Living With the Supernatural Read online

  Living with the Supernatural

  Book 3 of the Hidden World Series

  Copyright © 2020 Francheska Fifield

  Cover design by Averi Hope Designs

  Editor Corey Brooks

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 1

  We don’t bother disconnecting our hands. Who cares? No one really believes we are not lovers and we have made it clear no matter the status of our relationship no one has a right to give a damn.

  "Is dad still teaching gym or did he back out and let someone else take control?"

  I am afraid to ask…mostly because I am sure I know the answer. He would never give up on a commitment; even if our lives have changed forever…mine not his technically. Still, I am his daughter that has to count for something!

  "You know he is. Mom was having a fit about him being here without her. She says he should have been watching us closer. She begged him to switch but he refused."

  "Poor mom."

  "She put in an application for the headmaster."

  "Please no."

  He shrugs.

  "Guess we will see. I don't think it will happen. She said she could have long-time employees cover most of the business, but with a lot of them being werewolves and they and the vampires on shaky ground…well, I’m not sure grandfather would allow it."

  "Since when has she ever listened to her father?"

  "Since he told her she had chosen a true daughter. He likes you; he cannot wait to invite you to court. Now that we are bonded and everyone knows it you will be safer there than anywhere. No one would touch the pet of a prince."

  He is flustered at using the term pet because he and mother hate it so badly. I know what he means. We have agreed I am his keeper; I will keep him grounded in a world where so many go insane. Never being able to stay in the human world long because of the slower aging process would drive anyone insane and vampires, despite saying otherwise, seem to crave humanity…and not just their blood. I can prevent that from happening to Al. He, in turn, will protect me as I work towards worldwide peace between the supernaturals. It is a give and take.

  "So, are we going?"

  " At some point during a break or summer, more likely the later so we can stay longer. If you are okay with it. Mother doesn’t want to force you."

  "Sure, I would be glad to meet grandpa in a non-official capacity."

  "Grandpa?"

  "Yeah. In his last letter, he told me to call him grandpa if we aren't talking through official channels."

  Al looks at me like the world has just broken in half. Is that a bad thing? I thought it was good that Mom's dad accepted me. It went a long way towards making me feel comfortable in their world.

  "If you hug him in front of the court, I am not sure he will ever be respected again."

  I hadn't thought of that. "I will refrain oh mighty boss man."

  I get the feeling he doesn’t believe me but I am not wasting time arguing it now.

  "And here is our new dorm."

  "Remember to show me later how to get here. I wasn’t paying any attention."

  Al lets go of my hand and holds the door for me. The décor is not nearly as dark and vampirish as I expected.

  "I gave them blue and green to work with. Sorry, but I cannot live in a room painted purple."

  I have to laugh. Lucky for him my backup fave colors are green and blue. It has a very peaceful feel; kind of like sitting by a lake in the woods on a warm summer day. The wood pieces around the room are light and golden. Despite Al despising the thought of a purple room, the couches have throw blankets and pillows in a dark purple and deep red.

  "Hey, what's with all the rocks…?"

  "Amber. I dislike gold. Therefore, they chose to ditch the gold and use amber. Since that has to be my preference since my pet has the name…"

  "Oh my god, could they have been any lamer with that obviousness?"

  "Yes, because vampires are known for subtly."

  "Okay point you."

  We both unpack and continue talking about anything but the elephant in the room…Al feeding and me being the blood bag.

  "Early dinner and bed. I am so exhausted."

  Mom has been worried and since we now have a suite of rooms instead of a shared single bedroom. She went overboard to the point that she has an IV and two mini-fridges in our room. Both for me. One stocked with water, cold coffee drinks, and late-night study goodies. The other is filled with blood. My blood type of course, as close to a perfect match without actually coming from me.

  So, if Al loses it and overfeeds, I can easily replenish it. She will be getting us new blood before it expires and the unused stuff, which I hope to be all of it, will go to the cafeteria as extra snacks for the vamps…my life people.

  Al will eat his normal human food in the cafeteria, but instead of getting blood from them twice a week he will get it from me. I get that he likes to wait so he can stockpile his munchies into two bigger snacks a week, but that is so changing. He can’t drink that much from me at once.

  "Agreed. Remind me to make mother unpack for us next year if she insists on this much useless junk."

  I am not sure mom considers it useless, but Al is a bare necessities kind of guy. I am all for minimal, but sometimes you just have to go all out. I appreciate that our room has a small kitchen so after having my neck sucked on, I can refuel…get that iron count back up.

  "Mom left a dietary suggestion list here, and stocked the fridge and freezer with things high in iron, calcium, and carbs."

  "So, we don't even need to go to the cafeteria to eat now? Is she refilling it or do we need to do that?"

  "Her note says it's for me before or after feeding, whichever route I want to take, or both even. She will refill it and Alastair is to keep out of it."

  She didn’t say that."

