Shiver : 13 Sexy Tales of Humor and Horror

Prologue

I remember the exact moment I fell in love with Bastian Lee.

It was a warm summer’s night.

Not that he had been there or anything. But that’s beside the point.

We had been dating a single week. A short time, I know.

But when you know, you know.

Insert dreamy sigh here.

He had been working late at the bar, the one we met at. I was just getting in from a girls night out. Stacey drank three too many and blew pretty pink chunks all over my brand new Manolo Blahnik knockoffs.

And I gotta admit. I was cheesed.

I paid a fifty for those babies.

Never to be worn again.

So there I was, wasted, slightly pissed, and mourning the loss of my new pumps, when my phone chimes.

Bastian: Wish you were here, beautiful. Sleep good.

And that was that. The exact moment.

It shook me like a thunderbolt through the heart. Suddenly, my body felt squishy and pliable, like warm vanilla pudding. A huge smile hit me so hard, my cheeks had to stretch painfully to accommodate it.

When a guy is at work, and at that workplace he’s surrounded by a plethora of gorgeous women, most of them easy, and he texts you to let you know he’s thinking of you…

That right there, ladies, is a keeper.

Stumbling around my apartment, bumping into furniture, I attempted parking my ass on the edge of the sofa. And ended up using the arm of the chair as a slippery slide all the way down to the floor, landing with a hard thud.

Whee!

I meant to do that. The floor looked lonely.

Lazily blinking through furrowed brows, I used my Jedi mind powers to focus on the cell phone screen and write back something equally as sweet to my new beau.

Me: My butt hurts.

His immediate response cemented my already strong feelings for him.

Bastian: I’ll kiss it better tomorrow.

Smiling like a loon, I drifted into a peaceful sleep on my living room floor, mouth open, forehead planted firmly on the hardwood floor.

Somehow, I knew we’d be together forever.

The Story

Our story

A cool hand gently squeezing my hip roused me from my sleep.

My smile was small and sleepy. The moment that hand moved lower to slide up my nightgown and lips connected with my tush, I jumped and squeaked. But he held me firm. His rough rumbling chuckle hit me right in the solar plexus.

I was so in love.

“Bastien, get your lips away from that. You have no idea where it’s been,” I mumbled sleepily through a smile.

His slow kisses stirred something inside of me. It never took long for Bastien to set me alight.

We’d messed around a lot, but we’d never been there. Not just yet anyways.

Hey, I’m a lady.

It would take him at least another thre- Okay, another two weeks to get there.

If foreplay was anything to go by, Bastien was a very giving lover. I couldn’t wait to take it there. But the anticipation of waiting would make it all that much better.

He placed gentle kisses on my hip, trailing up further, kissing the side of my breast, then my shoulder, up my neck, along the underside of my jaw.

When I suddenly realised something.

Bastien didn’t have a key to my place.

My eyes snapped open. “How did you get in here?”

I wasn’t really pissed about it when I was being woken up the way I was, more curious, was all.

His breath caressed my skin as he spoke against my cheek. “Security in this place is shit, babe. Took me all of twenty seconds to work the lock.” Suddenly, his green eyes were all up in my biz. “You didn’t even attach the chain, Em.”

I blinked. Then pouted. Was I seriously getting a lecture at this time of the morning? “In my defence, I was hammered when I got home.”

His full lips curved into a soft smile as his eyes softened and searched mine. “What am I gonna do with you?”

My fingers touched his shirt-covered stomach and lingered there. My voice turned to a hoarse whisper, “I have a few ideas…” Lightning fast, I was on my back, arms pinned. I scowled, “Hey, I wasn’t ready!”

The tip of his nose touched mine. I felt his smile against my lips. “Never are, babe.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not my fault you’re super fast, and quiet as a cat. You’re like a superhero or something.”

A choked sound escaped him. “Uh, no. Very no.”

I pulled away to get a good look at him. “Why no? Superheroes are awesome. They help people and make sure the bad guy always gets what’s coming to him. And you’re hot. And they’re always hot. It’s like a rule or something.”

Without asking, he lifted the covers and slid under, still holding himself above my body using his strong arms as leverage. “I never really liked superheroes. I always liked the villains.”

I made a face of mock disgust. “Seriously? We are so going to have issues over this.”

The moonlight struck his face and my stomach dipped.

I had never seen a man more handsome than Bastien Lee.

It was almost as though God ran out of ugly to give so he gave Bastien the whole package.

If I had to put together a list of the things that would make up my dream guy, Bastien would have fit the bill. With dark hair stylishly cut, bright green eyes, full lips, high cheekbones and a beaming, white smile, he was — without being able to find a better work — perfect. His tall, built body towers over mine. And I didn’t just like that. Oh no.

I loved it.

I kept asking myself how someone like me was able to land a man like this.

I was no Scar-Jo, that’s for sure.

Being average height and average weight (a little more in the boob area) with long average brown hair and average brown eyes to match, I was not lying when I said I thought I was punching above my weight. But he never made me feel that way.

To think we only met a week ago. It felt like a lifetime ago.

I thought back to last Saturday…

Stacey, Laura, Ally and I had been talking about going to Frost for months. The problem with this was that Frost was an extremely popular cocktail bar and rarely let in people off the street. You could wait in line all night long and get nowhere.

This just wasn’t a risk I — or any of the other girls — was willing to take.

So as a group, we decided if we ever got someone to vouch for us, we’d go together. We made a vow that neither of us would go without the other and we stuck to it.

Thursday night came along and just as I stepped out of my extremely glamorous workplace, my phone started buzzing in my pocket. I pulled it out and answered. “Yo, yo. What’s up?”

