Viktor

by Teresa Gabelman

  Viktor nodded, his eyes falling on Jared. “How’s Jared taking all of this?”

  Sid snorted with a shake of his head. “Jared’s about ready to blow, man.” Sid’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at Viktor. “He’s a ticking fucking time bomb just waiting to blow.”

  Before Viktor could comment, someone knocked into him from the side. He prepared himself as he turned to look. A young girl smiled up at him.

  “Sorry,” she yelled out over the noise. “It’s a little crowded in here tonight.”

  Viktor nodded with a half grin, but before he could look away, her eyes changed as a shield of black shuttered over her eyes. Her features turned sinister as she tilted her head and gazed up at him.

  “I think it’s time to clear some Warriors out.” The voice that came out of the petite young girl crackled with an evilness Viktor hadn’t heard for a very long time. Before he could warn Sid, he was picked up and thrown across the club into the middle of the dance floor. He cursed, ready to brace for the fall as he hit people, taking them with him. His only thought was... he was never going to live this one down.

  Chapter 5

  Lacey followed Hannah and Frank through the maze of extraordinary as well as odd people. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she tried not to rudely stare at everyone, but it was so hard. She wanted to talk and ask questions, but was warned by Frank to keep her cool. His exact words. Frank Hollis was a dear friend from her high school days. They had tried the romance thing, but they made much better friends.

  “What are you staring at?” a woman sneered, her fangs hanging heavily over her lip. Her hair was spiked in bright red. Piercings filled her face. After dealing with Fake Fang, as Viktor had called him, she really had a hard time telling who was a vampire and who was roleplaying. Obviously, that was a big thing. Who knew. Certainly, that didn’t seem to be the case here, though. It was the reason why she was here. She needed to know this stuff if she was going to write about it. Thinking of Viktor made her stomach tighten with excitement, and she wondered briefly if she might see him here. Then she dismissed that thought. What would a VC Warrior be doing at the Red Dragon?

  “Dammit, Lacey,” Frank hissed as he pulled her along. “Blend in and, for the love of God, stop staring. You’re going to get me killed saving your ass.”

  “I’m sorry,” she replied, trying not to spill her drink as he dragged her through the crowd. She caught sight of Hannah who had grabbed them a tall table at the edge of the dance floor. Perfect for viewing everything and everyone. Once at the table, she set her drink down. “I can’t help it. This is so exciting.”

  Frank wiped the sweat off his brow with a loud snort. “Exciting for you maybe, but terrifying for me.” He glanced around then pointed behind them. “See that exit sign. If shit goes down, head that way.”

  “Oh, come on.” Lacey rolled her eyes. “Nothing is going to happen. Everyone is just having a good time.”

  The rhythm of the music soon had Lacey and Hannah dancing at their table, moving to the beat. It was so hot, but Lacey didn’t care. As she danced, she watched everyone else and tried to figure out who was human and who wasn’t. If they didn’t have fangs, she wondered if they were shifters. A waitress came by, her golden eyes glowing just like Viktor’s had. Scantily dressed, she wore a black-beaded halter, a leather miniskirt, and black thigh-high boots. She was absolutely stunning.

  “You all need anything?” She leaned in with a smile, looking at their empty glasses.

  “Yeah, I’ll take a Bud,” Frank called out, then looked at Hannah.

  “I’m good, thanks,” Hannah replied as she continued to move with the music.

  “I’ll take a Long Island,” Lacey ordered, then stopped the waitress before she could leave to get their order. “And a job.”

  The woman stopped, a shocked expression on her face for a second, before she stepped back and looked Lacey up and down. “Seriously?”

  “Do they hire humans?” she called out over the music.

  “She’s kidding,” Frank broke in, giving Lacey an “are you freaking crazy” look.

  “No, I’m not.” Lacey pushed Frank back. “I have experience bartending as well as waitressing.”

  “Come on.” The woman tilted her head and led Lacey toward the bar area. She set the tray down pulling Lacey toward a door. Once inside a hallway, the music died down enough Lacey wasn’t straining to hear. “Are you really serious about this?”

