Page 31 of Of Fate & Forbidden Desire

Interesting and friend are two words that should not go together -Dina

Charleene’s meeting with the Council had gone better than I’d expected, even if she hadn’t been overly respectful to the London Coven’s Witches, she’d shown them how strong she was. However, the meeting had also raised more questions than it had answered, leaving us both in limbo as we awaited more news. The Council Elders had agreed with the Witches that they needed to look further into Charleene’s origins, but that could take days if not weeks, so again we’d be left with nothing to do but wait. I’d managed to put more distance between us over the last two days, the gap becoming a chasm as Tilly’s words in York kept ringing in my head. A relationship between myself and a witch would be condemned by all in the Vampire community, it just wasn’t done. I also knew that the witches wouldn’t be happy with a powerful witch loving a woman, let alone a vampire one, who couldn’t give Charleene any children to carry on her line.

Glancing over, I tried to surreptitiously watch Charleene as she read another book with her legs curled up beneath her on the small loveseat and a blanket around her shoulders. She looked vulnerable, lost in the pages, her face calm as her eyes traced each line. It was in the quiet moments like this that I wished to be able to reach out, to comfort her, love her. Yet every time I went to open my mouth and attempt to fix the gap between us, Tilly’s voice reminded me why I shouldn’t. Opening my mouth yet again, my phone beeped with a message, interrupting what would have been a colossal mistake. It was better that she hated me, whatever I had felt growing for her in my heart was doomed to fail. So it was much better to deal with the heartbreak now, before we’d grown further attached.

Tilly:Heading back to London.

The message was short and to the point much like Tilly was, giving away nothing.

Me:Did you deal with the rogue?

I responded, my heart beating double time as I dared to hope that at least Charleene would be safe from the sadistic bastard who’d threatened her.

Tilly:No, he seems to have either left York or gone to ground. But I found some interesting new friends.

My heart sank like a stone in my stomach; Charleene was still being hunted. I’d seen the manic look in the rogue’s eyes as he’d looked at her, he wouldn’t be giving up anytime soon.

“What’s wrong?” Charleene’s sweet voice interrupted my spiralling thoughts, drawing my attention to where she still sat on the loveseat with her brown eyes staring at me in concern.

“Tilly’s on her way here.” I told her, not wanting to worry her anymore. She had enough to deal with without needing to know that monster was still alive and after her.

“Oh, isn’t that a good thing?” she asked, her tone innocent and a little guarded.

“It might be.” I replied, turning my glare back to the phone in my hand, I wondered just what Tilly had meant by“interesting new friends.”

Charleene’s frustrated sigh had my head whipping back in her direction just in time to see her turn back to the book she was holding. A frown pulledher eyebrows down and I ached to ask what was troubling her. Instead I left her alone and flopped down on the overly large bed in my own room.Why couldn’t she have been just a regular human?I found myself lamenting. We’d have been able to explore whatever had been growing between us if she had been. Closing my eyes I pushed away the intrusive thoughts that told me it was wrong and imagined what our life could have been like.

We were in one of the many houses that I had scattered across the UK. Charleene’s long hair tickled my nose as she slept peacefully with her head on my shoulder. Smiling, I let myself gaze at her face, memorising the freckles that dusted her nose in random splodges. Her brow furrowed as she dreamt, making her look even more adorable than normal and a soft snore escaped her lips. Tracing my finger down her cheek, I tried to capture this moment in my mind. Her blue eyes blinked open, finding mine, as a drowsy smile turned her lips up. They looked like a stormy sea.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice sweet and missing any of the anger that had been in it recently.

“Morning,” I smiled down at her, my finger running over her bottom lip, “did you sleep well?” I asked, like we did this every morning.

“I’d have slept better if you hadn’t been staring at me.” She laughed, the sound like small bells tinkling.

“I can’t help it, you’re breath-taking,” I found myself saying as my head lowered to hers and I pressed a soft kiss to her perfect lips. Losing myself in the kiss I ran my hand across her stomach, then up to cup one of her large breasts in my hand, eliciting a pleasurable moan that vibrated against my mouth.

Rubbing my finger over her nipple, my smile grew as she pushed her chest up, eager for more. Giving her what she wanted, I gently pinched her nipple between my thumb and forefinger, tweaking it as my tongue swept across her lips. She tasted of strawberries, from the chapstick she favoured and I wanted—no needed— more. Forcing my tongue between her lips I savoured the feel of her tongue gliding along my own as she gave herself over to me and my touch…

A loud knocking broke into my daydream, yanking me back to the reality where me and Charleene couldn’t be together.

“Are you ok?” Charleene’s voice made me jump and guilt stole through me, that I’d been imagining doing such dirty things to her, when in reality I was causing her pain.

“I’m fine,” I shouted back, wondering what noises I may have made that she’d felt the need to come and knock on my door.

“Can we talk?” Her question was quiet but my hearing caught it anyway. She deserved answers, I knew that it was unfair of me to give her the cold shoulder without one. But what was I to say? My feelings for her were unlike anything I’d ever felt before, yet the laws of my own kind stood in the way of her happiness. She wouldn’t understand that.

“Fine,” I finally found myself answering and pushed up off of the bed to let her inside. Standing back from the door I allowed her in, making sure not to touch her as my hands and heart wanted to. I could smell her strawberry scent clinging to her, reminding me of my daydream, as she walked passed. She looked around, examining my room that looked as if no one was even staying inside it. What can I say, I like order. Everything should be in its place, all nice and neat. It was how I’d lived my life until I met the bundle of chaos that was Charleene Murry.

Charleene’s fingers taped against her leg, betraying her nerves as I appraised her. She approached the bed, running her fingers over the soft duvet. My mind conjured the image of her sprawled over its top, screaming as my tongue lapped at her wet pussy. Shaking away the image I coughed, clearing my suddenly parched throat.

“What can I help you with?” I asked keeping the distance between us.

“Why are you being like this?” she asked, taking no prisoners and letting me see the hurt I was causing her.

“Like what?” I played dumb, knowing full well what she was referring to.

“Like a heartless bitch.” She threw back at me, perching on the edge of the bed and frowning up at me.

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