by Megan Hawke
"Yes, she is growing powerful quickly. Interesting. Do not worry, Dominique, she is not going anywhere." Yuri looked me over. He didn’t look pleased. "You are right. I made a mistake. She rattled me by trying to expose herself, and us, to sunlight." He caught my eyes. “The next Compulsion, Sable Hart, will be abject obedience.”
Chapter 9
I spent the day in Yuri’s coffin. The man was insatiable. He proved his power to control me. Worse, he made me enjoy performing wild, wicked sex acts. But if he thought treating me like a sex toy would make me more pliable, he was sadly mistaken.
It just pissed me off.
Sundown didn't see any improvement to my circumstances. Immortal and mortal alike taunted and mocked me. Yuri forced me to abase myself before each and every one of them, while saying I was a worthless worm.
Afterwards, the LaFere twins took charge of me. I was marched to the master bathroom. When I got out of the shower Pamela and Amber were doing the twin's hair and makeup. Both mortal girls were wearing super short, tight, black latex dresses.
"When are we going to eat? I’m famished."
Darcy looked up me and down. "Yuri isn't allowing anyone to feed yet."
That wouldn't last. If he didn't give me some blood real fast I might not be able to control myself. Pamela and Amber were looking pretty tasty. I could smell the two minions more intensely than before. Their sweet blood surged through their bodies, so close and enticing. Made my mouth water. I could barely keep my eyes off them.
Amber stepped behind Darby. "Is she safe?"
I tried to look as innocent and harmless as possible.
"Not really." Darcy grinned at me. "But we won't let her hurt you."
"I won't hurt you." Oh, but I wanted a taste. "I've vowed to never hurt anyone by feeding on them."
"Yeah, whatever." Darby leered at me. "You have a hot bod, babe, but time to get dressed."
Darcy snickered. “Yeah, the little tease has no shame.”
That reminded me that I was naked as the day I was born. Just standing there talking to them like it was the most normal thing in the world. When did I lose my sense of propriety? My sense of modesty? Probably when I lost my sense of moral outrage at being forced to perform kinky sex acts. I was really starting to see one of the downsides of being undead. What other emotions had I lost?
"Hurry up and get dressed while you wait your turn with Amber and Pamela," Darby said.
I found a pair of faded black skinny jeans and a crimson tank top about three sizes too small. Honest, it was the largest one I could find. They didn't have much of anything not made of leather or rubber.
There were no athletic shoes at all. Period. Nothing without stiletto heels, either. Tall stilettos. Thankfully, I had a shoe fetish, and that closet was full of Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, and Chanel. I found a pair of Louboutin ankle boots I’d been wanting to buy. They were a bit tight, but my new vampire body registered a twinge of pinched toe pain, and it went away.
“Hell yeah,” I said, gaining the attention of the other women. “Pun intended.”
Their confused looks pleased me.
"What are you wearing?" Darby said, face screwed up in distaste. "Where did you get jeans?"
"Those must be Anastasia's. She was smaller than you," Darcy said, looking them over as she circled me. She hooked a finger under the waistband. She had to force it. "A lot skinnier.” Is she calling me fat? “Yuri didn't Change her, so she could wear what she wanted."
"Did Yuri Change both of you?" I said.
"Of course not." Darby leaned over the sink to get a close-up look at her makeup. It seemed to please her. "The man that Changed us, both on the same night, didn't care what we wore. He put other Compulsions on us."
"Yuri Changed you, so he’s your Sire." Darcy indicated her own clothes – a very tight print dress and black pumps. Her sister wore the same outfit, but a different color. "He’s not our Sire. We follow him because we want to. You have no choice. So you have to obey him and you have to wear what he likes, or you'll piss him off."
Darby walked up and poked me in the chest. "And he'll put a Compulsion on you if it takes that to get what he wants from you."
Talk of a Compulsion chilled me to the bone. He put the first one on me during the day. He had to wait at least twenty-four hours until he could put another one on me, so it wouldn't happen that night.
"What does he expect?"
"Latex. Preferably black or red."
"Or both," Darby said.
