Blood red love
90
When Charlie woke up she was still wrapped up in Vidars arms. She didn’t need to look up at
him to know he was awake.
“Morning,” she said. He k*ssed her hair.
“Good morning, Charlie. How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m fine. I feel amazing actually.”
“No pain or dizziness or something like that?” he asked.
“No, perfectly fine,” she said with a frown.
“Then why are you frowning?”
“I’m not,” she quickly said. He chuckled.
“Baby, I can hear the frown in you voice.” She sighed, k*ssed his ch*st and got up on her
elbows so she could look up at him.
“Yesterday, at least I think it was yesterday, I was still feeling a little sore from the seatbelt and my legs were a little stiff from sitting in the cell. That has just vanished,” she told him. The more she spoke, the darker his eyes became.”
“There are things about that sentence I will ask you about, but first. You are a vampire now, Charlie. You have seen how fast I heal. You are the same now. Well, you are much younger, so it takes you a little longer. But you aren’t human anymore,” he said and stroked a lock of her hair behind her ear. Charlie knew this, but it was strange to think it was real, that she was a
vampire. She shifted to sit cross–legged in bed next to Vidar that was half leaning, half sitting against the headboard.
“So how much of a bad–ass am I?” she asked. Vidar laughed and pulled her closer so he could rest one of his arms across her lap and waist.
1/6
“You have always been bad–ass, Charlie,” he told her. “But you are going to be stronger and faster now. We will need to teach you how to control it.”
“Give me fighting lessons?” she asked hopefully. He nodded.
“That too. But we will begin with you just getting to know your b*dy again.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember how you and Lilly always give each other those playful punches on the arm?” he asked, and Charlie nodded. “Well, use the same amount of force now and it’s likely you would break her arm.” Charlie starred at Vidar. Her insides had turned cold. “Don’t look so scared, baby. You just need to learn how strong you are now,” he told her. She nodded as she tried to remember everything he had told her about turned vampires.
“Will I go blood crazy like turned vampires?” she asked.
“No, Charlie. You are not a turned vampire. Everything about you is now as if you had been born a vampire. Remember when we talked about how trying to copy a magic ability always. comes with more consequences than doing it naturally?” he asked. She nodded again. “Good. That is one of those things.”
“It seems a little unfair,” she pointed out. She thought about how Vidar had explained that in
times gone by, vampires used to turn humans in a middle of a city and use them as a weapon. A newly turned vampire could eradicate a smaller city before they got their blood lust under
control.
felt it
“That’s one way to look at it,” he agreed. “I look at it like mother nature, or the gods, or whoever is in charge, takes out a licensing fee. Making sure we don’t abuse the magical abilities,” he told her. Charlie tried to look at it from that point of view, but she still
was unfair.
“What’s the plan now?” she asked.
“I’ll let Caine know you are awake. He’ll bring you some breakfast and stay with you a while.”
“Why? Where are you going?” she asked and took his hand.
2/6
“It’s okay, Charlie. I won’t be going far. I need to speak to Mauritius and…” He didn’t finish the sentence.
“And you are going to take care of Millard,” she said. Vidar grunted as a reply.
“And before I do, I need to ask you a couple of things,” he said. Charlie could see his eyes. became softer and hesitant.
“You want to know what he did to me,” she said.
“Yes. Do you think you can do that?” he asked. She nodded and started to tell him everything. from th
moment the protestors had blocked their path until he had found her again. When she was done, she had been placed in Vidar’s lap as he held her and looked at her.
“He didn’t… touch you against your will?” he asked. She understood what he was asking.
“No,” she told him. He sighed and pulled her closer and held her.
“I’m sorry I let this happen to you. I was supposed to keep you safe,” he said.
“It’s not your fault. We all did our best to avoid this happening. Sometime it just happens. anyway,” she told him.
“I have been so scared. I don’t think I have ever felt fear like I have this past week.” Charlie’s heart ached for her strong vampire. As a vampire he had been through a lot, but he had also become used to feeling invincible. It had to be hard on him having a weak spot.
“I will do my best not to be the weak spot in your armour,” she told him. He k*ssed her.
“I don’t mind, even if you are. As long as you are with me.”
“You are the sweetest and most adorable boyfriend a girl could want,” she told him and listened as he scoffed. “Don’t object. You are, and we both know it.”
“Fine, but let’s not tell anyone else,” he insisted. She laughed and nodded.
3/6
“I want to go with you,” she said after a while.
“No.”
“Vidar, he abducted me, he kept me in a cell. If anyone has the right to confront him, it should be me,” she insisted.
“If we were just going to confront him, I would say you are right. But we won’t stop at that,” he informed her. She swallowed hard.
“You will torture him? In the same house where his parents are?” she asked.
“I will, at least to start with. I haven’t decided if he will die here or if we will take him with us and drag it out longer,” Vidar told her.
“I think I have a right to be there.”
“I don’t disagree with that. But I ask you to think about if it’s something you want to see? It’s not a pretty sight.”
“I know that. I also know I want to be there. You are training me to run the business. This is a part of it,” Charlie insisted.
“I was hoping we wouldn’t jump into this part of the business quite this quickly,” he sighed.
“If it becomes too much, I’ll leave,” she told him.
“I guess I can live with that,” he agreed.
“What about Loyd?” she asked.
“Who?”
“The giant,” Charlie reminded him.
“Oh, right. I think he is locked up in a cell as well.”
4/6
“Oh no, do you think we can do something about it?” she asked him.
“You want to ask to release the man that kidnapped you?” Vidar asked and gave her a look of
concern.
“None of that was Loyd’s fault. He will do what you tell him to do. He isn’t the brightest.”
“Sounds like a giant, all right. I’ll see what we can do,” he said with another sigh.
“Thank you. I know I’m not making you life easy. I’m sorry.”
“Easy is overrated,” he told her and k*ssed her. There was a knock on the door. “Tell me who it is,” Vidar whispered in her ear.
“How should I know?” she asked. He chuckled.
“Use your new senses, lilla lo.” Charlie closed her eyes. She didn’t think her improved sight would help her. She sniffed the air and she scented Vidar. It made her feel safe and relaxed. She scented the flowers that were placed in a wase, an array of sweet and heavy scents. Then she felt a hint of a scent she recognised, but it took her a moment to place.
“Caine,” she said with a smile.
“Good work,” Vidar told her, k*ssed her on the head and called for Caine to enter.
“Good morning,” Caine said, as he put a tray with breakfast on the table.
“Good morning,” Charlie said.
“There has been a change of plans. Charlie will be joining us today,” Vidar said.
“We’ll need to find her some different clothes,” Caine remarked. Charlie laughed. She had expected more objections..
“I guess you are right,” she agreed and looked down at the white shirt belonging to Vidar that she was wearing.
5/6
“I don’t know. I like you in my clothes,” Vidar objected.
“May I remind you the shirt barely reached halfway down my thighs and I’m not wearing any underwear,” Charlie said. His look amused at her.
“I see your point. Clothes it is,” he agreed.
“I’ll make sure we have some handy within forty minutes,” Caine offered.
“Thank you Caine. That would give me enough time to eat and shower. What do you say?” Charlie asked Vidar. He smiled at her.
“It sounds like a good plan,” he agreed.