Dinner With a Vampire (The Dark Heroine #1)(60)
Author: Abigail Gibbs

I opened up my mind, ensuring everybody at the meeting would hear. Fuck off!

I felt shock ripple through the meeting. Even Violet, human and powerless, stood up straight, her eyes wide and alert.

Pulling into the driveway of Charlie’s townhouse we had agreed to meet at, I cut the engine. I turned to her as she glanced out the windows and reached out for her hand, pulling her into an embrace.

‘Welcome back to London, Violet.’

THIRTY-NINE

Violet

Cold arms closed themselves around my stomach and before I could protest, I was sitting in Kaspar’s lap, side pressed to the steering wheel. He held me in an embrace for a second, forcing me against his chest. I could feel a vein throbbing in his neck, yet could not feel the beating heart that marked humanity; the heart in my chest that right now, was working overtime.

My words came out muffled as I cursed into his chest. ‘What the hell are you doing?’

He pushed me away, pressing a single finger to my lips. ‘For once, be quiet, Girly.’

I shook my head, meaning to say no, but failing. His enthralling eyes had caught mine and with a pained, creased brow, he took my hand in his and gently began rubbing his thumb across my skin, tracing the raised veins.

‘I can’t promise you everything will be okay, because I know it won’t. I can’t promise that you will make it out of this human, because chances are you won’t. Time is running out and soon you’ll have to make the decision. You have to choose.’

‘Do I even get a choice?’ I murmured, still lost within the piercing eyes. He shrugged his shoulders half-heartedly.

‘Maybe.’

I closed my eyes, nodding solemnly. His cool breath tickled my ear, as his icy hands reached up and touched my burning, scarlet cheeks. He turned my head to face him, resting his forehead against mine. Outside the wind whistled and the permanently grey clouds of England rolled past. Inside there was deathly silence, shadows moving across us.

‘Girly … Violet,’ Kaspar whispered, choking on his own words. ‘I should have killed you in Trafalgar Square. I didn’t. And now you face the consequences and I-I’m sorry … so sorry,’ he breathed, a single fang biting at his lower lip.

I sucked in a breath, instinctively leaning in to the hand cradling my cheek. ‘You wish I was dead? Because I don’t.’

‘No.’

I exhaled sharply, pulling his hand away from my cheek, placing it again at his side. Fighting back tears I spoke. ‘Why are you like this? Why do you hate me one second, and then the next it seems like you care? For God’s sake, why?’

His fang broke through the skin of his lips and blood erupted from the wound, trickling across his lips. It coated his skin in a glossy layer, a salty stench making my nostrils flare, part in disgust, part in intrigue.

Leaning in, my hands worked their way towards his neck, tracing his collar, entwining themselves within his dark hair. I licked my lips in anticipation as forbidden emotions gushed within my system and my voice screamed.

Don’t do it! You’re not a bloody vampire yet!

But I didn’t stop. All I had was the desire to be wanted; to be cared about, and I had found that in Kaspar, just for a second.

We weren’t even an inch apart when I paused, my heart racing and leaping as I looked up to meet his eyes, which I thought for a moment, a single, brief moment had flashed to red, yet they were their usual emerald as his hands reached for my waist.

Leaning in, he murmured as his lips met mine. ‘I’m like this because I am just as torn up as you.’

With that he was gone, leaving me with his blood trickling from my lips.

I felt a cold breeze on my face and opening my eyes, I realized I was actually not in the car. A bitter wind whipped at my face, blowing my hair like it did the stormy clouds. I rested against the door, breathing deeply.

I slid my fingers across my chin, feeling the blood smear across my skin. Gagging, my legs lost their strength as horrific feelings filled my heart. What on earth just happened? I couldn’t believe I had just tried to kiss him. Kiss him!

Moreover, I was alone, cast off in the middle of nowhere – the car was parked at the side of an immaculately maintained drive surrounded by a long, low box hedge.

I didn’t have time to notice much more as several cars pulled up behind. I jerked my head towards the sound of dying engines and recognized the cars of the others, which Kaspar had overtaken on the motorway. Fabian jumped out of his Audi and darted towards me, pulling me into a tight hug. I collapsed into his arms, glad of the comfort they brought. He tugged me closer, until my face was buried in his jacket, muttering into my ear.

‘It’s okay. He shouldn’t have left you …’

I nodded obediently, deciding it would be better to not mention that that was not the source of my distress.

‘Where’s he gone?’ I murmured, looking up at him

His eyes flashed red. ‘You’re bleeding!’ he exclaimed.

My eyes widened as I remembered the sticky red liquid coating my lips and quickly reached up to wipe it away. But before I could get to it, Fabian had caught my wrist, holding it in midair. My fingers brushed his lips involuntarily as he sniffed at the air.

‘I-it’s not your blood, is it?’

I looked guiltily at the floor, unable to hide the truth, let alone meet his eyes.

‘Violet?’

I shook my head. ‘I’m sorry.’

There was the shifting of feet, the whispers of the wind and two heart-rending words. ‘Don’t be.’

I wrenched my head up. His face had fallen and his eyes were grey. He nodded. He nodded because he knew even before I did, that I had made one of my many decisions.

I’ve chosen Kaspar. Not even Fabian’s look of betrayal could change that. I didn’t even know what choosing one or the other meant, but it had to be done.

As I thought that, he turned away, walking back over to Lyla.

FORTY

Violet

‘Vampires take the tube? Seriously?’

‘Keep your voice down,’ Cain hissed, tugging me towards the ticket office. I tried to point out that we could use the machines, but he was having none of it. Reaching the glass of the office, we were faced with the accusing glare of a ticket woman, who I knew from experience was wondering why we hadn’t just gone to a machine.

‘Hi.’ Cain turned around and silently began counting everyone, then puzzling over the ticket types. ‘Could we have seven adult day anytime travelcards for Zone 1 and the same for a child, please.’