Her Billionaire Vampire

by Fated Mates Romance

  The feeling was alien to me, so it got me very uncomfortable. Nothing had ever made me feel ashamed before. I realized I didn’t quite like the feeling.

  Disconcerted by the annoying sensation, I found myself in flight with the woman in my arms instead of walking. It was when I reached my car in seconds that I realized what I’d just done.

  My eyes quickly traversed the area to see if anyone had seen me use one of my abilities. Not that I cared if anyone saw me. However, I didn’t want to be recognized.

  Humans still lived in awe of supernatural creatures. They still saw vampires as enemies, not knowing we’d evolved. For one, we no longer desired the taste of human blood. We had synthetic blood made out of our specifications, and so much more enjoyable than human blood.

  We rarely went about attacking humans or changing them to become like us. All that was stale now. We just wanted to live in peace like every human.

  The annoying thing was that we had to keep being on the move, faking our deaths so that we could have new identities somewhere else.

  I’d already been asked by an audacious employee of mine why I never aged. He’d wanted to know the secret so he could engage in it. I had to lie that it was a new kind of plastic surgery that made one never age. He had no idea I’d be thirty-four forever.

  “Even if you sell your entire family and the incoming generation, you’ll never be able to pay for the procedure,” I’d thrown at him. He reddened, and then apologized profusely for such a bold question.

  I had him transferred from the top floor of my building. I was known to be ruthless; I didn’t care. He would have gotten the sack, but I was feeling pretty kind that day.

  Gently, I placed the sleeping beauty in the back seat of the car. For a minute, I stared at her. There was a pull toward her I couldn’t quite understand.

  Grimacing, I made sure she was comfortable before shutting the door. After sliding into the driver’s seat and closing the door, I stared straight ahead. There was only one place to take her to.

  Home!

  Chapter Three

  “Ouch!”

  My head was pounding as if someone had taken a hammer to it. I tried opening my eyes, but it proved difficult. The tip of my tongue touched my dried lips to wet them. My throat was so parched, it ached.

  A scent assailed my nostrils, making me wrinkle my nose. It appeared to be a masculine scent tinged with a spicy tang. But there was something else. A smell I couldn’t quite interpret.

  I tried opening my eyes again. My eyelids fluttered open. I struggled to sit up. I blinked, not believing what I was seeing.

  Have I died and gone to heaven?

  The entire décor of the large spotless room was done in white. From the bedding on the king-sized bed to the expensive-looking floor-to-ceiling drapes—all white. The white carpet was thick and luxurious matching the rest of the room in an understated way. Everything in the room screamed remarkable taste.

  Maybe I’m in a hospital.

  But what kind of a hospital would have such an over-the-top room? My hands felt the sheets — silk, in its purest form.

  The corner of my eye caught a movement. I quickly jerked in its direction and winced as pain wracked my head. When I could focus well again without seeing things in twos, a gasp left my lips.

  Surely I must be seeing things. This couldn’t be real. The handsome hunk of a man, who had a bowl in one hand and a towel in another, must be a figment of my imagination.

  Too many romance novels I had read in my spare time was surely doing a number on me. Were men still made like this? Granted, tall, dark, and handsome were the words used for heroes in books. But the stranger standing before me was tall and incredibly attractive. In fact, I could add yummy as well.

  His raven hair made me want to run my hands through it . I couldn’t help staring at his distinctive face, from his forehead to his midnight black eyes, aquiline nose, firm lips, and strong chin. The man was drop-dead gorgeous.

  “Hi,” Mr. Gorgeous spoke in a deep masculine voice that went perfectly with his persona.

  I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I immediately clamped it shut and stared at my hands.

  “Are you all right?” he questioned softly.

  I tried nodding and instantly regretted it because of the pain that hit me.

  “I guess your head is aching,” the man said and lifted the things he held. “I was about to clean your face. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Seeing that I didn’t have a choice, I slowly shook my head. The man strode forward and placed the bowl of what I assumed was water on the bedside table.

  Fascinated that he was even more handsome up close with a five o’clock shadow gracing his chin, I watched him surreptitiously. He dipped the small towel in the water and turned to me.

  “My name is Ethan Whitfield. What’s yours?” he asked as he made strokes with the wet towel across my face.

  “My name is…” I drew a blank.

  What’s my name?

  He paused and stared at me with those deep enthralling eyes of his. The more he stared at me, the more I got confused.

  What’s my name?

  “Your name is?” he gently prompted, dropping the towel as if sensing the apprehension that was flowing through me.

  My eyes widened in alarm when I realized that I couldn’t remember my name. I couldn’t remember anything.

  “Are you all right?” he queried again softly, probably seeing the color drain from my face.

  “I…” I brought out my tongue to wet my lips. “I can’t remember.”

  The man’s brows creased into a frown. “Can you recall what happened to you?”

  I tried, I really did, but everything was blank. It was like being in the middle of a dark room. I knew the light switch was there somewhere, but I couldn’t find it.

  Tears stung my eyes at the conclusion that something had happened to me to make me lose my memory. Fear snaked up to my spine at the dawning that I didn’t know who I was, and I might remain like this for the rest of my life.

