Who in the world would come in here at a time like this? A fae naked on the floor next to an equally naked demon was a sight almost worthy of front-page attention. I couldn’t care less about Dominion’s bogus rules of what races should and shouldn’t be together. But still, a part of me preferred not to be seen in such a vulnerable state.
A tall vampire with bone straight black hair that gracefully swept across the waist of his pants approached us in the dark, his otherworldly handsome face twisted with what looked like absolute horror at the sight of the two of us entangled with one another.
It’s him, the vampire who helped me in the cafeteria!
Pointing a finger at where Broderick laid on the floor, in a hard almost animalistic growl, he said, “Broderick, prepare to die….”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jessica
“Stalking me again, Alexandros? Still haven’t gotten enough of my gorgeous mug?” Broderick teased, rising to his feet. His semi hard cock hanging low in front of me, undeniable evidence of what we’d done.
“I’ll stalk you till your last day, Broderick, maybe even longer than that. After what you’ve done, can you expect any better?” The vampire retorted.
Broderick gave out a sigh. The look on his face was remorseful, almost pleading. While the vampire glowered at him, seconds from lunging for Broderick’s throat.
“It was a hundred years ago, Alexandros. It was another life, another time. I can’t change the past any more than you can.” Broderick said, arms raised as if trying to calm the vampire. “There are hundreds of girls in here pining after you. Could you possibly move on? The darkness you carry will kill you one day, you know?”
“A million girls would be no substitute for her. It’s your fault she’s dead. I lost my mate because of you and now you have the nerve to bed her?” Alexandros roared, pointing a finger at where I still sat on the ground.
Confused, Broderick said, “what does this fae have to do with your dead mate?”
Alexandros turned his head away as if unwilling to answer.
Wait. Broderick killed this vampire’s mate? Vampires and their mate bonds were no joke. Their kind held matehood as the pinnacle of vampiric aspirations. It was said they only had one, and that vampires searched for hundreds of years to find that one person in the world made by the Gods for them and them alone. That if they ever lost their mate the grief would be unbearable, driving even the strongest of vampires to end their own lives.
Fae and most other magical beings had no equivalent, so it would have been impossible for me to understand the true pain this poor man must have felt. How could Broderick have done this to him?
“Looks like you’re not such a good demon after all.” I said, rising to my feet to rest a hand on the bookcase beside me. I then leered at Broderick.
His eyes blew wide at the accusation, and he shook his head.
“Hey, sugar lips. Another life, another Broderick. I’m a nice demon now.”
“You still stink of hell just as you did then.” Alexandros snarled, seeming to strike a nerve in Broderick. They both just stood there, sizing each other up in the dark library. Alexandros’s eyes were now glowing red with anger.
“Now boys, is this any way to behave?” I piped up, trying to defuse the situation as I slipped my clothes back on. “You both weren’t at each other’s throats yesterday when you came to help me in the cafeteria, what’s the deal now?”
“Believe me, had you not been there, I would have torn his throat clean out.” Alexandros said with a threatening snap of his fangs in Broderick’s direction.
“Yeah, I’d like to see you try, vampire.” Broderick swung a fist into the palm of his left hand, a hint of anger rising in his eyes. But instead of charging for Alexandros, Broderick twisted on his heel to glance down at me. A smile graced his handsome cheeks, masking the anger that still knitted his brows.
“You want my protection, Sugar Lips. You’ve got it. Consider this prison your own personal playground and my men at your service.”
Heat radiated in my chest, and my toes danced inside my shoes. I got the demons! Yes! I would find Michael in no time.
“Thanks demon,” I said, shooting him a grin while he frowned down at me. “Okay, look. Call me demon one more time and next time you won’t be able to walk when I’m done with you.”
Alexandros’s face broiled with rage, his lips pursed tighter than a size one dress at Broderick’s flirting. But before he could launch another word, Broderick slipped on his shirt and pants and zipped between the shelves in the opposite direction of where Alexandros stood. After a few seconds the sound of the library door opening and shutting sounded.
Broderick was gone, and Alexandros’s eyes were hard on me now. They were icy and distant yet somehow there seemed to be a million secrets floating just beneath their frigid surface. Who was this gorgeous vampire and what in dominion did he want with me?
In a deep and steady tone, he said, “Jessica, we need to talk.”
***
One down, one to go. Alexandros, as far as vampires went, was not one to take lightly. He was the oldest and most powerful vampire in this prison and had the manpower to go with it. His followers numbered in at a staggering one hundred and fifty bloodthirsty killers. With his followers and Broderick’s on my side, I’d be sitting pretty. No one would dare pick another fight with me. It’d only be a matter of time till I could put my breakout plans into action and moonwalk out the front door with Michael at my side.
Alexandros and I left the library together, at his request that we find somewhere else to talk. Something told me he didn’t like the idea of us hanging out in the same room Broderick and I just had sex in.
