by Megan Hawke
"No, I can't."
"You have to," she said.
"What's a Compulsion?" Heidi said, suddenly alarmed.
"A training tool," Desiree said. "Please, Sable, she's almost crazy with hate. She might kill me or Kale to spite you, to hurt you. You have to put a Compulsion on her."
"I know," I said. Wild-eyed, Heidi was looking between me and Heidi. I caught her with my eyes the next time she looked at me. "Heidi, kneel."
Heidi knelt. She had no other choice. I was her vampire mistress, her creator, her Sire. I would have power over her for the next hundred years or more.
She looked up at me with a nearly blank face. Was that trust I saw? It wouldn't have hurt less if she stabbed me in the heart with a wooden stake.
"Look into my eyes. Deeply," I commanded, and knelt before her. She obeyed without a sound, though her hands clenched and unclenched. "Do not look away from my eyes until I say otherwise."
"I hate you," she whispered.
That surprised me. I didn't think she'd have the mental wherewithal to get that out.
"I know," I said.
Tears rolled out of her eyes when I held her face between my hands. My eyes began to burn, and tears rolled across my cheeks.
"I'm so sorry," I croaked out, barely. My throat was so tight. I took a deep breath, swallowed a couple of times to loosen up my throat. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"Dane will hate you for what you did to me," she said.
"I know," I said. Then I looked deep into her eyes. Those big blue eyes grew rounder. I felt the bitter cold of my power rolling through her body. She began to shiver and her lower lip started trembling. There was no other choice, so I pushed into her mind with all I had, and said, "Heidi, I am your Sire, your mistress. Your absolute master. You will obey all of my commands to the letter and intent. I command absolute obedience."
"Yes, Mistress," Heidi said.
And it was done. Heidi's first Compulsion. There would be others. Loyalty. Ban on murdering mortals, or feeding off them without freely given permission. Whatever others I found necessary to mold her into a "good" vampire.
"Call me Sable," I said, and kissed her gently. She returned the kiss a bit more hungrily. I pulled back, looked her over. Took in all the dried blood. "We'll begin your training after you take a shower. But first, feed."
I rolled my neck back. Using my control over her, I guided Heidi to my jugular. It was easier than the carotid, and with vampire blood there was no difference in nourishment value between the jugular and carotid. In mortals it was a big difference.
"Ummmmmggghh," Heidi groaned, sucking in her first real mouthfuls of blood ever.
Chapter 25
There was no moon as I soared above the city of Dallas. The lights twinkled and flashed below me. I could hear the rumble of trains rolling over steel tracks, motorcycles zipping through traffic, and barking dogs. Life went on despite my death exactly one month ago to the day.
Tomorrow would be my one month anniversary as a vampire. Only Desiree cared enough to say anything. She wanted to have a party. I nixed that idea. Fast.
It was four days since Heidi joined my growing "family." Yes, I had a vampire family. I was horrified when Desiree first pointed it out to me. She insisted a vampire family only really needed one vampire. Heidi was my spare, I guess.
Heidi melded into our family remarkably well. She snuck over on the third night and stole all of her clothes out of Dane's house. That incident necessitated I speak to Dane about her. I haven't spoken with him since telling him Heidi was a vampire, and it looked like I was the one that accidentally Changed her.
He'll probably stake me now. I wouldn't blame him.
Looking south, past Deep Ellum, I smiled. The State Fair of Texas was in full swing. In fact, it was almost over. Today was the last day. Looked like I missed it for the first time since I was ten.
"I sure could use a Fletcher's corny dog smothered in mustard," I muttered, smiling as my mouth watered.
I never ate corny dogs except at the state fair. And it wasn't a state fair without a corny dog, a funnel cake, and a trip to the auto show. I toyed with the idea of just flying in. Who would stop me?
Instead I flew over to the West End. Flying low, but high enough no one could see me in the dark, I looked for vampires. Three times in the last five days I had caught vampires in either the West End or Deep Ellum feeding on an unwilling victim.
I don't think they intended on killing their victims, but that was definite rogue behavior in my book. I staked all three. Okay, I staked one of them, and chopped off the head of the other two. Either way, they were no more. No longer a threat.
Of the three, only one had a bank card I could use. I used an ATM that gave balances, and discovered he had six thousand in his account. It was set up to release up to one thousand a day in cash. His account was half empty after three days, and it would all be in my new account in a few more days.
