Bloodshed (The BlackGuard Society Book 2)

by SF Benson

  Mother paced the floor in the study. “Morgan, you have done some reckless shit in your life. Getting married without permission—”

  “I don’t need your permission! Have you forgotten how old I am?”

  Her turquoise-colored eyes darkened like a sea right before a storm. “As long as you’re my daughter, you need our consent.” She stopped in front of the fireplace and flexed her fingers. Fire shot from her palm, and the wood ignited. “You knew how Julien felt about the situation. Why couldn’t you wait? Are you pregnant again?”

  It hadn’t escaped me that she swore. My mother just didn’t utter foul language unless she was upset. I hated disappointing her, but I wouldn’t undo what had been done.

  “No, Mother.” I sat on the sofa. “Ace and I love each other. Time won’t erase that.”

  “Do you realize how asinine this will look to the community?”

  Her insistence on doing things to please others was really getting on my last nerve. “Mother, I don’t give two shits about what anyone else thinks. This is my life!”

  She folded her arms and stared down her nose. “You have put me in a precarious spot with your father. If I side with him, I lose you. If I side with you, I’ll have to deal with his wrath. Do you care about that?”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “What do you expect us to do? I’m not divorcing him.”

  Mother drew in a deep breath and then released it ever so slowly. It was like she was trying to force herself to calm down. “I really don’t know. For now, just move out. Keep your distance until I can figure this shit out.”

  Great.

  My life was so fucked up.

  10

  Best Efforts

  Tabitha

  * * *

  I thought I’d ditched Mr. Freakish and the Hardy boys since I hadn’t noticed anyone following me. By the time I reached the Hibernia Tower, I knew I was wrong in my assumption. I felt a presence as soon as I stepped into the elevator. It was like a lingering trace letting me know someone had been there before me. Then I unlocked my apartment door and realized who left the trail. I should have kept walking.

  Standing in my living room were Clint and Colby.

  “Do you two always travel in pairs?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

  Clint ignored my question. “You can’t stay here. Tangling with my father isn’t smart.

  “I’ll take my chances.”

  “He offered you a home. It’s not something he does for just anyone.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks. I have one.”

  Golden Boy’s gaze bounced around my apartment. “You have to be kidding. There’s no way you can stay here.”

  Placing my hands on my hips, I asked, “Why not? It’s comfortable and quiet.”

  Colby laughed and plopped down on my sofa. “Large airy room with huge windows… I bet you get plenty of sunlight during the day.”

  “I do.”

  “She doesn’t get it, man.” Colby called out as Clint walked toward my bedroom.

  I followed behind him.

  Golden Boy stopped at the foot of my bed, shook his head, and said, “It’s a charming place.”

  “Thank you.” I was proud of my home. Working the pole six nights a week helped me afford it. Otherwise, I’d have to share a too-small, too-expensive dump in the Vieux Carré.

  “I should have said this is a perfect spot for humans,” he emphasized. “This doesn’t work for a vampire. Too much light.”

  “I’ve managed just fine.” I rubbed my arm, remembering how the sun seared it the first day. Was sleeping in my closet managing?

  “Clint, maybe we can make it work,” said Colby as he came up behind me. “Maybe if we put up some room-darkening blinds and curtains.”

  Golden Boy smirked and tilted his head. “With windows this large, it’ll be costly.” He glanced at me. “Then again… Maybe if you work the pole some more, you could afford it. You’ll have to buy darkening screens and boards to go over any window not easily covered. Not a major imposition for someone with deep pockets.”

  His sarcasm wasn’t appreciated. I also didn’t care for the slight tremor working through my body. I needed to feed soon.

  “True,” added Colby. “She’ll have to cover the skylights too.” He tapped his chin. “Won’t you need some subtle lighting? I heard regular lighting is terrible on a vamp’s eyes.”

  Clint grinned at the young man. “I didn’t know you knew that.”

  He winked and an amused smile played across Colby’s lips. “There are a lot of things I know.”

