Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Of all the nights Mira could’ve decided to not go straight home, it had to be on the one I wasn’t tailing her. The Count wanted a progress report on our investigation on the unauthorized Newborns and had sent one of his trusted emissaries. As it was my primary assignment, I could not easily delegate this meeting to Boris.

Grigore was as ancient as the Count. He also didn't like the city or modern technology. What I could’ve relayed through a simple phone call had to be done in person. Thus, I had to drive to one of the royal houses on the outskirts of Baguio City. And although I made the almost 300KM drive in record time, I had to wait for Grigore to wake up at sundown.

Thankfully, he had his own plans for the evening and didn’t ask too many questions. He also assigned Darius, his most devoted assistant, to handle the communication between us from now on, which I appreciated. Darius was a forward-thinking man. He was also well-versed in the ways of the modern world. Unless there were matters that needed to be discussed with Grigore or the Count, I could now send my report through email. Grigore’s failing health made this trip very difficult, and he had no intention of repeating the ordeal soon.

It was already half past 2AM when I got back from my unplanned trip. This was a trying night for me, not only because of Grigore’s unexpected arrival, but mostly because it was exactly one week since Mira’s close brush with death. My nerves were tingling again and although I didn’t adhere to superstitious beliefs, I couldn't help feeling wary. Especially since my instincts were often spot on. Perhaps I should send one of my Knights to watch over Mira during my absence, just to ensure her safety. I didn’t like sharing my private life with anyone other than Boris or Irina. But if it was for Mira’s protection, then I would make the sacrifice.

I quickly drove to Mira’s place of work and put the top down to catch her scent. It was now as familiar as my own, so I was able to find it easily. I was a bit surprised when it didn’t lead me to her usual route home. And she wasn’t alone. There were three other distinct scents mingling with hers. My hackles rose in alarm, thinking the worst. But when I took several deep breaths, I realized they were female and human. That made me relax a bit. At least she didn’t seem to be in any danger and had only gone out with a few female friends.

Yet, as I continued to follow her scent, my apprehension returned. She and her friends were on their way to Red. And that wasn’t good news to me. There would be one vampire lounging around Red right about now. Marcel. He never hunted in my bars, but he would surely notice Mira’s blood. I didn’t know if I was ready to expose her to other vampires aside from Irina, let alone one who was a connoisseur of rare blood types. One sniff and Marcel would be all over her.

Now that I was sure where she was, I stepped on the gas and screeched to a stop in front of Red. Eric, the valet on duty tonight, sauntered up to me and deftly caught the keys I threw him.

“Park it somewhere near and hang around. I might need it again in a few minutes,” I told the young man.

“Yes, sir,” Eric said, nodding.

“Boss,” Martin, the bald and stocky security personnel guarding the door, said.

“Has Marcel arrived yet,” I asked, hoping he hadn’t.

“Yes, Boss. Just a few minutes ago. He’s at the bar,” Martin said, erasing all hope of keeping Mira away from Marcel.

It wasn’t just Marcel’s ability to identify rare blood types that bothered me. Marcel was also a shameless playboy. Mainly because he could charm even the most elusive of ladies, human and vampire alike. I’d seen the trail of broken hearts Marcel had left behind through the centuries. Mira, with her exquisite beauty and precious blood, would be too much of a treasure for Marcel to pass up. He would use every weapon in his arsenal to seduce her out of her seat. Mira, inexperienced as she was, wouldn’t be able to withstand Marcel’s onslaught. So far, Irina was the only woman I knew who could do so, probably because she thought all French men were shallow dandies, not to be taken seriously.

If only Mira were drunk enough to dilute the scent of her blood. Alcohol had a way of interfering with the natural properties of human blood, making it difficult for vampires to identify the type. It was a foolish wish. With what little I knew of Mira, I could say with confidence that she wasn’t the type to overindulge. Besides, even if she came here straight from her office, she still wouldn’t have had enough time to get drunk. What I saw next heightened my fears exponentially. Mira was indeed there, but so was Marcel. And with the way he was leaning toward her, she had definitely caught his undivided attention.

Marcel might be a consummate ladies’ man, a heartbreaker, but he never once encroached on my territory, or what I claimed to be mine. There was only one way to extricate Mira from her precarious situation. I needed to stake my claim on her. She wouldn’t like it, would probably even hate me for what I was about to do. But I would deal with her anger later. For now, I must do everything in my power to stop Marcel from charming her out of her sane mind.

Without giving myself the chance to rethink my options, I walked up to them and stood behind Marcel. He had already caught Mira’s friends in his web, if I were to base it on the glazed expression on their faces. Mira, however, was looking at him with wary eyes. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had apparently underestimated Mira. Still, I couldn’t take any chances.

Marcel had just finished dazzling Mira’s friend by kissing her hand instead of shaking it, and had turned his attention to Mira.

“And you are?” Marcel said in his honeyed voice.

Before Mira could reply, I clapped a hand on Marcel’s shoulder to catch his attention and said, “Her name’s Mira and she’s with me.”

Mira’s eyes were as big as saucers, taken aback by my sudden declaration. Then her beautiful brown eyes turned hard, her anger seeping through. Unfortunately, Marcel had also caught the change in her and was looking suspiciously at me. I had to stop her from giving the game away. It was better that she remained silent throughout this scenario. Despite my better judgment, I leaned past Marcel and kissed Mira squarely on her lips. I almost flinched at my body’s immediate reaction when my lips touched hers. Had I not felt Marcel nudging a shoulder against my stomach, I wouldn't have been able to stop.

