by J. L. Ostle
“It’s okay if Rush wants a taste; we are going to be like family, right?”
“Exactly.” He smiles at me. I watch as his eyes turn dark once again and his fangs release. He licks his lips before moving toward my neck. When I feel his lips on my skin, it causes goosebumps, but all too soon, Rush is thrown backward, hitting the wall. I am laughing when he stands back up, rubbing his hands on his jeans. “You tricked me?”
Everyone in the room starts laughing. “Do you honestly think I would let you bite me after you tried to compel my best friend?”
“Marry me?” Zeke goes to his knees. “I will be faithful until the day you die.” He looks up at me in awe.
“Yeah because you are immortal and can enjoy the bachelor life again after.” Emz laughs at him.
“At least I was faithful in the time I was with her.” He stands back up. “Think about it, petal.” He winks at me.
“Right, now that you haven’t scared off your new PA,” Finn says directly to Rush who seems to be sulking on the couch. “It’s time to bring in the meet and greet people. Please behave.” He points to each band member. “Ivory, make sure they don’t do anything supernatural. Some of the people who come to these things can be a handful, so just do what I told you to.”
I nod. “Oh, can I ask, are you a vampire like they are?” I know the band is and have been alive for over a hundred years.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Of course.”
“I am; I am over five hundred years old.” Wow. He must have been turned when he was in his late thirties.
“You must be rich then if you have been around for a long time, why manage the band?” I ask out of curiosity.
“Who do you think turned them?” He smiles at me and walks out the room, and before I have time to process what he said, the meet and greet people—mostly hot women—enter.
Perfect.
I look over at Rush; it seems that the women coming in have cheered him up. He walks over to a few who fawn all over him, telling him how amazing he is, and he is eating it right up.
The other band members have their own fans adoring them. When I see a little girl, who looks around ten, standing near the door, holding hands with someone I presume is her brother, who looks about fifteen, I walk over.
“Hey kids, you going to come meet the band?”
“My sister loves them, but with them being” —He looks behind me and then leans forward— “Vampires,” he whispers. “I am making sure I keep her safe.” I look at him sticking by her side; it is so adorable. They look so similar with light brown hair and light brown eyes.
“Being the big brother, of course, you do what you need to. If you come with me, I will introduce you to the band and let you get their autographs.”
“Thank you,” the little girl says in a quiet voice.
I smile at her and start heading toward Zeke who has a girl linked to his arm. “Zeke, you have a little fan that wants to meet you,” I tell him, and he smiles at me before seeing the girl and bending down so they are eye level. The girl who had been clinging to him gives me a look.
“Who are you?” She asks.
“Their PA.” She doesn’t say anything in response.
“Hi, little one, you a big fan?” Zeke asks her.
“The biggest.”
“She has all your posters, CD’s, and magazines,” her brother says, rolling his eyes.
“Wow, you must be our number one fan.” He takes her book and pen and writes a little message then signs his name. “There you go, if you give our Ivory here your address, I am sure we can send you out some tickets to our next concert.”
“Really?” the girl shrieks. “You are the best.” She hugs him, and he hugs her back.
“Can I ask something?” her brother asks when Zeke stands up.
“Shoot.”
“Can I see your teeth?” He shows his teeth, pretending to be a vampire. Zeke quickly does it, his fangs popping out. The boy looks amazed. “That’s so cool.”
“Stay in school.” Zeke messes the boy’s hair.
“Come on, let’s go see Caspian.” I take the girls hand, and we head toward Caspian, who hasn’t got anyone hanging off him. He just stands there, watching around the room. “Caspian, can you sign the girl’s autograph book please.”
“Sure.” He takes the book and signs his name, drawing the band’s heart logo.
“Thank you, Caspian,” the little girl says, blushing a little. I am sure I see Caspian give a small smile, but it’s gone so quickly I’m not completely sure.
“Right, let’s go see Slate.” Slate is sitting on the couch with a girl on each side of him. “Slate can you sign this girl’s book please.”
“Slate, who is this girl?” one of his girls asks. I look at her, seeing her perfect long blonde hair and blue eyes.
“She’s the band’s new PA,” he answers, sitting up, grabbing the book, and signing it. “Thank you for enjoying our music.”
“Thank you.” She motions her hand at him to come in closer. “You are my favorite,” she whispers, but I heard it. She blushes deep red, and Slate has the hugest grin on his face.
“You made my day.” He winks at her, and I swear she almost swoons at him.
“Come on you.” I take her hand, and we head over to Rush. I left him last since he has five girls on him. When he spots me walking toward him, his demeanor changes, and his eyes go a little dark. “Rush, can you sign this little girl’s autograph book, please?”
“Please? I like you using that word.” He smirks at me, and I roll my eyes.
“Just sign the book.” I shake my head.
“Please Rush.” The little girl looks up at him.
“Isn’t she precious,” a brunette coos, bending down. “She looks so good, I could eat her.” I know she isn’t saying it figuratively. “Little girl, want to show us your neck?”
“Courtney,” Rush warns her.
