‘Are you okay?’
‘Of course I’m okay. I have sorted it out, but Jen is still unconscious.’
‘Well done, Julia,’ he said.
‘Well done? Are you having a laugh? I thought this man was going to kill me because you hired a manager who didn’t know what he was doing! Rufus, seriously. I didn’t sign up for this.’
Rufus was silent for a long while. ‘This isn’t a good time. We’ll discuss this in more detail when I come in to London next. Carry on.’
After I hung up, I went to Jennifer to see if she was all right. I slapped her gently on the cheek. She opened her eyes after a moment.
‘Are we dead yet?’ she asked.
‘No, not yet. I just spoke to Rufus and we’ve got to carry on working,’ I told her. ‘By the way, he won’t hire security just yet.’
Chapter eleven
I'm just dreaming. He isn’t really here; this is not happening to me again.
‘You have to tell me everything. What has been going on? We haven’t seen each other for weeks,’ Nicky said when she met me for a coffee after work. For a split second I thought that I needed something much stronger after the day I had.
I knew that I was supposed to keep my mouth shut, but Nicky was my good friend, and she could at least advise me on what to do. I had to explain everything from the beginning, so I went through the events from past few days, telling her about Claudia and Nathaniel’s Magic Shot.
‘So do you think he told your Dad the truth? I mean it’s suspicious that there was fairy blood inside the shot, but that La Caz might be right. The shot might have been there purely by coincidence.’
‘Maybe, I don’t know, but I won’t let this go. If I have to, I’ll question him myself, but I had to tell you that after seeing him twice I feel like we’ve got a connection. That vampire–’
‘Hold on...backtrack that. Did I hear right? A vampire?’ she cut me off. I wanted to keep my wild emotions out of this conversation, but Nicky was an expert on the subject of relationships, and I’d had enough of not knowing what was happening to me whenever he was close.
I sighed. ‘Well, technically he isn’t really a vampire. He is a Dhampir. So, anyway, he kept looking at me during the whole meeting. I felt uncomfortable and then I heard him.’
‘I don’t get it. What do you mean that you heard him?’ she asked, frowning.
‘I read his thoughts, and later on, I found out he was a half vampire—he could walk in the sunlight, eat and drink like a normal human being and...’ I paused because I felt embarrassed that I was so attracted to a vampire and that I couldn’t control myself.
‘What? Come on, spit it out.’
‘Oh my God, Nicky, he wanted me! He thought it and then I had to leave to go to the ladies’ room and he followed me. Then I heard his thoughts again and then I thought he was going to bite me, but he didn’t.’
‘And?’
‘He admitted that I was the reason he wanted to work with us. The meeting ended and later I saw Claudia being taken. The next day he showed up at my office and he asked me out for dinner—while I questioned him about the shot.’ I moved my hands to my lips.
Nicky was looking at me, speechless. Her eyes were shimmering, and then she took my palm. ‘What did you tell him? Was he angry about your questions?’
‘What do you think? I told him to go fuck himself. I would never go out with a vampire. And yeah, he was sort of angry. Then he said if I go out with him he would tell me all about his production of Magic Shot.’
‘Really? Arrogant bastard, but it’s strange he came back and asked you out. Vampires know that they shouldn’t get close to elves or fairies. This is in their protocol. But you’re saying he is half vampire. Hmm…then maybe he doesn’t only want your blood, maybe there is more?’ she insinuated, smiling.
‘He said he wanted to get to know me a little better,’ I told her. ‘I don’t know, Nicky. He seems arrogant and pretentious, and he is probably rich, but something tells me that he is not going to leave me alone. Plus I kind of need him because of Claudia.’
‘I have never made friends with a vampire, so I can’t tell you what to do. But don’t mess with your Dad’s investigation.’
‘I knew that you were going to say that,’ I said ‘After all that, he sent me an email, telling me he’s not going to stop harassing me until I say yes.”
