A Hunger for Darkness

by Cooper Flynn

  “You can, just remember what I’ve taught you. Stay cool and distant, it will turn him on more, and will keep you from devouring him.” Connor reached over as though to pat her hand, but froze before he completed the gesture.

  Kenzi lifted her chin and set her jaw. She needed no one’s comfort. She placed her hands in her lap, disgusted by her weakness.

  “I’ll be fine. How long are we prepared to give this operation?”

  Connor took a moment to carefully study Kenzi. After an exaggerated pause he raised an eyebrow,

  “I’d be surprised if he doesn’t rise to the bait within a few days.”

  The car pulled to the curb. The sun had just set, and there was not yet a line to get in the nightclub. Above the door was a simple black square with a smaller, red neon square inside it. Underneath were small red letters that read “Kremlin”. A man of impressive size stood outside with arms crossed and a discrete earpiece.

  Kenzi left the car and turned to the bouncer. “I’m here for work, it’s my first day.”

  He looked at her impassively for a moment before opening the door.

  “Next time go around to the back,” he said in a low rumble. Kenzi thought she detected an eastern European accent.

  The club hadn’t yet opened and had the atmosphere from the backstage of a burlesque show, or at least what Kenzi imagined that might be like. She’d never been in an ultra-lounge before. The space was large, but divided into distinct spaces. Along most of the perimeter were individual booths with curtains along the front, once pulled they became small, private rooms. Tables were scattered around the room, some with club chairs, many with facing sofas. The lighting was indirect, and the color scheme black and red with occasional accents of gold and neon. A hammer and sickle was prominent on one wall, with Soviet-era artwork celebrating the revolution scattered on other walls.

  Kenzi found a bartender who directed her to another hostess for training. Tasha was a tall blonde with cool blue eyes and a manner to match. She carefully looked over Kenzi, pursed the dark red lips once and began to train without any small talk.

  Kenzi had pretended to have experience as a club hostess. In fact her preparation for the job had been a few minutes reading some online blogs and Connor’s succinct instruction; “Act like you’re pleased to see everyone who comes in, but also unimpressed. Not familiar, but slightly bored.” Kenzi wondered how Connor had learned the finer points of running this kind of establishment.

  As Tasha demonstrated the various seating charts and reservation systems Kenzi was careful to concentrate. This was the best way to ignore the nagging hunger that had become her constant companion. The tall blonde next to her had such a perfect and athletic form. Kenzi caught herself examining the other’s body for places she could feed. She shook herself as the images became increasingly graphic.

  The club opened, and a stream of well-dressed patrons filled the lounge. This was not a place for dancing, but the music was loud and aggressive, and people found the space to move against each other as alcohol worked its magic.

  “Be careful with the drunks, they’ll take any chance to grope you. If it gets too much, raise a hand and security will take care of it. Just remember, our guests are here to have fun, don’t be too flirty, but let them have a little leeway.” Tasha advised.

  Kenzi shadowed her mentor as she greeted and seated guests. From time to time a favor was requested with a discrete tip. The money vanished elegantly and without a trace. Reservations were upgraded, and guests were moved to tables with a more advantageous view. All the time the music pumped and the liquor flowed. Beautiful servers, both men and women, brought bottles of expensive spirits and champagne to tables of expensively-dressed patrons. In time the curtains on the booths began to close, and body contact began to get more intimate.

  Always there was the smell, at once intoxicating and maddening. As her senses heightened, Kenzi knew she could expect all of her perceptions to become keener, but the smells in this club were driving her wild. The press of humanity, the delicate scents of clean, fresh skin, the saltier tang of sweat as they danced and the rich musk that drifted out between the curtains of the booths were driving her wild with desire. She couldn’t yet separate the hunger-lust into its different elements, so she watched with fevered eyes the beautiful bodies that swirled around her. She felt a flush of arousal creep through her as she began to wonder if she could slip behind a curtain and just take a sip…

  “Are you listening?” Tasha asked in annoyance.

  Kenzi snapped back to the moment at hand.

  “Are you on something?” Tasha peered closely in Kenzi’s eyes. “I don’t care if you want to take a little something on your own time, but not here, understand?”

  “I’m not on anything, just a little caught up in the vibe here,” Kenzi answered and tried to slow her racing heart.

  Tasha glanced down at Kenzi’s dress, “I can see that, but try to calm yourself. You’ll attract the wrong kind of attention.”

  Kenzi looked down and saw what had attracted the other woman’s notice. Her nipples were pushing prominently against the thin fabric. She was surprised a blush didn’t come; perhaps she’d lost that ability. She smiled coolly instead.

  “Like I said; the vibe,” she said.

  Tasha stopped and listened to the tiny earphone hidden discretely in one ear. She scanned the club.

  “The boss is here,” she announced and Kenzi followed her look.

