by Sarah Bailey
“I’m sick of this. First, Ella and now you. I thought you’d be happy I moved on from Aaron.”
“I am. That guy was a Class A dickwad. But I don’t know anything about this one. You won’t even tell me his name.”
She had to give Lucy something.
“Gavin. His name is Gavin.”
Lucy sighed and slumped next to Daisy on the sofa.
“What’s he like?”
“He’s…”
She didn’t know how to describe him to Lucy. She couldn’t tell her that he was a vampire.
“He’s smart and sophisticated. He’s got this whole geek chic look going for him, but he’s always immaculately dressed. He’s got the brightest green eyes I’ve ever seen. I could stare at him for hours.”
It didn’t even begin to describe him or the power he exuded, but she had to start on safe ground.
“What does he do?”
“Um, he’s an investor, but we don’t really talk about his work.”
She couldn’t mention the fact that he ruled over all the vampires in London.
“So, he’s like a bit of a big shot.”
“I guess so.” She shrugged. “We have an intense connection.”
“Oh, I know. I’ve heard.”
She flushed bright red. She’d tried to keep quiet when he was over here and he did things to her that drove her wild. But clearly, she’d failed in that endeavour.
“Is it any worse than you screaming ‘Oh yes, Victor, screw me with your love rocket’?”
Lucy gave her a shove and smiled. She’d woken Daisy up once with all her yelling. She thought Lucy was being assaulted until she’d heard that.
Daisy stood up. It was time she disappeared. Work was calling.
“I want to meet him.”
She paused. She couldn’t allow that to happen. Lucy was not a part of the supernatural world and she needed to keep it that way.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Ella’s met him.”
“That’s different.”
“Is it?”
How could she explain her reluctance without revealing he was a vampire? He didn’t have any objections, but she needed her life to remain separate.
“You keep telling me it’s complicated, but I don’t believe you.”
“I’ve got to go.”
She shrugged on her coat, tying her scarf around her neck. Before Lucy could say anything else, she rushed out the door.
§
Work was busy as usual. She was more than a little fed up of drunk businessman leering at her. She was pulling a pint when she looked up, sensing someone staring at her. Standing by one of the tables nearby was a man with flaming red hair and blue eyes. She couldn’t help but stare at him. It was like he had some strange hold on her. She felt compelled to stop what she was doing and go over to him. To wrap herself around him and kiss him for all she was worth.
She shook herself, breaking eye contact to make sure she didn’t over pour the drink. She set it on the bar and spoke to the customer who’d ordered it.
When she looked for the man with red hair again, he was gone. That was weird! She must’ve been seeing things. It unnerved her all the same. Why on earth would she want to kiss a stranger? Especially when she already had someone who rocked her world.
By the time she finished work, the strange incident had all but disappeared from her mind. It had been a trying shift. She pulled on her coat and checked her phone. Three texts all from an unknown number.
‘You are so beautiful.’
‘I could watch you all day.’
‘It’s such a shame you have to die.’
She felt like a cold hand had run down the back of her spine. She hadn’t had any of these messages for weeks. Had that guy been at her workplace tonight? Could it have been the strange man with red hair?
She couldn’t take this anymore. She was done having her life threatened. Done with her awful bar job and so very done with her friends giving her shit about her relationship.
She dialled the number of the only person who could make this all go away.
“I’m a little busy. What is it?”
She didn’t usually call him. He must’ve realised something was up.
“He’s texted me again.” Her voice was a little shaky.
She was angry, but also afraid. If it was someone in the bar tonight, then they were far closer than they should ever be.
“Forward them to me.”
She took a deep breath. She trembled. The reality of how much danger she was in came crashing down. Hearing his voice tipped her over the edge.
“Gavin, I think he was in the bar tonight. I’m… scared.”
She would never usually admit to being afraid to anyone, especially not him. Her ability to deal with this all was shot to pieces. There was a moment of silence on the phone. She had no idea what he was thinking.
“Go straight home. I’ll come to you when I can.”
She stifled a sob. She needed him now, not later. But she couldn’t impose herself on him. He had a territory to run which was far bigger than her little drama. It sounded like he was choosing his words carefully. He must have company.
“Okay,” she whispered.
“As soon as I can, okay?” His voice was a little softer as if he realised she wasn’t coping very well.
“Yes, okay.”
He hung up. She slumped against her locker. She couldn’t go home. She didn’t want to leave the bar in case whoever was after her was waiting. She forwarded the messages to Gavin. Then she called only other person who knew about this world.
“Hey, babe.”
“Ella,” she sobbed unable to hold back any longer.
“Daisy? What’s wrong?”
“I can’t deal with this anymore. Someone wants me dead.”
“What happened?”
“More text messages. I think he was here, at work.”
“Did you tell Gavin?”
“He’s busy. He said he’d come to me when he could, but I can’t leave the bar, not alone. What if the guy is out there? What if he tries to take me?”
She knew she sounded a little hysterical, but she didn’t care. She was panicking. She didn’t want to die.