It felt good to be earning a living in the manner I knew best. Once a vampire slayer, always a vampire slayer I guess. At least I didn't have to take a night shift job in a gas station or convenience store.
Spotting a vampire, I pulled up and starting flapping my wings harder. Hovering as I studied him. It was Sonny Chang. I knew him. He was cool. And there were no other vampires in that club district, so I headed towards Deep Ellum.
With it being the last weekend of the state fair, both West End and Deep Ellum were bursting at the seams. I was especially worried about Deep Ellum. Locals pretty much understood it was a "vampire" area. Where one might go to meet a vampire. Not every business catered to vampires and the people who loved them, but most did. I was on patrol to ensure no unscrupulous vamps took unfair advantage of the unwary. You know, I was there to keep the honest vamps honest.
The vampires were out in force in Deep Ellum. They came in every size, shape, race, and ethnic group. Vampires stop aging upon reanimation, so some looked like children with ancient eyes, and some looked like your grandparents. Most appeared to be in their twenties or early thirties.
Then I spotted them. Four young punk looking vamps. Three boys and a girl. All looked Goth, very bleak. But they were having fun of a decidedly dark nature. They were circling a young family. Showing their fangs and feigning attacks.
Yeah, they were having a rollicking good time.
Swooping down, I landed atop one of those big tour bus like campers. It was stuck in traffic next to them. Everyone turned and looked up at the clatter of my high heels hitting that metal roof. I felt bad about the scratches.
"Black Heart!" someone cried, and all eyes turned to me.
I strode the length of that bus. They just gawked. But I suppose I was a sight to behold, all vamped out in snug latex pants, stuffed into lace up ankle boots and a leather bustier that pushed my boobs up spectacularly and left my back bare down past the shoulder blades. I accessorized with a black dog collar, silver bangles, and big silver earrings that looked like Texas Ranger badges. You know, silver circle with a five point star inside. I loved them.
But I think what caught everyone's attention were my huge black wings. I held them up erect as I strutted the length of that camper, then struck a haughty pose to look down up on the misbehaving vampires.
"Messing with innocent people is against the rules," I said, eyes narrowing. "If I catch you again, I'll take your heads."
I reached my right hand over my right shoulder, and pulled the katana sheathed on my back, between the wings. The silvery blade had silver blessed by a priest worked long its length, and three silver crosses on each side. To a mortal the blade was a pretty sight, and I doubt they could see the etched in crosses. The vampires saw them, and cringed as they averted their eyes.
"What gives you the right to tell us what to do?" the female vamp asked.
All four of them looked up at me with sullen faces.
"Because I'm bigger and meaner than you," I said. I smiled. "If you believe otherwise, come up here and
prove it."
She didn't come up. Instead, she followed her three male vampire friends as they hurried away. I watched them go and didn't return the sword to the sheath until the camper started to move.
"Sorry about that," I said to the young, stunned family. "This district is rife with vampires, so I suggest you high tail it out of here."
I leapt into the air and flew up a good hundred feet.
That went well. Truth was, I'd rather the vampires kept their fangs to themselves than force me to hunt them down and stake them. Live and let live, and all that crock.
By two in the morning most of the tourist and adrenaline junky college students were gone. Nothing but vampires and minions eager to make a connection. I figured it was safe for me to go home and have a little fun.
Flying over to my favorite corner in Deep Ellum, I landed, pulled in my wings, and strode into Kinky Corner. I promised Gabe I'd finally come over. Poor boy was getting antsy. But first, I needed to buy a "naughty nurse" outfit.
THE END
~**~**~
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Check out these other novels by Megan Hawke:
Hunger Within – Book 1 of the Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Series
Dark Hunger – Book 2 of the Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Series
And coming soon:
Blood Hunger – Book 3 of the Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Series (Feb 2017)
Slayer's Moon – Book 4 of the Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Series (Mar 2017)
Blood Moon – Book 5 of the Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Series (Apr 2017)
Author bio:
Megan Hawke is an Urban Fantasy writer. She has a passion for vampires and kick-butt women, and loves her some witches and shifters, too. She loves nothing more than spending her free time weaving stories of paranormal adventure and mischief.
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Table of Contents
By
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
The End
Author Bio