by Nicola Rose
Holding carefully, he sucked at her delicate wrist and she let out a whimper. A trickle of blood crept slowly down her arm as he took visible gulps, swallowing it down, staring at me. I clamped a hand over my mouth to muffle the gasp. She groaned, her head rolling back, eyes closing.
He drew back slowly so that I saw his fangs withdraw from the flesh. Two small holes remained, blood seeping out, which he lapped at seductively. One of her hands went between her legs and started rubbing.
She wasn’t in pain. She wasn’t engulfed by fear or trying to escape. She proffered herself up to him with eager need. The others stood in line behind, presumably waiting their turn. Zac told me they didn’t just feed and let people live. This was nothing like the image he painted. But then, the other room, the wheelchair…
Alex continued lapping and drinking and not once did his eyes falter from their assault on me. Piercing right through me with their amused, sadistic spell. A pool of heat spread between my thighs and throbbed in time with my thundering heart.
When he’d finished he dropped her arm and she grumbled, moving it back up towards his face. He pushed it away in annoyance and she dropped to her knees, scrambling to pull down his zipper. She wasn’t going to? Surely not…
He kept his stare firmly levelled on me, some of the intensity gone, resuming the usual sexual smile, slowly licking at the blood pooled on his bottom lip.
She took his cock out and sucked it.
I turned and marched away.
I got a few paces before he called out, “It could be Anna on her knees here.”
I stilled, blood rushing in my ears – fear, loathing and lust all crawling up my spine in a fucked-up ménage à trois.
“There we are, good girl. Come join me for a drink,” he said casually, as if we were alone and he didn’t have bitches rubbing him in all the right places.
I stared daggers into those girls, until he glanced down at the one busy sucking his considerable cock. “Well, shit me, where are my manners?” he laughed.
“Perhaps up your own ass, along with your head?” I suggested.
He bit his bottom lip and grinned. “Enough,” he said, and just like that they all sulked away, blending into the vampire-filled room beyond, finding other cocks to gobble.
He stood alone, adjusting his zipper and gathering himself back together. After considering me for a while, he said, “For the record, my authority is not based on ego, darlin’. It’s hard fact. I give orders and people obey. If I decide I want you, then you better be ready to fall in line.”
He sauntered off down yet another hall, leaving me to follow his perfectly sculpted ass, which – annoyingly – looked extra enticing in that low denim.
We passed several rooms, each one had a similar scene inside; sex, drinking, vampires feeding. I hurried past one with a girl chained up naked to a wall. I couldn’t tell if she was pleased or not, but I had my own shit to worry about right then. There were bigger problems first, like figuring out how I was going to get back out of this house.
Another male vampire crossed the hallway with a naked woman who was attached to a chain via a collar around her neck. She was almost as ghost-like as the wheelchair girl. Pale, withdrawn. She crawled on all fours behind him as he pulled her along on the chain.
I was already working out how I could get the cops in here to shut this shit down. Maybe ones from out of state somehow, that hadn’t been bribed or head-fucked yet.
Alex stopped in another doorway and I nearly walked right into him.
“Grand ideas like that get people hurt, Jess,” he said simply as he dipped through the open door.
Compared to the darkness of the rest of the house, this room seemed as bright as a sunny day. I squinted in at the brushed metal furniture, the sleek leather corner sofa, and weird tube lighting built into the walls.
Two men sat at a metal and glass table, one of whom I recognised as the fucktard called Parker, who’d taken my bike that night. I hated that dreadlocked asshole. Seated with them was a pretty blonde and a prettier brunette. The vampires laughed and encouraged the girls as they drank shots.
A gun sat in the middle of the table. I couldn’t work out what was going on at first. I watched in slow motion as Parker handed it to the blonde, telling her it was her turn now. She took hold of the gun and with a little giggle, gingerly turned it on herself, her tiny nose twitching like a mouse.
“NO!” I shouted, trying to run to her but Alex’s arm had shot out. “What are you doing?”
She looked at me with a startled expression and then laughed. “Russian roulette. Want to join us? No? Thought not. Get lost you frigid cow or I’ll aim it at you?”
This made them all laugh harder than before, whooping with encouragement as she waggled the gun in my direction. Her ego swelled visibly from their praise. She planted the muzzle in her mouth and pulled the trigger.
Click.
Laughing hysterically, she began shouting about how she was a “bad ass bitch”.
“Parker, we are not to be disturbed under any circumstances. Zachariah will try to get in soon,” Alex said.
Dreadlocked twat-face nodded in reply. My stomach churned.
Alex stepped forward and strolled over to the dumb mouse, who sat wide-eyed and open-mouthed at his advancement. He took her chin delicately in his fingers and lifted her face up to his. Her lips pouted to kiss him, that little nose flaring.
“You ever point a gun at my guest again and I will fuck you up,” he whispered.
She winced and nodded, or tried to.