“Daisy, love, shh, it’s okay. I’ll come, okay? I’ll come get you and bring you here.”
She felt like she couldn’t breathe. She tried to gulp down air as her chest constricted.
“Daisy, I’m coming. I’m leaving right now. Just hold on.”
She didn’t know what was happening to her. Was she having a panic attack? Her heart was beating uncontrollably in her chest. Her hands trembled. Someone was trying to kill her. She almost sunk to the floor as she put her hand on her heart.
“Ella,” she whispered.
“It’s okay, I know. I’m here.”
“I can’t. I can’t die. Ella, I’m all they have left.”
“I know. I know, babe. It’s okay.”
She hadn’t thought about them for a while. The two people who were meant to love her unconditionally but couldn’t. Not after what happened. She couldn’t breathe. Seeing them at Christmas had been a bad idea. She should’ve stayed in London and spent it with Ella and Lukas.
“It’ll be okay, Daisy. Just breathe.”
She gulped down air, but everything was going fuzzy at the edges. She didn’t usually break down like this. The weird incident with the red haired man had been the last straw. It was all too much.
There was movement at the edges of her vision. She felt enclosed in an iron grip. Her free hand clutched at the shirt of the person who had a hold of her as the air around them darkened. She had the distinct feeling they were moving but everything was black.
“Daisy? Daisy, what’s happening?”
She couldn’t speak. She knew who had their arms around her. The surrounding air began to clear as they stepped out of the shadows. She stared up at him, her eyes wide with confusion.
“You’re safe now
,” he whispered before he kissed her forehead.
He loosened her fingers from his shirt, placing her hand by her side before he stepped back. Then he disappeared into the shadows. She took two steps back, the sofa bumping against her calves before she sat down, heavily.
“Daisy?!”
“He came. He came.”
“Who? Daisy, what the hell just happened? It sounded like you were in some kind of tunnel.”
“Gavin. He… he brought me home. His home, but now he’s gone.”
“Wait, what?”
She couldn’t understand what had just occurred. He said he was busy. How did he know? But then she remembered. He could feel her emotions. She’d tied herself to him for life.
“He brought me home, through the shadows. I… he knew I was having a panic attack.”
“You’re at his now?”
“Yes.”
“I’m coming. Just stay there. You can explain everything when I reach you, okay?”
“Okay.”
She didn’t know how long she sat there, her phone on the sofa where she’d dropped it after Ella hung up, staring at the wall. The alien sound of a buzzer went off. She jerked in surprise. What was that? She shook herself as the noise blared again. She stood, going towards the intercom on the wall and pressing down.
“Daisy? It’s Ella, let me up.”
She pressed down on the other button for several moments and it buzzed. She went through into the hallway, opening the front door and standing with her back to it whilst she waited. She didn’t know if she’d be able to stand up again if she collapsed back on the sofa.
A few minutes later, Ella stepped out of the lift. She rushed over, wrapping her arms around Daisy, who immediately burst into tears.
“Shh, it’s okay, love. I’m here.”
She let Ella lead her back into the living room and settled her down on the sofa. She sobbed. Her head was on Ella’s shoulder, soaking her coat with her tears.
When she finally got a hold of herself, she released Ella, sniffling. Ella shrugged off her coat, ignoring the damp patch on the shoulder.
“What happened, love?” Ella asked.
“I don’t know. Things have been so crazy. I just can’t take it anymore. The threatening messages, kidnapping, werewolves, vampires. It’s all too much.”
“Did something happen at work?”
“I got a bunch of text messages.” She showed Ella her phone. “And something weird happened before that.”
“Oh?”
“There was this guy, but it was strange. I felt like I was compelled to stop what I was doing and go over to him. Like he was irresistible and when I looked away, the compulsion was gone. I don’t understand it.”
“What did he look like?”
Ella looked a little nervous. She took Daisy’s hands in hers.
“Bright red hair and blue eyes.”
Ella stiffened, her hands tightening in Daisy’s.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. It’s just weird, the compulsion thing.”
“I know. I thought I imagined it because when I next looked up he was gone.”
Ella nodded, her eyes a little glazed over.
“And you said Gavin brought you here? Like he did when you and he disappeared from my house?”
“Yes. It’s how he saved me from the werewolves and Samson. I didn’t know vampires had all these powers, but it seems that his are rare.”
“Yeah, learn something new every day it seems. I didn’t know he was so… powerful.”
She shrugged.
“He doesn’t exactly tell me much about vampire stuff. It doesn’t matter that I’m his girlfriend. They’re a secretive bunch.”
“Girlfriend?”
She froze. She’d forgotten to tell Ella about her little conversation with Gavin.
“Um… yes. I didn’t tell you. Shit.”
“I didn’t realise he was that serious about the two of you.”
She wanted to shake Ella, but she refrained.
He was serious about her. He’d given her his blood. She was pretty sure he hadn’t done it with anyone before and wasn’t something vampires did on a whim. She just didn’t think Ella would understand if she told her about it.
