Your Coffin or Mine, page 12
“The circumstances aren’t remotely similar. Angelique knew what I was from the start and was hell-bent on becoming a vampire. And we all know how that turned out,” I say, and Doyle shudders, his lips flattening. “It’s a moot point—she’s nothing like her.”
“No, I can’t say she is,” he agrees.
Angelique paid a small fortune to a perfumer to create a concoction made with a rare flower to seduce me, and once she realized I would never turn her, took it badly, to say the least. Crazy, odious woman.
I go still when I feel a slight vibration in my pocket. A notification flashes on my screen that Aubrey has posted a photo. A smile pulls at my mouth at the sight of her in the snow, and a sense of pride washes over me that she would post a picture I took.
I read the first comment, and rage envelops me. My fangs lengthen and my eyes go red.
“Vlad? What’s wrong?”
I grip my phone in my hand tightly before tossing it to him in case I break it.
He looks down at the phone and frowns. “Who is Chad?”
“A cad who is currently erasing his own timeline on this earth.”
“Oh my. ‘I miss you, please call me’?”
I will rip his heart out through his asshole and show it to him. “Find his location for me.”
“You cannot be serious,” he says, his eyebrows folding inward and his nose crinkling.
“Swift and imminent death would be too good for him.”
He barks out a short laugh. “Hate to burst your bubble, oh prince of darkness, but you can’t go around killing people anymore, I’m afraid. Besides, there’s no way you could get on a plane. Can you imagine if someone got a paper cut?”
I blanch. “Don’t be ridiculous.” I have better control than that.
“From the looks of it, it’s not as ridiculous as it seems. Plus, is one human really enough reason to leave the country?”
He’s right. I wonder if I could get the idiot to come here and then eat him.
“Personally, I think you should be focusing on other things, such as what we are going to do once all the guests are here. We should try to ensure they enjoy themselves.”
“How the hell should I know what humans enjoy? Find something to occupy them. We’re after their money, not here to act out some farce like circus performers.”
He walks toward the door to leave. “Hmm. I’ll just ask Aubrey then. Ciao.”
I sigh, rubbing my hands down my face. “Fine. I’ll think about it. Perhaps Aubrey will come up with something that’s appropriate.”
He points a finger at me. “Hahaha! You are so in over your head.”
“Yes, well, it’s not as if you’re helping matters.” I raise my fist and give him the middle finger.
“On the contrary.” He snickers. “That’s all I ever do.”
“Cheeky asshole.”
“Stubborn twat,” he says as a parting shot, before closing the door behind him.
Exhaustion rolls over me. The incessant need to drink pounds at my skull. I haven’t felt this hungry in ages—and it is beginning to take its toll.
I better find some of those blasted blood bags before I do something idiotic, like track her down and take my fill.
Chapter 16
AUBREY
“Burnie, check this out.”
Her face comes back into view on the screen, and she looks at me over her blue-rimmed glasses. “What’s up?”
I flip the camera, showing her what I see.
“Oh wow,” she breathes over the phone.
“Right? Crazy, huh?!”
I’ve been exploring the castle for about an hour now, avoiding Vlad, or at least giving myself some time away to think, but I keep running into him some way or another. I look back up at the portrait, at the grumpy, stern look on the man’s face—Vlad’s face. Well, kind of. He’s wearing an ugly hat, looks gaunt, and has a mustache.
“Reverse image search says that guy is Vlad Tepesh the Impaler, inspiration for Dracula. Well, his ancestor is still out there impaling women, isn’t he? Ohhh, what if you’re banging a vampire?!”
Shaking my head, I flip the camera back. “Bernadette, you are a child.”
Her bright-red curls—the same that helped the name Burnie stick—bounce as she does the same in her seat, her pale round cheeks reddening with laughter. She really is as fiery as her hair.
“Like you aren’t thinking it. Vampires are hot. I mean, look at him, for fuck’s sake. I’d bang his grandaddy too. I vant to zuk your cock, blah blah blah.” Pretty green eyes cross on the last blah, her pierced tongue lolling from her mouth, and I snort.
