Love with Fangs (The Witching Hour Series Book 1)

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

"Everyone is telling me what to do, but no one knows what they are talking about," I said, getting angry about his lame arguments. "And he isn’t a suspect anymore. Other vampires are behind those kidnappings and Dad is on the case."

  Rufus scratched his head and leaned towards me. "Okay, maybe, but I’m telling you this because I care about you and you’re still young. So maybe he’s exciting, and he has money but—"

  I cut him off. "It’s not about money, Rufus."

  "Okay, I’m sorry," he added quickly. "Nathaniel La Caz plays with creatures. He doesn’t do relationships. I remember when I was younger, before I married Elena, every night I saw him with a different woman, and as far as I know, he hasn’t changed. I’m here as your friend, Julia, not as your boss."

  "Thank you for your advice, Rufus, but I’m not some blond bimbo who’s going to be manipulated by a man," I said, trying to stay calm. "I told him what I want, so please spare me this lecture, because my father already gave me one."

  “I’m not the bad person here. I said what I needed to say." He ran his hand through his hair. We both got up and I wondered whether I should have said something else, but he left the room in silence.

  Nathaniel called in the evening, asking me about my day. He revealed that his conversation with my dad went well. He also told me that he had to go to Scotland for a few days for some important meeting. I thought it was perfect timing because Ella had been begging me for weeks to join her for a girl’s night out, and I couldn’t keep sitting at home worrying about Claudia.

  In the end, I joined them. It was a several days after Nathaniel left and I had a whole weekend to myself. Ella asked me to meet her and the girls at her house.

  "You’re here! We were wondering whether you were going to turn up after all," Ella said, looking annoyed when I walked through her front door. Our human friends were already in her living room looking elegant.

  "Sorry, I was stuck on the bus." Ella was wearing a short red strapless dress and she had full makeup on. She must have been in a tanning bed today because her skin was much darker than the last time I had seen her. I walked into the living room and greeted Christine, Tanya, and Melanie.

  "Julia, where have you been, you crazy girl? You’re a terrible friend." Tanya kissed me on both cheeks. Ella was my closest friend in this group, but I knew all of her friends from the beauty salon where she worked. They treated me as a part of their clique, although I didn’t go out with them that often.

  "She’s too busy with her new hot boyfriend, Christine." Ella giggled, walking behind me.

  "Come on, show us his picture. I can’t believe you have been hiding him all this time," Tanya demanded. She was wearing a glittery golden dress. Ella had never met Nathaniel and had only seen the picture on my phone, but that didn’t stop her from talking about him like he was the man I was going to marry.

  Christine was only five feet tall. She was blond and covered with freckles, but always well-groomed. Tanya was dark haired, tall and skinny. Melanie didn’t like me, but she pretended she did. Once, when I got drunk, I read her thoughts and she wished she could just get rid of me. Fortunately, we didn’t see each other often, but I tried to be nice whenever I was around her.

  Being pressured, I didn’t have any choice and had to show them Nathaniel’s photo. For a long moment, the girls giggled, staring at him in admiration.

  "How did you meet him? Has he got any friends? Do you think you would be able to introduce us?" Tanya kept throwing a million questions at me.

  "I only just started dating him," I exclaimed, but the girls wanted to know all about him. So, I gave them enough information about Nathaniel to keep their imaginations going. When we finally made it to the taxi, I was already exhausted and wished Ella hadn’t mentioned Nathaniel at all.

  I was planning to get drunk tonight and the girls always knew how to have fun. We were going to central London, avoiding supernatural clubs. Even if I wanted to take the girls, they wouldn’t have been allowed in; they only made exceptions in certain circumstances.

  "This night will be amazing." Ella sighed, holding my hand when we left the taxi. “I’m hoping to see Daniel tonight."

  "Daniel?" I asked, confused.

  "The solicitor I used to date. He called me a few days ago out of the blue.”

  "Ella." I looked at her pointedly. “You said he vanished. I thought you ended it?"

  "Well, he told me he had to go away for work and he lost his phone, so he couldn’t call me," she explained while we were queuing to get to the club. The girls were behind us chatting with some random guys.