I smirked as I heard Stacey’s cringe. “Ugh. Must you talk like that? It’s gross, Em.”

Even though she couldn’t see me, I started nodding. “I must. I really must.”

“Whatever. How was work?”

I walked on to the bus stop, my shoulders slumped. “Awful. I swear, it’s like every time I ask my boss to stop doing something, he does it twice as much.”

Sounding none too impressed, she asked, “What was it this time?”

Last week, I had asked Mr. Vozzo to stop calling me sweetheart. The week before I asked him — ever so kindly — if he could please stop tapping me on the tush every time I walked passed him. Every time I bring something up, he has the same response. “I didn’t realise I was doing it… sweetheart.”

I wouldn’t mind so much if Mr. Vozzo were an eighty year old. The fact is that Mr. Vozzo is barely forty, married and thinks he’s God’s gift to women. The sad thing is, I need this job. Yes, it’s a crappy office job, but the pay is above average, I get four weeks of vacation a year plus dental. A far cry better from working in the diner I had been working at.

“Oh, you know, the usual. Just that he please only ask me to lunch if it’s business related.”

Stacey gagged. “The little worm! He’s married!”

“Oh, I know. I reminded him. Subtly, of course.”

Yeah. About as subtle as a mule wearing fishnets.

Stacey sighed. “I’m sorry your boss is a dick.”

Smiling, I muttered slyly, “Are you sure you don’t work for Hallmark with phrases like that?”

At least that managed to get a laugh out of her. “Okay, enough chitchat. You’re gonna freak when I tell you what we’ve got.”

That peaked my interest. “We’ve got something?”

She responded in a singsong voice. “We’ve got something!”

“Alright then. Lay it on me.”

She puffed out a long breath. “Are you sitting down?”

I shook my head. “No.” Taking a long look at the questionable stain on the empty bench next to me, I muttered, “It doesn’t look safe to sit right now.”

Completely ignoring me, she let out a shrill, “Good! Are you ready for this?”

“I’m ready, baby. Sock it to me.”

“Are you sure you’re ready?”

I rolled my eyes and let out a long drawn, “Stacey!”

She giggled into the phone. “Okay! Alright! I’m just giddy. Sorry. I’ll tell you.”

“You better because I’m about to hang up on yo’ ass.”

She let out an exasperated. “There you go again!”

I burst into laughter. “Oh my God, will you just tell me!”

She blurt out. “We got vouched!”

Confusion crossed my expression. “What?”

“We got vouched. We’re vouched!”

Clearly not following, I mumbled, “Uhhhh…”

“Frost! We’re finally going to Frost!”

I gasped, “Really?” I gasped again, “Really really?”

She laughed in my ear. “Really really! The guy vouching us uses the family business. His name is Christopher Robin.”

I bunched my nose in an attempt to not laugh. “Isn’t that the kid from Winnie the Pooh?”

“What? No. He’s a real guy. He’s real. And he’s vouching for us this Saturday!”

I shook my head in disbelief. “How did this come about?”

She sighed. “Well, he’s been trying to get me to go out with him for a while and every time he asks, I tell him I can’t, but when he asked me to Frost…”

I wince. “Oh, Stacey. Tell me you didn’t. You did not whore yourself out so we could go to Frost.”

Her hesitation is as clear as day. “I- Um- Okay. I won’t tell you then.”

I can’t believe she did that. “Stacey! Don’t you even like him a little?”

Her words tumble out in a rush. “I do! I really do like him and he’s a total fox, Em, b- but every time my dad’s around he’s a total kissass, and I hate that.”

Oh. I saw the problem.

No one wanted a man without backbone.

But I always believed in giving people a chance. “Maybe you should make Saturday a day to see him on neutral ground. It’s true that he might only be doing that because of the business your dad offers. Give him a chance.”

“I told him I’d have a drink with him. That’s all.”

And he accepted that? Holy cow, he must really be into her. “Then you have that drink. And you drink it good.”

A voice calling Stacey sounded in the receiver. “Listen, I have to go. Be ready by seven. We’re having pre-drinks drinks at Joes. Love you!”

Finally, Saturday came and I spent my day relaxing. I gave myself a manicure and pedicure, I put a face mask on, shaved and scrubbed myself till I was near-raw.

I needed to wash the weeks stank off of me.

Friday after work, I went to my favourite boutique, Safira, because I needed something new and way out of my price range to wear to Frost.

You didn’t go to Frost wearing rags. You wore diamonds, emeralds and rubies.

Of course, all I had were my zirconia’s to match my pleather handbag.

This would not do.

As soon as I walked in, I spotted Tina, the owner. What I loved about this place was that Tina always treated you more like a friend than a customer. She remembered people by name and what they bought the last time they were there. She truly has a passion for fashion.

She beamed. “Emma! Black and white strapless cocktail dress!”

I smiled back. “I need your help.”

Her smile fell. “What are we looking for?”

I pursed my lips. “Something to wear to Frost.”

Her eyes widened. “I love that place!”

Hold up. What? “You’ve been there?”

She rolled her eyes at me. “Uh, yeah. My husband and I own part of it.” She chuckled. “You should’ve said something earlier, I would’ve vouched for you.”

My mind started to tear up.

All this time. We could’ve gone all this time.

Never mind. I sighed. “What does one wear to Frost?”

She dragged me over to the long mirror and stood behind me. “Look at it this way. You’re the cupcake. And it’s my job to frost you.” Giggling, she leaned forward and whispered, “I might’ve had a part in naming Frost.”

Lifting my arms up by my sides, I uttered, “Do what you do. But I’m on a budget.”

She winked as she walked over to the clothes racks. “I think we can work something out.”

