I reached for a vial that rolled directly in front of and was surprised by how cold it was. It was as if the damned thing had been sitting in a deep freezer instead of Smoke’s briefcase. I turned it over in my hand, trying to figure out what it was about such a simple looking liquid that would have the vampires on edge.
“It seems Zed has forgotten about our little deal,” Jackson said from beneath his hat.
“It seems so,” Smoke agreed, snatching the vial from my hand, collecting the others and dropping them back into the suitcase. “A few of ours have gone missing these past few weeks and I’m concerned this may be the cause of it all. As we speak, Zed is having the drug transported to a different location. I’d like to intercept that transport. All in favor?”
Everyone at the table, except for me, yelled “I.”
“Motion approved. Next, we need to figure out what to do about Zed. This can’t be allowed to go unpunished.”
“I vote we rip the man’s throat out once and for all. He’s been a thorn in our sides for years.” Jackson removed the cap from his face and stared up at Smoke. “He knew what would happen if we found these drugs in his possession again.”
Like word vomit, words tumbled from my lips before I’d had a chance to think about them. “You can’t seriously think drug possession is an offense that requires a death penalty. Besides, it’s not like they are hurting you. You’re practically immune to drugs.”
As before, all eyes were on me but I didn’t cower this time. Instead, I kept my gaze focused on Smoke.
“Most drugs,” Jackson responded. “But Compound M68 was specifically manufactured for vampires. We are their target market.”
Even so, I couldn’t imagine it being bad enough to kill someone over. So, a few vampires got high every once in a while. Big deal. Humans got high all the time and most managed to do just fine.
“Do you even know what Compound M68 does to a vampire?” another vampire spoke up.
I turned toward the sound of the voice to see another freakishly large vampire with jet black hair and olive skin. “Enlighten me.”
He leaned forward, gripping the table with obvious frustration. He opened his mouth to say something but it was Smoke who responded, drawing my attention away from the man’s threatening glare.
“The compound not only gets us high, but it keeps us in a constant state of blood lust until the effects wear off, making it a huge danger to the human population. With about a third of the vial you just held in your hands, a vampire could stay in blood lust for up to three days. Could you imagine how many humans one single vampire could kill in that state?”
Quite a few I could imagine and that thought terrified me. Right now, I was in the presence of at least twenty vampires, most of whom had displayed signs of hostility toward me but none of them acted on it. Even the one standing across from me, after having been toss from his seat, hadn’t attempted to hurt me, and still I felt uneasy around them. As if at any moment, everything could change. Had any of them been going through blood lust, I doubt I’d still be sitting there.
“And Zed knows what this does?” It baffled me that any human would this drug in Alamogordo, including Zed who’d done all he could to keep himself from being caught in his crimes.
“He was the one who introduced the drug to the community years ago, before we knew how dangerous it was. If he’s bringing it back into the community, he has big plans for it.” Smoke responded before he seemed to consider something. “We know we can’t kill him. Anything happens to him, we’ll be the first people they look at and we can’t have the humans sticking their noses into our affairs again. But, if Davina, here, can hack into some systems and find something we could use to get him convicted, he’ll be in jail where he’ll no longer be a danger to us.”
Chapter Eight
Smoke
Meeting adjourned, I hit the gavel against the table and stood. I had a few people I needed to meet up with before they left, not that I really wanted to be bothered with anyone. Instead, I wanted to go home and be surrounded by nothing but peace for the rest of the night, to have my fill of O positive, a few beers, and a brunette or two before heading off to bed. I had no doubt Justine would be up all night, waiting for my call and ready to come over the moment I gave her any indication I wanted her. But, as nice as that sounded, business came first.
I flagged down Jackson as he attempted to make a hasty exit, no doubt his mind was on the same things mine were on. If I couldn’t be torn away from business, neither could he. I’d be the asshole in Devon’s absence.
“What now?” he asked, his tone teetering between anger and frustration.
“I need you to head out with the boys tonight and make sure they don’t pocket any of the vials.” I pointed toward Hector. “Especially him. You know what that drug did to him the last time he took it.”
Jackson’s eyes darkened and I knew he understood. It had taken us weeks to ween him from the drug, weeks he spent chained to the concrete floor in my basement after killing an entire family of humans - a man, his wife, and his two teenage boys. It had taken all of our resources to find him, and when we did, he was just finishing off the last of that family.
I often found myself thinking about that night. Jon had gotten wind of his whereabouts, which wasn’t easy, even for a tracker as gifted as Jon. He’d spent weeks getting close enough to the man he thought he’d be able to bring him in, but every time, Hector would slip through his fingers. After another week of tireless hunting, he’d stumbled upon Hector’s trail, calling us in the moment he knew Hector wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon. We’d tried to get there in time, before he killed the family, but, even though it sounds fucked up, Hector was the priority. If we’d allowed him to take off again, there was no telling how many families he would have slaughtered in his lust for blood.
