A Vampire's Seduction (A Dark Hero Book 1)

by Fleur Camacho

  My fingers fondled her other breast, and as I prepared to move to it, her blood lit my senses, igniting my body on fire. I pulled down the other side of her dress and, suddenly overcome with need, I gripped her other breast tight and bit her hard.

  She yelped, screaming now because my urgency to satisfy my strigoi caused me to become rougher, forgetting to be gentle. She slapped at my face but my grip was tight as I sucked intently, the blood giving me a euphoric feeling. This feeding usually went both ways. I had enough sense to be careful not to drink too much, and, after a while, I tried to be gentle again. But she was scared now and screaming into the darkness.

  Suddenly a wooden plank slammed against my head. I ripped my teeth from the woman’s breast and she howled in pain.

  A young woman stood before me, preparing to hit me again with the plank. Her dark wavy hair flew through the air as she came at me, and the sweetest bouquet I’d ever smelled filled my nose. I grabbed the plank, throwing it to the ground. “Look what you made me do.”

  She searched the ground, looking for something else to grab. She bent over, retrieving a rusty bit of nail from the filth in the ground and she swirled towards me, the nail held out in front of her.

  “Let her go.” She looked at the woman under my hands. “Or I’ll cut you with this.”

  The woman screamed again and tried to bolt. My hand was a steel trap around her arm and she yelped as I pulled her back, and she fell on her rear.

  “I swear, I’ll shove this into your neck if you hurt her again.” The dark-haired woman stepped closer.

  “If it hadn’t been for your intervention, she would be happily on her way by now.” I licked the woman’s skin, in a hurry now to heal my bite marks, and then looked into her eyes, using compulsion to make her forget this incident.

  “What are you doing to her?”

  The woman shook her head and tried to get up. I let her. The dark-haired girl stepped in her path.

  “Ay, watta wanna do, eh? Get outta my way.”

  “Are you okay? What did he do to you? Do you need any medical attention?”

  The woman turned towards me and smiled. “Well, ‘ello there stranger.”

  I straightened up and wiped the blood from my lips. “Hello, Madam.” I held my hand out, motioning for her to pass, at the same time moving the dark-haired girl to the side.

  The woman giggled and curtseyed. “Why thank you, kind sir.” She sashayed her hips as she walked down the street, and the dark-haired woman swiveled towards me.

  “I wasn’t done with her yet.” I stepped closer to the dark-haired woman and breathed in deeply. Holy hell, she smelled incredible, and I gripped her tight, pulling her to me. “But I’ll happily allow you to replace her.”

  She gripped the nail holding it up to me. “Don’t you dare hurt me.”

  My strigoi demanded her blood, its need growing stronger until it roared in my ears. I was desperate to taste her. I tried to hold it in, but it vibrated through my body, making me shake.

  Her blue eyes grew wide. “What’s going on?” Her eyebrows rose. “Are you okay?” Her hold on the nail loosened, confused whether she should be attacking me or helping me.

  I moved suddenly so that I was holding her against the wall, her wrists clasped in my hand over her head. The nail was forgotten on the ground. I leaned in, need driving me closer. I had to have her, her blood called to me like no other. I leaned to her neck and breathed in her scent deeply. She wiggled her hips as my senses stroked her, trying to calm her, and then she was docile in my arms.

  This. This woman was the kind of woman that I would break my own rules for, for her scent was so intoxicating that I could live for years off of her blood. I never kept the living, I preferred the hunt, and they were always so pliant in my hands anyway, there was no need to keep them. But I had kept a woman once, a couple hundred years ago, when the world was much simpler. She maintained me for a year, until one day my blood lust was too strong.

  But this woman… Her blood call was much stronger than the other and my hands trembled as they held her wrists. She stared at me with eyes so wide and innocent. I leaned in, my nose on her neck, and I fought the urge to drink her dry, although the intensity of my need tempted me to clamp on to her intoxicating skin and never let her go.