That’s how I came home with a little black dress. And I didn’t come home crying poverty either.

Tina is the shit.

I curled my hair, leaving it down in loose waves, added eyeliner, mascara and glossed my lips.

That was it.

I’d never really been one for a lot of makeup.

I slipped on my new dress, slid on my white pumps, and waited. Seven oh five, my phone vibrated.

Stacey: Get your butt down here!

Rushing down, I squealed when I spotted the taxi right out the front of my door. “Oh my God, I’m so excited!”

We headed to Joes, our local bar for a few drinks then close to ten pm, we walked the two blocks to Frost. As soon as I spotted the lineup, my stomach dipped.

Something was going to go wrong. I could feel it in my very soul.

I’d always been able to tell when something big was about to happen. My grandmother called me sensitive. I called it being a worry wart.

Stacey, Laura and Ally stared at the line in the same way I did. Probably because it went all the way down the block then circled down a side street.

Ally asked, “Are you sure we’re getting in?”

Laura aired her own concern. “Are you sure this guy is legit?”

Suddenly, Stacey lost some of her confidence. “I- um- I think so.” She straightened. “We’re on that list. He said we are. Let’s go.”

Stacey led us to the front of the line. The first thing I saw was him.

Oh sweet Jesus.

He was divine.

Dark hair, green eyes, strong chin, taller than me by a solid foot, his arms crossed over his broad chest looking something like a Greek god.

Oh mama.

My stomach flipped and flopped around.

Maybe I shouldn’t have had those pre-drink drinks. I was feeling a little too loose, mainly in the leg area.

Stacey approached the other man I’d failed to notice, pulling me up by her side. But I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off of the brooding security guy.

I vaguely heard Stacey say, “We’re vouched for. Party of four. Stacey Voors.”

The security guys looked over at me.

I smiled and mouthed, “Hi,” lifting my hand in a two finger wave.

He looked momentarily confused, then he looked away.

The other guy said, “Voors. I can’t see a Voors here. Who vouched for you?”

Stacey swallowed hard. “C–Christopher Robin.”

Still looking at the gorgeous man in front of me, I heard the other guy utter a confused, “Christopher Robin? The kid from Winnie the Pooh.”

A laugh burst out of me, hard, spooking my crush. “Ha!” I turned to the other guy and stated, “I said the same thing!” Then I looked back at the security guy who now looked at me like I’d done gone and lost my mind and repeated more mildly through flaming cheeks, “I–I said the same thing.”

But the other guy shook his head. “Sorry ladies, you’re not on here. Back of the line.”

I piped up then and only God knew why. “But he vouched for us. We’re vouched!”

The other guy shrugged. “Maybe you got your wires mixed. Maybe it wasn’t for tonight.”

I placed a hand on my hip. “Of course it was for tonight. He vouched for us. Hell, I’d vouch for us! Look at us!” I waved my hand out to my friends… who looked like a bunch of cowering kittens in a dark alley.

Nice job, guys. Nailed it.

The other guy opened his mouth to speak, and then I suddenly remembered. “Tina Leokov vouches for us too.”

Hot security guy asked through narrowed eyes, “You know the Leokovs?”

I shook my head. “No. Just Tina.” I didn’t know why, but I decided to curtsey. “She helped me find this dress. I shop at her store.”

The security guy’s eyes slid down my body. He rumbled, “It’s a nice dress.” And I felt my heart race.

Whoa. Finding it hard to breathe over here.

I stuttered, “Th- thank you.” I relay what Tina told me. “While I was there, she told me if I needed someone to vouch for me, she’d do it. She also told me she and Nik own part of Frost and that she even helped name it.”

I felt all eyes on me.

My friends looked at me through wide eyes.

“What?” They gaped at me. I blurted out, “I know people!”

Although the other guy looked torn, he held up his ledger. “If you’re not on the list, I can’t let you in. Sorry, ladies. Maybe Tina can vouch for you next weekend.”

My face fell.

I smiled sadly and muttered, “That’s okay. I know you’re just doing your job.” As we turned to walk away, I lifted my hand to the security guy and mouthed, “Bye,” forcing a smile.

A rough, “Wait,” stopped us.

Snatching the ledger from the other guy, the security guy looked over the page. “Wouldn’t you know it? You’re on the list.”

The other guy and all the girls asked a confused, “What?”

Security guy nodded. “Yep. Right here. Welcome to Frost.”

The other guy argued, “I looked. Twice. They’re not on-”

Security guy pinned him with a glare so fierce that he stopped talking mid-sentence. When he looked back up at us, he smiled a thin smile, “I was wrong, apparently. You’re on the list.”

Stacey let out a long breath. “See? I told you! Let’s go.”

But I couldn’t take my eyes off of the security guy, and from the way he looked back at me, I knew something was happening here.

Something big.

While the girls headed inside, I stuck my hand out without a thought. “I’m Emma.”

Security guy looked down at my extended hand a moment before taking it in the giant mitt he called a hand. “Bastien.”

I shook his hand and smiled softly in a daze. “Hi Bastien. I’m Emma.”

At that, his lips twitched. “Hi Emma. I’m Bastien.”

Still shaking his hand, I told him, “Bastien is a badass name. Which makes sense, because you seem like a badass with all your muscles and broodiness and such.”

He didn’t release my hand. Just responded, “I’ll have to tell my parents they did good.”

My smile widened. “Yes. You do that.”

His body shook in silent laughter. “I will.”

A hand pulled at me. Stacey stood there looking at me with an expression that said ‘I’m not sure what the hell you’re doing’. “Come on, Em. Let the nice man go before he changes his mind.”

