“Julia, what do you think you’re doing?”
I was frozen on the spot when I recognised the voice. I turned around and saw Jasper scowling at me. The tiny voice in my head told me to continue walking and get into the ladies’ room as fast as I could, but I couldn’t move.
“Jasper,” I gasped.
“What the fuck are you doing here with that vampire?” He approached me; his eyes were mad, gleaming with fury like the time he’d accused me of cheating on him with my work colleague. I stepped back, petrified.
“I told you to leave me alone, Jasper. What’s wrong with you? I don’t need to explain myself to you,” I fumed, clenching my fists.
“Julia, is there a problem?” Nathaniel asked, appearing next to me.
Just breathe. He’s going to go away.
“What would your father say if he saw you with that bloodsucker?” Jasper ranted, and a spark of electricity shot through his hair.
Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped towards Jasper. “I don’t care who you are or what you’re doing here, but this lady is with me. So, I suggest you leave. Otherwise, these other vampires and I won’t be so understanding.”
Nathaniel’s voice was like ice and I felt the presence of a few vampires drawing closer. Just a second ago, this floor was empty and now, we were surrounded. Jasper looked livid, but he was obviously aware of the threat. He was unpredictable, and I knew that he was waiting to pick another fight.
“I’ll get a restraining order if I have to, Jasper. We are not together anymore. Just leave,” I snapped. My voice was trembling.
“If you traded me for a vampire, then you’re a fool. Everyone knows that will never work,” he barked, but Nathaniel and two other vampires stepped towards him, their faces ashen, fangs extended.
He must have changed his mind about a fight because he shot Nathaniel a sharp look, turned, and then walked away.
Everyone’s eyes were watching him until he was gone. My heart was beating like crazy and I wanted to run as well. This was so humiliating. My damn stalking ex-boyfriend wizard found me again.
Chapter seventeen
The enemy strikes.
“Are you okay, Julia?” Nathaniel cupped my face in his hands. His hazel eyes were studying me carefully. I didn’t want to look at him, but he wasn’t going to let me go until he was sure that I was fine. I was staring at his soft full lips that had kissed me only just a minute ago. I wished that I could lose myself in his touch.
“I’m fine,” I gasped, smiling again. “I just need to go to the lou.”
When I calmed down and returned, he was waiting for me, ready to leave.
“Is that your ex that you mentioned once before?”
“Yes, the same crazy psycho I told you about earlier on. He still thinks he can control my life,” I replied as we were walking back. “I need to pay for my drink.”
“I already took care of that.”
“Of course, you did, but next time I will pay for my own drink,” I told him when we reached the bottom floor. I was feeling frustrated, but not with Nathaniel. I knew I shouldn’t have snapped at him, but my mind was in chaos. I saw a few fairies who were drinking at the bar staring at me.
“Why does he still think he can control you?” Nathaniel asked, grabbing my elbow.
“He’s a wizard who’s not afraid to experiment with dark magic, and now that he has seen us together, he’s going to make my life hell…”
“Nathaniel La Caz, what a surprise!”
A deep rough voice made Nathaniel lose his focus on me and turn towards a tall vampire who was approaching us. I had no idea who he was, but Nathaniel’s posture tensed, and he didn’t let go of me.
"Caleb McGregor," he said dryly. The two vampires shook hands, staring at each other with obvious tension that suddenly whipped through the air. Nathaniel’s lips twitched.
"I never see you around bars like this. I thought you would be in your office making your next million," Caleb said with a hint of sarcasm. He looked unshaven, which was impossible because vampire’s hair didn’t grow as far as I knew. He was handsome with dark smoky hair and olive eyes.
"As you can see, I’m having a quiet drink," Nathaniel snapped, looking irritated. "And I’m quite busy, if—"
"So, who is your beautiful friend? I smell elf blood," he cut him off, eyeing me closely.
