Finding His Eden

by Mandy Greenwood

  “Fine. Tonight. I’ll talk with him about it tonight.”

  “Good-” The tension in the room dissipated and Albie wandered back to the couch and his discarded glass. “-because it doesn’t matter whether Eden is your fated one or not, he still has the right to choose.”

  Albie’s words lingered as he walked back into the bedroom, stopping to stare at Eden sprawled across his bed. He grabbed a suit jacket and slipped it on, buttoning it as he glanced around the room for anything else he was forgetting – phone, watch – while keeping an eye on the time. Alric had no intention of arriving late for his meeting, one of great importance and with the head of the neighbouring Jiangxue coven, Lei Xue. He couldn’t afford to offend the rare coven matriarch when they needed to work together to deal with a rising threat: an alarming number of dhampyre were being gathered in an almost cult-like fashion – if the methods they were using to recruit were to be believed – and were led by a young unknown vampire to challenge the established order of the vampire world. Basing themselves between Alric’s Silverdale coven and the Jiangxue coven they hadn’t done much beyond making a nuisance of themselves, but as their numbers grew and they began to move into the respective cities, the group was beginning to draw the attention of human-led authorities and that wasn’t good for any of them.

  Walking back through the apartment, Alric picked up his phone and shoved it in the pocket of his jacket. Grabbed his watch and fastened it around his wrist; the time piece redundant now with his phone capable of doing more than conveying messages these days, but he’d worn one for so long Alric felt naked not wearing it.

  “Do you need me for this meeting with Lei?”

  “No, send Skylhr instead. You only antagonise her bodyguards and I do not need that today.”

  “Then maybe she shouldn’t bring her pet dragons,” Albie grumbled, proving his point why Albie shouldn’t be present.

  “Anyway, I’d rather you stayed here and guarded Eden.”

  Not leaving Albie room to argue further, Alric strode out of the apartment and headed downstairs to his office. Stepping inside he glanced out the window, watching as the sun began to sink below the horizon, while Skylhr hurried in and took up position in the corner of the room nearest his desk. Alric was always amazed how the dhmapyre managed to make himself almost invisible; blending into the background so easily that many of his guest didn’t even notice his presence. So unlike Albie who couldn’t help but exude his power into the room as though wanting everyone to know how fearsome he was. A good trait to have as head of Silverdale Security, but not so useful when playing the part of bodyguard. And it was also why Albie created issues with Lei’s dragon shifter bodyguards – one whose power rivalled that of vampires, maybe more so which always made Alric wonder why they’d not shaken off their role within Lei’s coven and sought to create a clan of their own as other dragons had done. But it wasn’t for him to question their alliance, one that had existed long before Alric had been born.

  Alric walked behind his desk, rummaging through his alcohol cabinet until he found the eighty-year old sake that he’d not yet opened, and placed it on the desk along with two sherry glasses. He’d just sat down when a knock came at the door and he nodded at Skylhr, the dhampyre moving swift to open it.

  “Mrs Lei is here do you wish me to send her straight in?”

  “Yes, please do.” He leaned forward, resting his palms on the desk as he waited for the diminutive woman to enter the room.

  Small she might be but Alric wouldn’t dare underestimate how dangerous she could be. He only hoped she didn’t plan on drawing the meeting out with the normal posturing and pageantry; a game he’d normally be happy to play, enjoying the matching of wits. But tonight, Alric had important places to be, more important promises to keep.

  Chapter Ten

  Eden ventured out of the bedroom hours after Alric had left, but he hadn’t lingered long. Accepting that Alric was a two-thousand-year old vampire was one thing, accepting that Alric wasn’t the only one was a little harder.

