Devour
Copyright 2013
Andrea Heltsley
Andreaheltsley.blogspot.com
ISBN:
Ebook: 9781301339754
Print book: 978-1482639834
Cover Illustration by
Parajunkee Designs
Copyright 2012
Edited by Final Edits
Interior Design by Once Upon a Time Covers
This is a dpgroup exclusive.
Devour
Andrea Heltsley
Callie is a royal vampire. She hunts by taking the blood from her victims and erases their memories afterwards. She goes undetected until a victim named Chase approaches her with all his memories intact. He is intrigued and attracted. She is terrified. What happens when a human mixes with the immortal world? Chaos.
Callie’s 18th birthday has passed and she is coming out at the annual blood ball. Will she find a mate or will she suffer the repercussions of her indiscretion? She is brought to the vampire council and they must decide what to do with Chase. Do they kill him, or turn him to protect their secret?
Present day
I sit in the bed cross-legged and gently bang my head against the bars behind me. The sheets are stiff and scratchy. The pillow is flat and the room is sparse. The only amenities accessible are a bed and a small, basic bathroom. Fortunately, I don’t have to pee in public. That’s something, at least.
My hair feels stringier than usual and the desire to wash my face with something other than plain soap is strong. It’s hard to believe how much I actually miss the normal creature comforts I’m so accustomed to. I don’t think I’ll ever take them for granted again, if I live that is.
Things have gotten desperate. I never thought something like this could ever happen, let alone to me. Due to the bizarre set of circumstances, I’m being held for possible treason. The thought that anyone would ever purposely betray our kind is unthinkable and makes me shudder.
Then there’s the fact that this is dragging two royal families’ reputations through the mud. That means I have practically ruined four council members in the process. I can’t help but be ashamed of myself. It’s not really my fault, but that doesn’t change the situation.
Being royalty brings with it so many expectations to uphold, but being a teenage vampire is what really sucks. Ha, ha sucks. Anyways, I digress. I close my eyes and let my mind take me back to a time when things were simple, before him.
Less than a week ago
Sitting at the kitchen table, it’s time to drink my evening cocktail of bagged blood infused with vamp blood and caffeine. This concoction is one that only the royal family is privy to. If word ever got out, we would have a whole legion of super vampires on the loose. The vamp blood and caffeine boosts our abilities, making us superior to our followers. The ingredients can’t be ingested separately or they would have little to no effect.
Bagged blood, even this mixture, is something to loathe. Blood fresh from the source is much more filling and tastes so much better. My best friend, Jane, and I have a theory of sorts. The hotter the guy is that we feed from, the better the blood.
This could be false, although we’ve never tried to disprove the theory. We always go for the hot guys. I mean, why not? We are fledgling vampires, as well as part of the royal court. Our looks are at their prime even though our aging is slowing altogether. This gives us three years of youthful magnetism before we stop changing completely at the ripe age of twenty-one.
Jane turned eighteen last week and my birthday was the month before. It used to be a cake walk to get blood. We simply preyed on the male population of Lunar High. Now, we’ve somehow managed to graduate and are scattered out into the world.
Well, that’s not totally true. We will both go to U of V in the fall. I know the name is cheesy. Who would name a school University of Vampires? Anyway, I’m always going off on tangents. It’s an annoying habit my mind has.
U of V isn’t like your normal college for a few reasons. One, it is nestled deep within the royal lands. The campus is nearly impenetrable. Two, only royalty gets to go there. It is an elitist university rooted deep in centuries of pure breeding.
I know what you’re thinking. Vampires can’t breed. That’s a complete misnomer. We can and do breed with our own kind. There are strict rules in place to prevent diluting the lines and everyone follows them to the letter. Breaking the rules brings a stiff penalty and a visit to the vampire council. The less they know you, the better. Once you are in their clutches, you are marked and could become a required breeder at some point.
Hmm, a required breeder you say. It isn’t quite as bad as it sounds, yet I fear it. It means that you basically have a window of time to settle down and become pregnant. This would be impossible for us if we didn’t have vamp guys waiting in line for a chance at a royal. The benefits to become royalty are worth it alone.
Breeding as a royal is supposed to be a big honor and a way to carry on our heritage. It should be a blessing, but sometimes when the council orders it, that feels more like a curse. Being told what to do with your life is never fun.
I refocus on the here and now, breaking my internal train of thought. Looking up, my mother has come into the kitchen and is pouring herself a glass of our cocktail. I was so distracted that I didn’t even hear her come in. When our eyes meet, she gives me a gentle smile that crinkles her blue eyes slightly.
“Good evening, sweetheart. How are you? Are you prepared for the blood ball tomorrow night? It will be your first official outing as an unmatched female now that you are of age. I really am so excited for you.”
I groan inwardly. The ball is the last thing on my mind. It isn’t that I don’t want to meet someone special. I just don’t want to hit my first year of college already attached. Desire fills me to experience college life the way it is meant to be.
“I already have my gown hanging in the closet. The courier brought it just after sunset. I have to say, you have outdone yourself. It’s absolutely gorgeous. My only hope is that I can do it justice.”
