Page 13 of Those That Don’t Exist (Hidden Vampires #1)

AURORA

T he day of Hallow’s Eve dawns. Claire is in full party preparation mode, already coordinating the rest of us whilst we try to finish breakfast. I’d skipped the toast and pastries her parents had supplied, opting for just a hot coffee, trying to warm my hands.

I’d gotten cold in the night and the drink was giving me more than the caffeine kick this morning as I clutch it to my chest.

We’d stayed at Claire’s parents overnight, having dinner with them the night before.

I like her parents, they are the epitome of a happily married couple.

They also treat me like a second daughter.

They helped me a lot with sorting my dad’s stuff, and renting out our family home, after this summer. I’m glad I had their support.

Their townhouse is a fun mix of vintage and modern but even the thick duvet, and chunky weave throw, on the bed I’d slept in hadn’t stopped me shivering.

The deep purple under my eyes looked even more stark this morning against my almost blue skin before I’d put my glamour up.

I really needed to sort myself out soon.

I thought about asking Claire’s father some questions, seeing as he is a doctor, but I didn’t want to worry them, or cause a fuss when we’d been looking forward to this party.

As I sip my coffee, looking at the box of decorations I was in charge of, the quietness of the morning is broken by Claire yelling at her brother to get up and help. I chuckle as I listen to their sibling bickering.

David is still studying even though he’s three years older than us. He’s finishing up a doctorate program so he can follow his father into medicine. The medical school was separate from the university, located up the river a little, near the hospital, so we barely saw him.

A minute later I hear steps padding down the hall and David appears, still in his rumpled sleepwear, with even more rumbled auburn hair and looking half asleep.

“She’s gone full dictator, I was hoping for a lay in this morning,” he grumbles to me as he slides into the space on the bench seat next to me at the big beech dining table.

It’s tucked into a nook of the kitchen, which is painted a deep orange and has shelves of different trinkets and vases of dried flowers, making it very cosy and homely.

I catch a whiff of his scent, goosebumps erupting down my arms. I don’t remember noticing how good he smells before.

“You’d better get started on those orders though,” I mock sternly but let a smile catch my lips to let him know I’m joking. He shakes his head and groans.

“Not you too.” He reaches across the table. “And not before coffee.”

He’s tall, around six feet, and lean, but strong with a runner's body. His muscles flex as he reaches for the coffee pot, and gives me a flash of his trim waist as he leans across the table, his top riding up. My body finally feels warm.

I must leave my gaze lingering too long because he flashes me an impish grin and raises an eyebrow as he pours himself a drink. Bree and I have discussed how attractive David is before but I’ve never thought about him on more than a surface level. My cheeks heat now though under his gaze.

“You want a top up?” He tilts the coffee pot toward me. Thankfully not calling me out for checking him out.

“You read my mind,” I say, clearing my throat, holding out my cup.

He waits until I take a sip before saying, “Yeah, I think I did. I wouldn’t say no either.”

Coffee comes out of my nose. Coughing and sputtering I swing towards him so sharply I think I crick my neck.

“I meant to the offer of coffee.” He gives me a shit eating grin now. “But your reaction is noted.”

I grab a napkin to wipe my face and the table where I’d spat the drink. The whole time I’m praying for the ground to swallow me up.

I guess the next best thing does occur because Bree bounces into the kitchen, looking fresh and energised for the day in lycra leggings and a stylish oversized jumper.

“Morning,” she calls across the room as she grabs a glass from the cupboard and fills it with water.

David and I return the greeting as she comes over and grabs some fruit from the bowl on the table, but doesn’t sit down.

“How’d you sleep?” she asks me. It's casual but there’s a tiny bit of assessment in her eyes as she looks at me. I’ve been worried she’s overheard my nightmares, worried I might talk or scream out loud when I cry out in my mind.

“Yeah, fine.” I keep my voice light. “You?” I ask, taking a mouthful of coffee, managing to swallow it this time.

“Good, yeah me too.” She nods slightly, hopefully accepting my answer. “I’m going to make a start on the lounge, want to help?”

“I’ll finish this coffee, then I’ll be there.

” I smile up at her. She nods again before turning on her heels and walking out, taking her breakfast with her.

Neither of my friends have raised any concerns they might have about me since I blew up at them on pizza night, but I’m sure Bree noticed I wasn’t eating any of the breakfast on offer.

“Did you really sleep ok?” David asks gently, picking up one of the croissants.

“Huh?” I shake my head to clear it.

“Did you sleep ok? I saw your light on late.”

“Yes,” I lie, “and you must’ve been up just as late if you saw my light on.”

“Busted.” He smiles over a mouthful of croissant. “I was up late finishing a project.”

He pauses chewing as I don’t immediately offer him an explanation for why I was up past midnight.

“I stayed up reading,” I say, not quite meeting his eyes. “A new novel by an author I like came out, it had me hooked.”

It was a half truth. I had been reading a gripping book, but I also hadn’t wanted to sleep because the nightmare still plagued me more nights than not. Between that and being cold, sleep had not come easy.

“As long as you’re ok, it can't have been easy these last few weeks.” He nudges my shoulder with his own. It’s too early for this conversation, I almost want the embarrassing flirting back instead.

“It wasn’t… but it’s getting better. I’m back into the swing of studying. How’s your work going?” I swiftly change the subject.

“Yeah all good. I just finished phase one of the first trial I’m leading on, and it went well. I was finishing the write up last night. If we get good enough results I should be able to publish within a year.” He jumps into telling me the details of the surgical trials he’s involved with.

We manage another few minutes of easy chat, finishing up our breakfast, before Claire’s voice rings through the house. This time it’s my name she’s hollering.

“That’s my cue,” I sigh, starting to get up.