  Lacey was one of those people who made snap decisions. Sometimes, she was a little too snappy. But something told her to do this. It would be a great experience for her book, and she really needed the money. “How’re the tips?”

  The woman pulled out a wad of cash with a smile. “Honey, I live on my tips.”

  Yeah, that was way more than she made at the Gypsy Tavern, not that she would quit on her dad. She could do both and write while doing all the research she wanted. This was perfect.

  “Then yes, I’m very serious.” Lacey smiled with a nod.

  “It’s not easy, but you look sturdy enough. We have a good staff here of bouncers who keep an eye on us, especially the human workers.” She gave her another look-over. “I’m Sasha.”

  “Lacey.” Excitement built up inside her as she smiled at Sasha. Since high school, she’d spent her days working on a computer. She had a knack for computer programming. It paid great, but for a people person like herself, it was the most boring job. Being fired devastated her pocketbook, but not her heart. She knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, but with her mom getting sick and all the medical bills, she’d realized she was stuck. She would do anything for her family, even if it meant putting her whole life on hold. She had done that for a long time. Now, she may have found a way to not only help her dad, but almost do exactly what she was meant to do with her life.

  “Okay, Lacey.” Sasha led her deeper down the hallway. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to Dexter. He runs the show around here. He’s a cool guy and takes real good care of us.”

  That was news she liked to hear. Even though this environment was foreign to her, Lacey felt alive, not terrified like Frank seemed to be. A thrill of anticipation thrummed through her. Sasha knocked quickly on a door before opening it. “Hey, Dex. I got a girl for you.”

  Lacey frowned at that but didn’t have time to really think about it before Sasha pulled her around to face a very handsome man. He turned away from a large wall of monitors, showing every angle on the inside and outside of the club, toward her. He had a blond business cut, and the suit he wore looked expensive. Her eyes went to his warm gaze as he stared at her.

  “Does the girl have a name, Sasha?” He grinned, showing sharp fangs.

  “Lacey,” she answered for Sasha, sticking out her hand. “Cruz.”

  He took her hand in a gentle grasp. “Dexter McMillian, and it’s nice to meet you, Ms. Cruz.”

  “Dexter’s a gentleman.” Sasha chuckled, then rolled her eyes. “Now hurry up and hire her. I have to get back out there before my boss fires me.”

  Dexter let go of Lacey’s hand, and she quickly pulled it away, embarrassed. She couldn’t stop staring. He was very nice-looking, and yet a vision of another vampire floated through her mind.

  “I thought I fired you last week.” Dexter frowned, but Lacey could hear the teasing in his voice.

  “You did, but I rehired myself,” Sasha said. “So Lacey wants a job. She has experience, and we can really use the help. I like her, and I’m a good judge of character.”

  Laughter erupted from Dexter as he leaned against a desk. “Oh, is that so?” He shook his head. “Sasha, I’ve had to fire more workers because of your inability to judge a person’s character. No offense, Lacey.”

  “None taken,” she replied, then glanced from Sasha to Dexter. One thing Lacey didn’t like was being talked about as if she wasn’t standing right there. “But in this case, she’s right. I’m a hard worker. I do have many years of experience, and I need the work. I�
��m always on time, and even pitch in to help others after shifts.”

  “Where have you worked?” Dexter asked after a second of hesitation.

  “Gypsy’s Tavern,” Lacey replied, glancing over and noticing for the first time a man who began cursing at a computer he was working on. One of the many monitors was going wonky.

  “Nice place as well as owner.” Dexter frowned, turning toward the man who was cursing louder.

  “You know my dad?” Lacey was also looking at the man.

  “Ted is your father?” Dexter glanced back at her, surprised. When she nodded, he smiled. “I know all the competition.”

  Lacey laughed. “Uh, I don’t think the Gypsy Tavern is competition to the Red Dragon. Far from it.” She walked closer, trying to see over the man’s shoulder at the computer. “Is that a Kasper system?”

  The man turned, looking at her in surprise. “Yes, it is, and it’s a pain in the ass.”

