Escape: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance
Flora
A K Michaels
Michelle Fox
© 2016 by A K Michaels and Michelle Fox All Rights Reserved
This book, or any portion thereof, including cover art, may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission by the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Design by Monica La Porta
Edited by Missy Borucki
Proofread by Tammy Payne of Book Nook Nuts Proofreading and the girls of A K Michaels’ Minxes
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Table of Contents
~ Chapter 1 ~
~ Chapter 2 ~
~ Chapter 3 ~
~ Chapter 4 ~
~ Chapter 5 ~
~ Chapter 6 ~
~ Chapter 7 ~
~ Chapter 8 ~
~ Chapter 9 ~
~ Chapter 10 ~
~ Chapter 11 ~
~ Chapter 12 ~
Author’s Note
Contact Ava
Blood Courtesans Series
Ava’s Other Work
~ Chapter 1 ~
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. This may just be my way out. The one I’ve been dreaming of for so long it hurt to think about it.
“Why are you looking like that?” Mairi cocks her head to the side, glaring at me as she locks the stall, giving her mare, Bonnie, a last pat on the neck.
“Like what?” I ask, trying to hide the excitement that’s building inside me.
“You’re not considering going. Are you?” she asks shocked.
I pick up a pitchfork, shoveling fresh hay into the remaining stalls. Working at the stables is my only respite from the hell that is now my life, one I was forced into when my mother died.
She’d told me that my father was a wolf, an Alpha no less, but he’d never visited. Not once did he darken our door after I was born. I now knew why. He didn’t want a “halfbreed” and he only claimed me when a drunk driver stole my mum from me when I was barely fifteen.
Four years I’d been living within his Pack. Four years of hell as most of the Pack treated me like dirt. The only halfbreed allowed to live on Pack land, but my heritage didn’t stop them from making my life a misery.
I hated them. All of them. But especially my twat of a father.
He never failed to let me know just how weak and pathetic I was, or that he was ashamed that he had to take me in.
“Why did you?” I’d screamed at him too many times to count.
“Because I had no choice,” he would growl a second before he backhanded me.
The stables were one of his many businesses, but he was forced to employ humans to run them. He, and the rest of his wolves, spooked the horses, so he set me to work and this is where I’ve spent every day for the past four years.
I loved it. Loved the respite from the name-calling, shoves, and general bullying from his damn Pack. However, more importantly, I found I loved the horses with a deep feeling of pure bliss. I’d never been around horses before, but I had a knack for calming them, training them, and galloping through the Scottish countryside brought me a peace I had nowhere else.
Now Mairi was telling me there was a possible way out.
“Tell me again,” I asked as I leaned against the pitchfork, trying for nonchalant, but knowing my excitement was probably shining in my eyes. I fought to control my heart that was now beating nineteen to the dozen, but the mere inkling of an escape couldn’t halt my heart from nearly beating out of my chest.
“I told you already,” Mairi sighed. “I told you weeks ago that Mr. Forbes had died. The owner of that small castle about five miles from here. Well, his son is coming to sort out his affairs.”
I nodded, urging her on, as Mairi lowered her voice, whispering conspiratorially, “He’s a vampire too! Some say he’s not set foot in Scotland for centuries. Imagine that? Living for centuries! Anyway, there’s an advert in the paper promoting a business in Glasgow, and it’s recruiting a Blood Courtesan for this guy. Now, I’m not entirely sure what that entails, but I’d imagine it means he’ll feed from them. There might also be other services required, if you get my meaning.”
Mairi winked and I shuddered at the thought of a stranger, a vampire, laying his hands on me. I wasn’t quite sure if it was fear, loathing, or excitement. I’d never even kissed a boy since my mother died. Before then had been only a few snogs at the school dance. The thought of having sex was daunting to say the least.
I waved my hand, urging Mairi to continue. She wrinkled her nose first. “Imagine a vampire touching you? Ewwwww! I don’t think I could do it.”
“Go on, will you,” I urged, desperate to know I hadn’t misheard her the last time she’d told the story.
“The advert says they’re having ‘open auditions’ next Friday, starting at ten in the morning, at the castle, and that payment will be ‘extremely generous and probably in the five figure ballpark.’ That means at least ten thousand pounds! I can only imagine what a girl would have to do for that kind of money.”
That’s exactly what I was doing. Imagining what I would have to do to get my hands on enough money for me to escape.
Escape my father. Escape the Pack. Escape the hell of my everyday life.
Could I do it? Would I do it?
It would take a lot of planning. I’d need to steal one of the horses to get there and if my father found out before I got the job, if I got the job, then I’d be up shit’s creek without the proverbial paddle.
He’d probably lock me up in chains and never let me leave the Pack again.
Was it worth the risk? Was I pretty enough to have this vampire choose me?
I wasn’t ugly but neither was I a stunning beauty. I had long red hair and pale skin that burnt scarlet in the sun, and those dreaded freckles I hated that crossed over my nose and dotted the top of my cheeks.
