by Kim Schubert
Luke nudged my shoulder gently from behind, “You ready?”
I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck, “Yep.” I answered. “Think you can keep up?”
He laughed, shaking his head. “Same Olivia.” He muttered.
The couple I was watching, approached, gleaning with sweat and smiling, “Now tonight is more of an interactive event, Rose doubled the entry fee since the diners will have an opportunity to dance with us tonight.” she said, smiling.
I nodded. “That means behave,” Luke whispered in my ear and I attempted to elbow him with a grunt as he danced away laughing.
“Who do we have?” I asked as the couple looked over the list of guests.
I watched both of their faces pale, “We should probably switch you.” The male said, casting a worried glance at me.
His dance partner hissed, “We can’t. They paid extra.”
“Who is the couple?” I asked, annoyed.
“Governor Hash and his wife.” Luke said, reading over their shoulders.
“What did the pay extra for?” I asked, tilting my head.
“Expert dancers.” The female said, cringing.
I shrugged. “They certainly are getting that,” I muttered, “and so much more.”
“Enough, with the worried faces.” I smiled. “This is going to be fun!”
“Shit,” one of them muttered.
…
Governor Hash at Kitten was not something I ever expected. His stern and judgmental outward appearance had me thinking he found Kitten a disgusting brothel and not entertainment. I wondered if attending was his wife’s idea.
Peeking out from the heavy curtains along the back wall, added for tonight, I couldn’t help smiling as I watched for Hash.
Luke sighed heavily next to me. “So, how are things with your boyfriend?” He asked trying to distract me.
I smiled, thinking of Blake. “Wonderful,” I told him, not averting my gaze.
“I hear you guys have shacked up.” He tried again to distract me, this time successfully as I turned toward him, letting the curtain fall back into place.
“I guess, I don’t really have a permanent residence when I am in town and my stay isn’t typically for long,” I informed him warily. “Why?”
Luke regarded me for a moment. “Moving in together is a pretty strong signal that things are serious between you two,” He said.
I shrugged and said, “They’ve always been serious,” and moved the curtain aside to look back out.
“Right,” Luke continued, not feeling he had conveyed what he needed. “But moving in together is a long term move, right before marriage and kids.”
I turned, looking at him and forgetting the curtain, my expression shocked.
“See the importance of it.” He gloated.
“You’re done talking.” I was not taking relationship advice from Luke. I would have to ask Kass if he was correct though.
Did it really matter? I asked myself. Marriage was a human concept. Mating was a supernatural one. But that thought terrified the shit out of me.
Shaking my head, I smiled when I realized Hash had walked in, looking almost relaxed in his suit with his wife on his arm.
“They’re here,” I whispered with evil glee.
…
Hash was a terrible dancer, but that wasn’t why he was here. He was lucky, ever so lucky to be dancing with me.
If I had heard from the other dancers here what he was doing and what he was after, I’m fairly sure I would have killed him. They didn’t deserve to have their asses molested repeatedly or their breasts pinched.
Just because we were succubi did not make us whores.
My anger had become cold and calculating. I couldn’t kill him here. Truthfully, I didn’t think killing him was the right approach, but public humiliation - now that I could get behind.
I spun back into Luke’s arms, my eyes not leaving Hash’s drunken gaze as he licked his lips. Maybe I’m wrong about killing him.
“Don’t,” Luke whispered softly.
“Silence,” I commanded, completing the dance in perfect harmony.
Luke wisely kept any additional comments to himself.
I kept my smile plastered to my face as we exited back to the dressing rooms. Fuming I sat in a chair, staring at my reflection a silent war raging inside of me. Should I kill him or not? I silently weighed the pros and cons of ending his life as the dressing rooms emptied. Con - the devil that I knew was far better than the one I didn’t and while Hash had proven to be a power hungry, narrow-minded asshole, he feared me and that worked to my advantage. Not to mention all the time and resources Gram’s had spent on him.
Pro, it would make me feel a hell of a lot better.
I blinked as the lights shut off hoisting myself out of the red leather chair changing quickly, not bothering with a shower as I left for Blake’s.
The door slammed shut behind me as I stood dumbfounded on the stairs staring at Hash’s limo. I hadn’t yet made the decision to kill him or not, but I knew I couldn’t do it at Kitten.
Stepping stiffly down the stairs in the damp night, I watched as the back door opened and he stumbled out, his wife yelling at him. Unbelievable.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” His voice slurring as he smiled at me.
Slowly, I approached the car, anger and disgust clouding my features, my arms crossed over my torso to keep myself from striking him, I stopped at arm’s length in front of him. “You don’t recognize me, do you?” I asked.
He shrugged, his eyes closing in a long drunken blink, “Pfft, all you bitches look the same.” Grinning like a fool.
“I could report you for this,” I said softly, knowing that was far too lenient a punishment for him.
He shrugged and said, “For what? A dance and a ride home?” He laughed. “Trust me, I’ll make it worth your while.” He leered at me.
That was exactly what it took for me to close the distance between us, slamming him against the limo. “I am Olivia, Executioner of the Council,” I informed him as his mouth gaped open in astonishment, “and you are banned from this establishment. If I ever hear of you approaching one of my kind again, I will slit your wrists and watch you bleed out.” I hissed, slamming his head against the limo roof.