With a sharp jolt, Alex grabbed hold of me and ushered my lagging feet up a shining, spiral staircase. Polished marble floors, many windows, all shuttered up. We passed many closed doors on the second floor, the groans from within could have been pleasure or pain, I couldn’t be sure. Then up more curved steps, and into a vast suite.
A massive, modern bed sat in the centre, with enough space to sleep an army. The sleek silver canopy rose from the headboard, sweeping overhead, with built in lights and speakers. Luxurious sofas and chairs decked the edges of the room.
Hanging on one wall was a framed movie poster – the vampire in his white shirt and collared coat, the word Dracula written in dripping red letters.
“Is that supposed to be funny?” I pointed to the print. He just grinned in response.
“Did you choreograph everything that’s happened here tonight, from the moment I got through the door? The vampire freakshow. Put on to… what? Scare me? Seduce me?”
“Considering both of those emotions are running rampant through your body right now, had that been my plan I’d say it was a success.” He ambled towards me and for a moment I got distracted by the way his abs flowed as he moved.
Until the sound of a gun echoed through my head, swiftly followed by a high-pitched shrieking.
The scream was abruptly cut short, ending no sooner than it had begun. I whirled around in panic.
“Relax,” he said. “Parker will have stopped her at the last second and shot it at the wall. Crazy bitches these college kids.”
“No, that was a real scream. It didn’t miss. What are you doing with them?” I urged.
“Playing,” he shrugged.
“Like cats with mice?”
“I thought you liked guns?” The edges of his mouth lifted in a suggestive smile.
“No.”
“This isn’t the place to start playing coy, darlin’. Didn’t you like it when I took my gun and fucked you with it like a little whore?” He took another step and pressed me down onto the bed. I thought he was going to make a move, but instead he sat down on the floor in front of my legs. It was disarming to suddenly have the predator sitting subservient at my feet. I didn’t like it.
“That wasn’t real.”
“No? Maybe you’re right, maybe you’re wrong, maybe one day I’ll tell you. But either way, you fucking loved it.”
“Why am I here?” I spat out, straining against the flashbacks from that encoun
ter – memories that suddenly pressed so hard against my core that my body cried out for more.
“Good question. Why are you here?” He leaned back and the visions faded.
A loaded question. It felt like there was an answer to that, one that I must never voice.
“I… you… if you touch Anna,” I muttered.
“Oh, yes! Anna! You need to choose, her or Danny boy with the misplaced confidence. Which one is going to join me for dinner?”
“No! You said, if I came—”
“Tick tock, darlin’. Choose, or I’ll go with gluttony and take both. Restraint isn’t a strongpoint of mine.”
39
Jess
“You can’t… I don’t…” God damn, I couldn’t speak.
He broke out into deep laughter, slapping his thigh.
“Lighten up, sweetcheeks, I’m shitting with you. I just want to get to know you better. Don’t you think if I’m going to be your brother-in-law one day then you ought to make the effort to get along with me?”
“No.”
“I can play nice too, you know. So nice that you won’t walk straight for a week.”
“Well, be still my beating heart, the master of romance is upon me.” I rolled my eyes.
The galloping of my pulse threatened to make me pass out. It was unlikely any amount of sarcasm could hide that, but it was worth a try. Had I really believed I was only there to save Anna? It felt like there was another reason, looming behind a door inside me. I was leaning hard on that door, trying to keep it shut.
“Has Zachariah told you about his secret, yet? Sorry, secrets, plural.” He absently rubbed a finger over the scar on his cheek.
His sharp conversation changes left me dizzy. I stared resolutely ahead of me.
“You’re too scared to ask him?! Why don’t you ask me instead?” he suggested.
“Why don’t you go fuck yourself?”
He laughed and we sat in silence for a beat.
“So many questions in your head, Jess. I dare you to ask me them. I won’t be as evasive with the answers as he is.”
“He told me about sanguine mating. He played it down as just folklore, but I think if we’re fated to be together, our souls destined to meet, then that’s about as romantic as it gets. Are you jealous of that?”
“Oh, he’s your soulmate, alright. The one you’re destined to be with. But not as lovers, or even as equals. He’s fated to kill you. That’s what he desires above all else,” he paused. “Still think that’s sweet?”
“You all want to kill me. I’m over it.”
He bit his bottom lip, shaking his head. It was the most hesitant I’d ever seen him look.
“If a vampire finds that human, their sanguine mate, they’re expected to keep them. As a blood slave, to feed from when they desire, or to kill when they choose,” he paused again, weighing up the blank expression I was struggling to maintain, before he continued.
“They often draw out the pleasure as long as they possibly can, feeding frequently, little and often. Then they’ll indulge in the best night of their lives, by killing them. Usually at a big organised event, in front of everyone. Like a fucking wedding. Other vampires will come to watch, congratulate them, celebrate with them. Is this the wedding you’ve dreamed of?”
“No, but sounds like it’s one you’ve dreamed of?” I fake smiled, wondering if this new information was actually going to have me vomiting all over him.