Maybe if I got hold of some make-up I could hide the freckles and not look so damn plain. I also didn’t have many clothes. Mainly jeans, plaid shirts, and boots. It was all I was given and did well enough for working at the stables.
Probably wouldn’t woo a vampire though. Damn!
Mairi prodded me, shaking me out of my musings. “Are you all right, Flora? You look kinda weird.”
“I’m fine,” I lied, my stomach clenching fiercely at the mere thought of escaping the Pack.
I stared at Mairi. She might be small but she always looked stunning. Her long hair curled just right, and she never seemed to have the “rider’s helmet hair” I always ended up with. No matter how long she’d ridden Bonnie, Mairi came off just as beautiful as she had started. Damn it, I wish I looked more like her.
I took a deep breath, and a chance, as I tried to keep desperation out of my voice. “I wonder if you could do me a favor. I’m needing some things and I’m short of cash. If I exercise Bonnie for the next few days, and braid her mane and tail the way you like it, could you get me some make-up and maybe a summer dress from the charity shop?”
Mairi peered up at me, her five-foot frame bringing her to barely my shoulder. “With ribbons? You know I just love her with ribbons braided.”
“Yes, with ribbons if that’s what you want.”
Mairi frowned. “I can lend you some money and you could go shopping yourself.”
“No, I don’t have time,” I replied calmly, the lies dripping easily from my tongue. “My
dad keeps me really busy so I can’t get into town.”
“What if I don’t get you what you want?” Mairi shook her head, throwing her tiny hands up in the air. “Make-up is hard to choose for someone else. You need to try it on your skin to see if it matches, and what colors do you like for eyeshadow? I’ve never seen you wearing any so I have no clue what you’d like.”
“Mairi,” I cajoled. “You’re the expert in that department. I’m sure whatever you get will be fine. I just need something to hide these damn freckles and maybe some mascara and lipstick.”
“I suppose I could do that,” she relented, clapping her hands together. “I have a dress that would look fab on you! I was going to throw it out but it would fit you and you’ll look stunning in it. It’s emerald green and will set off your eyes wonderfully.”
“What?” I asked quickly. She was tiny! Nothing of hers would fit me.
“Don’t worry,” she smirked. “It’s far too long for me so it’ll come to just about your knees and it’s a bandeau top, with elastic, so will fit. Your boobs are bigger than mine but it should work. You’ll need a strapless bra though, or you could be daring and not wear one!”
I felt my face blush at the thought, then realized what I’d be wearing it for, so shrugged and nodded. “I’m sure I’ll manage.”
“Do you have nice underwear?” Mairi raised an eyebrow. “I mean, if you’re wearing a dress, and no bra, I’m guessing you’re trying to impress someone. A man. Possibly someone from your dad’s Pack? Well, you should definitely have a nice, sexy thong under that dress. Just in case, you know, things take a romantic turn.”
“Mairi!” I exclaimed, my face burning. “I’m not sure it will go that far, but if it did, he’ll be disappointed. I don’t have anything like that in my wardrobe.”
“I’m sure I can help with that too,” Mairi jumped up and down, singing. “Flora’s got a boyfriend!”
“No, I don’t.” I looked around, ensuring we were alone. “Mairi, please, keep this quiet. If my dad finds out he’ll not be happy.”
“Oh.” She stopped, nodding vigorously. “I know what an over-protective dad is like. My lips are sealed!”
“Thank you.” I smiled at her, my stomach now full of butterflies. Was it fear or excitement? I wasn’t quite sure.
“I’ll go now and bring everything tomorrow. Is that all right? Or do you need me to bring it today?”
“Tomorrow is good, and if I’m busy, just leave it in the end stall and I’ll get it there.” I started to form my plan in my head.
A dress, check. Make-up, check. Take one of my father’s horses for transport, check.
Now all I had to do was convince the vampire to hire me. Easy.
Probably not, but I’d do my damn best and if I failed I had enough time to ride back to the stables. Hopefully my father would be none the wiser about my absence.
If he did uncover my subterfuge I could kiss goodbye to my only respite at the stables. I couldn’t allow that to happen, because then my life would truly not be worth living.
The hell I’d suffered up until now would pale in comparison to what he’d put me through. Some father he was. More like an evil kidnapper. Harsh, unkind, and brutal, that’s what my father had been like with me from the day he’d driven up to my mother’s funeral and taken custody of me.
Did I say I hated him?
~ Chapter 2 ~
I flew backward, my head hitting the doorframe as my father yelled.
“Where have you been?” he shouted, spittle flying from his mouth as he stalked toward me.
“I’ve been working, for you, at the stables,” I snapped, unable to hold my tongue I carried on. “Where the hell else would I be? You don’t allow me to go anywhere and I . . .”
Rushing forward he slapped my cheek with such force my head flew to the side. “Don’t backchat me, halfbreed.”
He raised his hand again and I hated that I cowered before him, pleading. “I’m sorry, please, I won’t be late again.”
“You fucking better not be,” he snarled viciously, grabbing my hair and tugging me toward the kitchen. “Get your arse in there and cook dinner. If you do a good job, I might just allow you to eat too.”
