“Thank you, Mr. Castle.” Aiden nodded politely. “I’ll expect your office cleaned out tomorrow.” He then turned and left with his bodyguard.
Aiden beamed triumphantly as he strolled down the hallway. There was a great confidence to his stride, and he made sure to smile at everyone he passed. This was his company now, and he was one step closer to finding Ashleigh.
Soon, she would have no choice but to be his, and he loved the idea. His mind kept wandering back to the day he had seen her last—flashbacks of her naked body making his smile grow. As far as Aiden was concerned, she was no longer Caleb’s fiancé and was free game. He would woo her, and she'd fall at his feet. Caleb had had his chance, and now it was Aiden’s turn.
The next day Aiden returned to the office. His first visit was with Hannah, Ashleigh’s publicist. She was sitting at her desk when he came in, talking happily to one of the writers.
Leisurely putting down her phone, Hannah spoke, “Okay, my dear. All right. Bye bye now. I’ll see you at the signing.” She smiled at Aiden, her sunny personality showing through. “Mr. Bristol.” She stood and held out her hand. “It’s wonderful to meet the new owner of New Castle.”
“There’s something I need to speak to you about.” Aiden snubbed her friendly gesture and sat down.
Hannah's desk was messy. There were several piles of papers tossed about that she quickly tried to straighten. She threw some in a drawer near her. Everyone knew Aiden was single, and many women held a dream of capturing the millionaire. He could see her happiness. That dumb look of a love-struck teenager. And Hannah was no teenager. She was in her late forties.
“Sure.” Hannah let out a playful giggle as she ignored a call. “What is it?”
“I want Ashleigh Brown’s contact information.” His voice was cool, but demanding. He gave a half smile to cover the anger beneath.
“Umm…” Hannah tried to smile but couldn’t, a falseness in her warm tone, "What do you need that for? I’ve always been Ashleigh’s representative for New Castle. She only works through me.”
“You still are. I just want the information.”
“Are you a fan?” Hannah grabbed a piece of paper near her. Then, she cycled through her phone for Ashleigh’s information. “She has—"
“That’s irrelevant.” His words were cold and quickly melted her expression.
“Oh.” Hannah laughed nervously as she wrote down Ashleigh’s address and phone number. “Ashleigh’s a private person, so she can be hard to get a hold of. In the last year, I swear that girl became a hermit or something. She's dating that singer from—"
"I know." Aiden glared at her, not wanting to speak of Caleb.
"All right." Her tone turned more serious, her expression changing as well. “This is her business number, so sometimes it takes her a while to get her messages.” She handed the paper to Aiden. “That sneaky little girl.” Hannah laughed. “She gave me a sneak peek at her new book and said she was going to kill off one of her characters, but I told her…" She raised a finger and waved it at him. “No, no, dear. No doing that. I made her rewrite it.”
“Who was she going to kill off?”
“Nicolas.”
“Interesting.”
“She’s writing a revision now.”
He studied the paper. Ashleigh's address was the same as the one he already had. “Is this her recent address?”
“Yes.” Hannah nodded her head as she regarded him with confusion. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“It’s nothing.” Aiden smiled, but it was a sarcastic one.
“Okay.” Her grin returned. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“No.” He walked briskly out of her office.
“It was nice to meet you, Mr. Bristol!” Hannah stood as she waved goodbye.
* * * *
Wearing earphones, Ashleigh was typing quickly at her laptop. She was in the zone, her tongue peeking from her mouth as her fingers moved at lightning speed. She was leaning close to the screen with wide eyes. Her ears were filled with the pounding sound of Armageddon's dark lyrics. Caleb screamed in her ears, his voice perfectly pitched even at this volume.
Even before she met had Caleb, his music had inspired her writing. She had once been a crazy fan that had drooled over the handsome singer. She felt his music set the perfect mood, especially for writing death scenes.
