Chapter 1

Travis’ POV

I was feeling guilty from still being hung up over Julia. I went to a bar, my new nightly habit, and searched for someone to ease the pain. Many women approached me, but none seemed interesting enough. Until she walked in. I couldn’t hear her thoughts, and I was intrigued. She wasn’t a vampire, so she couldn’t have flipped her switch.

I approached the young blonde woman with blue eyes and introduced myself.

“I’m Travis, what’s your name?” I asked her.

“I’m Tiffany.” She said bored.

“Do you want to get out of here?” I asked her excitedly.

She looked me up and down and said, “no.”

I couldn’t believe my ears; she just rejected me. She walked away, her ass swaying in her tight jeans and I stood there in shock.

When I came to my senses, I hunted her down again. I wasn’t used to being rejected.

In fact, she was the first woman to ever tell me no when I propositioned them.

“Tiffany.” I called to her.

 She looked back and sighed. “I told you I’m not interested.”

“But why?” I asked.

“I’m not here for a fuck; I’m here for a husband.” She answered simply.

I didn’t want to let her go. She was too interesting in this mundane life so I said, “I’ll be your husband.”

“I’m being serious.” She said.

“So am I.” I answered.

She looked me up and down again and said, “I guess you’ll do.”

I smiled down at her, eager to know the woman whose thoughts I couldn’t hear.

“Why are you looking for a husband?” I asked her, trying to get to know her.

“I’m trying to take over my father’s company and he won’t pass it down until I am married. He is too old school.” She told me.

“I see.” I answered.

“We just need to be married for at least one year and then you’ll be free to go, okay?” She said.

“If that’s what you want.” I replied.

For the first time since she walked in, I saw her smile.

“For one year, you can’t have any extramarital affairs. We also won’t be sleeping together.” She told me.

I stood there with my mouth agape, no sex for a year?

“Is that a problem?” She asked.

“Um, no. No problem.” I told her.

“Good. Let’s go.” She started walking off and I ran after her like a lost puppy.

I was eager to start this new adventure with Tiffany. I needed to know why I couldn’t hear her thoughts. I needed to know everything.

Tiffany’s POV

He was a bit too eager for my liking, but he was the first person to agree to my terms. He was tall and very handsome with black hair and violet eyes. He must’ve been shocked when I first told him no. A man that looks like that can have any woman he wants.

A year would pass by quickly. We would move in together but sleep in separate beds. He couldn’t have any affairs because my father would find out and it would ruin everything. I of course wouldn’t be sleeping with anyone either. I had too much work to do to worry about something as trivial as sex. I was told by many that I was a workaholic and that was fine by me. I didn’t need another person to be satisfied in life.

Besides, nobody wants a twenty-five-year-old virgin. I’ve just never been interested in sex; I’ve never felt that spark. I resorted myself to the fact that I would never feel it with someone.

We would kiss at the wedding and that would be it. Maybe hold hands in public.

Travis followed me happily as we went out to my car.

“Don’t you want to take your own car?” I asked him.

“You’re right.” He laughed before he found it and got in to follow me.

We went to an all-night diner, and I began to lay out the plan I had so meticulously constructed. It had everything from our first date, the first time we kissed, when we first had sex, how he proposed. I planned out everything.

“You need to study this in case anyone questions us.” I told him.

“Yes, ma’am.” He answered.

“You can’t mess this up.” I told him.

“What’s in it for me?” He asked slyly.

“One million dollars.” I knew he would ask eventually what he would gain. He’d be a fool to not expect something in return.

“I see.” He replied and he got to work studying the plan.

I sat back in my seat and smiled. If all goes well, I’ll soon have the company and we’ll be out of each others’ hairs in one year. It was the perfect plan.

Matthew’s POV

Tiffany was my best friend. Though I always wanted more, she never gave me a second glance. I knew everything about her, so I was shocked when she told me she was engaged.

“Who?” I questioned her.

“His name is Travis; you don’t know him.” She answered.

“How long have you two been seeing each other?” I asked.

“Six months.” She answered without missing a beat.

Something was off. I was certain she would’ve mentioned him before now.

“I don’t believe you.” I told her.

She held out her hand where there was a shiny diamond ring.

“I see.” I felt my mood grow sour. How could I have missed this?

“I need to meet him.” I told her. I needed to see the man that finally caught her attention.

“You’ll meet him at the engagement party next week.” She said to me.

I gave her a weak smile. I wanted to be happy for her, but I couldn’t. I started to assume the man was after her money; she was extraordinarily rich. That had to be it. I just needed to prove to her he was after her money.

Travis’ POV

I studied the plan Tiffany gave me and had to admit it was very well thought out. The idea was that I was a very private person from a notable family far away and we kept our relationship on the down low on purpose. We had met at a coffee shop on the corner of Main and 7th street in downtown and hit it off. I had asked for her number and a week later we started dating. Six months later I proposed in Galveston by the beach. Now next week, we were supposed to have our engagement party where I would meet her friends and family. This was the first test, and I had to impress.

Tiffany thought I was in it for the money, but I didn’t need her money, I had money. A lot of money. Being a vampire gives you time to save up. My only problem was I just didn’t know how I was going to survive without sex. It’s too bad she said we couldn’t have it either. She was beautiful and I wanted her.

I called my daughter Susie to tell her that I was getting married.

“No way!” She told me dramatically over the phone.

“Does she know you’re a vampire?” She asked.

“Not yet, I’ll tell her soon.” I told her.

I wouldn’t tell her soon, but Susie didn’t need to know that.

I could hear her telling her husband Luis the news I just gave her.

“Congratulations dad, I was worried you’d never find a woman to settle down with.”

“You’re exaggerating.” I told her.

“Anyway, I have to go, love you.” She told me.

“Love you too kiddo.” I hung up the phone and stared at the ceiling. I found my thoughts wandering to Julia. I missed her, but she was happily married to my best friend James. I never stood a chance with her.

I’d have to hide Susie’s existence for awhile, after all she was 24 now and I was pretending to be 30. The math didn’t add up. In reality I was 105 years old.

Susie’s mother was a human and had no interest in turning into a vampire. She ended up passing away during childbirth. Jenna was my soul bond which is a soulmate for vampires. After her, I never had interest in another woman until Julia. Julia was beautiful, smart and amazing. But she was my best friend’s woman.

Julia was set to marry James and Luis but the day they came to deliver the news, Luis soul bonded with my daughter Susie, and he left Julia to be with her.

Luis and Susie had the perfect marriage and the perfect family. They’ve had no disagreements and honestly, they’re so perfect together it can make one sick.

I found my thoughts wandering to Tiffany. I had no idea why I couldn’t hear her thoughts, and it made me nervous yet excited.

Normally, if I can’t read a vampire’s thoughts, it meant they flipped their switch. That occurs when they shut off their emotions due to severe distress. Julia flipped her switch once when James left her and we had a wild love affair, but I couldn’t make her fall in love with me. Instead, she fell in love with Luis, and he broke through to her, bringing back her emotions.

I knew that Tiffany wasn’t a vampire, so it made no sense why I couldn’t hear what she was thinking. I needed to know more about her.