  He grabs the paper skimming over it as I try not to laugh. He crumples it up and tosses it towards the trash so annoyed the perfectionist in him doesn’t even care when it doesn’t land in the basket. Floor litter…how will he ever survive?

  "How about I whip us up a couple of steaks? We need to keep your iron levels up."

  "Sure. I will cut up some veggies and make a salad. The iron from produce absorbs into the body more efficiently than that of meat. Though there is the protein aspect, and I will probably need that too…should I get some prenatal vitamins or something? I feel like I need some super vitamins."

  "They make the blood taste artificial. I won't feed often and if we can keep you healthy naturally that’s better. If you feel even the least bit weak though let me know and mom will pick up vitamins for you. No one will look at someone her age grabbing pregnant woman vitamins as odd…though they might when she doesn’t show after a few months."

  I laugh trying to figure out how she would explain that to a human cashier. It’d be hilarious to be a fly on the wall that day. I so need to help Heather find a spell to change form…not that she can use it being a junk witch.

  "So we are blatantly ignoring mother's rules about the kitchen food?"

  Al's look makes me swallow my smile, or pretend I am and pull out the things for the salad. Al tenderizes the steaks, seasons them, and starts cooking. He pulls his off while it is rare and continues cooking mine to a happy medium. A medium steak makes me more yummy tasting than a well-done one would. I read a book about it over the month-long break. Fiona gave it to me so I could be prepared for my new role.
br />   It’s been a process and the book has helped. Al and I have both adapted…though his adaption has turned me into a porcelain doll ready to break at any second. Let's just say Fergus has taken over most of my training.

  "So, do you want to eat before bed?"

  "I am eating."

  To prove his childish point, he shoves a big piece of steak in his mouth ignoring what I am saying. Yes, this helps him go longer without blood but he has been having a hard time feeding. Mom and I made him twice a week, but she said daily would be better. Not only would he be stronger but if it is every day it can be the amount of a sip of water and be done.

  The problem is Al hates feeding off me. He is worried about hurting me. That’s what he says. Fiona and I know the truth. He feels awkward about my response. I get turned on…a lot. Take my word for it you do not know embarrassment until your adoptive family hears their son sucking your blood while you moan and beg for more. Oh yeah, it happened. Fergus still can’t look me in the eye and since I am his bridge between the humans and himself in class, I can only imagine that will work out well. I can hear the questions now. The gossip mill is already having a field day as is.

  "Al it's been two weeks since you fed. You know Fiona said that wasn’t good for you…"

  "She is wrong. I am fine."

  "Oh, I can tell. Your sunny disposition will cheer up kids for miles. One look at that smile and everyone will think they died and went to heaven."

  He shoots me a death glare, which I can tell he doesn’t mean, before ignoring me for his steak. "Too much?"

  After a few moments of not responding, I am fed up. I take the knife but instead of cutting my steak, I slash my hand. I flinch, damn that hurt.

  Al is instantly taking the knife away from me. His eyes are tinted a bit but he is still in control. That bodes well for me not needing that IV.

  "Well, at least you are listening now."

  He sits on the floor leaning his head against my legs but still holding my bleeding hand.

  "It's hard. Thinking of you as food."

  "Can't say that makes me unhappy." Who wants to be thought of as dinner? I seriously do not want to be the cow of the human world.

  "No Amber. It's not like that. I know human blood is my food. I respect the humans that choose to donate blood to feed us, but I am not an idiot. I know we need it to live and you all are, on some level, food. It's because it is you. I don’t want to ruin the family you have turned us all into."

  "This won't ruin that. It will just ensure you guys are stuck with me for as long as you live."

  "That’s not why I am upset. I am glad. It wasn’t just mom worrying about losing you to time. I didn’t want to either. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through sanely, to be honest."

  I rub my non-bloody hand through his hair. He only ever keeps it loose in private when no one but the family is around and since becoming bonded I find he is often soothed by the motion.

  "So, your family becoming your pet is weird or the fact that you and mom don't have to grieve for me is weird. You aren't worried about dying and taking me with you, are you? Because I am one hundred percent, sure we can kick anyone's ass that messes with us."

  He snorts and chuckles using one finger to get my falling blood and licking it off. He will need to heal me because one this hurt, and two I am not walking around with a knife cut on my palm. For now, I let him continue like this. He grabs the knife and licks all the blood off it and I feel a spasm of pleasure spread through him.

  "Al are you upset because you enjoy drinking from me?"

  "Partly."

  "The other part is you enjoy how I react. It's biology. I am good prey. Your instincts know it can get everything it needs from me."

  He squeezes my hand and I freeze. That hurt. He feels my flinch and loosens his hand but doesn’t let go. He brings my hand to his mouth and takes a deep breath.

  "It's not a hunter's instinct Amber. It’s the instinct of a male in heat with a woman in heat."

  He licks my hand all around the wound getting the escaped blood off me. Even that much contact has my skin tingling with pleasure. My face feels hot, my body tight with anticipation.

  "It’s the fact that my body wants yours. When you moan, I want to rip your clothes off and bury myself deep inside you."