When I broke away from Mira, I grabbed her hand and pulled her up from her seat. She still looked dazed by our abrupt kiss. Good, I thought. She’s likely to be more compliant.

“Will you excuse us?” I said, turning to our erstwhile audience. “I think I need to do some explaining to Mira. She’s obviously still mad at me for not showing my hide these past few days.” I laughed nervously, hoping it was enough to make them believe the partial lie.

Ignoring the incredulous look on her friends’ faces and the skeptical one on Marcel’s, I practically dragged Mira behind me and, without knowing where else to go, into my private office. In her confused state, Mira didn’t even notice when I sat her down on the couch and went to lock the door behind us. When I turned back to her, however, Mira greeted me with a sound slap on my cheek. Had I still been human, it would’ve smarted. It surprised and amused me. How could such a delicate-looking woman work up enough strength to deliver such a vicious blow? Mira was definitely not the typical, predictable human female.

“How dare you kiss me like it was your right? And in front of my friends, too! What was that all about, huh, Nick? You disappear for almost a week and when you show your face you act as if you own me. You are surely the most despicable man I’d ever met!”

Fuck! How can someone look even more beautiful when angry? I thought, feeling myself getting inconveniently aroused by her flaming eyes and flushed cheeks.

Although her slap didn’t hurt one bit, my hand still went to the cheek. Her palm had left an imprint on my skin. It felt warm, deliciously warm and alive like her.

“I know you’re disgusted with me—”

Disgusted? With her? Where did she ever get that idea?

“—and can’t even stand to be in the same room with me—”

Yes, but only because I was terrified of losing control…

“—like you were being tormented—”

Yes! I’m always tormented when I’m with you, Mira! Tormented beyond my wildest imagination. You’re the drug I can’t indulge in.

“—ran away without a word. You left without even saying goodbye, Nick. You didn’t even tell me your last name, for heaven’s sake! How was I going to find you? There were about a million Nicks in the world. And I couldn’t put ‘six feet tall, blue eyes, dark hair’ in the Google search box, could I?”

She was rambling, gasping between every heated word. Yet what stuck with me was the fact that she was looking for me. Why? Didn’t she know how dangerous I was?

“Why did you leave without saying goodbye, Nick?”

That last one stirred something in me. Regret? Shame? Yes, I acted horribly. But I couldn’t tell her why. I couldn’t tell her how her scent, her invitation to enter her home despite knowing nothing about me, her very presence, all drove me insane. I couldn’t tell her I wanted to kiss her then, to throw her friend out the door so we could be alone. And had we been alone, in the place she called home, I would’ve torn her clothes off and made love to her until she begged me to stop.

I couldn’t tell her the truth and it hurt me more than I expected. I was a freak, a monster, an abomination, and she was everything I wasn’t. She was beautiful, good, and pure. Being with me would only debase her, sully her with the everlasting stain on my soul. I had to leave before I forgot who I was and gave in to my desire to pretend to be human, pretend I was one of her people. Of course, I wasn’t, not anymore. I was the creature who preyed on her kind, and I didn’t deserve to be with her.

My feelings for her hadn’t changed. I thought it would, if I kept out of sight, if I stayed in the shadows where I belonged. I thought I could convince myself that it was as it should be. Even as I followed her to work, and later back home, making sure she would get there safe and sound, away from the darkness, from beings who reveled in the absence of light, I prayed she would forget all about me. Mira didn’t know it, but I had always been there for her. She only needed to call out my name. But she never did, and I thought I’d gotten my wish, that she’d already forgotten.

I was wrong on both counts.

“I don’t know,” I replied, not really knowing what else to say besides the truth she wouldn’t be able to handle.

She continued to stare at me, as if searching for something. Then she shook her head and sighed. “What are you doing here, Nick?”

The question was so banal it caught me off guard. “What am I doing here?”

“Yes. Were you following me?”

For almost a week now, I wanted to say. “No, of course not. I work here.”

She raised an eyebrow at me. “You work here. Really?”

Her sarcastic tone made me want to laugh. “Technically, yes.”

She didn’t buy it. “Okay, fine. Look, I’m going back to my friends. I’d hate to think about what they’re saying behind my back after you staked your claim on me earlier. Like you were some jealous Neanderthal. They’re probably thinking you’re shagging me out of my mind right now.”

“Shagging?” I chuckled at the very British term she used for what I actually wanted to do to her. It was so adorable I almost forgot how much danger she was in. And she was right, too. I did stake my claim on her.

“Yeah. Been reading too much Harry Potter, I guess,” she murmured, smirking at me. “Anyway, it’s been nice seeing you again, Nick. Glad to know the earth hadn’t swallowed you whole like I thought,” she said, walking past me.

“Wait,” I said.

She looked up at me, then down at the hand around her arm. “Let go of me, Nick.”

If only I could. “Please, stay for a while.”

“What for?” There was genuine hurt in her eyes this time. And all I wanted was to take that hurt away, to make her smile again.

“For this,” I said.

Before I could even think about stopping myself from doing what I’d always wanted to do, my lips were crashing down on hers, savoring the sweetness within and the promise it held.

Nothing else mattered at that moment. Not Marcel or the great peril she was in, not even the great chasm between our species. All that mattered was her, and the way she was responding to my kisses, accepting me, and welcoming me like a long-lost lover.

The kiss was nothing like I’d imagined it would be.

It was way much better.