"I don’t think it’s appropriate to smell anyone if you don’t know them," I said loudly, smiling, although, I wasn’t really sure what to make of him. I sensed something more than tension between those two vampires. Nathaniel’s eyes flashed with anger.
Caleb laughed.
"I apologise, Miss—?"
"This is Julia Taylor," Nathaniel cut him off. “I’m in a hurry, McGregor, so please excuse us."
Then La Caz dragged me away with inhuman speed. Once we were outside, I pulled away.
"What was that about? Who was he?" I asked, puzzled and angry that he manhandled me like that.
"He’s nobody, just someone that I used to do business with." His nostrils flared. "He isn’t important at the moment. I want to know why your ex-boyfriend was here?"
I licked my upper lips, feeling the cold breeze on my skin. "Jasper is a control freak. Like I told you before, we broke up a year ago, but he still doesn’t want to leave me alone. I told him I would get a restraining order," I ranted, feeling my good mood fade away. Jasper had yet again, ruined my evening. I wished he would just disappear.
"I can take care of him. I have money and power. He will never get close to you again."
"No!" I protested. "He’s dangerous, and I don’t want you to get involved. I’ll take care of him."
"I don’t like your way of thinking, Julia," he said, still holding me by my elbow. "If he threatens you again, he’s finished, and I don’t care what you think. Now, let’s get you home."
I wanted to say more, but he grabbed my hand, took out his mobile and told Roberto he was ready. I pursed my lips together, feeling disappointed the evening had to end like this. He proved to be different than I was expecting, but my rational side was advising me to stop this before it was too late.
Five minutes later, Roberto pulled up on the busy street and we got in.
"Miss Taylor’s apartment," Nathaniel ordered.
My mind was racing. I wasn’t sure what to think or whether I wanted to see him again. I wasn’t one of those girls who was afraid to tell a guy what she wanted.
Nathaniel leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “I’m not going to renew my proposition because you already agreed to it."
I dropped my mouth. "I told you that I’m not going…"
"You said it in the car when I picked you up from the Christmas party." He seemed amused with himself.
"I was drunk, and I don’t remember it, so don’t get your hopes up," I hissed, putting my hands together.
"I don’t understand why you’re fighting this. I can smell when your magic tingles through your skin when I’m close. We should skip this whole dating sequence and just have sex, forget about the bloodsucking." He wasn’t paying much attention to Roberto, who was keeping a close eye on the road. I blushed.
"I told you that I’m old-fashioned and I don’t do just sex, Nathaniel. I think we both want different things." I needed to make myself clear that I didn’t want just sex, but I did want him.
"Sooner or later, you will forget about your silly rules."
Nathaniel La Caz was handsome, and it was obvious that I was attracted to him, but I wasn’t going to become his fuck buddy. This just wasn’t going to happen. Did he forget that he’d mentioned he would make an exception for me? Men.
Roberto pulled in front of my apartment.
"Thank you for the lovely dinner and please say hello to your father," I said, ready to leave. His eyes ignited with desire and I swallowed hard, remembering his kiss.
"Until next time, Julia," he said, and then before I knew it, Roberto opened the door for me. If I wanted to keep my dignity, I k
new that I had to leave.
That’s it? Until next time? What’s that even mean? Is he going to see me again or not?
All those questions were swirling in my head when his car drove off. I slammed my door in anger and flopped on the sofa, thinking that maybe it would be better if I stayed away from him.
I stripped and had a long shower, washing off the excess magic that I had. My mother always told me I should never run after a guy. If he was interested, he would make an effort. I then touched my lips, remembering how much I enjoyed kissing him. I was already lost.
I was trying to keep myself busy until Christmas Eve. I went to Pilates twice a day, relaxed, did my nails, sorted out grocery shopping, paid some bills—and kept thinking about Claudia. But at the end of each evening, I always wound up thinking about Nathaniel. He didn’t even ask for my number or email address, so I wasn’t sure if he was going to contact me again.