  “Can I?” she asked, then glanced at Dexter, who just swept his arm out giving his permission.

  “Please.” The guy quickly stood up, giving her room. “It’s either someone else takes over or I throw this computer through a wall.”

  “It’s usually not the computer, but the user,” Lacey teased with a chuckle. “Just kidding.”

  “No, you’re not.” The older man grinned. “I’m King, and if you fix this thing, you can be my queen.”

  “Ah, that’s sweet, but a thank-you will suffice.” Lacey looked at the program on the computer. He was already in, so all she had to do was go into the settings. She could do this with her eyes closed. “So is King your real name?”

  “Last name.” King watched over her shoulder as she quickly maneuvered inside the program. She looked up at the monitor, waiting. It flashed for a few seconds, then all the screens flashed and came back on, except the one he had been having problems with. “Just a few more seconds... and the rest of your monitors should be more in focus. I just tweaked it a little.”

  “Are you sure you’re just a waitress?” Sasha asked, impressed.

  “Actually, I’ve been a computer programmer since I was fresh out of high school. Lost my job due to layoffs, but I’ve worked in my dad’s tavern as soon as I was of age. Actually, before, but I didn’t say that.”

  “The pay would probably be better if I gave you King’s job,” Dexter said with a serious tone, which caused King to snort.

  “And I’d be more than happy to step aside.” King didn’t hesitate to reply.

  Lacey’s eyes went up to the monitor, actually thinking of that offer, but seeing the people on the screen made her realize back here was not where she wanted to be. Looking back at the computer screen, she did a few more things before glancing back at the monitor on the wall. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll pass on that. I can help out if you need it. That is if I’m hired.”

  “Oh, you’re definitely hired,” Sasha said with confidence.

  Lacey glanced at Dexter, who was smiling. He gave her a nod. “Sounds like you got yourself a job. When can you start?”

  “Tomorrow.” Lacey grinned, then looked back at the monitor that just cleared. Her eyes widened as she watched a large man sail through the air, taking out people around him, only to land in the middle of the dance floor. He slid across the floor only for a few seconds before he rolled to his feet. “Holy shit!” She gasped while everyone else around her cursed loudly, running out of the room.

  “Stay here!” Dexter ordered as he dashed out of the room, with King and Sasha following.

  Lacey couldn’t have moved if she wanted to. Her eyes were glued to the large man on the screen while her heart pounded so hard she felt it in her toes. Viktor Valentino stood slowly, his head coming up and his eyes, those beautiful golden eyes, were now black with rage.

  Chapter 6

  Viktor rolled to his feet and stood up slowly, his eyes looking for his target. All he saw were people scattering, but the young woman was nowhere to be found.

  “You good, man?” Sid hurried up to him wearing a frown.

  “Where the fuck is it?” Viktor glared around the crowd, his body primed to kill.

  “You mean the little girl who just tossed your ass across the room?” Sid added insult to injury. “Gone, unless Blaze finds her, which I doubt.”

  “What do you mean, you doubt? You were right there. Why didn’t you grab her?” Viktor growled, stalking toward the bar.

  “He was too busy watching your big ass fly through the crowd,” Jared answered as he walked up to them. “And whatever in the hell that was, it disappeared into the crowd. Literally.”

  Viktor cursed as he looked at Bishop, then Bonnie. “Witchcraft?”

  “Most probably, but that wasn’t a witch.” Bonnie’s eyes roamed around the room. The music still beat throughout the club, but everyone’s eyes were on them.

  “No shit.” Viktor sneered, but before he said anything else, a large vampire walked toward them.

  “What the hell is your problem?” The vampire stomped up to him, his eyes black. “You ripped my shirt.”

  Bonnie tried to interject, but Bishop pulled her out the way as Viktor punched him in the face, knocking him out cold without a second glance. Viktor was raging and didn’t have time for some dumbass who was angry that he’d ripped his fucking shirt.

  “Guess he’s going to have blood on it too.” Sid’s focus was on the big son of a bitch as he hit the floor.

