My Love Forever (The Night Movers Vampire Series Book 1) (20 page)

“Yeah, errrm sorry Mags, I forgot myself a bit there.”

“No problem Alex. It’s good to see you so happy and in love. It wasn’t something I thought I would get to see in my lifetime, for you or Nik. We just have to get Josh and Freya sorted out now, and god knows they are going to be the most awkward to sort out of all of you.”

We ate in the cafeteria with my dad that night which was really good for him as he had been quite worried about me.

But everyone in that room that night could see that we were in love and I saw my dad’s worries begin to fade the more he watched us.

Alex and I didn’t go to the cottage until our shift finished at six am and although I was really tired, I wanted to make love to him as a proper living together couple.

We didn’t say much at all to each other beforehand, just washed and kissed each other in the shower, then dried off, got into bed and held each other for a few minutes.

When the kisses started this time, they were gentle and unhurried and we made love the same way. Each movement both gentle and unhurried until we both neared completion, then our movements were anything but gentle, and when I came I thought the world had stopped turning, for it to then spin out of control until the ripples of pleasure stopped flowing.

We didn’t move position, with Alex still above me, staring into my eyes as he told me he loved me. He began to make love to me again, saying the words over and over and I said the same to him in return.

It was perfect and sweet and I have never felt more loved and cared for in all my adult life.

Julia

Before we went to work, I called over to my parents to get a few things I had forgotten the day before. It was an excuse to see my mum really, and to make arrangements for us all to go out for a meal together the weekend after.

Alex was going to treat us to a night of dinner and dancing at converted stately home near Barnsley.

Mum and I sat down with a cup of tea, and from out of nowhere she said, “I had a phone call from Gavin’s mum yesterday.”

“Oh, is everything ok?” I asked, wondering why mum had such a contrite look on her face.

“She wanted to let me know that Gavin is seeing a lovely girl who works in the office with him. She’s the daughter of one of her friends apparently.”

“Is it Katy from accounts?”

“Yes, I think that was her name.”

“Wow, she’s only about twenty one,” I said looking at mum and wondering why she couldn’t hold my gaze. “What did you say to that news mum?”

“I told her you had moved in with your boyfriend. That you were both very much in love and I thought that you were going to get married to Alex Staithes as soon as your divorce came through.”

“Okay....What did she say to that news?”

“Well she was a bit gobsmacked, and I’m glad. I can’t stand the woman. Never could. She was always trying to get one over on us, always looked down on me and your father because we weren’t as well off as them. I’m glad we don’t have to have anything to do with them anymore. I also may have mentioned that Alex was a multi millionaire and owner of Night Movers.”

“I’m sure she knows who Night Movers are mum. They are in a similar business after all.”

“Are you mad with me for telling her about you moving in with Alex?”

“No, not at all, and before you ask I’m not upset that Gavin has a girlfriend either.”

“She said it was bit sudden you moving in with him, but I said you had been seeing him for a good while. I didn’t specify any sort of date to it all though. I don’t know if she will contact you, or if Gavin will.”

“Mum it’s got nothing at all to do with any of the Layton’s, so don’t worry about it.”

“Gavin doesn’t contact me now because we just don’t have anything to say to each other anymore. I don’t wish him or his family any ill, but if I never spoke to any of them again it wouldn’t bother me. Before, when they phoned, it used to make me quite sad, and I used to cry after I had spoken to them. I think you have to give yourself time to grieve at first because it’s like losing your family all at once, but time makes you think and feel differently. I hope that Gavin finds love like I have, he deserves to be happy the same as I do.”

“I’m so glad to see you like this Julia. You were in such a bad way when you came back to live with us, and I didn’t think I would see you pick up so soon. I suppose we have Alex to thank for that.”

“In a lot of ways, yes, Alex has been the one to save me from the depressive state I had fallen in to. But I also think I was ready for this change in myself. It’s like I feel I’m a new me, someone who embraces change and looks towards the future, instead of clinging to the past. I didn’t like the person I had become, so it was time to change; Alex just hurried it along a little.”

“Do you get along with everyone else at Night Movers?”

“Yes, I do, very much. They are like a big family really. Gina has been great too, and I like Freya and the two Russians Sergei and Gregor.”

“Ooh I met that Gregor at one of the works parties your dad took me too. He’s really sexy, very manly and mmm, just sex on legs...”

“Mum, I did not just witness you lusting after Gregor,” I laughed.

“Yes you did, and I think every woman in the room was going weak at the knees from him and the rest of those guys. But Gregor, he seemed to have that dangerous edge to him and well... you know. ”

“What do I know mum,” I questioned as she began to fan her face with the lid from the biscuit tin.

“Well if I had been younger and single I would have definitely gone for some of that,” she winked....and then blushed, head to toe.

I couldn’t stop laughing. I laughed so hard at my mum’s dreamy but embarrassed look that I nearly wet myself, and after a few moments she laughed along with me.

I was enjoying these conversations I was having with mum. I felt we were getting a lot closer than we had been previously.

I had left home for university when I was eighteen and then moved to live with Gavin straight after, so I hadn’t spent much time as an adult with my parents, unless Gavin and I were visiting, or they came to us. That time was always shared, rarely were we on our own.

Then when I came back home after the accident I wasn’t too good at communicating my feelings with either mum or dad. I made a silent vow to myself then and there, that I would build a better relationship with both my parents, especially my mum.

We packed a few more of my things together and I took them to my car.

It was as I placed them on the back seat I got the feeling I was being watched.

I turned to my left and saw a tall man with blond hair looking my way. He was wearing a black barber style wax Jacket and the collar was pulled up covering his nose and mouth.

He made it plainly obvious he was watching me and didn’t move at all.