  "And you believed him? That is one of the lamest excuses I’ve ever heard, and you know it," I warned her, feeling that if that vampire was back, my best friend wasn’t safe.

  She rolled her eyes. "He’s gorgeous, Julia, and he sounded genuine."

  “C’mon, Ella, you’re better than that. Get rid of him."

  “I’m seeing him tonight and I want you to meet him, so please be nice." When Ella got an idea in her head, there was no way I could convince her otherwise.

  After half an hour in the queue, we were finally allowed into the funky modern club. It was close to nine, but the club was busy. We left our coats in the cloakroom and found a table in the corner. It took us more than forty minutes to order drinks; we all had a few shots just to warm us up.

  "For the wild night!" Tanya shouted, and we cheered with our cocktails. For the next two hours, we drank and talked, taking in the atmosphere. The girls were trying to get the attention of some guys standing farther away. Finally, Christine went over and chatted with them, then they came to our table.

  The music was loud, and soon, I started to relax, trying to have a good time. Close to eleven o’clock, Ella dragged me to the dance floor. She was already wasted but still kept perfect balance in her killer heels. The club was getting busier and the dance floor became crowded.

  "This is awesome," Ella said, jumping up and down. I was slightly dizzy, and my skin was letting me know that I needed to cast a spell, but I could still push the magic away, for now. I left Ella and vanished into the ladies’ room soon after; my bladder was bursting.

  When I came back, Ella was already wrapped around a dark-haired man on the dance floor. I decided to step aside and went back to the bar to get another drink. When I came back, Christina was chatting with a tall muscular guy beside our table; there was no sign of Tanya or Melanie.

  Soon my best friend returned; the man she had been dancing with was holding her hand. When they approached, the colour drained from my face. Ella’s companion was a vampire; the coldness that evaporated from his skin made me uncomfortable. He was tall, dark, and handsome and I wasn’t that surprised Ella couldn’t resist him.

  "Julia, this is Daniel," Ella said, squeezing his hand.

  "Hi." I tried to sound cordial.

  "Any friend of Ella’s is also a friend of mine," he said, leaning towards me. I smiled when they sat next to me. The vampire looked interested in my best friend and when Ella was drunk, she talked a lot. I was drinking my cocktail, trying to think of whether or not I knew any kind of spell to make him leave, but I was never good at casting anything other than my cover charm. The lighting was dim and vampire senses were much better than humans, so I couldn’t think of what to do. Soon, Christina vanished with her companion, leaving me alone with Ella and the vampire. Tanya and Melanie came back. Ella started to introduce her new "boyfriend" to them.

  "Ladies, I see that you need top-ups of your drinks," Daniel said smoothly. I couldn’t guess his age, but I wouldn’t think he was an old vampire based on his how he was acting. What did I know, though? Ella, Melanie, and Tanya giggled.

  "Cosmopolitans for all of us, please," Ella said.

  "And for you, Julia?" He turned to face me.

  “I’m fine for now." He nodded, then left us.

  "Oh, my God, Ella, he is gorgeous," Tanya squeaked.

  “I’m going to the ladies’ room," I said, but no one paid much attention t
o me while they talked about Daniel. I decided to take matters into my own hands. As I was trying to get through the crowd of people, I started seeing more and more supernatural creatures—mainly vampires—dancing with humans. Vampires normally didn’t hang out at clubs filled with humans. Something wasn’t right here.

  "Are you looking for someone?"

  Daniel was standing in front of me; his dark, hungry eyes gazing at my neck. I took a deep breath and decided to tell him to go to hell.

  "What the fuck do you think you’re doing?" I asked him, keeping my voice hard. He laughed and inhaled my scent.

  This wasn’t good; he was a full-grown vampire. He could feel that I wasn’t human. I had no chance.

  “I’m having fun with your friend, Ella."

  "Don’t give me that bullshit, bloodsucker. I saw bite marks on her neck." I felt my energy accumulate and the current pass through my skin. I couldn’t lose control here in front of all these humans.