“I just want a little taste,” Courtney purrs. “Show us your neck, little one,” she asks again, but as I have hold of one hand, and she’s holding her brother’s, I know they won’t succumb to Courtney. But the little girl starts to hug onto my leg.
“Back off,” I say angrily.
Courtney stands up, coming eye-level with me. “Do you know who you are talking to?”
“No, and I don’t give a flying fuck. If you do that shit again, I will make sure you’re never allowed near the band again. If I have to, I will stake your black heart myself.” I don’t know if I have that kind of power when it comes to the band, but her going near an innocent child like she is nothing but a meal crosses a line.
She smiles at me. “I am going to drink you fucking dry; show me your neck.” I just look at her. “Show me your neck,” she shouts like a lunatic.
“Leave now, or I will get security and that will be even more embarrassing than it already is right now. Everyone is watching you make an idiot of yourself.” She looks around the room, and everyone is watching.
“Show me your neck,” she screams again, her eyes completely black, her teeth on show.
“Emz, get security,” I say sternly, and she heads off to find them.
“Fuck this shit.” Courtney charges at me. I raise my hand and she bangs into an invisible wall. She tries hitting it, but she can’t go near me or the kids. “What magic is this?”
“Magic you can’t even start to comprehend. If you don’t leave, I will turn you to dust.” My gift doesn’t do that, but she doesn’t know that.
“Rush?” She looks at him.
“Just go, you went too far.” He shakes his head at her.
“Me go too far? I remember where we loved going after innocent children,” she spits at him before leaving. Security arrives as she gets to the doors; seeing she is leaving, they follow her out.
“Hey, are you guys okay?” I bend down, and the little girl wraps her little arms around my neck, her body shaking in tears. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay.”
“I wouldn’t have let that horrible woman hurt you. But no, I’m not a witch; I’m something else,” I sigh. “Let’s go take you to your parents.”
“It’s only my dad; my mom died giving birth to me.” She sniffs, her voice going quiet, my heart starts to break for her.
“Let’s go to your dad; I am sure he is missing you.” I take hold of her hand after I stand.
“I know we could have died, but that was awesome,” the boy says, and I laugh.
We are almost at the door when I hear my name called out. “I still need to sign the book,” Rush says, taking the autograph book, writing a message, and then signing his name. “Give Ivory here your address, and we will give you and your family a VIP experience. Limo at your house, backstage passes, front row seats, the works.” He gives her a guilty look.
“Zeke said we could get tickets, but oh my god, that would be amazing! Thank you.” The little girl smiles up at him. “Oh, and don’t hang around ladies like that; they are bad news,” she tells him, causing him to laugh.
“I will try my best,” he laughs.
“Vampire or not, it doesn’t hurt to be good,” is all she says before we start walking again.
I am smiling when heading for the door, but the smile soon falls when I look back to see the band members standing next to one another, looking at me. I look at them, my body once again heating up before I look away.
I have been in their presence for an hour, and already, it seems this job is going to be a lot of hard work.
Rush
“What the fuck was Courtney hinking?” I shout to the room. Courtney is over two hundred years old and she still acts like a spoiled teenager. I haven’t drunk human blood from a person out of cruelty in over eighty years, and I don’t want to. Don’t get me wrong; if a girl offers me her neck, I will have a little taste.
But fuck me, when Ivory was teasing me with her neck, telling me I could have a taste, I almost came undone.
Seeing her with those children, standing up for them? I just wish someone had done that for me all those years ago.
I remember drinking from a child, the blood warm on my lips, the warmth seeping through my entire body. But when I saw a blind little boy, obviously calling out for his little brother, tears falling down his cheeks—I don’t know how, but that little boy changed something in me.
The guilt from what I’ve done and who I’ve hurt plagues my dreams.
The only problem with not drinking from a human is the withdrawals; drinking blood from a bag isn’t the same. It’s like a diet. You know if you have one taste, you will want more.
Seeing Courtney trying to compel the little girl who looked so scared, made me angry. Ivory, telling where Courtney where to go, was so hot. I was so turned on watching her.
I hate the stupid rules we have to follow. Rules the council created must be obeyed.
One of the rules in the vampire world is that we can’t stop a vampire from feeding on someone unless we have claimed that person. There are consequences if we do; it’s a fucked-up rule, but it’s a rule we must follow; that’s why Ivory is here.
Not to look after us.
But to look after the people who look up to us.
Our fans.
The people who work with us.
To keep them safe from those who find harming them a joyment.
I do have an appearance to put on. I show indifference, I show I don’t care, but deep down, I’m the complete opposite, but I block it away.
I can’t care; when you care, you get hurt.
My heart might not beat, but I still feel.
“Courtney needs to be reined in. She is out of control and getting worse. I wish we could stop her from coming to our shows,” Zeke says angrily.
“You know we can’t do that; she buys the tickets, she visits. You know she has friends in high places that can do more harm than what she can. Just think, once the tour is over, we get to write more music. And that means no more Courtney for a while.” Slate claps my shoulder. “Let’s follow our new girl; I think it’s her we need to be worried about.”
