Page 12 of Rescued By the Vexed Vampire

Her eyes darkened, and she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at me with fire that told me she wasn’t backing down. “No,” she said, her voice steady. “I refuse to accept that. There has to be a way out of this. And you’re going to help me find it.”

I shook my head, trying to keep my temper in check. “Bethany, I’m telling you, there’s no way to undo it. I’ve been a vampire for over two hundred years. If there was a way to reverse the curse, I would’ve found it by now.”

Her defiance only seemed to grow, her eyes blazing with determination. “Well, that’s not good enough. I’ve already died once, and I’m not about to let this ruin my second chance.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “You...died once?”

She nodded, her arms still crossed protectively over her chest. “Yeah. I had a freak accident which led to a brief stint as an angel, which didn’t exactly go as planned. So I was sent back to Earth to give life another shot. And I’m not letting you take that from me.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed, the absurdity of the situation hitting me all at once. “Wait a minute—let me get this straight. You were dressed as an angel at the party because you’re actually a fallen angel?” I shook my head in disbelief. “That explains a lot.”

Bethany shot me a withering glare. “Explains what?”

“Why I was drawn to you,” I replied with a shrug, smirking slightly. “I mean, a fallen angel and a vampire? Sounds like the setup for a cosmic joke.”

She rolled her eyes, clearly not amused. “This isn’t funny, Drake. I’m serious. I was given another chance at life, and I intend to make the most of it. You’re not going to screw this up for me.”

“Right,” I said, still chuckling. “And how exactly do you plan to fix this?”

She paused, her eyes narrowing as she considered her answer. “I don’t know yet. But there has to be a way.”

For a long moment, we stood there in tense silence, the weight of our situation hanging in the air between us. She was determined, and I had to admit, there was something admirable about that. Most people would have crumbled under the weight of it all, but not Bethany. She was stronger than I had given her credit for.

“Alright,” I said finally, relenting. “I’ll help you figure out how to break the vampire curse. But in return, you help me get this candy shop in order. Deal?”

Bethany raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my offer. “You think there’s a way to break the curse?”

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Maybe. But it’s a long shot. I’ve been looking for answers for two centuries and found nothing. But if you’re willing to try, I’ll help.”

She studied me for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she nodded. “Deal. But I’m not giving up. I’m getting my wings back, no matter what it takes.”

I chuckled softly. “Fair enough. I’ll trust you to pay a visit to the library and see what you can find out. In the meantime, I’ve got more pressing issues—like getting Sugar Rush out of the red.”

Bethany groaned dramatically, rubbing her temples. “Great. Just what I wanted—more research.”

I grinned. “Oh, don’t worry. My task is equally as fun—figuring out how to make this sad excuse for a candy shop profitable. Halloween’s just a few days away, and it’s the perfect opportunity to capitalize on all the interest from that party. I just have to figure out the right angle.”

Her stomach growled audibly, and she winced. “Speaking of tasks...I’m starving. Do I have to...you know, suck someone’s blood or something?”

I smirked, shaking my head. “No. Just stock up on raw meat. That’ll hold you over for now.”

Her eyes brightened suddenly, and she snapped her fingers. “Wait! What if we sponsor a blood drive for Halloween? Give blood, get free treats, and a tour of the newly refurbished shop. We’d be killing two birds with one stone, as they say. Or maybe three, since if we mooch a little of the good stuff for ourselves, no one will know.”

I stared at her, impressed by her quick thinking. “That’s...actually a good idea.”

Bethany grinned triumphantly. “Thanks. I have my moments.”

“We’ve got a lot of work to do to get this place ready in time, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.” I couldn’t helpbut admire her determination. There was something about her, something different from anyone I’d ever met before. She was tough, resilient, and I was beginning to realize that I admired that about her. When had I admired anyone but myself before? I couldn’t remember a time.

As she turned to leave the office, I reached out, catching her wrist gently. She stopped, looking back at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Do you think this deal could involve a little...sexy time, too?” I asked, my voice dropping to a low murmur. “I promise I won’t bite next time.”

Bethany’s lips curled into a slow, teasing smile, and she revealed her new, sharp cuspids. “Well, that’s a shame,” she said, her voice soft and sultry. “Because I just might.”

She winked and sauntered out of the office, leaving me standing there, bemused and more than a little smitten. This beautiful, fiery angel had suddenly fallen into my life, and I had a feeling things were about to get even more interesting.

Chapter Five

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