Blood red love by Dripping Creativity

Blood red love 

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“I’ll make sure the security team knows,” Vidar said. 

“Right, thanks,” she told him, feeling disappointed. Vidar seemed to pick up on her change in 

mood. 

“You are safe. No one would go up against six vampires. It would be suicide. We will keep you. safe,” he reassured her. Charlie felt like laughing. He had read her mood completely wrong. 

“Even Millard?” she asked, more to protect her true feelings than because she was worried. 

Vidar’s face darkened. 

“Even Millard,” he said, but sounded reluctant. “Millard is young it is 

A even amongst u 

true your early years affect your personality. We may live for thousands of years, but at our core, we are still the person we were when we were in our first century. Millard hit his prime in the 1980’s,” Vidar said, as if it explained everything. In a way, it did. 

“He’s a yuppie,” she said. She wondered what Vidar had in his core from reaching his prime over a thousand years ago. How did they even raise children back then? Vidar nodded at her input. “Thank you for the ride,” she said as the car pulled up in front of her apartment. 

“Charlie,” Vidar said. 

“Yes?” She turned from the opened door to look at him. It looked like he had something to 

say. Then he took a breath. 

“Sleep well,” he said. Charlie felt the disappointment wash over her. 

“You too, Vidar,” she told him and got out of the car. “Have a nice evening, Malcom.” 

“Thank you, mademoiselle. I wish you the same,” the driver said. Charlie made her way up to her apartment and sent a text to Lilly. It took her less than five minutes to call Charlie. 

“Okay, let me hear everything,” Lilly said. For the first time in Charlie’s life, she couldn’t tell her best friend everything. She needed to filter her answer. “Oh, babe. It sounds like he really 

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“That’s what Tom said as well. But I just don’t know. The amandaff, Hot and ill, it gives me whip 

Chube sighed. 

juti menwoons because he was your boss and be probably doesnt know how to handle the feelings the .,” Lilly said. 

“Winy be. How is it going with Nen?” Chantie asted to change suijjets. 

“We’re most back together.” Lilly said, sounding a little chefull. 

“Good om vin. I knew you could do it” Churie toldihen. 

“Thint: you, I feel proud of myself. You knowwwhat??? 

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“I have the best idea. Why don’t the two of us grout tomorrow? Wemevardio that. We’ll go that cosy pub around the comer from my pics, catt greasy fimil, diriikher, and listen to some lushman singing about heartbreak, Lilly suggested. Chunlie’s first instinat was to say mo. She wanted to stay home and wallowim self–pity. But then, when lid that ever heema good thing? 

Sounds like a date!” 

“Don’t get your hopes up, I’m not ending the night in your bed,” Hillyjjokad. 

“You wish you would be so lucky. But mine we cum fiind youramice, hot woman who can multe you forget all about Mem. At least from the might,” Chalie tuusad buck, 

“Don’t joke about things lille tatt. Ilim despertemaugh to do it. The two friends laughed and sad goodbye. As Chantie got randy for bull, she felt better about life in general. She hut Lilly, and she had Hustom and his family, amiliin some way, she had Willur and the Thursday club as well. It was a good gruppoff pupile to humve 

When she wolte up the next morning, she sat down att hur computer milankai throughhun 

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emails and checked the boards she usually frequented. She planned her day so she would be 

ready to head for Lilly’s place on time. That’s when she thought about Caine. She sighed. She didn’t want the constant reminder of Vidar hanging around her on her night out. 

C: I’m going out with Lilly to the pub around the corner from her place tonight. 

V: Are you asking my permission? 

C: No. I need you to tell Caine not to hang around me tonight. 

V: No. 

C: It wasn’t a request. 

V: He stays. 

C: Look, I need a night of being normal and forgetting everything. I can’t do that if I need to stare at your man. I know they won’t listen to what I say, and I know I won’t be able to slip away from them, and that they will be there. I just ask you to make sure I don’t see them. 

C: You said you would follow my 

wishes. 

C: Please 

V: You won’t see them. They will be there if you need them. If anything happens, run. Run away from danger and they will keep you safe. And call me. 

C: Thank you, I will. 

She felt a little better after Vidar’s promise. She trusted him to keep his word and she could maybe manage to forget they were out there. A night away might be just what she needed to get some perspective and appreciate what Vidar was doing. She had the feeling that he thought he was protecting her. From what she wasn’t sure of. But she should trust that he knew what he was doing. But she felt like screaming at him to just talk to her, or if he couldn’t, to pick one way and stick to it. Even if it was ignoring her. Sure it would hurt, but she would cry and eat her bodyweight in pizza and Lilly would tut at her and cook her soup and she would spend time with the twins who would force her to laugh. And she would move 

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1. on. 

It was late evening as she took the Uber to Lilly’s place. Lilly gave her a hug and a shot of vodka to get them going. Arm in arm, they made their way to the local pub. A man with a guitar was playing and singing in the corner as they walked up to the bar to order a hamburger each and beer. They took a seat at a table and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. 

“The bartender is totally checking you out,” Lilly told Charlie. 

“You are crazy,” Charlie told her. “Even if he was, I have enough of a complicated love life as it is.” 

“I’m not suggesting you get hitched and start producing kids. I’m suggesting you need a palate cleanser between James and the big boss.” 