  It wasn’t as though Albie – as the vampire had said his name was – had done anything that suggested he was a threat. No, he’d simply sat on the couch, feet on the coffee table while flicking through the channels on the TV and drinking red wine. Eden refused to entertain the idea it was anything but wine. Albie grinned at him with a cheeky knowing smile that made Eden want to disappear into the floor as walked into the kitchen, tugging his shirt tighter around him. His stomach grumbled, demanding he give it the food he’d deprived it of earlier having been too nervous to eat lunch, but the only issue was: Did Alric have anything in the house he could eat?

  He squawked at the presence behind him, blushing deeper as he turned around to find Albie leaning over the bench chuckling. Eden reckoned the vampire enjoyed making him uncomfortable.

  “There are sandwiches in the fridge. Ham or Chicken, I can’t remember what Alric had sent up after he left. And if you’re wanting something to drink... I would advise you stay away from any bottle that contains red liquid or might contain it.” Albie grinned again, this time baring his fangs.

  Eden managed to mutter out a thanks as he grabbed a pack of sandwiches not caring what was in it and a bottle of water before hurrying back to the safety of Alric’s bedroom. He never thought himself as someone who panicked easily; didn’t get anxious in new situations or avoid meeting strangers. Then again, he’d never encountered vampires outside of the pages of his books before. But now he knew they were real. And if vampires were real, then what else was? How many of the creatures of folklore he’d studied, believing them to be fiction, were indeed real? And the thought of it was both exciting and frightening.

  But what was even stranger was the panic that had sent his heart thumping erratically in his chest disappeared as soon as he stepped back inside Alric’s bedroom; a strange sense of calm falling over Eden as he pulled blankets that smelt strongly of Alric around him. Relaxed. Safe. He burrowed deeper beneath them and took a big lungful of Alric’s scent before it faded.

  His heart sunk a little as he checked the time and noticed that five hours had passed since Alric had left and not yet returned. So much for the promises he’d made. The soft light of the lamp cast uneven shadows over the room as Eden searched for where Alric had tossed his clothes. There was no point staying, Alric hadn’t even bothered to send a message apologising for being late. Though if Albie had walked into the room to deliver it Eden knew he would have squawked like a startled chicken facing down a fox. But it would’ve been a sign that the flowery sentiments Alric had spoken meant something beyond wooing Eden into his bed.

  Mind made up, Eden hurried to dress cursing the loss of a buttons from his shirt. He searched for his socks, soon discovering they’d been kicked under the bed. Hopped on one foot as he tried to put them while trying to remember if he’d taken his jacket off in here or in the living area... must be on the back of the couch he decided along with hopefully his phone and wallet. He couldn’t even remember where he’d taken off his shoes; at the front door of course but after that first kiss – intoxicating, maddening and the rightness of it still rattled him hours later - Eden’s brain had turned to mush and it was only now that it was beginning to think clearer.

  Satisfied he had everything, Eden breathed deep and stepped out of the bedroom heading for the front door. He wasn’t even certain if Albie would let him leave as he reached the living area.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Eden’s head snapped up at the angry tone to find Alric stepping into the apartment. “Home.”

  “I thought I told- asked you to wait?” surprise etched Alric’s voice and Eden could tell he was used to getting what he wanted. “So, why does it look like you’re leaving.”

  Well bully for him. Eden wasn’t that easy and had no plans on becoming a doormat now simply because a vampire with a shit ton of money showered him with flowery platitudes. He had a mind of his own and he’d decided that five hours was too
long to wait without reason. Which he’d already told Alric. The vampire needed to learn to listen.

  “I’ve waited five hours for you, Mr Drayton-” not missing the pained expression flickering in Alric’s eyes. It was almost as though by addressing him so formally Eden had slapped him. “-and now I am going home.”

  “No.” The heavy weight of the word had Eden taking a step back, eyes flicking over the room as he tried to figure a way to leave without getting close to Alric. Alric didn’t scare him, but watching Albie shrink back from him too, warranted Eden being wary. But Alric quickly realised his mistake, his shoulders slumping as he rubbed a hand over his face. “Sorry, the meeting dragged on longer than I had hoped, and it was only the thought of you still here that enabled me to keep a civil tongue in my head. But I shouldn’t be taking my anger out on you... my disappointment at having to shift my plans for you tonight to another day as I’m buggered since I didn’t get much sleep...”

