted him, and I liked his attention. It was just disappointing that he wasn’t making more of an effort.

  Kate didn’t say anything else and I decided I wasn’t going to dwell on Nathaniel anymore. Before I left that evening, I had to brief Kate on the situation with La Caz Pharmaceutical. I was their main point of contact, so I had to make sure that I wasn’t going to leave them in a mess. This weekend, Monica was the only one on call; no one else was working because tomorrow, we were all having a Christmas party. We brought a lot of money to the business and Rufus decided to splash some cash on the team. All the girls had been talking about it for the past few weeks. I felt guilty going to a party when my cousin was still out there somewhere scared and alone, but my father insisted that I had to continue on living.

  He assured me that he was going to find her.

  I said goodbye to Kate in the early hours of the morning. Roberto was waiting for me outside the office. I wasn’t pleased with the idea that I had to use Nathaniel’s limo again. It was bad enough that I didn’t have a car, much less relying on a vampire who didn’t know how to use a damn phone or send an email. It threw my “independent woman” lifestyle right out the window.

  Just before Roberto turned onto my street, I saw police lights near my favourite grocery store. The road was blocked, causing a line of cars to come to an abrupt halt.

  “I’ll walk from here; it’s only five minutes.” He was just about to start protesting when I added, “Come on, this place is full of police. I'm going to be fine.”

  I got out of the car before he could stop me. A lot of people were standing on the other side of the pavement. I saw a few police cars parked outside the shop and recognised a familiar face. My dad was just leaving the building with two other officers. My stomach flopped; I knew that if my dad was here, then there was trouble. I crossed the street and shouted, “Dad!”