  Did they have to flirt in front of me?

  They were making me feel like a third wheel in my own home. When would guys realize it was easier to come out of the closet than try to conduct a secret life?

  Both men faced me. “So…”

  “Look. I understand, but I refuse to live in somebody’s mausoleum,” I protested.

  Colby said, “You haven’t seen his place.”

  “You don’t live with Kragen?”

  Clint merely quirked his finger. “Come with us.”

  * * *

  Golden Boy lived in a ground-floor one-bedroom apartment down on Marais Street. The unit’s rectangular windows were narrow and high up on a wall. He pulled the heavy drapes, effectively blocking out the fading daylight. With the dim lamps, the space felt more like a cave or a shoe box. It wasn’t a place I wanted to call home, even temporarily.

  Images of a wide-open coffin sitting on a pedestal in the bedroom crossed my mind. I was well aware that vampires were undead, but that didn’t mean I was comfortable with the idea of sleeping in a casket. It was creepy and totally unnatural.

  As if being a vampire was natural…

  “I refuse to get inside a coffin. There’s no way you can make me do it either.” I folded my jittery arms and sat on the black leather sofa.

  It had been a while since my last feeding, and the twitching had intensified. As soon as I could ditch my babysitters, I’d prowl the Vieux Carré and then find Alexander.

  Clint and Colby took a seat on either side of me.

  “I don’t sleep in a coffin,” said Clint. “There’s a king-sized bed in the bedroom. You’re welcome to use it.”

  My eyes bounced from one guy to the next. “Uh… Where do you plan on sleeping tonight?”

  “Colby and I will either go back to my father’s house…”

  “Or we can go to my stepfather’s apartment,” said Colby.

  Good, because I wasn’t about to do a threesome. The way Clint kept checking me out made me nervous. Any move he made, I suspected Colby would mimic it just so he wouldn’t be left out. I didn’t relish the idea of being a prize for bisexual men.

  Just when I thought things might get worst, Alexander spoke. “There you are, beloved. Stay put. I’ll find you once you’re alone.”

  Colby jumped to his feet. “I got to hit the head.”

  “You know where it is,” said Clint with his eyes still locked on me.

  A sullen look crossed Colby’s face. He muttered something under his breath and then stalked from the room.

  Uh-oh. Tension in paradise.

  Anyone with eyes could see how jealous Colby was getting. Well…almost anyone. Kragen’s son missed it entirely.

  A door closed in the distance, and then Clint said, “Let’s find out how much of a vampire you are. Can you hear my thoughts?”

  Hear his thoughts?

  I leaned away from him. “I don’t think so.”

  “You probably haven’t tried it yet. It’s easy. All you have to do is concentrate and look into my eyes.”

  So I did.

  Soon, a subtle whisper entered my head.

  You’re exquisite, he thought. You remind me of a goddess.

  Fuck!

  He just confirmed what I was thinking, but since he was available… Maybe he could tell me what I looked like at the moment.

  “What do I look like? I haven’t seen myself since this whole vampire thing
happened.”

  Once again, Golden Boy’s thoughts came in loud and too clear.

  Your skin is softly tanned. He touched my hair. I like the blonde-streaked curls, but you need to feed. He rubbed a finger beneath my eye. Shadows are setting in. The best way to appear more human is to never be hungry. You’re too beautiful to look deadly.

  I shuddered. Eavesdropping on someone’s thoughts was another creepy vampire trait I could have done without. It was too intrusive. Not only did I hear what was running through Clint’s mind. I also picked up on his robust interests. Even worst? The blood rushing to his dick, sounding like water racing down a drain, made my fangs itch.

  Calm down, I told myself. How to distract him? Ask about his so-called friend. “Aren’t you with Colby?”

  We’re friends for now, Clint clarified. It’s nothing serious.

  Nothing to freak out about. I’d been a dancer. Plenty of men got hard-ons watching me move. Why should Golden Boy be any different?

  “Come with me,” he finally said out loud.

