In shock, I fell forward and tumbled into the room. I landed with the soft carpet beneath me. All of a sudden, I felt like a thief. I’d taken his privacy.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  He looked confused, leaning over to help me up from the floor. “Don’t be. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “I shouldn’t have been looking at your room,” I replied.

  He raised an eyebrow. “You’re allowed to come in here. I wouldn’t have brought you on the plane if I’d intended for you to stay out.”

  I bit my lip, careful to not let my fangs puncture it. He grabbed my hands and slowly pulled me up, so I stood against him. Albert’s fingers traced the outline of my face. I shivered a little.

  “Albert,” I whispered.

  He looked at me softly. “What, love?”

  “I-I don’t know. I don’t know anything. Not how I feel, or what I’ll do,” I replied.

  His finger traced my cheek and jawbone. His touch was frigid and sensitive. He was being as gentle as possible for a vampire. I wanted to lean into it. His touch made me lightheaded.

  “That’s all right,” he whispered.

  “I don’t know what I can give you, promise you, right now,” I mumbled.

  “Anne,” he replied.

  I tilted my eyes toward his. They were dark and overpowering. Their hidden depths were slightly scary yet somehow comforting. They were hot chocolate or maybe a dark cup of coffee. Or at least that’s what they looked like to me. Perhaps many would have seen darkness within his eyes. But I knew him too well for that. He was just Albert.

  “I don’t care what you can promise right now,” he said. “I just want you to give me a chance.”

  James flashed before my eyes. His blond hair, soft skin, and grin were precious. But those were gone now—they had been for a while. James wasn’t human anymore, he didn’t remember me, and he’d walked away. That had to mean something. Did I have to forget him before I started thinking about Albert? It was possible to love them both.

  “Okay, a chance,” I replied.

  He smiled. “Thank you.”

  Albert gently pulled me toward him, his lips pressing against mine while his hand tangled in my hair. My fingers were on his neck, rubbing softly against his cold skin. I felt lightheaded, almost dizzy.

  He nuzzled his face against my cheek. I took a step backward, accidentally tripping and falling behind the curtain onto the bed. I’d never felt so clumsy in my life. He moved toward me, his eyes curious.

  “I should get up,” I mumbled quickly.

  “You don’t have to,” he replied.

  “Albert...,” I whispered.

  “You can just rest if you like,” he said.

  The velvet was soft beneath my skin. I wanted to lay down and close my eyes, maybe listen to some music. It was the closest thing to sleep I could get.

  “Just rest?” I questioned.

  He nodded.

  I looked up at him. “How many girls?”

  He looked confused. “What?”

  “How many have you brought in here?” I asked.

  “Just you,” he replied. “Well, I let my sister borrow the plane once. I don’t think that counts, though.”

  I grinned. “No, that doesn’t count.”

  He nodded, smiling softly. “Rest, you need it.”

  He began to turn toward the door. I watched him pull the handle as he began to shut it. Albert suddenly wasn’t the richest vampire in Savannah. He wasn’t an aristocrat or a billionaire. To me, he was only Albert.

  “Don’t go,” I whispered.

  He froze. “You want me to stay?”

  I nodded. He turned around with hope in his eyes. I’d never seen so much joy. Slowly, he walked over and slipped his shoes off. He undid his tie and set it on the nightstand. Albert laid down beside me in his dress shirt, pants, and socks. I placed my hand on his chest, imagining what it had felt like when he had been human.

  His face was hard, the way a man’s might be when he was deep in thought. Albert generally had a way of controlling himself very well but now seemed to be an exception. His usual grin had been replaced with a look of contemplation. This was a side of Albert that I very rarely saw. It was only when we were alone in moments like this that he let his guard down. It was as if I’d peeled the shell off an egg. He was raw and open. Albert’s messy hair fell against the sides of his face. His brown curls looked like spirals of silk. The white, colorless skin of his face was so vampire-like that it almost made me want to laugh. He was gorgeous, like a statue that was stuck in a permanent pose of deep thought.