  “Was that really necessary?” A man walked up to their small group looking down at the vampire now snoring loudly.

  “Yes,” Viktor growled, his eyes still black as midnight. “Who are you?”

  “Hey, Dex.” Sid reached out and shook the man’s hand. “I can honestly say this wasn’t us this time.”

  Viktor’s eyes left the man who Sid called Dex, his gaze still searching the area. “You own this place?”

  “I do,” the man replied. “Dexter McMillian, and you are?”

  Ignoring his question, his eyes flashed back to the man. “You allow demons to inhabit your business?”

  The man’s semi-pleasantness disappeared as his tone took a turn. “No one allows demons.” His reply was harsh. “What makes you think it was a demon?”

  As the crowd around them began to go back to their night after the excitement, Viktor frowned as he replayed the attack. What stood out to him was the bitch’s eyes. The blackness sliding down like a shield. “I don’t think. I know.”

  “No sight of her anywhere.” Steve rushed up, with Damon following. He looked up at Viktor. “Holy shit, man. I’ve never seen anything like that. That little girl picked your big ass up like you were nothing and tossed you like a fucking football.”

  Viktor growled again, but his eyes looked up instead of glaring at Steve. Cameras were all over the place. “You have a security room?”

  “Yes,” Dexter replied as his gaze followed Viktor’s.

  “You seriously want to see a replay of that embarrassing moment?” Steve snorted, then shut up real quick when Viktor glared his way before looking back at Dexter.

  “Come on.” Dexter nodded. “We just installed a high-tech security system. We can zoom in, use slow motion. You name it we can do it.”

  “Oh, snap.” Steve chuckled. “We get to see that shit in slo-mo.”

  “Steve, I would suggest you calm down before Viktor kills you,” Bonnie whispered, but Viktor heard and agreed. Steve had no idea how close he was to an ass beating.

  Viktor stepped over the still knocked-out vampire to follow Dexter. He noticed a few large men heading their way and prepared himself, wondering if they were friends of the asshole he knocked out. Dexter stopped them with a few words, and then they passed them, heading toward the man knocked out. Viktor watched as they lifted him by the arms and dragged him toward the exit.

  The crowd didn’t seem fazed by the events that had unfolded. They had already gone back to drinking, dancing, and whatever else they did in a place like this. “You have many issu
es like this?” Viktor asked as they went through a door into a hallway, the noise lessening somewhat.

  Dexter glanced over at him with a half smile. “I run a club mixed with human and paranormal beings, what do you think?” Dexter didn’t wait for his reply. “I have an excellent staff who knows how to diffuse situations. Although if they get out of hand, I have enough muscle to take care of what may come and if I don’t, I call in the formidable Warriors.”

  Using a key, Dexter opened a door, which they all walked through. Viktor’s eyes went first to all the monitors on the wall before shifting to a woman with long black hair whose back was to them while she stared at the screens. His eyes narrowed. Viktor knew without a doubt who the woman was without her turning around or hearing her voice.

  “Lacey, we need to see the incident.” Dexter walked up next to her. “Do you think you can do that? Don’t know if King has learned how to do anything other than screw it up.”

  “Sure,” Lacey replied. Waves of desire pulsed through his body at the sound of her voice.

  What the fuck? Viktor frowned at the reaction her voice evoked. She knew he was standing behind her, of that he had no doubt. She’d seen everything that had happened on the screen. So why wasn’t she turning around to address him? Was that his male pride asking that question? Damn straight it was.

  Lacey watched wide-eyed as Viktor looked around, seeming to focus on certain points. She had zoomed in so she could look at him closer, something that was hard to do in the restaurant the other night. Not that she didn’t see him then, but to be able to gape at this man without looking like a creeper or the embarrassment of being caught was amazing. She gasped when he looked straight into the camera, actually taking a stumbling step backward. His mouth moved, and then he looked away from the camera to Dexter.

  “Shit.” She cursed as they started heading her way. Quickly, she zoomed out, just as the door opened. She heard many coming into the room, but she didn’t care. She only felt the heated stare of one on her back.