“Oh no, you don’t!” I flicked her with blue paint, and she screamed.
Falling into one of the lawn chairs, I laughed at her paint-splattered face. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t mean to get you so bad.”
She tried to frown but couldn’t. “Maybe it will make me go into labor.”
“Go shower before it dries!” I told her, barely able to talk around my giggles.
In the kitchen, I used paper towels to wipe at my own spatters.
That night I stood in the living room going through my yoga routine when Ethan came in. He set down his pack and pulled out a glass and a new bottle of Chardonnay.
“How’d your meeting up in San Francisco go?” I asked, looking over my shoulder.
“Bad.” He tapped the stack of mail he’d brought in and set it on the counter. After downing his cup, he refilled it again.
“I’m sorry, want to talk about it?” I asked, twisting in warrior pose.
“No.” Walking over, he sat on the couch and reached out to me. “Come sit with me.”
Standing, my bare feet patted against the floor. Ethan pulled me onto his lap, and I kissed his temple. “I’m sorry you’re having a hard time.”
“It happens….”
I looked at his glass. “I thought you had white wine, what is this?”
“I added blood. That box marked Chronos in the freezer is blood—for emergencies.” He downed his cup.
“I thought you only drank at work?”
He made that euro shrug again. “Usually, but when I’m around you, I don’t want to be tempted.”
“We’re practically living together, aren’t we?”
Brushing a kiss on my lips, he shook his head, “I told you, you can always move into my place.”
“Yeah, I know.” I stood and walked to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.
“How did decorating the nursery go?” He turned a book over in his hand, his ring clicking on its hardcover.
“Good. I actually have some news. Apparently, Aubrey knows a teacher who works for a local private school that needs a long-term substitute. It looks like everyone’s getting pregnant and needs a replacement.”
He raised his eyebrows. “When would you be needed?”
“In a couple of months—when is Ashley planning to return?” I sipped my water and sat back down in the chair next to him.
“In a few months, so that might work out perfectly. You’d have to move in with me,” He said, giving me a crooked smile.
“Yeah, maybe I will.”
“You will,” he told me, looking into his empty glass, a pink ring in the bottom. “Now, come here.” He set his glass down and kissed me. “I’m happy for you. I think teaching is what you were meant to do.”
I smiled into our kiss.
“I just need you right now,” he whispered.
A thrill ran through my body, as I studied the wicked gleam in his eyes.
Ethan ran his fingers through my tangled hair as we lay there, sweaty and exhausted. Our eyes locked on each other as we gazed into each other’s souls.
“Caroline?”
“Yes?” I whispered back.
“I’m falling in love with you,” he told me, his voice quiet.
“I’ve been falling in love with you,” I told him.
He interlaced his fingers with mine and brushed a few kisses on my lips. “I want you to take that job, whether Ashley is ready to come back or not.”
“Why?”
“Because I want you to be happy,” he breathed.
“I am.”
He nodded before closing his eyes.
When he fell asleep, I was shocked. I’d never seen Ethan sleep before.
21
I procrastinated when it came to calling Ashley about her maternity leave. It took a call from the secretary at Westlake Prep to prompt me to call the new mom. I had an interview, all thanks to Aubrey. And although I appreciated what she’d done, it made me feel uneasy.
When Aster passed my desk, I called out, “Guess what? I’ve got an interview to teach again.”
“No, way. Good for you! Where at?”
“Westlake Prep,” I said, wide-eyed and smiling.
She whistled. “Wow, Westlake? That’s pretty swanky. What do you teach?”
“History… I’ll be teaching history again,” I said, sighing. “If I get the job.”
“You’ll get the job. How’d you find out about the opening?”
“The teacher I’m filling in for is pregnant and needs a sub.” I rolled my eyes. “Another new mom. I feel like I’ve gone years without seeing a baby or pregnant woman, and now they’re all around me, taunting me with their fertility and husbands.” I laughed.
She shook her head, “I suppose that’s how it goes. You buy a new car and all of a sudden you see your car everywhere.”
“I wonder, who’s my new car?”
Aster swatted my arm with her rolled stack of papers before stepping closer and whispering, “How is it going with Ethan? I know you guys are on the down-low, but since I already know. Are you still fuck buddies?”
I gasped. “What? Is it obvious that we’re together? We’ve been super professional.”
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s obvious.” She elbowed me.
“He asked me to move in! I think I’m going to say yes,” I laughed.
Her eyes tensed, but she quickly flashed a bright smile at me. “Well, good for you. I’m so happy for you both!”
I raised my eyebrows. “What about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
She frowned. “No. I have my eye on someone, but I need to get some obstacles out of the way first.”
“Oh?”
She began to walk away, avoiding any other questions about her love life. “I’ve got to get back to work. Later alligator.” She said, waggling her fingers at me.
In between my everyday tasks, I’d glance into Ethan’s office.
Just as I was about to pop up for a smoke break, Aidan stopped by my desk.
“Hey, did you ever find anything out about that murder?” He scratched his head, “What was her name? Zara?”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “What?”