  The sight made her freeze. On the other side floor, near the hallway that lead back to the offices and dressing room was a tall, blond-haired man who resembled a Viking in a modern business suit, but it was the man he was with that had frozen her. Gabriel Sands stood with the Viking, whom she assumed was Maksim Bulgarin. Sands calmly studied the crowd, his seamless face inhumanly expressionless.

  Kenzi quickly turned her back. She and Connor had discussed this possibility and steps to be taken should the need arise. Gabriel would be able to tell she was not human if he came close enough to smell her, but thanks to her recent transformation, he would have to get very close. As for her appearance, she now looked very little like the huntress he had taken in the woods. Her dark sable hair was styled in loose waves that reached down her back, and her hazel eyes were now accented to dramatic effect with dark eye shadow and eye liner. Using more make-up tricks her cheekbones now appeared much more severe. In short, she had used every trick in a woman’s arsenal to change her appearance short of resorting to a disguise.

  With her heartbeat returning to normal she turned back to face her foes, even if they were across the room.

  “So which one is the boss?” She kept her tone level, as though barely interested.

  “The blond guy with the short beard, he’s Maksim. I’m not sure who that other guy is, but he’s been here a lot lately.” Tasha shuddered slightly as she turned away. Kenzi guessed she would never admit to being disturbed by anyone, but clearly Gabriel had that effect on her.

  “So is Maksim cool or what?” Kenzi asked casually.

  Tasha shot her a knowing smile. “I’m sure you’ll find out. He likes to get to know all of his new female employees.”

  “So it’s like that, huh?” Kenzi asked with a smile of her own.

  Tasha just shrugged, but made the gesture elegant. “It’s whatever you want it to be, but it pays to let him show his interest. He won’t be a pest and he is generous to his friends. It really is very nice.”

  “Very nice? Is that all?” Kenzi affected a smirk.

  The tall woman leaned down slightly to speak in Kenzi’s ear. “If you let him, he will melt your panties off. He knows his way around a woman’s body.”

  Kenzi was surprised by the crass language combined with the cool tone which Tasha used.

  “Just don’t get attached, Maksim doesn’t stay with anyone long, no matter how much you want him to.” Tasha began moving again, and left Kenzi jumping to catch up.

  When Kenzi glanced back, Maksim and Gabriel were heade
d down the hallway and away from her. She breathed a sigh of relief and went back to following Tasha and trying to keep her focus off her nagging hunger.

  It was nearly closing time when Tasha again stopped to listen to her earpiece. With a sly smile she turned to Kenzi after she issued a short affirmative to whoever was speaking.

  “Maksim has asked to meet you. He’s in his office.” Tasha pointed the way and turned back to her position at the door, carefully monitoring the departing guests.

  Kenzi felt her heart begin to race again. If Gabriel was there she knew she’d be discovered. There was no way to disguise her scent in a small room. She cursed the rise of non-smoking laws, maybe a heavy nicotine and tar smell would have covered her. As it was she squared her shoulders and made her way to the back of the club. Along the way she resolved to fight to the last if this was the end. She wouldn’t mind dying if it meant she could destroy the thing that had made her into a monster.

  She knocked and answered the call to enter. Maksim was alone, sitting behind a large carved desk. The room held two black velvet couches that faced each other across a low table. Several large flat screens displayed the club from multiple camera angles. Kenzi was surprised to see some of the now-vacant private booths had cameras in them as well.

  “Kenzi, it is good to meet you,” he said with a smile. He spoke with a mild Russian accent, and his smile seemed both open and charming.

  “Mr. Bulgarin, it is nice to meet you as well,” she said coolly.

  “You may call me Maks, and I just wanted to get a sense of my new hostess.” Maksim did not disguise his appraising study of her form.

  “Do I meet with your approval?” Kenzi managed a tone that suggested amused annoyance.

  “Yes you do,’ laughed Maksim. “I find you very beautiful, and I like how you carry yourself. Maybe sometime soon we can discuss where you’ve worked before and what you bring to this club.”

  “If you’d like. Is that all?” Kenzi turned to go.

  “Not quite, I want you to enjoy working here. This place is all about pleasure, for our guests and for ourselves. I want you to enjoy working here.” Maks spread his arms in an expansive gesture. “Our time in this life is all too short, we must get as much as we can out of every moment. Do you agree?”

  Kenzi allowed herself a coy smile. “I know how to enjoy myself, if that’s what you mean.”

  “I can only hope you don’t have to enjoy yourself too often. Someone like you should be enjoying others as often as possible.” Maks’ open and obvious enjoyment of his double entendre made it less creepy, and more charming, than Kenzi would have imagined if someone had related it to her instead of her hearing it herself. This was a man who loved pleasure in all forms, and seemed to want everyone else to enjoy themselves as well.

  Kenzi laughed. “I agree, pleasure shared is much more fun.”

  Maksim came from around his desk and took Kenzi’s hand in his own and pressed it to his lips. “I think I will enjoy getting to know you.”

  Kenzi smiled, and the thought that only a Russian could make so cheesy a display seem so, well…Old World. Maks seemed so fun and virile, that she could imagine many young women being swept away for at least a night.