The romantic scenes? They were inspired by the picture of him that was set as a background for her desktop. The shot was cropped below those perfect indents in his pelvis that rested above the prize. It was actually not one she had taken, but one she found on the internet. But still—it was inspirational, though at times, distracting.
She typed.
…dark and damp. The feeling made her shrivel backward. Her hand was now covered in cold, wet blood. This was not a normal party, and she was not a guest but—
Suddenly, she felt her phone vibrate against her leg. Groaning, she pulled it out. She glanced at the number, but didn’t know it, so she ignored it. Her eyes narrowed on the screen as she tried to get back into the story.
…was definitely invited for dinner. They would find her soon. The wound on her arm dripped, leaving a trail of fresh blood in her wake. The flesh was torn beyond repair, and the pain was unbearable, but somehow she was able to press on. Then, she saw her—the lady of—
Her phone began to vibrate again. Ashleigh stuck out her tongue at the incoming call. It was the same number as before. Instead of answering it, she looked it up on web. It was an extension belonging to New Castle. She exited out of the search window and went back to writing.
…the house. She was beautiful. Her hair shone under the bad lightening of the dark tunnel under the basement. Veronica couldn’t help but stare at this gorgeous demon with the face of an angel. Paralyzed when Lady Sasson walked toward her, Veronica’s heavy breath was not able to cover up the sound of—
Her phone started ringing again. Growling, Ashleigh ripped off her headphones and tossed them away. She glanced down at her phone. It was the same number. Making a scowl, she answered it. “Hello?”
“Ashleigh. Hello.” Aiden’s voice made her frown deepen.
“Oh, so now you’re getting creative.” She slammed the lid of her laptop and laid against the headboard. The bottom of the computer was hot, and she could feel it spreading across the surface of the blanket. “I didn’t think you were that smart.”
“Ooo…feisty tonight, are we?”
“Not in the way your tone is referring.” Despite her irritation, she had been in a good mood before he had called. She had wanted to use her high from dinner to whip through another chapter of her Nightwalkers novel. “So, what do you want?”
“I was—"
“Can’t do that.”
“I—"
“Or that.”
“Will you—"
“No.” She laughed when she heard him let out a very frustrated grunt. Playfulness crept into her voice. “Jeez, Aiden. Lighten up.”
“Someone’s riding the wave I see.” He let out an annoyed sigh. “With who? Caleb?”
“Caleb’s in Markston.” She stared up at the ceiling. It was painted a soft black, just like the rest of the room. The bed she was laying on was king size, a manly black and white stripped comforter covering the black sheets.
“Keeping track of him?”
“Not as much as I should you.” Ashleigh glanced over at a picture on the nightstand, frowning as she sat up in bed. She picked up her laptop and stood. “He’s a good boy. You’re not.”
“Sleeping with the enemy sounds quite fun.”
“I’m not your enemy.” She set the computer on the dresser then took in her reflection in the mirror. She picked at her hair as she made a sour face. “So, anyway…” Letting out a small sigh, Ashleigh made her way to the window and peered outside. There was a small acreage of land below and a large pool to her right. This was a very expensive house, one that she could never afford on her own. “What do
you want?”
“Can I apologize?”
“Sure.” It was empty outside, the lawn perfectly manicured. Red roses freshly planted in the pots greeted her gaze.
“I’m—"
She continued, “But I’m not accepting it.” Turning up her nose, she went back to the bed. She sat down, unnecessary forcefulness in her action. She grabbed the remote and turned on the big screen television. She began circling through the menus as she searched for some music.
“I still want to say it.”
“Okay.” She turned on one of Armageddon's songs. The sound quality was awesome, and though she had it turned down, the beat still pulsed through her.
“I’m sorry.”
“And?"
“What’s the and? I don’t understand.”
“Don’t ever do it again, Aiden!” Speaking through her teeth, she glared at the screen. “I mean it! I’m not some puppet you can control to act out some sick fantasy you have.” She angrily tossed the remote onto the mattress and focused more on the conversation. “Being a fan is one thing, but trying to rape me with your magic is another. That’s way creepy, Aiden! Disturbing and sick!”
