TO BITE WITH LOVE

TO FORGET

CHAPTER #10

“TO FORGET”

ALEXI’S POV:

After I had dealt with Gregory, I raced home in my Maserati. Dimitri was rarely bothered by anything and the fact that he seemed so disturbed regarding the events last night had me concerned. Finding one’s mate should be the happiest moment any being ever experienced, and here I was, leaving mine behind. The bitterness encircling my heart made everything feel darker, and although dawn was approaching, I knew nothing was ever going to be the same for me.

I pulled into my private garage and got out of my car quickly as I headed up to my penthouse, taking my private elevator. When I purchased this building off Miami Beach years back, I had decided the view of the ocean was too good to pass up and this was one of my many residences I owned throughout the world. I had converted the entire top floor to be my personal residence, and the top floor of the garage was my personal area, where no one, without my permission and personal code, could enter. The private elevator only stopped between my home and my personal garage, it could not be accessed from anywhere else in the building, which granted me exclusive privacy. Being a vampire, this was of the utmost importance to me.

Only this early dawn, I could feel myself becoming anxious as I waited for the elevator to reach the penthouse and once it opened, I hurried into the house, shutting, and locking the door behind me.

“Dimitri.” I shouted as bolted into the kitchen. There, my friend since childhood sat surrounded by half a dozen of my wine bottles. I slumped my shoulders as I sighed in annoyance. “Really.” He looked up from having his head laying on the island, frowning. He looked as though he had been beaten.

“I should have just taken care of that weasel’s body myself. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t realize that Karl was that close to the nagging little prick.” He drooled, I stared at him, how much did he have to drink? It was nearly impossible to get a supernatural being drunk, one had to drink three times what that a normal human would have to. However, it appeared as though he had succeeded in doing so.

“All of this is hindsight. The question now is what we need to do about it.” I answered soberly, as I walked over to the kitchen island, pulled out a stool and took a seat.

“He is not the same kid you changed 100 years ago. He has become dark, and that darkness could destroy you and everything that you love.” I sighed heavily, suddenly one of my dearest friends had just become one of my greatest adversaries.

“Yeah.” I muttered.

Jades POV:

I woke to a throbbing headache. The sun was peeking through my draperies and casting a light directly over my face. I groaned and covered my eyes with my arm. I felt as though I had a hangover, nausea, dry mouth, and a dull throbbing pain over my left eye. What even happened last night? I groaned once more as I sat up slowly, allowing the comforter to fall onto the floor. As I opened my eyes once more, I noticed I was completely nude.

I gasped as I frantically began searching around my room. Was I alone? I never slept in the nude, ever. It didn’t matter if I had been drinking or not. I had no recollection of the night either as I began to process the evening events. What did I remember? I pushed back my long walnut hair, closed my eyes tightly as I tried to process my memories. Everything in my mind was hazy, I remembered entering the club, I remembered my first drink and meeting up with Chandel and Courtney. I remembered being escorted up to a private VIP area, where we met three of the most attractive men I had ever seen before.

It was the third man that had caught my attention, and his scent, strong and masculine, like a subtle ocean breeze, fresh, clean, and salty. He had been tall, elegant, and utterly beautiful, his rich black hair and silver eyes bore into my soul, and even remembering him faintly caused me to gasp. My throat went dry, and instinctually I raised my hand up to my throat. However, that was the last distinct memory I had, was that I had been introduced to those three men. I couldn’t even grasp their names in my head, yet I specifically remember being introduced to them by Courtney and the tall blonde gentleman, I think he was the club owner if I recalled correctly.

I glanced around my room once more and focused on my pillows. Both sides were messed up and lightly tussled and I reached sideways and snatched up the offside cushion, closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. There it was, unmistakable, that fresh scent, I had slept with a man last night, or at the very least one had been in my bed. I set the pillow back down onto the bed and rose. I needed to use the bathroom and try to regain my memory and focus. I could remember nothing after the introduction, and this alarmed me greatly. Had I been r***d? What had happened to me?

I turned on my shower as I walked into the bathroom, I felt wrong, like everything was a lie, and then proceeded to relieve myself. As I cleaned myself, still perched on the toilet, I felt a tenderness between my legs causing me some alarm. I lifted my leg and noticed I had a small purple mark on the inside of my thigh. It fancied a puncture mark that had nearly healed. I felt my heart begin to race because no matter how much I struggled to remember the events of what had happened last night, I could recall nothing past the meeting of those three men. I stood and stepped into the shower, allowing my warmth from the waterfall shower head to cascade down my body and I sighed deeply as I gathered my loofa and began lathering my body.