  The bay here provided an easy way to dispose of any bodies; she would be an easy kill. But - If I only took a taste, just a little, I could discover where she lived and take from her at my pleasure. If only I could control my lust which was threatening to burst from me.

  If I took her home, I could control myself easier there. And, even though her scent would slowly drive me mad every day, for a woman with blood like hers, she would be worth it.

  My eyes glazed over and my incisors extended. I buried my face in her neck, my unnatural breath coming out in puffs as I tried to control the lust. She rubbed her chin against my face, welcoming my touch and then she sighed. Suddenly, my will over my strigoi won out, and I flew to the other side of the street. She stumbled forward, falling to the ground and cutting her hands on the glass. She reached for me, begging me to return to her.

  The smell of her blood overcame me and I fled, ignoring her cries. I flew to the wharf and fell on a man violating a woman. I tore at his throat, not bothering to be gentle. I fed until I knew I would be sick, and then threw him into the bay, while the woman stared at me wide-eyed. I didn’t worry about her; she was too afraid to tell anyone anything. She didn’t move as I stood and, not bothering to use my powers of compulsion, I departed to the house.

  Chapter Two

  Detrand

  As soon as I arrived, I slammed the door behind me. Even at such a distance as this, her blood called to me. I gripped the handle, undecided about whether to go back to her. She was probably still on the ground, calling to me, so strong did my strigoi call to her. It would wear off eventually, but she would remember me.

  Voices of the strigoi who constantly visited at all hours of the night filled the house, laughing and feeding. I recognized the smell of most of them, except Lily’s was absent. I couldn’t enter the chamber, not in this condition.

  I would have to go to the dark-haired woman to erase her memories. If the existence of the strigoi even whispered among the living, the killing spree that ensued would be widespread. And even though they killed mostly the living, our kind would be forced underground.

  I shivered. I would not live like that again.

  I made to call to Rowan, or even for Sophie, to help, but I didn’t want them involved if her blood called to them as desperately as it did for mine. I was stronger than them; they would drain her in an instant.

  I would have to go back alone.

  I moved back towards the street, stopping to partake in another male who was walking to work on one of the ships docked nearby. I was definitely going to be sick tomorrow.

  I left him alive and happy, and his blood drove my strigoi deeper inside, content. The sun would rise soon.

  I found her, just down the street from where I left her. She stumbled, dazed, along the streets and I took a moment to watch her. Her face was smooth, and her dark hair trailed down her back. Her form was tight, her breasts perky, and even though she was confused, her sway captivated me.

  I held my breath, not wanting my strigoi to call out to me again. It was not necessary for me to breathe, although I used it often when I was hunting. This time, I wished to avoid waking my strigoi. For if it did, I did not think that I would be able to control it this time. I stepped out in front her just before she made her way to the main road. I approached her and as soon as she saw me, her eyes lit up hopefully and I felt a bit of it enter my world, turning me upside down.

  I chastised myself. She was a living. The scum of the earth, only here to feed my appetite. She could give me nothing I didn’t already have. I pushed down the hope, the light, and let the darkness enter. I was comfortable there. I realized that I didn’t call Rowan or Sophie for help because I wanted her to myself.r />
  I grinned, and trailed my finger up her chin. I would have her one day, but I would make myself wait. Then, the delightful anticipation would be worth it.

  The sun peeked on the horizon and I flew towards the door. My mind felt the pull of the dead, and it weighed on my body. I’d waited too long to return home, such was my fascination with this woman that I’d delayed returning. That was my first mistake, and it would kill me if I didn’t move faster.

  I moved toward the door and rushed inside; I would not make it to my room. It did not matter, I wasn’t headed there anyway. I opened the door to Sophie’s room; she was already encased in the darkness.

  “Detrand?” Her back faced the door and she was halfway dead, the pull muddying her mind. The dried flowers were on the stand by her bed.