  I followed him into his tiny kitchen. He opened a cabinet over a sink and pulled out a bottle of wine and a glass. When he uncorked it, the most delightful ambrosia—hints of orange, peaches, and coconut—hit my nose. There was an underlying hint of blood. My mouth watered as he poured the fluid into a goblet.

  “Try this.”

  I snatched it and eagerly drank it down. “What was that? It wasn’t Crimson Ridge.” What I just guzzled was smooth and light, not like the viscous beverage Alexander gave me at the Bloody Bastard.

  “No, it’s not. It’s a special brew from my father’s cellar. Kragen has it imported from Spain.” He took the glass from me and refilled it. “Learn to sip it. The only way to fight the lust is to not give into it.”

  Golden Boy passed me the glass. That time I slowly savored the drink, and the tremors subsided. Instead of filling unsatisfied by the small portion, I felt reinvigorated.

  Clint pushed the hair off my face, and I got a good view of the man. With tousled dirty-blond hair, a scruffy face, and grayish eyes, he had the rugged appeal of a sexy cowboy. Alexander was far more handsome, but Clint wasn’t hard on the eyes.

  A voice cleared behind us. “What’s going on here?”

  “Nothing to worry about,” Clint said over his shoulder. “Tabitha needed to feed. I just happen to have a bottle.”

  “Can we talk?” Colby’s heart skipped a beat. “In the bedroom?”

  I heard the slight whimper in his voice. Golden Boy was a fool if he didn’t see how much that guy was into him.

  Clint nodded and followed his friend out of the room. I took the bottled blood into the living room and curled up on the sofa. Closing my eyes, I listened to the men argue.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Colby asked. “I thought we were going to stay here.”

  “We’ll stay at my father’s. No big deal.”

  “You know he doesn’t approve—”

  “I don’t care. If I want you in my bed, it’ll happen,” said Clint.

  “Is that what you want?”

  “Look, I thought we were taking it slow.” Clint’s voice changed. “Come on, man. You can see she’s beautiful. You’re interested in her, right?”

  “Fuck yeah. She’s gorgeous, but—”

  “But nothing. Just play along, man. We’ll have some fun with her. Later, you and I can have our own fun.”

  Like hell they were. Sorry Cowboy, I don’t roll that way.

  I guzzled down the rest of the blood in my glass and tiptoed to the door.

  Alexander’s voice returned. “Good job, beloved. Meet me outside of Club Sensualle.”

  When I reached the sidewalk, it took me a moment to get my bearings. The sun had gone down, and everything looked different. After surveying the area, I realized I was north of Louis Armstrong Park. Ordinarily the trip to the club would take at least thirty minutes on foot. Then I remembered my little advantage. Vampires didn’t travel at normal speed. Within seconds, I rushed past the park and onto North Rampart. Noises and smells blurred by as I moved closer to Bourbon Street. I was traveling so fast I almost overshot my destination.

  It was busier than usual for a weeknight, but tourists didn’t pay attention to what day it was. There was a mile-long line outside the building, and Jerome was doing his best to hold back the crowd. Standing beneath the streetlamp, just beyond the door, was Alexander. The ultra-fine vampire was dressed in a black suit with a matching shirt and tie. As he approached, he smiled broadly and revealed his fangs.

  “Evening, cher.”

  “Evening yourself.”

  Our eyes met, and he said, “You’ve fed. Good. We can have some fun now.”

  Why does everyone associate fun with me?

  “Who else?” Alexander’s face darkened as he read my thoughts. “The little prick of a dhampir finds you interesting. Did you tell him he can’t have you?”

  “I didn’t have to. I left the scene.”

  “Good girl. I have plans for Kragen’s son. For now, I want you all to myself.”

  * * *

  Once again, we ended up at the Bloody Bastard. Probably not the best place to go with the BlackGuard Society searching for us. But I was too horny to care.

  Alexander slapped my bare ass and kept thrusting while fingering my clit. “Stop thinking.”

  I tried hard to relax, but I kept wondering if someone would come in on us.

