Indebted to the Vampires

by ERIN BEDFORD

  Snorting, I shifted in the tub. They were probably having the time of their life, Rayne most of all. He seemed to be the type to thrive on the attention, even if he wouldn’t give me the time of day. Drake and Allister would let the women come to them. They weren’t the type to chase after anyone, well, besides me but that’s only because they were messing with me. At least Drake did, I hadn’t spent much time with his twin. I was sure there was nothing more to Drake’s teasing than just that because he could.

  Now, Wynn, I wanted to say he wouldn’t even be interested, but I knew a charmer when I saw one. I’d been on the receiving end of his flirting, and it was merciless. The women downstairs, I was assuming there were some unless I had my wires all crossed, wouldn’t know what to do with themselves. They were probably arguing over who got to have him first. I chuckled a bit at the thought, and even to my ears, it was bitter.

  Stop it, Piper. You’re the maid. They’re your employers. What did you think would happen?

  Forcing the thoughts down, I focused on my little fantasy. Antoine and Marcus with their aloof personalities wouldn’t even pay any mind to the women around them. Antoine might talk to them, but only to the extent of what was polite, never giving them the chance to misunderstand him. Marcus would just glare, his go-to for whenever he caught sight of me, not that he had spoken two words or any words to me for that matter to me. Those hateful eyes would be enough to scare any unwanted attention away.

  My line of thoughts made me think about my own dating experiences. It’d been a while since I’d been with anyone. I didn’t keep boyfriends for very long. Usually, they thought I was too abrasive to keep around. I didn’t pay enough attention to them.

  If they were worth paying attention to, then I would. I snorted and rolled my eyes.

  I couldn’t see myself ever getting bored with any of the Durand brothers. They were all unique in their own way. If anything, I might die of a heart attack from the way they kept surprising me. Those ladies down there didn’t know how lucky they were.

  Whichever one of the brothers chose them would no doubt take care of them. They’d make sure they didn’t leave until they were fully satisfied. A wistful sigh escaped from my lips. Bone liquefying kind of satisfaction. Of course, the masters would send them on their way as soon as they were done, but they would have a happy look on their faces, all too happy to have a one-night stand with them.

  I know I would be.

  My body warmed at the thought of any of their hands on me. That thought turned into a dark fantasy where I was surrounded by all six brothers, each of them taking their turn to touch and caress me. As my mind wandered so did my hands, cupping my breasts and tweaking my nipples until I gasped. I imagined Wynn’s long fingers slipping between my thighs and rubbing circles around my clit.

  My breathing came in short pants now as I leaned my head back on the edge of the tub. Drake and Allister would take the fight to my lips, each of them trying to outdo the other, while Rayne would fondle my breasts. Marcus’s thick fingers would tease my pussy, only dipping one finger in until I was begging for more.

  Antoine, however, would not share me. He would watch from the sidelines, those intense eyes staring at me while his brothers devoured me, watching and waiting his turn until he could have me. His pale eyes would lock with mine as his brothers worked me until I cried out in ecstasy.

  When I came down from my self-inflicted high, I felt like a fool. I laughed bitterly as I rubbed a wet hand over my face. What the hell was I thinking? None of them would be with me, let alone share me. I was a lowly maid, nothing more.

  I snorted, thinking of what Darren had said. Apparently, I wasn’t even trusted to be that either.

  Climbing out of the tub, I wrapped a towel around myself. As I pulled on a long t-shirt and boxer shorts I’d stolen from an ex, I heard something from outside my room. Inching my way toward the door, I checked that it was indeed locked.

  I moved away from the door but heard it again and more distinctly.

  A moan and not just any moan, but a woman’s.

  An unreasonable amount of anger filled me at the sound of it. I couldn’t have them, so they had to rub it in my face? They couldn’t take their women to their room and defile them there?

  My blood raged in my veins as I ripped the door open. I recognized the broad back pressing a blonde-haired woman against the wall immediately. Drake. Of course, it would be Drake. The smug bastard couldn’t leave well enough alone.

