The Vampire Playboy - Blood and Lust

Chapter 36

Olivia's POV

I couldn't explain it but I instantly believe what he had told us, regardless of how far-fetched it had sounded, even before his face had changed to prove his point to Sophie I believed him. Something inside my gut just told me he was telling the truth and that same feeling was screaming at me to help him, to do whatever he asked of me. I felt like my internal feelings were betraying me and hanging me out to try. I knew at some point I'd have to see him again, the town was too small to avoid each other forever, but in truth I didn't want it to be this soon, I didn't want to be stuck in this spiral of still longing for him, and wanting him and hating him for hurting me at the same time.

I understood better now why he called it all off when Noah walked in on us, he chose to try to salvage the relationship with his best friend, I couldn't fault him for that, I'd do exactly the same for Sophie, but that made it no less painful for me. And these three weeks had been both humiliating and painful. Thankfully Carmella had said nothing about it, though I didn't expect her looks of pity to feel worse than her rubbing salt into the giant Charles-shaped wound. But I knew I owed Noah this much, he didn't ask for this and didn't deserve this, this was his home before it was mine and Sophie needed space with her dad to discuss what he had just told her about her mother. They didn't need me here intruding on that.

I examined my face in the mirror and sighed at how dreadful I looked and then mentality scalded myself for even wondering what Charles would think of me looking like this. I tossed my makeup bag into the overnight bag I was packing, I had no idea what I'd need so just threw in a few outfits, of different types along. I was still in a bit of a daze, anything I'd forgotten I'd have to get in Dublin.

I made my way downstairs with my bag. Charles sat quietly looking at the floor, whilst David hugged Sophie who was still crying. She looked up at wiped at her tears before rushing to me and engulfing me in a tight hug that caused my stomach to do flips. I hugged her back tightly and closed my eyes, I couldn't imagine the amount of pain she must be in right now. "Please be careful, I need you to come back" she sniffed. This was typical of Sophie she was upset and hurting but she was still thinking of my welfare, she and David were truly the only people who had ever cared for me and about me without conditions or limitations attached. They were the family that I chose for myself.

"I will, I promise," I said as I squeezed her tighter, "you call me if you want to talk or anything and I'll be back as soon as I can ok"

She nodded and buried her face into my neck, I felt hot tears drop and I fought back the tears of my own, I didn't know how to help my friend right now. Only David could give her the answers to her questions and I'd be back to pick up the pieces and help do whatever it took to help my best friend heal back to whole again.

"I won't let anything happen to her, I promise," Charles said.

"No offence but your ability to keep your promises suck" Sophie shot back prompting me to laugh, even Charles allowed one side of his mouth to turn up in amusement.

"Can we take your car? I don't mind driving, but we need to get into Dublin and to my apartment without being noticed" he asked.

"Sure" I shrugged and tossed him the keys.

David came over and silently joined our hug, I felt sad at the whole sorry situation. If I hadn't become involved with both Noah and Charles this wouldn't be happening. Once we parted I made my way to the car, throwing my bag in the backseat. Charles was already in the front seat as I climbed in.

"If I'm going to do this, I have questions and terms which are non-negotiable" I stated.

I saw him smirk slightly as the car began to move, "I'd expect nothing less, fire away."

"This compulsion, I assume works similar to how it does in movies?"

"More or less"

"I want you to agree that you won't do it to me ever, no matter the reason. I'll keep your secret but I want that assurance from you."

"Done," he said without any hesitation which took me by surprise.

"You agreed to that very quickly"

"would you rather I'd tried to negotiate?"

"well no," I admitted.

"It's one of the most powerful tools a vampire has to use, to control someone, to make them do something or make them not do something or make them forget or to make them think something. But it's not something I've enjoyed doing, I've done it out of necessity mostly, but it doesn't mean I've felt good about it and haven't felt guilt after I've done it." Charles looked uncomfortable and I didn't want to probe this line of questioning any longer and see him visibly like this.

"It's not a family business that you have is it?"

"No, not really, it's a series of businesses that I've built up over the years, they're mostly self-sufficient and profitable so I don't need to do much intervention. Noah's is similar. Before we settled here, we had to move around every few years before anyone got suspicious of us not ageing, so the businesses were set up to support us no matter where we are or what identity we are using. I also have homes all over the world, and staff that manages them for me. We'll be staying in my apartment in Dublin while we're there. I've asked my housekeeper to get it ready for us."

"How old are you?" I blurted out.

He laughed and I suppressed a smile, he hadn't earned the right to a smile from me yet.