  He pulled out and roughly flipped me onto my back. “Open your mouth.”

  “Huh?”

  “If my dick is down your throat, you’ll only think about me.”

  “Oh.” I wasn’t a fan of blow jobs, especially since his penis had been in every other hole on my body.

  He growled and walked away, his stiff cock bobbing as he moved.

  I pushed up onto my elbows. “What’s wrong?”

  “When we’re together, I need you to be completely with me.” His eyes turned black as he sat on a chair and began stroking himself. “Get over here and finish what you started. Then we’ll talk.”

  There was nothing sexy about his tone of voice. I felt like I’d just been chastised. I stood, went over to him, and dropped to my knees.

  Alexander held his dick as if he was offering me a stick of candy. “Open.”

  I did as he requested, and he shoved it in. Like I said, absolutely nothing sexy about that encounter.

  After I sucked him off, I sat back on my heels and stared up at Alexander.

  “What was that about?”

  He grinned. “You took care of my needs.”

  “I’d prefer not doing it that way.” I rose to my feet and sat on the edge of the bed. “That was more like the master telling his slave what to do.”

  Alexander exhaled and stretched. The male had no problem being nude. I, on the hand, preferred to cover up when I wasn’t on stage. Yeah, I had my quirks.

  “Listen, your thoughts were messing with my pleasure. I prefer not being bombarded by worries when my dick is in you.”

  For the first time since our meeting in the alley, I thought of him as an asshole. I hoped he heard me.

  “I did, and it’s not appreciated.”

  “Why is it you can hear my thoughts, and I can’t hear yours?”

  “Simple. You’re still learning what you can and can’t do. Plus, I never relinquish the hold on my mind.”

  I pulled the blanket a little tighter around my shoulders. “What does that mean?”

  His eyes narrowed. “It means I place an impenetrable wall around my thoughts. No one can know what I’m thinking unless I want them to.” Alexander gestured for me to lie down. “If you’re done with your questions, spread your legs.”

  “I don’t think so,” I said as I picked up my clothing. “I’m no longer interested.”

  “Really? Your body tells me something else.”

  It didn’t matter what signals I gave off. I was no longer interested in someone who treated me like a slave—or a pet.
<
br />   Putting on my shoes, I said, “Maybe you’re reading things wrong.”

  “You’ll be back,” the vampire said with too much confidence. “I know exactly what you need. Nobody else can give you what I can.”

  Like I said earlier that night, “I’ll take my chances.”

  I walked out of the VIP suite and down the stairs. The street outside the bar was full of tourists, but I could feel Alexander’s presence behind me. He wanted me to turn around and tell him I was sorry.

  Not happening.

  Rather than go back, I shook my head and slipped through the crowd. After everything I’d been through, I had a desperate need to simply disappear and forget. Maybe I’d better find out where to pick up my own bottled blood before hiding out in my closet for the night.

  11

  A Cozy Prison

  Morgan

  * * *

  Although there was a fabulous house almost ready for us to move into, the one-bedroom at The Pythian would always feel like home. The downtown apartment with its exposed brick walls, leather furnishings, and wooden accents was simplistic and cozy. Since Ace and I had picked it out together, I saw it as a testament to our love and a place to escape from the world. I plopped down on the sofa and realized my sanctuary had inadvertently become our prison.

  “Dawlin’, this isn’t a setback.” He sat beside me. “It’s more like a time out.”

  I side-glanced at him. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Hear me out. Ya were worried about having to tell ya folks. Well, now they know. It gives us a chance to think about us for a change.”

  “I’ve always thought about us.” Every minute of every day I thought of almost nothing else.

  Will Father ever accept our love?

  Will there ever be a happy family dinner?

  My parents hated my husband, and they weren’t too thrilled about my son.

  Ace grasped my hand. “That’s what I’m talking about, Morgan. Thanks to Deianira and Julien ya have never been able to just enjoy being with me. Ya were always worried about being discovered. It was bad enough we married in secret.”