Page 106 of Vampires of Eden: Oliver
I shift in my seat and grip my teacup because I’m nervous under the weight of his vehement questioning. “Of course. That is, if he’d have me? I… I offered myself to him, but he refused me because of my circumstance—which was understandable. My hope is that once I’m free and can stand on my own, he’ll accept me.”
Another pause settles between us. I can’t read the mood, but some nuanced emotion is being exchanged between Daniel and Leoni as they look at each other.
Breaking the silence, Daniel shakes his head and huffs with incredulity. “Unbelievable.” He drops his needles and fabric into his lap, then smooths a palm over the top of his dark hair.
“Danny…” Leoni’s tone is cautious but pleading as she leans over the arm of her seat. “See? I told you it’s possible—”
“Don’t.” He stands, then places his needles and tuft of red yarn into the basket. “Do not, Leoni. I’m going to bed.” Daniel stalks out of the room. The quiet is deafening in his wake.
“Did I say something wrong?” I ask quietly.
“No,” Leoni assures me as she stands, walking over to Daniel’s abandoned basket. “We just need to give him time. This is good for him to hear. It’s excellent.” She leans down and carefully picks up the bundle of red yarn. “Sorry, little crab. Your dad is upset, but he’ll calm down and finish you later, I promise.”
ChapterTwenty-Nine
Within a few weeks, I feel more settled into life at the cottage with Leoni and Daniel than I ever had in my existence leading up to this point. It amazes me. My world has been completely turned upside down, but in the best possible way.
Leoni is a purebred with an agenda. She’s driven and determined to make friends with the vamps in the surrounding communities. Her mission is to, quote, “right the wrongs of our asshole ancestors.” When we’re not all working together in the vineyard, she’s off somewhere at a community market or local event. Constantly networking.
I’m so impressed by her resolve and fearlessness in achieving her goals. It inspires me to try and put myself out there, too.
So much so that I’ve started looking into photography apprenticeships and part-time work outside of Eden. I’ve even started filling out some applications for university programs that focus on technical photography skills. The biggest roadblock is that I don’t have any kind of passport or identification. I need that to leave Eden, but… I have to start somewhere. One thing at a time.
Sitting at the kitchen table alone, I pull my new smartphone from my pocket and tap the screen. Sasha sent me this one shortly after Lord Blakeley had my original phone disconnected. Apparently, he realized I escaped a few days after I arrived here.
No one is searching for me, though. I was scared that I’d see reports about me missing in the news, and that Lord Blakeley would stop at nothing to drag me back and exact his revenge for my disobedience.
But Alexander told him to leave me alone. And so, he has.
Seriously? I’m trying hard to mend my jealous feelings toward Alexander, but it’s getting ridiculous. Lord Blakeley has never once listened to or respected a single word I’ve said. Alexander could tell him to jump up and down while meowing like a cat and I bet he’d do it.
Absently, I navigate to the social media app where I regularly stalk Aries. Every single day, I do this, because I think about him all the time. He exists to my mind, heart and essence like sound. Always present in some form or another. Rarely is it ever truly silent. The intensity of it may change depending on the moment, place or circumstance—whether it’s the soft hush of the wind or raucous, lively music.
Love is like this, I think? Never ceasing.
I have his phone number because Camille gave it to me the day she dropped me off at the safe house. But… I don’t know.
When I scroll through his feed, he just seems so completely out of my league. There are glamorous photos of vivid, colorful fabrics and materials. Impressive theaters and noteworthy people. He was in New York a month ago, then Miami, Shanghai and Tokyo after that. Now, he’s in Vienna working on some opera house project. He always looks so stylish, handsome and immaculately put together.
We made a promise. We did, and it means the world to me. But I’m starting to wonder what he even saw in me. With everything that’s happened, our time together is starting to feel like some far-away dream, because there’s no way a vampire like this would want a useless scruff like me. I’m finally getting better at cooking spaghetti when it’s my week to feed everyone. Meanwhile, Aries is traveling the world and mastering his art. The gap is too wide.
Shaking my head, I flip the phone over so that the screen is face down on the table. I take a deep breath. As I blow it out, I speak aloud. “Stop it. You’ll get there someday.” I won’t give up.
“Are you ready?” Daniel peeks inside the kitchen, dressed and ready to work.
“Yup,” I say, standing. I intentionally leave my smartphone on the table since it’s a cruel instigator for my dejection and anxiety. I follow Daniel outside.
Sometimes we do gardening work in his greenhouse, but today, me and Daniel are spending the afternoon in the vineyard. The wind is brisk, rustling the drying leaves around us. But the sun shines bright and clear. When I turn my face up toward it and close my eyes, it warms me all the way through. A perfect autumn day.
There’s so much that has to be done on the vineyard and we are severely understaffed. Pruning is the biggest task, which helps to improve the stability of the vines and makes them stronger for winter. I’m not great at identifying the parts that need to be removed, so I typically work side by side with Danny. He seems to hate me a little less, now, I think?
He’s quiet and mostly keeps to himself. I notice him being softer with Leoni, but otherwise, he has a steady routine that he rarely deviates from. Yoga on the back porch first thing every morning, then breakfast. After that, he works either in the garden or in the vineyard. Once or twice a week, he’ll disappear for almost the whole day.
I haven’t asked where he goes. Even if I did, I don’t think he’d tell me.
When we’re done for the day and return to the cottage, there’s a package sitting on the mat at the front door. Sometimes Daniel and Leoni have mail because they order things from the local villages, but I never do. So, I’m surprised when Daniel picks up the box, then turns and hands it to me.
“It’s addressed to you,” he says coolly.