On top of that, I was ready to talk to my dad about Jasper; he wasn’t going to leave me alone, so I had to do something. Ella called me a few days later. She asked me to pop over to her house so we could spend Christmas Eve together. This was our little tradition, drinking wine on the day before Christmas. Nicky used to join us, but after she got married, she wasn’t able to do that anymore.
On Thursday afternoon, I was sure I wouldn’t hear from Nathaniel, so I dressed in jeans and a black sparkly top and strolled to Ella’s family home. She still lived with her mother in Bromley. Sometimes, I preferred not to worry about magic at all and spend quality time with my human best friend.
"Julia, how nice to see you. How have you been?" Mrs. Jenkins asked when she opened the door. I smiled, taking off my coat.
"Busy, Mrs. Jenkins. Work was manic the past few days, so I’m glad to have some time off." I walked into the kitchen, smelling the mince pies.
"It’s busy everywhere this time of the year, dear. I’m sure your agency is filled with people who are looking for work. That funny name would catch anyone’s attention."
Paranormal Personnel didn’t catch anyone’s attention, but Ella’s mother was a clever woman.
Ella’s older brother, Mathew, was munching on freshly made minced pie. Mrs. Jenkins baked a lot, but Ella was more into makeup and hair than getting her hands dirty in the kitchen.
"Julia, take some of these pies upstairs. Ella keeps saying she’s on a diet, but she’s never said no to my pies." I took the plate from Ella’s mum and slipped off my shoes. The Jenkins family lived in a traditional detached house. On the way upstairs, there were photographs of Ella and Mathew when they were toddlers hanging on the wall.
I knocked on Ella’s door and entered. She was sitting on the bed, painting her toenails. Her red hair was tied in a messy bun; she was in her dressing robe. Her room reflected her personality: a large dressing table was by the window; piles of clothes and carrier bags were lying everywhere.
"I brought pie." I placed the plate in front of her; she looked at me like I was evil, and her nostrils flared.
“I’m on a diet. Mum knows, and she wants to make me fat!" Ella exclaimed, holding the red nail polish. I took off my coat and sat on the chair, staring at her with interest. She screwed the top on the miniature bottle and said, "I think I’m in love with him."
"You are not in love with him. What are you even talking about?" I asked, folding my arms together. "You’ve only seen him a few times; you don’t even know anything about him."
Ella pursed her lips, annoyed. "Oh, Julia, he’s handsome, tall, and sexy. He has an amazing job and a good sense of humour. I don’t need to know anything else," she said, waving her hand with enthusiasm. "And he’s a very good kisser."
I massaged my skull while she continued to rant about her perfect date. "I just don’t want you to be disappointed; you’ve been on so many dates, Ella. What law firm does he work for?"
"I don’t remember. It’s an unusual name in East London and he’s mega rich. He took me to one of the best restaurants in London and the meal was fantastic. When he picked me up from the salon after work, all the girls couldn’t believe it."
"What’s his name?"
"Daniel Seldon. He keeps texting me and wants to take me out on Boxing Day. Seriously, he’s the one I’m going to marry." Her eyes sparkled, and I rolled mine, then sucked the corner of my lips.
"I have wineglasses somewhere here," she muttered, looking under the bed. Her T-shirt moved, and I shifted closer to see the odd marks on her neck. I froze, staring at her exposed flesh that had two tiny bite wounds; my intuition told me Ella’s new boyfriend decided to have a bit of fun with her. My heartbeat quickened while I stared at the marks, thinking about my own situation. The man Ella was seeing wasn’t human, and propably wasn’t even a solicitor. He was a freaking vampire who drank her blood. Magic boiled inside me. Vampires could turn people into creatures like them, but first that person had to drink their vampire blood in order to be sired.
Ella handed me a glass.
"Here, my friend, it’s our favourite. Let’s drink to love." I gaped at her, unable to make any kind of sound.