It was fine. Zac told me it was ritual bullshit that he wouldn’t acknowledge… but did he want it, deep down? Is that what he really desired? Would turning me into a vampire change it? Maybe he’d get the best of both that way? Presumably he’d need to feed from me to make the latter happen?
“You asked him to make you a vampire?!” Alex beamed.
“Yeah, that went down well.” One big argument amongst the daily rotation of other arguments.
His eyes reached for the ceiling. “Have you never had a single day without fighting him?”
“Get out of my head.”
“I don’t need to be in your head to know that. He’s all about free will and not messing with minds. But that’s the horseshit. He wants to change you.”
“And I suppose you don’t, right?”
“Congratulations on fucking the Chief, by the way,” he said with sudden airiness. “Damn, I wish I could have seen Zachariah’s face when he found out. Did he cry?”
“Are we done here, yet?”
“Not even close. And before we continue, my little nympho headcase, here’s another one for the record – I wouldn’t be mad at you for fucking other guys. In fact, I’d encourage it. We’d do it together.”
I opened my mouth to say something, although I hadn’t worked out what, when he put a hand up to stop me.
“We don’t have much time left for banter, so save the retorts. Don’t miss this chance to ask the questions that matter,” he urged.
He was right; there were a shit-ton of questions I wanted to ask him. But all I could think about right then was all the humans in that house. How many of them would end up dead. And if my knowledge of them being there made me an accessory to murder?
But then, aside from wheelchair woman… and maybe that missing girl from the beach… everyone I’d seen looked healthy. Willing. Happy, even. Then again, no doubt Alex could influence that with his mind control games. Could he make them look happy, when they weren’t? Or were they genuinely eager to give themselves over? Was that what I was like?
“Is that your question?” he raised an eyebrow. “Because that seems like one you should ask yourself.”
I huffed at the invasion into my mind. At least that answered the first questions. He could get inside their heads and warp them any way he wanted. How long before he did that to me? Again…
“The missing girl,” I said.
“I picked her up from an event. A vampire one, where the organisers spend months rounding up a load of homeless people, or those who are isolated and alone, ones nobody will miss. Once they’ve done their research and found enough, they’re invited to a party, free booze all night. The vampires arrive and mingle as guests for a while, get some fun out of playing with their food before the main entertainment.”
“That’s disgusting.”
He grinned, “It’s fun. But mistakes were made. She was missed enough for someone to put out a missing persons notice. And one of my men let her off the leash, that was a mistake that didn’t go unpunished. Anyway, I’d chosen her and brought her home from that event. But believe me, she was treated like a princess here compared to what could have befallen her. Despite my brother’s opinions, I’m not the worst monster out there.”
“You think you did her a favour?” I scoffed.
“I know I did. Next question, different subject please.”
“The fire—”
“I didn’t kill them,” he cut in. “I didn’t start that fire, you know this.”
“The doors were locked.”
“The doors are always locked. I can’t have anyone just wandering into my club when they feel like it. Now, are you seriously going to keep asking questions about other, irrelevant people?”
“You tried to kill me with a dodgy bungee cord.”
“Better,” he smiled. “It was an impulsive first response. One of my men was trailing you and it seemed an opportune moment to fuck with Zachariah. Apologies.”
“Apologies? That’s it? You prick!” I made a move to stand up, but he pressed his palms into my thighs and pushed me back down.
“You know what I am, Jess. But I still don’t understand exactly what you are, which puts you ahead of me.”
“I’m just a girl. A crazy one.” I drew my arms around myself, as if that might help protect my mind from the thoughts about myself, ones I didn’t want him seeing.
“You’re far from just a girl, that was established long ago.”
I shifted, pulling my legs up and away from the vampire still sitting at my feet.
“Are you going to elaborate on that or make me ask?”
“He wasn’t always all sweetness and ‘I am the light’ crap. His need for power and control goes back way before he even became a vampire,” he absently ran a finger down the scar on his cheek. “This was a little gift from him when we were only eight years old. Didn’t get what he wanted, so he slashed me. If this was the work of a child, imagine what he’s capable of now.”
“Is there a point to all this? You’re all killers, you’re all capable of terrible things, I’m not hiding from that. Why do you care what he does? I thought you wanted him to activate this Legacy crap, yet now you sound like you don’t want him to let go?”
“You came along and complicated things. The Legacy is, and always will be, my primary concern, but I’d quite like it if he didn’t kill you in the process. I think I could enjoy having you around.”
“Legacy schmegacy,” I snorted.
“You’re mocking it?” His eyebrows shot up, the familiar smile pulling at his lips.
“I’m a little sick of the vampire dramatics.”
“You’re right. Damn, my manners are shot to fucking shit tonight. Whiskey, right?” He suddenly leapt up and moved to a futuristic-looking desk in the corner, all glass and steel.
“No, thanks.”
“No? Smack, then? You like that too, right?”
I pressed my lips together.
“I guess it’s all tame compared to the high from making out with a vampire,” he sighed, dumping a syringe back on the table and sitting down, next to me this time. “If we’re done with question time, perhaps we should get straight to the hardcore stuff?”