“I feel like the amount of times I’ve asked myself why I still talk to you grows daily.”
She waves a hand dismissively. “You wouldn’t know what to do without me. Anyway, fun fact—apparently Vlad the Impaler liked to put heads on spikes in his front yard, and your new man . . . I mean, he really does look like him, huh?”
I grin at the awe in her voice. “Trust me. This one is not a vamp. I practically bled all over him, and all he did was hump me into the ground.”
She goes quiet on the other end before squealing, “Yassssssss! Wait, does his peen glitter?”
“Bahahahahaha! Of course you’re not worried about me bleeding. I was running, fell down and cut myself, and all you care about is if the peen glitters in the sun.”
“What did I tell you about running?”
I stare at her deadpan. “Only that you never do it.”
She looks sheepish for a moment before shrugging. “Okay, that’s fair. So you fell and then what?” She leans into the camera, her eyebrows wiggling suggestively.
I sigh. “No, he didn’t do me right there in the dirt. But it was close. He did carry me back to the castle, like out of a freaking fairytale.”
“Awwwww.” Her emerald eyes sparkle. “You really like him, huh?”
“I do, but it’s crazy here, you know? It’s not just Vlad—it’s Doyle, his friend. Then there’s the insane castle and the quaint little village. It’s just the whole vibe here is different from anywhere I’ve ever been.”
She perks up at the thought of more fine man meat. “Wait, who’s Doyle?”
I knew that would get her attention and I grin. “He’s sort of like the butler, the one with the whole Gomez Addams vibe.”
“So the servant dude is as hot as this guy?” She nods as if impressed. “Sounds like a good time to make a man sandwich. Side note, you haven’t mentioned the dipshit once, so I love Vlad already.”
“Honestly, they could probably sell sin to nuns. Next time, you and Clara should come.”
“Uh, no. Definitely not. I’m trying to get away from my family, not closer.”
A pillow enters the left of my screen and smacks her against the face, making me laugh. She comes back into view while fixing her glasses.
“See? This is why we can’t have nice things,” Bernadette says. “Alright. Call me later.”
We hang up and I look around a bit longer, tensing when a strange scraping sound echoes. I pull my earbuds out, shoving them into my pocket to listen.
“Hello?”
“There you are.”
I whirl around, inhaling my scream. “Ugh, I am sick of you guys creeping up on me.”
Doyle raises a brow and looks down the hall over my shoulder. “The east wing is closed to guests. I know Vlad told you, so I was just wondering . . .”
My gaze follows his, and I notice it is actually dimly lit now that I think about it. It first drew my curiosity because it’s not renovated. “This is the east wing?”
He turns back the way I came, obviously wanting me to follow. “Yes, it is. These are old family heirlooms that Vlad wants to keep away from prying eyes.”
“Oh, that’s my bad. I just wanted to do some exploring and found this portrait that looks exactly like Vlad.”
He squints down at me. “A portrait?”
I look back in the direction of the painting of Vlad; it really does look just like him, minus the weird pointy mustache. “Crazy genes, huh?”
“Yes.” His tone is strained, as if the word is hard to swallow.
“So he’s named after Vlad Tepesh?” I lean forward so I can gauge his reactions. “Sorry, I was on the phone with my friend when I saw it and she searched him up.”
He clears his throat and places his hands behind his back as we walk. “Yes, that’s Vlad Tepesh, Vlad’s namesake.”
I lean back and look around, our feet echoing in the stone hallway. “It must be so cool to have that kind of history. Have you guys lived here long? I can’t believe I haven’t asked before.”
“Yeah. The family has owned it for forever, and the local villagers are really superstitious, which is why he didn’t want guests in this area. It’s somewhat of a sore spot for him,” he says, giving me the side-eye.
I put my hands behind my back as well, acting casual as a coy grin curls my lips. “Totally get it. I won’t say a thing.”
His mouth pulls into a half smile as he nods. “Good. More visitors will be here in the morning. I’ll take you back to your room.”
My face drops. “Oh, I think I want to explore some more.” When his lips pull inwards, like he wants to dissuade me, I quickly throw my hands up. “Not the east wing—promise.”