  My alarmed eyes seized his worried ones. “What happened to me?”

  The man shook his head. “I don’t know. I was driving home when I found you by the roadside. It appears that you were mugged and robbed. The thief must have thumped you on the head. You have a bruise here.”

  He touched my forehead, and I winced. I wanted to know more, but I wasn’t sure he had the answers.

  “Where did you find me?”

  “I don’t know the name of the street. I don’t think I’ve ever been there. Perhaps when it’s daylight, I could drive you there. It might ring a bell.”

  “Daylight?” I questioned in shock. My eyes fell on the bedside clock. I was alarmed to see that it was almost two o’clock in the morning.

  I didn’t know what to say when the stranger continued cleaning my face.

  “I didn’t think you’d need to go to the ER, hence my decision to bring you to my home to clean you up. I planned on taking you home once you were conscious. But now that you can’t remember anything, you can stay here for the night.”

  Relief poured out of every pore in my body. I hadn’t been sure if he would throw me out now that it appeared as if I was going to be a burden to him. He didn’t look like the type who suffered fools gladly.

  “Thank you,” I remarked in a small voice, avoiding his dark eyes.

  He went on, “You can’t sleep in your clothes, though. Why don’t you go into the bathroom to clean up properly? I’ll lend you one of my shirts while I get your clothes washed and dried.”

  The man had an authoritative voice that brooked no argument. So I nodded and winced again from the pain.

  “I’ll also get you some aspirin,” he astutely remarked as he rose from the bed.

  He took the bowl from the table and walked through a door I assumed led to the bathroom. I sat there, fidgeting on what to do.

  He came back some minutes later. “The bathroom is through here. You
can take as much time as you like. You give the impression of one not suffering from a concussion, but I’ll advise you to take a shower, not a bath. We can’t have you dozing off in there.”

  I only just managed to nod as I carefully slipped out of the comfortable bed. My bare feet touched the soft and fluffy white carpet. I almost moaned with pleasure.

  “I’ll get you the things you need,” he stated and walked past me.

  Without acknowledging his words, I strode into the state-of-the-art bathroom.

  “Wow!” I exclaimed softly.

  It was another white edifice. I just stood there, staring at the opulence of the bathroom. The crystal bathtub shaped in the form of a pearl caught my eyes, but then I remembered what he said. Even though it looked inviting, I took off my clothes and stepped into the shower cubicle.

  As the warm spray hit me, I finally stopped holding my emotions in a tight rein and let it out. I sobbed out my frustration of losing my memory and being at the mercy of a stranger. The water washed away my tears.

  The image of the stranger coming to find me because I’d stayed in the bathroom for too long got me to turn off the shower. I stepped out of the cubicle and searched for a towel.

  I saw a small button on the wall. Cautiously, I pressed it. The wall moved in an arc. I was blown away by the array of towels, bath lotions, perfumes, and various bottles of colorful liquids.

  I reached for one of the towels and cleaned my body before wrapping it around my head. I took one of the bathrobes and put it on. It was quite large, so I had to fold the sleeves. It dragged on the floor as I walked.

  Something came to my consciousness as I surveyed the bathroom. There were no mirrors. It struck me as odd. Perhaps they were hidden behind a wall just like the towels and accessories. I searched but found no such button.

  Shrugging, I left the bathroom. There was a plate with a sandwich, a glass of milk, and some aspirin by the bedside table when I entered the room. The man…

  Darn! I had to stop calling him that. What did he say his name was again? Fear gripped me for a second when I couldn’t remember it. Did that mean I couldn’t remember the immediate past as well?

  Ethan!

  A smile graced my face when I remembered. Phew! I would have broken down in tears had I not remembered.

  Ethan walked toward me with an outstretched hand. I placed my dirty and torn clothes on it.

  “I hope you can take a bite or two from the sandwich. I advise that you finish the glass of milk. It will help you sleep. The aspirin is for your headache.”

  I wondered if he was a doctor. I opened my mouth to ask but paused. Wouldn’t it appear forward or inquisitive?

  “Have a good night,” he said in a dismissive tone.

  “Good night,” I replied.

  I watched him leave with mixed feelings. I wanted him to stay. Perhaps the feeling of being lost would go away with his enigmatic presence. Nevertheless, I also wanted to be alone to gather my thoughts. Maybe if I thought long and hard, I would remember.

  After eating half of the sandwich and taking the aspirin with the milk, I climbed into bed. Trying to remember anything worsened the headache. Consequently, I gave up trying. Possibly tomorrow I would remember when Ethan took me to the place he found me.

  My eyelids dropped to a close as thoughts of the man who had rescued me flooded my mind.

  Chapter Four

  Why am I doing this?

  I asked myself that question for the umpteenth time. It was quite crazy of me and way out of my character. I was beginning to question if there was something wrong with me. Maybe I was coming down with something. I just didn’t know it yet.

  Three days! It had been three days since I’d picked up the mugged woman from that dark street. She was still with me. No attempt had been made by me to find out who she was or help her regain her memory.

  We had both been holed up inside my penthouse suite for seventy-two hours. I hadn’t set foot out of the apartment either. The luxury of owning my business and being my boss was that I could work from home.