I barked out another laugh, spooking Bastien once again. I looked up at him. “I’m sorry. I should let go now.”

But as I moved to pull away, he held me firm. “I like you, Emma.”

My heart fluttered. I blinked a moment before I responded quietly, “I like you too Bastien. I think.”

Finally, we parted but it was only as I walked inside that I realised a piece of paper was in my hand.

A piece of paper with a phone number on it.

The very next day, I sent Bastien a message.

Me: Hi Bastien. It’s Emma.

I wasn’t sure what else to write so I left it at that.

Bastien: Hi Emma. It’s Bastien.

I laughed through my response.

Me: Ha! It’s funny because that’s what we did last night.

My phone chimed a second later.

Bastien: I know. I was there.

Oh dear lord, I wanted to see him again. Now. Right now. Before I lost my nerve, I asked him out.

Me: If you’re free, I’d love to meet you for lunch? On me:)

His response was immediate.

Bastien: I can’t do lunch. Sorry.

My heart fell. That sucked.

Maybe I only imagined the chemistry from last night.

My phone chimed once more.

Bastien: Dinner tonight?

I bit my lip and typed as fast as I could.

Me: I’d love that! What time?

He told me he’d pick me up at nine. We exchanged details, he picked me up and took me to a nice little Sushi bar. We ate, talked and laughed. A lot.

Bastien was funny. He had a dry sense of humour I loved, and I was comfortable with him from the second he picked me up. There was no awkwardness. As soon as I opened the door, he smiled down at me, took my hands and tugged me to him, pulling me close and hugging me. While he squeezed me, I kissed him on the cheek and told him how handsome he looked (and he did). He told me I looked exquisite.

He used that word.

Exquisite.

Can you imagine?

Swoon.

As soon as we left my apartment, I took his hand, entwining our fingers together like we had done it a hundred times before. We held hands all night, and if we had to separate for any reason, Bastien made sure he had a hand on me at all times.

It was so sweet, and super hot.

I would imagine Bastien would be a possessive male. And I had no problem with that.

When our date ended, we took ourselves back to my apartment where we talked some more about work, friends and family.

Bastien’s family were originally from France. No wonder. He looked like he had culture.

I told him my family were All-American, and he didn’t cringe. Point for me.

He told me he was thirty-four, that he had two sisters and a brother, both parents still alive and kicking.

I told him I was twenty-nine, an only child with my parents both alive and happily married. I told him about Stacey being my best friend since forever and our other two stooge friends, Laura and Ally.

He told me about ‘the other guy’, Stu, his cousin and more about his close friendship with the Leokovs. Turns out he knows Tina personally.

And wouldn’t you know it? She vouched for me.

Two points for me.

We stayed up way past midnight chatting while subtly touching. Eventually, he stood up to leave. As I walked him through the door, my chest began to ache.

I was starting to feel depressed. And as though he felt the same way, he pulled me into a warm hug, cradling the back of my head in consolation. “I want to see you again.”

As I buried my face into the crook of his neck, I whispered, “Okay.”

He asked, “Tomorrow too soon?”

I sighed. “Heck no.”

As he pulled away, he took my hands in his and explained that because of the late nights he works, he normally sleeps till late afternoon so he’d be free after dark.

I could understand that.

My dad worked shift work so I knew how it could be to deal with someone deprived of sleep.

It was like trying to wake the dead.

His green eyes searched my face. He lowered his face to mine and as if it were the most natural thing in the world, we kissed. Long and slow.

I felt that kiss.

I felt it everywhere.

It was electric and I didn’t want it to end.

He kissed me deeper, making love to my lips. When we parted, he pecked my lips repeatedly and whispered against them, “You make my heart beat.”

And I knew what he meant.

Not being able to stop myself, I lifted my hands, cupped his cheeks and brought him forward to my flushed face, lowering his lips to mine.

He tasted sweet and cool, like mint chocolate.

I could get used to that. I loved mint chocolate.

I wanted more of it.

Bastien Lee was a drug.

And I was addicted.

Three months had passed and Bastien was still my drug of choice.

Early in our relationship we worked on seeing each other as often as possible. This was made possible by the fact that we were committed to making that happen. Even on the nights he worked at the club, he would take a break, come down to my apartment, break in and shower me with kisses and affection for a solid hour then go back to work.

I had never had a man treat me like this before, like I was his everything.

It was confusing, and exhilarating, and scary as hell.

What was I to do with this?

The only thing I could.

Give as good as I got.

A month into our relationship, I told Bastien I was falling in love with him while watching The Price is Right. Face blank, he toyed with my fingers and asked, “Just now?”

Okay, so it had been a lot earlier that I had discovered my love for Bastien, but I wasn’t bat-shit crazy enough to tell him that.

I responded, “I don’t know exactly when but I know it now. For sure.”

He lowered his face to mine, curled a hand behind my neck and pulled me close till our noses touched. He roughly admitted, “I fell in love with you the second you forced an introduction. I wasn’t letting you get away. Even if you never called, I would’ve made it my mission to find you again and convince you to go out with me.”

This admission shook me.

Being who I am, I teased, “Oh yeah? And what if I said no.”

He pressed a light kiss to the corner of my mouth. “I would’ve worn you down, baby.”

I swallowed hard, my eyes closed tight. “This is going to sound crazy. I mean, it sounds crazy to me. But sometimes I think I was meant to- I don’t know- find you or something. Like-” I opened my eyes, pleading with him to understand. I whispered, “Like we were-”

I faded out, knowing it was crazy. And guys didn’t dig crazy on a lady.

So when he continued where I left off and uttered, “Like we were meant to be.”

I begged my mouth to stop saying things then. Thankfully, I didn’t say another word.

