Red Awakening: (Red Knight #2) (15 page)

Liz

After being wined, dined, pleasured and pleased, in the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, of course I’m not going to say I’m happy to be back. Out there we were something else. It was just us. Now the honeymoon is over, and I’m standing on this summer’s day in the blustery wet crappy UK weather, waiting for Adrien to open the door to our apartment.

I brush the rain off my denim jacket and plonk my case on the floor in the hall. Adrien juggles with the keys as I sweep my drenched hair off my face in a huff.

“Mrs Knight.” Adrien opens his arms, coughs, and gestures his head. “This is the last one?” He lifts and carries me over the threshold. “You’re getting rather heavy now; too much Italian food I think.” I scowl, hitting his chest playfully.

I yank the damp sleeves over my arms, toss my jacket on the dining table, and feather out my hair with my fingers.

“Dammit,” Adrien utters.

I turn to see him messing with his phone.

“What’s wrong, forgot how to send a text?” I joke.

“Yeah, very funny,” he grins. “I’m glad I left this switched off… who the fuck sends fifteen messages saying the same thing. Sara, that’s who.”

“Maybe you should call her, could be something important.”

He switches his phone off and slides it across the dining table.

“You know Sara don’t you?” He swaggers toward me with demanding eyes. “It will be something as simple as she’s running low on stationary. Besides, this is the first night back with my wife.” He takes hold of my waist.

“And?” I hum.

“And…” he elongates his tone. “I would like very much to continue our honeymoon, at least for the next twelve or so hours.”

I beam. “And what is it you suggest we do, sir.”

His brow rises. “Sir… I have to say I do like that title, Elizabeth. But I would like something else much more.”

He keenly pulls on my hand, so I stumble with a giggle into his body. He lifts me up onto the dining table, and I open my knees to let him in. With his hands cupping my face, I tilt my neck and grin, as his lips voyage below my earlobe. I set my hands down behind me and angle back, watching as his fingers flick open each button on my pink blouse.

He routes his fingers beneath the strap of my cream lace bra, works his way around my back, and like a pro, he unclips the clasp.

My chest flurries with tiny excited breaths for him. He slants over me, and kisses my nipple, slow and seductively. This time I’m not going to let him pull my strings, it’s not fair. I press my hands against his shoulders and push him a step back. With a naughty feeling making my heart pound, I wiggle my ass off the table, and I dominate him to turn, so his sexy butt cheeks are resting against the edge. I bite on my cheek and work my fingers beneath his shirt, over his soft pubic hair, to unzip his fly.

“Elizabeth, you’re wicked.”

I smile and slowly descend down onto my knees.

I yank down his trousers so they rest on his thighs. His body sways back and forth. I’m teasing him and it feels so good. He is no longer in control; this is all me.

As I release his cock I gaze up. His eyes tell me to suck, as both his hands grab the back of my hair. My fingers reach and curl around his growing erection. I purr and part my lips. But he suddenly stops me and recoils back, looking at the front door. Fuck. I hear a key in the lock.

“Shit!” I jump up and pull together my blouse. “Adrien!” I hiss as Sara pops her head through, and Adrien just about manages to yank his pants up in time.

Adrien growls adjusting his trousers. Sara turns and stares. She’s wearing an unusual line of clothing for her: biker boots, jeans, and a green t-shirt. Her hair is tied back and French pleated. She hasn’t even got her most trusted item with her. She is Filofax free today.

“You better have a damn good reason for letting yourself in here, Sara,” Adrien glares.

She trudges by Adrien, by me, and goes straight into the kitchen to pour herself a white wine. She helps herself to two full glasses, slamming the glass down after finishing each one. I glance across to see the puzzled look on Adrien’s face, mutate to a worry. She arches over the kitchen surface and lifts her head high, nodding.

“Sara, what the hell is wrong with you?” Adrien barks.

She nods again, and really looks as though she might cry. Now even I’m worried.

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you… how to tell you,” she sniffs.

“Sara!”

“Ben…” She freezes up with the same look on her face she had that night. The night Laurie went mental.

Adrien charges right up to her, slamming his hands down on the worktop, making her shudder.

“What is it?”

She pulls out a magazine, banging it down onto the worktop. Her eyes then find me. My insides flutter with panic. Adrien looks down at the front cover, and unable to take the suspense, I hurry over to see.

“What the fuck!” It’s me and Adrien on the front cover of Hearsay, on our wedding day.

“Oh… but that’s not all.” She opens the front page to an article about the modern day vampire.

I scour through it. It’s a piece of shit. It doesn’t reflect jack squat, and looking at the style of it, it’s definitely Jen’s article. I can tell that before I get to the end.

“I’m going to rip her hair out,” I yell. “I told Mary no. I told her she can stick her job. Cheeky bitch!”

Adrien shakes his head at me. “Forget it. I’ll deal with it later.” He turns back to Sara. “What has happened to Ben?” he demands.

“He’s missing… not checked in with me since your wedding.”

I subtly fasten the last button up on my blouse while pacing. I can’t believe that Mary printed that article. Is she insane? Adrien will take her to the cleaners. Bitch. God, I made a bad decision taking that job. A decision that’s come back to haunt me.

“Okay.” Adrien rubs his chin. “He’s left no messages… nothing?”

“No.” Sara sighs.

“Dom?” Adrien asks.

“He’s at my house,” Sara replies. “He’s fine, apart from me having to lie to him. You know what he’s like with family.” She flails out her hands and places them on her hips in irritation. “Adrien, Selene is still here, blood prices have gone through the roof, and the Vigore are baying for blood. Do you think Ben’s disappearance has something to do with her?”

I can see that dark fury taking Adrien. He’s more than pissed. The last time I saw him like this, was that night with Laurie. The night he fed from me to heal. This is one shit mess to come back to.