“Oh, honey. It’s going to be stunning on you. I have no doubt the boys will be tripping over themselves just to score a dance with you.”
“Thanks, Mom. I appreciate your positivity.”
“On another note, what are you planning to do tonight, young lady? Are you going hunting again with Jane?” she asks me.
“Yep, we are going to hit The Racing Heart and get our groove on first. Then we will find our targets. I hope there are some cute guys there tonight.”
“You two are absolutely shameless. Never-the-less, I hope you have a fantastic time tonight.”
“There is no doubt that Jane and I will have a great time. It is us that you’re talking about,” I joke.
Sucking down the last of my blood and wiping my lips off with a napkin, I throw my empty bag in the trash and exit the kitchen. It’s time to get ready before Jane comes over in an hour. I practically glide up the steps in my haste to make it to my room.
Stripping off my shorts and tee, I slip into the shower and spend as little time as possible getting cleaned up. We have to use unscented soaps and hair products because our noses sense of smell is as sensitive as that of a normal human. The chemical scents are too overpowering and I prefer the smells around me instead of smelling myself.
Once finished, after stepping out of the shower and wrapping a plush red towel around myself, it’s time to figure out what to wear. The outfit in question should be as sexy as possible. My rule of thumb is the sexier the better. The desire to hook a real hottie tonight is strong and I need the perfect outfit for that.
I settle on a lavender slip dress that brings out the color in my violet eyes. Smiling at how awesome my body looks in this dress, I slip on a pair of dark purple, stra
ppy mules and head to the vanity. Some makeup to accentuate my flawless features and a few accessories finish my look. I pull a brush through my straight, brown hair and add shimmery hair pomade to it.
Soon, the bell rings and Jane is here, waiting on me. Finn, the butler, will let her in. She hates to wait though. Jane is one royal that acts like royalty to the nth degree. None the less, I love her.
I slip my I.D. and credit card into my bra, along with my cell phone and head out of my room. Making my way to the bottom of the stairs and finding Jane in a silver, sequined dress is no shock. It hugs her curves and makes her look like a movie star. Her silver grey eyes seem to sparkle under the lights. I also love her blonde up do. She’ll definitely stand out tonight.
Wrapping her in a hug, I feel giddy. I always do when we go hunting. Then again, any teenage girl would be excited to go looking for that perfectly hot guy. Just because we do it for sport and survival doesn’t mean we don’t absolutely love it.
“I’m so ready for tonight. Let’s go before all the yummy guys are gone. I get first pick tonight.”
Jane scoffed and cracked a smile. “Fine, but I get first pick at the blood ball tomorrow night.”
“That won’t be a problem. You know I don’t want to be attached. I could care less about the vamp guys trying to get to me for my royalty.”
“Seriously, Callie, I think you should reconsider. You get your pick of all the most fabulous guys to breed with. They’ll be yours. Isn’t that enough of an incentive?”
“I just don’t want to be attached right now. I’m not ready for breeding. I want to get through college minus a boyfriend, mate or whatever.”
“Yeah, but you are royalty. You know perfectly well that the council can decide to change your status at the drop of a hat. At least then you would be ready with a hot guy of your choice.”
“I’m not worried about it. The right guy will come along and I’ll be ready when he does. I don’t need some guy just because he’s sexy. They’re fun to play with, but some of us need more than that in a mate,” I huff and pull the front door open.
Jane is parked out front in the circle drive. Opening the door, we slip into her sleek red sports car. Before I know it, we are pulling out of the drive and rushing through the streets. We make our way to the city gates and give the guards our night pass. No one can enter or leave without a pass. Security is really tight here to protect us from humans.
Once we clear the gates, Jane speeds off towards The Racing Heart. She doesn’t stop until we slide into a parking spot and kill the engine. “Nice parking job,” I joke.
“Hey, I have the reflexes; I might as well use them. I even parked right between the lines this time.”
I chuckle and step out of the car. The night is warm and my body is reveling in the feel of the soft breeze wrapping itself around my skin. Waiting for Jane, we then we walk around the corner to the front of the line.
People like us have connections. We are rich and powerful. It would be an insult to make us wait in line with all the humans. We pull out our I.D.s and flash them at the burly doorman before he nods. He steps aside and we gain access to the club inside.
This is our favorite club. We love to come here on Friday nights. Mainly because it’s the hottest club in town and we, therefore, find the hottest guys here. It has a reputation for being the best place for the eighteen and over crowd. We like it because there are less creepy, old men here.
Tonight is no exception. The music is loud and pulsing throughout. It’s packed in here. A mass of undulating bodies writhe on the dance floor to the electronica pumping through the speakers.
Since we’re vampires, we don’t drink alcohol. We head straight up to the top floor. It is easiest to see the club from up there and so we can scout out our prospects. Tugging on Jane’s hand, we carefully make our way up the Victorian staircase.
The bottom of my dress falls to mid-thigh and I have to be careful on my way up the stairs so I don’t flash the people coming up behind me. When we reach the top, I tug my dress in place and push through the crowd as if they don’t matter.