  Guilt swamped Eden and he averted his eyes from Alric’s haggard pleading gaze, realising how much havoc his arrival had caused to Alric’s routines. Not that he’d known that at the time. Eden expecting to be escorted to the office of a CEO rather than to a private apartment the next floor up because said CEO needed to hide from the harshest of the day’s sunlight. But his guilt didn’t wash away the entirety of his anger. It still didn’t explain why Alric couldn’t have sent word that he was delayed.

  “You couldn’t have called? Sent a message?”

  Alric glanced at Albie, the other vampire merely raised an eyebrow as he relaxed back on the couch. “I could have done better, I can admit that. But this meeting wasn’t one I could simply put on pause to send out a message when the balance of power was in my favour and I wanted to keep it that way.”

  “Vampire business, I’m guessing.” It made sense considering the odd timing of the meeting and for how late into the night it had continued.

  Again, with the side long glances to Albie, but this time Albie scowled in response to their silent conversation, and Eden wondered if the other vampire was that keen on his intrusion into their world. Or maybe it was the opposite as Alric took on an almost defeated look as his shoulders slumped further. “It was. I meet with the head of a neighbouring coven to discuss a potential threat that is developing.”

  “Macho posturing then?” He understood the situation better, yet it didn’t mean the lack of phone call hurt any less.

  “Not sure that’s quite how I’d describe it... but yeah, something like that.” Alric loosened his tie and shucked off his jacket throwing it at the couch. That must have been the signal for Albie to leave as the other vampire hurried off the it and headed for the door, squeezing Alric’s shoulder on the way past. “But, I’d rather not talk about work right now. All I want to do is collapse into bed with you and sleep.”

  Alric strode away from the door leaving it clear for Eden to leave, but the urge to do so had fled alongside the worst of his anger. “Don’t ignore me like that again. I don’t like it. And I won’t stand for it. Vampire or not. Rich businessmen or not.”

  “I understand... and I promise to try my best not to do it again. So, can we please-”

  “And you’ll fill me in on whatever I need to know about your world. No drip feeding me little tidbits whenever it suits you.”

  “Fine. Fine. Starting tomorrow I’ll point out every incorrect fact in those books of yours and replace it with the truth. But can we please get out of our clothes and curl up in bed.”

  A hint of laugh toyed with Eden’s lips and tickled his throat as he realised one thing his textbooks would never mention: Vampires liked to cuddle.

  Chapter Eleven

  Two weeks had passed since he’d last screwed up with Eden and Alric thought he was probably due another faux pas, one that saw Albie laugh and not lecture him. Not that he hadn’t deserved the lectures; the constant nagging. He’d promised to teach Eden more about the world of Vampires and Alric had failed.

  Well, not completely failed. Alric had pointed out the bits of his life in the textbooks Eden carted round that were wrong: They weren’t allergic to garlic, but some vampires found the smell to pungent or hated the taste of it in peoples blood; the sun couldn’t kill them - not in the turn into a pile of ashes kind of way – it was more like an allergy, left them with nasty blisters and occasionally if they weren’t careful, third degree burns; yes holy water irritated them, but then who wouldn’t be pissed off having water thrown at your face? And they weren’t impervious to harm, but they could heal faster often with the consumption of copious amounts of blood.

  Eden hadn’t even blinked, simply nodded his head and asked questions when he wasn’t sure and jotted down notes.

