Forever Black (Nightwalkers 2) (13 page)

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No. I'm just saying you see Caleb as a saint, and he's
not."

"I guess I need to stop…" She sighed in annoyance
when another call coming in made a steady beeping sound in her ear.
"Trying anymore. I just don't know what to do." She looked down and
saw Caleb's number.

"How's this guy in
Krest
? I
mean, what's he like?"

"He's not bad, but I don't know him very well."

"Maybe you should give him a chance. Take some time
away from Caleb for a while. See that he's not the only man in the world for
you. I know you, Ash. As soon as Caleb sobers up, he'll butter you up, and
you'll go back with him. You always do."

"I don't
always
."
Ashleigh made a sour face as she stood. Rubbing her arm, she started to pace
around the room.

"Just give this new guy a try. I'd die to have some guy
wait centuries for me to be reborn. That gesture is way more romantic than
being a fan of your books and dating you to win a bet."

"Did you
have
to rub that in?" She let out a very stressed laugh, followed by a few
quick sniffles. "Aren't they kind of the same, though? Both falling in
love with people who aren't really me?"

"This guy is different. Maybe you really are his wife
reincarnated. Just give it a shot. Aren't you just the least bit curious?"

"A little." She stopped by the mirror and studied
her reflection.

"Take few months off from Caleb. If you're both still
in love, then go back to him."

"So, you're saying I should cheat on him."

"
No
—come on,
now. I wouldn't say that. I'm saying you should date another guy. You can't
cheat on Caleb if you're not dating him anymore."

"You're right." Ashleigh nodded. Her fingers went
up to her cheek and wiped away a few of her tears.

"You'll try it?"

"I guess."

"And please promise me you won't let Caleb off the hook
this time. He either changes for you, or that's it. Don't put up with him
drinking and partying all the time."

"He got my name tattooed on—"

"Who cares?" Natalie laughed. "He can get
that covered up. Guys do stuff like that all the time. Just because he
scribbles your name on himself doesn't mean it's true love."

"Yeah."

"Well, I gotta go open up the shop. I hired a new guy
yesterday. His name is Ken." A giggle escaped Natalie’s lips as she
slammed her car door shut. "Not the brightest guy, but he's cute. Young,
but cute."

"I hope it works out for you." Ashleigh grabbed
her shoes out of the box and took them over to the bed. She gradually began
putting them on one by one.

"I miss you, Ash. I wish we could go back to the old
days when we thought vampires weren't real. Now, it'll never be like that
again. I just wish things could've worked out differently."

"Me too." Her fingers pulled out the tongue of her
sneaker. "Take care of the bookstore for me and Gramps."

"I will. I'll be stuck here the rest of my life. Talk
to you later, Ash."

"Bye, Nat."

Chapter Seven

Speaking to Natalie helped her calm down, but she couldn't
stand being alone right now. She needed a change of scenery. It was about ten
thirty, and it was the first time she had left her room since she had arrived.
Her slow, cautious steps showed she wasn't comfortable here, and it felt more
like exploring an old haunted house than the place that would be her home for
the next few months.

She now wore her own clothes. She donned a pair of trendy
jeans with diamond-embellished pockets and a tight, blue tank under a cargo
jacket. It looked very different from the disguise the Count had seen her in,
and the conservative dress that the Count had tried to push on her.

Her hands were delved in her pockets, one of them wrapped
around her cell phone. She could hear voices downstairs and passed a few people
in the halls. They didn't stop to look at her, which she didn't mind. She liked
being ignored, and because she was an introvert, being the girlfriend of a high
profile rock star had never been easy for her. She hated the cameras and the
fans screaming at Caleb wherever he went.

She roamed the halls, her slender fingers reaching up to her
ear and slipping in a small bud earphone. Taking out her phone, she connected
to her playlist. Soon, the sound of Caleb's angry voice filled her ears and
drowned out the rest of the world.

She had just fed, curtsey of Neal filling her thermos. It
was something she hadn't done since the Count's donation a few days ago.
Because of that, she couldn't sit still. She was restless. Her mind raced, and
her fingers couldn’t type another word.

All she could think about were the Count's words about
Caleb. "
Do you honestly believe he
has always been faithful to you?"
The words infuriated her, yet they
cut deep. She knew what rock stars were like and what kind of a man Caleb had
been before she had met him. He could easy cheat on her. And what would happen
when she grew older and Caleb had millions of young, beautiful girls who would
do anything to get with him?

The thoughts turned her stomach, her steps getting faster as
she descended the stairs. Her fingers tapped on the thick wooden railing, her
eyes distant as she got lost in her own mind. She passed a few people, who
regarded her strangely. She didn't acknowledge them though, and walked past.

"And look who it is." Neal stepped in front of her
and forced her to stop. "The little hermit's left her shell."

She sent him a small smile. "I'm not a hermit. I'm a
writer."

"If you're coming down, you should've changed
your—"

"If I go back upstairs, I'm staying up there." She
started to turn around.

Neal grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "It's
fine."

"I'm bored. I thought you'd all be doing something
exciting down here, but I guess not."

"That's because you don't know anyone yet." He
opened a door at the end of the hallway and turned toward a woman standing
against the wall texting someone. "Hey, June Bug." He motioned for
her to come over. "Come be this little brat's mentor."

Wrinkling her nose angrily, Ashleigh shoved his shoulder.
"Don't call me that." She went to turn around, but he grabbed her
arm. Her eyes narrowed on him venomously as her voice deepened, "Let me
go."