  Ready to give the man a piece of my mind, I cleared my throat. “Do you mind?”

  Slowly, Drake turned from the woman, and I gasped. His eyes practically glowed in the dim hallway and had a sinister hunger in them. Drake licked his lips where a dark liquid covered his chin and lower lip.

  My hand came up to my mouth as I stifled a gasp.

  Drake let the women in his arms go, and she sagged to the floor, her eyes closed. I didn’t have the courage to check if she was still alive as Drake was moving toward me. I scrambled backward and barely got the door closed and locked before he began to bang on it.

  “Pretty girl, come out and play,” Drake crooned through the wood. When I didn’t answer, he banged on the door some more and said sweet nothings to try and get me to open up.

  “Don’t you want to know what it feels like?”

  I shook my head, though he couldn’t see it. I pressed my back up hard against the wood of the door, my legs trembling beneath me.

  “I know you do,” he purred, his voice reached parts of me that tightened and moistened despite my fear. “I can smell you, you know. Every time you think no one can hear you in the safety of your little room, we can smell your arousal, hear your gasps of pleasure.”

  My face heated at his words. Could they really? The thought didn’t anger me as much as it had when Antoine had made me think they were spying on me.

  “Let me in, Piper.” He murmured my name like a caress against my skin. “Let me show you just how good it would be.”

  Moving away from the door for a moment, my hand reached for the doorknob and then another voice joined Drake’s.

  “What are you doing?”

  Antoine.

  His voice snapped me out of whatever trance I’d been in, and I jerked my hand away from the door. I backed all the way up until I was on my bed, my eyes never leaving the door. I wrapped my arms around my knees and rocked back and forth as I stared at the door.

  “Just having a bit of fun.” Drake huffed a laugh.

  “Not with her. Get back downstairs and take your... guest with you.”

  Drake didn’t argue, and then after a moment of silence, I thought they had gone. Then Antoine spoke again.

  “Are you alright, Miss Billings?”

  I didn’t answer, too petrified to move let alone speak.

  “Piper?” My name in his accented voice shocked me out of my debilitating fear.

  Clearing my throat, I blinked. “Yes, I’m fine.”

  “Good.” He paused and then added, “Don’t open your door again.”

  “I won’t.” I barely got the words out, but there was no answer and no retreating footsteps. I was tempted to check and see if he was gone, but his warning rang clear in my mind.

  Lying in bed with the light next to the bed on, my thoughts whirled a mile a minute at what I had seen, not wanting to believe it was true.

  It makes sense when I think about it. I glanced down at the book I had been reading. Vampires.

  No. No way. I shook my head against the thought. I was just reading too much into it.

  Are you though?

  The heavy drapes. The barely eating, if at all. I had never seen them eat besides that one cookie with Rayne but that was barely a nibble. Besides that, I’d only ever seen them drink those silver containers which now that I thought of it, that red liquid on Rayne’s lips had not been beet juice but blood.

  How had I been so stupid? All the signs were there. They didn’t come out until night time, well, there was the o
ccasional run-in, but it was always at early morning. Then there were the warnings to not interact with them and to lock my door at night. They had tried to tell me in their own way.

  Even Darren trying to get rid of me the first day had been a warning. He had tried to keep me from getting hurt. My heart warmed slightly at the man’s unorthodox way of showing he cared. He obviously knew about them. Gretchen probably didn’t. She didn’t come in often enough, but it would be easy for me to figure it out. I was surprised I hadn’t until now.

  You were too caught up in your fantasies of them to care.

  I scowled at myself for my sex driven brain. I could have easily let myself be eaten by them with all the times I was alone with them, and when I thought about it, I almost had. The incident with Drake came to mind, and I shuddered at how close I’d been to getting bit.

  There were no more incidents for the rest of the night. Drake must have given up and gone back to his victim for the night. I worried about the woman and the rest of the guest’s downstairs, but my own survival was my primary concern. I was no hero, that was for sure, not that I’d ever claimed to be. The only thing on my mind was getting out of there without getting bit or, worse, killed.

