Michael's Soul Mate: A Steamy BBW Vampire Romance (Vampires of London Book 2)

by Lorelei Moone

  “Please don’t kill me,” Anna whispered. “Harming another vampire is against the law.”

  The man laughed. “Your innocence amuses me.”

  Anna frowned. She’d blurted it out without thinking. So stupid. If this guy cared one bit about Vampire Law, he might not have captured her the first time around.

  “Then why not keep me around, if my presence amuses you?” she tried again.

  He slowly shook his head. “I’m afraid that would be against my code.”

  Anna didn’t dare ask what his code prescribed; she feared she already knew the answer.

  “The male and the female who came snooping around. Acquaintances of yours?” the man asked.

  Anna’s heart jumped a few beats. So Michael had tried to find her already. She had felt him nearby.

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

  The vampire bared his teeth. If this was his way of trying to intimidate Anna, it was working.

  “Don’t play games.”

  Anna shook her head. “I swear, I don’t know them.”

  “Do you swear on your life? On theirs?” he asked.

  Anna pressed her lips together and averted her gaze. That was what she got for bluffing.

  “As I suspected. Now, perhaps we can converse openly. I would very much like to learn more about these city dwellers.”

  What was the point?

  “I really don’t know very much about them,” Anna said, which was much closer to the truth.

  “Why did they save you? Were you their property?”

  What a bizarre question. The way Michael, Lucille, and even Alexander seemed to live was quite different to the reality this strange vampire inhabited.

  “No, they just don’t kill humans.” Anna frowned.

  “Well, that’s something new. Why wouldn’t they kill humans? How do they gain strength?” The vampire moved around the dark cell, as though he was pacing, but his feet still didn’t quite touch the ground.

  “Are you certain they didn’t keep you as a servant? I hear some Nightwalkers do that, enslave humans to run daytime errands.”

  Anna folded her arms. Perhaps she had said too much already. “Frankly, I don’t remember much of my human life.”

  The old vampire smirked again as his deep black eyes focused on hers. “Of course you don’t, child. I had made sure of that already.”

  So it was all his fault? The loss of memory hadn’t been due to any injury or trauma, but hypnosis?

  “Then why don’t you undo whatever you did before, so that I may remember and answer your questions properly,” Anna suggested.

  Her captor paused and scratched his chin with white spindly fingers. “I suppose there’s no harm in trying.”

  Anna’s heart beat a little faster again. Could it be so easy?

  He grabbed her cheek, digging into her skin with long, claw-like fingernails. His eyes locked onto hers with a stare so intense she couldn’t look away if she wanted to.

  “Anything you had been made to forget, you shall remember it again.”

  Anna blinked involuntarily when she felt his presence enter her mind. It was unpleasant to have all this darkness, all this evil in her mind, but she could do nothing to defend herself.

  She was frozen in place, unable to stir a single muscle or formulate any thought, beyond what he wanted her to.

  Then, just like that, her mind was hers again.

  “Well?” the vampire demanded. “What can you tell me about those two busybodies who came looking for you?”

  Anna tried her best to answer his question, but she couldn’t say a word. Her memories came rushing back, overwhelming her as she tried to process them. All of her old life: her worries, her fears, her ambitions and dreams.

  She had wanted to run her own catering business, but when that didn’t work, she’d gone back to work for her old boss. She’d picked up odd jobs, waitressing at parties and temping in restaurant kitchens. She’d worked sometimes two shifts a day, saving up money as well as knowledge.

  She didn’t have very many friends and certainly no boyfriends. The most intimate she’d gotten with anyone over the past couple of years had been that awkward kiss on the roof she’d shared with Michael.

  Living in a modest single room in a house share allowed her to put as much of her earnings into savings as possible. Even if she made it out of here and went back there to pick up her belongings, she would end up with very little indeed.

  She’d never achieved any of what she’d set out to.

  “Tell me, or you’ll regret it!” the vampire shouted.

  She’d never really lived. And now she would die.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Michael was as ready as he would ever be. He waited in the shadows near the manhole from where Lucille and Alexander had already descended into the sewer. They were to perform their role in Anna’s rescue—create a diversion—while he was going to wait here until the coast seemed clear enough to look for her.

  From the moment Alexander had camouflaged himself with Cat’s blood, Michael and Lucille had found it hard to resist the scent. These Soul Eaters would find it even more irresistible, since they were supposedly more bloodthirsty and guided by primal instincts.

  As a result, Michael did not need to wait long.

  Underneath him, a muffled commotion pierced the silent night. Footsteps fled north, just as planned; that would have been Lucille and Alexander. Something, presumably the Soul Eaters, chased after them, making more of a whoosh than the usual sound of footsteps he was expecting. Perhaps their increased power had afforded them the talent of levitation.

  He waited for another minute or so, when he could no longer resist. As he was on his way down the manhole, the tension in his chest surged all of a sudden.

  Anna was in very sudden, very real danger.

  He ran through the sewer, ignoring the splashes of dirty water landing all over his clothes, until he found the way through the ventilation shaft Alexander had pointed out on his old plans. From then on, the way was much drier and cleaner.

