Blood Debt (The Blood Sisters Book 2)
Page 23
“Well,” Jessica scowled, “their eyes are blinking.”
The husks limped forward on brittle limbs, tightening the circle around the three humans. Jessica picked up her shotgun. “One more fight before we head to Vegas. Maybe we can hit a buffet on the way. I’m starving.”
One of the husks stepped forward and bent his head in deference. “We don’t wish to fight, but we await orders. We are here to serve.”
“Here to serve?” Amanda asked, her mouth fallen open. What did he mean?
“The new queen of the underworld!” He fell on bended knee at Amanda’s feet. Then in harmony the remaining army also knelt with heads bowed down low.
“All hail, the new queen of the underworld!”
Epilogue
Vegas, baby.
Place were dreams were made, but could be tarnished brown. Bright lights gleamed and put star dusts in young girls’ eyes, but Vain’s were snuffed out a long time ago. She drove a long black car and behind her, a van followed carrying her most precious cargo.
Beside her in chains was her captive, Duncan Jasper. He wouldn’t stop yammering about the girls Vain stole from Vaughn, so she fashioned him with a leather hood so tight, it kept his mouth shut. Didn’t stop him though from playing with his chains, desperate to be free.
Vain could ignore that for the time being. Until they arrived at her home.
Sin town. Where the dredges of society left the comforts of civilization. Just past the Las Vegas strip. If you followed the road just behind the Wild Aces Casino, you would be dumped into the dark shallows of Sin town.
Everything was gray along the simple stretch of road sandwiched behind the golden gleaming skyscraper with its antennae pointed straight up in the sky. A straight up magical talisman, feeding off of the negative energy of Vegas, it powered Sin town and it was no accident.
Run by demons, low lives. Even the police here were up for sale, if the price was right.
Magic was the thing, it ruled here more than science. The sky no longer shined, dingy clouds drizzled rain every hour of every day and demons ruled every street corner.
In reality, the space between Vegas and Sin town was small, but magic allowed it to grow and unfold for city blocks. Streets stretched wide, making up the stockade that was Vain’s home.
On a street corner beside an old wares cart, Vain parked her car in an alley. Gripping Duncan’s leash in hand, she tugged him from the car. Duncan grunted and shook his head. Vain gritted her teeth. “You’ll follow me or you’ll pay for it later.”
Tugging hard, he fell out of the car. Struggling up to his feet, Duncan barely kept up as Vain led Duncan down the block toward her brothel, The Vampire’s Kiss. His shoulders hunched and his head low, he shuffled, then fell to his knees.
Behind them, Vaughn’s demons corralled the girls. From the van They sobbed, their heads down low, but soon, they’d learn their place. She saved them. Would give them all new life.
It was always the pretty ones she saved for her brothel, but didn’t all girls deserve saving? Cleaned up, free of drugs, after a good meal, they’d earn their keep. Vain was sure of it.
Vain gritted her teeth as Duncan groaned. Maybe his wounds were too plenty, but Vain just loved having fun. Sometimes, she couldn’t help herself.
“This isn’t the sort of place where you’d want to take a rest.” Demonic eyes followed their every move from shadows and behind carts selling every unclean thing. Below their gazes, human beggars crawled toward them on whatever limbs they had left. Some, who had been there too long, were nothing more than long torsos.
This is where the dregs of society went when they were too sorry to even die. Those lost in the shining lights. The ones civilization never missed. Now, they’d suffer and never die. Not until the last of them fell apart and demons feasted on their scraps.
Duncan shivered and cast a look at the gritty hands that reached for him.
“They will do anything to feel human again. Trust me, you don’t want their hands on you.” Vain tugged the leash and got Duncan moving. When the leash became taut, she yanked it again so he would keep his speed up.
The Vampire Kiss was in sight. A red neon light in the shape of a heart flashed slowly. A slender brick building, it was the only one whose stairs weren’t crumbling. Lights were strung up on the street above its entrance and unlike the rest of Sin town, they weren’t covered in laundry.
The door was a bright red and Vain put her lips to its brass knocker and blew a lover’s kiss upon it. A low hum sounded and the door unlocked. She led Duncan into her home and place of business. “Get the girls inside,” she spoke to her new demons. “Then each of you will receive a well-earned gift. Rest. Fun. A girl your very own.”
The demons chattered excitedly and Vain smiled with satisfaction. She just loved to please.
As Vain’s foot met the plush carpet, the room seemed to unfold and span out larger than what there was really room for in such a small building. The interior was red, with plush carpets and seating along the wall. The doorways to the other rooms were covered in thick black lace drapes. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling in rows and threw a white haze of magic through the room.
Keeping the girls happy, beautiful and eager to please. The clients would feel euphoric, but only ever thought it were the drinks and the girls keeping them happy. If only they knew Vain’s secret.
In the middle of the room was an oversized ornate bar, at its base, her giant hellhounds slept, diamond collars around their neck.
Behind the bar, a shriveled old man, who also wore a collar, rushed to pour a drink. “Mistress, mistress, welcome home!”