Instead, Bastien made it his turn to speak. “Never believed in that shit.”

And my heart sank.

Stupid mouth with the saying things and such!

I pretended to watch TV while suffering from the biggest heart palpitations known to man, otherwise known as a broken heart.

When he kissed my temple, I leaned into it. He added low enough for me to hear, “Never believed in that shit…till now.”

My heart kick-started with a vengeance.

I lowered my head to his chest, closed my eyes and basked in the silence around us.

Really.

That should’ve been my first clue.

Two months into our relationship, Bastien came. And he never left.

We never discussed moving in together, it just sort of happened.

Stacey, Laura and Ally wholly approved. They loved Bastien as much as I did. Mainly because Frost was now open to us every weekend if we chose to attend and Bastien always made sure me and my girls were looked after. He checked on us, made sure our drinks were filled and at the end of the night, he’d have Stu drive us home to save us taxi fare.

The girls loved him.

They’d said it once, they’d said it a thousand times.

The guy is too good to be true.

I agreed wholeheartedly.

And when they say something is too good to be true…

They’re usually right.

On our third month anniversary, I came home to find Bastien asleep.

This was not unusual. He was a night owl, and that didn’t bother me. I didn’t run on ten hours sleep so when I got home from work, I’d make us dinner and soon after dark, he’d wake. We would talk about my day as well as what him night would entail, eat and drink, make sweet, sweet love then Bastien would hold me as I fell asleep.

The worst part about Bastien’s work was that his weekends were shot. The best part about Bastien’s work was that he was working three nights a week and earning the same amount most people would for two weeks. He was kind of well off. He knew I wasn’t. That didn’t bother him, but he knew it bothered me when he paid for things that were my responsibility.

And the sneaky shit would do it all after I’d fallen asleep.

After a heated argument, Bastien gave in. And to say I was pleased was an understatement. “Fine,” he said. “I won’t use my money to pay for things anymore.”

That was when he pulled out a ring box and placed it on the table right in front of me.

That surely wasn’t what I thought it could be. I mean, come on! It was too soon. We had only known each other three months!

Face void, he opened the box. And I gasped. “Oh my God.”

Taking the box, he moved to kneel in front of me. “Been carrying this around for two months.” He took my left hand, slid the antique sapphire ring onto my ring finger and muttered, “If you like it then you gotta put a ring on it.”

Did he really just say that?

A hysterical laugh broke out of me. “Oh Jesus, you are such a dork.”

He grinned and I realised — again — how in love I was. He lost his usual confidence as he looked up at me and uttered, “Let me take care of you, Em. Forever.”

Tears prickled my eyes. I returned, “Only if I can take care of you too.”

He couldn’t contain his beaming smile. “Deal.”

And that was how Bastien and I got engaged.

We decided on a long engagement. Which, of course, meant we got married a month later.

Our parents and friends weren’t thrilled about our rush wedding but somehow, we managed to get our loved ones into a room long enough to say our ‘I do’s’. It was a small ceremony and by the end of it, every person was smiling. I hoped they could all feel the love Bastien and I felt for each other.

It was only my grandmother who asked, “So, is she pregnant or what?”

I should’ve been offended, but I wasn’t. I’d love to have Bastien’s children. Heck, I’d love an army of them!

I was simply overwhelmed by the fact that I was no longer Emma Stanford, but Emma Lee.

Two more months had passed and Bastien and I were living a comfortable routine.

I never got to see him during the day unless it was to lie next to him while he slept — like a log, I’ll add — but it never bothered me. It wasn’t like I didn’t spent most of my days at work. So what if he slept his Saturdays and Sundays away?

It gave me time to catch up on trashy reality TV and get some cleaning done.

All in all, our opposite routine was working for us.

As soon as he woke, he kissed me senseless, worshipped me and made me feel like a goddess. He bought me flowers for no reason, got me gifts simply because he thought they reminded him of me and told me he loved me all the time.

I was a lucky woman to have a man like Bastien Lee, and I knew it.

Bastien had never given me reason to worry about another woman coming in and taking my place, so when I walked in on him making out with another guy, you could say I was kind of surprised.

The Conflict

Gross

Tonight is going to be amazing.

My plan in place, I set out to Frost dressed only in thigh high stockings with lace trim, my red pumps, new steaming-hot lingerie and a trench coat. I’ve done all I need to get ready for this occasion. My makeup is subtle but sexy, I smell fresh as a daisy and I am hair-free where I need to be.

I’m ready.

I giggle to myself.

This is so naughty!

Today was our six-month anniversary, our two-month wedding anniversary and even though we’ve never celebrated anything big before, I’ve decided to bring the party to Bastien. Even if it’ll only be for an hour of mind-blowing sex.

Is there anything better than sharing a perfect celebration with the person you love most in the world?

I think not.

Tina helped me set the whole thing up. Who knew she had it in her to be a saucy little wench?

I thought I was bad, but apparently Tina has been known to call emergency meetings with her husband, Nik, at his office.

The emergency being that Tina is horny.

She’s become such a good friend. I’m so glad to know her better.

I woke this morning to a brand new platinum diamond bracelet on my wrist. It had one pendant attached. A simple love heart with a ruby on one side and a sapphire on the other.

Bastien doesn’t do cards. He never has. But with a gift like that, who needs a card?

I knew what it meant.

We were two halves of a whole. And nothing could make me happier.

Maybe one day I’d add a diamond at the bottom of that pendant.

It’s no secret that I want children. I want enough to have my own soccer team. I love kids and from seeing Bastien interact with his nieces and nephews, he loves them just as much as I do.

