Crimson Heat: 4 (Vampira)

by Springer, Jan

  * * * * *

  Stefan Gorbin drooled as the tall brown-haired female wearing the slinky red dress and holding a red rose in her slender hands erupted onto the stage. Those white fangs of hers appeared so real, they just had to be.

  Hmm, vampire? There were plenty of vampires living among the humans, which made them easy prey for nourishment. Using his x-ray vision, he gazed beneath her clothing, admiring the succulent outline of her curvy body. His gift of seeing through clothing was why he came to these events. He appreciated this female’s large pert breasts, her slender waist and wide hips and—

  He zeroed in on the tattoo on her left butt cheek. Although it had been surgically concealed, he had no problem making out the imprint on her flesh of a blood-red rose, its stem intertwined with a black chain.

  Crimson slave.

  He blinked as shock rolled over him in a dark shuddering wave. His gaze snapped to the female’s face. He didn’t recognize her, yet something about her seemed familiar. But what? Was it her confident stride as she walked down the runway? Or the extra-long fangs peeking out from between slightly parted luscious red lips?

  He sniffed the air, inhaling human scents and a couple of vampire scents, tossing them aside, until he was able to focus on hers.

  She smelled ultra-sweet.

  Sweet.

  That word struck a chord and he sucked in a shaken breath. Was this Queen Crimson’s runaway blood slave? The one the Queen had always bragged tasted so sweet that she’d almost killed her on numerous occasions while feeding on her?

  Stefan’s fangs unsheathed and lengthened with excitement. He covered his mouth with his hand so none of the nearby humans would notice. He needed to contact the Queen right away. Yet, it would be impossible to dematerialize right here in the fashion show. A pact existed among all the vampire clans that under no circumstances must vampires arouse suspicion in humans that vampires continued to exist.

  He slouched in his chair, hiding behind the humans in front of him so the female wouldn’t see him. He would wait until her back was turned and walk to the restroom and dematerialize. Unfortunately, the longer he stayed, the bigger the chance that she might recognize him and his scent even after all these years. He had, after all, been her dungeon guard and he’d made her life a living hell while out of the Queen’s watchful observation.

  He smiled. He was about to make her life hell once again.

  * * * * *

  “She’s so beautiful,” Zeena whispered from behind the curtain as she peeked out and watched Lisbeth turn on the runway with ease and elegance, her hips sashaying like a pro as strolled back toward them.

  “The crowd loves her,” Christina replied from beside her. “They’ve been cheering nonstop since she stepped out there. Your competitors will snap her up if you’re not careful.”

  Zeena shook her head as defiance raged through her. “No way, she’s mine.”

  It was then that Christina chuckled and Zeena realized her sister was making fun of her. She gazed over at her. Amusement danced in Christina’s dark-brown eyes as she shook her head, seemingly feeling sorry for Zeena.

  “Lisbeth is doing you a favor, Zee. She doesn’t have the time to be a fashion model, remember? She’s CEO and owner of Au Naturel Condoms.” She lowered her voice. “And she’s with Vampira for a reason. She needs to keep a low profile. This is a one-time deal.”

  Irritation breathed through her. “Lisbeth deserves a bit of fun. She never goes out and all she does is hide in her numerous homes, running her business through her computers. She needs a life and if I can give her one, then I will.”

  Christina shook her head. “We’ve known her all our lives and she’s always kept to herself, except when she’s with us and Mom or other Vampira members. You need not to get your hopes up, Zee. Okay? Don’t push her.”

  Zeena’s hopes of having Lisbeth for her hot model plummeted. Her sister was right. They needed to keep protecting Lisbeth and she needed to not pester her about modeling again for her.

  Darn it! She’d let her need for breaking into the competitive human world of fashion cloud her judgment for her friend. Christina was right, of course.

  Zeena refocused her attention to Lisbeth who was now halfway back. She looked so sexy and stunning in that red dress and the crowd was still cheering. They loved her. Just as Zeena and Christina loved her.

