Chapter 4

Charlotte

The community dance was a success. I had ensured they had good quality catering and plenty of alcohol. It was always funny to see my Gran steaming. I'd bought new decorations and hired a karaoke DJ for the event. It made me happy to see them all have fun. I saw Kathy snogging the face off her new boyfriend in the corner. At least there would be no unexpected pregnancies tonight.

"Lottie, yae did ah grand job tonight," Granny said, coming to stand beside me with a glass of sherry in her hand. "Why don't yae relax and get yerself ah drink?"

"Aye, that's not a bad idea," I said. Now that all the setup was done, I could relax.

"Allow me," A man's deep voice said.

I froze on the spot when I saw the bloodsucker.

"Oh, Samuel, yae made it. This is ma grandwean I was telling yae aboot. Charlotte, this is Samuel," she said, stabbing me with her bony elbow when I didn't respond.

He wasn't wearing the tailored suit I remembered him in. He had blended in by wearing black denims with a shirt and a sweater. His dark hair was slicked back, and there wasn't a hint of red in his dark, mesmerising eyes. I tore my eyes away from him to look at my half-cut, crazy grandmother.

"How dae yae know him? Why would yae set me up like this?" I hissed at her.

"Because yer no gettin' seen to. That's why yer so tense. Look at you, all ragin. Kathy Bailey is getting fingered in the corner, and she is almost seventy," she whispered loudly. "If I wuz yer age—"

"I'll have a double Glasgow punch," I said quickly to Samuel so he would fuck off and not listen to the senile filth coming out my granny's mouth.

He grinned like a pretend human before he turned towards the bar.

"Wut huv yae done? He-he could be a serial killer," I stuttered, knowing for a fact that he was a bloodsucking killer.

"Am no doolally. I've been seeing him for a few weeks. He comes around and sees everyone. Am surprised you've no heard aboot the newcomer," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "I mean, look at that cute arse."

I followed her gaze to Samuel, who stood at the bar, and I swallowed nervously while I ogled his ass.

What was he doing here? I needed to call Holly.

"I'm just going to the loo, Gran," I said and ran out of the hall.

I ran outside, ignoring the howling wind, and called Holly.

"Holly, Samuel is in Elgin. What is he doing here? He has been seeing ma Gran for a while, and he has just turned up at a local dance," I blurted out as soon as she answered.

"Uh, hold on, let me put Holly on," Alexander said.

"Hey, Charlotte. I was wondering when he would make an appearance," she said, sounding breathless.

I pulled the phone back, and it was only a little after nine. It seemed everyone was getting some action except for me. I almost gagged, thinking of Kathy getting fingered by her new man.

"Sorry to, um interrupt you, but why is he here?"

"The same way I am Alexander's mate, you are Samuel's. I didn't want to say anything to you before, but since he is on the scene—stop it," she said before she began to giggle.

I stood rooted to the ground at her words. When her words finally sank in, I glanced at the community centre door because all I wanted to do was run away and hide.

"I-I will call you tomorrow," I said shakily before I hung up.

I rubbed my bare arms before my anger took over. He had been cosying up to my Gran to get access to me, and Granny hadn't said a word about him either. For all I knew, he had used his voodoo tricks on ma Gran.

I sighed because I knew running away wasn't an option. I stomped back towards the main doors and yanked the door open with more force than was required. When I got back to my Gran, he was standing beside her with my drink. I took it off him and drained it before handing it back to him.

My Granny was looking at me in shock. I wasn't a heavy drinker like her and her son. She smiled at me with a sly look on her face.

"That's the spirit, hen," she said with a cackle. "Sadie, let's dance."

She put her glass on the table and walked towards Sadie Walker, who stood with a group of people.

"How dare you use my grandmother in—whatever the fuck this is?" I snapped at him as soon as she was out of hearing distance.

He frowned at me.

"You don't like me helping the community? I've enjoyed their company immensely."

My eyes widened at his blatant lie.

"Of course you do. How many of them did yae use as a pin cushion?"

He coughed and covered his hand over his mouth. My irritation only increased when I saw that he was laughing at me.

"I swear I haven't taken a single drop of blood from those delightful ladies," he said once he managed to control himself while placing a hand on his heart, and I glanced up at his face.

"Do you have a heart?" I murmured.

He put my glass on the table and moved towards me, but I automatically moved backwards.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Charlotte. I may not have a beating heart like yours, but in all my years as a vampire, you're the only person to evoke emotions within me."

"Aye, good for you. You can leave me alone now," I said warily because I wasn't about to fall for his patter.

"I've got nothing but time, Charlotte. I'm not going anywhere," he said solemnly. "Plus, your grandmother is adamant that I ask you out for a date."

I snorted.

"Yae best start going to church wae yer band of senior citizen women and start praying then," I said before walking off.

I was only two steps away when I felt his hand on my stomach and his body against mine.

"Oh, Charlotte. I've been praying every night of when I can sink inside your hot little pussy for weeks," he whispered in my ear. "I'm going to savour every inch of you, my sweet," he said as he held my hip with his other hand.

I swallowed hard and glanced at my Gran, who was dancing with Sadie but smirking at me. He suddenly inhaled hard against my neck, and my body stiffened as I felt his cock harden behind me.

"I can smell your sweet wet cunt, Charlotte. I'm so fucking hungry for you."

I gasped at his words, but I pulled away from him when I remembered Duncan.

"You're no better than Duncan," I said flatly, but I felt the heat in my face because his words had turned me on. I would be having stern words with Holly tomorrow. She could have given me the heads-up.

He grabbed my wrist as I tried to walk away.

"He was an evil bastard."

"And you're no?" I asked incredulously.

"Not completely."

I shook my head and pulled my wrist away from his hand. Once I was free, I didn't look back. I said goodnight to my grandmother and left.