by Anna Santos
“People aren’t a property to be owned. Only an egocentric maniac wouldn’t think that.”
“Well, maybe they aren’t, but some are born to complete others, and you were born to be mine…as I was born to be yours.”
Jade tilted her head, unsure if she was hearing him properly. He couldn’t possibly be saying what she thought he was saying. “No,” she mumbled, “you are mistaken.”
The vampire shook his head, attentive to her reactions.
She blinked fast several times, swallowed, and breathed in until her lungs were ready to burst. Her panic began to surface, lacing her words. “How can you tell?”
“It’s hard to explain.”
“Nah, you’re just crazy.”
“You’ve already said that. You need to broaden your range of insults.”
“And you need to let me go.”
“Only after you kiss me,” he bargained.
She lost her calm. “Are you seriously expecting me to kiss you when we’ve just met and you are practically forcing me into it again?”
“Pretty much, yes.” He finished his sentence with a mischievous grin.
“You’re sick!” she complained, not finding it funny. She didn’t understand how he could smirk and be sarcastic like that. The jerk!
“I thought you liked straightforward guys,” he teased.
Jade’s eyes opened wide.
“You have a profile online,” he began. “I’ve done my homework on you.”
“Oh! Now you’re a stalker, too!”
“No, honey. I’m your future husband.” Before she could say anything, leaning close to her ear, he whispered, “You can’t deny the attraction between us. You are not indifferent to me. You can feel the pull, can’t you?”
“Whatever happened back there, it was a mistake.” Jade noticed how he lost his smile and removed his hand from her waist. She went cold without his touch.
He drew away. “You’ll learn to like it here and you’ll like me.”
“Do you understand how deranged you sound?”
“You weren’t complaining when you were kissing me.”
Fisting her hands in protest, she said, “You kissed me against my will!”
His eyes turned black as he clenched his jaw.
She felt her cheeks burn because she knew it wasn’t entirely the truth. She wanted to reduce the tension—and quickly. “I want to call Jenna, so I can check on my brother.”
“You’ll do that tomorrow. Now, you will go to your bedroom and be a good girl.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I have some things that I have to take care of, so you’ll have to be alone for a moment,” he explained, opening a door to his left. He showed her a bedroom with gray painted walls and golden ancient-looking furniture with a rose leather headboard bed.
The bedroom was fascinating and it was suited for a princess. The décor was delicate and enticing with numerous pillows and rose-shaped white cushions. The highly ornamented golden furniture was like a piece of art. She had never seen a bedroom so captivating. It was romantic—a room she had dreamed of when she was a little girl.
She didn’t have much time to drool over the bedroom because he turned her on her heels, bringing them face-to-face.
“Get some rest,” he whispered, caressing her hair and hugging her by the waist. “We’ll talk later.”
“Are you going to leave me here alone?”
“I need to. Plus, I thought you didn’t like me being around.”
“You can’t just leave me here. I need to eat and drink.”
“I know. My people will take care of you. Now, kiss me.”
“I don’t want to kiss you,” she said, leaning back to evade him in case he attempted something. She continued, “I thought we were over that already.”
“Fine. Then let me kiss you.”
“What’s the difference?” she asked, rolling her eyes.
He teased her with a sly and devilish smirk.
There was an irritating voice in Daniel’s ear, urging him to leave the girl, so they could talk. Jack, the director, wasn’t happy with him because he didn’t want cameras inside the limousine to film them at that moment. He couldn’t care less. He needed privacy so that the girl would trust him.
Suddenly, he wished that he lived farther away from the nightclub, so they could have more time to be together. He nibbled on his lip, remembering how she tasted. Her mouth was the softest and most desirable thing. He needed another taste before leaving, but she was still confused about their attraction. He was also stunned by how much he craved her. The blood lust was real—incapacitating. He had to endure and fight against it, so he wouldn’t lose control.
“Let me kiss you before I go, honey.” He understood that it was more of a plea than a request, and it made him realize that it was something he wasn’t used to doing.
“No,” she said, pushing him away and crossing her arms. “Stop!”
He pursed his lips and stepped back as he rubbed the back of his neck. She was stubborn. He was, too.
“Don’t be afraid,” he urged after a moment, offering her his hands.
Jade shook her head.
“Come on, I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I’m sure that you’re used to having what you want, but you need to understand that I have no wish to be with you.”
He sighed before tilting his head to watch her. “Are you sure about that?”
She arched an eyebrow, and he fought the urge to grin at her again. Her presence sent flames surging through his body. Controlling the bloodlust was going to be a challenge as long as he was around her. Her constant denial to surrender to their attraction crushed his soul.
“And if I kiss you and let you continue to pretend that you don’t like me—” he wondered aloud, “—would it make you feel better?”
Jade rolled her eyes. “But I really don’t like you!”
“You’ll change your mind,” he replied, lowering his lips to hers.
He noticed that her eyes grew wider, but she didn’t try to dodge him when their lips locked. Kissing her softly, he played with her lips, waiting for her to pull back and tell him something hurtful.