The man was leaning against the bushes surrounding the neighbour’s garden, which was about twenty five feet away from my car and at first I just froze, not knowing whether to get in my car or run back in to my parent’s bungalow.

In the end I did neither and instead I shouted “Hey, who are you? What do you want?”

“He didn’t move at all and because it was nearly dark I couldn’t make out anything else about him. I stepped away from the car as if to move towards him and I took my mobile phone out of my pocket and called Alex.

Only when I put the phone to my ear did the man move away. And when I say move, it was super quick, inhumanly so. Alex answered and at first I didn’t speak, but after I heard a car start up I found my voice.

“Alex, there was a man, watching me, outside mum’s bungalow. He’s gone now, but he was just staring and....”

“Julia, where are you now, are you still at your parents?” Alex said loudly, and I could hear the fear in his voice.

“No I’m outside, he’s just got in a car round the corner, hang on I think he’s driving away now.”

“For fucks sake Julia get in your parents home, now,” Alex yelled. I could hear him telling Josh what I had said, and then I heard the sounds of gravel crunching underfoot and the familiar sound of his SUV starting up.

A car drove from the junction at the side of my parent’s home and drove away up the street. I recognised the vehicle as Gavin had one as a company car last year.

“Alex he’s driving a Vauxhall Insignia registration number NE64 U ...something something. Sorry I can’t see the rest... Oh hang on” I said as I ran on to the road, “Its UBL.”

“Please Julia just do as I tell you go inside, now.”

The last bit came out as a growl and it brought me back down to earth with a loud bang. I hung up the phone but still didn’t move. Mum came outside and asked if everything was alright and I just nodded my head.

She came and put her arms around me and said I looked like I had seen a ghost. Not a ghost mum, I thought.

A vampire.

A centuries old being that had been following Alex.

That had set fire to the lorry trailer.

And now was following me.

That was when the fear hit me and I began to shake. I seemed rooted to the spot and it took some effort for mum to finally get me back into her kitchen.

“Julia you feel ice cold, what’s the matter? Are you feeling ill? Talk to me love, you were fine when you left.”

“I’m ok now mum, I just thought I saw someone watching me and I shouted but they ran away, and it just scared me a little that’s all.”

“I’ll call the police. Did you get a good look at them?”

“No mum I didn’t and it’s probably nothing, I’ve called Alex and that car door you’ve just heard slamming is probably him now.”

It was Alex. He came storming in followed by Josh; picked me up out of the chair I was sat in and hugged me tightly.

“God Julia I was so scared, he didn’t hurt you did he?”

“No Alex I’m fine I swear. I’m just a little shaken that’s all.”

“What’s going on here Julia, there’s much more to this than you are letting on.” Mum was really worried now and I wasn’t sure what to tell her.

“Sue it’s nothing to worry about, we can take care of this from here I promise.”

“Now just hang on a minute, if there is someone out there stalking my daughter I want to know about it. Just because she lives with you now it doesn’t mean that I can’t look after her, and I say we should call the police.”

Mum looked so angry she even frightened me. I could see Alex trying to calm himself down but it was a slow process, and mum staring him down wasn’t helping in the least.

“I’m sorry if I offended you. You have every right to be concerned and didn’t want to keep you out of the loop. The thing is, I think someone targeting the business, me in particular and I think because they have seen me with Julia she could now become a target herself.”

“What do you mean a target? Oh my god, you mean like the fire on the trailer the other night. Julia you need to come home until this person is found.”

Josh stepped forward and spoke to mum, looking directly in her eyes.

“Sue there was no one watching Julia, it was just a misunderstanding. We came to pick Julia up because she was having some problems with her car. It wouldn’t start so you brought her back inside so we could I could take a look at it and Alex could take her home.”

Mind control. I wasn’t sure how I felt about him using it on her but when I saw mums worried expression change to a smile, I felt a little relieved. I didn’t want this to be keeping her up at night.

“Would you like some tea Joshua? It’s cold outside now so I’m sure a nice hot brew will keep you warm while you look at the car.  Can I persuade you to have a cuppa too Alex?”

“No thanks Sue, I think I will have to get Julia and Josh to work now, although we can pop round again soon.”

“That will be lovely, make sure you do that.”

We said our goodbyes and Alex almost threw Josh my car keys, as he pulled me to his car.

“See you back at the office,” said Josh as he watched Alex stalk around his car.

“No, we will go back to the cottage. Look up the car reg plate and see what you can find,” barked Alex.

“Alex, try and calm down a bit. It will do us no good if we can’t keep our heads about this,” said Josh anxiously.

“When we find the bastard, it will be him that won’t keep his head.”

“Just don’t take it out on Julia. This isn’t her doing.” Josh said before he got into my car. The concerned look on his face made me nervous.

Alex got in the car, taking deep breaths as if to keep himself focused, an angry look about his face, and fingers drumming rapidly on the steering wheel.

We had been driving a couple of minutes before I spoke, “Do you want me to descr.....”

“Don’t.” yelled Alex, “I can’t deal with this right now.”

Again came the deep breaths and pinched expression, and I could feel the tension rolling off his body in thick icy waves. I didn’t know what else to do at this moment so I kept quiet and just stared at the road ahead.

We drove through security at the compound and down the small lane to the cottages at the back. It was really dark now and although the area around the cottages was well lit, I still felt like someone was waiting to step out of the shadows.

So I took my time taking my seatbelt off as I looked all around.

What I didn’t expect was Alex to grab me out of my seat and more or less drag me to the front door.

“Alex what the hell are you doing, I nearly fell.”

“Just do as I say for once and get inside Julia,” he yelled.

The lights were off inside the kitchen and as soon as we got inside he slammed the front door behind us and pushed me up against the wall.