Yeah, tell me about it.
I am looking forward to being around Ivory, from the way the others were looking at her, so are they.
“I like her; there’s something about her that’s different, I know she has a gift, but she also has that quality where you can’t stop looking at her,” Caspian says, following Ivory’s direction. Caspian has always been the sensitive one, if he is liking a girl, she must be special.
“She smells so good too,” Zeke says before he walks back in the meet and greet room.
“Think this is the first.” Slate says, following Zeke, I catch up with him.
“What is?”
“We all are fascinated by the same girl, and she’s human,” Slate chuckles, shaking his head.
I guess this tour is going to be interesting.
Chapter Three
Ivory
After the meet and greet, the band, Emz, and I head into a limo and are taken to a club. Already, I’m starting to feel drained. I am looking forward to my PJs and bed.
When we get to our destination, the limo door opens, and I am deafened by screaming fans. Each member climbs out, and I take a deep breath before following. I see cameras flashing away.
“This feels so surreal,” Emz muses.
“Tell me about it. I swear these women are going to give me a headache.” I press my fingers to my temple.
“Are you ready to party?” Rush takes hold of my hand and pulls me along.
“What are you doing?” I whisper, cameras taking pictures of me.
“People need to realize that you’re part of the family.” He entwines our hands.
“Rush, Rush, Rush.” Reporters call out to him. “Who’s the girl?” they all ask.
“That’s confidential, but trust me when I say you will be seeing much more of her.” Rush kisses my cheek and more flashes go off. Wait. How did he kiss me without being pushed away? I don’t have a chance to question it when a camera goes off, blinding me.
“You are doing this on purpose,” I utter through gritted teeth.
“Why would I do that?” He smirks at me.
“Fine! If you want to play like that...” I walk over to Zeke and entwine my fingers with his. He looks down to our joined hands. “Want to give Rush a taste of his own medicine?”
“Hell yeah.” He lifts my hand and places a small kiss on it.
I lean up on tiptoes, whispering that Rush is messing with the wrong girl, but from the outside looking in, it looks like I’m whispering sweet nothings. I step back down, and when I look at Rush, he is looking at me quite unimpressed. I stick my tongue out at him and head over to Slate, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“I think Rush has met his match,” Slate says, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“He needs to realize that I need this job, and if he wants to play games, I will play right back.” I know it’s immature. I know I am acting like a child, but I don’t want Rush to think I will let him get away with his shit.
“Well, I’m going to enjoy you hanging around.” He kisses my cheek. Again, they are kissing my skin without being harmed. It worked when Rush tried to bite me, but what is it when it comes to them kissing me?
I step out of his embrace and walk over to Caspian, but he puts his hands up. “I know what you are doing, and I don’t really want to get involved in your little war with Rush.”
“Oh, you are such a spoilsport. Do I not get a hug?” I say sweetly, batting my eyelashes. I want to see if he can touch me like the others.
“Are you not afraid knowing you’re going to be hanging around a bunch of vampires? We all have dark pasts that would scare most people.” I’ve noticed that Caspian keeps people at arms lengths, and I’m sure there is a story behind why.
“We all ha
ve pasts. I judge the here and now. I did my research and you all do good deeds, giving to many charities. I don’t need to know what you did.” He just looks at me, his eyes boring into mine.
“I hate that I can’t read you. It’s going to bug me guessing what you’re thinking.”
“All you have to do is ask.”
“And you will tell me?” he asks skeptically.
I ponder it. “Within reason.” I giggle. “Just don’t catch me on a bad day. I can be a monster myself if I don’t get my beauty sleep.”
He laughs. “Duly noted.”
“Come on, let’s go party; sooner we party, sooner I can go to bed.” I link my arm in his.
“I am a night person remember. This will last until the sun starts to rise.”
“Well, I am a measly human, remember. I need sleep.” I yawn.
“I think you need to get used to being up at night as we sleep during the day.” I forgot they aren’t day walkers. I start to feel a little sorry for them. They don’t get to see the sun, see what it’s like during the day. “Your face has gone sad, why?”
“I was thinking that you guys haven’t seen daylight in so long. You must miss it.”
He shrugs. “I’ve gotten used to not seeing it; if I want to, I can see it on YouTube. With a vampire, it’s the little things that you took for granted that you miss.”
“Like what?”
“Like getting older, having kids. I guess what is hard is seeing the people around you die: seeing them growing old, getting ill, then leaving me behind. I try not to get attached to humans; I am sick of watching people go.” Hearing the sadness in his voice makes my heart ache.
“Sounds hard. But you got a chance to see how the world has changed. The technology, the medicine.”
“I’d rather be able to eat food with its full taste; I can eat but it’s not the same.”
“I wish I could back where they wore corsets and big dresses. I think I would have looked amazing,” I reveal, changing the subject. We are guided to the VIP area. I watch as the guys all take a seat, and I stay next to Caspian. I look around, noting the very low lighting and all the black seats and tables.