I didn’t care where we spoke, as long as I could have a chance at getting his help again. But my reasons for wanting to talk to him went deeper. This vampire was shrouded in mystery. He was the most powerful person I had ever met and something about him just called to me.
Together we went back to the cafeteria where I first met him. Hungry prisoners filled the room to the hilt, along with the noise of their eating and chatting. The cafeteria was wide and open with benches lining the room right up to the serving station.
It was dinnertime and the scent of meatloaf and mashed potatoes hung in the air, along with the scent of several other dishes I couldn’t quite place.
took a seat at the only free bench in the room and he sat down on the opposite of me, his eyes never leaving my face. He didn’t spare a glance at the coven of witches at the table to our right who were chanting some spooky spells over their dinner. Nor did he look over at the swarm of grey skinned gargoyles who sat to our left. They sat, ripping into their steak dinner with such ferocity it was as if they thought the meat would get up and run away if they didn’t attack it fast enough.
The only thing Alexandros was interested in marveling at was me, and he did it with furor. I was used to my fair share of male attention but never quite like this from a complete stranger. Not that I didn’t enjoy being checked out by a mega hot vampire.
For a few long moments I waited for him to speak but he just sat there staring at me as if he were trying to count every hair on my head. The look in his eyes was unreadable, all except for a slight twinkle of sadness that was lost somewhere in the infinite dark.
A slight smile tugged at the edges of his lips as he studied my face. It was weird. It almost seemed like he was happy and sad at the same time.
It was almost intimidating, his power. Just being this close to him made my hair stand on end. It was like a part of me wanted to get up and run from the ancient killing machine in front of me, while another part wanted to fight him, just to see if I could. But the biggest part of me wanted to hug him for some reason that made no sense at all.
“Who are you and when were you born?” He asked plainly, not averting his gaze from mine.
“Excuse me, but the last time I checked it was polite to introduce yourself before asking a stranger for her life’s story?
I suppose you’ll be wanting my panty size next.”
“I am Alexandros of the great and mighty Litian race. First-born son of Vampire King Julius the IV and Queen Titania the spiller of blood.” He said in a monotone voice as if he were reading a McDonalds menu and not declaring himself a member of one of the most powerful monarchs in Dominion. “Now it’s your turn.”
My jaw dropped to the floor. This guy was the Vampire King’s son? Ok, note to self. Do not fucking mention how I ended up in here, or there’s no way he’d help me.
“Okay, well I’m Jessica.”
“I know your first name. You’re all anyone around here talks about.” He declared. “What’s your family name? Date of birth? Place of birth? I must know now!” He bellowed, leaning in as his long nails scraped over the table. The look in his eyes was intense, as if he would attack if I didn’t answer him immediately.
This vampire was nuts. Who did he think he’s threatening here? Whether or not I wanted something from him, I wasn’t about to let someone walk over me like a staircase.
“Listen, Vampy. I don’t know who you think you’re interrogating here. But I won’t be barked at like some little lap dog. Got it?” I rolled my shoulders.
“You know I can just glamour the answers out of you, don’t you, Jessica?” Then I saw a flash of red in his eyes.
He wouldn’t dare. I was having fun before, but now he’s crossed the line. Nobody prods my brain for info.
I rose to my feet, working my way out of the bench. After getting both legs over the seat, I shifted my body readying to walk away.
Without warning he launched from his seat and tore in my direction, a fire of determination burning in his eyes. I wasn’t going anywhere if he had something to say about it. Too bad he didn’t. At least that’s what I thought until he grabbed me by the shoulders.
“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I said, but instead of answering me, he proceeded to force me back toward the nearest wall, passing the coven of witches in the process.
He then hammered my back into the wall and pinned me there with his hands wrapped hard around my upper arms.
Not a single person even spared a glance in our direction. Not surprising. Even if they were inclined to help, nobody wanted to tangle with an ‘A’ class ancient Vampire.
His blood red stare pierced my face like an ice pick, but this time he wasn’t scowling. In fact, he was smiling from ear to ear, but it wasn’t a joyful smile.
It was a kind of unhinged smile, one that said he wasn’t completely in control. It was the kind of smile you’d expect to see grace the face of a psycho killer the moment before he plunged a dagger right through your heart.
There was definitely something unbalanced about the way he looked at me right now. An ancient ‘A’ class killing machine who wasn’t in control of all his faculties? Okay, maybe now I was getting worried.
“Has anyone ever told you, you smell delicious?” He stared down at me hungrily before taking a hard swallow. The eerie way his mouth now stretched into a grin made him look crazier by the second. “Why you almost look good enough to eat.”
His eyes, now crimson, glowed ominously as if there was a fire lit within them. His stare trailed down my body as he devoured me visually. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to look away and failed. I was caught in the vampire’s snare. Not only could I not look away from him, I could barely move an inch under his wicked compulsion.