Vain took the drink and threw it back. “Thank you, Bill. Your ability to please me, is never a disappointment.” She handed him the glass as he hurried back to the bar. His feet clacking together from the chains on his ankles.
A light giggle caught her attention. Vain’s girls rushed to greet her and they were the most beautiful, most supple, in the business. They wore tightly cinched corsets, flowing skirts, and tall boots. Makeup and hair were perfect, even if it was all an illusion, thanks to a spell. Even if they were no different than any other girl, what mattered was what the client saw.
Her favorite was the blond with spiraled hair and ample blossom, but really they were all nice. Vain greeted them as she always did. Tender kisses, a stroke across the nape of the neck, but it was the blond she took in her arms. Her name was Alexia, and she was the finest of treasures, with ruby lips and red feathers pinned in her hair.
She brought in the best clientele. Men and demons alike paid top dollar just to gaze upon her.
“Get the girls cleaned up,” Vain ordered. “Especially that one,” Vain pointed to Hannah, the youngest. The one Vaughn broke. “She’s had a hard life. It’s time to teach her a thing or two about life’s finest pleasures. Her nest of hair needs brushing, her body cleaning.”
Hannah shuddered, pulling away in fear, folding into herself. Vain didn’t blame her, but she’d learn. She would see that not everything had to hurt.
Pain could lead to pleasure.
“New girls? So many of them! Oh, you brought us another gift, Vain.” Alexia’s eyes widened and she licked her lips. “Oh, you’ve had a little fun with him, didn’t you?”
Vain gave Duncan a kick behind the knee cap. He grunted and fell to the ground. Well, wasn’t that almost too easy? Pulling on Alexia’s pouting lip, she smiled. “There’s enough of him to go around. Once he heals. Set him up in my room.”
“Your room?” The red-headed Morgana put her lace fingertips against her hips.
“Our room,” Vain corrected with a smile. “He needs time to heal.” She pulled her belt off and handed her dagger and rope to Alexia.
“And what do you need, mistress?” A sweet brunette smiled like a child, going on bended knee in front of her. She licked at the tight catsuit Vain wore.
“A bath, my sweetest Michelle.” Vain caressed her head, taking note of how brillian
tly her blue eyes smiled. All the girls cooed at the sound of a bath and Vain hated to disappoint them so she shook her head. “I’m afraid I need time to think, by myself.”
“But why?” Alexa asked, gathering up Duncan’s leash in her hand. She just loved a new pet.
“So many plans to make. Business is expanding.” Vain smiled. “Vaughn is no longer a problem, we’re expanding our territory and taking on his supplies.”
Her girls clapped and Vain’s chest puffed up to be back home. Work was one thing, but being worshiped here was everything. “And he thought he could control you,” Alexa said, “but, you saw it all, didn’t you? Your crystal ball never fails us.”
Except for that one time it did. If only Vain knew how he managed to do it. Vain sneered down at Duncan. “People, who think they can control me, think they can use me, I’m going to show them all how wrong they are.”
“And what of the new girls?” Michelle asked. She put a hand to her mouth and giggled. “Should we beat them?”
Vain pouted. Michelle was always so eager to please. On the floor, Duncan shook his head and grunted, trying to talk through the gag cutting into his mouth. “Heavens, no, Michelle. Treat them to oils, perfume. A good meal. Soon, they’ll be working for me.”
A slow smile spread across her lips. “They’re family now. We protect them as one of our own. When those bitches, the Blood sisters, knock down our door, we show them what our family can do.”
Get ready for the final installment of The Blood Sisters! Coming this fall – BlOOD SACRIFICE, Book 3!
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About the Author
Jill Cooper loves tea more than coffee and is obsessed with finding that perfect recipe. She was born in 1977 and shared a room with her sister for eighteen years. Early on, she had dreams of writing romances and mysteries. It was something she did when most kids were trying out for softball or out riding bikes.
She's always loved dark mysteries, but also enjoys a great comedy so she tries to include both these things in everything she writes, one way or another.
Jill lives in Danvers, Massachusetts with two cats, a toddler, a husband, and a 1964 yellow taxi. Her life is chaotic, but fun. She can be contacted at http://www.jillacooper.com
Other Books by Jill Cooper
YA Series Dream Slayer
The Dream Slayer: Book 1
Demon Royale: Book2
The Uninvited: A Dream Slayer Novella
Dawning Apocalypse: Book 3
Frozen Reverie: Book 4
Sacrifice: A Dream Slayer Novella
Necromancer’s Kill: A Dream Slayer Novella
The Shadow: Book 5
Resolve: Book 6
Fury: Book 7 Finale
The Rewind Series
15 Minutes
Rewind: Novella
Plugged
Undone: Novella
Detached
Adult Dystopian Series
Glistening Haven
Glistening Rebellion
Glistening Swarm
Devour
The Blood Sisters
Blood Lust
Blood Debt
Blood Sacrifice: Series (coming October 2016)