  Man, I really had loved this job.

  Chapter 16

  Allister

  “What the fuck were you thinking?” Antoine growled. The sound was low but menacing, and everyone in the room flinched except my brother.

  Drake stood before Antoine’s desk, his arms crossed over his chest. He didn’t even look contrite. No remorse. No guilt. Not that I was surprised. My twin rarely did anything he didn’t want to do. He’d never apologized before, and I doubted after all this time he’d do it now.

  “I was thinking that I was hungry, and my donor wanted to play.” Drake let out gruffly. With a chuckle, he shrugged. “Who was I to deny her?”

  I let out a short laugh, earning me a glare from Antoine. I wasn’t the only one laughing either. Wynn smiled. Well, he was always smiling at some stupid shit or another. His own mind made him smile.

  Rayne, the little shit, had a perpetual scowl on his lips lately. Something I had a feeling had to do with the pretty maid we’re all so preoccupied with.

  Speaking of the maid...

  Piper Billings. Hard to fucking seduce someone when the legs have been cut out from beneath you. I didn’t know what I’d been agreeing to when I’d told Wynn I wouldn’t use my powers. Wynn had all the charm of a viper, yes, but take away his fangs and he was still a viper. I couldn’t even communicate with the woman.

  Maybe I should send her flowers? Women liked flowers, didn’t they?

  An annoyed groan came from Rayne. “Knock it the fuck off, would you?”

  All eyes went to Rayne, pausing Antoine in his interrogation of my brother. Rayne shifted in his seat and frowned. “You all think too loudly.”

  “I’m sorry if our thoughts are disturbed you.” Antoine snapped, not at all sorry. Rayne might have the most annoying gift of all of us. Not only to him, who bitched about it constantly, but to the rest of us. Couldn’t have a decent wank without him listening in, let alone a secret.

  Pushing up from his seat, Rayne snapped, “I don’t see why we all need to be here for this. Drake fucked up. We got it. Good riddance. She was a pest anyway. Get another one. Maybe this time we can find a deaf and mute one. Then all our problems would be solved.”

  Wynn threw his head back and laughed. “That might help us, but it wouldn’t stop you from hearing her thoughts.” He paused and stroked his chin. “Wait, does a deaf-mute think in words? Or signs? I’d love to know. Get on that, would you?”

  “Fuck you.” Rayne flashed his fangs at Wynn, making Marcus tense beside Antoine.

  “Enough, both of you.” Antoine steepled his fingers and leaned back in his chair. “We want the maid we have, so no more talk of getting another one. You lot just need to keep your fangs and your cocks where they belong.” Antoine’s eyes slid back around the room and landed on Drake. “I don’t want to see another incident like last night’s, and if I find any of you doing what this arrogant piece of shit has done, I’ll send you to our sire. See how you like a century or two under his thumb.”

  The room went still. None of us wanted to go to our sire’s home. The Russian fucker was worse than Antoine and crazier too. At least, Antoine we could trust not to stake us in our sleep because we’d annoyed him. Our sire wouldn’t be so lenient.

  “I’m sorry.” Drake ducked his head. “I won’t do it again.”

  Antoine’s eyes shifted to Rayne. The redhead shook his head, his shaggy hair jerking side to side with his head. “Good. Then I believe this meeting is over.” He raised a hand to Marcus. “Lock the front door and keep an eye out for our skittish maid. She is no doubt packing her bags right this very second.”

  Antoine stood, adjusting his suit jacket. “The rest of you go to bed while I clean up our brother’s mess.”

  We filed out of the room, our heads hung low, thoroughly chastised. I followed my twin on his way to his room. Drake tried to shut his door behind him, but I grabbed a hold of it and pushed my way in.

  “You really fucked up this time.” I threw myself down in his arm chair, folding my hands over my stomach. “What did you expect to gain from your little display? Did you think she would come out of her room with open veins?”

  “More like legs,” Drake snorted, pulling his shirt over his head.