"Why?"

"I said—let me go." She spoke through gritted
teeth.

"Fine. Go." He released her motioned for her to
leave.

Ashleigh turned her back. She stopped a few steps from him
when a soft beep signaled she had a new text. Her hand reached into her pocket
and pulled out her phone. It was a message from Caleb.

I'm sorry.

Ashleigh quickly typed a reply.

You're not, and we're done. I don't want you or anyone else.
I'll take care of myself.

I love you.

I'll talk to you in a few months and see if you still feel
that way. I'm not your girlfriend anymore.

My fiancé?

Ashleigh
closed her eyes for a few seconds before answering.

No.

When she saw a woman appear at her side, Ashleigh regarded
her strangely. "Yeah?"

"Hi." The woman spoke, her voice as upbeat as her
rosy cheeks. A few freckles dotted her cheeks. She was thin and had a body like
a runway model. "My name's June."

"I'm Ashleigh." She tried to ignore her phone when
it began ringing. Instead of starting a conversation with Caleb, she shut it
off.

"You're new?" She re-directed Ashleigh’s path. Her
voice was as soft as her light touch. "I'm Neal's girlfriend."

"I figured."

"Are you all right? You seem upset."

"Just homesick." Ashleigh peered down the empty
hallway. Her eyes scanned the pictures hanging on the wall. Most of them were
hand painted masterpieces, oversized and intimidating.

"You're from Morgan, right?" June pushed a strand
of stray blonde hair behind her ear. "Those vamps are a little different
than the ones here."

"How?" Ashleigh tried to get interested in the
conversation, but her mind was on her fight with Caleb.

"You live in pairs there, but all the vampires in
Krest
live near the castle. We don't isolate ourselves like
you do. We're more of a family here."

"Do you live with the Count?" She watched June
open a door.

"Neal and I do, yes." June motioned for Ashleigh
to go inside. "Neal told me you’re a friend of the Count?"

Ashleigh was surprised by June's words, but she took them
gladly. "Yeah." Her eyes settled on the people sitting around the
room. Most of them were playing a game, but a few were sitting on the far side.

"Do you want to join the game?" June accompanied
Ashleigh over to the table.

"I don't want to play. I'm not good at games."
Ashleigh nervously scratched her arm. Her shoulders were hunched inward
slightly as she studied the others. They were all dressed in cocktail attire,
something that made her feel out of place. She took a few steps backward, her
voice softening. "I'm going back up—"

"I just partner up with someone who is." She
pointed to Neal and ignored Ashleigh's attempt at escape. "I never choose
Neal because he's terrible at this trivia stuff."

Ashleigh's voice was low, "Can I be your partner?"
She scanned the others cautiously.

"They already have a game underway, so we'll have to
partner up with some of the people playing." June spoke louder as she
addressed the group, "Does anyone want to partner up with Ashleigh?"

Motioning with his finger for her to come to him, the Count
didn't look up.

"There you go." June laughed. "Partner with
the Count." She whispered in Ashleigh's ear, "He's a good choice.
He's great at this game."

Ashleigh spoke under her breath, "I'm sure he's good at
cheating."

"What?"

"Nothing." Ashleigh mustered a fake smile and
moved over to the Count.

A chair slid across the floor, almost clipping her toes.
Ashleigh let out a small gasp, and her hands went to cover her agape
expression. It stopped next to the Count. She tried to hide her smile, but
couldn't. Grabbing the back, she pulled it out. The person next to her scooted
over a little so she could have more room.

The Count leaned over and whispered, "I can smell the
salt of your tears. Is everything all right?"

"No." Her large blue eyes fell on his. Her lips
pushed together tightly as she tried not to cry. Their eyes remained locked for
a few seconds before she turned from him.

He didn't look at her as he spoke, his gaze on the man
answering one of the trivia questions. "Would you like my help?"

Her words were soft, but they weren't said in anger.
"You can't help me."

"The kiss of the vampire you crave does not only exist
in your imagination." His voice was so smooth each word melted when it
entered her ear. "Ask for my bite, and I can make any sadness
disappear."

She looked down as a shiver ran down her spine and traveled
all the way to her toes. His words excited her, and although she wasn't
intending to act on her attraction to him, she couldn't ignore the desire
within her.

A vampire's kiss. The thought made her lips turn up into a
soft smile as she glanced over at the person answering the question. "I'll
think about it."

"Your grace." Neal held a card in his hand. His
face was red from laughing at one of his friend's previous answers. "Who
wrote
The Night Meadow
?"

"Caroline Falcon." Ashleigh answered before the
Count could open his mouth to speak. She sent him a cheeky grin then looked
back at Neal.

"Correct." Neal turned toward the scorekeeper.
"Ten points to the Count." He then picked up another card. "This
is a hard one." He laughed as he scratched his head. "Umm." He
glanced at June then back at the card. "What famous composer was once the
head of King James' Council of the Arts?"

"Martin Able," Ashleigh answered. "He composed
the score for the ballet
Sleeping Willows
."

"Correct. Twenty points to the Count." Neal sent a
sly look in the Count's direction, which the Count returned. "Next time,
you're going to be on my team, Ashleigh."

"Sure." Ashleigh laughed as she looked around at
all the friendly faces staring back at her. She loved this calm environment. It
was much more relaxing than partying with Caleb and the band.

"Next question." Neal picked up another card.
"Name the four men who wrote the declaration of peace during the
Heartford
War."