My heart still went out to Jon who had to witness it all, unable to assist the family as Hector laid waste to them one by one. He’d heard every scream, every call for help, but with our commands heavy in his ears, he’d been forced to stand down. When we arrived on scene, Hector was toying around with the youngest teen, making him plead for his life as he glanced down at the broken, bleeding bodies of his loved one scattered about like trash. The moment Hector laid eyes on us, he snatched the boy into his arms, ripping out his throat before making a run for it. We’d caught him just outside the home and it had taken at least eight of us to subdue him. That was one of the problems with blood lust. It made us stronger, faster, and better equipped to take down anyone who stands in our way, and Hector had been no different. It was only with the promise of more drugs we were able to lure him into the basement where we’d chained him up, offering up as many blood bags we could to keep his hunger under control.
Fortunately for him, he had no memory of what he’d done but that memory was locked away in the minds of those who’d seen the carnage.
“Are you sure he should go on this mission? Maybe…” Jackson began.
“We can’t keep him away from it forever. The only way we know, for sure, he’d kicked the habit is by watching him walk away from the temptation.”
He gave me a tight nod before exiting the room.
I looked around the room before stepping to the next person in line. Davina was still seated in her chair, staring at me, making it known she had something she wanted to discuss with me. Turning away from her, I made my way around the room, listening to the grievances of my brothers. Jules reported another disappearance, which was starting to become the norm. In the past few days, four of our club members had disappeared but I’d hoped once we destroyed the shipment of the compound, they’d all return to us. I knew the lure of that drug, knew what it could do, and without a supply, the missing members would be forced to return and everything would be as it should.
After speaking to the final member about how upset he was we weren’t doing enough to search for the missing members, I’d had enough. Tension made the muscles at the back of my neck contra
ct so violently I could feel the knots of muscles forming there. I rubbed them down, ready to end the day when my eyes fell upon Davina. She was still sitting in that seat, her eyes closed as she waited for me to come to her.
I waited until the room was cleared before claiming a seat beside her, rubbing at the tense muscles in my neck.
“What’s your grievance?” I asked, a bit more harshly than I’d intended.
She turned those beautiful brown eyes on me and I could tell she was deflated by the way her shoulders slumped forward, and she slouched in her seat. “I thought I’d made it clear I don’t want to hurt anyone. Now you’re forcing me to find evidence to put Zed away?”
Just the fact she defended the loser upset me. He didn’t deserve it, not after what he’d done to our community. More than that, he’d put her in a position she had no other choice but to risk her life to pay him back, with no regard for her safety or the lengths she would go to do so. Proving time and time again he wasn’t someone who could be trusted, or even respected. So, why was she worried if he ended up in prison? It was far better than anything my brothers wanted for him and it was for her I’d made that decision.
I let out a huff of air. “Zed is a danger to this community, whether you see it or not. His actions have caused the deaths of more than a dozen people since he’s been allowed to run his little enterprise and if he’s allowed to continue, I guarantee more people will die. Think about that while you’re making your decision.”
“And the fact he has your money has nothing to do with this?”
I gave her a crooked smile. Of course, him having our money had a lot to do with it, but I wouldn’t tell her that. I didn’t need her thinking her debt would be paid off if we got the money back.
She bit her lip, and that action sent a thrill through me that traveled straight to my cock. It wasn’t hard to see what Devon saw in her and why he’d been so eager to return. The girl was a temptress, even without trying to be. A complicated blend of timid, seductive, manipulative and strong that constantly had me on edge when I was around her.
My mind flitted back to her laying across the chair in my office. She’d seemed unphased by the situation, though I could tell by the thud of her heartbeat she was anything but. She was thoughtful, nearly calculating in the way she’d managed that conversation to the point I wasn’t sure who had the upper hand. That was until she’d thought I planned on having her turned. Her heart raced at that thought and I could hear the blood pumping through her veins at an alarming rate. The scent of fear reached me and, like a punch to the gut, it excited my inner predatory instincts just like the scent of her lust had excited an entirely different part of me earlier in the conversation.
Just thinking about it had the blood flowing to my cock, and I knew if I didn’t get out of there soon, I wouldn’t be able to control myself around her.
“How about you take a day or two to think it over? In the meantime, I’d like you to help Pretty Jon at the bar.
Her eyes lit up at that and a hint of jealousy had me tensing up. She liked Jon and was comfortable around him. I’d seen as much in the footage I’d managed to gather of the night she’d walked into the bar.
“Will I get paid for this job?” she asked.
“Of course. You’ll also keep all of your tips. Jon will make sure no one gives you any trouble while you’re there.”
She looked down at her clothes and I was instantly reminded of the small backpack she’d carried in when she moved into the apartment. For someone able to gamble away fifty grand, she certainly didn’t have much for herself. I wondered briefly why she hadn’t taken extra to get something for herself. Surely, she needed it, considering where she’d been, but I let that thought go. Instead, I said, “Jon will take you shopping for some clothes.”
“Ok,” she said, shoving her seat back. She stood, gave me a slight nod and left.
I waited until she left before standing to my feet, grateful she’d missed the noticeable bulge in my pants. The damn girl had me on edge in the worst way, and the more I thought about her, the more I knew I needed some relief.