Backing away, my anger clouded my vision as Hash threw himself into the limo, turning back to glare at me, before taking off into the night, probably after easier prey. I felt bad for the human woman that would be sharing his bed, but that was not my domain.
Blowing out a breath, I turned, heading for my SUV and stared directly into the amber gaze of a vampire.
“Hello beautiful,” he crooned.
“What do you want?” I groaned, angry with myself for allowing him to sneak up on me.
He grinned widely, revealing crocked and missing teeth, clearly having overheard my discussion with Hash. “We need you to deliver a message,” he said still grinning like a confident fool.
“No.” I said, stuffing my hands in my back pockets just below my hidden knives on the small of my back.
His smile vanished as his curly blond hair bobbed into his eyes and quick as lightening, he grabbed my pinned up hair in his fists, yanking my hair as pain shot through my head. He demanded, “You would do well to do as you’re told, bitch.” He sneered at me.
“I am so fucking done.” I answered him, kicking out a kneecap and pulling my knives in one smooth move.
He screamed in pain as the bone reknit itself, leaning heavily against the building. He snarled, “Get her!”
Wonderful, I had again been so focused on my primary target I had forgotten all about my surroundings. Idiot, I berated myself.
The first ran toward me, hissing, his fangs descended and without any other weapons. That was certainly a foolish move. I took the hit, bringing my knives under and up into his chest and through his double hearts as we landed hard on the asphalt. The hilts dug into my chest and I smiled into his shocked face.
Th
is is just what I needed.
He exploded to ash and I was quick to get off the ground into a crouch waiting for the others, who could only stare at me dumbfounded. “Come on boys!” I chided, “I don’t have all night.”
The blond leader shoved another one at me. He was large, but young even in life, he hadn’t gained full control over his strength and in death it was a burden and not yet an asset. Having watched and learned from his companion, he circled me, the amber in his eyes a response from violence.
“I’ll let you have a taste if you can subdue her,” the leader taunted and the babe in front of me smiled, revealing his fangs as he lunged at me.
I danced away but not before I sliced a decent gash along his wrist. He was stunned by the cut for only a moment before it began healing. Shaking out his wrist, he glared at me, “You’ll pay for that bitch.”
“Yeah, yeah, come and make me,” I taunted him. His face would have flushed with color as a human, but as a vampire, his cold pale skin stared back at me. It was unnerving as we began circling once again.
I watched his eyes track movement over my shoulder and I was ready when I felt the air swoosh by my shoulder. Crouching and turning, I thrust my blades deep into his buddy’s belly pulling the hardened metal upwards until it sliced through both hearts. Two down, two to go.
Turning back to the young one, he looked at me shocked before launching at me with unnatural speed. I took the hit hard landing several feet back on the asphalt, the air expelled painfully from my lungs and knives pinned between our bodies. “Shit!” I yelled, pulling in a breath.
He smiled above me, his fangs dropping into my neck. I fucking hate newbie bites! The movement of his body toward my neck had released my hands and I shoved my blade down into his back, slicing through both hearts as he bled me oblivious.
The fucker turned to dust on top of me before I could shove him off. Great, now my neck wound was bound to be infected.
Stumbling up, I looked around for the final part of this act, finding the alley deserted. Sighing, I leaned heavily on the brick wall. I needed to check the clothing for clues as to identities, figuring out who I had pissed off now.
None of their jackets or pants had anything helpful in it. The only clue to their identities was the matching leather jackets with the sugar skull with rose eyes on the back. I sighed looking it over before shoving all of it into the trash. I couldn’t remember pissing off anyone with that insignia, but I piss a lot of people off. It was likely.
Making my way to my SUV finally, I headed to Blake’s house and a much needed shower.
Chapter 4
I awoke to pressure on my neck wound. “Ouch!” I complained, batting Blake’s hands away.
Blinking blearily, I peered at Blake outlined by the soft moonlight.
“Who bit you?” He hissed at me, his eyes ambered with anger.
“I don’t fucking know,” I answered, sitting up in his bed and swatting away his hand again.
“He was a newbie and it hurts,” I whined at him as he tried again to peel the bandage off.
Putting himself in my face, he warned, “I can find him by scent alone.”
I laughed. “Really? You can track dust?” I taunted him.
He blinked, pulling back his eyes turning into dark blue globes. “You killed him?” He asked shocked.
“Yes, he and his two flunkies.” I said, rubbing my neck, “The damn leader got away though.”
“Who were they?” he asked, moving next to me.
I shrugged, sleep beckoning me. “I don’t know. They didn’t have any ID and their matching sugar skull jackets aren’t something I remember seeing before,” I answered with a sigh.
“Sugar skull?” Blake asked, stiffening next to me.
“Yeah, they had roses for eyes,” I said, settling back down in the covers.
“Where was this?” He questioned, stroking my back.
“At Kitten. Such a weird night,” I muttered before slipping back off to sleep.
…
When I awoke next, the bed was empty. I suppose since I hadn’t expected Blake back yet, I shouldn’t feel the sinking disappoint in my chest, but I did.