I had a memory that was suggesting I had chosen to retire early last night, and that I had left the club early, and alone. However, that memory didn’t necessarily feel quite right. I was sure that I left early was accurate, I hated clubs and that was like me certainly, however I rode with Scarlett, which means I would have had to Uber the ride back home. So, when I got out of the shower, I would check my phone for the ride reciept once I got out of the shower and I would call and check to make sure the other girls had gotten home safely.

I spent a significant amount of time letting the rain style shower to cascade down my back. I used some eucalyptus essential oils I had in a glass vile beside my soap to clear my mind and senses. That would be the last time I went to a club for a long time if I ever went again. I didn’t have fun and had been uncomfortable the entirety I was there. That was not my cup of tea. Umm, tea, yes, I would be treating myself to a cup of that when I got out of the shower.

I washed my hair thoroughly, closing my eyes, simply relishing the delightful odors of roses and eucalyptus from my soaps and oils I kept in my shower. I sighed deeply as I turned off the water and wrapped a plush ivory towel around myself, then another over my head gathering up my long walnut mane. I proceeded with my skin care routine, and once I was finished with that, wandered into the kitchen, and started up my Keurig. I was sure that I had left my clutch purse and phone near upon my foyer table so while I was waiting for the water to heat up so I could get my cup of tea, I gathered my clutch and my phone.

I didn’t have any messages, which meant everything was well, however I sent Scarlett, Courtney, and Chandel all a text regardless.

“Did ya’ll have a good time last night? Is everyone safe? I’m sorry I left early, next time dinner is on me.” I wrote to the girls. Hopefully the next time we went out, I could satisfy everyone with a hearty overpriced dinner and a couple bottles of wine and negate the club scene all together. I was sure that I would not be getting any responses until the afternoon, considering it was only 9am on Sunday morning. I knew that not one of my friends would be getting up before 1pm, and that was if I was lucky. I slipped my phone back into my clutch and turned to return to the kitchen when I heard a gently knock on the front door. I froze and instantly wondered who could be calling at this hour and cautiously peered through the peep hole.

I sighed in relief when I recognized my elderly neighbor Shannon. She was probably about 65 or 70 years old and horribly wealthy, although most had to have some form of money to live in my building. She seemed a little uneasy, wringing her hands as she waited for me to open the door. I reached forward and went to unlock my door only to realize that it was already unlocked. I froze, my hands shaking a little as the realization that I had not been alone last night sunk in. I always locked my door. Despite being in a locked and gated community, this was still Miami. I gathered my composure as I opened the door.

“Shannon, what are you doing calling so early this morning.” I asked as peered around the corner, hesitant to open the door more as I was still only in a towel. She smiled when she saw me and placed her hands on the steel door.

“Oh, thank goodness you are safe child. I saw you walking up the front courtyard last night with that, that man.” Her voiced ruffled, she was obviously in a huff. I raised my eyebrows and smiled sweetly.

“Miss Shannon, all is fine. There is no one here.” I assured the elderly lady. She crinkled her nose at me and coyly peered around my shoulder.

“Hmm, well I sure thought there was. I know I saw him.” She retorted, however I simply stared at her blankly, because what she didn’t know, was I had no memory of coming home last night with a man, the only faint memory I had at all was returning home alone, although that memory felt fake and manufactured.

“No ma’am, I am all alone. But thank you for looking out for me.” I conveyed sweetly. However, there was a determination in the old blonde woman’s face and for the first time, I noticed how lavender her eyes truly were as she searched mine. Shannon was a slender build, with cornsilk blonde hair and gentle features. She was well loved within the building and never interfered with anyone’s affairs. This was unusual behavior for her, and the concept that a man had walked me to the door last night, despite the fact I couldn’t remember seemed have disturbed her greatly. I smiled once more as I began closing the door when she freakishly fast gripped my hand, stopping me from closing the door.

“You are surrounded by danger my child. You must remember. I am always here for you.” She said, her voice stern, deep with a seriousness that alarmed me. I gulped and nodded, feeling frozen as she released my hand near as quickly as she had taken hold of me. I nodded my head, more in a reactionary way then voluntary and closed the door quietly. I stood frozen at the door, who had come home with me last night? Who had been in my bed? Who had I allowed to take my body? I could recall nothing, and I slowly sank to the floor leaning my head against my door as the tears began to betray me.