Hunger Within (A Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Novel Book 1)

by Megan Hawke

  What they said was true – to an extent. Vampires had self-control. We just rarely used it when it came to sex. Why avoid it? We're dead, so let us have some fun. At least that’s the excuse Boney gave me. I kinda liked it, to be truthful.

  Dane's words were embarrassing for two reasons. First, they sounded like an accusation. Second, I'd spent the night after the raid in Boney’s arms. I had a great time, and best of all, it helped me forget about all the death and destruction I had participated in earlier that night.

  "That's what they say." I looked him dead in the eye. "If you ever want to find out for certain, just call. I'll be there for you, any time, any where, any way you want me."

  That clammed everyone up. Dane gawked at me, then turned bright red. Gabe and Wendy looked anywhere but at either of us. You know, I had a knack for making everyone uncomfortable as all get-out.

  We were all lost in our own dark thoughts a few moments, then Dane said quietly, "Could you be loyal to one man?"

  "No." Why lie? I couldn't, and that was the truth. I didn't even want to be monogamous anymore. "I can't. I'm a vampire." I met his eyes with all the honesty I could muster. "I think it’s just part of the undead deal."

  "Zombies are undead, and they are definitely not horny monsters," Wendy said. "So you're just a nympho."

  It was a statement, not a question.

  I felt ashamed. "I prefer to think of myself as having a healthy libido."

  "Same thing."

  I shrugged. This was not a conversation I wanted to have with, or even in front of, Dane, but he had to know. I'm sure he suspected I was sleeping around. A lot. That's what vampires did. It was part of our mythos, part of our appeal to so many. The people who loved vamps pretty much expected to get hot undead sex from their vampire. The vampire version of singing for one’s supper.

  "Did you…" Dane said, and choked off. "The vampires that came to… to our rescue… Did you… I mean…"

  "Sleep with them?"

  "Yeah."

  "One of them. I've never seen the other three before."

  "Boney, the tall blonde guy?" Wendy said. "Cute."

  "Cute?" Gabe said. "What the Hell? He looks like Jesus on steroids!"

  "Yeah, that's Boney all right. He was a preacher before being Changed." I hoped that would allow them to view him more favorably. "He taught me how to be a vampire. A safe vampire."

  They all looked at me with quizzical looks.

  "Boney is what you might call a good vampire." I decided telling them his current occupation probably wouldn't be in my best interests. "There are far more than you know out there. They don't kill or maim. Mostly, they drink only animal blood that they buy from certain, secret merchants." I gave them a severe look. "And yes, I only drink animal blood. I buy it retail, just like you buy your food."

  "Really?" Wendy said. "There are vampires who don’t feed on people? I've heard that, but I have a hard time believing it."

  "Vampires mostly drink animal blood. Fang whores, of course, expect us to take some blood." I dismissed that with a wave of the hand. "Only a very small percentage go rogue."

  "Oh."

  That made them all stop and think. Fear blossomed within all three. They were doing the math, and not liking the sum they were coming up with.

  "Are you trying to convince us to stop staking vampires?" Gabe said.

  "No. I'm not. I fully intend to kill every rogue vampire I find. But, I will not kill any vampire who isn’t killing mortals. Some of them are actually good guys."

  They all looked dubious at that and Wendy summed it up for all of them. "Vampires are all evil."

  "So I've been told. Though, I cannot think of a single evil thing I've ever done. I'm sure some will point to all the minions I've killed in the past couple weeks as a sign that I'm evil. I might accept that, but that means you three are just as evil as I am. We all killed humans last night."

  That brought them all down from their lofty better-than-thou. Cooled their jets.

  "Speaking of which… are they filing charges against y'all?"

  "Not yet," Dane said. They all grimaced. "They’re still investigating it. Your 'confession' to single-handedly killing the thralls seems to be working."

  "We're out on bail," Wendy said.

  "Sergeant Longhouse doesn't think they'll file charges," I said. That got their attention. "I spoke to him about an hour ago. Public opinion is on your side, but the D.A. is still looking into it."

  "I guess you don't have to worry about that." Wendy sounded a bit bitter.

  "No I don't. If arrested, they'll probably expose me to sunlight, whether they think I'm guilty of any crime or not. Standard Police procedure to determine if someone is a vampire or not. Live, we throw you in jail. Die, well good riddance."

  I looked sharply at her. She was zoned out, in her own little world, nodding.

  "Are you going to kill me?" That was the hardest question to ask, and the one I feared the answer to the most. "Do any of you plan to drive a stake through my heart in the middle of the day?"

  "No," Gabe said.

  Dane looked shocked, shaking his head. Even Wendy looked shaken, but she wasn't saying no.

  "Wendy?"

  "I don't know, Sable." I admired her honesty. It left a cold lump in my stomach, but at least she was honest. "I remember how you tried to save Anson. Tried so hard."

  I choked up. Couldn't speak, and I had to turn away and blink fast. I still couldn't believe Anson was dead.