  As he left the shaft and climbed into what seemed to be an old, now defunct part of the London Underground network, Michael paused to listen for any noises suggesting he’d been found out. Nothing. There was no movement anywhere around him, as far as he could tell. The tunnel ahead was empty, save for a few old signs abandoned on the ground.

  He continued on much more slowly, trying to focus most of his energy on Anna. She was nearby, he could feel her so clearly.

  Finally, he stopped in front of a heavy steel door with a crank handle in its center. Anna was in there, he would bet his life on it. He grabbed the crank, prepared to give his all to open it, when he found that it was already undone and the door opened with a simple push inward.

  Inside, a pair of fearful eyes awaited. Anna.

  Behind her stood a strange white-haired man Michael had never seen before. He looked even more bizarre than the two Soul Eaters they’d found in the sewer earlier that night. Older, more deformed, and more monstrous.

  “Welcome, young one,” the strange vampire said.

  Anna tried to run toward him, but she couldn’t move. One of the man’s hands was on her throat, tightening visibly around her esophagus.

  “Run,” she whispered, barely able to make a sound.

  Michael stood firm. He was not going to give up on her so easily.

  “Run, dammit!” Anna repeated herself, her voice even more choked as the man squeezed her throat.

  “She’s cunning, this one. I like her.” The man grinned, flashing his sharp teeth, then turned to gaze at Anna’s neck. “Shame she must die. And once I’ve taken care of her, you’ll be next.”

  Michael’s entire body tensed up. No way. He would not let that happen. He slipped his hand into his right pocket and closed his fingers around the small vial Alexander had given him. Although he never expected to need it, he was glad to have it now. This would be his secret weapon, his only hope of defeatin
g this ancient Soul Eater.

  “You will do nothing of the sort,” Michael said.

  The strange vampire turned his head in Michael’s direction again and glared at him. “You think you can stop me, young one? I am the embodiment of a thousand souls!”

  “But that’s my woman you’re holding. I’m ready to fight.” Michael glanced at Anna, who looked as surprised at his words as he was. They’d just slipped out before he had a chance to think things through properly.

  “No matter, she’s mine now. I finish what I start.”

  Michael stood firm with the bottle in his fist. Would Cat’s blood be strong enough to disable the Soul Eater temporarily? Or would it just make him more violent?

  Anna’s position at the further end of the tunnel was less than ideal. But perhaps, if he threw the vial and broke it against the wall…

  “Don’t. He’ll kill both of us,” Anna whispered.

  Michael looked into her eyes and all he could see was fear. The vampire turned to face Anna again, readying himself to drink.

  This was Michael’s last and only chance. He pulled the bottle out of his pocket and threw it as fast as he could against the back wall of the tunnel, smashing it into a million pieces and vaporizing the blood everywhere.

  The Soul Eater’s eyes turned red immediately as he turned his head to look for the source of the overwhelmingly delicious scent in the air.

  Michael saw Anna, frozen in place, her throat now freed of the ancient vampire’s grasp. She was shivering, her eyes deep red, as she tried to resist the urge to follow the blood herself.

  Michael surged forward, holding his breath to minimize the effect of his diversion, and pulled Anna backward through the open door, slamming it shut behind them.

  He turned the wheel as fast as he could, securing the bolts inside the door.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, once he was done.

  Anna was panting heavily, still shivering through her entire body.

  “What. Was. That,” she gasped.

  “Blood. It’s not important. He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

  She reached for her throat and swallowed a couple of times. “Not yet.”

  Her eyes turned their normal shade again, and she looked quite a bit weaker than before. Newborns needed more nourishment than mature vampires; she was probably due her next meal already.

  “Let’s get out of here, before that thing breaks out,” Michael said, looking back at the door. It was so thick and heavy, hardly a noise filtered through. It seemed like the Soul Eater was still distracted by what little blood Michael had thrown against the wall.

  “Sure,” Anna said.

  Michael watched her as they made it through the maze of tunnels and out into the fresh winter air. She remained quiet as they walked the streets, as though she was lost in thought, then suddenly paused at the next intersection.

  “What is it?” Michael asked.

  Anna pointed to the right. “There. That’s where I lived.”

  “You remember? That’s wonderful! Do you want to go pick up a few things?”

  Anna stood frozen in place. For someone who had just unraveled the mystery of her recent past, she didn’t seem even a little excited or pleased about it.

  Michael continued to observe her. Why wasn’t she happier? What was wrong?

  She finally shook her head and started to walk away from the building she’d just pointed out. “There’s nothing there for me anymore.”

  Michael frowned. “Wait! Don’t you have anyone to say goodbye to, or personal items you want to take back to the house?”

  Anna shook her head.

  “I lived for my work. My biggest ambition was to run my own catering business. I’d even given it a try, as you might have figured out from the old business card we found. But I just didn’t have what it takes, so I gave up everything—friends, relationships—and focused only on gaining experience and educating myself. I never succeeded.” She sighed deeply. “It all seems so pointless now.”