I stopped taking birth control a month ago. My doctor told me getting pregnant is easy for some but with others can take months. I’m in no rush. I’m happy to wait. Sure, I’m helping the process by jumping Bastien every spare chance I get, but other than that, I’m happy to let nature take its course.

The taxi drops me off right outside the club and as I step out, more of my thigh shows than I’m used to. I smirk, feeling sexy as hell when a club bystander whistles at me.

An ego boost I needed. Thank you, kind sir!

Stu spots me and I kiss his cheek. He smiles down at me, “Hey cuz. He’s on a break. Happy anniversary, Em.”

“Thanks, Stu. You’re sweet.”

Just as I walk inside, Stu takes my hand, stopping me. “You know, I’m really glad you ended up being on the list.”

My smile softens. “Me too, Stu. Me too.”

I make my way inside, hiding in a corner. I pull out my cell to text Tina who couldn’t be here tonight but is instead at the club she and Nik own downtown, The White Rabbit.

Me: I’m freaking out, dude!

Tina: Relax, Max! You’re offering yourself up on a platter to a man who loves you. You’re going to be fine!

She is not wrong. Bastien does love me. And he loves freaky time with me.

What am I worried about?

Me: Okay. You’re right. I’m going in! Wish me luck x

I laugh at her response.

Tina: Luck!!! Knock his penis dead! X

Everything is going to plan. Bastien is on a break, now I just have to find him. I approach the bar to find my favourite bar bitch there, a young, tattooed Asian woman named Lana. I wave enthusiastically and she motions me over. “Happy anniversary, Em. He’s in the first bunk. I’m sure it’ll be locked so I asked Tina to get me this.” She pulls out a key and hands it to me.

I look up at her in awe. “You’re amazing. Like a female, Asian double-oh-seven.”

She tilts her head, brows bunched. “Surprising as hell but it’s not the first time I’ve been called that.”

“You’re awesome, lady. Thank you so much. I don’t think I could’ve done this without all your help.”

She smiles softly. “You’re welcome. It’s nice to see Bastien smile.”

I wave as I walk over to the ‘staff only’ side doors. I’ve been in the back many a time, whether it was just to see my man or to have a short break from the blaring music when I’ve had a headache. Thankfully, I know where the first bunk is. The bunks are rooms that aren’t really rooms at all. They’re the size of a small walk-in closet.

The first bunk is a rest area with a cot in it. The second bunk an almost identical rest area with a TV inside.

As I approach the first bunk, I slowly test the handle and just as Lana predicted, the door is locked. Stepping back, I take in a deep breath, calming myself in order to seduce my husband.

I’m ready.

Sliding the key in, I unlock the door, step in and close the door behind me. “Happy Anniversary, baby.”

I slide the trench coat down my back and onto the floor.

When I lift my head, my breath leaves me in a whoosh.

There stands Bastien, wide eyes on me, mouth attached to another man’s neck.

This can’t be what it looks like. Surely there’s an explanation for this.

I blink. Bastien has still to remove his mouth from the unknown man’s neck. I blink some more. “You- are you- I don’t understand. You-” My voice weakens to a hush. “You like men?”

With eyes so green they near glow, he finally detaches himself from the man, panting. “Em, baby, what are you doing here?”

The man my husband is cheating on me with simply stands there, looking like a droid. I look into his empty eyes but answer my husband. “I came to surprise you with dirty anniversary sex. I don’t understand, Bastien. I thought we were happy.”

He steps around the man and moves closer to me. “We are happy. I’m happy. I had no idea you were coming here.” His eyes flash as he fixates on my barely there lingerie. He swallows hard, “Jesus, Em. You’re fucking gorgeous.”

The bridge of my nose tingles. I lean down to pick up my coat, wrapping it around me. A single tear falls down my cheek. “How long has this been going on?”

He takes a step closer, reaching out for me. “I swear this is not what it looked like. I can explain.”

I look into his eyes. He doesn’t look embarrassed or caught out, just tired. Bastien has never given me a reason to question him before. Why should I start now?

“Okay, so explain.” The unknown man still unmoved, I ask quietly, “Is he okay?”

Bastien looks back. “Shit. Hold on, babe. Let me take care of him.”

Take care of him?

I rush forward, grip his shirt and whisper hiss, “You are not going to kill him!”

Bastien rolls his eyes at me before turning to the man, looking into his eyes and speaking in a firm but neutral tone. “You were a great help.”

The man responds a robotic. “I was a great help.”

Bastien tells him, “You should go home and get some rest.”

The man nods slowly. “I should go home and get some rest.”

Bastien helps the man to the door, uttering his agreement. “You should, man. Thank you.”

The man responds. “You’re welcome,” then putters down the hall and out of sight.

Looking around, Bastien closes the door behind him, locking it and leaning against it. “Shit, Em, I’m sorry. I ruined our anniversary.”

Why isn’t he acting like he’s done something wrong? What the heck is going on?

He steps forward, directly under the down light. “I’ve been meaning to tell you. I have. But I-”

Red at the corner of his lip has me stepping forward. “Honey, you’re bleeding.”

Bastien swipes at his lips, looking down at the blood smeared across his fingers. He looks me in the eye before responding carefully. “It’s not mine.”

Confusion mars my face. “Were you-” I shake my head. “Did you bite him?”

He swallows hard then looks away. He shrugs lightly. “A man’s gotta eat.”

I force a harsh laugh at the statement. “That’s crazy! What are you saying? That you’re a vampire or something?”

I expect him to laugh and deny it. I expect him to react. But he does nothing. Just stares at me with an expression I’ve never seen Bastien wear.

For the first time since I’ve known him, Bastien looks afraid. “I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

He can’t be serious.