  She burst with happiness as Lisbeth flashed Zeena a smile, showing off her huge white fangs, and tossed her a wink.

  A moment later, Lisbeth stepped behind the curtains, her eyes closing as she kicked off her shoes. From the auditorium, the crowd continued to cheer, and then a chant began to an almost deafening roar.

  Sexy vampiress. Sexy vampiress.

  “Okay, I have an idea. Lisbeth, they love you.” Christina laughed. “They want you back out there. Both of you go out right now. And don’t forget to bow.”

  “But I don’t have my shoes,” Lisbeth complained as Zeena grabbed Lisbeth’s hand and led her back out onto the runway. The crowd went wild. Zeena melted into the noise, loving the furious applause. She swore this was the happiest day of her life.

  * * * * *

  It was the worst day of Lisbeth’s life. Okay, almost. But tears of joy filled Zeena’s eyes and Lisbeth held tighter to her friend’s hand, lifting it up into the air. The crowd cheered louder.

  “It appears your Zeena vampire line is a hit,” Lisbeth shouted to Zeena. Her young friend laughed.

  It was then Lisbeth sniffed a familiar, rancid scent wafting through the warm, stuffy air. Her body went cold with remembrance of clanging slave cell doors and the quick-paced boots of her guard. No, it couldn’t be him out there.

  She sniffed the air, but the smell was gone. Had it been her imagination? Or was it reality?

  A strong need to flee zipped through her, yet she forced herself to stand here with Zeena and embrace the whistles and hand-clapping of the humans. She scanned the audience, but she couldn’t see anyone she knew.

  The uncomfortable smell from her old life had to be her imagination.

  It had to be.

  * * * * *

  Queen Crimson’s hand tightened around her cane and she could barely contain her excitement.

  “You are sure of this?” she asked the vampire who’d once been in charge of her blood slaves. Since her favorite slave had escaped on his watch she’d demoted him to searching for blood slaves for her. Humans, in particular, that wouldn’t be missed. Plenty of humans disappeared without a trace out in their world, and Queen Crimson took full advantage of the statistics.

  Since her most favorite blood slave had escaped, Queen Crimson had had a ferocious appetite for finding Satin or someone who would match Satin’s sweetness. Unfortunately, she had been unsuccessful.

  “She has an altered face, but humans have had plastic surgery for many years now. They can change faces, but she wears your brand beneath the altering. The rose with the chain. And I recognized her scent. Sweet. Perhaps, even sweeter now that she has aged a bit more.”

  The Queen nodded as a familiar rage whipped through her. He should recognize her favorite slave’s scent. He’d been her guard. He should have prevented her from escaping.

  Now he told her he’d found her precious missing slave and Queen Crimson could barely restrain herself from lifting the ban on the dematerializing mind control she held over her people so she could go out into the world and get Satin herself.

  She had a better idea.

  “Summon my three top bounty hunters,” she ordered her nearby guards. “Tell them I wish to see them and to make them an offer they cannot refuse.”

  “Your wish is our command, my Queen.” The closest guard bowed and he and most of the other guards left the room, leaving one behind.

  Queen Crimson stared at the male who had found Satin. “And the rest of the information you have given me is true and correct?”

  The male nodded. His sharp scent of excitement penetrated the air and she knew he anticipated fallin
g back into her good graces and getting his old cushy job back.

  “You have left nothing out?”

  He shook his head. “No, my Queen. I have given you everything I know. She was at the fashion show for another vampire and the vampire’s twin sister. I have given you their names and their location.”

  “Yet, you do not know what name Satin lives under?”

  “No, I gathered the information quickly so she would not recognize me and I returned it all to you.”

  “Good.” She turned to her closest guard.

  “A stake through his heart,” she commanded.

  “But, my Queen—“

  Before the male could protest further, his words were cut off as the guard thrust a stake directly into his heart. His eyes rolled up and he slumped to the floor in a motionless heap.

  “Remove it,” she ordered.