  As Michael faced her, the sadness in her eyes nearly broke him.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do now,” Anna said.

  He put his hand on her arm. “Remember up on the roof, that feeling of having the world at your feet? You can do anything. If you finally want to live that ambition of yours, you can do it so much better now.”

  Anna frowned. “I can? But I’m no longer human.”

  “You’re faster, stronger, and smarter than you’ve ever been. And your senses are a hundred times more powerful than they were; you’re now able to taste and smell things you would have never even noticed.” He smiled nervously. “Do you think I would have lived in a mansion back when I was human? I was a bum who never amounted to much until I was turned.”

  “What about our limitations? I won’t be able to go out during the day.”

  Michael brushed away her concerns. “Do what you can at night, and hire human staff to run errands during the day.”

  Anna turned and looked back at the street where she used to live, then turned and pointed at a cobbled street to their left. “There is something we can take back to the house.”

  “Tell me.”

  Anna shook her head. “It’s best if I show you.”

  She waved at Michael and resolutely marched ahead until moments later, they stopped in front of a glass-fronted modern building that looked out of place among the Victorian and Edwardian buildings that surrounded it.

  “These people make the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever tasted,” Anna said, gazing longingly at the switched off sign. “Do you think we could sneak in?”

  Michael couldn’t suppress a grin. Despite just having described herself as a rather serious workaholic, Anna did have a hidden wild streak.

  “Listen,” Michael said.

  She did, and smiled when she heard it. “They’re already at work inside.”

  Michael nodded. “While we absolutely will pick up some cinnamon rolls, it’s time you had a very different sort of meal as well.”

  Anna’s eyes widened. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

  Michael shook his head. “You won’t, I’ll make sure of that. We’ll take only as much blood as you need.” He gestured at her to follow him, which she did, through a narrow alley that led to the backside of the bakery. They hid behind a large garbage bin and watched in silence.

  A couple of men dressed all in white were in the midst of unloading a van full of raw ingredients. Anna and Michael gave them a few more minutes to complete the job, only then did they reveal themselves.

  “Morning, lads,” Michael spoke firmly, attracting their attention.

  “Hey, this area is off limits!” one of the men protested.

  Michael turned to Anna and nodded at her. “Hypnotize him. I know you have the talent.”

  Anna smiled briefly, then walked up to the man, whose demeanor changed immediately. Michael, meanwhile, invaded the other man’s mind, rendering him harmless as well.

  Then he stood back and watched in amusement as Anna compelled her subject to grab a box of cinnamon rolls from inside the bakery. As soon as he returned with their prize, Michael joined her and pointed out the right spot on the side of the man’s neck.

  “Bite him here. Drink. Count to five. Let go,” he instructed.

  Anna smiled nervously and took a deep breath. “Here goes nothing.”

  As it turned out, she need not have worried. Moments later, they released the two men from their influence and watched as they went about their business without a single memory of what had just occurred.

  Chapter Fourteen

  What a night. Anna could not believe what all had happened in such a short time. Within a couple of days, her entire life had been turned upside down.

  She slipped her hand into Michael’s as they made their way back to the villa, so that soon after, they found themselves in exactly the same spot as the night before.

  “It is beautiful here,” Anna said, admiring the view of the
house and its surrounding gardens, just as she had done last night.

  Thanks to everything Michael had told her back in her old neighborhood, she had started to feel a bit more positive about the future. Perhaps she had gotten it all wrong; those old regrets were just that: old. They didn’t matter anymore. Now that she had an eternity to look forward to, she could do whatever she liked.

  Michael winked at her. “Race you to the top?”

  Before she had the chance to agree, he was gone already. There was no way she could catch up, but she gave it her all and charged at the tree, climbed up the branches, and jumped up onto the house in record time.

  Once she reached the roof, Anna found that Michael was already waiting for her with the box of cinnamon rolls in his hand. He gestured at her to sit down and opened the box, holding it in her direction.

  She picked up one and inhaled deeply. Of all her old memories, it was this combination of scents which offered the most comfort; these were her guilty pleasure, her one indulgence in an otherwise lackluster existence.

  “You really do love these cinnamon rolls, don’t you?” Michael teased.

  She opened her eyes and smiled. “Just try one. You’ll understand.”

  He didn’t, though, he just kept staring at her. His expression had turned from playful to completely solemn, which suddenly made Anna nervous.

  “I should explain myself,” he said.

  She averted her gaze, letting it rest on Kensington Palace in the distance. This was where things had gotten awkward last night. “Look, if you just want to be friends, that’s fine,” she said.

  Michael rested his hand on her arm. “I promised myself that I would tell you everything if we made it through the night in one piece. Suddenly I’m having trouble finding the right words.”

  Anna put the cinnamon roll back into the box and folded her hands in her lap, waiting for Michael to start talking. Whatever he was trying to say, it seemed important.

  “I have always held the belief that the bond between maker and fledgling is sacred. That it is always meant to be platonic, more like a family relationship than anything else.”