Vampires didn’t get involved in relationships with humans. Paranormal creatures were also part of the government; there were laws and protocols everyone had to follow. The protocol didn’t mention anything about feeding on humans. I knew people with vampire marks, but most of them never even remembered that they had been bitten.
Vampires fed on humans all the time, but the evidence was closely hidden, and all the memories cleared, so no one ever complained. However, I was worried about Ella because she was under the impression that she’d found her Prince Charming. God, I hated that she’d gotten involved with a vampire, especially after what had happened to Claudia. I speculated that this all had something to do with Lucrative Shot and vampires.
"So, have you had lunch with this Daniel guy? I was thinking I could meet him." I attempted to sound casual. Ella poured me a generous glass of rosé and narrowed her eyes.
"He works a lot, so we never meet in the day. He takes me out often," she said after a moment of thinking about my question. "We should all have dinner together. Then you can see how sweet he is."
"That’s a good idea," I said, unable to focus on anything other than Ella’s bite marks. I wanted to meet that vampire and tell him what I thought about him. He couldn’t have been looking to have a relationship with Ella. This was simply impossible. If he was going to continue to take blood from her, she could be in danger.
I decided to enjoy my evening. I was going to see my dad tomorrow, so I could ask him about it then. This had to stop before Ella got emotionally involved with a creature who couldn’t do anything for her. She wouldn’t be able to handle the truth.
We drank, laughed, and ate minced pies, but in the back of my mind I was still worried about her. In the end, I didn’t tell her about Nathaniel. After all, he was half vampire.
Chapter eighteen
Christmas and surprises.
I spent the night in Ella’s room, waking up the next morning with a hangover. My best friend was still asleep when I left her house. My parents were waiting for me, and I was late. We were going to my dad’s parents for at least three days.
I had everything I needed with me, so it was just a case of jumping into my father’s ten-year-old silver Audi. My grandparents were particular about Christmas. We usually opened presents in the evening and no one could use magic when my mother was in the room.
The drive to Kent wasn’t long. I was looking forward to my grandfather’s magical dinner: a delicious turkey with jacket potatoes, stuffing, and his special sauce with a dash of magic. My mouth was already watering.
For at least a day, I didn’t have to worry about Ella, work—or Nathaniel La Caz, but Claudia was in the back of my mind. I was so worried about her, but we all had to carry on with our lives.
It was cold when we left London, and it started snowing when we reached Kent. My mother was singing Christmas tunes, but my dad was calm, lost in his elf thou
ghts. My grandparents lived in a large five-bedroom mansion with a few acres of land. They used to have horses, but after my grandmother retired, she didn’t want to keep them.
"I was worried about all of you. In the news, there was something about snow showers," Grandma cried, standing in the doorway when we got out of the car. It was snowing heavily now; for a change, the weatherman was right. My grandmother was tall, slim, and still in excellent shape. She was nearly seventy, but she still participated in the Elves Association. She had white-blond hair and blue eyes like every other elf. Her nose reminded me of my father’s and her long chin of mine. She was dressed in a Coco Chanel blue suit.
"We’re here, Mum. You shouldn’t have worried," my father said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Barbra." Mum nodded, hugging her awkwardly, passing into the house. "It’s so terrible what happened to Claudia. I hope they find her soon."
"Tell me about it, Mary. She’s so gentle," Grandma said before she hugged me and whispered, "There you are, my favourite half-elf granddaughter. I hope you have been practising your spells because I want to see what else you’ve learned, so no one can take you away. Oh my, you smell of another creature. Who have you been hanging out with?"
"As usual, Grandma, I work with every creature on this earth," I replied, trying to get away from her. But she was staring directly into my eyes, trying to read me. Spells wouldn’t help if someone wanted to snatch me away. Claudia was a great example.
"No, that’s not it. I smell a powerful man, but I can’t distinguish the breed." She continued to eye me closely.
"Barbra, leave Julia alone. You are such a nuisance," my grandfather Fred said from the corridor.
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