by Megan Hawke
Spinning around, I dropped to one knee. Slightly dazed, I paused a second to regain my wits. I waited too long. Bridget kicked me in the lower back, above the right kidney, then seized my neck in both hands. And squeezed as she lifted me off the ground.
My windpipe was crushed within seconds. It was painful and disconcerting. I panicked as she held me high and away from her. I heard the werewolves laughing as I kicked and flailed helplessly.
"Die, vamp!" Bridget cried.
She squeezed harder, and started shaking me violently. After a moment I started to regain my senses, realizing she thought she could strangle me to death. No one was stopping her, either. Did they not know?
It was not easy. Lord, it wasn't. But I slowly relaxed. I let my arms fall limply to my side, and forced my legs to go limp next. Then I relaxed my body and neck, stopped fighting her powerful grip around my throat. I thought she might snap my neck, but I had to try.
"Yes!"
"Bridget killed the vamp whore!"
"Bridget! WA-hoo!"
"Yes, I did it!" Bridget cried, and let out a wild, triumphant howl. She laughed, and then threw me away.
I flew a good fifteen feet. My fall was broken by the back window of a pickup truck. The glass cracked, and I fell into the bed in back.
"Hang her from the big oak, and we'll drink beer and watch her body evaporate when the sun rises," Bridget said.
I dragged myself to my feet and glowered at the jubilant werewolves. They'd forgotten all about me already. Talk about feeling disrespected. I wanted to say something biting and snarky, but my windpipe was still healing. It itched and tickled at the same time.
I dusted glass off, picked a few pieces out of my hair and cleavage. Then I did a little hop out of the pickup bed, and smiled when several faces snapped to me.
"Surprise," I rasped out.
"No," Bridget said, then growled as she raced towards me.
"Insolent bitch," I said, and picked up a red Suzuki.
Everyone got real quiet when I promptly smacked Bridget down with the motorcycle. Bridget didn't get back up. She was still alive, but unconscious. Werewolves were almost as hard to kill as vampires.
"You can't strangle a werewolf to death, so what made you think you could strangle a vampire?" I said. "You're all dumber than dogs."
They growled as a group. Even the ones still in human form growled. Very menacing. It made an impression on me. No doubt. But I had the upper hand, and wasn't giving it up.
I turned on my vampire menace. Full blast. One of the wolves actually whimpered. I'd never done that before. It kinda surprised me, too. A pleased sort of surprised.
"Only out of respect for my friend Gabe, I will refrain from killing Bridget," I said. "I can. I know how. But if you don't back down now, I'll rip her heart out and eat it." I gave them a cold look, then picked up the Suzuki again, and threw it through the front door of the house. "And then I'll start on the rest of you moonstruck morons."
Throwing the motorcycle twenty feet through the door seemed to convince them I might be more than they wanted to play with. Wise decision. I got into my car and left.
"At least I have a name," I said. "Fritz."
Chapter 8
The drive back to Dallas went fast. I was so pissed. Gabe had better be awake. He was getting a very rude awakening otherwise. His friend attacked me. Quentin and his pack never had any intention of talking to me.
My cell rang. I scowled. I didn't want to deal with Jeff or Tara. I didn't recognize the number being displayed. It could be Gabe, calling me with a borrowed cell phone. So I answered.
"Sable?"
It was Bone Daddy, my best undead friend and Desiree's pimp.
"Boney? Wow, you actually returned a phone call," I said. "Imagine that. I must be blessed."
"Caught you in a bad mood, I see," Boney said. He didn't sound particularly happy either, but was trying half-heartedly. I bet he felt guilty about being with Antoinette and not coming to my defense with the council. "Can you talk?"
"Yeah. I'm driving at ninety-eight miles an hour, but I'm good," I said. "How can I help you?"
"You called me?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, but I just had a very unsatisfactory love fest with a pack of werewolves," I said. "I'm lucky to be alive. You should've warned me about them."
"Oh, yes. Watch out for werewolves. They're fast, vicious, and don't like vampires at all," he said. I could hear the smile on his face. "Unless you just like sex with really hairy men. Or halfmen."
