Page 14 of Fangs and Family
I didn’t plan it. I wanted to make Nina spend time with me. Grasp the feeling of vitality we’d had and take petty revenge for how she made me feel before I considered the next step. Instead, seeing her so defiant and yet vulnerable, I couldn’t help myself.
‘I want you, Nina. I want your blood and your time. I want you to move into my apartment and let me feed off you until I find your brother,’ I said, gripping her hand when she tried to pull it away, pausing a moment until I released her, my smirk letting her know it was my choice to let her go.
She stood up so rapidly the chair fell to the floor, the hollow thud followed by a loud bang when she slammed her hands on the table.
‘Are you fucking insane? There is no way in hell I’ll let you sink those fangs into me again, and I definitely won’t live with you. Adam, why can’t you just help me? For fuck’s sake, please. Anything but that, please?’
I saw Nina’s eyes turn watery as she fought back her tears, and guilt burned in the cavernous pit of my heart, but I wanted her too much to give in now. I’d made a mistake pretending to be human the last time. It was time for honesty. It was time for the Vampire Master to stake his claim because Nina was mine. She just didn’t know it yet.
‘I can’t. Those are my terms. You will have my help. I swear if you accept it, I will do everything in my power to find your brother and keep him safe, but you will live with me, Nina Zalewska. That is non-negotiable,’ I said.
Nina shook her head, but I could see she was considering it as her face grew paler with each passing moment. Finally, she exhaled, rubbing her palms on the silky fabric of her dress.
‘I hoped you had changed, but you are, and always will be, an arsehole. I was right to kick you out. I will find another way. Thank you for dinner, but I refuse to be your victim.’ She said, and when I nodded, she picked up her clutch and left the restaurant.
Maybe I was making a mistake, but we lived by her rules the last time, and it didn’t work for us. Now, even if it hurt us both, it was time she accepted me for who I was, and I wasn’t a nice man.
1.Kikimora - (pronounced Kih-kee-mora) is a female house spirit from Slavic lore who can be helpful or malevolent depending on the behaviour of the homeowner. In differing versions of her stories, there are two kinds of spirit, one generally helpful and the other harmful; both depicted as a woman sometimes with a bird’s beak and legs.
2.In Polish culture, Romani eyes is a term of endearment as Gypsy/Romani ethnicity is famous for their beautifully expressive dark eyes.
3.Cheongsam - a straight, tight silk dress with a high neck and a slit (= cut) in the side of the skirt, in a style that became popular in China, especially Shanghai.
Chapter 5
Adam walked into my office carrying a stack of folders. It appeared he was making it his personal mission to discuss every single issue I had with running the hospital. He showed up the day after our argument in the restaurant, announcing that as part owner of the business, he would keep a close eye on the finances and administration, especially since he discovered a few issues with our suppliers.
It was bloody annoying, as the man who hadn’t shown his face inside this building since we’d opened, disinterested in how it functioned, suddenly wanted to know the smallest detail.
I checked with Sara, but unfortunately, Adam was telling the truth. He owned thirty percent of the clinic’s shares, and I couldn’t just kick him out.
‘Nina, focus please. The single-use masks and aprons. I see we already paid the invoice, but they didn’t deliver the shipment,’ he commented, placing the folders on my desk while I ground my teeth and huffed an irritated sigh.
‘Yes, but they phoned and apologised, giving a reasonable explanation and time frame for delivery. The supplies will be here within the week as soon as they replenish their stores. That’s not an issue. We still have plenty of boxes in the basement.’
‘Replenish their stores? They wouldn’t have to do that if they hadn’t sent their merchandise to a private clinic in the capital. I will talk to them, Nina. Let’s see if they can find a way to fulfil our order,’ he said with a predatory grin before pulling out his phone. I threw my head backwards, wondering why he was hellbent on giving me a headache. Adam sorted out the issues but in old-fashioned mafia style, and I wondered if once he’d finished proving me incompetent, I would have any contractors left to work with.
The first time the vampire made a call, it had taken me by surprise. It was a warehouse that provided cleaning products. I wanted to renegotiate the contract with them, but they’d been putting it off for several months. It took Adam one quiet conversation, and we were free from being overcharged.
This time was no different. As expected, half an hour later, a truck filled with boxes of masks and aprons was parked in front of our loading bay. Another issue solved by the vampire. I was grateful, but he also made me feel inadequate.
‘Why are you doing this?’ I asked quietly, closing the blinds when I noticed him squinting, blinded by the morning sun.
‘Because I want to. I can’t let anyone mess with my hospital and my… my personnel. Don’t read too much into it, Nina,’ he said, but I knew he was a lying toerag and calling me personnel made me want to punch him.
‘Right, because I’m naïve enough to believe you.’ I mumbled, ‘If you want to help, find my brother.’
Adam flashed his fangs in a smile that grew wider when he bent, whispering into my ear. ‘I will, Nina. All you have to do is to accept my conditions.’
‘No,’ I answered. ‘That will never happen, but I want you to know I appreciate your help here. Despite all the bullshit reasons you might have, you’ve really made a difference. Even if you made me feel incompetent, what you did was good for the hospital, so thank you.’
Before I knew it, he was leaning so close I could smell the sandalwood in his cologne, and when I gasped, Adam stroked his thumb over my cheek.
‘It was not my intention to make you feel bad. On the contrary, I am impressed with how you manage this place. Some tasks simply require a different touch, and I can assist with that. I can help you any time you want, my Obsidian.’
He played this cat-and-mouse game for several days until all of our files were backed up to external servers and any problems were solved, leaving me with barely anything to do.
He was a predator hunting his prey, and I swear I could see his annoying smirk whenever he looked at me.If he thinks he can wear me out, he’s sorely mistaken,I thought, even if I couldn’t deny that seeing him around helped ease my anxiety in the same way as his help in the hospital eased the burden on my already overstretched nerves. My job was stressful at the best of times, and with my own search for Pawel failing, my mind was close to breaking.