  I knew that she would be open to me in such a state. I slid in the bed beside her, and put my arm around her waist. “Please. I just need it for a moment.”

  She sighed, but allowed my touch. I slid my hand up her leg, inside her nightgown and rubbed her thigh with my thumb. I could feel her senses spark and she moved to lay on her back. Her breathing became shallow, a sign that she was aroused. I moved on top of her and she put her hands on my hips. Then I kissed her with such an exquisite tenderness that she could barely feel it, and she raised her arms to me in response.

  I stared into her lust-filled eyes, wanting to give her so much more than the softest kisses and the devotion of my missing soul. Holy hell, if things were different I would take her as my own again and never have another thought for any other woman. Sophie fulfilled me in ways that no other could. But times were different now, and it would be the death of her if I took her as my mate.

  So I drifted back to her side and she closed her eyes in response. I stroked her arm, giving in to the pull of the dead as my senses grew dull. I spoke the thoughts that I dared not say when fully awake. “I may give her what she wants.”

  Sophie didn’t answer, but I could feel the flicker of hope in her chest.

  My fingers continued their path up her arm and my strigoi softened, comforted by the feel of her skin on mine and, as I drifted into the land of the dead, I was able to briefly forget the woman with the burning blood.

  I awoke before Sophie and slipped out. She would be upset if she remembered that I’d come to her. The blood regurgitated in my stomach and I leaned over the bucket, allowing it to flow out. When I was finished, I pushed my finger down my throat, forcing all of it out.

  I had business, and no time for this sickness.

  My thoughts briefly drifted to the dark-haired woman, but I clamped down on it, and thought of her no more. For now.

  I wiped the blood from my lips, and emptied the used blood out the window into the water below. Rowan or Sophie, or even the chambermaids that came in the day, need not know. The chambermaids were trustworthy and had served us for years, as their family before them. We paid them well, and they were easygoing folk with simple needs. But their knowledge of my sickness would only spread through the service workers, and it was unnecessary.

  I moved towards the closet and, using the clean water that the girl brought in, washed my body. I pulled out the clean clothes and putting them on, breathed in the night air.

  Sitting at the desk, made by my own hands, I studied the papers from the glass bottle. Rowan had arranged them in the order that he saw fit. Most of the debts I remembered but some were made after I left.

  I stood up, pacing the floor as I waited for Rowan to rise. It wasn’t his fault that he rose later than me and I tried to be patient. I stopped by the window, my mind focused on determining who had the power and knowledge to kill Agosto. Not only did they stake him, but they cut off his head, a very personal kind of death. That, or they wanted to assure that he would have his final death, which could mean that it was a human. But not many humans knew where he lay, or had the power to enter the rooms. We trusted the humans who worked for us, but even they couldn’t enter our rooms as we slept each day. The rooms were entranced, and only certain beings could enter and must have the knowledge and ability to disarm the wards we put on the doors.

  Agosto was in charge of this city. He made sure that the strigoi weren’t discovered by wiping memories and even eliminating anything deemed a threat to the strigoi, if necessary. He provided some security for the humans by enforcing punishments over the creatures if they got out of hand. He also kept the shifters, fae, and other beings under his control. But his relationship with them was beneficiary, he provided many services for them, for a fee.

  Agosto knew everything that went on in this city. That was a gift of his; he just knew. Until he didn’t, and it ended him.

  I grew irritable and considered leaving without Rowan, but then I heard him rising. He was sick again, and I growled. This was not acceptable, feeding uncontrollably should only be a rare occurrence unless it was done intentionally. I called out to him impatiently. “Clean up and come!”

  I left the house, knowing that he would be by my side momentarily. The contracts were in the inner pocket of my jacket, and I headed towards the mayor’s mansion.

  My finger stroked the mayor’s throat and he trembled under my touch. I pulled the paper from my pocket and lightly placed it on the table.