"That would've been preferable to what I received," I said, laughing. I could feel the tension bleeding away. Boney did that for me. He was one of the few people I felt safe around. Then I thought of Gabe, my hirsute vampire slaying lover. "Hairy men can have their charms."
"Ugh. Disgusting," he said. "Thankfully women know how to shave and wax."
"Yeah, I know. Fascinating conversation," I said. "But I have questions. I think you have the answers. Can I see you tonight?"
"Now?"
"Yes. Where do you live? I'll come over," I said.
"No, I'll meet you at Desiree's. I still have a key," he said. "Desiree will be out all night. I'll meet you there."
"Fine," I said. "I'll be there in about fifteen."
"Great, see you there," Boney said. I was taken aback, because we could still speak on the phone while I drove. Heck, I might get most of my questions out of the way and then we can get down to business. Momma wanted some of that big bone. After the fight with the wolves, I needed some loving. And he was just the vampire to do me right. "Bye."
I was listening to dial tone so fast I didn't know what to think. Yeah, it was irritating. I was usually the one that hung up on people. Since I had the phone out, I thought I'd try a possible resource.
"Sergeant Longhouse," the familiar voice said.
"Hi, Sarge," I said. "It's your favorite vampire."
"Sable. Don't tell me you staked another vampire?" he said, sounding pleased. "Who was it?"
"No, nothing like that. I need some info from you," I said. "Do you have a database of known werewolves?"
"Maybe. Why?"
Why were cops so suspicious?
"I need to find a specific werewolf. An alpha male," I said. "All I have is a name. Fritz. I don't know if that is his first, middle, or last name." Then I remembered Fitzhugh Street. "Or even part of his name."
"I can't do that for a civilian," he said.
"I'm not a civilian," I said. "I'm a vampire."
"Doesn't matter," he said.
"I helped you."
"Yeah, but...," he said, and trailed off. "Shit. Okay, I'll see what I can find."
"Thanks, Longhouse. You're okay for a cop," I said, and laughed. "I'll call you tomorrow. Bye-bye."
I was starting to feel better and better.
Before I knew it I was pulling into the driveway. Boney's car was already there. I couldn't sense anyone inside. Good, no minions to distract us.
Before I went in, I fixed my makeup and went around to the trunk to pull out a towel. The towel was there to clean up blood after a staking or fight. But it worked just as well on dirt and dust. My boots especially were dirty after the visit to the farm.
"Not even eleven o'clock," I said as I headed for the door. "Lots of time for questions and fun afterwards."
The door was unlocked. I walked right in. Boney was waiting in the media room, watching a vampire crime-drama on VEN.
"The witch did it," I said. "It's always the witch."
"Or the dirty cop," he said, and smiled at me as he stood up. Six foot eight inches of Oh Yeah. His eyes roamed up and down my body, several times. "Looking good."
"This old thing? I just threw it on," I said.
The air was saturated with vamp pheromones as we hugged, and then kissed. Kissed deeply. Tongues. Grasping hands. Moaning and groaning. Okay, only I moaned and groaned.
"Wow, for once you don't taste like chocolate," he said. "Did Desiree take away your candy?"
I looked him over hungrily. Did I have to ask all my questions first? Couldn't I do that later? I mean, he looked so damned hot. Not his usual hot, either. No pinstripe Armani suit that night. No, he was wearing tight jeans, cowboy boots, white button down shirt, and a bomber jacket.
"Speaking about looking good...," I said, and wagged my brows at him.
"Where have you been?" he said, starting to pull me towards the couch.
I graced him with a sultry smile as I obediently followed. Boney always did this to me. Damn vampire pimp. He knew how to manipulate women with sex. Well, he knew how to manipulate me with it at any rate. I could not say no to that undead bastard.
"Out saving the world," I said.
"Oh? You've taken on more responsibilities?" he said.
"Duh. You should know, that damned vampire council that you never warned me about is busting my butt," I said. "Especially Jeff Howell."
"Yeah. Be careful with him. He likes to act like the good ole boy, but he is a ruthless SOB. Has he made a move on you yet?"