"He's really into fetishwear." Pamela indicated her own latex-sheathed body and Amber's. "He insists all the mortal girls wear latex or leather, too."
"It's like ninety degrees outside right now." The whole idea of being told what to wear ticked me off. "I'll get heat stroke if I wear rubber clothes."
"She's not the brightest candle on the cake," Darcy said. The other three women grinned and nodded. Then she turned to me. "How hot is it in here? Right now?"
It had to be a trick question. I eyed her warily. It was pleasantly cool.
"I don't know. Seventy-five? Maybe a bit lower." As much as I liked the blast furnace that was a Texas summer, I thought the perfect all round temperature inside a home was between seventy-five and eighty. “Comfortable.”
"Pamela?" Darby said.
The redhead took a step forward. "The thermostat is set to sixty-five. Otherwise, Amber and I couldn't wear this latex."
Let me tell you, sixty-five in Texas during the summer is considered cold. I cranked my A/C down to seventy at night to sleep, with a blanket. It was not cold in that house. I would know. I hate the cold.
“No. Not that cold.”
"Did Yuri fuck you all day?" Darby said.
I cut her a dark look. Did she really have to be so crude? "You know he did."
Grinding my teeth, I tried not to think about the previous day with Yuri. Before him, I’d only made love to my boyfriends. I was not into casual sex.
"Did he sweat all over you?"
I remembered a lot about the day trapped in Yuri’s coffin. The smell of him. How he tasted. How different parts of him tasted. His hands, lips, and tongue were ceaseless, among other things. I did things I would’ve never agreed to if not under absolute mental control.
"Not that I recall."
"Really? Interesting," Darcy said. "Coffins are such tight quarters. I would think two horny people going at each other like oversexed minxes must sweat like stuck pigs."
I was determined she wasn’t going to humiliate me. Deny nothing. It’d happened, so what? It was just sex. I was cool with that. Think she believed it?
“Your point?”
"Did you sweat at all? Or feel the least bit uncomfortably hot?"
"Yes, of course… I mean." I had to stop and think. I’d never really felt hot, at least not hot enough to sweat. "I don't know. I think…"
Darby wagged her brows at me. "The answer is no. Vampires don't sweat."
"Ever," Darcy said.
"How is that possible?"
"How is it possible we're still walking and talking after dying? It just is," Darby said. Both twins gave me a melodramatic “duh” look. "We don't sweat, and we are not affected by extremes in temperature."
"You are dead, baby." Darcy clapped her hands in delight. "Revel in it."
"I'm a monster. An abomination in the eyes of the Lord."
Darby rolled her eyes. "But it doesn't have to be a miserable existence. The sex is just incredible! Think about it – what Yuri did to you during the day would've killed a mortal, but it was great for you. Admit it."
I admitted nothing. Instead, I scowled at them, and the twins hooted with glee.
“Interesting conversation.” Yuri stood inside the door. I jumped. How long had he been listening? He looked my outfit over, shook his head, and frowned. “You know what I like, Sable Hart. They did not have to tell you, so why did you choose that?”
“Screw what you like. This is what I like.”
“I
do not like your attitude,” Yuri said.
“Damn, first day and she’s already rebelling,” Darcy said.
“I do not like rebels within my family, Sable Hart.”
He didn't? Yuri looked like a rebellious punk rocker. He wore black leather pants stuffed into jack boots. Yeah, jack boots. His Black Sabbath tank was skin tight. The Russian vamp didn't look ready for church, anyway.
“Sable. Not Sable Hart. Just Sable.”
He smiled. “I will pick you out something to wear tonight.”
“I can do it.”
“No, I see you cannot.” He gave me a cruel smile. “This is a special night, Sable. You need a special outfit.”
He looked me over a long moment, then went into the closet for over ten minutes, while I calculated the odds for escape. Not good, being the slowest and weakest vampire in the house. He returned with an armload of latex and leather fetishwear.
I scowled at him, but that only seemed to amuse him.
“If you don’t obey willingly, I can use a Sire’s power to force you, Sable Hart.”