“Elizabeth, go and pack a bag.” He turns to me.

“No.” His beautiful but strict eyes stare, making me nervous. “I won’t go. The last time you sent me away, look where that got us.”

He prods his finger down hard on the worktop. “You will do as I say… no questions asked.”

“I am not in your coven, Adrien,” I say, feeling my heartrate rising. “I’m your wife.”

“Elizabeth,” he near screams at me. “Go and pack a goddamn bag!”

Oh god, he’s never spoken to me like this before. My heart is booming; I’m scared of my own husband right now.

“No,” I whisper, aiming to be resolute.

He curves over the kitchen surface with his head down. His whole body language is that of someone getting ready to blow. Sara looks across to me as a lone tear falls down my face. He pushes himself back, and charges across to me. I swallow and peer up into his rage filled eyes.

“You will do as I say,” he utters, aggressively.

Who the fuck is this? This is not the man I married. He’s trying to scare me into submission, and it’s working. I angle my torso away from him slightly, and look down at the floor.

“Adrien!” Sara barks. “You’re being a dick… you want Liz to be as frightened of you as she was of Laurie?”

I take two steps back, head still down, just so there’s more distance between us. He glares at me then his view darts back onto Sara.

“Selene is up to something. Why didn’t I see it?” he says. “She came to our wedding… have you known her to attend such an insignificant event before.”

Insignificant. I can’t believe he’s just called the best day of my life that. If I wasn’t so upset right now, I’d punch him in the face.    

“Adrien… we have to find Ben.”

He tucks his shirt into his trousers in a huff, and grabs his car keys. I’ve never seen him so angry. His eyes are flickering to vampire black, and his breathing is rushed.

“I’m going to kill her!” Adrien yells.

I note Sara’s expression, she seems genuinely afraid of what he might do.

“Elizabeth… you’re going to your Moms,” he dictates.

God no. I’m not leaving him like this. He’s on some mission and he’s going to end up in trouble. I’ve met Selene, and as innocent as she looked, there was something petrifying and powerful about her. She’s not human. She has no empathy. She will kill him.

“I’m… I’m not going anywhere,” I reluctantly say.

His eyes shroud with blackness. He thunders to me and grabs my arm. He’s dragging me to the front door. Shit. He’s really hurting me. My lip shivers in fear. Not once have I seen his eyes do that for me; turn with the intent of causing hurt.

“Adrien!” Sara yells.

I can’t stop him. He’s too strong, and I’m terrified.

“Get off me,” I cry.

He tightens his grip and wraps his other hand around the door handle.

“Adrien, leave her alone.”

Sara slips her fingers around his hand, and aims to prize him off me. He goes to push her away, but she slaps him hard around the face. His eyes close as he releases his grip of me. I stumble back a step, silently sobbing, holding my hand to my chest. His constricting grip has caused a shooting pain down my entire arm.

Inhaling deep, he stares as I linger in shock. Since we’ve been together, not once did I ever think he would hurt me. I can’t believe, or understand it.

“Elizabeth…” he gulps, holding out his hand briefly, appalled by his actions.

I won’t take it. I can’t.

Sara blows out and walks behind the kitchen unit. I’m frozen to the spot, unable to run out, or look at him for more than a second. I swallow, biting my bottom lip, my view falling on anything but him.

“Elizabeth,” he pleads. “Please.”

He sets off my distress. Tears stream as I try not to make a noise in case it sets him off again.

“Liz,” Sara calls.

Deliberately trying not to look at Adrien, I lift my eyes to Sara. But he’s there, just outside my central vision, rubbing his hands down his face.

“Just give us a minute,” she requests, sensitively.

Holding my arm, I swiftly walk through the glass panel doors behind me.

                                                        ***

In confusion I sit on the bed, watching a rainbow fade in the sky outside. His aggressive touch, I can still feel on me. It makes me question the future, myself, and the one who is the love of my life. Not even if I were a vampire would I hurt him, and he’s done this to me. Filled me with fear, doubts, and all after the most wonderful weeks I’ve had in my life.

There’s a tap on the door. Immediately, I jump to my feet and back up toward the bathroom. Sara pops her head inside.

“Liz.”  She squeezes in and closes the door as I take a breath, relieved it’s not him. “Are you okay,” she asks, cautiously.

I nod and drop back down onto the bed. How can I be okay after that? I’ve just seen a side to him I thought never existed.

She takes a few steps toward me. “That wasn’t him you know,” she says. “He’s worried and angry.”

“That makes this okay then?”

“Of course not. But you need to understand, how much still remains on his shoulders.”

“Ben is his brother… wouldn’t you lose your mind under the same circumstances?”

I probably would, but that doesn’t make this any easier. What if he blows his top again, will he hit me then?

“He wants you out of harm’s way. He wants you to be safe,” she adds.

“Well he’s done a great job of making me feel unsafe here,” I sniff. “He’s supposed to love me. If shit happens, we deal with it together.”

“You have no idea do you?” she says in her bitchy tone.

“Of what?”

“Nothing.” She goes to open the door.

“Sara!” She doesn’t respond, just leaves me in the dark.

I really thought I was out of this. Away from the enigmas and unknowns of the vampire world. But I’m not, and I’ve been so stupid. With the past months flying by, being busy, but happy, I’ve never once thought badly of him. I’m in love with him, and he has done everything to make me feel content. Should I have questioned him more? Dug into the depths of his mind, to find out if he is good husband material. Today I’ve seen a dark in him, a dark that I always told myself to never cross. I saw it as a teen, not in a vampire, but in a man.

It was my mum that went through it. After husband number two scarpered, she met a guy called Kenny. First it was all great, she was happy, until that night, a night that I’ll never be able to get out of my head.