  "You've all been outed. Everyone knows you are vampire slayers. Will you be leaving? Going away?"

  "Yes," Wendy said. "I may not come back from Anson's funeral."

  I hoped she didn't. If Wendy went into hiding, then I didn't have to worry about her staking me. I thought I was pretty safe with Dane and Gabe, at least for the near future.

  "I'll vanish, but I won't be leaving the area," Gabe said, and winked. "You aren't getting rid of me that easy, Sabe."

  "How lucky am I?" I said sarcastically, but with a big grin. I turned to Dane. "And you?"

  "Probably not." He looked me up and down, with pure longing, then looked me dead in the eyes. I was thrilled he trusted me that much. "Not right away. Maybe later. We'll see."

  I wanted to cry out with joy. I did not want Dane to go away. I didn't think I could rekindle our previous relationship, but I hoped to develop a friendship at least.

  "You know what you need, Sabe?" Gabe's voice dripped with wicked mirth. I did not want to know what Gabe thought I needed. I figured I knew, and I figured it involved his cock inside me. "Spurs."

  Well I was not expecting that. All three of us turned and gawked at him. He was grinning fiercely.

  "That's right. You need spurs on those sexy boots. Hell, I'd even do you if you wore some spurs."

  "You'd do her if she was dripping in blood," Wendy said.

  "True." He laughed. A deep, heart-felt laugh that brought a smile to my face. "You people are so morose! Aren't you here to cheer me up? I'm wounded and near death. If y'all aren't going to tell jokes, then I expect Wendy and Sable to take turns —"

  "Do not finish that!" I shouted.

  "Absolutely not!" Wendy cried.

  Dane laughed. That shocked me. He usually got pissed when Gabe started with the sexual suggestions and innuendo. And Gabe always got around to sex talk if a girl spoke to him for more than ten seconds.

  "At least Dane understands. Everyone cheer up. No one is going to stake you, Sabe. Besides, a stake is not the kind of wood I want to stick in you."

  "No doubt." I rolled my eyes, and tried hard to keep the smile off my face. "I'm glad you are taking this so well. How are you doing?"

  "I'd do a lot better if you blew me." I raise a haughty brow at him. "Guess not. So much for the myth of nympho vampires." He looked at me so hungrily that my libido fired up again. Not that it was hard to ignite my libido any more. "Think about the spurs, Sabe. They'd look great."

  "Sure. Whatever." I looked at Dane. “He’s not go
ing to give me a straight answer, so why is he still in here? Didn’t they get all the silver out?”

  Werewolves heal faster than normal mortals, but nowhere as fast as a vampire. There was an exception. Whenever a werewolf morphed between forms, all wounds vanished. Gabe should be able to morph into a wolf, and be perfectly fit again.

  “They got it all, but they think the silver was inside him long enough that it’s still affecting his ability to morph,” Dane said. “They think his body will naturally clear out the silver contamination over time, and then he’ll be back to normal.”

  “A couple of days at most,” Gabe said.

  I heard someone outside the closed door. "Is the cop wearing shades?"

  "No," Dane said, grimacing. "They're all a bunch of idiots."

  "Good. I have to go. Makes it easier if I don't have to worry about official interference."

  I went over to Gabe to give him a hug. He looked too eager, so I hesitated.

  "Come on, Sabe. Give me a big, wet kiss," he said, grinning mischievously. He licked his lips and I swallowed hard. Bet I looked like that deer caught in the headlights. "Open mouth, baby. Daddy wants some tongue."

  "Why do I care about you? You are such a pig." I was not pleased, but I was very aroused. I regarded him a moment. He was scary. "I'll kiss you, but no open mouth, and no tongue. Promise."

  "But I almost died for you."

  That rattled me. Gabe noticed, and seemed to deflate a bit.

  "Promise me."

  "You're no fun." When I didn't relent, "Okay, I promise."

  "Good boy," I said, and leaned over to hug and kiss him good-bye.

  His hands rose up to my waist. I relaxed, since I expected him to go for my breasts. I decided to let the kiss linger a couple seconds, to show him there were rewards for being a good boy. I wanted Gabe to be my friend, because he scared me more than anyone else. If Gabe ever decided I needed killing, I wouldn’t last very long on this fair Earth.

  His arms slipped around my back and pulled me down. But I'd mostly expected that. Gabe liked to feel breasts against his chest. I knew that way before becoming a vampire. Since I was not adverse to it, I allowed him to hug me as our lips met. I pushed into the kiss, and then he pushed harder. Within a second it was a passionate kiss. Far more passionate than I intended.

  When I tried to break free of the kiss, Gabe tightened his arms and rolled me over. I found myself under him, arms and legs flailing, his lips sliding all over mine. Wendy started laughing and Dane grunted in disgust.

  "I saw that coming!" Wendy crowed. "He did the same to me when I came in today."