“Yeah, I bet that would really rock your boat.”
I think he enjoyed forcing me to do his bidding more than the clothing choices he made. Most of it was too small for me. You’d think rubber would be stretchier. It molded the body underneath more than stretched. He finally got me into a leather bolero jacket over a shiny PVC bustier with no decorations, matching PVC pants stuffed into lace up knee boots. All black.
Dominique showed up about that time to voice her opinion. She was wearing a purple latex bustier with black piping and decoration, the tightest black latex mini skirt I’d ever seen, fishnets, and stiletto heeled “granny” boots. After voicing her approval, she opened a trunk in the corner. It was filled with cash. Mostly twenty dollar bills. She stuffed a fistful into her purse.
I looked the other trunks over, wondering what was in them. I had thought clothes. Now I wasn’t sure. I recalled Boney mentioning that many rogue vampires lived a cash-only lifestyle. It was harder to trace cash transactions.
Amber and Pamela took over for hair and makeup. I did manage to avoid the “scarlet whore” they wanted to paint on me. I received my preference – burgundy lips and nails, the rest of my face more subtle, and hair loose, parted down the middle. I felt better knowing I still had some small bit of control over my appearance.
They decorated me with huge silver hoop earrings, three silver bangles on each wrist and a silver choke chain around my neck. The latter was Dominique’s suggestion.
I really wanted to stake her. Badly.
There was one positive to the outfit. It was hard to get into, and almost as hard to get out of. It might prove an effective deterrent to casual intercourse, if Yuri actually intended for me to spend the entire night in it. I kept that thought to myself.
Yuri looked me over with relish. "You look perfect for tonight. Like a real vampire."
I looked at myself in a full-length mirror. I owned and wore such outfits regularly, while trolling for vamps. But that outfit was forced upon me. I did not like being forced to do anything.
"What is so special about tonight?" I smirked at his reflection and he raised a curious brow. "Is it Vampire Anti-Christmas or something?"
I think he actually thought about it a second. Score one for the home team.
"I do not know American holidays." He caught my eye in the mirror. There was no power in it. Vampires couldn't mesmerize via reflections. "There is no Anti-Christmas in Europe."
"Shame, Anti-Christmas is great," I said, warming to the idea. "Instead of giving presents, you take them away. Everyone is miserable."
The twins snickered behind their hands.
"Ah, you jest. I do not think you are funny, Sable Hart."
I thought about explaining to him that a healthy sense of humor was a good indicator of intelligence, but he probably wouldn’t find that amusing either. Just my rotten luck to be eternally bound to a wet blanket.
"Sable. Just Sable.”
"Yes. Just Sable."
Yuri pulled me away from the mirror and spun me around to face him, my nose an inch from his. Faster than I could utter, "Oh, my!" I was caught up in his all-encompassing green eyes.
Oh Jesus, another Compulsion? I thought. With Dominique standing there, I was sure it would be the one for absolute obedience. That Compulsion would be the final nail in my coffin.
"Sable," Yuri said. I gasped. Couldn't stop it. His power was incredible. "Do you know where all your vampire slaying friends live?"
"No." Even caught up in his eyes, I felt my old loyalties. But I could never deny those eyes, so was pleased he phrased it in such a way that I could honestly answer him without betraying any of my friends. After all, I only knew where Dane lived. No one else.
"But is not Dane Douglass your former boyfriend and lover?"
That question pulled a low grunt from me. Though I fought the compulsion to answer honestly, I wasn't strong enough to fight him.
"Yes." The "former" hit hard. Dane wasn't my boyfriend anymore. He wasn't my lover. Yuri now played those roles. I could not deny Yuri anything. He had a sick hold on me I couldn't shake. Yet. Someday I would, and then I'd stake him. Straight to Hell dead. "Dane was my boyfriend until you Changed me."
"Good, then you know where he lives."
"Yes." I felt tears starting to well up.
"We are going to kill him tonight. You are going to kill him. For me."
