Chapter 6

“What do you say?” I turned to him in the middle of the street.

Some people looked at me curiously, without getting to stop. An indiscreet child even pointed to me, causing his mother to be ashamed. Of course, it was not usual to see a girl screaming at a vampire in the middle of the street without any fear. I was facing him without hesitation, even when I had to raise his head to be able to look him in the eyes.

My anger could be noticed from kilometers away. Even Donovan, who used to be so cheeky, was a little surprised at my outburst, although he only lasted a couple of seconds. He did not care about the people around him, he was focused on me and in my frown that seemed to say more than a thousand words.

“The bites are pleasant, both for you and me.” He shrugged his shoulders. “In addition, you should feel flattered, little creature. You received a bite from someone like me.”

“Damn you.” I growled towards him.

“Well, you really have a dirty little mouth.”

Definitely something was wrong at that being and also with me by allowing him to be close to me.

I released a buffid, before turning to continue with my path. There was nothing seriously wrong with him, also that tone of his voice came to me sweet and sinful, I did not want me to notice that I had blushed a little. My whole body reacted to him, as if I had the strange desire to give him a silver tray.

And I would not! By the very attractive and charming that he was, I did not have time to lose with an idiot. Surely in a couple of days he would get bored and would leave me.

At least I wanted to cling to that idea.

I ignored him the rest of the way to the bookstore. I was not far from the school, so I always enjoyed the road. With the exception of this time, since a vampire had endeavored to get on my way. The boss smiled at me, relieved. Apparently, the other girl could not come and we were somewhat short staffed.

The boss was a kind lady who was about fifty-year-old. Her hair was starting to cover gray and she had one that another wrinkle on her face. Her eyes were blue, bright and full of kindness. She used to be a friend of my mother, before she got sick.

“Juliet, luckily you’ve arrived,” she exclaimed, relieved. “I almost went crazy.”

“Excuse me for the delay.” I observed Donovan to enter, as if it were the most natural act of the world for him to invade my space. “I take care of everything here, go to rest.”

She smiled gratefully, before retiring to her office. Anne, the boss, detested attending to people. She did not support people who did not understand her explanations, much less when it came to customers who she should respect. She was very kind, but she used to explain well. From what she was exasperated and she should bite her tongue from time to time.

That’s why she announced she preferred to organize the library completely, rather than stay at the counter.

I settled in my place, reviewing the book of annotations in case something was missing. I had to have the books reserved nearby, in case the clients went on to look for them.

I had a quiet time when Donovan leaned on the counter, looking carefully at everything he did.

“It’s a better place than the other,” he commented after a while.

“Do you want to start from here?”

“No.”

I rolled my eyes at his response. I definitely did not understand it. Why should someone like him be pursuing me? Could he get lost with my sight? And most importantly … What did he want from me?

I did not understand his attitude and did not understand what was happening with him. I wanted him to leave, return to normal.

But every time I saw him, something in my chest hurt. Something told me that he was much more important than I should allow him to be in my life.

Damn meddling vampire.

“Do not insult me in your mind, at least have the decency to tell it straight to my face,” he complained.

-You can read my mind?” I panic.

“I do not,” he explained. “It shows in your expression.”

Damn.

Yes, I knew it was too rude, I had been infected after working a couple of months at a gas station. The boys who worked there used to curse every two and had some improper ones of the most interest. Although I had tried to maintain a neutral language, the reality was that it became simpler to adapt to them.

It was not my fault.

“Get lost. Do not intervene in my work.”

“If you need money,” he began seriously, something I was not used to, despite a short time knowing him, “I can help you.”

“Do not get involved in my damn affairs.”

“Do not be proud,” he seemed exasperated. “You have not even heard my proposal and you are already complaining.”

“And what is your proposal?” I raised an eyebrow in his direction.

It was fortunate that customers were far from us. In fact, there were hardly a couple of people in the place. And the boss was headed to her office, eager to stay away from the counter as much as possible.

“Come and live with me.” He spoke so seriously that he left me stunned.

“Not in your dreams,” I refused, interrupting him.

He got mad. I noticed the exact moment when Donovan left that friendly façade and disinterested. Fear left me petrified, especially when his eyes were no longer black, it turn from the purest crimson.

Scary.

It was like a reminder that I was not dealing with an ordinary man, but a vampire. A bloodsucker.

“All right, Juliet. I will not be like an idiot after your ass if you’re so annoyed by it. Do what you want. You have not even let me speak or explain everything to maintain the façade of a tough and independent girl. You think I do not know? You’re so vulnerable like a rose, by more thorns you insist on placing around you.”

“You do not know anything about me,” I spat, though he had hit the mark.

“I know more than you think.”

He left the room, leaving me alone and confused.

What the hell happened to this man?

“Juliet.” Jake called my attention.

He found me in the kitchen, preparing dinner. I took a couple of days without knowing anything about that bipolar vampire, though I usually found a red rose, always with their thorns, at my door. It did not take a genius to know that it was Donovan, but I tried not to think about it.