  But there was plenty about their society Alric still needed to tell Eden. Information that was important for him to know considering they were fucking without condoms. And that’s why Albie was so furious with him. He’d promised two weeks ago to sit down with Eden and talk about fated lovers; what it meant to Alric as a vampire. Needed to tell him about the process of being turned into a vampire – or a dhampyre as those who’d once been human were known as – having managed to evade the topic despite Eden asking about it several times. It was stupid and cowardly. Eden had a right to know that their having sex was bringing him one step closer to no longer being human and the more Alric dragged his heels about telling him, Eden’s freedom to choose whether he became a dhampyre or not was quickly disappearing.

  Each night they spent together; each time Alric buried his cock deep inside Eden it was changing him. And the anticipation of that moment when instinct overcame reason, and Eden sunk his teeth into Alric’s flesh drawing blood set his body on fire. A day that was coming fast leaving Alric little time to tell Eden the truth as he mouthed at Alric’s neck; sucked at the pulse point at the base of his throat and let out desperate frustrated whimpers that only pitched higher when Alric sunk his fangs into Eden.

  Gasping.

  Writhing.

  Begging.

  Coward.

  Alric was too chicken shit to tell him. He was afraid that Eden would reject him and had happily allowed him to think being turned was exactly like it was in Eden’s textbooks. A simple exchange of blood that would happen at Eden’s own choosing and while it could happen that way, fated lovers had another route when one of them was human. And that wasn’t all Eden needed to know. There were many aspects of vampire society they’d worked hard to keep out of the books; the nightmarish fairy tales humans whipped up to scare each other. Too dangerous to let those who’d once sworn to hunt them to extinction when they’d still believed them real learn of how they reproduced; that they could add to their numbers without turning humans. But Eden had a right to know that once he became a dhampyre that he could then bear a child, just as Alric himself could had his fated one been another like him, vampire born.

  The door to his office slammed shut, and Alric didn’t need to glance up from the paperwork he was supposed to be reading – profit and loss statements of a possible new acquisition in downtown Silverdale – instead of getting up in guilt ridden memories of Eden, to know that his visitor was Albie. He’d need to give Mrs Walterson a long weekend off or a few bottles of her favourite wine to make up for the mood Albie had been in the last week. Not that she complained. She never complained about anything not even the announcement that Mr Fredricks could enter his office unless instructed otherwise – which wouldn’t be often. Maybe only when Lei from the Jiangxue coven visited – in his role as Head of Security.

  Didn’t need to look up to feel his friends intense stare and quietly hoped that if he ignored him, Albie would get pissed off and storm back out again. But that hadn’t happened last time and Alric doubted it would this time either. However, he was surprised when Albie didn’t drop into the seat in front of his desk but stomped around it and headed for the fridge. Yanking it open, Albie snatched out two bottles and placed one on the desk for Alric before slumping heavily in the chair
in front of the desk with an angry sigh.

  “I’m not even going to ask about Eden...”

  “I’ve told him some things about our society; the complexities of it and the lies that are written in his textbooks-”

  “But not the important parts,” Albie hissed. “The parts that affect him the most... and that isn’t fair on him.”

  Alric pushed the papers he was supposed to be working on aside and snatched up the bottle Albie had placed out for him, taking a long swig. “I know... but-”

  “There isn’t any ‘buts’ about it! And I can’t believe we’re having this argument again.” Exasperated, Albie leaped to his feet and paced the floor giving Alric a reprieve to let his guilt flicker on his face. But Albie didn’t miss it as he paused to glare at him, cursing loudly. “It’s too late isn’t it? His ability to choose has already been denied him... Fuck, you’re an arsehole Alric. Nothing but a damn bloody coward.” Albie marched back to the desk, slamming his hands onto it as he leaned into Alric’s space. “How long’s he got?”

  Alric leaned back and scratched his jaw trying not to show how much Albie’s words had stung; struck a little close to the truth that where Eden was concerned, Alric was a coward. But while he’d thought about the changes happening to Eden’s body – got caught up in the excitement of it all – he hadn’t stopped to consider how fast it was progressing. “One week? Maybe two?”

  “A week?” Albie shook his head. “You’re leaving it a little late... what the fuck are you afraid?”