He eyes me a moment, but nods again. “Of course.”
“By the way, I’m sure you would make a killing if more people knew this castle was from the Dracula, you know?”
Doyle chuckles, before running his fingers through his hair. “Vlad isn’t the most open person in the world, meaning he wants to keep things on the down-low.”
“I don’t know if I believe that. If he really wanted to keep it a secret, would he have even set up the hotel? Oh my gosh, and just think, you could totally use the name Hotel Dracula.”
Folding his arms over his chest, he cups the end of his strong chin, like he hasn’t thought of that. “I like it. However, Aubrey, I wouldn’t go down the east wing on your own again. If he wants to share that part of the castle, he will, but don’t go again without one of us. There’s so much old war stuff and things you could get hurt on.”
“Right, okay.” I wring my wrists behind my back, an embarrassed blush rising to my cheeks. “Thank you so much. You know, for the Band-Aid and being a good friend to Vlad. You’re a good guy, Doyle.”
We turn a corner, coming away from the forbidden wing and to the staircase that leads to the foyer.
“It’s been a pleasure.” He bows, smiling at me, before waving down the stairs. “Milk and cookies are ready and waiting in the kitchen, if you would like some. The chef should be here this evening, but if they’re delayed, we will make do. Any requests?”
I shrug. “Hmm, no, I’m easy. Surprise me. Just so long as it isn’t black pudding, I’ll be fine.”
A grin pulls at his mouth, and he walks away, leaving me on my own again. All good, I’ll have milk and cookies and check out what’s happening in the world.
I make my way to the kitchen, and I’m instantly charmed, so I take a picture.
“How cute and cozy is this?!” I squeal, looking around.
The dining area looks almost too modern for the castle, but the kitchen is perfect and feels like I’ve partially gone back in time. The recently renovated stove is across from an old brick one that is obviously centuries old, and there’s a huge window overlooking a courtyard I haven’t seen before. Iron pots and pans hang above a massive island counter in the middle and most of the walls—save one painted white—are exposed brick.
“I love it here.”
I grab up my plate of cookies and make my way to the small table near the window, watching the snow fall outside. The courtyard is covered in a thick layer of it, but I can see a short hedgerow, marble statues, and lots of tiny trees. It’s really coming down out there—I hope the guests make it okay. I can’t imagine the tiny airport being open with weather like this.
My phone vibrates, and an unknown number flashes across the screen. I swipe to pick it up.
Shoving a cookie in my mouth, I place it to my ear. “Hello?”
“Don’t hang up.” The voice instantly has my vagina drying out and bile rising.
“Chad, what the hell do you want?” I bite out, ready to end the call.
“Aubrey, look I fucked up, okay? I’m man enough to admit that. I’ve given you plenty of space to get over being mad, but it’s time to come back to the real world. Okay, babe? Come home and we can get this all settled. It’ll be like it never happened.”
I scoff at the sheer audacity of this dipshit. “Do you even hear yourself when you talk? You were fucking other people, or did you forget?”
“No, I didn’t forget, and I’m trying to tell you I love you. It was a mistake, and it won’t happen again, okay? I just got so lonely because you never have time for me, and yeah, these things just happen sometimes.”
I place my elbow on the table, and stab my thumb and fingers into my closed eyes.
“No, Chad, they don’t just happen. That’s absolute bullshit and you know it.” I pull my rage-shaking hand away, wishing my bubbling tears would evaporate. “I told you. I told you I would never be my mother and here we are. You can’t talk yourself out of this one. It is over, and I swear to god, if I could punch you through this phone, I totally would.”
My breath catches in my throat when Vlad is suddenly in front of me, a look of fury on his face as he stares down at my phone in disgust. Where did he come from? And so suddenly, like he materialized from thin air.
I open my mouth to speak, but he puts his fingers to my lips, silencing me.
He rolls up the sleeves of his white dress shirt and arches a brow before gesturing for me to hand him the phone. Chad’s voice gets louder, like he’s shouting, his voice whiny and annoying. I hand it over.