Suddenly, I’m pissed. “You seriously want me to believe that bullshit?” I roll my eyes as I tighten the belt on my coat. “I don’t care if you have issues. We can work through anything. I love you enough to let you explain what I saw happening here instead of running off into the night and dumping all your stuff out into the street, and that’s what you go with?”

Running his hands down his face, he lifts a hand to scratch at his head. “I know it’s hard to believe but if you’d just listen-”

Now I’m not even pissed at him. I’m just pissed at myself. I start lecturing myself. “Fuck a duck! You know when they say a guy is too good to be true, they aren’t kidding. He’s got it all. The looks, a heart of gold, he loves me to the ends of the earth, but wait! He’s bat-shit crazy. Of course, he is! That’s life, doll.”

Pushing passed Bastien, I unlock the door and walk out, clomping my heels as I go.

“Emma, honey! Wait! I can explain!”

Unshed tears sting my eyes. I sniffle as I make my way out the door and onto the street, hailing a taxi. I manage to get one in seconds and in less than ten minutes, I’m home again.

I don’t allow myself to cry until I reach the deserted elevators. As soon as the doors close, I let my tears fall freely.

I love Bastien, but it’s obvious that he needs help. He’s clearly delusional. Regardless of that fact, he is my husband and I will do whatever it takes to see him well again. I love him. He’s everything to me.

The elevator door opens and I swipe away stray tears.

I unlock my apartment door, step inside and switch on the light.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you, Em.”

Spinning around, I hold a hand to my now-heaving chest and stare wide eyed at Bastien, sitting on his manly armchair.

How the hell? “How did you get here so quick?”

Instead of answering me, he stands and steps closer to me. “It’s not like it makes me a different person or anything. I can’t help being this way. Believe me, I’ve tried. I tried to tell you before the wedding,” he sighs, “but you looked so damn beautiful and I didn’t want to ruin our day with my bullshit, so I thought I’d wait till we got home. But then we got home and every time I tried to do it, I bit my tongue because,” his voice turns quiet, “because I didn’t want to lose you.”

He really believes this.

What am I supposed to do here?

I do the only thing I can think of. I play along.

I take a step closer to him, holding my hand out. “It’s okay, honey. You won’t lose me. I love you.”

Placing his hand in mine, he pulls me closer to him, wrapping me in a bear hug. He sighs in relief. “Oh shit. I was so fucking scared when you walked in on me feeding. I thought you’d run screaming but I knew deep inside that if I just got to talk to you, you’d understand.” He pauses a moment. “We were meant to be, Em. You’re my soul mate.”

My mind singsongs, “Psycho.”

I rub his back. “Of course I get it. And we are meant to be. Come Monday, we’re going to talk to someone about this. We’ll make sure the vampires never bother you again.”

His body stills. He pulls away from me. “You think I’m crazy.”

I shake my head emphatically. “No, I don’t. I think you’re a good man. My good man. A good man who sees vampires.”

He rubs the back of his neck in restlessness. “I’m not fucking crazy, Em!”

I shush him. “I know, honey. I know. But we’re still going to see the good Docto-”

That’s when Bastien jumps.

He jumps high enough to touch the ceiling. In fact, he does touch the ceiling.

And he doesn’t come down.

Glaring down at me, he calls out to me. “There? Believe me now? I’m not crazy, Em.”

Staring up at him, mouth gaping, I pull out a chair from the dining table and sit. I can’t think right now. I don’t believe what I’m seeing.

Maybe Bastien is right.

He’s not crazy.

I am.

My gaze falls to the floor. I stare down at my pumps.

A hand on my shoulder lifts me from my many thoughts. “Em? Honey? Talk to me.”

I swallow hard, blinking up at him. “I need help, Bas. I’m going crazy.”

He chuckles humorlessly then talks to himself. “Tell her, they said. She’ll understand, they said.”

I’m suddenly parched. “I need water.”

Bastien disappears from my side. In less than a blink of an eye, he’s by my side, holding a full glass of water.

Jumping back, the chair topples behind me. “How- how are you doing that?”

Holding his hands out in a placating gesture, he places the water on the table and steps towards me. “Baby, I know this is hard to understand, and I promise I will answer any questions you want answers to, but you were right the first time.” He breathes in deep and utters on an exhale. “I’m a vampire.”

Oh yeah. I’ve gone bananas.

I mutter under my breath. “Right, right. Okay.”

He lifts the fallen chair and sits me down. He takes a seat across from me. “Ask me anything.”

My first question is dumb. In my defense, I believe myself to be borderline high at this point in time. “Are you going to kill me?”

His face screws up as he hollers, “What? No, I’m not going to kill you, Em. Shit! I love you!”

I nod. “Okay. That’s good.”

Taking my hand in his, he holds it tight and vows, “I will never hurt you. Never. I’m still the same guy.”

The same guy. Just now he drinks blood.

The second question comes easier. “So you drink blood?”

He seems relieved by this question and answers immediately, “Yes. I don’t need it often but I still need it at least once a month to replace my lack of red blood cells.”

“Did that man know what you were doing to him?”

He shakes his head. “No. Vampires can hypnotize a person before feeding. It’s easier this way. It’s cleaner and faster.”

Okay. “Did you hurt him?”

His eyes soften, as does his tone. “No, baby. I release venom into the bloodstream that acts as an anesthetic. He didn’t feel a thing, and I never take too much.”

I’m not sure I want to ask, but curiosity gets the better of me. “Have you ever fed from me?”

His hand squeezes mine. “Never. I would never do that to you. Never without permission.”

I think about all the vampire lore I’ve read about. “Are you going to live forever?”