As I swing my leg over the bench seat, however, I catch my foot, losing my balance. David’s hands immediately land on my waist to steady me before I land on top of him. Heat shoots up my skin from his touch and my cheeks blush crimson once more. How have I embarrassed myself twice in one morning?

“Sorry,” I stammer, righting myself and pulling out his grasp.

He looks up at me and our eyes meet for a moment, I feel the imprints of where his hands have just left my body. I can’t read his face but my heart thumps a little harder.

“Anytime,” he says softly.

I hussle, leaving the kitchen on quick feet.

I make it as far as the hall before running into Claire.

“Good, you’re ready to work.” She clearly doesn’t take in the fact I’m still in pyjamas, and thankfully doesn’t notice how flushed I am.

“Here, can you hang these in the lounge? Bree’s done some but we need more.” She hands me a box of decorations before dashing past me.

I get to work, hanging the tapestries Claire gave me as well as returning for my original box, forgetting all about the weird moment in the kitchen with her brother.

A few hours later we’re admiring our efforts.

The downstairs looks fantastic, if I do say so myself.

Tapestries depicting portals to the Fae realm hang on the walls, light up star constellations and bats hang from the ceiling.

There are fake cobwebs and autumnal garlands galore.

We’ve also set the smoke machine on low so a constant mist hides the floor across the main room.

With a couple of hours left before we need to get dressed up, Bree has left for a run.

Claire’s busy in the kitchen baking some on theme treats, and mixing what I’m sure is going to be some lethal punch.

She insists I will just get in the way so I grab my book from upstairs and wander to their garden room.

Whilst cold outside the underfloor heating has warmed the glass walled space to a cosy temperature. The room is filled with soft sofas, chairs and many plants. It’s my favourite place in their house to hang out. I find David in there too, staring rather intensely at his laptop.

“Oh, sorry. I can go elsewhere, I don’t want to disturb you,” I say as he hears me enter, looking up.

“Unless you’re a loud reader I think you’ll be fine.” He flashes me that grin again as he nods to the book in my hand.

“You look like you’re concentrating rather hard for a weekend.” I take a seat on the plush sofa opposite his, tucking my legs up beneath me.

“Just going through a paper I’ve got to hand in soon, editing has never been my forte and I’ve left it a bit late.” The scowl returns to his face as he looks back at his screen.

I leave him be, opening my book, as we sit in companionable silence for a while. The warmth in the room seeps into me, and before long I’m yawning, getting drowsy. I lay down on the sofa, holding my book above me, but the words are not going in.

There’s screaming, crunching metal, and my stomach roils as my body is spun violently whilst simultaneously being trapped beneath the seat belt.

I lurch again with the impact as the car crashes into the ground once more before coming to a stop.

A figure looms. Pain erupts through my arm and this time my lungs feel like they will burst with the cry that wracks my entire body.

“Aurora!” David’s voice cuts through it all, making me startle awake. “You’re dreaming, it's ok,” he soothes me. He’s abandoned his laptop and is crouched by me, his hands on my shoulders.

“I… er…” I can't form a sentence through my erratic breathing.

“Had a nightmare?” he finishes for me. He perches on the sofa beside my legs, moving one hand to my thigh, the other he puts on his own. I sit myself up as I manage to slowly nod. The sound of my book hitting the floor makes me startle again.

“Want to talk about it?” he asks. He starts brushing my thigh up and down in a comforting way. We’re close enough it's not weird he’s touching me, but I feel the heat through my jeans.

“No,” I answer a bit quickly. “But thanks for waking me. It was just a stupid dream,” I add when I see his brows furrow.

“One that was bad enough to make you scream, and to leave you crying?”

I swipe my hand over my cheeks. He’s right, there are tear tracks running down them.

Fuck , I hope my magic didn’t drop in my sleep.

“Thanks, for waking me,” I repeat, but offering nothing more. I was signed off as mentally healthy enough to return to university, I’m not risking that being revoked.

“Glad I was here to help. Are you ok now?” He offers me a small smile, lifting his free hand to brush my hair out of my face.

Ok this touch is new. I look up and meet his eyes. They’re soft with concern but I think I can recognise heat in his hazel gaze too.

“Yeah, I’m good.” I inhale deeply. He’s sitting so close, I catch his cologne.

It's woodsy and slightly metallic. My pulse spikes as I realise I like it, the metallic undertone. We continue sitting close, butterflies taking off in my stomach. I gently reach out, placing my hand over his on my thigh, needing to return the touch. I see something flash across David’s face but it's gone before I catch it.

He looks down at where his hand and mine are now touching.

He gently flips his over so we are palm to palm before entangling our fingers.

His voice is low and almost timid, “Aurora, I know now is probably terrible timing but…”

“Rory, Claire wants…” Bree comes jogging into the room, her sentence falling away as she comes to a surprised halt.

David and I spring apart.

“She fell asleep and had a nightmare, I just woke her up.” David is quick to supply, seeing the shock on Bree’s face. I guess we both look guilty of something, even though nothing happened. I think it was about to though.

“Oh. Are you ok?” Bree searches my gaze with that best friend's look. Half actual concern, half “ What the hell are you doing?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I fell asleep reading, guess I should lay off the fantasy.” I chuckle, reaching to pick up my book from the floor. David stands at my movement. “What did you want, Bree?” I ask, my voice surprisingly normal.

“Right, yes. Claire is having a meltdown over her hair, she’s trying to pin it into this up-do, I can’t do it right. Please, come help?”

“Ok, sure.” I leap up and link arms with my friend as we head across the house to the stairs. I force myself not to look back at David, pushing all wayward thoughts out of my head. This is not the time for complicated lust.

Although between David and the mystery guy maybe some fun of the sexual kind is exactly what I need.