Grey nods his approval.
“Hey Vash,” Angus approaches him with his hands clasped together, “I’ve talked with Grey, he’s just been a little on edge, so let’s see what we can do to help. We don’t want some rogue vamp out on the streets. Grey understands it gives them all a bad name.”
“So he’s ready to give me some information?” Vash asks looking at Grey with disdain.
“Yes, of course. I’m eager to assist you in your investigation. Specifically, since I have nothing to hide.” Grey approaches Vash. He’s trying not to visibly let his skin crawl at the thought of being this close to a wolf.
“How long have you been in Atlanta?” Vash asks.
“Not even one full day,” Grey answers politely. “How long have the killings been going on?”
“For about four days.” Vash answers. “How many humans have you fed on since you got here.”
“Two. Willing donors.” Grey answers wishing he could calm the erection in his pants at the thought of fulfilling that need too. “Where are you finding the bodies?”
“All in dumpsters behind strip clubs. With the exception of one. One we found behind a hotel.” Vash contemplates the different location of the body. “It could be unrelated.”
“But you’re sure it’s a vampire?” Grey asks.
“Positive,” Vash says.
“At which hotel did you find the body?” Grey asks, the gears turning in his head. It would be quite convenient if he could find his Bloodmate there.
“The Hyatt on Peachtree.” Vash answers.
“That’s not far from here.” Grey taps his finger on his chin.
“Okay, so Grey, you want to get started?” Angus asks tugging at Grey’s jacket.
“I think we should --” Vash starts.
“Split up,” Grey says as though it’s final.
“I think we should stay together. It’ll be better for information sharing.” Vash takes a step toward Grey.
“I believe that if a vampire is involved, I’ll be far more likely to get cooperative answers than a wolf.” Grey says walking past Vash, “Angus and I will work independently from you, but we will share information. We’ll check in no later than sun up.”
“Where are you heading? I don’t want to duplicate our efforts.” Vash calls after Grey.
“To the Hyatt.” Grey says without turning around, “You should look into the victim's, find out if they have anything in common.”
“I’ll hear from you before sunrise?” Vash yells down the street.
“Yes.” Grey waves his hand over his shoulder. He continues down the street with purpose. He has to resist the urge to use his vampire speed and drain one of the passers-by.
“You okay there?” Angus asks studying Grey’s face.
“I’m alright.” Grey grinds out, trying to control all of his urges.
“Because I’ve never seen a vampire sweat before and I’m a little nervous you won’t be able to hold it together,” Angus says cautiously.
“I’m fine.” Grey’s jaw pops with tension.“This slow pace is killing me, I could be there already.”
“Just keep your pace, we don’t want to upset the delicate balance,” Angus warns.
Grey sniffs at the air, the faint scent of her urges him on faster. Angus is having to work to keep up. “She’s close.”
“We’re almost at the Hyatt.” Angus has a pang of hesitance in his tone.
They walk into the lobby straight to the stairs. “You seem to know where you’re going,” Angus asks with an air of questioning.
“I’m following her trail.” At the fifth floor, Grey busts through the door to the corridor. He walks with purpose toward her scent. When he gets to room Fifty-three thirty-seven he inhales deeply, her scent filling all of him. Heat spirals through him straight to his shaft at the thought of her being so close. He reaches down for the doorknob.
“Hey!” Angus stops him, “You should really knock.”
“Why? My Bloodmate is here. She will want me to come in, find her and take her.” Grey’s eyes are glossing over at the prospect of having her in his arms and drinking her sweet blood.
“What if you’re wrong?” Angus asks considering the disaster if he’s wrong.
“I’m not.” He says with certainty. He pauses for a moment realizing the scent is dwindling. He lifts his hand from the knob and knocks on the door.
“I’ll play it safe.” He looks down at Angus as he waits impatiently for the door to open.
“Thank you,” Angus says looking nervously down the hall.
“No one’s answering.” Grey glances at Angus as though he’ll know what to do.
“Knock again,” Angus states the obvious.
“Screw this.” Grey reaches down and turns the knob hard enough for the locks to disengage. He pushes through the door to see something he wasn’t expecting.
On the couch of the hotel suite is an older woman with greying hair, very plain watching TV and eating pizza.
“Who the hell are you?” She stands up holding her palms toward him defensively.
“I’m Grey.” Confusion rattles his being, he feels nothing for this woman standing in front of him. He can still smell the mixture of his Bloodmate’s scent, but it’s been completely adulterated by this woman.
“What the fuck are you doing breaking in here?” The woman takes two steps back still holding her hands in front of her.
“I was looking for someone,” Grey says in a half daze.
“Elomere sent you didn’t he?” She hisses, “Well, you’re out of luck, she isn’t here.”
“I don’t know who Elomere is.” Grey’s confusion coupled with his increasing inability to maintain focus is wearing on him.
“Sure you don’t.” She puts her hand on her hip.
Angus comes in the room, “She’s not here, mate, let’s go.”
“Yeah, get out of here.” The woman sneers.
Angus sees the woman and a smile lights his features, “Hey there.”
