The Vampire's Prey

by Vivian Murdoch

  The Vampire’s Prey

  Vivian Murdoch

  Contents

  The Vampire’s Prey

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Epilogue

  Want More Midnight Doms?

  About the Author

  Other books by Vivian Murdoch

  The Vampire’s Prey

  Evangeline

  Two rules of The Family: 1. Pray without ceasing. 2. Guard your heart.

  The moment I stepped foot into Club Toxic, I knew I would be put to the test.

  What I didn’t know was that I would have my own personal tormentor sent straight from the depths of hell.

  I try to run from him. I try to hide who I really am. Every step I take, he’s right there with me.

  How can I escape him and fulfill my mission?

  My mind and heart are split into two, and there’s no one here to help me gather the pieces.

  Forgive me, Father, for I’m about to sin.

  Adrian

  She's immune to my charms--the lovely mortal with hair like spun sunshine and blue eyes that pierce what’s left of my soul.

  She takes my breath away, so unlike any human I’ve encountered before.

  There’s a wall there that I can’t push through. She’s hiding something--I feel it in my entire being

  No matter, she’ll soon succumb to my will.

  It’s just a matter of time before I show her who’s boss.

  Once she’s in my clutches, she’ll have no choice but to submit to me.

  Dedication

  I want to personally thank the awesome members of my kink community. You were always there to let me bounce ideas off you. Specifically, I really want to thank Huxxley. You made this book what it is today. Thank you for all the hours you spent with me, showing me ties, answering my questions, demonstrating various ways to create sensations with knives. You are an awesome rigger and amazing friend.

  To my readers. I sincerely hope you love Adrian and Evangeline as much as I do. Thank you for your ongoing support, funny memes, check ins, and, well, just being you.

  Chapter 1

  Evangeline

  Energy thrums through my body in time with the beat of the music pouring from Club Toxic. It gives me a nervous energy that just doesn’t seem to want to quit. My fingers inch up towards my mouth, but I force them down, knowing that gnawing them to bits will mess up my makeup. Groaning, I take in my reflection in the club’s darkened windows. Thank God, Father can’t see me looking like this. I feel so self-conscious as I tug my shorts down a little bit. I turn around to look at my ass. Thankfully, not as exposed as I thought. I can handle many things but not my ass cheeks hanging out for all to see. I glance at my phone one more time, the compulsive need making me pull up Father’s name and check for more messages. Nothing new pops up, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Pocketing my tethering device, I smooth down my outfit and take some fortifying breaths.

  First day on the job and fuck if I’m not ready. I gently rub my eyes to alleviate the itch of these damned contacts as I wait for Barbara. Honestly, I should be grateful that she’s helping me get a job, but then, it’s not like I actually want to be here in the first place.

  Lectures and scriptures flow through my brain as I stare at my reflection. Father’s voice is there, an incessant white noise in my head that won’t shut up. It never shuts up. Closing my eyes, I try to ground myself, to go to that place where nothing can touch me, not even him. Slowly, the noise fades to a mild hum. Still there, but enough to finally ignore. That tight band around my heart begins to ease open.

  “Looking hot, momma!”

  A shock of panic flows through my body and takes over my normal reflexes. Without thinking, my body crouches down, and I start to extend my leg. It takes a second, but my mind and body finally catch up with me, and I realize it’s Barbara behind me. At the last second, I pull my leg back and keep from knocking her legs out from under her.

  “Whoah!” She pulls back and looks at me, her eyes widening. “Sorry girl! Didn’t mean to scare you.”

  In one fluid movement, I pull myself back up and brush off. “Bad neighborhood,” the lie trips easily off my lips “You ready?” Looking her up and down, I wonder if I look just as ridiculous as she does in those short shorts, but it’s now or never. I can’t keep standing out here worrying over my outfit when I have a job to do. Taking a fortifying breath, I walk up to the tall, muscly bouncer at the entrance.

  I’ve seen hot guys before, but damn, he has muscles on his muscles. Swallowing, I try to keep my gaze focused on his face and not on his rippling biceps. He’s a bit too muscly for me, but I can for sure appreciate the work he’s put in to make himself look like a god. Even as those thoughts go through my head, they’re followed up with a stab of guilt. Head out of the gutter, Evie. Nothing good comes from those thoughts.

  “Hi hottie!” Barbara chirps, not even a bit fazed by Hercules over here. “She’s with me.” Turning to wink at me, she places her hand on his bulging arm. “Hopefully we can convince her to work with us. You’ll help me, won’t you big guy?”

  The behemoth looks me up and down and grunts before opening the door. Clunky movements. Most likely not a bloodsucker. I do file him away for future reference but don’t give him much more of a thought. There are bigger fish to fry than a linebacker on steroids. Cute as he may be, he’s not why I’m here

  “Don’t worry girl. They’re going to love you!”