"Please don't make me…"
"No, Sable, I want you to kill Dane Douglass tonight." Such power in his words. Not Compulsion power, but strong enough to rattle my bones. His words penetrated my psyche, altering the way I perceived the world around me. I felt myself changing, ever so slightly. The idea of killing Dane wasn’t as soul-numbing as it had been just a moment ago. "We will help you after you lead us to his house. Then we will all feed on his blood. Together, we will suck him dry."
“And then you will help us find and kill all of your other slayer friends,” Dominique said, looking so smug I wanted to slap her.
Now I understood why he wouldn't let anyone feed. He wanted everyone famished. When Dane was killed or wounded, a feeding frenzy would ensue. He would quickly be drained of blood.
"Please. I’ll do anything you ask. I’ll be anything you want me to be, just don’t do this.”
He ignored me. Yuri ran his hands along my sides, down to my waist and over my hips. He seemed to be enjoying himself, while keeping me entranced with his eyes.
"You will lead us to him, Sable."
That sent shivers throughout my body. I fought him.
"I… I…"
"You will lead us to him."
His terrible words were a gut punch to my psyche. He was ripping the girl I’d always been to shreds. He was turning me into an undead fiend.
"I — I will."
I started shaking, my internal struggle reaching the surface.
"And you will kill Dane Douglass," he said, intensifying his gaze.
"I will… k-kill Dane."
"A wise decision, Sable."
Decision my ass. Was that the first step in transforming me into one of Yuri’s stable of bloodthirsty vampires?
Yuri released me from his power, leaving me trembling violently as the others watched with amused eyes. I turned away from them as I considered Yuri’s command, his words. Was there a way to twist it so that I obeyed, yet didn’t kill Dane?
“I am ready,” Dominique said. She looked at Darcy and Darby. “Aren’t you coming with us?”
“Nobody told us.” Darcy scowled at her. “Give us a moment to change into something more appropriate.”
“Yeah.” Darby gave the French vampire a dark look. “A little advanced warning would’ve been nice.”
Dominique smiled at them. Yuri frowned at Dominique. Vampire head games, I guess.
Yuri led me downstairs. The first floor reeked of stale blood. It roused my hunger to smell it. I wished they'd clean it up better.
The carpet was ripped out and rolled up to one side, along with the bloody padding. The walls had been scrubbed clean. Contractors were coming to install the new carpet while we were gone.
The stench of blood had profound effects on vampires. I wasn't the only one eyeing the mortals in the room hungrily. Yuri seemed to handle it best.
No one knew Claude's whereabouts. No one seemed concerned, either. So that left us with little ole me, and four other vamps to take out Dane. Seemed a bit on the overkill side. None of the mortals were going with us, since they were needed at the house during the carpet install. Security and supervision.
The LaFere twins joined us shortly. Independent vamps, they’d dressed much more practical in latex halters, leather pants and cowboy boots.
Yuri tossed me a set of keys. "You drive."
There was a dark brown Ford van outside. A full sized utility van, with no windows in back. Inside, it was stripped save for a bench seat along each wall. Made me think of a troop carrier, carrying Hell's storm troopers into battle. How did I end up on the wrong side?
People say life isn't fair. Death is a bigger bitch.
I climbed in behind the wheel. This was going to be fun. I'd never driven a truck before and the van was huge. I prefer smaller cars, like Mustangs. I’d have settled for a Kia Rio at that point. Standing five foot ten in my stocking feet, I'm not a small woman by any measure, but I felt like a child in that van. A few minutes were wasted adjusting the seat and side rearview mirrors.
I could've gone straight to Central Expressway and turned north, but I wasn't in any hurry, so headed for Preston and then north. Lots of traffic lights on Preston, though it was a main thoroughfare into North Dallas.
I spotted a bank sign. It said the temperature was eighty-one. It didn't feel that hot to me. Even in full PVC, without a/c running in the van and with the windows rolled up, I was comfortable.
It also said the time was nine twenty-one. Later than I thought. Yuri needed some clocks in that house, but it was late enough that traffic had thinned out. Past Arapaho I was even able to reach near highway speeds. I was, of course, speeding. Everyone sped on Preston, especially on that stretch of the road.