“Yeah. Remember, you said that she had been an employee here, and her body was found murdered in her home.”
I laughed. “I never said that.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, you did. The day you and Ethan got back from Romania. You were like super freaked out about it.”
I rubbed my forehead, a slight headache forming. “Are you sure I said that to you. I don’t remember anything about that.”
He made a dubious expression. “Look,” he leaned past me and pulled up my browser. Aidan made a few unsuccessful searches before bringing up a news article. “Look. This is exactly what you showed me.” He summarized it, “Zara Corbyn was killed here on Dumont property.”
I read the article, my head aching.
“Wow, I must’ve been super jet-lagged.”
“Yeah, that’s some jet lag. I can’t believe you just forgot about this,” he told me skeptically.
“Yeah,” I laughed. “Crazy.”
I sat there, scanning the articles as all the other employees left for lunch.
My stomach sank.
Ethan must have wiped my memory.
This was one of the mysterious deaths Mel referred to.
This woman, Zara, was dead. Her wound had to be a vampire bite.
My lips parted, and my breath came out shakily.
“You bastard,” I whispered.
Inside my chest, my heart shattered into a million pieces.
I loved Ethan.
I loved him with all my heart. Yet, I’d walked straight off that cliff without even looking.
Anger flashed through my body, and I found myself at his door.
I didn’t even knock.
I just threw the door open to his office.
The vampire startled before breaking away from his prey on the couch. He gazed up at
me with glazed eyes. His sharp fangs glistened with blood, and for the first time, I actually saw him for what he really was—a monster.
Tears sprang to my eyes. God help me, I still loved him, but I couldn’t ignore the warnings any longer.
“You’re a bastard! We’re over. I can’t do this anymore. You promised me that you would never mess with my mind!” I threw the printouts about Zara down on the coffee table.
He sat there, blinking, trying to pull himself out of some kind of trance.
Tears streaming down my face, I shook my head in disbelief.
I disgusted myself.
Running through the office, through the entry, and into the parking lot, I jumped inside my car.
Backing up, I saw Ethan bolt out the door and call my name.
“Caroline! Caroline! Stop! Talk to me!” He stood in front of the building, clutching the sheets of paper I’d thrown at him.
Tears almost completely clouded my vision, but I pushed on. I threw the car into drive and stepped on the gas.
I needed to get away.
“You bloodthirsty bastard!” I cried and banged my palm on the steering wheel.
I drove and drove, not knowing the time nor the distance until finally, I came to Highway 5 that ran along the beach.
Pulling my car off onto a small turnout, I stepped out and started walking. Cresting some dunes anchored in place with scrub brush and a few sparse trees, I headed toward the sound of the waves. The ground was uneven, and I nearly sprained an ankle in my high heels.
When the sand became too challenging to walk in, I unbuckled the straps at my ankles. The realization made me fall to the sand. These were the same shoes I’d been wearing on that first day. The day Ethan freed my heel from the pavers.
More tears flowed, and I considered calling Aubrey. But I couldn’t bring myself to hear her ‘I told you so’ speech. I couldn’t survive it—not at that moment.
I wasn’t sure I could survive this at all.
Pulling my knees up to my chest, I bawled and bawled. My phone kept ringing, but I knew it was Ethan.
Setting down my purse and my shoes, I walked toward the icy surf and entered the water.
It lapped up against my fitted Capri pants, but I didn’t care. I wanted this pain in my heart to go away.
As the waves slapped my legs, I trembled with grief, with anger, maybe with cold.
Clouds covered the sky on this chilly day.
My hands looked blue, but I wasn’t bothered.
It was as if I were looking down on myself; that way, the pain was gone.
I was no longer me.
When a massive wave slammed into my body, drenching me and knocking me over, I shook myself.
What the fuck was I doing?
I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to do something incredibly stupid over a man.
Over him.
I stood in the surf, the waves stinging me, before turning around and walking back to my phone and my shoes.
As I neared the shore, I noticed someone standing on the beach.
Dark hair and that stupid leather jacket.
I didn’t want to face him but felt pulled in his direction.
I was numb, and my brain felt broken.
“Are you okay?” He whispered, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and eyes wide.
I let him wrap me in his coat. It was still warm and smelled like him.
“You lied to me,” I whispered.
“What? What are you talking about? Zara? I had nothing to do with her death.” He shook his head.
He tried to guide me with his arm around my shoulders, but I shoved him off. “You told me that you’d never use your mind control on me—and you did!”
“I swear, I didn’t…” He stood in my way. “I assure you, I never did! I swear! I swear to you.” In his distress, his accent came out strong.
I squeezed my eyes closed. “I can’t deal with this, not right now. I need to be alone.”
More tears sprang to my eyes, and I watched Ethan’s lip tremble as I stepped away from him again.
“I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I’m worried about you.” His voice broke, “I swear, you know me. You know I would never hurt you.”
I’d known Ethan to be an honorable man. I knew him to be a good man, but this called into question everything I thought I knew.
We walked in silence as I picked my way back over the rocks and uneven ground to my car. Ethan’s motorcycle was parked in front of my BMW.