  We both had the same tattoo across our left breast. The symbol of our house, the Durand black crow with the words Sanguinem meum in saecula wrapped around it. It loosely translated to ‘Blood of my blood, now and forever.’ A bit of irony there as our house sigil was a bad omen, but it was the only thing that has kept us alive over the years. And we had Antoine to thank for that.

  “At least I’m actually trying to do something.” Drake kicked his shoes off and pulled on a new shirt. “You have your thumb so far up your ass trying to find some fancy way around Wynn’s rules.”

  I frowned, not getting what he was saying.

  Drake chuckled. “Do you really think Wynn is playing by the rules?”

  Sighing, I kicked my feet out in front of me. “I guess you have a point there. So, what do I do? Corner her and charm her out of her panties? The same ones that are so wet for Wynn?”

  “No, you pull her out from under him mid-fuck.” Drake shook his head, scoffing. “Seriously, some days I wonder how we ever shared the same womb.”

  Ignoring his jab, I stood. “I ask the same thing, asshole.”

  I walked to his bedroom door, pulling it open. Before going out, I turned back to him. “If you were in my position, what would you do? To charm her?”

  Drake glanced over at me and then smirked. “I’d whisper sweet nothings in her ears until she didn’t know who or what she wanted anymore. Until all she thought about was you.”

  Chapter 17

  Piper

  I didn’t get a wink of sleep that night. As soon as I got my wits about me, I packed my bag and waited until dawn. If they were vampires, they wouldn’t be able to go outside in the sunlight. Also, previous experience told me they wouldn’t be up this early anyway.

  I grabbed my bag and moved at a snail’s pace toward the bedroom door. I hesitated before I flicked the lock and opened the door without warning. No one was waiting outside my door, but that didn’t make me relax. As far as I knew, someone was waiting to jump me at the front door.

  Stepping out into the hallway, my eyes flickered to the spot I’d seen Drake biting that woman before. However, there was no sign that it ever happened. No blood, nobody. Just the empty hallway.

  Part of me wanted to believe that I had imagined it. That it was all a bad dream, but deep down inside of me, I knew it hadn’t been. I was stupid to even think it might be some morbid fantasy conjured up by the book I’d been reading.

  A smart person would have gone out the back, but my car was still parked in the front. If I went through the back, I’d risk t
he chance of running into Gretchen or Darren who were no doubt in the kitchen right now. I didn’t want Gretchen to know anything was wrong, and Darren would figure it out right away and might tell Antoine. I couldn’t risk it.

  I winced at every creak the floor made as I made my way through the hallways and down the staircase. The bottom floor was still a mess from the party the night before. Glasses and plates sat on side tables. Clothing had been discarded without care at the foot of the steps.

  My nose crinkled. Someone had been in a hurry.

  Part of me was thankful that I was leaving. The mess would probably be on my list of chores to clean up today, but I’d left my room before they could leave me my little note. I so didn’t want to deal with the leftovers from last night.

  Just thinking about seeing whoever they had taken to bed with them the night before made my heart clench strangely. I’d understand if it had only been Wynn I’d been thinking about, but even Antoine and Rayne came to mind.

  Shaking my head, I chastised myself for letting myself care about those monsters.

  Almost home free, my shoulders relaxed as my hand touched the doorknob. I began to turn it only to find that it wouldn’t move. I twisted it and jerked on the knob but nothing. I tried to unlock it, but there was a bolt I’d never noticed before that required a key.

  Fuck.

  My heart beat rapidly in my chest, and I realized I had to go through the back. I didn’t have a choice.

  However, before I could head that way, a voice stopped me. Frozen to the spot, I wanted to pretend like I hadn’t heard Antoine calling my name. What was he even doing up this early? Every inch of me wanted to run, to scream for help, but I knew no one there would help me. I was on my own.

  “Don’t make me ask twice, Piper.” Antoine’s warning tone told me I better come to him, or I wouldn’t like the outcome. Maybe if I pretended that I hadn’t seen anything last night, he’d let me go. Just heading off to take care of somethings on my day off.