  “I hope you won’t get bored, just laying here while I think,” I whispered.

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “This is the only place I want to be.”

  Chapter Seven — Paramour

  After a while, I got restless, lying quietly within the velvet covers recounting the events of the past month. I’d met a human boy, James, and fallen in love with him. He’d found out what I was and accepted it. I’d started feeding on him, but only when he asked me to. We loved it. Bites gave both of us so much pleasure. Relaxation for him, elation for me. James had grown so comfortable with what I was that he’d asked me to turn him. With much persuasion, I agreed. I didn’t want to spend eternity without him. But before I had the chance, a crazy werewolf girl out for revenge against my sister had kidnapped him. He’d been close to death, but I’d saved him. Then when he woke, he hadn’t remembered who I was. James had chosen to leave me. The idea of an animal diet hadn’t satisfied him. And so, here I was.

  Albert was still beside me, lying peacefully while I thought. He’d been through this with me. In the middle of this disaster, he’d told me that he’d been in love with me for years. I’d rejected him because of James, only later realizing that I held feelings for him. Albert held no grudge against me for saying no. He’d come to my rescue, sweeping me away from Texas and onto a plane on its way to London. We were going back to his hometown.

  I could feel his hand rubbing against my fingers as he lay beside me. Each time my skin touched his, it was overwhelming. He wasn’t the same as James, not soft or warm. He was a vampire. Albert and I were two creatures of stone, romanticized in pop culture and thought to be fictional by many. We were creatures of myth, but for us, this nightmare was real.

  Yet as I felt the nearness of his body, I didn’t mind its lack of humanity. His eyes held all the softness a human could possess in their entire body. His hands carefully evaded most of my form. He never ventured from my fingers, hands, and arms. Never once had he tried to kiss me while I thought. My contemplation had been uninterrupted.

  I reach up to stroke his face. He leaned into my hand, exhaling as he felt my skin against his. His cheek was as hard as a rock and smooth as silver. His body was as gorgeous as marble. For the first time since we’d started this journey, I felt the need to be closer to him. So, so much closer. I wanted him to hold me.

  “Albert,” I whispered.

  His dark eyes were sparkling like jewels in a hidden cave. “Yes?”

  I bit my lip. “I want....”

  He reached up to touch my cheek. “Anything.”

  Slowly, I moved toward him. He held his arms open for me to melt into him. It felt good, just being wrapped so tightly that I didn’t have to worry about anything else. I needed release, relaxation. Albert could give me everything, and I wanted him to. I never wanted him to hold anyone else. His arms were mine.

  His cheek touched my hair as he nuzzled against me. Albert had no idea what I wanted. Well, at least not all of it. I had to show him. He wouldn’t believe me, not at first.

  I slipped my hair off my shoulder and moved even slower toward him. Placing a soft kiss on his lips, I wrapped my arms around his neck. He sighed, so obviously at peace.

  A moment later, I pulled his head down toward my neck. “Please....”

  He looked at me in shock. “No, you hate it. I know how you feel about being bitten.”

  “Albert,” I mumbled. “Please, I want this. I want you.”

  His breathing quickened. “Anne, I don’t want to lose you. I can’t have you run away.”

  I understood why he was scared. He’d bitten me once, before James, when he’d asked me for a dance. We’d gotten somewhat carried away. But after he bit me, I ran away. At that point, I hadn’t processed the trauma of my first bite, the time when I was changed. After my failed relationship with James, I came to understand that a bite didn’t always mean violence. It could express so much, even love. It brought pleasure and satisfaction. And true, biting a vampire wasn’t the same as with a human. But still, it would show Albert how I felt about him. There weren’t words I could say, but I could give him this.

  “If you don’t do it, I will,” I replied.