  “Is this your signature?” The mayor nodded, the skin under his balding head was flaking, and I pet his head. He jerked, and then tried to pretend that he was just adjusting his suit. “Are you unable to fulfill your obligation?”

  “I have half.” His voice stammered, and was unnaturally high.

  I sighed, and leaned forward towards his neck and breathed in deeply. Sweat drenched his suit coat and he smelled of salt and sex, probably from the prostitutes down by the wharf. Rowan sneered, and the mayor blubbered his apology.

  I frowned. “When are you able to obtain the other half?” I cleaned my nail with the edge of his knife and I smelled the wait staff hiding behind the door. “Please, by all means, bring the rest of his supper to the table.” The servants came tumbling out; the women curtsied, eyeing me seductively, while the men clumsily dashed to lay the food out.

  They lay an empty plate in front of me and one in front of Rowan. I reached forward, and took my empty glass. It was quickly filled with red wine, as well as Rowan’s, who drank his greedily. I took a sip and put it back on the table.

  The mayor, his face red and sweaty, stood up and went to the desk in the corner of the room. His hands fumbled as he looked through his papers, mumbling as he read through them. I already knew that he wouldn’t have the payment, no matter what date he gave me. I licked my lips in anticipation. I was always amiable to creating a new agreement.

  “A fortnight. I can make half of the payment tonight, and the rest of it in a fortnight.” Even though I already knew that he wouldn’t be able to make the payment, I could tell that he was lying.

  I leaned forward. “And what will happen when you won’t be able to make your payment in a fortnight?”

  His breathing increased and I smelled a bit of piss. He stuttered, trying to come up with an answer, but I wasn’t really listening. I leaned back, and looked at Rowan, who had been staring across the room since we entered.

  “Agosto lent you that money in good faith, and he gave you well over the time necessary to repay him.” I took another sip of my wine, and allowed it to slowly travel down my throat. “No, you’ve been given enough leniency. I demand the full payment at this time.” The mayor began to protest and I put my hand up to stop him. “If you cannot make full payment, then I am amenable to renegotiating the contract.”

  I folded the contract with his signature on it and placed it near the candle, willing to light it on fire. His sigh of relief was visible, and he sat back in his chair, trying to appear relaxed.

  “Send half of the payment to Agosto’s house tonight and I will release you of any further payment you owe him.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “That would be incredible. I would be in your debt—”

 
“If,” I continued, interrupting him, “you send your daughter to visit Rowan once a week, at the house, for a period of two years.”

  He stood up, slamming his hand against the table. “Absolutely not.” His wife, who had been silent until now, cried out and wrapped her arms around her only daughter. Rowan, who couldn’t take his eyes off of her from the moment she stepped in the room, now turned towards me. He was pleased, although he didn’t show it. I glanced at the young daughter, who was clasping her mother, but eyeing Rowan curiously. “You see, my friend here has been deformed since his youth, I’m afraid,” motioning to his pocked face. “A childhood illness. And he only wants for company from time to time.”

  The man shook his head, but I continued. “I give you my word that she will not be harmed.”

  The wife began to cry and I began to grow angry. “Either that or fulfill your end of the agreement tonight, otherwise I will send for the lawman.” My voice was cold; I was deadly serious and done trying to placate them. “You shouldn’t have agreed to this if you couldn’t fulfill it.”

  “Fine.” Giving in, the mayor huffed. “To be sent to jail, a man such as I!”

  I pulled out a fresh piece of paper and wrote up the new agreement. He signed it with a shaky hand and I stood up, lighting the old one on fire. These people didn’t have enough fortitude to kill Agosto; I was done with them. Rowan grabbed his glass and swallowed down the rest of his wine.

  “Send her tonight, with the men who will bring your payment. We will be home in three hours. I will make sure that she returns safely, no need to leave your men there.” The mother’s wails grew louder, and the mayor grumbled about the late hour. The daughter said nothing, but merely stood up as we left and bowed. “I will fulfill my father’s obligations.”