VAMPIRE:Vampire Guardian Series: Paranormal Mystery Vampire Alpha Male Romance (New Adult Contemporary Paranormal Royalty Fantasy Romance Collection))

by Rachel S. William

  Antoine offered a nod, despite the fact that she couldn’t see him. “Sounds great. See you then.”

  A click followed by silence on the other line indicated that their conversation was over. Kris set her phone down and went right to packing. She wasn’t going to leave anything of value in the apartment since Ricky might come looking for her and destroy anything she left behind when he realized she was gone. Kris’ bags were packed haphazardly at best and a few pieces of clothing hung out from the sides. She managed to get all of her prized belongings in three suitcases and perched on the edge of her bed, waiting for the afternoon to roll around.

  ______________________________

  The sun was just starting to set and the strip club parking lot was still empty with the exception of one woman wrapped in a jacket to try and keep out the chilly fall wind. Kris stuck her hands in her pockets, shivering a little and looking up as a black SUV pulled into the parking lot.

  Antoine stepped out, looking as sharp as always. His black suit was neatly pressed and his purple tie stood out against his slate undershirt. He walked over to Kris, smiling and offering his hand. She took it and gave it a firm shake, looking him up and down.

  “You’re late.” she murmured.

  “You’re early.” he countered.

  Kris rolled her eyes a little and put her hand on her hip. “Are we going to do this or not?”

  Ray stepped out of the SUV next and brought a briefcase with him. Kris watched him closely, not trusting the man. She’d never met him before and he looked big enough to take down a horse. Kris glanced at Antoine with a questioning look and Antoine chuckled.

  “This is Raymond. He’s my bodyguard and a registered notary. It’s really helpful to have one on standby in these kinds of situations.” He explained, pulling out a pen and handing it over to Kris.

  She glanced between them and stepped forward, leaning over the car and offering Antoine a sublime view of her ass. She read through the contract to make sure he hadn’t slipped anything in and when she was satisfied, Kris put the pen to paper and scribbled her name across the line in big, looping letters. Antoine followed suite, though his signature was much tighter and controlled than her own. She wasn’t surprised by it in the least. He struck her as the kind of man who thrived on control.

  Once the contract was signed, Ray added his own signature and stamp, folding it up and tucking it away in a manila envelope. “You can request a copy of the official contract, if you’d like.” He offered.

  Ray’s deep voice rumbled through her and she was almost surprised that anyone’s voice could be that deep without damaging their throat. “Uh, I’m alright. Thanks though.” She said, waving her hand a little. She turned to Antoine and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to look board and not excited. “What now?”

  “Well, we’re going to get on a plane and head back to New Orleans.”

  “New Orleans?”

  “That’s where I live.”

  “So…I’m leaving New York?”

  “For thirty days.” he confirmed.

  She took a breath and nodded slowly, remembering that there was nothing for her here. “Okay.” She whispered, giving the strip club and her home town one last, nervous look back. The only way things were going to get better was if she left this shit hole behind. She knew that.

  Chapter Eight

  Kris had managed to avoid planes her entire life. She’d never had any reason to fly anywhere and she was thankful for that since she considered planes to be metal death traps. She preferred to keep her feet on the ground, thank you very much. When Antoine told her that they’d be flying, a chilly panic seeped into every inch of her. She’d kept a stoic face, not wanting him to realize that the idea of being thousands of feet in the air terrified her.

  Now that they were in the air she was finding it much more difficult to keep the act up. Her fingers dug into the arm rests and she had her back pressed against the plush seats. Antoine had paid for first class, though that didn’t do much to ease her fears.

  Every time the plane lurched she had to bite down on her tongue to avoid screaming in sheer terror. Kris knew she wasn't hiding her fear well but she was still surprised when Antoine reached over and touched the back or her hand in an attempt to comfort her. The idea that he might care about her enough to try and offer kindness was something that seemed impossible. She swallowed thickly, her bottom lip shaking as she turned her hand over and gripped his.

  Kris had been left to her own devices for a good majority of her life and that meant she was on he'd own when it came to fear. No one had ever been there to comfort her since her mother died. No one cared enough.

  She squeezed Antoine's hand and kept her eyes closed for the rest of the flight. She didn't open them again until they were safely on the ground and the flight attendants told them it was safe to take their seat belts off. Kris all but ran off the plane, waiting for Antoine and Ray in the little connector that went from the plane to the airport.

  "You don't fly often, huh?" Antoine asked with a smirk.

  "Obviously." she grunted in return.

  Antoine decided not to push his luck and left it at that, leading her through the airport. They hopped in one of the taxis that were waiting out front and made their way to downtown New Orleans.

  Kris couldn't help but be impressed by all the old world architecture that lined the city streets. Tall pillars shot up toward the skies, daring to scrape the clouds and pointed archways decorated to front of even the smallest shops. Everything was so ornate and reminded Kris of art books she’d read in high school.

  She’d barely had a chance to take everything in when the car came to a stop outside of a very expensive looking condo. There was a store on the bottom and a staircase off to the side that led to the loft above. They got out of the cab and Antoine paid the driver, waving as the man took off down the street.