She didn’t.
Instead, she shivered in his arms, mumbling something he didn’t understand. One thing was for sure, she wasn’t rejecting his kiss, and so he deepened it. It was his time to moan when her hands massaged the back of his head and her tongue rubbed against his with the sweet sound of her surrender.
His forcefulness caused her to step back toward the bedroom. She was unsure of what their kiss was going to lead to. He said that he needed to go, and she was mentally scolding herself for wanting him to stay tethered to her mouth. She wasn’t ready for anything else to happen between them. But, by the way, her body was reacting to him, she wasn’t sure if she might have been experiencing some sort of mind control—the kind that only vampires could use.
One thing was clear. He tasted and felt like a human. His skin was smooth and he smelled fresh. Putting her hand over his chest, she could feel his heartbeat. It might not be as strong as a human’s, but it was there—a pulse under his skin. He was warm.
Her legs went weak from the sensation of his lips against hers. Heat spread down her body, impeding her will to push him back. She loathed his kind, so where did this attraction come from?
“Okay, honey, that’s enough. I need to go. We’ll see each other tomorrow night,” he said between kisses. “I have something important to take care tonight, but I promise you that the rest of my nights will be yours.” He removed her arms from around his neck and held her wrists, staring at her hazel eyes.
Jade blinked, her vision still blurred. “What do you mean, tomorrow night?”
“I’m a vampire. I’m asleep during the day,” he explained.
“And what am I supposed to do until then?”
“Sleep and wait.”
“You must be joking!”
“I
wish I was,” he declared, kissing her again and nibbling on her lower lip before separating with a grimace. “Don’t be mad. You are safe here, and we’ll talk more tomorrow.”
“Safe from what?”
“The cameras, the nosy reporters, and whatever else that frightens you.”
“But will I be safe from you?”
“You are my beloved. There’s no need to be afraid.”
His eyes revealed his vulnerability. The tone of his voice was soft and sweet. Jade wanted to believe him, but her rationality was warning her about the insanity of everything that was happening. He was a vampire. They couldn’t be trusted. Maybe she could manipulate him, though.
“Give me my phone back. Your bodyguards took it from me when they dragged me to you.”
“I can’t. It’s in the contract that you can’t have contact with the outside world. Not having a device helps with that. I can’t let you—” Jade tried to interrupt him, but he hushed her. “Let me finish, Jade. You can’t contact them, but I’ll contact Jenna for you. I promise.”
She felt vulnerable when she asked, “Do you promise?”
“I do. Now get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll have a busy night,” he said, caressing her hair and kissing her lips. He spoke into her ear. “I’m pretty sure that you hate kissing me as much as I hate kissing you.”
Jade was lightheaded and her body was immobile, resting against the wall. She didn’t know how to stop her body from trembling and her mouth from tingling. She wanted more of him. His sarcasm wasn’t making her feel better about her weakness, though. Kicking him wouldn’t help her case, and she didn’t want to hurt him. Even if he was an insufferable jerk.
“You don’t need to say anything, Jade,” he said, trailing soft kisses on her face. “I’m also confused about the deadly attraction between us.”
“I’m not attracted to you. You are a bloodsucking jerk,” she muttered, pushing him back and looking at her fancy holding cell. Tears stung her eyes. “If anything happens to my brother while I’m here, I’ll hate you for all eternity.”
“Duly noted,” he declared. “Goodnight.” He kissed her on the cheek and left.
After the door closed, she heard a key being slotted into the lock, and she ran toward it. She tried to open it, but the damn thing wouldn’t budge. Not giving up, she knocked and begged for him to open it. But there was no reply. Falling to the ground, she faced her room. It was big enough, sure, but it still made her a little claustrophobic. After all, she was trapped for God-knows-how-long in a vampire’s house.
Tears tingled her eyes, and she let them fall. She should have stayed at home.
Chapter Five: The Terms Of The Deal
Sometime after the automatic blinds opened to reveal that it was getting dark outside, three women rushed inside Jade’s bedroom. They grabbed her and dressed her in a silky, red mermaid dress. They also gave her an elegant hairstyle and makeup to complement her ensemble. She was looking rather sophisticated—or so she thought while staring at herself in the mirror.
Jade would never have been able to buy such an elegant gown with her waitress salary. But the dress wasn’t the only thing she received as a gift. Other maids had filled the closet of the bedroom with plenty of new clothes for her to wear while the hairdressers were styling her hair.
She didn’t have time to browse the new clothes. The maids left once she was dressed, and a man in a well-tailored gray suit entered the bedroom with a digital reader in his hand and a pair of hovering cameras following close behind him. Two other women entered, carrying production equipment.
Jade opened her eyes wide, and she felt herself recoiling. Her fear was from the cameras and all the unwanted attention of the viewers.
Where in the hell is the vampire? And why is that man in my bedroom with cameras pointed at my face?
The man asked her in a high-pitched voice, “How do you feel to be chosen to compete for the heart of the number one bachelor vampire in the United States?”
“Hum, I don’t know.”