Vlad carefully puts the phone on the table and turns on the speaker, allowing Chad’s voice to fill the kitchen. I’m curious about what he’s going to do, and I bite my lip, kind of excited.
“You never listen! If you would just listen and pay attention, babe, we could travel the world together just like you always wanted. If anything, this is your fault, but I promise if you’ll give me the time, we can fix this. It’ll be like it never happened.”
Vlad cups my cheek before pulling me to my feet and picking me up to set me on the table. I cry out as buttons scatter from my shirt when he pulls it apart, and his eyes feast on my chest, making my skin heat with his gaze.
His hand circles my throat, and I watch his eyes darken before his mouth is on mine. Chad is still talking away on the phone, but his voice fades into the background as I lose myself in Vlad’s kiss. I moan into his mouth and chills skitter up my spine. My body ignites and my skin tingles as his tongue dominates mine.
This isn’t what I had in mind, but I throw my hands around his neck, brushing my tongue against his in welcome.
His hand squeezes my neck lightly, holding me in place as he breaks the kiss and steps back. He stares at me, his eyes darkening before he pulls me to my feet long enough to take my pants off, and my face goes warm for a different reason this time. He plants my ass back down and palms my thighs apart, and my pussy throbs.
“Hello?” Chad’s voice crackles through. “Are you there?”
Vlad nods, indicating for me to answer. His jaw is clenched, and he stares at the phone as if he can melt it like Superman if he tries hard enough.
“Yes, I’m here.” My voice comes out breathy and light.
Oh my gosh, am I really about to do this? Yet the idea of Chad tasting even a second of what I went through has me burning for more, and the fact that Vlad instigated it—as if he figured it out all on his own and wants to make Chad pay just as much as I did—makes my stomach and pussy flutter.
“Jesus, well say something. This is part of the problem. You never contribute to the conversation, Aubrey. It’s like you never listen. But I’m willing to overlook your faults if that means we can move past this. Your parents want this. I want this.”
“Shall I make you come, Aubrey?” Vlad asks firmly, husky and rough, as he peppers kisses down my throat.
My eyes turn into saucers. Oh my god, no he did not. Heat climbs up my chest and I just know my cheeks are flaming. I snort a giggle, but Vlad pulls back to stare down at me with that hungry look on his face.
“Aubrey? Hello? Who was that?”
I let out a squeak when Vlad’s fingers graze my clit and rub between my legs. An involuntary whimper climbs out of my throat, and I gasp.
“Your pussy is so wet for me. How about I show him exactly what he could never give you, hmm?”
His fingers dip inside me and I moan. He grips my throat again and all thought of embarrassment flees—poof—into thin air. He pushes until I’m leaning back on my elbows and his other hand squeezes my inner thigh before brushing against my pussy.
I try to close my legs on instinct and his hand slaps against my thigh roughly, causing me to gasp in shock. He kneads one, soothing my muscles with his hands.
“Keep them there, and do not move. Do you understand?”
Chad’s voice sounds irate over the phone, but Vlad looks at me with lust in his eyes, a feral grin on his face.
Then Vlad leans toward the speaker. “How about you stop yelling for a moment, Charles, and have a listen.”
On the last word, his fingers plunge inside me.
I cry out at the intrusion as he thrusts his fingers rapidly, forcing me toward climax fast.
“Oh fuck!” I yell, my head falling back and my hair dancing on the table.
“That’s right, love. You’re going to come for me, aren’t you? Maybe then he will understand who you belong to, hmm? God, look at you. This slick, wet pussy is all mine, isn’t it?”
I whimper and my eyes roll into the back of my head as his thumb skates across my clit.
“Perhaps we should take a picture now? Show your ex-lover how I can make your eyes glaze over. How you mewl like a kitten in my arms.”
I shriek, “Oh god, yes!”
His fingers move faster and faster, and with each swipe against my G-spot, my gasps get louder and louder. I delve my fingers into his hair and pull him down to me, kissing him with all the passion thundering in my veins. I lose myself to sensation, the hand around my throat keeping me grounded, while my body feels like it’s trying to fly away toward heaven.