"For sex?"
"Yes."
"No," I said, but recalled our last meeting. He seemed quite satisfied with Valerie St. Clair. But I did get a vibe that he wouldn't object if I joined them. Wasn't going to happen. "He was distracted."
"Good. He'll try to seduce you, and then recruit you for his family," Boney said, scowling. "He'll turn you into a thug if you let him."
"No thank you," I said.
We reached the couch. He sat. I straddled his lap, kneeling on the couch. He tried to unzip my top first thing, but I stopped that. Questions first.
"Tell me about your mistress, Antoinette LaRue," I said.
"She's rich, beautiful, and the most powerful vampire in Dallas," he said, starting to rub my rump.
"Powerful? In what way?"
"Vampiric powers, political power, economic power," he said. "She has clout."
"So she's the oldest vampire in Dallas?"
"No, but she has been in Dallas longer than any other vampire," he said. "And greater age doesn't always equate to greater vampiric powers. And some vampires grow in power faster than others."
"So you've said," I said. I didn't protest when he buried his face in my cleavage, then unfastened my pants. They weren't coming off in my position. "Tell me about the other council members, the ones they wouldn't name."
"I can't," he said. "I've been ordered to silence about them."
"Is that why you never told me about them?"
"Yes."
"Your mistress ordered you?"
"Yes. She commanded me with her power," he said. "I cannot disobey, so I can only tell you little about the ones you know."
That was just dandy. Boney was my most reliable source of vampire information. The council was off-limits for him, and I didn't know where else to go. Then I was distracted, because Boney had unzipped my top.
"Hmm," I said, giving him a wary look. He was good. I shrugged and he pulled it completely off me, tossing it to the side. A second later he had a nipple in his mouth. "One track mind."
"Complaining?"
"Never."
It is a crying shame that mortals could not experience the intensity of physical pleasure vampires enjoyed. Every touch was magnified, amplified. When he sucked in that nipple, I felt a jolt of pure sexual pleasure ripple through my body from nipple to chest, then plunging down into my lower belly and girl parts. I could already feel my nether regions tingling and getting wet.
"You have a license to use those lips?" I said.
"Ha, you said something similar to Antoinette about her eyes," he said, pulling my pants down to the top of my thighs. Cool air caressed my butt and pussy. I had continued waxing my nether regions. Only because every man I was with love it. Really, they loved it. It boggled my mind. Why should it matter? Was it a man thing? But Desiree also liked it. "You should've worn a skirt."
"And you should talk less and do more," I said, and laughed. "But seriously, I have questions before my libido shuts down my brain. Do you know anything about werewolves? Specifically the one killing vampires?"
"I don't know a single werewolf," he said. "Not any still alive, at any rate."
"Damn," I said. Then Boney grabbed my hair, pulling my head way back. His other hand started fondling my left breast, while he sucked, licked, and otherwise enjoyed my right with his mouth, teeth, and tongue. "Oh...my...Ooooh."
Talking was over. I only had one thing on my mind.
"Shall we retire to the coffin?" I said after he enjoyed my breasts for a few minutes.
"No. I've never had you up here," he said. "In fact, Desiree never let me have sex on her living room or media room furniture. Strictly off limits."
She didn't? The first time I had sex with Desiree was on the living room couch. Of course, men were messier and excreted a lot more fluids.
"Maybe we should do it on the floor," I said.
"Maybe you should just relax and enjoy," he said, and flipped me off his lap. He rolled over onto me, kissed me deeply, then stood up. Grabbing my right ankle, he unzipped my thigh boot and pulled it off. "I want the boots back on after I get your pants off."
"Pervert," I said, grinning wickedly at him.
"A requirement to be a vampire, and to be a pimp," he said. My pants were off by then. I started pulling the boots back on as he quickly stripped. "But I love the way you look naked, in boots."
"I have spurs downstairs," I said, standing up and turning to go get them.
"Oh, nice," he said. He caught my wrist and pulled me into his arms. "But I'm not willing to wait for you to get them."
