AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I put my feet up on the ottoman and closed my eyes. There was a niggling feeling in the back of my mind I couldn’t seem to get rid of. It started with Morgan and continued with Sam, and unfortunately, I couldn’t blame it on Vortigern. This was definitely my feeling, and it ran deep to my core. I didn’t even want to think the word because to do so would make it real and make me weak. I was a bloody billionaire. I had the world at my fingertips. I could have anything I wanted. Morgan was a divorced, washed-up detective, and Sam was no more than a pathetic boy. I scrubbed my hand over my face and sat up, pouring another glass of wine. Now was not the time to give in to weakness. There was too much at stake.
The bathroom door opened, and Navy came out. Gone was the hard, gothic girl. The heavy eye makeup she usually sported was cleaned off, and her hair hung damply down her back. She wore a soft gray sweatshirt and sweatpants.
“Thank you,” she said, placing her clothes from the day in her bag.
She looked young and innocent.
Beautiful.
Her mask had been removed.
“How old are you?” I asked, suddenly curious.
“Twenty-three,” she said, clearly irritated. “How old are you?”
“Thirty-two.”
“Well, I’m glad we cleared that up. I didn’t realize it was a thing.”
I was surprised at her age. I didn’t think she was that young. She had an old soul. “It’s not a thing.”
“Good because I think age is irrelevant. Wisdom is what matters. You can be old and a fool or young and wise.”
“Wouldn’t you say wisdom comes with age, though,” I said carefully.
“Wisdom comes with experience.”
“Fair enough.”
“You look very beautiful, by the way, without the makeup.”
“Are you fucking kidding me,” she snapped. “I don’t wear makeup for men. I wear it for myself.”
I held both of my hands up. “Whoa, I meant it as a compliment. I like the makeup too. I think you might be using it as a mask to keep people from knowing the real you.”
“I’m going to bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“You’ll sleep in the bed. It’s warmer in there.”
Her jaw clenched as if she might argue with me. “It’s not a mask. It’s just my style.”
I reached out and touched her shoulder. “I meant no offense.”
A myriad of feelings assaulted me. She was in turmoil. Vacillating between anger and fear and a hundred emotions in between. “If it gets cold back there, let me know. I won’t be able to tell otherwise.”
“I know, you don’t feel the cold.”
I smiled. “Correct.” I waited for her to go to the bedroom before I clicked the heater off. I was burning up, and a slight sweat dampened my brow. Removing my jacket and dress shirt, I opened the door and stepped outside. The rain from the evening had cleared, leaving the night sky crisp and cool. I looked up at the stars, relishing the feel of the cool air on my heated skin. Temperatures would drop even further. I quickly walked around the perimeter of the courtyard, checking for anything unusual, but everything seemed calm and normal. No sign of the Dearg Due. Known as the red blood sucker, she was an Irish vampire. Legend tells she was a beautiful girl who fell in love with a farmer. However, her father, a cruel man, had other plans and married her off to a local chieftain in exchange for land and riches. Her new husband locked her away for weeks and months at a time. She was so heartbroken she refused to eat or drink and eventually died. Her husband buried her in a modest grave. The young woman’s spirit was so full of rage she forced herself out of her grave and killed her father and the evil chieftain, where she sucked his body dry of blood. After drinking the blood of her husband, she felt invigorated and alive. She continued to use her great beauty to lure unsuspecting men into dark corners, where she killed them in revenge. After a while, she disappeared.
Until now.
I went back inside and locked the door. The back of the caravan would still be warm, so I kept the heater off and settled myself on the couch, closing my eyes. I wasn’t sure how long I slept when I was awoken by the sound of rustling coming from the bedroom. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I got up and walked back to check it out.
Navy was crouched on the ground, rummaging through a drawer on the nightstand. I crept up behind her and grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her back. She immediately began to fight, but I was clearly stronger.
“Naughty girl,” I whispered in her ear as I stood her up, pulling her back into my chest.
“Let me go.” She continued to struggle.