  I made calls and sent emails to the necessary people, telling them what to do. All my business meetings were canceled with the lie that I was under the weather.

  All for what? So I could babysit and take care of a woman I didn’t even know her name.

  Madness! Utter undiluted madness!

  I wasn’t the only one who thought I was losing it. My security team also thought so. Of course, they didn’t dare say it to my face. But I could see it in their eyes when they customarily came for my itinerary for the day, and I told them I wasn’t going anywhere. I could also hear their thoughts.

  I have never seen the boss like this before. He has never brought a woman home. Now that he has finally done it, he has completely lost himself.

  I can’t say I blame him, though. Although he only goes out with beautiful women, the woman in question is stunning. I could stare at her all day long. Hmm. I better not voice my thoughts to anyone. I’m sure to get the sack.

  My assistant, who had been in and out of the house more than he’d ever been in the past, also wondered what was going on with me. His thought process usually made me chuckle inwardly.

  I wonder if he’d fire me if I asked him whether everything was fine with him. Would he snap at me with that cold tone of his if I were to ask if it was true that he was losing his senses over a strange woman? I would do the same, though. The woman is fine!

  His last train of thought the previous day got me thinking. Was I really losing myself over the young woman in my house? I didn’t think so.

  For the first time in my very long years on earth, I felt a protective instinct towards another human being. Unbelievable as it was, it was the way I felt towards her.

  It started that night when I carried her in my arms. Then when she couldn’t remember who she was, a fierce sensation had struck me, so much so that it had robbed me of words. That night, I found it hard to sleep. Being naturally nocturnal, it wasn’t unusual. But staying awake thinking of a woman was what was out of place.

  In order not to frighten her if she woke up and found me staring at her, I’d shape-shifted into a bat. I’d stayed by the window and watched her sleep for a long time before returning to my room.

  Was it because she was so beautiful? Was it because of her hazel eyes that could swallow a man whole, or was it her glorious blonde hair which made me think of it spread against my pillows?

  I didn’t know. But the following morning, I understood as day followed night that I didn’t want her to leave just yet.

  Consequently, when I served her breakfast in bed that morning—something quite uncommon for me—I fibbed that I wanted her to get better before taking her to the place where she was mugged.

  “You might be adversely affected by the sight,” I’d shamelessly lied. “I think you should stay here for a few days. Maybe you might recover your memory once you’re better. If you don’t, then we can go to the place.”

  Being a sweet and naturally trusting being, she’d agreed and thanked me with a warm smile on her face.

  Oh, she was indeed a charming woman. When she got to know my bodyguards who were outside my apartment, she insisted on taking them some cups of coffee and biscuits she made. Whenever my PA came around, she also bestowed on him the same hospitality.

  There had never been an awkward moment with her except for when my assistant asked for her name. That was after he had finished ogling her, much to my chagrin.

  I had wanted to tell my assistant to mind his damn business, but she replied to him.

  Blushing to the roots of her head, she’d answered, “Amy.”

  Later, when I asked her why she chose that name, she’d shrugged and told me it was the first name that came to her mind.

  “Do you think that might be your name?” I’d asked her.

  She had shrugged again and replied, “I don’t think so. It just came out.”

  I decided to call her Amy. It had been like something
of a joke between us.

  “Is that a new recipe? Burnt eggs?”

  The voice, followed by a giggle, got me spinning around in my large kitchen. That was when the smell of burning food hit my nostrils.

  Cursing, I quickly removed the pan from the burner and turned it off. It was impossible for me to blush because of the paleness of my skin, but I could swear I was blushing right then.

  I wasn’t much of a cook, although I could cook a few meals. I’d learned due to boredom over the years. I had a housekeeper who came every morning to make breakfast for me and cleaned my house. I called her to stay away ever since I brought Amy to the house. Now, I was making a mess of things.

  When I believed I had controlled my emotions enough for her not to see the change in my eye color, I rotated my body in her direction.

  Typically, she was dressed in blue jeans and a pale yellow shirt. I had ordered some clothes for her following the morning of her arrival. She never wore the fancy dresses I bought. Instead, she was comfortable wearing jeans and t-shirts.

  I deduced that that was actually her way of life. Possibly she lived a simple life and wasn’t into fancy getups. That endeared her to me all the more. Due to my wealth, I’d always been surrounded by women who were all for the frivolous, whining for me to get them diamonds and the likes.

  Amy was like a breath of fresh air. She was a natural beauty and could do without makeup. Her gorgeous hair was bound in a ponytail, and her face held a bright smile.

  “Good morning,” I finally said after taking in the beauty of her presence.

  Her smile widened when she said, “Good morning. You haven’t answered my question.”

  I threw back my head, and laughter rumbled from my chest. “No, it’s not a new recipe. I was thinking about…” I cleared my throat and looked away. “Stuff.”

  Her delicately carved brows arched. “Oh, really?” she asked, then burst out in a fit of giggles.

  I couldn’t help the smile that graced my face. “I’ll make another batch.”

  “Without the burnt parts I hope,” she mentioned and giggled some more.