Chapter 16

La Caz senior.




Jennifer texted me to ask whether or not I made it home all right last night. She also mentioned that she could barely walk this morning; she’d hooked up with a gorgeous fairy. At least she had a good time, but I still needed to find out if she saw anyone suspicious hanging around our table during the party.
I took a shower and thought about Nathaniel again. Technically, we worked together, and he was a vampire—well, half vampire, but I wanted him. I couldn’t do anything to change this, but dating him would have been a mistake, in the eyes of my family at least.
When the clock indicated it was seven, I was ready. I decided to wear a fitted black dress that hung just above my knees and I didn’t overdo the makeup. I was nervous, but excited at the same time. Here we go. My first official date with Nathaniel La Caz.
“Beautiful, as always.” He eyed me from head to toe, then stepped out of the car to open my door for me. I decided to stop overthinking everything. He looked good in a black shirt and grey jacket. His skin seemed paler right now. I wondered how long it had been since he drank from a human. I had to try to have a good time and stop worrying about what was going on. It was seriously unhealthy.
“Thank you, Mr. La Caz. May I ask where we’re going?” I asked with a smile.
“It’s a surprise.”
He switched on the radio and soon, we were both lost in our own thoughts. We were going to have plenty to talk about during dinner. At least, I hoped we were going to eat. I hadn’t eaten anything since a quick snack in the afternoon. Nathaniel parked the car in one of the underground car parks. He made a phone call and within five minutes, I spotted Roberto walking towards us.
“Good evening, Mr. La Caz. What time should I be available?”
“I’ll call you, Roberto. I’m not sure how long we’re going to be out.” Nathaniel handed him the keys, then Roberto nodded to both of us.
We were walking beside each other, and I had an incredible urge to take his hand, but I forced my energy away. I thought it was safer if we didn’t touch just yet.
It was Sunday night, a few days before Christmas; I spotted a lot of well-dressed women and men having a pre-festive drink. Everything seemed to be alive; the people, clubs, bars, and restaurants were inviting. The temperature was below zero, but I was too excited to think about cold weather.
“This way.” Nathaniel guided me towards the restaurant. Inside, a werewolf showed us to our table. Nathaniel told me he was hungry, so we didn’t waste a lot of time. As soon as our food arrived, we ate quickly. We talked a little about his business and how he obtained his fortune at such a young age. It turned out that his father helped him invest in his first company after Nathaniel graduated from university.
After dinner, we left, and he took me to the Onyx nightclub; one of the paranormal clubs where humans couldn’t enter. Everyone was checked at the entrance by two well-built giants. All evening, Nathaniel didn’t touch me, and I was happy with this arrangement. However, when we approached the entrance, he put his hand on the small of my back and I felt energy start pulsing inside me and my fingertips buzzed with magic.
“Mr. La Caz, welcome,” the bigger giant said, smiling, letting us through. There was a long queue on the other side and a few vampires gave us an irritated stare.
“William, good to see you,” La Caz said as we entered. He took me upstairs through the dark neon lights; the soothing music was floating around the space. The club was busy. I had never been in this place before and was amazed at the amount of magic that was illuminated throughout. I spotted a few witches who were talking fiercely; the air around them was permeated with spells. Every kind of paranormal creature was here. A few vampires standing at the bar were nodding towards La Caz. A few fairies, elves, and witches turned as we were passing by.
We reached the stairs, where I noticed another giant standing behind the sign that said it was a VIP area. The giant didn’t even say anything when we approached; he just let us in.
“Impressive,” I whispered when we were walking up the stairs. On the second floor, there was another bar with comfortable sofas. I spotted a number of wizards who were chatting and having a quiet drink at the bar.
“This way,” Nathaniel said, then we approached a man in his forties. He was sitting on a large sofa, talking to a young witch who seemed to be around my age. I gasped when I looked at his face.