  Kris squinted to read the sign at the front of the shop, taking in the smooth curl of the black and purple letters. She was starting to get the feeling that black and purple were Antoine’s favorite color combination. Before she could really take in the store front, she was pulled up the staircase, surprised at how narrow it was. Her wide hips barely fit between the wrought iron bars and she was afraid she might have to take the rest of the stairs sideways.

  They finally came to the door and when Antoine pushed it open, Kris was surprised that the apartment wasn’t a small mansion. With the type of money Antoine was dealing out, she assumed that he’d live in a grand house. Instead, his apartment was big enough for two people without being overwhelming. It was decorated to match the outside with dark colors and purple and red accents. A large fireplace was situated on the far wall near a mounted TV and ornate entertainment center. There was a formal dining room to her left and a fairly large kitchen she could already imagine herself cooking in.

  Antoine set his keys down on the little table beside the door and slipped past her, humming a little as he went to the kitchen and pulled himself a bottle of water out of the fridge, offering her one as well. She moved over to the pass through window and accepted it, opening it and drinking it happily.

  “I was expecting your house to be bigger.”

  “You should be thankful it isn’t since you’re going to be the one cleaning it.” He pointed out, smirking.

  “Yeah, yeah. I read through the contract. I know I’m in charge of the housework.”

  “Do you cook?”

  “I don’t mind.” That was a bold faced lie, Kris loved cooking, she just never had enough time or room to do it in the past.

  “Well, you’ll be in charge of that too. If we need to get you any cooking classes, I’ll handle all that.” He said, waving his hand.

  “Are my bags going to be coming any time soon?”

  At the airport, they’d skipped baggage claim since Antoine had apparently paid extra to have their bags shipped to the house ahead of time.

  “They’re already in your room.”

&
nbsp; “My room?”

  “Yeah. You have a room. It’s down the hall on the left. Mine is on the right.” He informed, waving his had in the direction of the hall. “Actually, go ahead and get ready. I have some outfits hanging in the closet. Go get dressed and meet me back here around six. That should give you a few hours to get settled and ready.”

  “What am I getting ready for?” She asked

  He smirked and popped a grape into his mouth. “A party.”

  Chapter Nine

  A party. That was a little vague. She didn’t bother arguing or pressing him for more questions, though. She doubted she was going to get an answer out of him, anyway. She wandered down the hall to the bedroom he’d pointed out and she pushed open wooden door that creaked under its own weight. She flipped the light on before shutting the door behind her and looked around, taking in the large bedroom. Damn…This bedroom was almost as big as her entire apartment in New York.

  The bed was easily big enough for her and two other people, though she didn’t expect to share it with that many bodies. The sheets were a bright white, stark against the rest of the dark furnishings. Her bed sat low to the ground and had a simple wood frame that gave the room an air of minimalism. The closet was opposite the decent sized bathroom and already filled with clothes that were far more expensive than anything she was used to wearing.

  Kris started pulling pieces out of the closet, eyeing them almost skeptically. Most of them were short dresses that would fit tight to her curves and show off, what she assumed where her most valuable assets. She laid out a short black dress glancing at the white embroidered dragon that slithered up the side of it. It reminded her of Antoine’s many tattoos and she was surprised that she liked it for that very reason.

  She took a few moments to hop in the shower, still sweaty from the Southern heat and the nervousness of her first flight. She cleaned up, taking her time to enjoy the hot water that lasted more than ten minutes. It was a luxury she had gone without since she was a child. The orphanage kept strict bathing rules so that the electric bill wouldn’t run up and the hot water tank in her apartment was so small it only allotted about seven minutes of hot water.

  Kris stepped out of the shower, ignoring the mirror for now. She still hadn’t managed to forgive herself for going back on everything she’d insisted on. She had taken a deal to be a prostitute for $10,000 a month. Sure the money seemed worth it and she’d only be sleeping with one guy, but at the end of the day she was still a prostitute.

  She sighed as she wound the towel around her hair and slipped into a matching seat of bra and panties. She took note of the fact that Antoine hadn’t seemed to provide her with either of those things, though she just assumed that he’d forgotten about them since he was a man and didn’t require them. Once she dug her undergarments out, she set her bags aside and settled at the large vanity at the foot of her bed. It was a nice change of pace to be able to lay out all of her makeup and brushes for once.

  Kris took her time getting ready, wanting to look good since Antoine was paying so much money for her. She made she her curls were smooth and hung around her perfectly pale face, grey eyes lined with dark kohl that made them pop. The black liner came to a delicate point at the corner of her eyes, giving them a cat-like appearance.

  Her lips were painted the color of plums and when she leaned back to look at herself in the mirror she was pleased. For some reason her eyes looked far more alive than they ever had before. She couldn’t quite place her finger on it, but she guessed that it had something to do with the fact that she felt free to some extent. This wasn’t the ideal situation but it was still better than working for Ricky at the strip club.