We held on tightly and kissed deeply for several minutes. I could feel his arousal, since his huge cock was poking me in the belly. Rock hard. His pheromones were driving me crazy, and mine were doing the same to him. Our hands began to roam halfway through that kiss.
Too soon the kiss ended, and Boney kissed his way along my jaw line, to my neck. My breath caught when he licked my neck just above my jugular. He usually went for the Carotid, and most vampires did since it had more oxygen and thus the blood tasted better to our discerning palates. But the jugular was easier to get to, and I gasped when his fangs sank into my neck, straight into the jugular.
"Oh, Jesus," I gasped, pushed right to the edge of orgasm. I was trembling violently. "You're too good to me, Boney."
Without releasing my neck, he picked me up and laid me on the couch. Effortlessly, the vampire slid between my legs. Now prone, I spread my legs wider, giving him easy access. I wanted him mounted, so I reached down and grabbed his hard cock. After giving it a few strokes, I guided him straight into me.
Boney groaned and I gasped as he slowly plunged deeper and deeper. My back bowed and I wrapped my booted legs tightly around his waist. I was so close I couldn't think of anything else. When he rolled my nipples between his fingers, I lost it.
"Oh my...uuuuuugggghhh," I said. I loved climaxing. Who didn't? "Don't stop. Just like that."
Boney released my neck. I whimpered. Yeah, I can be rather pathetic during sex play. He grabbed my boobs tightly, and really started to pound into me. Harder. Faster. I loved it, feeling the second orgasm starting to build.
"Sex is always better with you," Boney said with a strained voice. "The look of rapture on your beautiful face when you climax is breathtaking. You react to every orgasm as if it is your first."
"Uuummm," I said. Okay, that was all I was capable of at the time. "So good...so good to me."
Boney's stroke changed. I recognized it. He was about to come. My eyes widened; my breath caught. And then he threw his head back and groaned in abject pleasure as I felt him coming deep inside me. And that triggered my second climax. It was glorious.
He continued to slowly pump in and out, keeping our mutual pleasure going as long as possible. My legs relaxed and fell to either side of him after a mo
ment. Our eyes met, and we gave each other smoldering looks. That was enough to make me want to do it again.
"Whoa!" I cried, when he grabbed my waist, and pulled me off the couch. He stood there a second holding me up above the couch, me still impaled on his erect penis. "What? Like this?"
"No, like this," he said, and sat down on the couch. I was straddling his waist. "Now you do all the work while I play with your lips and tits."
"My pleasure."
Hands on his shoulders, I started a slow slide up and down his thick shaft. I loved being on top. The control I had made for the best climaxes. At least for me. None of my lovers had ever complained, either.
Vampire pheromones flooded the air. I'd never smelled them that thick. It was heady. They kinda scared me. Those erotic pheromones overwhelmed me. Sex usually made me feel alive, and empowered, but instead those pheromones made me feel weak and submissive. Was this a different pheromone Boney was hitting me with?
"Very pretty," Antoinette said from behind me.
My head whipped around. Antoinette was standing there. She was wearing a black corset with blue piping that her breasts peeked out above. Garters dropped down from the corset holding up black silk stockings. She also wore black silk opera gloves and black patent pumps. Her ears, throat and wrist were ablaze with diamonds and sapphires.
To Antoinette's left was that creepy, gaunt vampire. He was only wearing a strange black leather harness, his erect cock on display for the world to see.
Angelique struck a sassy pose on the other side of Antoinette. She was in all pink: bustier, garters, opera gloves, and calf boots. Her ears, throat and wrists were also sparkling with diamonds, but only about half as much as her mistress. She looked way too pleased to see me.
"Oh no," I whispered, frozen in place. Antoinette started a slow strut towards me. A very sultry strut. The others followed. I turned to look down at Boney. "Did you set me up? Was this a trap?"
"I-I...I'm sorry," he said, and looked away.
Antoinette placed her gloved hands on my shoulders. Her perfume enveloped me. Then her powerful pheromones swept over me, starting to beat me down. It was her pheromones that induced my feelings of submissiveness. She swept my hair back away from my left ear, leaned over and nuzzled it.