  Without hesitation the guard grabbed the deceased male by his feet and dragged him away.

  Satisfaction slithered through her and she smiled. Killing was such a treat. She stared into the magical crystal ball at the end of her cane and willed it to show her a scene from her past. A scene from her last time with Satin. As the ball glowed white, she settled back on her throne, and watched as Satin’s eyes closed with pain as Queen Crimson’s sharp fangs broke the skin over Satin’s jugular vein. Sweet, hot blood swept into the Queen’s mouth and she hungrily drank, ignoring the writhing and moaning distress from her slave.

  Oh yes, my sweet vampire. We will soon meet again. I can hardly wait.

  * * * * *

  Zeena’s high-pitched shriek almost toppled Lisbeth as she stepped out of the dressing room. In a split second, two sets of arms embraced her.

  “She got an order from one of the top costume companies in Europe.” Christina laughed.

  “Oh my gosh, you were supposed to let me tell her,” Zeena complained as both sisters broke the embrace.

  “Congratulations!” Pride for Zeena’s accomplishment whipped through Lisbeth as the two sisters let her go. Zeena showed her the order form asking for several thousand copies of the sexy red dress she had worn down the aisle.

  “Impressive. It seems like you knew that red dress was going to be a hit and in bringing it last to the audience you made them drool. You two are going to be busy vamps making tons of dresses.”

  Christina shook her head and waved her hands. “Not me. I was just doing her a favor, like you. I’ve already got a full-time job as a cop, remember? And I promised to visit our mother and father later this afternoon. I’ve backed out too many times already. They’ll kill me if I’m a no-show again.”

  “Well, you should give up that job and just tell them I’m going to need your help,” Zeena said as she tossed the order onto a nearby table.

  As the two vamps argued, Lisbeth watched them closely. Born as twins, yet with different sires as sometimes happened in their clan when a female mated with two males, the young females acted similar with their playful manners. Yet they were also different in that Zeena was creative and trusting and her sister tended to be more conservative and realistic.

  Lisbeth admired them. They appeared not to have a care in the world where their lives were concerned. It had been the total opposite for Lisbeth at their age. From as early as she could remember, she’d feared for her life while a slave. Lisbeth still suffered anxiety and terror dreams giving her the feeling she would once again end up at the mercy of the Queen of the Crimson Clan and her painful fangs as they dug into her neck searching for blood.

  “You’re only going to end up shot dead,” Zeena complained to her sister. “Then where am I going to be?”

  “I am not going to be shot dead,” Christina retorted with a smirk. “I’m a vampire, remember? A stake to the heart can kill me and maybe a couple of other things like working my fingers to the bones helping you with your career, but don’t worry. I won’t be getting killed any time soon. Too many things going on in my life.”

  It was hard to believe that these two vamps were nearing their mating cycles. Instead of working toward getting Zeena’s business off the ground, they should be making plans on hiding from males who would have no qualms about seducing two innocent vampire princesses.

  But Lisbeth held herself in check. It was not her place to warn them of what they would soon be encountering. It was the job of their mother Megan, Queen of the Crystal Clan, and Lisbeth had no doubt their mother and sires were already tutoring the females in the art of not giving in easily to males or their own female needs for sex.

  Taking advantage of their ongoing argument, Lisbeth excused herself and made her way to the nearest ladies’ room. Hidden inside the stall, she dematerialized and a second later rematerialized in her New York penthouse, several blocks away from where the fashion show had taken place.

  Being among familiar surroundings relaxed her. The air was fresh and clean. No sign of any imagined scents.

  She sighed and tossed her purse onto the kitchen counter. Opening her fridge door, she then grabbed a bottle of synthetic blood from inside. She was tired and needed a quick pick-me-up. Then she would get some sleep. Perhaps that would get rid of the uneasiness plaguing her since she thought she’d smelled that offensive scent at the fashion show. Maybe when she woke up, everything would be back to normal.