  He licks over the wound this time and I am instantly wet and moaning. Everything he just said sounds great to my body. But some part of my mind knows how terrible it must be for him to feel that kind of attraction to me, someone that is family. I hold on to that part.

  "It’s the fact that every time you get wet and needy, I know it's because you and I are thinking the same thing and I want to give in, but I can't. Because that would break your trust. It would be taking advantage of you and I don’t want to do that."

  He puts his tongue in my wound and I almost come. It rasps over the wound healing it up and leaving me a sopping mess. He lets go of my hand and leaves the room going into the bathroom. It is lucky they make these quarters with vampires in mind because as hard as he slammed the door it would have shattered a normal one.

  I hear the shower come on and rouse myself enough to clean up the remains of dinner. I keep myself occupied thoroughly cleaning the dishes and getting ready for my shower.

  As soon as Al comes out, I flee almost as fast as he did and scrub myself with the special stuff Fiona bought me. It takes away the smell of arousal but everyone will know he has fed and I have wiped my scent for a reason. Life is a trade-off and this is no different.

  I come out and realize something else. One bed, a big ass double king sure, but still only one. Damn everyone for thinking all vamps sleep with their pets…and damn our bodies for trying to prove them right.

  I crawl into the bed and don’t do the smart thing. I could have stayed on my side and slept. I can’t let the night end with a fight though. It is dark but I can sense Al so I slide over and tap him.

  "Go to sleep Amber."

  "Al, I don’t want us to go to sleep angry."

  He sighs and pushes and pulls at the edge of the blanket fidgeting for what has to be the first, second tops, time ever.

  "I'm not mad at you."

  "I know. I don’t want you to be mad at yourself either. This happened because of both of us so we should both decide on how to best handle this."

  "How about we use the IV need to draw out some blood and give you a band-aid."

  "You know that won't work for long. You will have to feed more often. That’s why you are supposed to have a little every day in the cafeteria and why your mom kept the fridge stocked. She says it’s better fresh. You will need it less often and it will be more effective…"

  "She isn't here."

  I pinch his back and he spins pinning me under him.

  "You are asking for trouble."

  I can see nothing but his eyes but I smile and try, and fail, to shrug. "Am I ever not?"

  He sighs and drops down holding his weight up with his elbows while lifting me off the bed a bit to hug me.

  "I don't want to hurt you or lose you. I don't want you to be forced to stay with me so I won't die. I don’t want to see those girl's faces on yours because of me."

  Ahh hell. I have been pushing because mom and I both know Al hates this but neither of us ever thought he was thinking about this.

  I wrap my arms around him hugging as tight as I can. "Al you couldn’t be like the others even if you tried. You are trying to starve yourself to save me from a fate you think is worse than death. I don't. I trust you. You won't hurt or abuse me. You won't take advantage. Given my reaction, it would more likely be the other way around."

  "You cannot take advantage of the willing Amber and I would be very willing."

  I am not sure how to take that so I push it to the back burner to worry about later. Right now, I have to convince him he won’t break me in half in a feeding frenzy.

  "Al you have the best control of anyone I know. Any other vampire in the world would
have taken everything I offered. You stalk off to take a cold-ass shower. How can you even worry about something like that?"

  "We will be together a long time Amber and I don’t know how long my determination to keep you safe from myself will last."

  Honestly, I have been worried about how long I will hold onto reason and keep myself from using my blood to tempt him to more. "What if we didn’t hold back?"

  He tenses and tries to pull away but I am not giving up that easy. I hold tight so he can’t escape.

  "Hear me out before running off again."

  He freezes but his muscles don’t loosen. He is so out of here the second my hold breaks. Good thing he has done all that muscle building with me.

  "We both have hormones, we cannot escape this side effect, and so instead of completely denying it why don't we give an inch? Clothing stays on but touching over is allowed."

  "Let me go Amber."

  "Not until you tell me your answer."

  His answer comes in the form of him grabbing my wrists and holding them above my head before his mouth comes down on mine. The faint taste of copper from my blood lingers. He didn't wash the taste out. Luckily that means I can also taste the steak so I don’t puke at the thought of my blood.

  A thought that ends the second his tongue enters my mouth and his saliva is in my system. This is worse than him licking a cut. The saliva enters all the moist sensitive parts of me, I swallow it, and the joy spreads through my body. I arch up into Al's hard body. I try to rub but he arches away and holds my wrists tighter. That is going to bruise and leave me to answer some awkward questions tomorrow.

  He pulls back and puts his forehead to mine panting. Even arched away from me he can’t hide his body from mine. I am rubbing against whatever I can.

  "That is how easy it would be for me to take advantage of the situation until you cannot say no. Do you understand?"

  The pain in my wrists keeps me sane enough to understand his point, which is why he is going against everything inside him that screams to protect me not hurt me. If he hadn’t been raised to use his strength in another way, I would be one of those broken addicted dolls mom sponsored to get therapy.