“He does care about me, Ella, in his own way.”
Chapter Sixteen
Daisy was asleep on the sofa with Ella by her side, stroking her hair. Gavin stepped out of the shadows into his living room. He cocked his head to the side. Ella blinked.
“You know, that’s a little unnerving.”
He almost smiled. Daisy had told him the same thing. He wanted to look at her, but he had to deal with Ella first.
“How is she?” he asked.
“Asleep. She calmed down after we talked.”
She stood up, leaving Daisy on the sofa. She had a determined look in her eyes.
“I have a bone to pick with you.”
“And that would be?”
“Is letting her call you her boyfriend your way of appeasing her? I’m trying to go along with this for her sake, but I don’t appreciate you playing with her feelings.”
He eyed her steadily. Her question hadn’t come as a shock to him. He knew Ella was suspicious of his intentions towards her friend.
“No. Daisy is not a game to me.”
“She thinks you care about her.”
He took two steps towards her, his hands folded behind his back.
“Do you think vampires incapable of feeling?”
“Clearly you do or weird as fuck relationships like the one between Raquel and Valehal wouldn’t exist.”
Her features tightened. It was clear she didn’t like talking about his predecessor and her shifter mate.
“And therein lies the real problem. Valehal.”
“Daisy saw him tonight.”
That made him pause. Val had been at Daisy’s bar. He must’ve sent her those texts.
“Are you sure it was him?”
“She said he had red hair and blue eyes. To top it off, he had what Hell wants with him.”
“And what exactly is that?”
Lukas and Ella had mentioned something about this before, but never revealed exactly what he took.
“An artefact which makes him irresistible to humans. She felt the compulsion to go to him when she looked at him. It affected me when I saw him. When I was still more human than supernatural.”
She paused for a moment as if remembering the incident. Shaking herself, she continued.
“It’s dangerous. I am telling you this so you know what you’re up against. She won’t be able to resist if he gets close to her.”
This complicated matters further. If he had that sort of power over humans, it explained how Val had been able to carry out his little murder spree.
He moved over to the window, staring out at the London skyline.
“You’ve known all along he’s been after her.”
“I… have. Yes.”
“Were you ever planning on telling her the truth?”
She said nothing for several moments.
“The only family Daisy has in this world is me ever since…”
“Ever since what?”
He turned, looking at Ella who had slapped her hand over her mouth. Clearly, there was something she wasn’t meant to reveal.
“I could make you tell me.”
She lowered her hand. He felt a change in the sleeping figure on his sofa.
“Did you ever wonder how she’s able to afford all her nice things and her flat considering she works in a bar?”
He didn’t say anything. He’d thought about it, but he didn’t want to pry into Daisy’s life. He wanted her to tell him on her own terms and in her own time.
“She owns her flat, Lucy just pays utilities. Daisy’s parents gave her everything including her trust fund. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not dead, but they might as well be. Things were just never the same after what happened.”
He st
ared at Ella, unblinking. Daisy never spoke of her family. Never spoke of anyone other than her circle of friends.
“She’s going to have my head for saying anything.”
Ella sighed, rubbing her temple.
“When Daisy was twelve, her older brother was in Peru on a gap year. He went missing. As far as anyone knows, he’s dead. Daisy’s parents lost the will to live. George was an utter tool, but the apple of his parent’s eyes. Daisy could never compete. They gave her all that money because they felt guilty for neglecting her.”
She paced away.
“Daisy feels like if she dies, her parents will have nothing left even though she doesn’t owe them anything. I am her family. I couldn’t tell her that I’m responsible for putting her life at risk.”
His eyes went to the girl on his sofa. His chest felt tight. She’d clearly lived in her brother’s shadow her whole life. It wasn’t any wonder she was always so guarded. She was fiery, yes, but she was also fragile. He was in awe of her. A feeling which was rather alien to him. She had suffered so much in her short life.
“It is my fault Val wants to kill her. He can’t go after Lukas so he’s going to take away the only other person I love because I killed Raquel.”
“Ella, Raquel would’ve died that night, regardless.”
She stopped pacing and stared at him. He usually didn’t care about human sentimentality, but this affected Daisy. He found he couldn’t abide by that.
“What do you mean?”
“I asked Lukas to kill her in return for discovering where Raquel had taken you. It’s why Lukas asked me to keep Daisy safe when Samson started stalking her. He knew I couldn’t say no. I owed him. Well, technically I owed you since she died by your hand.”
Ella’s mouth dropped open. There was a long moment of silence as she took in his words.
“It doesn’t change anything. Val is still after her and will kill her if he gets his hands on her.” She paused. “You didn’t embark on this relationship with her as a ruse to keep her safe, did you?”
He almost smiled. Ella was a little too paranoid for her own good, but he had to choose his words with care. He’d noted when Daisy’s breathing changed. She wasn’t asleep any longer and hadn’t been for some time.