“Julia, may I introduce you to my father, Philip La Caz.” I was right; the similarities were extraordinary. The vampire rose to his feet. I noticed sandy hair and the same long nose. His eyes were darker, nearly black. It was Nathaniel La Caz, just older and bigger. He smiled, showcasing a faint scar on his forehead. “Father, this is Julia Taylor, my date.”
“It’s such a pleasure meeting you,” Philip said in a thick French accent. He took my hand and kissed it. I couldn’t help but giggle.
“Hello, Mr. La Caz.”
“Violet, please leave us,” La Caz Senior ordered, and the witch with pink hair vanished.
Nathaniel asked me to sit down. “What would you like to drink?”
“I don’t know. If you can just choose a cocktail for me please, that would be great.”
“For you, Father?”
“I’m all right, son. I’ll have a chat with your lovely friend here,” Philip replied, waving his hand. Nathaniel disappeared, and I was left alone with La Caz Senior. I should have guessed that La Caz was partly French, but it was still a surprise. After all, it’s not every day you meet a vampire who happens to be the father of your date. “So, Julia, you have elf blood in you?”
“Yes, my father is a full-blooded elf and my mum is human. I'm not advanced with magic, Mr. La Caz,” I replied, admiring his strong features. He was pale, and I was aware that he kept glancing at my neck.
“Interesting. I rarely meet a magical creature who married a human. I have to say, I'm also surprised seeing you with my son. I hope he is behaving.’
“So far, he’s been a gentleman.”
“How did you two meet?”
“I work for Paranormal Personnel and only recently, we started supplying people to Nathaniel’s factory.”
“The employment agency? Great. I was always impressed with that business. Well, I'm not surprised he asked you out. Your scent is intoxicating. I hope you don’t mind me saying so,” he said, smiling again. I laughed.
“I’ve been told,” I muttered. “So, Mr. La Caz, is it not strange seeing your son getting older as the years pass by?”
Philip didn’t respond right away. He pursed his lips and then said, “I’ve offered to turn him many times, but he always refuses. Maybe I will never understand, but I think he likes being part human.”
I narrowed my eyes, studying his face. Before I could ask any more, Nathaniel returned, holding a large pink cocktail.
“I hope my father isn’t bothering you with insensitive questions.” He glanced from me to Philip, then sat next to me.
“So far, I found out that you don’t want to become a full-fledged vampire.”
His lips curved in a smile and he took a sip of his whiskey. “Immortality doesn’t appeal to me,” he said, not taking his eyes off me. I felt desire dancing inside me.
“See? I tried to talk him out of this, but he doesn’t want to listen. His mother was the same—stubborn—and she never listened to anyone, especially to me,” Philip joked, patting Nathaniel on the back.
“Is your accent French?” I asked, ignoring the magical pulsation on my skin; his body was brushing against mine, sending powerful vibrations to my mind.
“Yes, I was born in Marseille,” Phillip replied. “I met his mother, Beatrice, in London. We got married when we were young, and I never went back. But my surname is Spanish. I think my mother’s father was Spanish. He was in the Army in France.”
I sipped some of my Cosmopolitan, feeling that Nathaniel had a rich history. I was curious to ask how his father became a vampire, but I decided against it. Maybe this wasn’t the right time. Nathaniel was still looking at me, drinking his whiskey. This was highly dangerous, being around two vampires who were craving my scent, but surprisingly, I wasn’t afraid. They made me feel comfortable and safe.
“Father travels to France often,” Nathaniel said. “Sometimes we go together. I have a lot of business contacts up there. French vampires are more patient when it comes to blood.”
Philip’s eyes moved above my shoulder and he stood from his seat. “Unfortunately, I have to leave you, my dearests. I forgot that I was going to meet a skilled witch for dinner five minutes ago,” La Caz Senior said suddenly. “Keep her close, son; she is quite the distraction.”
He gave me a quick, unexpected cold kiss on the cheek, then he was gone. I was taken aback by his sudden disappearance, but now I was alone with Nathaniel.