“Seriously? A brownie? I can do way better than that.” She rolls her eyes.
“I’ll have you know --” Angus starts defensively.
“Enough, I need to find her. Who is she?” Grey takes a few steps toward the woman.
Panic fills her expression, and she vanishes.
“What the hell?” Grey moves to the spot she was standing in.
“Where’d she go?” Angus says looking around the room.
Grey searches the other rooms in the suite. He can smell that she was here, but she’s gone now. He reaches the main room of the suite where Angus is still trying to find the woman. “She’s not here.”
“What the hell was that woman? I mean, can vamps just disappear?” Angus says peeking out onto the balcony.
“Not that I’m aware of, but there are many different abilities among us. But she wasn’t a vampire.” Grey taps his finger to his chin.
“How do you know? She didn’t give you the secret handshake?” Angus chuckles at his own joke.
“No, she was eating pizza. Vampires don’t eat.” Grey says feeling his control waning even more. “I have to find her, Angus.”
“Okay, any ideas?” Angus says with concern.
“I can try to pick up her scent, but I think we should head to the strip clubs.” Grey passes by Angus on the way out the door. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Don’t you think we should stay together?” Angus jogs to keep up.
“You’re too slow, and I can’t wait much longer,” Grey says with urgency.
“We can drive.” Angus says looking down, “And honestly, I think you need supervision.”
“I don’t need a Goddamn thing from you.” Grey bellows and immediately apologizes. “I’m sorry, I’m just…”
“On edge. I get it. But this is why we need to stick together. I can run interference, be a voice of reason.” Angus continues to follow Grey down the stairwell.
“Just try to keep up.” Grey’s more determined than ev
er to find her. He knows his sanity is slipping away and the only cure is finding her.
Chapter Eight
Mila sits at the vanity getting ready for her chance to dance and make some money and maybe even feed. She understands economy, but where she comes from everything is paid for in favors of some sort. That’s the currency. But with enough money, she’ll be able to solve her Elomere problem for good.
Who the hell does he think he is anyway, as though she would bind herself to anyone, especially him. He’s arrogant, piggish and not nearly as good looking as he thinks he is. No, she’s not looking for a man like that, regardless of tradition, her father or anyone back home. She’s going to make sure she can stay here if only to escape having to be Elomere’s primary, or worse, his second. “I’m nobody’s second.” She sneers.
She squirms a little in her chair feeling a hot rush come over her. It’s been happening a lot today, and she’s insatiably hungry for blood.
“Okay, cupcake, you’re up.” One of the other dancers taps her on the shoulder as she walks by. “Watch out for the big guy in the front, he’s a little handsy.”
“I’m Siren.” She says confused by the woman calling her cupcake.
“Yeah, you’re adorable. Get out there and shake your ass.” She says sliding a robe over her shoulders.
“Thanks.” Mila checks her appearance in the mirror one more time before heading for the stage.
The music pumps through the speakers, and her body moves with the beat. She’s feeling hella sexy tonight and might just decide to do more than just feed on blood.
Men line the stage with money in their hands, she evaluates which ones have dollar bills or twenties. She’ll only dance for the high money. She works the pole on the stage wetting their appetites as well as her own.
Heat is running through her with a burning desire, she needs a hard cock and warm blood to fill all of her.
Mila’s lust is colliding in a dangerous culmination of lack of judgement. She brings her focus back, Mila, you need to make money. Do that, make money.
She moves down toward the men to start collecting her money. The big guy in the front is holding twenties. She dances, just for him as he slides twenty after twenty into her g-string.
He can’t take his eyes off her, she’s driving him wild, she can see the erection bulging from his pants, she wants it. In a matter of moments, he’ll be hers to do whatever she pleases.
The music comes to a stop, and the DJ comes over the loudspeaker, “Let’s give it up for Siren.”
The crowd cheers and Mila gives the big man in the front one last wink.
He crooks his finger for her to come closer and whispers in her ear, “You want to make this a private party?”
Mila looks toward the private rooms, “I’d love to.”
“I’ll meet you in VIP room two.” He pumps his brow with excitement.
Mila goes to the back and sits at the vanity. She knows better than to count her money right there in front of everyone. But she’s certain she made a good haul, and she’s about to hit the motherload.
“You really impressed big Doug.” One of the girls says, “Did he invite you to a ‘private party’?”
“Yeah, I’m just going to get my stuff put up and head over to the room.” Mila puts her money in her bag, puts it in the locker Candy assigned to her and places a protection trap on the lock.
“Watch him, he likes to touch and break the rules.” The girl says filing her nails.
“I can handle him,” Mila says with confidence.
Candy comes in the back, “Be careful, remember, nothing illegal and no touching.”
“Got it, I have no intentions on letting him touch me.” Mila ticks her chin downward. “I’m not about all that.”
“Good girl.” Candy says with confidence.
Mila struts toward the private room. The bouncer standing outside the room stops her, “If you need any help or things get out of hand, I’m right here. Just let out a holler.”
“Got it, but I’m sure it’ll be okay.” Mila smiles and walks through the door.