She laughed, although I realised this wasn’t funny. ‘We know what’s right and wrong, but hey, maybe you should go out with him and find out exactly what he knows about that injection. And if he tries anything, then, you know, kick him in the balls with your magic.”
‘C’mon, this is serious. He is hot and good-looking, but he is only looking for a fuck buddy,’ I said, taking a generous gulp of my coffee.
‘I knew a fairy who had sex with a vampire, and she said it was the fuck of the century.’
I couldn’t help rolling my eyes and glanced around to see whether anyone was staring, but the coffee shop was deserted. ‘My fingertips inflamed when he was with me in the restroom. The magic inside was going crazy,’ I whispered, embarrassed
‘That tells you something,’ she muttered, and I couldn’t help but agree with her.
My mind was shouting that Nathaniel La Caz was bad for me. Nothing good would come from him being close to me. Unfortunately right now, our paths had crossed.
‘So how are the kids?’ I asked, shifting of the subject.
‘They are fine, growing fast. At the moment, Kyle is playing with fairy dust and Maggie doesn’t show any supernatural abilities, and I'm pretty worried.’
I loved Nicky’s children. Kyle was only five and Maggie three; they were sweet and sometimes I babysat them. ‘She is too young. You need to chill out a little. After all, she has the most magical parents she can get.’
Nicky was nearly six foot one. She looked like a supermodel; she used to earn a living doing photo modeling. Fairies were beautiful, especially those who were pure. Most famous models were supernatural. Nicky was more advanced in her magic than I was: she could influence people’s emotions, produce fairy dust, and make it stop raining. She loved her magic, but sometimes used it to excess.
I asked Nicky to join me for dinner with Ella, but she declined, stating she had to pick up the kids. I promised to visit her soon, when I was working day shifts and had more time on my hands.
Later on at home, I had a light lunch, did my laundry and cleaned the house. By the time I finished with everything, I had to get ready. It was still cold outside so I decided to go for a safe option. I put on my best jeans and a black top that gave a healthy glimpse of my boobs. I knew that Ella was going to look gorgeous as usual, so I went for killer heels. We were meeting at my favourite curry house at eight o’clock. When I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, I smiled because I looked good.
The Tube station was a ten-minute walk from my apartment, but it was still a struggle in the killer heels. I had my best coat on, which I’d paid a fortune for at Zara’s. I even managed to paint my nails. I just hoped that Jasper wouldn’t show up.
Raj’s Restaurant was in one of the posh areas of London. It was expensive, but I was able to afford a night out once a month. I was sure Ella booked the table for us. A large Asian troll welcomed me as I came in. The lighting was dim and everything was set in purple and red colours.
‘I have a reservation for Jenkins for two,’ I said, not getting too close. He smelled of chicken tikka masala and vomit. That wasn’t at all a pleasant mix.
‘Follow me, please,’ he muttered. I loved my curry and the aromas of spices sharpened my appetite. Asian music flowed around the room. Nearly every table was full. We were lucky because Ella made the reservation when our favourite table was still available. I sat waiting and glanced at my watch. My best friend was never late. I checked my phone, but my inbox was empty. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
‘Good evening, Julia.’
When I looked up, I saw Nathaniel La Caz st
anding in front of my table. He winked at me and sat in Ella’s chair. I looked around, not understanding what was going on and felt as if the air was trapped in my lungs.
I'm just dreaming. He isn’t really here; this is not happening to me again.
‘I’m afraid that your friend is not going to join you for dinner. You’ll have me instead of her,’ he said, taking the menu from the waiter who just appeared by our table. My throat was dry and I brought my hands to my lips, realising that, yes, this was happening.
Chapter twelve
Only when I'm with you!
I bombarded him with questions. ‘What are you doing here and why is Ella not coming? What did you do to her?’
‘Not to worry. Your friend is fine. She just forgot that she had a dinner with you today. She will call you tomorrow,’ he replied, scanning the menu.