  I turned my face, breaking the kiss. I think I lost most, if not all of my lipstick. It annoyed me. Then he kissed his way up to my ear, and stuck his tongue in. I think my toes curled. I know I groaned rather wantonly. Very embarrassing.

  "Don't forget the spurs," he whispered in my ear. "Come back later, and then we'll have us a grand old time."

  Gabe released me and allowed me to roll out of the bed. I found myself on the opposite side of the bed, discombobulated and a bit shaken.

  “I didn’t break my promise,” Gabe said proudly, wiping the lipstick off his mouth with the corner of his sheet. “It was a closed mouth kiss.”

  "Well now," I said, breathless. I swallowed and pulled out my compact. My new purse was starting to fill up again. I already needed to clean it out. "You mussed my makeup, pig."

  "Mmm, tastes like chocolate."

  "Pig. I see I'll have to be more careful around you."

  "He's the worst kind of pig and lecher," Wendy said. "I should know. I've slept with him."

  "You loved it. I made you scream my name every night."

  By the way Wendy blushed I had the impression he really had. There was no denial coming from her. Dane and I shared a look, then we both shook our heads.

  "Too much information." I picked up Dane’s cup and took a long drink of Dr. Pepper. That surprised me. I’d never known him to drink Dr. Pepper. He'd always been a Coca Cola man. "Later, y'all."

  "Will you visit me again?"

  "If I can. I'm afraid that once the cops realize I was here, they’ll increase the security." I headed for the door. "Bye-bye, y'all. Be safe."

  I was out the door before anyone could respond. The cop was there. He was tall and muscular, with close cropped hair and suspicious green eyes. I figured him for about twenty-eight. Handsome.

  "Excuse me, miss, but I don't recall seeing you go in there."

  I locked eyes with him, and smiled as he became mine.

  "And you don't recall me leaving, either. Go to the bathroom, and forget ever seeing or speaking with me."

  He turned and headed down the hallway. I turned on a heel and strode out. Some of the nurses glanced my way, but they were too busy to pay me much heed. I was out in the parking lot in no time. My brand spanking new, fresh off the lot, Mustang was waiting. I smiled as I ran my hand over the charcoal gray beauty with black racing stripes. I loved that car. It was my first new car. It had literally twenty-seven miles on it.

  "Hey baby, miss me?" I moaned as I slipped into the black leather seat.

  I opened her up on Central for a few miles. Got up to one hundred twenty-five, finally breaking my personal best speed, before fear of speed traps brought me back down to within sight of the speed limit. I might be a vampire, but cops still scared me.

  I drove down to Deep Ellum and found a parking spot on the outskirts of that edgy district. The streets were full of young adults, mostly in their twenties, out to have a good time. I got out and started walking. I was on duty. On patrol.

  As promised, it had rained most of the day. Thunderstorms, according to Desiree. The air smelled clean. Most of the clouds were long gone.

  I walked the streets of Deep Ellum into the wee hours. Vampires were everywhere, but not like they had been before my little foray the previous night. I think I kinda spooked them. The undead were on their best behavior. At least for now.

  They knew Black Heart would be watching.

  Around two o'clock, I found myself outside a boutique I'd visited when it opened earlier in the evening. It was called Kinky Corner. They sold BDSM fetishwear, sex paraphernalia and toys. If it was sexy, sexual, and made the good Christians in the community gasp and pray for our souls, then they sold it at Kinky Corner.

  I went inside.

  "Sable! Back again?" the proprietor said. She was a middle-aged, big-boned woman who wore a grandmotherly smile. She was also a vampire.

  "Hello, Mildred." I looked around appreciatively. "I can't stay away. You have such nice stuff."

  We laughed at that. There was nothing "nice" in her shop.

  "How are you liking the bolero jacket?" Mildred stroked and tugged on it. "I have them in all colors. Red, white, purple, and with matching thigh, knee, or ankle boots."

  "I know. I'll probably pick up a couple more, but not tonight. I need to pick up something for a friend."

  "Oh?"

  "Do you have spurs?"

  "Of course! For a man or woman?" she said, smiling sweetly. Mildred could pass for mortal easily. She'd even had her fangs filed down.

  "For a man, but I'll be wearing them," I said, and grinned wickedly at her.

  The End

  Please consider leaving a review on the site where you purchased this story.

  Check out these other novels by Megan Hawke:

  Hunger Within – Book 1 of the Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Series

  And coming soon:

  Dark Hunger – Book 2 of the Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Series (Jan 2017)

  Blood Hunger – Book 3 of the Sable Hart Rogue Vampire Series (Feb 2017)

  Slayer's Moon – Book 4 of the Sable Hart Rogue Vampire Series (Apr 2017)

  Author bio:

  Megan Hawke is an Urban Fantasy writer. She has a passion for vampires and kick-butt women, and loves her some witches and shifters, too. She loves nothing more than spending her free time weaving stories of paranormal adven
ture and mischief.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  End of Book

  Author Bio

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