“Hello,” Mila says in a sultry tone approaching him.
“Hello, beautiful. I’m Doug.” He eyes her from head to toe.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Mila holds out her hand.
Doug hesitates, “There’s no touching.”
Mila lowers her eyes to him, “It’s just a handshake.” She needs to make contact with him to be sure her spell takes, he can’t remember anything about her. He will feel no pain and just be short the money in his pocket and some blood in his veins.
“If you’re okay with it.” He takes her hand. His eyes gloss over slightly, “You are so soft.”
Mila smiles. “Thank you. So would you like to start with a lap dance?” She begins to slide off her sparkly bra.
Doug’s eyes widen, “You’re so beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Mila clicks play on the iPod sitting in a cradle on one of the tables. Sexy music fills the small room, and she begins to dance.
She’s not attracted to Doug at all, but she can feel heat pooling between her legs. A burning desire to feel the length of him inside her and release a powerful orgasm is taking over. She shakes the thought away to keep on the task at hand. She needs to feed and get paid. That’s all that matters, she starts chanting to herself.
She can feel him wanting to touch her, he’s hypnotized. He’s right where she needs him. She goes in closer to him, holding his gaze. He lurches toward her, his lips ready to crash over hers.
She darts slightly to the side and kisses his neck gently before sinking her teeth into him.
Chapter Nine
Grey steps out of the car and sniffs at the air. “She’s close, she’s here.” he stalks toward the door with Angus in tow.
“Calm down, you need to play it cool. We’re here to find Michael too, don’t forget.” Angus says struggling to keep up with Grey’s pace.
“Who?” Grey says not slowing down.
“Michael, the whole reason you're here.” Angus rolls his eyes. “I really do hope she’s in there so you can get back to your right mind.”
“She is, I can feel her.” Grey tries to ignore the throbbing between his legs. He has to have her, now. He needs to feel her sweet blood trickling down his throat while he pushes himself into her inviting cleft.
“Grey!” Angus raises his voice. “Stay with me.”
“I am trying.” Grey grinds out.
They reach the door, and the bouncer asks for their ID’s, “That’ll be Twenty bucks each.”
Grey slides a hundred dollar bill out of his wallet and throws it at the man pushing past him. The guy looks at the bill, then Grey and shrugs, pocketing the change.
She’s so close, Grey doesn’t stop to look for her, he’s drawn to her. He stalks toward the back of the club to the VIP rooms going through the main door into a hallway filled with rooms covered by red curtains.
He finds the one with the bouncer outside. “Fuck off.” He waves his hand in front of the bouncer's face.
Absently the muscle-bound man walks away down the hall.
Grey throws the red curtain aside to see a small woman struggling under a huge middle-aged man.
Grey's immediately incensed, rage coursing through him. He pulls the man off with ease. Still holding the perpetrator by the back of his collar, he sees her, smells her, needs her. “Are you okay?” He drops the man on the floor like an old bag of trash.
She looks at him wide-eyed and frightened trying to wipe the blood from her lips. “I-I-” She sputters.
Grey moves his hand toward the blood on her lips “You're hurt.”
Her entire body begins to quiver, and she disappears before Grey's eyes. He moves to where she was on the couch and looks around frantically. “Fuck!”
“Um, Grey,” Angus says with warning.
“Did you see where she went?” Grey asks in a panic. “I have to find her.”
“We've got anoth
er problem.” Angus motions down at the man with two puncture wounds in his neck, “I don't think she was the victim.”
Grey inhales a deep contemplative breath, “A vampire, she's definitely a vampire.”
“Are you sure? She disappeared like the one in the hotel.” Angus remarks with a tick of his head.
“It doesn't matter, I have to find her.” He turns to leave.
“Hey, what are we going to do about him?” Angus calls after Grey.
Grey blows out an exasperated breath as he notices the club security coming down the hallway. His intense need to protect her drives him back toward the man. He spins around and pushes past Angus, “Get out of the way.”
Grey leans down relieved that he can hear a pulse, she didn't take too much. he's going to be fine. He puts too drops of his own blood on the man's puncture wounds to heal them, then wipes away the blood.
Grey lifts him up, “Come on, mate.”
The security guard reaches them, “Is everything okay over here?”
“Sure is,” Angus says taking the man's other side. “This bloke doesn't know when to stop.”
The security guard steps aside and lets Grey and Angus take the man with them.
“What are we going to do with him?” Angus asks huffing under the man's weight.
“Once I'm out the door, I don't care.” Grey bites.
Angus stops in his tracks, “What the bloody hell?”
Grey sees a tall, muscular man with long white hair barreling toward him. He grabs Grey by the lapels, “Where is she?”
Grey reacts immediately, dropping Doug and removing the other man’s hands from his jacket. He pushes him against the wall and lets his fangs show, “Don’t you ever touch me or I’ll rip your fucking arms off.”
“Grey, come on, calm down.” Angus tugs at his sleeve.
The patrons and dancers scatter in the club at the sight, a cacophony of screams and gasps fill the air along with the rush of everyone trying to get out through the small exit.
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