He sniffs a laugh. “No, baby. Immortality is a choice. When I met you, I gave it up.”

Confused much? “How?”

He explains in perfect calm, “I can slow down the aging process by feeding every day. And I did feed every day for a while but when I met you, I made the decision to stop feeding and start aging again.” He smiles down at me lovingly, “Why would I want to live without you?”

My heart warms as I get a glimpse of my Bastien. Pre-vampire Bastien, that is.

I blurt out, “That’s so sweet. I think. In a creepy I don’t know what’s going on way, I guess.” I stand and begin to pace. “But you eat food. We eat together all the time.”

He nods. “I do eat food but my venom dissolves it into nothing.” He looks me in the eye. “If you’ll give me a minute, I’ll explain all the things I think you’ll want to ask.”

Pausing mid-step, I look my husband in the eye and whisper, “You’re not joking, are you?”

He softly shakes his head. It’s then that I realize my life has suddenly changed in a big way.

Bastien Lee — my husband, my lover, and my best friend — is a vampire.

More of the Story

And the world still turns

He watches me closely then asks carefully, “Are you going to freak out?”

I lift my head in thought. I think hard about this.

Has Bastien given me a real reason to freak out?

No. He hasn’t.

He’s been patient and calm regardless of my treating him like a leper slash nutcase.

Body slumping, I slowly walk over to him till we’re almost toe-to-toe. I look up into his bright green eyes and reach up to cup his cheek. “No. I don’t think so. But you’re going to tell me why I shouldn’t have to, right?”

His eyes close, he lifts his hand to hold mine in place on his cheek and responds roughly, “Whatever you want, baby.”

Taking his hand in mine, I lead us over to the sofa. He sits and pulls me down with him. Sprawled over his lap, I turn to the side so I can look at his face while he speaks. “I never planned on meeting a girl. It was too hard what with my… condition. I didn’t count on meeting you.” He kisses my knuckles. “I don’t know any other woman who would be completely fine with not being able to see her boyfriend during the day. I’ve dated before. They all thought I was cheating on them. I couldn’t tell them I had to sleep. As in, had to. They’d think I was a freak. But you just accepted it, like it was nothing.”

I’m confused. “Does your family know?”

He smiles. “Yeah, Em. They’re like me too.” His smile turns to a grin. “We all got turned on the same night.”

My mouth gapes. “No way. They all look so nor-” I spot the ginormous grin on his face and fade out. “What I mean to say is that I never would’ve been able to te-”

His rough chuckle slides over me. “Go on, you can say it. We all look so normal.” He nods, “We know. That’s kind of the point.”

Holy shit.

Holy shit!

This is real. I have a real live vampire in my house.

Oh my God. I’ve been having sex with a vampire!

Is that why it’s been so good?

I have to dig further. “Whoa, wait! Do you have some sexual voodoo going on? Is that why the sex is so good? Because, if so, I’m not complaining.”

He tips his head back and laughs. “No, Em. That’s just you and me. Believe me, I wish I could take credit. It’s just what you do to me.”

A smile plays at my lips. “So what of the stories? Are they fact or myth? Super speed is obviously a tick but what about the other stuff. I didn’t know you could do the Spider-Man thing.”

He sighs softly. “A lot of the stories aren’t true. In fact, it’s been rumoured that vampires started the stories to throw people off. As you know, I have a reflection. Holy water is just water to me. Hell, I’m catholic. I’m not evil. I eat and drink but don’t actually go to the toilet. I-”

I cut him off in protest, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a minute! What the heck do you do in the bathroom when you go in there? Sometimes you take forever!”

He grins sheepishly. “Um. Candy Crush.”

A surprised laugh bursts out of me. “Oh my God, that is funny!” I chuckle to myself and prompt him. “Okay, sorry. Tell me more.”

“Yes, we have super speed. I can walk up walls but that is a trait only I have. Mom can move things with her mind. Dad can fly.” Holy cow! “We have extremely sensitive hearing and-”

My stomach coils as my eyes almost pop out of my head. I jump up off the sofa and cover my mouth with my hand. “Oh no.”

A look of alarm crosses Bastien’s face. “What is it, Em?”

“Have you-” Oh God, I don’t want to ask but I have to know. I just have to! I whisper in horror, “Have you ever heard me fart?”

He winces.

I gasp as my face heats. “Oh my God, you have. This isn’t happening!”

Bastien has the gall the smile. “Honey, you just found out I’m a vampire. And this is your main concern?”

I sit on the edge of the sofa, face drawn. I talk to myself. “I’m no longer the perfect wife. Perfect wives don’t fart.”

He takes my hand in his. “You are, Em. You are perfect to me.”

I am so sad right now.

This is my life, people.

Bastien suddenly stands. “You want me to fart? ‘Cause I’ll do it. Right here, right now. I’ll tear a goddamn hole in my slacks if you want me to, princess!”

I mumble a flat, “I’ve never heard you fart.” A thoughtful look crosses my face. “Can you fart?”

He tilts his head in thought. “I don’t even know. I think dust might come out of me.”

Damn him. Damn him to heck for his funniness.

I try to hide my smile but fail miserably. “You’re a dork.”

I don’t even see him move but I’m suddenly lifted high in the air. Geez, he’s strong. He smiles up at me. “So, we’re okay?”

My smile is soft and loving. “I love you, Bastien. It’ll take a little more than you being a vampire to change that.”

He lowers me back to my feet. His lips come down on mine, feather soft. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m going to love you till forever.”

I wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you. We were meant to be. Forever and always.”

He pulls me to him, his arms wrapping me tight. Warmth spreads through me and I realise something.

Everything was going to be fine.