  * * * * *

  Zeena smelled the vampire males the instant they strolled into her dress shop at sundown. There were three of them and they oozed a sensual scent she found attractive and hard to resist. They spoke to her saleslady at the front of the store and then all three males gazed her way.

  Oh dear. They appeared quite intent on getting whatever they were here for.

  A sense of needing to flee rocked her as they strolled toward her, but she stood her ground. Whatever they wanted from her they weren’t going to get. She had to make sure of that.

  “You had a fashion show this morning,” The tallest of the males said as they stopped in front of her.

  Oh my, but he was a big one. At least six-foot-five, he towered over her with a menacing atmosphere. He had short, spiky black hair and his gaze was black, the darkest black she’d ever seen.

  He was dressed in black and wore several thick gold chains around his neck, appearing smart with a dangerous allure. She made a mental note to copy that look when she created a male fashion line.

  Despite her immediate nervousness, she relaxed a little. That’s why these males were here. They must have been at her fashion show and wanted to place an order. She extended her hand to the vamp. He didn’t take it. She dropped her hand. Okay. So the vampire didn’t have human manners. No worries.

  “Zeena Smith, at your service. What can I do for you, gentlemen?”

  She gave the other two a quick once-over, noting their ultra-large shoulders. These males were just as attractive as the tallest one. One of the other two also had black hair, a bit longer than his companion’s. He possessed an intriguing rose tattoo on his right cheek. Despite that odd placement, he remained attractive with a flawless-shaped nose and piercing blue eyes. The other male had light-brown hair and light-brown eyes. His thick eyebrows dripped with menace.

  They needed to lighten up. Sure, the fashion business was competitive, but with gruff expressions like that they would scare everyone away.

  Ordinarily she would have joked with them about their seriousness, not to mention the interesting foreign-like clothing they wore, but their nearness and intense scents made her aware that they could grab her and dematerialize with her instantly.

  Zeena swallowed nervously. For the first time in her life, she felt vulnerable here in the human world.

  “What can I help you with, gentlemen?” she said again, warm and flushed as the three men stared at her without speaking.

  Visions of Lisbeth popped into her head. Lisbeth, walking down the runway earlier today. Lisbeth, being so beautiful and the crowd cheering.

  Zeena blinked and noted something odd about the tall guy. His pupils were widening as he stare
d at her. Try as she might she couldn’t seem to break the intense interest in knowing what he wanted from her.

  “The female you know as Lisbeth. Where can we find her?”

  More visions welled from deep inside her memory. Lisbeth and Zeena’s mother speaking about Vampira and why they were in hiding. Lisbeth being the CEO and owner of a lucrative company. And that she and other members of Vampira were able to walk in the daylight thanks to drugs.

  Oh sweet vampires! They were trying to mesmerize her into telling her about Lisbeth. They were here for her!

  In a flash, Zeena erected the mind shield that would keep them from probing deeper. It was hard and she almost caved a few times as they continued fighting her, but her persistence paid off and the wall preventing them from reading her mind slid into place.

  “You aren’t wanted here,” she snapped, keeping her voice low enough so just the males could hear. “Leave or I will call for help. I’m betting you don’t want members of my Crystal Clan coming down your ass.”

  She glanced over at her saleslady Lora and nodded her head, an indication to get close to the alarm bell.

  From this angle, she was able to see Lora’s hand slide behind the sales counter, to the emergency button Zeena had there. It was a direct link to her sire. One push to that button and Crystal Clan Warriors would materialize from his kingdom, ready for battle.

  As far as the human saleslady Lora was concerned, it was an alarm system to a private security company who would be here within minutes. In truth, it would be seconds. If a confrontation occurred, she would mesmerize Lora into forgetting anything she saw.

  The three males frowned.

  “We’re old friends,” the tallest one continued. “We want to get in touch with her.”

  They weren’t dressed like anyone Lisbeth would know in the human world. She observed one of the other two males, the one with the tattoo on his cheek. He wore a black leather belt around his waist. It was lined with silver throwing stars. The other male had a crossbow slung over his shoulder.