Chapter 16
"You haven't seen Crystal around, have you?" I asked Anastasia after she was done complaining about her lover.
"Your cousin you mean? I think she went back inside just before you came in. I thought she called you?" Anastasia frowned.
"I should check up on her" I gladly stood up to go.
"Take care then. I wish you terrible luck for today's task".
"I wish the same to you" I gave an exaggerated bow and decided to rush off before she might begin complaining again. It was no wonder Connor looked so tired.
I hadn't expected a hand to pull me into a bush the moment I left. The same hand covered my mouth.
"Quiet now, you don't want to alarm anyone", a familiar voice whispered in my ear, dark and seductive.
"Jules?" I snapped my head towards him in a hurry.
Close!
His nose was barely an inch from mine. He was so close I breathed in the air he exhaled and… I looked down and realised that I was basically in his lap, his arm wrapped around my waist.
"Let go!" I pushed away from him and he really just let go and watched me fall butt first on the grass with a smirk. "Why- What are you doing here?" I glared at him.
"Is that how you greet a dear customer?" He tilted his head and gave an innocent smile. It he wasn't so handsome I would've slapped him.
"Nobody is a customer until they give me money and all you've done is dug me a grave" I poked a finger at him in accusation.
"Oh? Is this about those rumours regarding the skilful tea making miss Colter. You've become quite a legend" he teased.
My face flushed at the stupid nickname.
"This is all your fault!" I felt my shoulder hunch.
"Let's not point fingers now" he laughed, not at all understanding.
"Why are you even here? "
He looked quite surprised for a moment and then recovering he said in that haughty voice.
"How cold… I thought we were friends".
"Give me the letter…" I held a hand out with an unamused look on my face.
"Letter?" He grinned, leaning down closer to me. Even sitting down he was evidently taller and looked over me. The small fang poking out of his lip caught my attention along with the strange look in his eyes.
He looked… hungry?
"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking"- my words cut off when I felt his hand suddenly touch my neck, "why-why are you?"
"Your vein… is throbbing" I flinched when his cold finger press my neck, and then his face lowered and became very very still.
His hot breath fanned my face in pants as he lowered his head towards my neck, fingers touching it in a way that made me feel warm. When I felt his breath lower to my neck did I understand.
"Are you going to drink my blood?" I asked with such calmness I scared myself.
Why wasn't I scared?
"Drink your blood?" Red eyes looked up at me in confusion as in a daze and then like the cracking of glass his eyes snapped open and he pushed me away in shock.
"Jules?" I called, noticing how his gaze looked slightly erratic as if he wasn't sure what was happening. I reached for his hand, grabbing it gently and squeezing it to calm him, "it's alright. It's okay. It's completely normal for you to want to drink it and I don't mind offering mine up if you need it".
He seemed to calm slowly, blinking as his eyes finally stopped moving around and he stood up.
"My apologies" his face was suddenly cold and unreadable, "I've shown you something unsightly".
"Don't worry about"-
"I'll be leaving now".
He head off before I could even finish my words.
"-that"…