“I’m sorry.” Aiden’s voice was calm, but annoyed. “I thought we were joking around—like you do with Caleb—acting out fantasies from your books.”
“What? Are you serious?” Shaking her head, her jaw dropped. She was fuming. Her nostrils flared as she breathed heavily. “Acting out fantasies, Aiden! Seriously?”
“Yeah. Caleb’s your Drake, and I’m your Nicolas. Don’t say you didn’t want it too.”
“I did not! My God, Aiden—those are just characters! Those aren’t my fantasies!”
“Then, why the obsession with Caleb? Wasn't sleeping with him your fantasy?”
“You want to act out a fantasy, Aiden?” Pushing her lips together tightly, Ashleigh glared out the window. Her eyes narrowed on the gardener tending to the roses. “Then, let me suck you dry, you fucking prick!” She quickly hung up the phone then dialed another number. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she tried to calm herself. The phone rang several times then went to voicemail. "Damn it!" She angrily tossed it away.
Then, the calls started to come in. Aiden wasn’t giving up. She grabbed her cell and blocked his number. After a few minutes of silence, Ashleigh picked up her laptop and started writing again.
But then, he called using another number. She’d had it. Growling, she quickly stormed out of the room. She yelled down the hallway, “Nathan! Get up here, right now!” He was there before she realized it, and his sudden appearance made her fall back a step. Licking her lips nervously, she tried to pretend he hadn't scared her. “Hi.”
“Where’s the fire, lady?” Nathan scratched his nose, his actions jumpy as he observed her angry expression.
“Tell this stalker to fuck off." She shoved her phone into his hand. "He won’t leave me alone, and it's driving me nuts.”
“Who is it?” Nathan glanced down at the cell.
“Does it matter?” Crossing her arms over her chest, Ashleigh sent him a dirty look. “Just tell him to stop calling me.”
“Okay.” Nathan answered, “Stop calling here. Miss Brown says to fuck off.” He laughed. “Just a sec.” Glancing over at Ashleigh, he delivered, “He said, he would but he’s busy tonight.”
Narrowing her eyes on Nathan’s cocky smile, Ashleigh spoke. “This isn’t a joke Nathan.”
“He also said call him at this number instead. It’s Master Ma—"
Ashleigh ripped the phone from him and put it to her ear quickly. “Caleb? Is that you?”
“Hey, babe.” Caleb laughed.
Ashleigh motioned for Nathan to leave. Then, she talked into the cell. “I didn’t really want you to fuck off. I thought you were someone else.”
“Like?”
“Aiden.”
“Naw, I’m way sexier than him.”
“You are? I didn't notice.” Ashleigh giggled as she closed the door and strolled back into the bedroom.
"That's cause when you're around me, you're too busy staring at my dick."
"I do not." She glared at space in front of her. "So, where's your phone?"
"Broken."
“How? You have one of those tough cover thingies on it.”
“I jumped outta a window, and it fell out of my pocket. Busted the fucker in a million pieces. I just got that damn thing, too.”
“And why did you jump out a window?” Ashleigh sat on the bed and picked up her laptop.
“Kris dared me to jump into the pool.” Caleb was in a good mood, his voice playful. “I was totally hammered.”
“Right.” Ashleigh laughed as she ran a spell check on what she was doing. “Like you are now?”
“Kinda.”
“Kinda.” Ashleigh sighed as she fixed a few mistakes that popped up. “Where are you?”
“After party." Caleb had obviously walked into a room with lots of people, his voice getting harder to hear. "Looking for some take out. I’m starving.”
“Will you talk to Aiden for me? I don’t want him calling me anymore.”
“Umm…" Caleb paused. His voice got clearer. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Does it matter? I just said I can't.”
“Why not?”
"Hey…so about coming on tour…"
"I'm not going back on tour with you."
