Blood red love by Dripping Creativity
Chapter 49

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When Charlie and Vidar got back, they took a look at the now empty guestroom. The walls were a dust blue colour, and the floor was the same hardwood one that ran through the

apartment.

“We should have bought you a rug,” Vidar told her and put his arm around her.

“It’s not necessary. I will wear socks,” she told him.

“Sure you don’t want to repaint or put up new wallpaper?” he asked.

“I’m sure. This is perfect as it is. The bookshelves will go there and then the desk in front of them with the side table at an angle.” She pointed out how she wanted to place the furniture.

“It will be perfect,” he agreed. “I’m just happy you agreed to move in with me.”

“I’m happy you asked me. Honestly, I don’t know what to do if I were to go back home all by myself. I loved my apartment. It has been my safe place and a symbol for my independence. But now, I don’t know. Now this is home,” she told him.

“It is. This is your home for as long as you want it, and when you get bored with it, we will replace a new home,” he said. Charlie smiled and snuggled into him. She knew it wasn’t really the apartment that was her new home. It was Vidar. Not to say she didn’t love her new place with all its luxuries. But she knew it only felt like home because she associated it with him.

“I need to call Tyson,” she said.

“You do that and I will fix us lunch,” he told her.

“You don’t have to do that. You have taken the morning off work. Shouldn’t you at least work the rest of the day? I can make us lunch after my call.”

“Why this obsession with me working? Don’t you like spending time with me?” Charlie got worried for a second that he honestly thought it was what she felt. Then she saw his smile and knew he was teasing her.

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“I just don’t want your people to think of me as the one that keeps you from your duties,” she explained. Vidar huffed.

“My people know better than to put their fucking noses into what I do or not do. Their sole purpose is to make sure I can do what I want and my business will keep going,” he told her as they walked to the kitchen. “It’s part of a design we vampires use. Have you never wondered why Henry looks so old?” he asked. Charlie took a moment to think about it. All the other members of the Thursday club looked to be in their late twenties, early thirties. But Henry looked to be the same age as her father.

“I just figured he was older than the rest of you,” she said. It had been a natural assumption, she thought. Vidar chuckled.

“No, he is just over six hundred years old, with the exception of Millard, he is the youngest of us. He has purposely made himself look older and at the same time he has spread a rumour that he has a son that he is at odds with who resides in Europe. In ten years or so, he will fake his own death and return as his own son.” Vidar explained. “It’s a bit trickier to pull off this day and age, but it is possible. If you don’t want to go through all of that. You fake your own death, move to a region far away and emerge as the new owner. If that is how you want to do it, it’s important to have a business that can run without you until the legal things have. been cleared up.”

“Isn’t it exhausting to switch identity every fifty ears or so?” she asked. Vidar shrugged.

“Maybe at first. Now it’s like getting your hair cut or updating your phone. Annoying, but necessary,” he said. She nodded and took her usual watching spot when he was cooking and called Tyson.

“Charlie,” Tyson happily said as he picked up.

“Hey, favourite brother. I have something to ask. Are you and the lesser loved brother busy on Saturday?” she asked.

“No, we have no plans at all this weekend. Do you need our help?”

“Yes, I would like some help to move. I will bribe you with pizza and photo books with Huxton as a child,” she happily said. There was silence. “Tyson?”

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“Where are you moving?” he asked. He sounded serious.

“I’m moving in with Vidar,” she told him and she could hear the defiance in her own voice, challenging him to say something.

“And you are sure? It hasn’t been that long,” he asked.

“I am.” She heard him sigh.

“We will be there. We will call our babysitter. It will be easier if Liam and Aiden aren’t walking all around the place,” he said.

“Thank you Tyson.”

“No problem, little sister. Let me convince my husband that it’s a good idea.”

“I would be forever grateful for it and I will make sure to bring out all the really embarrassing photos of him.” Tyson started laughing.

“You have convinced me we need to be there. I’ll see you Saturday.”

“I’ll see you then. Love you.” As she hung up, Vidar put a plate with a tuna melt in front of her.

problems?” he asked as he joined her with his own sandwich.

“No. He is just protective of me. But I think he can hear and feel how happy I am,” she told him. He nodded.

“Tell me if I can do anything to win them over.”

“Just be yourself and let them see how amazing you are,” she told him, and she could have sworn she saw him blush.

After lunch, Charlie decided she deserved a long bath to relax and get in the mood to work. Vidar kissed her and headed for his office as she got ready and slipped into the warm water.

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She let herself relax and thought about the last twenty–four hours. Charlie knew she would never tell either Tyson or Huxton about the shooting. She knew the dangers of being with Vidar, and she accepted them. Her brother and his husband wouldn’t be as open–minded. They would only see the danger. Charlie questioned why she didn’t see it like that. Maybe it was the imprinting, or maybe it was because she loved him, she didn’t know. Their conversation earlier had given her more to think about. She had known that Vidar changed lives. every so often. He had explained it the first night he had told her what he was. But something about their conversation today had made it more real. It would affect her as well. If she stayed human, or chose to become some kind of species with a definite life span, would he disappear at some point? Would he even stay with her when she got older? How would things change between them if he stayed eternally young, and she grew older, with everything that included? Would he leave her? Would he stay and would she want him to? She played with the bubbles as she let her mind mull over the questions that were popping into her mind like fireworks. Then, she may choose to become a vampire. Then they could be together for a long, long time. A part of her like that, she liked it a lot. But then she would also have to switch life. The trick with reinventing yourself as your own son or daughter only worked if you were alone. No one would buy that the son, who looked a lot like his father, had a partner that looked exactly like their mother. That meant she would have to leave her brother, Tyson and the twins behind. She would have to watch Huxton and Tyson grow old and die, and then she would have to watch the twins do the same. It sent a sharp pain through her. She was deep in thought and jumped as Vidar touched her should

“I have called your name several times,” he told her, sounding worried.

“Sorry, I was lost in my own thoughts,” she said.

“I can tell.” He sat down on the side of the tub and cupped her face with his hand. She leaned into it. “Anything I can help with? I’m a good listener,” he asked. She smiled at him. Charlie wasn’t ready to share her thoughts with him just yet. She wanted a better understanding of her own feelings first, so she shook her head.

“No. I’m fine. What time is it?” she asked. She suddenly noticed the bubbles were gone, and the water was cold.

“It’s almost five. I was going to ask if you wanted something to eat before we needed to leave. But now I wonder if you shouldn’t call to say you can’t come,” he said. She could see he was still worried about her.

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“It won’t be necessary. I just need to get out of the tub and put some clothes on. We can grab something at “The red lady‘.” He looked at her for some time before nodding and he stood up and got a big towel he held open for her. She smiled and stood up and walked into the towel.

He closed it around her and kissed her.

“I’m here for you when you are ready to talk about it,” he said. For some reason, the simple statement made her almost tear up.

I know and I can’t tell you how much it means to me,” she told him and kissed him back.