I pulled my phone from my back pocket and called Justine. She answered in that flirty, breathy voice that annoyed me every time she did it.
“Want me to come over?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I’ll be there in a little under an hour.” I said, ending the call.
The ride out to the mansion was nerve-wracking as I hit every single red light in town. More so because I couldn’t get Davina out of my head. She was a constant nagging force that claimed my thoughts as I sped through the streets of Alamogordo, not even bothering to ride the speed limit. A couple of police cars flashed their lights at me but, otherwise, didn’t follow me. They knew who I was and most of them avoided me at all cost. I wouldn’t hurt them for doing their jobs. I wasn’t entirely a monster, but that fact did little to calm their fears as they allowed me to ride by.
I wondered if Davina was just as terrified of me as they were and the thought had me gripping the handlebars so tight my hands began to ache. Of course, she’d been afraid and the fact I’d forced her to hack for our club didn’t make it any better. Truth is, I didn’t know why but I needed her there. All in one night she’d managed to win over Jon, a vampire who never really liked being in the presence of humans, yet he’d taken a liking to this one. That combined with Devon’s reaction to her - the way he’d been drawn to her and the fact he’d give up his one vacation just to be around her - let me know just how fucked up the situation was. I couldn’t send her away.
I pulled up to my house, dismounted my bike and walked up to the door. Justine was there, dressed in a zebra print dress that screamed whore, with her lips painted a bright red and her long red hair pulled up into a ponytail that flowed down her back. I led her into the living room where she sat in her usual spot, waiting for me to bring her a drink. Most nights I would oblige her with small acts of chivalry before getting what I needed from her, but tonight I wouldn’t be so kind. I had needs, needs stirred by the blonde I’d left at the club, and Justine was only there to fulfill those.
I sat on the couch, gesturing her toward me. As usual, she did what she thought was a sexy walk, swaying her hips as she approached much too slow for my liking. Once she’d reached me, she placed a hand on her hip and bit her lip, taking me back to the moment in the clubroom where Davina had done the same. Where Davina had been inviting and alluring without intending to, this woman was anything but. I nearly sneered at her, fighting off the urge to cringe, when she reached down to touch me.
“What? No drink tonight, sweetie?” she said in that sickening sweet voice that made my dick limp every time she used it.
“No.”
She frowned for a moment before the corners of her lips curled up into a grin. “Oh, you’re in one of those moods?”
I didn’t respond, not that I’d know what to say to her. I didn’t know what mood she meant until she was on her knees in front of me, unzipping my jeans and pulling them down far enough to release my cock. Her hand gripped the base as she planted kisses on the tip. And I’ll be damned if that did nothing for me. Even the promise of good head wasn’t enough to wake him from his slumber but I leaned back in my seat, anyway. At the bitter least, I could get some sort of pleasure from it, even if it wasn’t enough to sate my need. And it wasn’t. No matter how much she licked and sucked at my cock, I couldn’t find any enjoyment from it.
I grunted in frustration, ready to give up until Davina’s face was once again floating around my head. I thought about her in the office, her brown eyes looking me over as her scent wafted its way into my nose. It was sweet and spicy, nearly enough to make me drool if I hadn’t been trying my best to maintain my composure. I could see the way I was affecting her by doing nothing more than standing there, allowing her to appraise me and I had to admit, it felt damn good knowing she liked what she saw.
My cock came alive then as I wrapped my hands in Justine’s
hair, imagining it was Davina’s soft locks I was holding onto as I pushed my hips forward. Imagining it was Davina’s lips wrapped around my cock and before I knew it, a violent surge of pleasure ripped through me as I spilled my seed into Justine’s mouth.
Chapter Nine
Davina
Jon took me to the mall, if we could even call it that. It was a hallway filled with stores from arts and craft to large clothing chains that carried mostly name brand, high end clothes most in the small city could not afford.
We walked past a water fountain in the center of the entryway, filled with coins I’d once or twice dipped into to pay for a meal. The gray stone structure was unique, an angel kneeled over a pond, her hands pressed together as if in prayer. I’d often wondered why they’d chosen that waterfall but never gave it more than a moment’s thought. Whatever their reason, it was beautiful whether it fit there or not.
Just beyond the statue was a department store. Once inside, I sought out the discount racks and began rummaging through the clothing there before Jon swatted my hand.
“Girl, what are you doing? This rack is filled with last season’s clothes that obviously no one wanted.”
I shook my head. “There are some nice pieces here.”
“Nice for who?” He grabbed my shoulders and spun me toward him. “Let me explain something to you, sweetie. You’ll be working the bar with me and whatever outfit you choose will dictates how much you get tipped. And, let’s just be honest, I can’t have you behind that bar with me if you’re not as fabulous as I am.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that, especially with him standing there, striking up a few model poses to exaggerate the point.
“I don’t think I can afford…”
He plucked an American Express from the pocket of his lime green leather vest. “Oh, honey, you’re not paying for any of it. Smoke gave me this. Let’s charge this fucker to the moon!”
Captured: A Dark Vampire Motorcycle Club Paranormal Romance (Nightborne Renegades MC Book 1) Page 5