Midnight Whispers (The Midnight Duology #1)

Chapter 6

6

When I awoke as a vampire, my throat burned with hunger. Not like the hunger I had experienced most of my life; this was different. This type of hunger is intense, and I couldn’t think of anything else. The only thing I cared about from the moment my heart stopped was finding my next victim, my next meal. Asher taught me to hunt, to extinguish the flame in my throat. The thought of my next kill became all consuming. He feasted on humans and for a time I did too, but eventually the guilt I felt made me enjoy it less and less.

This woman, however, changes everything.

The sense of need I have for her is overwhelming; a desire I haven’t felt in so long fills every crevice of my mind and body. It’s as if she has awakened something long since buried deep within me, either my humanity or my ability to accept love.

I’m not sure which one it is just yet.

Sex with a human is nearly impossible. After I was first changed, I was just too fast, and my strength was too much to fuck mortals. My passion would become too much and cause pain, rather than pleasure, for them. But it’s been centuries since I’ve tried with a human. I did have a few vampire lovers, but none of them truly mattered. I merely used them to satisfy my needs, but a part of me always searched for a deeper connection.

She makes me want a deeper connection.

Leaving behind the portrait may have been risky, but for a reason I’m not sure I understand, I needed her to see herself through my eyes. The beauty in each freckle delicately placed on the bridge of her nose, spanning across to the apple of her cheeks. How her hair fell out of her updo and framed the heart shape of her face perfectly. The way her soft full lips call to me, begging me to kiss her.

Realization hits me, breaking me from the hold my thoughts had. I am a monster and as much as I need her… I want her, but not the destruction I’d bring into her life. So, I will have to keep my distance. Only watching her from afar, keeping her safe until the time comes for us to leave this town. By the time we come back, she will be gone and buried in the town's cemetery, no longer in danger of me.

I get back to our manor, disregarding Asher as I storm past him to go into our library.

“Finn. You okay?” He follows me as I turn the corner into the room.

“I’m fine, Ash.”

“I can recognize you obviously don’t want to talk about it, but we have lived together for lifetimes. I know all of your tells. So, what has happened? What’s wrong?” he asks while he sits down on one of the couches .

“Asher.” I give him an exasperated look.

“Anyways, what’s bothering you?”

“Nothing of importance.”

“Please don’t make me use the sire bond to command your honesty.” Asher raises a brow. There has only been one other time he’s been forced to use it and I hated it then, so I would definitely hate it now. Before he has a chance to force it out of me, I release a frustrated sigh and turn to him. Once I begin to talk about her, everything begins to pour out of me. I tell him of my desire for her, the way her blood calls to me, the way I burn for her.

“Well, shit.” He releases a deep sigh. “She’s a mortal? I can only imagine how difficult you are trying to contain your thirst. Do you need us to leave? We can be gone in two days. Whatever you need.”

I shake my head. “No. I’ll be okay. We just got back. I know this is one of the towns you have always enjoyed the most. Plus, we just did the new build, and you haven’t yet had a chance to enjoy it.”

At this point in our existence, we have six homes scattered across the world. If we aren’t actively traveling, we bounce between them as needed. Emolyn Cove has always been one of the places we have gravitated back to, but my favorite is our home in London. The only two homes that I don’t like visiting are the ones in Los Angeles and France. There are just too many ghosts that linger in them.

Asher quirks an eyebrow at me. “If you're sure, but you say the word and we are gone.”

I nod curtly. “I want to stay. I need to protect her.”

“From?” He folds his arms in front of himself.

“I do not know.” A half lie I want to protect her from everything, but mostly myself.

“Finnian,” Asher warns. “You are not the monster you believe yourself to be. You have the kindest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. You just need to believe in your ability to be good, your ability to be kind.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “You know me as much as I know myself, if not better. You of all people cannot believe that to be true.”

There was a moment of silence as Asher contemplated his next words. “ That is why I changed you. You were exactly the type of person I wanted to be attached to for eternity. It has always pained me that you have never seen the goodness that even the change couldn’t take from you.”

I turn away from him, ashamed that I don’t share the same sentiment as he does. Silently, he gets up and moves to leave me alone in the library. He stops at the threshold and turns to me.