"I've sort of lost count to any sort of accuracy, a few centuries."

"Have you fed on humans?"

He fell silent for a moment, I could hear his breaths as he took them and saw his chest rise and fall as he did so eventually he let out a sigh.

"Yes, before I met Noah, it was all I knew, I was turned and taught by my maker to feed from humans, that humans were good for feeding and f*****g and nothing else. I've killed more humans than I can recall and I'm ashamed of that. Noah was the turning point, we visited his maker, who was of the same opinions as mine, but Noah was different, he was the first vampire that I'd seen feed from animals or at least only take what he needed from a human and not kill them. Before that, I'd lived a life full of gluttony and I was tired of it. I didn't know then that we could switch our humanity on and off and that at some point I'd flicked mine on and that's why I was feeling it all. Anyway I finally left my maker and went out on my own, I knew if I didn't I'd remain a monster for the rest of my days or I'd deliberately provoke someone into killing me, that's when Noah sought me out and things changed. He was the first person to care about me as a person that didn't put their expectations on me and let me make my own choices."

I let that sink in. He had fed on humans and killed humans. I didn't know how to feel about that. It seemed so far removed from the man that I knew now, the one that had a soft and tender side to him. I let the silence flood the car for a while letting that thought turn over and over in my head. Then there was Noah, they were the family they had chosen for each other, they weren't so different really from Sophie and me.

"So you're immortal?"

"Yes and no, we don't age, but we need to feed to survive and we can be killed. The good old sharp object through the heart or decapitation will do it too, but more or less in theory we could go on forever."

"I have another condition."

"Go on."

"I don't want any more lies, it doesn't matter how big or small I want no more lies from you."

"I can agree to that."

"How do you think Noah's going to react?"

"Honestly? I don't know. I f****d up, with both of you. I should have just been honest with him about my feelings for you"

"I'm drawn to you, I can't explain it but I feel like I'm not complete until I'm with you. Is that normal?"

He shook his head. "No, not at all. We're created as a superior species, handsome and beautiful to draw you in and seem non-threatening, we have auras that does make us more appealing, we have super speed, all of our senses are heightened, and I can see, smell and hear better than any other predator on earth but you, I've never seen this with anyone else. You weren't affected by Noah and me the way people are normally. You smell different for me too, I mean your blood smells different, all blood has a scent and some smell better than others, yours smells like cotton candy and peaches to me and for the moment I scented you, you were all I could think about. I thought initially it was a lust for your blood but the longer it went on the more I began to think it was deeper than that."

"You didn't see blood droplets back in the cabin did you?" the penny finally dropped for me.

"No", he shook his head, I could smell it right away."

"and it didn't bother you being so close to it when you were cleaning my knee?"

"No, what bothered me was that you were hurt and in pain, being in close proximity to blood you get used to it and the older you are the more you can control your thirst and need for it. It's different when you're a newborn, the thirst for it is insatiable, but usually, your maker would help you learn to control it. But I didn't even consider, not for one-second feeding on you or anything like that. I never would."

I got the distinct feeling that his maker hadn't been the type to help him controlit, that Noah had taken on that role of teacher.

"That doesn't make sense, you just told me that my blood smelt so good to you that all you could think about was eating me?" I frowned.

Charles smirked a little then let out a small laugh.

"Initially, it was like that, and it wasn't that I wanted to eat you as you so put it, all I could think about was you. You being in pain or you being safe, overwhelms any feeling or thought I may have had about your blood."

"Sunlight doesn't affect you?" I asked knowing it was time for another subject change. I didn't want to talk about us.

"No, we don't sparkle like a Cullen and we don't burst into flames like the legends, we just tended to keep away from others in daylight, darkness would cover our deeds and that's where the legends came from, garlic doesn't bother us either before you ask"

"You've just ruined every Vampire movie for me, I'll never be able to watch Twilight again" I teased.

"God it's nice seeing you smile again, I know you won't believe it but I'm sorry I hurt you. If I could take this all back and redo it, I'd do everything differently. I've made so many bad choices."

"I don't think it's a good idea that we talk about this. We're here for Noah." I said sternly. I couldn't take this path, I was too close to asking him why he didn't want me, why he rejected me when he had just admitted he had feelings for me.

"I have a question for you" his voice was cautious.

"I'm not sure you get to question me" I felt myself smile again.

"Why do you seem to be taking this so calmly? Did you know about the existence of vampires?"

I thought for a moment about how to answer this without sounding crazy and decided that no matter what I said I'd sound crazy.