Groaning, I puttered around pulling out freshly washed clothing from the neatly folded pile on the chest at the end of the bed, before I padded downstairs, shoes, and knives in hand.
Blake had hired on a new cook, and I missed the plump African American woman who made an amazing grilled cheese.
“Hey Alfie.” I said, giving him a half-smile as he set a plate in front of me for breakfast.
“Good Morning Olivia. I trust you slept well.” Alfie dictated regally to me in his British accent. Alfie doubled as cook and head of security now. There were no longer any more innocent bystanders in the crossfire. Blake had spent a great deal of time in making the decision. We had spent hours on the phone, reviewing applications.
I was sold when Alfie stated he enjoyed cooking immensely.
I smiled, digging into the eggs and French toast greedily. Alfie stood watching me, gulping down some orange juice. I smiled, “It’s great.” I said, thinking he was waiting for a verdict.
Leaning against the kitchen island, he regarded me closely still. Shoving another bite into my mouth, I watched him warily, cleaning off my plate quickly.
I wiped my mouth with a napkin. Raising an eyebrow, I finally asked, “What, Alfie?”
“Has Blake informed you of the latest headache he is dealing with?” Raising a blond eyebrow.
“No, and that is his decision,” I informed him.
He nodded, “I need to program your voice and fingerprint into the security system. Now that you are here in person, please follow me.” He ushered me out.
Wistfully, I looked back at the kitchen. I could eat more, but his retreating back didn’t give me much of an option so I followed him into the security office.
He was just as comfortable here as he was in the kitchen, relaxed and in control as I slid into the steel-framed chair behind the glass and metal desk.
“This will only take a moment.” Alfie said behind his desk, absorbed in adjusting his electronics.
…
True to his word, I was out and headed toward the manor, on time. Shocking.
Parking in the circle driveway, I checked my knives before heading toward Jerry and Kass on the manors steps.
“Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, are you actually on time?” Jerry asked.
“Ha.” I informed him, hugging him in greeting.
Rubbing his hands together, he grinned foolishly. “I do love taking you shopping, Olivia.”
I grunted a reply as I slipped into the back seat, giving Kass the front.
“Kass, is moving in with someone really a huge big, monumental deal?” I asked, leaning between the seats, living dangerously without my seat belt.
“Typically.” She said guardedly. “Why?”
“Something Luke said, that moving in together was followed by marriage and kids.” I muttered, cracking my neck uncomfortably.
“I think that is true in the traditional sense, but nothing about you is traditional, Olivia,” Jerry chimed in.
“Why?” I asked without thinking, “You know what? Never mind, I actually don’t want the answer to that question.”
Jerry cleared his throat and Kass shifted, “So weddings are themed usually, right?” I asked, changing the topic.
Kass picked up the topic change easily, “Yes, you are going to be wearing eggplant.”
“The vegetable?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“No,” she said laughing, “the color.”
“We should probably change your hair color,” Jerry said, analyzing me in the rear view mirror.
“Maybe I could match the dress.” I offered helpfully.
Kass shrugged her shoulder stiffening, “Or not.” I amended, it was going to be a long damn day.
…
We were in our third store and I had lost count of how many dresses I had sh
oved my curvy figure into.
We were all losing patience when the saleswoman came back with a dress Kass instantly said “no” to.
“Just have her try it on dear. I think everyone will agree on this one,” she said, her smile strained.
“Fine,” Kass accepted reluctantly.
Stepping carefully off the stage into the dressing room, the sales lady pulled the curtain as I shimmied out of the latest nightmare of a dress and into the silk plum dress she had in front of me. She was right. I did like it.
The slit up the side stopped just blow my hip giving me plenty of room to run or fight and with the sleeveless top cut low in the front that wouldn’t hinder my upper body movement at all.
Hauling myself out of the dressing room, I watched Kass’s eye me warily. “I like it,” I said, trying to fend off a fight. We needed to feed her fast.
Huffing, she shoved herself up, coming to pull at the fabric that sat at my natural waist. “The slit is really high, Olie,” she said, rubbing her neck. “What if you flash someone?”.
I laughed. I said, “If I do than it’s because I am attacking or being attacked.”
Her look of horror had me regretting those words instantly and I said quickly, “Which will not be happening at your wedding.” The sales lady drifted away as Kass stared daggers at me.
“I’ll think about it,” she huffed, “Get dressed. I am starving.” She gathered her things.
I was halfway out of the dress before I made it to the fitting room, not bothering to pull the curtain. “Olivia!” Jerry hissed at me.
“What?” I asked, shoving my arms through my top before buttoning my jeans and throwing my shoes on.
“Not everyone wants to see all of you,” he reprimanded me.
I shrugged. Shame about my naked body was something I had drilled out of me from a young age. I forgot others didn’t.
“Come on,” I said, happy to be fleeing the dress shop, “Let’s eat!”
Interlocking my arm with Kass, I patted her hand as we walked over to a sandwich shop in the same parking lot. “I’m sorry to be a pain, I am certain we will find something,” I said. She rested her head on my shoulder with a sigh.