"Come on, I miss you."
"Why can't you talk to him, Caleb?"
"I love you, babe. Please, just come—"
"Why can't you talk to him?"
"Come on…just—"
"Caleb! I'm going home if you don't tell me, right now!"
“Fine…fine…just don't leave. I’ll talk to my dad about it. I promise."
"Why can't you talk to him yourself?"
"Cause the little fuck turned me into the Council.”
"Aiden?"
"Yeah. Now, I'm on suspension and can't go near him or attend any of the family functions for the next year."
“Suspension?”
“Like detention.”
“For what?”
“Beating the shit outta another Elder.” Caleb’s voice softened, “I gotta go, babe."
“Okay.”
“But I'll fix it. I promise. I love you, Ashleigh."
“Thanks for everything, Caleb. I couldn't survive without you and Nathan."
"I'll be playing the Tempest tomorrow night. If you want to come and surprise me, you're welcome to. I'll have a few tickets waiting for you…as always."
"I'll think about it."
"Okay."
"Bye."
She heard him hang up. She knew he was upset. Making a sour face, Ashleigh had lost her mood to write. Leaving her laptop on the bed, she tromped downstairs.
She found Nathan watching television. His feet were up on the coffee table, and his hands delved inside a bowl of popcorn. He smiled at her briefly then looked back at the screen.
He was wearing a suit, though his tie was hanging around his neck, and his shirt was partially open. He was handsome, his blond hair slicked back perfectly. He played the part of her protector well. Though he clearly found her attractive, he had never once tried anything with her.
Nathan was doing a great job of taking care of Ashleigh, maybe even more than she liked. He never let her leave by herself, and she felt like she was under house arrest. She didn’t argue though, because as a vampire, she depended on him to provide her next meal.
She hadn’t thought this all out before she said that breathless “yes” to Caleb when he asked to give her that third and final bite. All she could think about was the great sex and how madly she was in love with this rock star. She wished she could go back and say she needed more time. She hadn’t realized how much she’d be giving up for him.
It isn’t fair, she thought. How women had to depend on their men to get their every meal. Not having fangs infuriated her. She felt like a child. She had always bee
n the independent loner, and now she was forced to depend on Nathan and Caleb to survive. This wasn't glamorous like was in her books. It sucked.
“Did you know Caleb was suspended?” Ashleigh sat down on the recliner across from Nathan.
Nathan didn’t look at her as he spoke, his eyes glued on the hockey game, “Huh?”
She jumped from the chair and took the remote from his hand, shutting off the television so she'd have his full attention. “Why’s he suspended?”
“Suspended for what?” Nathan sighed as he watched her sit again.
“He said he can’t talk to Aiden because he’s suspended.”
“Oh…that.”
“What’s that?”
“He beat the piss outta Aiden a few months ago. Elders aren’t supposed to do that.”
“Is he in trouble?”
“Well…yeah.” Nathan laughed, a cocky look on his face, as if he felt she had asked him a stupid question. “He almost killed another Elder—he's in a shit load of trouble. Master Mason Sr. is trying to bail him out. They’re having a meeting about it soon…or they did. I’m not sure.”
“What’s gonna happen to Caleb?” Pulling her legs up onto the chair, Ashleigh’s voice showed her great concern.
“I’m not sure. It all depends on what the Council decides. I heard Master Bristol is pissed and is throwing a major fit about his son getting hurt.” He sent her a reassuring smile. “But don’t worry about it. Master Mason gets in trouble a lot, so he's used to it.”
“He’s gotten in trouble before?”
“Oh, yeah.” Nathan was slouching on the couch, his position messing up his hair a little. “That’s why he can’t be on the Council of the Elders.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Now, you do.”
“So can I do anything to help him? Like, testify that Aiden is a complete pervert, and Caleb was saving me from him?”
“You’re in trouble, too.”
Forever Black (Nightwalkers 2) Page 3