My eyes were full of tears, pain lancing through my face as I nodded. “It won’t be long.”
“It better not be, bitch,” he spat out, pushing me roughly away from him.
Damn it to hell! I couldn’t take this any longer. I had to get out and the only way for me to do that was get to that “open audition” and pray to everything holy that I managed to get the job. There was no alternative. I left or I died.
~~~~~
Galloping through the fields calmed me somewhat. My nerves before I’d set off had me throwing up behind the barn. Not very ladylike, but I couldn’t stop myself. I was nervous as hell. Damn, I wasn’t just nervous, I was totally freaked out. But that glimmer of hope of escape kept me moving toward my goal.
To become a vampire’s Blood Courtesan.
What did that even entail? Feeding, definitely. Sex, most likely. Could I do those? Of course. I had no other options open to me. If I wanted to be free of the Pack and my Alpha father, then this was my one shot and I’d do whatever it took to grab it with both hands and hang on for dear life.
The large gelding I’d chosen was one of my favorites and I rode him every chance I got. He was jet black, apart from a streak of white through his mane. I called him Mallen, as in the Mallen Streak, which was in a book I’d read a long time ago. It wasn’t his official name, but he always responded to me when I used it. He was smart as well as strong and handsome. If things went as I hoped, I’d miss him terribly. He was my favorite horse and we’d bonded over the last few years. So much so that he performed for me, when he bucked and tried to unseat other riders. My heart ached at the thought of leaving him behind, but I had no other options open to me. “Sorry.” I patted his neck, leaning forward to hug him.
On and on I rode, on my way to the castle and a date with a vampire.
I’d seen the castle from afar when I was younger and out with my mum, but it was on private land, with a private road, so I’d never been up close. It lay about five miles north of Loch Lomond and I’d daydreamed of a handsome prince living there when I was a child. Never had I thought it was inhabited by a vampire.
Jeez, if I’d known that I would probably have had nightmares.
I focused on the here and now, instead of daydreaming, and realized how uncomfortable I felt in the dress I wore. Its soft material seeming to caress my body with every movement, and it was strange and unsettling. I also wasn’t impressed with the skimpy piece of silk that Mairi had assured me was a pair of panties. It looked, and felt, more like a piece of dental floss as it snaked between my bum cheeks.
At least I’d managed to find a pair of sandals I’d had for years. They still fit, and the neutral shade didn’t clash with the green of the dress. They certainly weren’t Jimmy Choo’s but they also weren’t my usual combat boots either. I’d also managed to keep my passport, mainly because my father had never asked if I had one, and it was now in the pack secured behind me.
I didn’t know why I’d brought it, but I had, together with a few mementos of my previous life. Pictures of my mum, of us together, a locket she’d given me for my thirteenth birthday and a pair of stud earrings that had been handed down through the family. They were safely packed away, along with my favorite jeans and pair of boots. I wasn’t sure if I’d return to the Pack, even if I didn’t get the Courtesan’s job. I might just keep on riding Mallen until I could ride no more. Anything was better than returning to the Pack.
The beauty of the countryside was lost to me as I focused on my mission. Mallen’s strong muscles moving beneath me, a feeling I loved, and I threw my head back and yelled as the small castle came into view. “Freedom!” I did my very best William Wallace impersonation, or was it more Mel Gibson. I wasn’t sure, all I knew was my soul crav
ed to escape my father’s clutches and soar free.
My heart beat so fast in my chest that my blood thundered through my ears and it took me a moment or two to realize there was a helicopter closing in fast above me. I kept Mallen’s speed going as the noisy ‘copter zeroed in on the very place I was headed.
“Who the hell uses a helicopter?” I spoke aloud, raising one hand to shield my eyes and stare up at the machine that grew larger, and louder, as it flew directly overhead.
I thought I caught a glimpse of a blond head, but it moved so fast, that I wasn’t sure. Was that him? Somehow I’d pictured him as dark. Dark hair, dark eyes, and a dark heart.
“I’ll find out soon enough,” I told myself as I kicked Mallen into a full on gallop.
I tracked the helicopter until it disappeared behind the high castle walls.
I leaned over, grasping the reins tighter in one hand, Mallen’s mane with the other, urging him faster. I didn’t want to be late and lose my one opportunity for a new life. One free of orders, barbed comments, bullying, and one without any love whatsoever.
“Mum, I miss you,” I breathed out, a soft caress on the side of my face shocking me.
The wind rushing past was warm and wild. The breath on my cheek was soft and cold. Maybe my mother was letting me know this was right. That things would work out. That she was with me.
I hoped so.
~~~~~
My first glimpse of my childhood home was via the windshield of my father’s personal helicopter. One with a unique covering on the front and side windows that reduced the power of the sun’s rays. It meant my father, and vampire associates, could use it whenever they required.
I was grateful for that right now as a vision had me pressing up against the window to peer down. There, galloping below, was a dark horse with a girl on its back. Her red hair flew behind her, no riding helmet to restrain it, her posture comfortable on the beast as it ran at breakneck speed.
Escape: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance Page 1