“I do think you may be right about protecting her, but not from yourself. You should check the news. I think an old friend may be paying us a visit.”

My eyes meet him and my stomach sinks.

“You don’t mean…” He gives a slight nod, confirming my suspicion. I drag my hand over my face. “Well fuck.”

He leaves the room, but I remain alone with only my thoughts. The tone in his voice gave me enough information for me to know exactly who it was.

Cedar had come to Emolyn Cove.

A wave of fierce protectiveness washes over me, filling my chest with anger. My vision quickly floods crimson at the thought of Cedar getting near her, using his charisma to harm her. Even though I just left her, an overwhelming need to see her replaces the anger, ensuring her safety has become the most important thing.

It’s irrational, really, the feeling that quickly began to occupy all my thoughts. The chances of her being in danger in his presence were slim, but the urge to protect her, protect what is mine , causes the tension to rise. I know the sensation that fills my body will not cease until I see her with my own eyes.

I rush out of the manor without even muttering a word to Asher. The trees blur at my sides as I run within the forest. I make no noise against the mossy floor, my speed at such heights I’m barely touching the floor. As I near her cottage, I tug the hood of my pullover up and over my face, in hopes to hide the reflection of the moon off my pale skin.

All the lights are off, except for the porch light. Humans are utterly predictable, so it’s easy enough to get into her home. Over time I have learned that in a mortal’s home, a door or window is left unlocked and if it isn’t, there’s a key hidden somewhere around the porch. Tonight, the front door of her cottage remains unlocked. As if providing an invitation for me to see myself in.

Not just me, however. Leaving the door unlocked is a good way to put yourself directly in the path of danger. I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to calm my anger as it begins to erupt in my chest.

To my immediate right is a small table scattered with knicknacks, keys, and to my delight, a wallet. As much as I don’t want to go through her personal belongings, this could be my opportunity to learn her name. I open the trifold, looking only at her identification that reads Lillia Jane Alcott. I close it, clasping the button, and replace it back in its spot on the table.

My Lillia.

I step lightly down the short hallway. The first door is open and leads to a bedroom, the wall lined with shelves and frames. There are shelves that house various crystals and vials full of herbs, liquids, unknown substances, and frames that hold petrified insects like butterflies and dragonflies. In the center is a bed dressed in dark linens, and occupied by her friend, Flo. Dark and light hair is scattered across the pillow as she sleeps .

I exit silently and find there’s a door across the hall that is cracked slightly. I push it open, just enough room for my body to fit through. Artificial vines intertwined with lights are spread out, hanging from the four-post bed. There’s very little on the walls except for a few antique frames that hold photographs, and bookcases full of various literature ranging from modern day smut to the classics. I run my fingers over the novels' spines of her books. She is a fan of classic literature, but I can also tell that she doesn’t limit herself to only one genre. The many spines of various versions of Dracula steal my attention, the irony in that being one of her favorites.

I turn to face Lillia, where she lies in the middle of the bed, the white linen sheets woven between her legs, exposing her torso to me. The brown waves of her hair are sprawled out around her face, which looks so peaceful as she sleeps. Her chest rises and falls with each effortless breath she takes.

Jasmine and peony fill the air, her scent beckoning me to come closer. As she stirs in her sleep the hem of her nightgown rises, rolling slightly to the side, and exposing the white lace of her panties. I fight against myself as venom fills my mouth, the desire to taste her consuming my thoughts.

I’m pulled closer to by her scent that lingers in the air, an unwavering desire builds in my gut. I’m unsure if the desire is for her blood, or just for her. Her long eyelashes begin to flutter, and sleepily her eyes begin to open. At full speed, I race out of the front door and turn to the side of the house.

Rows of raised garden beds with flowers and vegetables catch my attention. I run my fingers over the assorted floral types, and my eyes catch sight of the peonies that are toward the end. I inhale their aroma, recognizing the peony from her perfume. Unable to control myself, I pick the one with the lightest shade of pink. It’s the closest I can find to the color skirt she was wearing the first time I saw her. I walk back toward the front of the house and place the flower in the basket of her bike. Before going back to my own home, I walk the perimeter of her land, making sure that Cedar is nowhere near her home.

Is it unnecessary? Probably.

Her being safe from Cedar, however, is something I can’t take a chance on.