  He narrowed his eyes and licked his upper lip, but he wasn’t afraid of me. "Your friend seemed to enjoy my touch."

  "You know the protocol; you can’t date her unless she knows that you’re a vampire. She’s my best friend," I snarled.

  "I don’t care about the protocol. She’s my play thing for now. Her blood tastes good," he whispered, leaning towards me.

  I clenched my fists. "Stay away from her," I growled, ready to use my magic to teach him a lesson.

  "You can’t tell me what to do. It’s a free country, my dear elf friend. I can snap your neck in a second and no one will ever find you." He moved closer to me. Panic rushed through me and my heart tried to gallop out of my chest.

  "I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I have a famous father who is in charge of the Paranormal Unit," I said, but my voice was trembling. "If you attack me here in front of all these humans, you will die. I know your rules."

  "Don’t dare threaten me, blondie. I don’t give a fuck about the protocol and right now, your scent intoxicates me so much that I’m going to taste your blood," he said, moving so close to me I saw my own scared reflection in his dark eyes.

  A bead of sweat rolled down my back. I knew that I couldn’t use my magic here, but I had to defend myself somehow.

  "Is there a problem?" someone asked.

  "I suggest you leave; this one is mine," Daniel barked, not taking his eyes off me. I sensed another vampire next to me. Then, in a matter of seconds, a white hand clenched around Daniel’s neck and I saw Philip La Caz in front of him.

  Chapter twenty-eight

  Donors.

  "If you don’t want me to kill you right now, then I suggest you leave this lady alone," La Caz Senior said, hoarsely. “I’m a hundred years older than you."

  Daniel looked white; panic obscured his face while he choked. I glanced around, but no one was paying any attention to us, or maybe Philip La Caz was able to make humans not notice him when it was convenient. La Caz slowly released the other vampire. Daniel’s breath came back to him in a painful heave.

  "If I see you anywhere near this lady again, I’m going to kill you," La Caz Senior snarled, extending his fangs. In the dim light, he looked scary and my brain clamped shut with fear.

  Daniel nodded, aware that the vampire in front of him was much older and stronger. He didn’t stand a chance of surviving if he planned to challenge La Caz. He stumbled away, massaging his neck. I exhaled, feeling lightheaded.

  "Are you all right, Julia?" La Caz Senior asked.

  "Yes, just a little shaken up."

  His eyes shimmered, then he took me by my elbow. "What are you doing here talking to that young vampire? He could have drained you and then my only son would suffer forever."

  "He’s drinking from my best friend. She’s human. I was just telling him to stay away from her," I explained, breathing in and out. I was feeling dizzy and suddenly exhausted.

  "Are you out of your mind? He could have dragged you away from here and killed you!" he almost shouted. He was extremely upset.

  "I was willing to risk it."

  "Don’t be stupid, Julia. Vampires don’t do what they are told, but he shouldn’t be involved with a human; the protocol is clear. Make sure you keep away from him, because I didn’t like the look on his face. Though, I think he understood he has to stay away from you and hopefully your friend. I would love to chat with you more, but I have urgent business I have to deal with, so please keep out of trouble."

  "Yes, thank you for your help." He smiled and walked away, leaving me still in shock. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and sighed.

  I ordered another shot at the bar, hoping to calm my nerves. My heartbeat went back to normal, so I decided it was time to find the girls. I hoped Daniel understood Philip’s warning. I was just about to walk towards my table when I saw Caleb McGregor passing through. He kept glancing behind him, walking towards the stairs.

  I didn’t know why, but the tiny voice in my head put two and two together and I let out a quiet gasp. Nathaniel mentioned that McGregor was trying to ruin his business. What if he was the one behind all the kidnappings? He was a vampire, after all, and he saw me with Nathaniel. I had no idea if my intuition was right, but I decided to follow him.

  I looked around. The club was crowded, maybe more so than usual. McGregor was wearing a dark navy shirt, holding a mobile phone in his hand. He moved down the stairs like a cat stalking its prey on a hunt. We were at the lowest level and soon, he vanished behind the doors that were only accessible to employees.