They are just human, after all. We are the predators and they are our prey. Tonight we are hunting, this isn’t social hour. The scent of blood wafting off of these humans in waves is a sweet, metallic smell that’s unique to each human. Some smell better than others. Mom said it has to do with their vitality and sickness.
We finally reach the railing that overlooks the dance floor and I take in a deep breath. It is times like this that I appreciate the ability to breathe so I can take in the sweet aroma of blood pumping through the veins of these humans.
Trying to put all thoughts of the blood ball out of my head, my focus is on the game ahead. As my eyes sweep over the crowd below, they lock on a few prospects.
The first guy I see is tall and stands out above the crowd. He has shaggy brown hair and hard, angular features. He’s hot, but not exactly what I have in mind tonight.
The next guy that crosses my field of vision is of average height. He has short cropped, blonde hair and soft, almost baby like features. My first impression is cute but in a boyish way. He is definitely not the one.
I’m looking for dangerous and edgy tonight. He should be sexy but not too over the top. I want someone that doesn’t flaunt himself around the club. Those men are weak and after one thing only. Since that’s a huge no no, he should be easy on the eyes but in a loner kind of way. There should be privacy for this, not a crowd of friends.
Jane pulls me out of my thoughts as she leans in and points over to the bar. I grasp her arm tightly. It is him, the guy. He’s so much better than I was picturing in my mind.
Leaning into her and yelling in her ear, only one simple word slips out. “Mine.”
She just laughs and nods. “It’s a good thing you get first dibs tonight. That boy is freaking hot. I can almost see the smoke coming off of him. Yummy.”
I ignore her, knowing I’ve already won. If Jane is anything, she’s loyal. Pulling away from her, my focus is heading down towards the bar. Jane’s more than capable of taking care of herself. I trust that she will find her own sexy stud tonight and we have a set time to meet back at the car. The time is always the same, midnight.
With our persuasion powers, we don’t need much more time than that. Two hours is plenty of time for the hunt and the feeding.
This guy becomes more defined as I move closer to him. He has short, messy, brown hair that screams rebel. His creamy skin is flawless, aside from a tiny scar above his left eye. I can see his sinewy muscles through his thin, grey tee-shirt as my approach inches closer. Then he turns and our eyes meet. I gasp.
My violet eyes take in the sight before me. I’m shocked to see how clear his blue eyes are. They remind me of the ocean on a sunny day. His features and jawline are strong yet approachable. He has a couple days scruff that looks sexy as hell on him. Feeling my jaw drop, I appreciate this dreamy guy.
As he moves closer, he quirks a smile and I want to melt. Wow, he is super-hot. I’m thrilled to have found him so quickly tonight. I get the weird feeling that he’s definitely dangerous. Shaking off the feeling and continuing toward him, the stars align.
Just when I get within earshot, he steps forward, bringing us inches from each other. I have to halt instantly at the smell that is wafting off of him. He smells delish. There’s no way to even begin to describe how addicting that smell could be for me.
I have to stop my mouth from watering and my fangs from descending. It’s a struggle but my instincts manage. I smile back and lean in the rest of the way, moving towards his ear.
“My name is Callie. Whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?”
I lean back and wait for him to make his move. When he does, he cups my neck and brushes his lips against my ear. Goosebumps erupt across my skin as he says, “I’m Chase. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Callie. Would you like a drink?”
I shake my head no and take his hand in mine. His skin is callused, like he
works with his hands a lot. Mm, sexy is all that I think as my mind is picturing him sweaty from working. Gah, I have to get my mind out of the gutter and focus.
Giving him a come hither smile, he follows me onto the dance floor. Turning around, he’s already closed the gap between us and has his body inches from mine. Once again, I struggle to remain in control. This is so unlike me. I want to taste him, take his blood right now. I’m so thirsty suddenly.
Brushing my hair out of my face and tucking it behind my ears, the distance closes between us. He puts his arms around my shoulders and we begin to dance to the techno beat. My body arches into him as we move.
Briefly looking up to where I left Jane, I realize she is no longer there, but I know she is okay. Returning my focus to Chase, I release one of my trademark smiles. He lets his hands slide across my body and it’s my turn to dance against him.
He spins me around so that my back is pressed to his chest. The feel of his hands exploring my stomach and then finally gripping my waist, is intense. After throwing my head back against him, he grips me tighter. His breath on my neck sends goose bumps across my body. I let out a little sigh. This is heaven and couldn’t have gone better.
Finally, the song is done and I peer over my shoulder at him. He winks at me and causes me to almost swoon. It’s too bad he won’t remember me tomorrow. Once I erase his memories of this night, I’ll be forgotten.
For the first time ever, it makes me sad to think he won’t remember me. I’m torn between wanting him to remember and knowing I can’t let him. It would be breaking all the rules and the vampire council would be all over me. That’s something no one would dare risk.
Returning my focus to Chase, he pulls me off the dance floor. Our hands are twined together and the anticipation between us is palpable. Despite knowing it’s impossible to be with a human; I can’t help but feel that he’s different somehow.
He smells so yummy that I have to rein myself in as I pull closer to him. As I do, I discretely look down to see what time it is. It is only eleven o’clock, but I am unnerved by this human and his smell is driving me wild. I’m ready to do this.
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