"No, I always thought they were myths and legends, I had no reason before today to believe they were real. Sure now I can look back and think so things seemed odd, things I'd explained away. But I guess I'm still processing this information and I'm sure I'll have more questions but something inside me just told me you were telling the truth and to believe you. Maybe I've reacted more calmly than I should have but...I've always felt safe with you, protected and just this overwhelming feeling that you would never harm me. Even today I didn't have any fear of you. I can't explain it well. I've always been the sort of person who underreacts to things, who knows maybe the insanity of it all will hit me later and I'll have the freak out then?" I giggled to try to lighten the atmosphere a little.

I placed my head on the window and felt my eyes get heavy. I'd been having trouble sleeping but for some reason, I had no issue when I was close to Charles, his presence relaxed me even when it shouldn't.

I awoke as I felt myself being lifted. Panic surged through me until I opened my eyes and saw the sea of Charles's blue eyes sparkling down at me. I looked around as I realised I was in his arms and he was carrying me.

"Where are we?" I asked confused.

"In the parking garage under my apartment in Dublin, I was trying not to wake you," he said softly.

"You can put me down now" he did as he was asked and I looked around. I saw my car parked and around it was different types of cars, much similar to what I'd seen at the Cabin. We appeared to be in front of an elevator. The doors opened and I followed Charles inside, he scanned his finger and the elevator began to ascend. He reached into his pocket and took out a card before handing me it, I eyed it suspiciously.

"It's a key card, it won't bite you, it will grant you entry to the elevator and garage, however. I'll put the address in your phone should you need it. This is just a precaution in the event we get separated."

I nodded, feeling frightened and out of my depth. The doors opened straight into a spacious and clinically white room. A lady dressed in a black suit with her hair pulled back into a bun came rushing forward to greet us, she had a genuinely affectionate smile as soon as she spotted Charles.

"Mr Thomas, how nice to see you again, please let me take your bag."

"Thanks, Marie, this is Olivia and this is her bag, if you could put it in her room please."

"Of course, Mr Thomas, would you like me to prepare any food?"

"Yes please Marie, Liv I'll give you the tour."

I followed him as he walked, first the living room which we were in, large, white everywhere including a white sofa and floors. He was going for the minimal look, the kitchen, which was again white. Marie smiled as she came into the kitchen and began taking food out to cook. Next was a large office which again was white with a white gloss desk at one end, and a leather chair behind it. The main bathroom, which to no surprise was white, had a double waterfall shower on one side and a standalone deep bathtub on the other. He pointed to the door which was his bedroom and then eventually to the room next door which was to be mine. That was white but looked cosier, it had a four-poster bed with white curtains, a white fur rug on the floor and then sliding mirror wardrobes and then the door to the bathroom.

"You probably have a few minutes to freshen up before Marie's finished cooking, there should be towels in the bathroom for you. The club tonight isn't the usual type of club, the human girls who go there are usually more like Carmella than you, so I had Marie pick out a dress and shoes for you, after dinner I'll ask her to help you get ready."

I nodded and watched as he closed the door behind him. I went to the bathroom and splashed some water on my face, I'd had a bath earlier this morning so didn't feel the need to shower. I sat on the edge of the bed in a bit of a trance when a soft knock on the door pulled me out of it.

"I hope you don't mind, I just wanted to you know dinner is ready, I made chicken satay noodles, I hope they're OK, if not I can whip you up something else," Marie said

I smiled, "That's fine thank you."

"This may be rude of me to say, but Mr Thomas has never bought a human guest here before let alone a female human guest. I hope we'll be seeing more of you."

A human guest...was Marie human or vampire?

"Oh, I doubt that unfortunately," I said sadly as I followed the women to the table where Charles was sitting and took the empty seat in front of a plate of food and a glass of white wine. I'd had no appetite but managed a few mouthfuls before I pushed the food around on my plate. Charles wouldn't take his eyes off me and I swore he looked at me with pity now. Pity was something I didn't want from him.

"If at any point tonight you change your mind, you let me know and I'll have you out of there. You don't need to go through with this if you don't want to."

"Is this dangerous?" I asked nervously.

"I won't lie to you. Yes, every human that crosses that door is compelled, you won't be so you're going to need to act like you are. If they figure out you aren't, I need to get you out of there immediately. But I promise I will protect you with my life, I won't let anyone touch you or hurt me."

"Ok, I think I should get ready," I said before I could change my mind. I didn't feel at all confident in my decision-making right now.