Vampire Bride

Chapter Seventeen - Part Two

Maxwell

I haven't slept for at least a day or so, because of the excitement of being this close to Charlie. It's not necessary to sleep, but it allows me to cling to my once human self. Charlie gave me the perfect opportunity to make her into the vampire that she's going to be one day. I could've tricked her and offered her the relief she is so looking for from her wound, but I just couldn't do it.

Before I know it, morning arrives. Even though this town doesn't receive direct sunlight this time of year, I can still sense it. I slip out from under Charlie's hand to get a head start on getting dressed. There's business that needs to be handled before we leave this afternoon.

Charlie wakes up a few hours after me. She walks out of the bedroom fully clothed, looking well rested. "What time do we leave?" she asks, overly anxious.

"The plane will depart at two this afternoon." The clock on the wall reads nine. "That leaves you three hours to try to occupy yourself."

"That leaves me? What about you?" The sound of concern in her voice is barely recognizable as it's laced with annoyance.

"I have something I need to take care of before we go back home." I don't want to tell her that I intend to confront Benjamin about his tactics last night. The quarrel he wants to start is between him and myself. Charlie doesn't have a place in this. She shouldn't have even been brought into this century old battle. "Why don't you go and visit with Grace? Last night you mentioned you were going to go have a chat with her. I assume you want her to explain the unwanted relationship she has with Benjamin. You can also inform her that we're leaving today as well."

She agrees with a nod of her head. Easier than I thought convincing her would be. With breakfast eaten and an hour before I have to send her to Grace, we sit on the couch, completely oblivious to each other. I can tell she's lost in thought. Her stern lips give away what she's thinking about. Stella. That's where she thinks I'm going. Even though I can clear her insecurities away by admitting where I'm going, I don't. She would only offer to come along, which is out of the question, and I kinda like this jealous side of her.

The hum of silence is broken as I touch Charlie's thigh. She sucks in a breath at my touch. "Let me walk you to Grace's room. I'll come get you when I'm finished."

"What if she's not there or she's busy, then what?"

"She'll be there." I know that Charlie is carefully insinuating that she wants to come with me, but that's not going to happen. There might be more than just words thrown at each other and I can't have her get in the way.

I usually don't bother in knocking when it comes to Grace, but seeing as I don't have a key to her room, I have to wait until she answers the door. Her footsteps are slow as if she knows it's us and she's dreading the conversation that's going to be brought up.

"What a pleasure to see the both of you again. Come in, Charlie, I know you're dying to question me about yesterday's presentation." Grace's perky voice has a sourness to it.

She holds the door open, waiting for me to follow inside, but I shake my head. I look as far into the room as I can. When I see Charlie nowhere in sight, I continue in a hushed voice. "I'm going to pay Benjamin a visit. He sent an unwanted present to my room last night and he needs to learn a lesson."

"A present? That's more than what I get."

"He sent Stella to my room last night, Grace." That one name is all I have to say for Grace to understand how far her once vampire husband went in ruining her friend's relationship. I walk away from Grace, who hovers in the open doorway. All that's on my mind is getting to the council estate.