“Did you ever think in your whole life that you would be chosen by a vampire to possibly be his beloved?” he asked, overly excited.
“No.” She fought the wish to roll her eyes.
“What are you going to do tonight to try to win his heart and make him choose you to have a date tomorrow night?”
“What?” Confusion spread over her face. She squinted and clenched her teeth.
“What will set you apart from the other contestants?” he rephrased the question.
“Out!”
The order was clear and simple and made everybody tremble and stare at the door.
Despite the command in his voice when the vampire’s gaze met Jade’s, she felt her insides melting and her heartbeat increasing. He was so damn captivating that it was difficult to stare at anything else but him. He wore a black suit with a light blue tie that matched his stunning eyes. It made him look dashing, almost ethereal because of his light skin complexion.
A sense of security and warmth washed over her. She blinked, and he appeared in front of her face in a split second. Then, he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. His kiss sent thousands of shivers down her spine and made her lips curve into a half-smile.
“Do I have to ask again?” He looked back, clearly upset with the entourage inside the bedroom. One glare of those eyes and everybody got out, almost falling over one another.
If she weren’t so enthralled, she would be fighting an urge to giggle. But, she continued staring at him and feeling too flustered to care about the buzzing sound of the cameras leaving and the door closing.
Once she realized they were alone, the delightful warmth from seeing him was replaced with anger. After all, he did leave her locked up in that bedroom.
“What the hell were you thinking when you trapped me in this bedroom until now? Do you want me to die of boredom?” Her anger shook her voice as she evaded his touch and took back her hand from his.
“It was the best way to keep you safe and to prevent you from running away,” he answered with a lopsided grin that made him look like a mischievous, sexy demon. “Besides, my staff fed you, and you had the TV to keep you company.”
She had to breathe deep and stare at the floor to be able to reply to him with calmness. “We have a contract. I wouldn’t run away. I can’t afford the compensation you’re asking for if I break the deal.”
“About that, let’s talk about the terms of this deal.”
“Yes, let's!”
“Hold the sarcasm, darling,” he demanded, taking her to the bed and seating her next to him. “You were worried about your job and your family. So, you need to know that for every day—no, night—you spend here with me, ten thousand dollars will be deposited into your bank account.”
“What?” She stared at him in disbelief.
He frowned before he asked, “Do you think you should be paid more for your time?”
Jade kept her mouth shut. She didn’t know how to answer him without feeling the urge to rip his head off. Was he treating her like a call girl or was that the standard fee they paid the girls who participated in the show? She was unsure.
“What are you thinking?” His eyes seemed to be evaluating her every action. “Jade,” he whispered alluringly.
She shivered because of the softness of his breath stroking her face.
“You need to understand that I want you here with me. If you decide that we’re meant to be, then you will never need to worry about money or anything else for that matter.”
“You can keep your money and just let me go home, then,” she blurted out.
He pursed his lips. “Stop being stubborn!”
Jade clenched her jaw at his scolding.
Sighing and curving his lips into that devilish smile that made her tummy flip, he added in a softer voice, “I’ve brought someone that I know you are dying to see, and you have another surprise waiting for you downstairs. You just need to relax and stop trying to find reasons t
o run away from me—from what we can have.”
“I have no intentions of becoming a vampire,” she declared with a serious face.
“And I have no intentions of letting you run away from me,” he asserted, catching her chin when she stared at him full of sorrow. “I always get what I want, and I want you.”
Before she could protest, he pressed his lips against hers. However, she pushed him back before it was too late for her to fight the attraction.
“Stop forcing yourself on me,” she complained, annoyed by his unwillingness to listen to her. “You might think that I’ll obey you if you kiss me, but I won’t. I’m not a mindless girl with overactive hormones.”
“Jade,” he mumbled in a voice weighted with pain while holding on to her hands.
She dodged him so he wouldn’t trap her inside his arms. “You can’t make me kiss you back if I don’t want to. You can’t keep me in this room, either. And you can’t force me to stay with you after the week is over. So, stop playing these mind games and tell me what the hell is going on outside? What were all those questions for? And what did he mean about the competition?”
The vampire contemplated his response and sighed. “You aren’t going to like what I’m going to tell you.”
“What else is new?”
It was a cold statement that made his eyes flutter with what seemed to be hurt. Jade tried to ignore it. She wasn’t going to feel empathy for a vampire who was keeping her there against her will. They were attracted to each other, and she could give up and let go in his arms, but that was it. No empathy, no compassion, and no love. Especially no love. It would be so wrong to love a thing like him! She doubted that they could feel anything. Could they? Besides lust and hunger for blood, that is.
“Why do you hurt me on purpose?” he demanded, studying her.
“Why would my questions hurt you?”
“It’s not the questions. It’s the way you talk to me and the way you look at me as if I’m a monster of some sort.”
“Aren’t you?”
Daniel tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. She was defying and judging him by what others may have done to her or her family. Or maybe she was biased because of what others thought about his race. He didn’t know, but he had to change her mind about him. The fact that they were going to be surrounded by cameras during the week wouldn’t help.