When I nearly tripped, he reached out and caught me, righting me before letting go of my arm. I removed his jacket and held it out to him, “Here.”
It was damp from my wet clothes and hair, but he took it anyway and pulled it back on.
When he opened his mouth to speak, I stopped him. “I just need some space.”
“I don’t deserve this. I’ve been candid and open with you since we met. If you don’t see who I am by now, then maybe you never will.” He told me bitterly.
His words tore at my heart, and anger began to burn inside me as I stood there.
“Fine. You want to talk, let’s talk. If you didn’t erase my memory about that woman who worked for you, then who did? Huh? Apparently, the day we returned from Romania, I was looking into her death—her mysterious death. Mel told you not to kill me. Was that because you killed Zara?”
I shook my head.
Ethan let out a derisive laugh. “No…Zara and I were just friends. Zara wasn’t into men, she was into women.”
“You say you didn’t kill her, then who did?”
“I don’t know, but I have a hunch. Another moroi killed Zara. Mel and I had to cover it up.” His jaw twitched. “Why didn’t you just come to me about this?”
I smirked and threw my hands up, “I don’t know. I don’t remember. I have absolutely no memories of looking into Zara the first time—nothing—it’s like it didn’t even happen.”
He closed the space between us and placed his hand on my arm. “It hurts that you thought I’d do this.”
“You told me that you’ve killed people in the past,” I told him in my defense.
“Still.” He sucked in a breath.
“Who all is moroi at Dumont? Just Mel?” I huffed.
“Mel and a few others,” he pressed his lips together, the wind messing up his hair.
I shivered in the breeze. “A few others? Who?”
“Not here, meet me back at your place. I’ll tell you everything I know about this, and we can try to retrieve your memories.” He met my eye steadily. “Will you just get into your car before you freeze to death? I’ll tell you everything.” He began walking toward his motorcycle before turning back to me again. “You’ll meet me?”
I nodded, “Yes.”
“You won’t be able to make it up to me if you have hypothermia,” he told me with a wink before sliding his helmet on.
I scribbled out several notes and hid them in various places inside my car. They all said the same thing:
Zara Corbyn – died at Dumont – Check into it!! Ethan altered your memories!
Before pulling onto the highway, a woman jumped out into the road.
Baffled, I realized it was Aster. Turning around, I slowed to a stop.
“Are you okay? What are you doing here?” I called out my window.
“I need help, can you help me change my tire?” She made a pinched expression.
“I’m all wet. I need to get home, why don’t I just give you a ride or you can call someone?” I told her.
She groaned, “Please? I don’t want to leave my car here.”
Letting a breath out through my nose, I nodded, “Okay.”
I pulled around her car and parked.
When I got out, my heels sunk into the dirt as I stepped off the blacktop and into the wilderness area where she’d parked.
Didn’t Aster care that I was soaking wet? She was so selfish.
As I neared the passenger side of her vehicle, I shook my head
. “Your tires look fine to me.”
The blond woman stood between me and my car, her lips tight and arms crossed.
“I don’t have time for this. If you want a ride, I’ll give you one,” I said, trying to push past her.
But she caught me off guard. Grabbing my hair, she flung me to the ground. I lay there stunned, the wind knocked out of me.
“I’ve been nothing but nice to you, you little bitch. I’ve put up with you, listened to your stupid prattle, and even helped you!” She spat. “Now you’re moving in with him? He should be moving in with me!”
“Ethan!” I wailed, but only the sound of traffic met my ears.
Aster slammed my head into the ground before kicking me in the ribs. I lay there dirty, bleeding, and unable to move.
A triumphant smile graced her lips, revealing razor-sharp fangs.
“You’re a vampire?” I asked, stunned.
She barked out a derisive laugh. “You stupid little girl. Moroi aren’t supposed to be with humans! Ethan shouldn’t be with you.” She kicked me again. “He should be with me!”
Aster knelt before me, but I was too injured to fight. When she bent forward, her mouth wide, I knew she was about to bite me. But, her fangs didn’t sink into my neck. I’d reached up, using every ounce of strength I had and blocked her with my arm.
Pain shot through the limb, and then it was gone. Dizziness overcame me, and I struggled to keep my eyes open.
She’d bit me.
I was floating, floating.
Sleep pulled at me, sucking me down into a deep black, warm abyss.
I’d been cold before, but now I felt warm and so, so sleepy.
22
When my eyelashes fluttered open, I found myself looking up at the starry night sky bracketed between a rocky cliff and the ocean. My head ached, and my feet and hands were both bound with duct tape. The wind whipped at the sand beneath me, and a light flickered nearby. As I struggled to pull myself to a sitting position, Aster ranted as she paced between me and the fire.
“You didn’t think I’d let you slip away in your sleep like I did Zara? No. You deserve to suffer for what you did, the pain you’ve put me through. You and your little tricks, always flirting, always acting, always poor, poor Caroline. And he bought your little scam, hook line and sinker.” She sniffed, “God! At least you’re awake now, took you long enough.”
Bloodthirsty Bastard: A Hero Club Novel Page 19