  He seemed to notice the intensity in my eyes, and moments later, he acted on it. With vampire speed, he pulled me against him and sunk his fangs into my neck. This time it didn’t bring fear or anger, only bliss. I sighed as I felt the endorphins flooding my mind. It was Albert. I was safe.

  I could barely even feel what he was doing, but the gentle suck was like a pulsing sensation in my neck. It hardly compared to the feeling of his hands on my back and arms around my waist. I touched his hair, wrapping strands of it within my fingers. I didn’t know what to say. Was it love I felt?

  Before I’d even become completely immersed in the sensation, the door to the bedroom flew open. I screamed, and Albert pulled my head down to be tucked against his chest. The feeling of floating still consumed me. He seemed to have more of his senses.

  I recognized the voice of the pilot. “Sir, I’m so sorry. I wanted to inform you that we’ve landed.”

  I felt Albert’s body stiffen. “It’s all right. Thank you. Next time, please knock.”

  The awkwardness radiated through the room as the captain spoke. “Yes, sir.”

  The door closed as Albert pulled me up so I could look into his eyes. I was a little dizzy, but all right. If I were a human, his face would have scared me. His fangs were still present, and his chin was covered in blood. It had splattered over both of us, spilling onto my dress and his shirt.

  “Sorry, love, we have to go,” he whispered.

  I nodded, a little disappointed. But before he rose to change his shirt, I replied. “Albert, I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you.”

  He looked at me with absolute tenderness. “I know, baby, I know. And trust me, I love you too.”

  ~*~

  After he changed, Albert handed me a bag with more clothes than I could have possibly needed for such a short flight. He apologized for the small selection and assured me he’d ordered more to have ready at his townhouse. Of course, I’d been entirely overwhelmed. But it wasn’t the craziest thing Albert had ever told me. At this point, I was getting used to it.

  After searching through the bag, I pulled out a blue dress with ruffles that fell down to my mid-thigh. It was about the same color as my eyes. I wanted to wear something he would like. Things like that seemed important now.

  There were shoes too, of course. Without much thought, I picked a pair of black, block heels. I organized my curls, arranging them in the most sensible form possible. But still, they looked unruly. Albert seemed to like that, though. Tonight, I was like a sixteen-year-old girl. I was a fanatic about a boy, and it felt wonderful. I felt alive for the first time since James had died and come back. I didn’t have to worry about a human boyfriend or if I was drinking too much from him. Right now, I could let myself be taken care of.

  Albert watched me as I slipped a pair of diamond earrings on. They had been a gift from Nina. When you had forever to live, there were few things you could give each other. Nothing seemed right. But one Christmas morning, I had found these placed under the huge tree that Anya had dragged into our apartment. I only wore them when I was feeling beautiful, and tonight was one of those times.

  “Who are they from?” Albert asked.

  I grinned a little. “You really shouldn’t be jealous of my sister.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Well, I had to make sure.”

  I laughed. “You’re adorable.”

  He walked over toward me, placing his hands on my hips. “You didn’t seem to think that earlier.”

  I shivered. “Well, maybe I’ll change my mind again.”

  He laughed. “Maybe.”

  There was a knock on the door. “Sir, your sister called again. She’s expecting you.”

  He groaned. “We’re coming.”

  Albert grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. I followed him. Tonight, I didn’t want to fight. I hadn’t relaxed in so long. But with Albert, it felt possible. I could be a girl. That was what I wanted to be. Just a girl in love. He let me feel beautiful. With him, I imagined a world free from anxiety. I could just exist. That was an incredible thing. With our arms wrapped around each other, the world seemed calm. Everything faded away.

  A car was waiting for us when we left the airplane. I leaned into Albert as he held me against him in the car. It was late, and I liked it. The moon shone above us as I saw London for the first time. It felt right seeing it in the dark. After all, this was supposed to be my habitat. Embracing it wasn’t a bad thing. Besides, it felt romantic. The city of rain and fog was bringing me within its grasp. So much mystery was packed within this place. A town where anything could happen.