  A smirk tilts the corner of my mouth. If this clueless human is picking up on my discomfort, then I need to really up my game. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath to calm and center my thoughts. I can’t afford to tip my hand this early in the game. However, if the owners working here are anything like Barbara, then they’re going to be pushovers. I draw on all my training and prepare for the battle to come. This is my first mission, but I have to succeed. Father’s approval depends on it. My status with The Family depends on it. Hell, I’m not so dense as to not know my own self esteem depends on it.

  The music is even louder as I ease my way inside. Eyes peeled, I search out every face I can, trying to commit them to memory. Who knows when I will need to recall them. Barbara keeps tugging on my arm, pulling me deeper and deeper into the crowd. But that’s just fine with me. If I pause for a moment, there will be plenty of time to scope out the place when I get this job. It’s better to start out acting eager to work than to draw any suspicion towards me.

  Hot, sweaty bodies twist and writhe to the music, filling in every space I try to walk. It feels like we’re fighting a rising tide as we worm our way through the crowd and towards the upstairs office. The heat coming off the bodies is intense, as is the music. I pull myself inward to keep contact to a minimum, but even then, an arm or ass brushes up against me. As we reach the stairs, the crowd thins out, allowing me to catch a breath that’s not tainted with the grime of lust.

  “Is it always this crowded?”

  Looking down at me, Barbara frowns for a moment then looks out over the people. “I guess it is. I just don’t notice it that much anymore. The longer you work here, the easier people become. Unless you’re claustrophobic. Most days aren’t like this though. But be grateful. That’s why we need an extra hand. No customers means you’re not needed here.”

  Nodding, I follow her in
to the upper offices. Compared to the feel of the club, it’s damn near tranquil up here. Too bad I can’t keep an eye from up here. I’d change my job description in a hurry! Looking around, I keep my senses keen, trying to find anything that seems off. Maybe there are no vampires here. There certainly don’t seem to be any coffins lying about. The quicker I get my intel, the quicker I can get back home where I belong. Where I’m safe and needed.

  “Knock, knock, Theophilus! This is the girl I told you about!”

  Barbara’s hand squeezes my arm as she slides by me. Smiling back at her, I attempt to portray the response of a friend and not an actual stranger who doesn’t like to be to be touched. Her huge grin back tells me I succeeded.

  “Good luck!”

  Don’t need it. I’ve got this in the bag. “Thanks doll!” I guess that’s a good, normal response? Mentally shrugging, I let it go and turn my attention to the next hurdle.

  The man before me is impressive enough. I lower my eyes and study him through my half-closed lids. His movements seem normal enough. Not quite as stilted as his body frame suggests but not completely out of the realm of possibility. However, when he rises up to greet me. Bingo. Found one in the wild. His movements are lithe, like a jungle cat. Too sinuous for his frame and build.

  “Barbara said you’re looking for a job?”

  I plaster on my winning smile. “That’s right, sir,” I add for extra measure. Men love being called sir. It makes them feel virile and potent. I have no problem playing on that weakness. Deep down, all men are that shallow; all men have this hubris.

  He raises his eyebrow and stares me down. “What do you know about bartending?”

  “I’ve watched Cocktail about 20 times. Does that count?” My smile widens even further. I even bat my eyelashes a bit, every inch of me playing the tart. My stomach squirms and clenches. It’s okay. You’re just getting your foot in the door. You’re not actually a whore. You’ve been trained for this very reason. Father won’t think less of you.

  His eyes narrow. “I have neither the time nor patience. If you truly want the job, you’ll just answer my question without being cheeky.”

  Hmmm. So, either no nonsense, or I’m completely barking up the wrong tree. No biggie. React, adapt, re-react. Just because I read him wrong doesn’t mean I still can’t salvage this. Men run within a few gamuts with only a few of them actually being outliers. So far, nothing about this...man...tells me he is anything outside of those quadrants.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just nervous—I just really need this job.”

  He sighs and rubs a hand over his face. “Fair enough. But I do need to know if you have actual experience.”

  Yes! Pausing, I allow myself a brief moment of gloating before turning back to business at hand. Anyone who thinks men are complicated are seriously not even trying. A small niggle of guilt wiggles about in my brain. If Father knew I manipulated him to get this job…I cut that line of thinking at its source. He wouldn’t have let me go if he suspected I had ulterior motives. My behavior is sinful and shameful, but I’m here now. Time to prove my worth.

  “Of course! I wouldn’t have come here otherwise. I may not know every drink there is, but I know the basics and can read a recipe.”

  I hold my breath. This is the moment of truth. If I don’t get a job, then I will have to come up with another strategy. At this point, failure is not an option. Given our interactions so far, I’m pretty sure it’s in the bag. However, he could still be an outlier. They usually pop up when you least want it.

  “Can you start tonight?”

  Another typical male for the win! It takes every ounce of willpower not to pump my fist cheer over my prowess.

  “I do believe I dressed for the occasion.”

  I give a slight twirl, letting him have a full view of all my assets.

  “So it would seem. They’re a little tight on you, aren’t they?”