My limbs were frozen in shock, but my magic was alive and the energy rushed down my spine. He was unbelievable and incredibly sexy, but until I knew what his intentions were, I wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
‘How did you know where I was having dinner today? What did you do to Ella? Have you been following me?’
I didn’t know how many more questions came out of my mouth, but the anger seized in my stomach. I was ready to rip his head off. My hands itched as if something was crawling under my skin. Tiny sparks started to arc through my fingertips, leaving traces of energy that erupted through my arms and cheeks. I was fuming and my magic was growing. A glass the waiter carried blew up nearby; someone screamed and I flinched. At that moment, Nathaniel La Caz realised what was going on with me because he touched my hand.
‘Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk,’ he said, drawing my hands into his and looking at me with those intense hazel eyes. My mind was spinning and I tried to push the magic away. After a few seconds, I stopped sparkling and closed my eyes to pull myself together. A public restaurant wasn’t a good place for that kind of display. I wished that I could be a human. At least then I wouldn’t have to worry about blowing things up.
I pulled my hand away and sank into my seat, taking hungry sips of air. I was still angry. He’d tricked me and used my best friend to come here tonight. I glanced at him. His sandy hair fell freely over his forehead. He was dressed casually in a knitted jumper in marled yarn and he looked slightly flushed.
‘So you decided to stalk Ella, and then you glamoured her so you could find out where she was meeting me today?’ I asked, finding my voice.
The waiter approached us, looking nervously at me, as if he knew that I blew up the glass. ‘Can I get you anything to drink?’
‘Could we have a bottle of George Duboeuf Chiroubles to start with, please?’
‘Right away, sir,’ muttered the waiter. My eyes widened with amazement. He obviously knew what kind of wine would be suitable for this evening.
I was just about to protest when Nathaniel said, ‘Julia, I told you I’m not patient. We are both adults and I’m asking you to spend a few hours with me this evening.’ He paused, relaxing. ‘Besides, your friend won’t remember anything at all, so no harm done.’
‘Your vampire tricks might leave a permanent mark on her health. She’s only a human and so far I have been able to keep her away from the paranormal world. How did you even know that we were going out together?’ I said with anger.
‘Let’s just say I have well-gifted friends, wizards who are able to gain valuable information for me.’ He chuckled. The waiter brought the wine to the table and asked us if we were ready to order. I didn’t even have a chance to look at the menu yet.
‘I’ll have spice crusted hake with Colombo curry sauce and for the lady, Tandoori spiced chicken, cashew nut korma, and pilaf rice, please.’ The waiter nodded and vanished as quickly as he appeared. My jaw was on the floor.
‘Right now, I know that you need to go to visit a mental unit because this isn’t normal,’ I said, wondering how the hell he knew what I liked.
‘I told you I’m very persistent and I want to get to know you. You brought this on yourself. We could have avoided all this drama if you had just said yes.’
‘Do you always get what you want?’ I asked, tasting the wine. I’d never been fond of red, but this was a special circumstance and I needed a drink. I wasn’t sweating anymore, though, and somehow I was controlling my swirled magic.
‘Yes, I do get what I want,’ he replied, and his eyes focused on my lips. ‘May I just say that you look very beautiful this evening?’
I laughed. The wine gave me a little bit more courage, but awareness of him being so close to me sent a wave of new emotions into my body. ‘You don’t look so bad yourself, Mr. La Caz.’
‘So, Julia, tell me about your energy. How often do you lose you control of yourself?’ he asked, tasting the wine and still watching me.
Only when I'm with you! ‘Only when someone gets on my nerves,’ I replied.
He gave me a lazy smile. ‘Then you can’t control it?’
‘Sometimes I can; sometimes I won’t. Reading people’s thoughts can be useful sometimes.’
‘Precisely.’
‘And if one vampire won’t leave me alone, I can just use my energy to kick him in the crotch.’ I chuckled. I couldn’t help but like him because he was making me feel nervous and safe at the same time. Still, I wanted to play hard to get—and I wanted to question him further about his Magic Shot.