  Albert handed me a drink. “I took a lot from you. I’ll feel better if you replace it.”

  The blood was sweet against my lips. “Aren’t you going to have one?”

  He laughed. “Trust me, sweetheart. I’ve had plenty.”

  The stars were shining above us as I stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk, Albert right behind me. I looked up at the impressive structure he called a townhouse.

  “I thought it was supposed to be small,” I said.

  He shrugged. “It kind of is. I mean, the house is smaller than some. It’s a bit relative.”

  It was beautiful. The house was a tall brick structure with a Parthenon-style entrance that made it look ancient. Vines, well kept and pretty, traveled up the structure. The windows were clean and elegant, with white curtains flowing in the wind. There was a balcony on the second floor that looked as if it belonged in a fairytale castle. The house was three stories tall and larger than most of the surrounding structures. Flowers bloomed in the small yard—roses, white and red, beautiful enough to make me want to pluck them from their bushes.

  “You like it?” Albert asked.

  “Very much,” I replied.

  He smiled. “We can stay as long as you like.”

  “That might be a little while,” I whispered.

  He chuckled before taking my hand and pulling me toward the door. I stepped through the little garden up onto the doorstep. He smiled at me as he stroked my hair. Albert sighed. “I’d like to apologize in advance for this.”

  “For what?” I replied.

  Before he had a chance to reply, the door opened. A small, older woman, a vampire, was standing behind it. She smiled endearingly at me. Moments later, she moved to reveal a tall, thin woman with dark red hair and a pair of pursed lips. Her eyes were tight, and her smile strained. The woman’s long hair flowed down to her waist as silky as a curtain. Her outfit was a long corset dress. Its red fabric fell to the ground into a pool around her. It was about the same color as her hair but a little more maroon. She looked like a queen, the ruler of an empire.

  Her red lips parted as she smiled. “Albert, I see you brought the American girl.”

  Albert rolled his eyes as we stepped into the house. “Her name is Anne, Hazel.”

  “I see,” Hazel replied.

  “Is there a reason you insisted on greeting me in the middle of the night? I was rather looking forward to showing Anne around,” Albert said.

  Hazel laughed. “Oh, my mistake, I’ll leave you to your muse. I’ll be back tomorrow, baby brother.”

  Albert gave her a stiff smile. “Can’t wait.”

  She strode past me, her hair flowing behind her. With her dark red hair and matching dress, she looked a bit like fire. Real, true flames. They could have erupted from within her, and I wouldn’t have been surprised, other than the fact that she seemed colder than ice.

  Albert paid little attention to his sister as she walked out the door, the old woman closing it after her dress had vanished from the doorstep. He turned toward the woman, who I presumed to be a housekeeper of sorts, and smiled.

  “Thank you, Juli,” he said.

  “Of course, Mr. Jefferson,” she replied.

  The woman gave me an encouraging smile as Albert pulled me toward the steps. I smiled back, noticing the glimmer in her eyes.

  “It was nice to meet you, Ms. Emerson,” she said.

  “Thank you,” I said before we reached the second level.

  I glanced around at the second floor of Albert’s house. It was too beautiful to accurately describe. Everything seemed to be in soft shades of grey with hints of red and bits of blue. A large British flag, which looked to be an antique, hung on the back wall. The doors that opened onto the balcony were clear and crystal-like. Dark wood extended along the floor. A large, soft-looking carpet lay in the center of the room, where a few velvet couches sat. The wall closest to me held a bookshelf that was probably twice my height and extended the whole length of the room. It was stuffed with piles upon piles of texts. Some of them were books, others letters or documents. Artifacts also lay upon the shelves. A few pieces of jewelry were enclosed within locked cases. On the opposite side of the room was a blood bar that looked full enough to feed a room of vampires. On either side was a desk, each with its own set of pen and ink. Papers were scattered upon them. Some were old, others new. The whole room screamed his name. It was all so Albert.

 

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