“You must forgive my father; his manners can be confusing sometimes.”
“He seems nice. I wasn’t expecting to meet him tonight,” I said, aware that Nathaniel’s body was closer than before.
“I’m glad he’s gone,” he whispered, drawing his face towards mine. “Because now, I can finally kiss you.”
His lips were only a couple of inches from mine and I shivered, waiting in anticipation for him to touch me. He inhaled, then closed his eyes.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself if I kiss you.” His voice was just above a whisper. A tiny jolt of electricity shot through my belly, then down between my legs.
“I don’t care. I want you to kiss me,” I said, barely opening my mouth. He opened his eyes and I could see my own reflection in them.
“You’re brave, Julia.” He moved away, drawing a long rasping breath.
My mind spun, and disappointment swept over me. Then in a fraction of a second, Nathaniel was beside me again, covering my mouth with his own. He wove his fingers through my hair, drawing me closer to him. My lips parted under his and he deepened the kiss, taking my breath away. His tongue slipped into my mouth. The tingling of magical current travelled up my arms, lifting my skin into tiny goosebumps, and spread across my neck, tensing the muscles in my core and hips. Then I felt his fangs extend in his mouth. I panicked, and he pushed me away.
When I looked at him, his chest was rising and falling; he was drawing long breaths, and his fangs were hidden again. The kiss was mind-blowing and the magic inside me was bursting.
“Have I done something wrong?” I asked, my voice hoarse. He ran his hand through his sandy hair and drank the rest of his whiskey.
“No, but until I have you in my bed, this will continue to happen.” His tone was husky, making me want more, if only another kiss.
I blushed and sipped some of my cocktail.
I wasn’t going to sleep with him tonight. I didn’t think that was a good idea at all, but no one in my life had ever created that kind of energy inside me.
“I need a minute in the ladies’ room.” I stood from my seat and he nodded. My legs were wobbly when I walked; I was wearing my killer heels. A lot of vampires were staring at me. The bartender was a mermaid, and when I passed through, he shook his head as if he were trying to tell me that I was a fool. I didn’t care.
“Julia, what do you think you’re doing?”
I was frozen on the spot when I recognised the voice. I turned around and saw Jasper scowling at me. The tiny voice in my head told me to continue walking and get into the ladies’ room as fast as I could, but I couldn’t move.
“Jasper,” I gasped.
“What the fuck are you doing here with that vampire?” He approached me; his eyes were mad, gleaming with fury like the time he’d accused me of cheating on him with my work colleague. I stepped back, petrified.
“I told you to leave me alone, Jasper. What’s wrong with you? I don’t need to explain myself to you,” I fumed, clenching my fists.
“Julia, is there a problem?” Nathaniel asked, appearing next to me.
Just breathe. He’s going to go away.
“What would your father say if he saw you with that bloodsucker?” Jasper ranted, and a spark of electricity shot through his hair.
Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped towards Jasper. “I don’t care who you are or what you’re doing here, but this lady is with me. So, I suggest you leave. Otherwise, these other vampires and I won’t be so understanding.”
Nathaniel’s voice was like ice and I felt the presence of a few vampires drawing closer. Just a second ago, this floor was empty and now, we were surrounded. Jasper looked livid, but he was obviously aware of the threat. He was unpredictable, and I knew that he was waiting to pick another fight.
“I’ll get a restraining order if I have to, Jasper. We are not together anymore. Just leave,” I snapped. My voice was trembling.
“If you traded me for a vampire, then you’re a fool. Everyone knows that will never work,” he barked, but Nathaniel and two other vampires stepped towards him, their faces ashen, fangs extended.
He must have changed his mind about a fight because he shot Nathaniel a sharp look, turned, and then walked away.
Everyone’s eyes were watching him until he was gone. My heart was beating like crazy and I wanted to run as well. This was so humiliating. My damn stalking ex-boyfriend wizard found me again.