He shifted in his chair. ‘I'm sure that won’t be necessary. I like your independence and a smart mouth, so stop playing with me and tell me, how long have you been living in London?’
‘Oh no, Nathaniel, you forced your company upon me tonight, so I’ll be the one who will ask questions,’ I said and took a generous sip of the wine.
‘So you are curious about me, then?’
I rolled my eyes. ‘Just tell me straight. You never felt attracted to me—you just want to taste my blood. Everyone knows that vampires love fairies’ and elves’ blood,’ I said. I knew I scored because his eyes gleamed.
‘Do you always get straight to the point, Julia?’
‘Yet again you answer with a question.’ I sighed. ‘Can you just tell me what you want from me?’
‘We have all evening to talk about my desires, Julia. As I mentioned before, I want to get to know you. So tell me a little about yourself.’
‘I’m twenty-two and, as you already know, I studied journalism in London. I have been working for Paranormal Personnel for over two years and I enjoy what I do. Happy now?’ I asked, irritated.
‘So why did you choose journalism?’
‘Because I thought being a reporter would be cool, but in the end I couldn’t find a job in that field, and I ended up in recruitment.’
‘Interesting,’ he muttered.
‘What is so interesting?’
‘Well, you had a dream to become a journalist but during this economic climate everyone somehow has to survive, so you killed your dream and decided to go into a different profession.’
‘I didn’t kill my dream. I just changed my mind about what I want to do,’ I said. He thought he already knew everything about me; it was my turn to ask questions.
‘So if someone offered you a journalist position, would you turn it down?’
‘What is this, a quiz night or something?’ I asked, tired of dwelling on my career choice.
He drew a breath, studying me. ‘Always so impatient, Julia? Fine, I’ll get straight to the point, as you wish. So, are you seeing anyone at the moment?’
‘I think that you should start answering some of my questions, Nathaniel. I know everything that you told my Dad about the Magic Shot and I want to know, did you tell him the truth?’ I asked, feeling light-headed. I had to be careful with wine; normally I was on the floor after only one glass. And the mixture of alcohol and uncontrolled lust wasn’t a good idea.
He kept staring me intensely and finally stopped. ‘I told him the truth. Listen, I know that you’re worried about yo
ur cousin. Let me help you find her. I’ve got more contacts in the city; I know people who might have answers.’
‘How on earth could you help me find her if my Dad can’t?’ I asked, hoping that Claudia was still alive.
‘Your father is a professional, but he doesn’t have any leads. Let me ask around. I can get to the places where police most certainly won’t.’
I wasn’t sure what to do, playing an internal battle with myself. I’d promised Dad that I wouldn’t get involved with the search for Claudia, but Dad was running out of time. What if she was already dead? I didn’t want to accept Nathaniel’s help because I didn’t want to owe him anything, but I did like being around him.
‘I’ll think about this,’ I muttered. ‘Now, apart from trying to convince me that you want to help me, I want to know—why did you come here tonight?’
‘You never give up, do you?’ he asked, laughing. ‘I will tell you what I want from you, but let’s eat first.’
I frowned when the waiter brought the food to our table. When I was around vampires I had to use a charm to cover my intensive scent, as it intoxicated them. I’d used my cover charm before I left home, but something was telling me that Nathaniel was a perfect gentlemen and he wasn’t going to try anything tonight. I had to admit that I liked the way he smelled and the way his tongue caressed my name when he spoke.
Listen to yourself, woman. He is a vampire!
‘So you can eat normal food and walk in the daylight?’
‘Yes. I wasn’t sired like other vampires. My mother gave birth to me, and I age as any other ordinary human,’ he explained.
‘But you want to drink blood?’ I asked.
He narrowed his eyes and parted his lips. ‘Yes, I have craved blood, and my senses are sharper than those of ordinary humans. Some days I don’t have to sleep at all. So, yes, I'm like you—half magical and half human.’
Chapter thirteen
Did he just ask me to be his fuck buddy?