  “I’m sure we will both enjoy getting to know each other,” Kenzi said. Then, remembering her plan, she made her excuses and slipped back out into the empty night club.

  Chapter Eleven

  The blow sent Kenzi spinning. She caught herself and managed to stay upright until the figure dressed in black struck again, this time knocking her flat then pinning her down with his weight. Kenzi looked up into the face of Joshua, a face contorted in rage. In one hand he held the long ceramic dagger favored by Center. It could be plunged into the heart and then snapped off at skin level, making it nearly impossible to remove thus insuring the death of the vampire providing it was placed correctly. She’d left the Kremlin and begun to make her way back to Connor’s place when she’d been struck without warning.

  “Why did you have to leave? We would have made your death merciful!” Joshua raised the knife, preparing for the final blow.

  “Joshua, what the hell are you doing? I’m not you’re enemy!” Kenzi sought to capture his, hoping to calm him enough to speak.

  “You’re a vampire, of course you’re the enemy!” Joshua said, still holding the blade at the ready. He was sitting squarely on her chest, with her arms trapped at her sides.

  “You idiot, I’m still in here. I haven’t gone over to the dark side,” Kenzi said in a tone shifting to gentle mockery. She was still wearing the black dress and hadn’t even changed out of the stiletto heels, although the shoes had flown off on impact. They were on a side street in front of a row of silent and darkened buildings.

  “Then what are you doing in the club?” Joshua asked.

  His face had relaxed slightly and Kenzi could see tears in his eyes. The sight threatened to break her heart.

  “Joshua, would you let me speak to you for a moment?” Kenzi was careful to speak softly and meet his eyes fully.

  “I can’t let you up, and I will kill you as soon as you answer my questions. You know that’s the way it is. I just want you to tell me why you left, and what you did to Kat?” Joshua touched the stake to Kenzi’s chest, directly above her heart.

  Kenzi surged upwards, her body flipping Joshua headlong over her. She spun and was on her feet facing Joshua before he could even rise. He untangled himself to stand, finding Kenzi waiting for him, arms loosely at her side, legs spread slightly. She was ready for whatever he wanted to try.

  “I was kind of surprised how easy it was to throw you. There is a reason you are not supposed to engage a vampire in hand-to-hand unless there is no other option.” Kenzi watched Joshua set his face and shift his body. “Don’t, just don’t, Joshua. You weren’t fast enough to take me even before I turned.”

  Kenzi saw Joshua thinking. His eyes scanned her looking for any weakness or advantage he could find. She could see his despair as he came up empty. In turn she was examining him, imagining how she could take him down and feed, the body that had once given her pleasure now giving her power. She shook loose the thought, but it took effort.

  “What do you want?” Joshua asked after a moment.

  “What did you mean about Kat? What happened to her?”

  Joshua’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t take her?”

  “I haven’t seen her since I left Center.”

  “She disappeared the same night you did. Center was on full lock-down for days after that. We just began operations again.” Joshua’s voice was level, but still his gaze was shifting, scanning everything, looking for opportunity.

  “I didn’t take her. Do you know anything about where she was going?” Kenzi could see his pulse racing, and could almost see his thoughts as he searched for a way to kill her. He said nothing.

  “I’m still on your side! I’m trying to destroy the vampire that did this to me!” Kenzi screamed in frustration.

  “Let me guess, you’re a good kind of vampire. You don’t have to give in to the virus,” Joshua said with heavy sarcasm.

  Instinctively Kenzi took a step towards Joshua, and watched him step back carefully.

  “I am more than this disease, Joshua. I can help you and Center,” Kenzi pleaded.

  “So you haven’t fed?” Joshua asked with a hope that seemed to die before he finished the question.

  Kenzi looked away, looking forlorn in the darkness with her torn dress and stockings.

  “Kenzi, you know what you are. Your soul is dead or dying; don’t allow yourself to become this thing.” Joshua was speaking softly now, just as he had when he had held her a lifetime ago, when he had given her advice in their stolen moments of privacy.

  She looked back to him, tears shining in her eyes. “My soul isn’t dead, I’m still good, I don’t have to kill to feed, I can still fight vampires this way!” The words tumbled out of her.

  “You can’t justify it, Kenzi. You stil
l have to take the lives of humans to live; you have to drink their essence. Nothing you do can justify that, you can’t control this, no one can.”

  “Yes! Yes, I can control it.” She promised, her words coming like choked sobs.

  “You want to feed from me now, don’t you?” Joshua asked sadly.

  Kenzi refused to answer, only crossing her arms and rocking slightly.

  “Come back with me. If you really don’t want to become this thing, come back with me. Let us learn from you and we will set you free.” Joshua took a step towards her, the long, black ceramic blade lower, but still ready.

  Kenzi’s chin came up, and her eyes cleared. “No, I have a job to do. I will destroy the monster that made me, and if I can find Katerina, I will. If she came after me, I’ll find her.”