  Once she felt she was ready she slipped into her dress and took one last look at herself in the mirror. A pair of black spiked heels brought her entire outfit together and for the first time in a long time, she looked into the mirror and she was happy with what she saw. She stared in shock before turning and cutting the lights off, heading out to the living room to wait for Antoine.

  Kris settled on the couch, fingers twitching nervously at the roar of silence. She leaned over and grabbed the remote off the coffee table, switching the TV on to some infomercial. She wasn’t really paying attention to it, but appreciated the sound and the comfort the host’s voice brought.

  Antoine stepped out of his own bedroom, locking the door with a key that was wrapped around his wrist. He tucked it into his jacket pocket and walked over to Kris, looking her up and down. “Good choice. It suits you.”

  She glanced at the pocket he’d tucked the key away in but didn’t say anything about it. She wasn’t his wife or his girlfriend and it seemed a bit presumptuous to ask why he kept his bedroom door locked.

  “Thanks. It’s a really nice dress. They’re all really nice.”

  He nodded and offered her his arm, smiling down at her. He was just as handsome as always and when he offered her his arm she couldn’t help the blush that scattered across her cheeks.

  “Ready to go?” he asked.

  “Where are we going?” she questioned, taking his arm and standing, taking a moment to smooth out her dress.

  “Downstairs.”

  Chapter Ten

  Kris was a bit surprised when Antoine told her they were going downstairs, but she went with it and followed him back down the narrow staircase and even further. She hadn’t noticed that the metal stairs led down even further into what she assumed was once a basement. They followed it down to a set of heavy wooden doors that were guarded by two large men, one of whom was Ray. They didn’t stop Antoine or ask him about his guest and simply opened the door.

  Inside the club was a bit darker than Kris had anticipated. All the clubs she’d ever been to had flashing lights and neon floors with loud electronic music blaring out of the speakers. Instead of all that mess, she was lulled into comfort by the sounds of dark, Southern Gothic sounds instrumentals. The lighting was dim and comforting, giving the room an air of mystery. The air was cool and damp, a relief from the hot sunlight that cooked the streets above.

  As they walked through the door all eyes turned towards them. All the men seemed to be dressed similar to Antoine, though some wore longer coats instead of jackets. The women were dressed in everything from pasties to pantsuits. As her eyes darted around the room Kris noticed that a few of them men and women were on their hands and knees, nuzzling at the people they were beside. They looked happy despite the fact that they were being treated as pets.

  Kris took a step towards Antoine, not sure she liked the way everyone seemed to be assessing her. She felt like a cow lined up for slaughter and all these people were deciding which parts of her they wanted to take home.

  Antoine smiled at her and led her deeper into the basement. Now that they were closer to the center of the wood floor she could see that there were various benches and other strange furniture scattered around the room. They were set up far enough apart that if someone were to be using it, the crowd could still move about the room without interfering. Everything was so strange and new to her, though she was quickly putting it together that this was a BDSM club.

  Antoine put a hand on her waist and tugged her closer, waving his hand out towards the rather expansive club. “Welcome to The Woodshed.” He hummed, grinning at her, “This is my pride and joy.”

  “You own a BDSM club?”

  “Several of them. I made my fortune as a professional dominant and then when I got into making furniture for clubs like this…Well…Let’s just say business is very good, hmm?” He said with a grin, leading her through the crowd.

  Kris was pleasantly surprised that no one attempted to reach out and touch her, though she assumed that it had something to do with Antoine’s position as owner of the club. The walked over to a bar and settled in the seats and Kris glanced at the shelves to see what they had in terms of booze. When she saw no alcohol she glanced at Antoine, eyebrow raised.

  “There’s no booze.”

  “Of cours
e not, darling. You never drink and play. That’s how people get hurt.” He explained, reaching over the counter and grabbing them both a bottle of water. “I encourage hydration here. It helps enhance the experience. No one wants to be getting spanked and then throw up all over the place because they haven’t had enough water.” He explained.

  She took the water and took a few big gulps. “People get dehydrated getting spanked?”

  “Of course. It’s a very rigorous activity.”

  “I find that hard to believe.” She murmured.

  Kris wasn’t a prude. She’d had lovers before and she’d even had a few much older boyfriends. It wasn’t that she wasn’t willing to explore her sexual needs; she’d just never had a lover her made her want to explore them. She would be outright lying if she didn’t admit that some of these strange benches didn’t pique her interest.

  Antoine glanced at her and smirked a little when he told her that she didn’t believe him. He finished off his bottle of water and hoped down from his stool, walking to the middle of the room and clapping his hands loud enough to get people’s attention.

  The small crowd of thirty or so people turned to look at Antoine, giving him their undivided attention.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have a very special treat. A pretty, young thing all the way from New York has come here to try her hand at being a submissive. She’s new to the scene and you might even call her a virgin.” He said with a grin.

  The entire room burst into a fit of chuckles that made Kris a little nervous. Antoine held out his hand out towards Kris and curled his finger towards himself.

  “Come on down, Kitty.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Kitty? The nickname was a bit odd to her but she remembered the check that Antoine had included with her contract and she remembered the fifth rule. Above all else, you will follow my orders…