“No thanks, no palate cleanser for me,” Charlie said, glancing at the hot bartender. He was built like a barn with shaggy looking hair and a neat beard, making Charlie think of a lumberjack. Was he laughing at them? Their burgers were brought out by a gorgeous redhead. She was flirty with both Charlie and Lilly, and Charlie was more than happy to let Lilly go ahead and flirt away. The night progressed in the best of ways. Both Lilly and Charlie were in a good mood, the music was good, the beer was fantastic and Charlie found the flirting and bantering between Lilly and the waitress adorable. She was just started to feel a little tipsy when her phone buzzed. She looked at it and sighed. 

V: It’s time to go home, lilla lo. 

Charlie was about to answer him she wasn’t a child and she didn’t have a curfew. But thought the better of it. She was a little drunk and nothing good came out of drunk texting. Especially when you were on the border of being pissed off. Especially if the one you’re pissed at is your boss and maybe something, something. She chose to ignore the text and instead empty her beer. As soon as she put the glass on the table, their waitress showed up. 

“Another one?” she asked Charlie, and sent a flirtatious smile at Lilly. 

“I would like a Gimlet, please,” Charlie said. 

“Sure thing,” the waitress said. “Something for you, gorgeous?” she asked Lilly. Lilly looked at 

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her with sultry eyes and Charlie envied her friend that could summon such a look. 

“Can you bottle up that smile of yours? I would buy a crate,” Lilly said, making the woman giggle. “If my friend is switching to the hard stuff, I will join her. A dirty martini, please.” The flirting, talking, and drinking continued. There was another buzz from Charlie’s phone. 

V: Don’t ignore me, Charmeze. Time to go home. 

Charlie put the phone away. Taking deep breaths. 

“Who pissed you off?” Lilly asked. 

“No one,” Charlie said, draining her drink. 

“Uh huh, if that is how you’ll handle it, it’s fine by me,” Lilly said, draining her own. The waitress appeared as if by magic. Who knows? Charlie thought. Maybe she was a freaking 

fairy. 

“Another round?” 

“Sure,” Charlie agreed. 

“And you?” she asked Lilly. Lilly hesitated and looked at Charlie. “I’m off in five minutes, would you save a dance for me?” the waitress asked Lilly. Lilly actually turned a little red in 

the face. 

“I don’t know. I’m here with my friend. I don’t want to leave her on her own,” Lilly said. 

“Don’t think like that. I’ll be fine. Go, dance with the sexy, sexy lady and have some fun,” 

Charlie said. The waitress laughed. 

“If it will make you feel better about it, she can go sit at the bar. My brother is the bartender and he can keep her company. He won’t mind, not even a little, and I’ll make sure he is a gentleman,” the waitress offered. The idea of a palate cleanser maybe sounded a little better. now than a couple of hours ago to Charlie. Lilly looked at Charlie. Charlie saw her friend was 

hesitant. 

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“I’ll take my next drink at the bar,” Charlie said, standing up. Lilly had never flirted during a breakup with Nea before. Charlie was going to do whatever it took to help Lilly get over her 

ex- 

“I like you,” the waitress said. 

“I’m amazing. Name your first daughter after me,” Charlie said and realised her alcohol intake. had affected her mouth filter. 

“Charlie!” Lilly said. 

“You got yourself a deal,” the waitress said. All three of them walked to the bar and Charlie got up on a stool, happy she wasn’t so drunk she fell off. “Bert, I’m taking this amazing woman and I’m going to dance with her. This amazing woman I leave in your hands until her friend returns. Behave or I will kick your ass and then tell dad you were handsy with a lady and he will kick your ass.” The bartender laughed in a deep voice. It reminded Charlie of Vidar’s voice, but it wasn’t as nice and the sexy rasp wasn’t there.. 

“I will protect her with my life,” he said, and Charlie nodded at Lilly. The two women headed for the dancefloor. “Another gimlet?” he asked.. 

“Yes please,” she said. Charlie watched him make it. He was good at what he did. 

“So, as you probably guessed. I’m Burt,” the bartender said, holding out his hand. 

“Charlie,” Charlie answered, shaking his hand. Burt kept his promise to his sister. When he didn’t need to work, he stood with Charlie and made small talk. No flirting, just being friendly. After her drink was empty, Charlie switched to plain coke as she was feeling herself getting drunk. Lilly and Burt’s sister came walking over. They only had eyes for each other. 

“I’m trying to talk Lilly into going home with me,” Burt’s sister told them. Lilly seemed like 

she didn’t hate the idea. 

“I approve,” Charlie said. 

“I can’t just leave you here. I feel like the worst friend ever,” Lilly told her. 

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“Oh no, don’t use me as an excuse. I’ll be fine. I’ll order a taxi and go home. You can call me tomorrow to let me know you are okay,” Charlie said. Internally, she added, she had a private. group of vampires to watch over her. 

“I’ll make sure she gets into the taxi safely,” Burt said. Lilly looked at Charlie and her new love interest. Charlie smiled and nodded. 

“Okay,” Lilly said. The two women disappeared, and Charlie turned back towards the bar. 

“Another coke?” Burt asked. Before she could answer, Charlie felt the atmosphere in the pub change and Burt looked over her shoulder. Charlie didn’t need to look to know Vidar had just 

walked in.