  I stopped, but then I thought about Claudia. This might be my chance to find out who took her and bring her back. If I was right and didn’t do anything now, he might slip away.

  I quietly slipped through the door. Soon, I found myself in a dark room with stairs that took me farther down. I sucked the corner of my lips and continued walking downstairs. My palms started to sweat when I reached yet another door. I pressed the door handle and realised I couldn’t hear the music here at all. I found myself in another long corridor; the floor was bright white with dim lighting. I took off my heels and moved quietly, stopping when I heard a voice around the corner.

  I held my breath, listening.

  “I’m so glad you found another fairy. Her blood is precious," a deep voice said. I recognised it as Caleb McGregor’s. He was talking to someone else, and if they moved towards the door, they would find me.

  "Let me go," another voice squeaked—a woman maybe. She sounded weak and in pain. It wasn’t Claudia; I would have recognised her voice straightaway.

  "Tim, knock her out," Caleb ordered, and then I heard a loud scream. Then silence. Next, I heard a sharp intake of breath; a lump clogged in my throat.

  "Take her to the draining room," Caleb said. "We need as much blood as we can get. La Caz is done.”

  "Yes, sir."

  My heart was in my throat when I realised that I was right. Caleb was producing a fake version of Lucrative Shot—using the blood of elves and fairies. He probably had Claudia. My pulse throbbed as I glanced around, but in this part of the corridor, I was alone. Aside from being half elf, I knew Caleb hated Nathaniel, and I was his girlfriend. When I heard the noise of a slamming door, I took a long breath. I had to get back upstairs and call my dad.

  I leaned forward and looked behind the wall. Whoever was there before had disappeared. Another corridor and a door were to my right. I thought about that poor fairy who was knocked out, and then about the draining room.

  Easier said than done. I couldn’t hesitate any longer, so instead of listening to my inner voice, I entered the first door, straight into darkness. I waited a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the gloom. The only source of light in the room was coming from the back. I saw tables with half-naked bodies lying on them. All of them had tubes attached to their hands where Caleb was draining their blood. My heart started pounding when I saw a movement in the corner and recognised the scent of a giant. He was placing a body on the empty table, muttering to himself.

  And then I s
aw her! My cousin Claudia was lying on one of the first tables. In the dim light coming from the small lamp above the bed I saw her ashen face. Who knew how long they had been draining her? Tears welled in my eyes and I wondered if she was even alive. I could only hope that if they were still draining her, she was still in this world.

  I didn’t have much time, but reacting to my urge to take her away, I sent her a dose of my magic, so she could walk with me when I was ready to take her out of here. I crept closer to the giant while creating a bolt of energy in my hands. All the fairies and elves in the room looked pale, as the life was slowly being sucked out of them. I stood and concentrated on my task. I was never great with this spell, but I had no choice; I had to do something. The electrical current was now blazing down my back; my fingertips buzzed, keeping the bolt of light stronger.

  I don’t remember what happened next, but the giant somehow noticed the light behind him and roared, "Unleashed elf!"

  He was going to attack me, so I did the only thing that came to my mind. The energy that I had accumulated between my palms knocked him off his feet and he flew across the room. He banged his head on the floor and didn’t get up. I was certain that vampires would start rushing through the door at any moment. But I had used all my excess magic and wouldn’t be able to produce any more for a while.

  I rushed to Claudia and her eyes were closed. I touched her neck, searching for a pulse. It was faint, so I knew she was still alive. I started unplugging all the tubes from her veins, tears dripping from my face. I placed my hand on her heart trying to remember the spell that my grandmother had taught me. Warm green light shimmered around my hands; energy flooded through me.

  "Come on, wake up! We have to go," I whispered after a moment, slapping her gently on her cheek. She stirred and started moaning. She opened her eyes and looked around with fear and confusion.

  "Julia, what are doing here? Where am I?" she started asking, widening her blue eyes.

  "We have to leave. Now! There’s no time." I helped her to her feet. She looked lightheaded and confused. I managed to hang her arm over my shoulder and drag her across the room. I looked back at the bodies of the others and the blood they were losing by the second. I couldn’t help them; there was no time.