  I pause and run my hands over my breasts and ass. I feel filthy resorting to this level, but just in case he’s Mr. No Nonsense and not Mr. Batting For The Other Team, I want to sell myself as not only a potential valuable employee but also a tasty morsel. Sometimes, one has to rely on their bodies to get them out of jams. It’s honestly easier to demonstrate lowered standards at the beginning. It’s so much more believable that way. I just hope Father is pleased with my performance and won’t berate me for tempting another with my wiles of the flesh.

  “I had to borrow some from Barbara. It seems I’m a bit curvier than she is.” I lean forward and lower my lashes. “But if it keeps the drinks flowing, who’s to complain?”

  “Fair point. This is just a trial run. If I get any complaints, I can have you escorted out. License please.”

  “Understood.” I reach into the low-cut blouse to pull out my information and lay it out on the table.

  He picks it up and stares for a long time, his gaze going from my face to the ID. I force my breath to remain even and send my brain into Safe Space where the nervousness cannot come to the surface. This I’ve practiced with Father. I have come too far to mess things up now. Just one more hurdle. One more, and I’m home free.

  “Your eyes are different.”

  “Well of course they are,” I force myself to laugh. “The goal is to entertain the guests and make money. I can’t do that with shit-brown eyes. These blue novelty lenses allow me to have an air of mystique about me. I must be alluring to snare my prey from the other bartenders.”

  He simply stares at me for a moment. It feels like he’s weighing my words, but I have no idea against what.

  “Mississippi is a long way from here. What brings you out to Tucson?”

  “The cacti?”

  He gives me another look. Raising my hands in surrender, I give a sigh.

  “Parents. Okay? I’m trying to get as far away from them as I can. Surely you can appreciate that. I mean, you work at a bar. This basically screams rebel.”

  He raises his eyebrow at my assessment but chooses to not comment. “There are places other than Tucson.”

  “True. And for all I know, this could just be a stopping point. Thing is, whether I’m here for one month or one year, a girl has to eat.”

  My breath catches in my throat as he walks closer to me. Even breathing. Even breathing.

  “Tell me.” He stares me down, his eyes never leaving mine. “What are you really doing here? What do you want with Club Toxic?”

  I feel it then. That slight pressure. That demand for entrance. Confirmed. I widen my eyes just slightly before lowering my gaze to the floor in false deference. When I look back up, I stare him down just as hard as he does me. “I’m here to find work and support myself until I decide to either stay or move on to the next state.”

  He nods and hands me back my license. “Trial run. Go see Green to get you started.”

  “Yes sir, Mr. Theophilus sir!”

  I don’t wait for a reaction. Smirking, I turn around and head back down the way I came. Like candy from a baby.

  Adrian

  I am ravenous. This evening has already started off hectic. Add that to the other weeks where I’ve been swamped plus add in the complete lack of compatible prey, and you have a mix for an irritated, horny, hungry vampire. Maybe tonight will be different. Most of the women coming around seemed more concerned with the flavor of their drink than the issues of today.

  Normally that is okay; however, I am a man who craves a well-formed mind as well as a well-formed ass. And lately, it’s been only the latter. It seems like most men can separate the two; however, I can only go so long before I break down and crave an actual intellectual connection. It also doesn’t help that many women get the wrong idea about me and my…. proclivities. Truth be told, most nights, I don’t even try. I either get what I need from a willing woman or get it on tap. Thank Fates for blood on tap.

  The air is thick with the smell of excited humans. Cattle, one and all. I’ve never liked the press of people or thronging crowds, even when I was mortal. So
me things never change. I tip my nose in the air, scenting it as much as I dare. So many smells assault me, but not the one I’m looking for.

  Desperation has its own unique scent to me, and I’m repulsed by it. That’s what I usually smell when I come to Club Toxic. Desperation and lust. Sometimes, there’s a waft of curiosity, and that’s usually what piques my interest. Not tonight though.

  Nodding at tonight’s bouncer, I make my way inside and immediately head to one of the back booths. Since no one here is piquing my interest yet, I sit down and pull out some work from my side job.

  “You’re going to get wrinkles if you keep concentrating like that.”

  Barbara. Her scent wafts over to me even before she speaks. Hers isn’t as repulsive as the others, but it doesn’t draw me in either. Trying to make nice, I smile up at her and slide my phone to the edge of the table where she can see it. Now, it’s her turn. Almost instantly, small wrinkles line her forehead. It would be cute if I had any feelings towards her, but unfortunately, she’s just one more human. Nothing special.

  “Well? Am I forgiven for my concentration?”

  She slides the phone back towards me before tucking an errant brown curl behind her ear. “That’s what you sit here and stare at all night? Dude, you’re in a bar! Get a drink or a chick. Hell, what I am saying is freaking get laid!” She bats her eyelashes and leans in closer, her tight nipples brushing against my arm. “What do you say professor, you could have me. And, you don’t even have to buy me a drink first. I can make my own.”