“I’ve been told, but I don’t think they were talking about my blood,” I said while trying to wriggle my way out his grip to no avail.
“Oh, that can be arranged, sweet Jessica.” He raised a hand to sweep the hair gently out of my face. “I wish to devour every inch of you. From the sweetness of your pussy to the warm saltiness of your blood.”
Damn. Was it bad how much that turned me on? Bat shit crazy or not. This loon was a drop-dead stunner, from the perfect sharp features of his face to the towering form that loomed over me.
“Well, well, aren’t you the fae connoisseur?” A drop of sweat dripped down my forehead as he opened his lips and bared his fangs. They were long, sharp and intimidating, the stuff of your worst nightmares.
“Tell me something, Jessica.” He breathed; his hypnotic gaze locked on mine. “Do you yearn for sweet oblivion like most of your kind?”
I knew what he meant. Scores of people around the world were addicted to vampire blood, but everyone knew it paled in comparison to vampire venom. It was the liquid that came out of their teeth when they bit you. It’s said to cause the purest ecstasy known to magical beings, way better than the strongest orgasm you’d ever had.
“Hmm, I’m a little rusty on my vampire 101 but don’t vampire’s need the love of their mate to generate venom?”
“Smart, smart girl. Care to test your little theory?” The eagerness in his eyes spoke volumes. He was dying to sink his teeth into me and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break his hold and pull myself off the wall. Who the hell was this guy? How was it possible he had such strong power over me.
*Grrrrrrrrr* My belly growled just then, and my cheeks flushed pink. It was an embarrassingly loud reminder that I had eaten very little in almost two days. He was a vampire so, with his keen hearing, I’m sure he heard it.
His eyes slapped down to my belly then back up to my face, the smile draining from his face. Yet somehow it didn’t do much to make him look any less deranged.
Something told me he didn’t like the sound of my belly’s growling one bit.
As if set off by the alarm of my gurgling belly, Alexandros released my arms like a crab opening its pinchers.
What the hell was he up to now?
His gaze then shot from me like a speeding train and his head turned to explore the cafeteria all around us. It was as if he were suddenly hunting for something.
Most of the tables were still full of magical beings chatting and eating dinner. They looked peaceful and happy, but the way Alexandros eyed them told me they wouldn’t be for long. Alexandros stepped away from me to storm off toward the diners.
He was like Godzilla doing a swift rampage through the cafeteria. He ravaged every table in hot pursuit of his prey.
Food went flying, magical beings of all kinds went screaming and running away as fast as they could through the door. All as Alexandros grabbed the food right from their trays, scanned it, and tossed aside whatever dishes he didn’t seem to like. He did, however, gather up the dishes he seemed to like in one big pile on a tray.
Vampires were horrifying enough to most ‘C’ and ‘D’ classes, but a crazed ‘A’ class ancient was the last thing anyone would want to have gawk over them in the middle of dinner let alone steal their food.
In the stampede to get the hell out of Alexandros’s path, meal cards went falling to the floor like pebbles.
Alexandros’ eyes sparkled in glee at the sight of five shiny, new meal cards on the floor. He greedily scooped them all up, turning to abandon the pile of food he’d gathered. He then happily strolled his way to the cashier at the serving station.
With a point of his long finger he chose several dishes from the display, paid for them, piled the dishes onto a tray, and merrily brought them over to the table we’d been sitting at earlier.
He waved for me to come over to him, a smile high on his face. While trying not to pay too much attention to the dozens of magical beings now glowering at us, I joined him at the table.
I did this only because I didn’t want to set him off on another rampage.
The tension I’d felt from him earlier had disappeared. He simply sat opposite of me smiling like a little puppy, delighted to see his owner’s response after he brought them a dead bird as a gift.
Ok, so he definitely had a few screws loose. He was impulsive, moody and possibly the most dangerous man I’d ever met. He seemed to transition from times of relative sanity to total insanity. Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little flattered watching him upend the entire room just
to satisfy my need for food.
“This all for me?” I asked pointing at the food in front of me, and he nodded wordlessly.
He had piled the tray with fried chicken, roasted snake, honey baked armadillo, and a plate filled to the hilt with, OMG! Key lime Pie!
I shot him a satisfied smile before digging my fork into the food like a starving woman. I scarfed down the chicken first, savoring every salty, sweet bite.
I was enjoying the food so much I barely even noticed that Alexandros had gone silent. The look on his face somber as he watched me eat. Was he sad that he could only drink blood and could never eat food like this?
I immediately knew I was wrong the moment he broke his silence by saying, “Please don’t ever leave me again.”
I pause mid-chew, not understanding what he meant. My eyes searched his face for answers. He looked to be on the brink of tears, as if he were mourning something while only a minute ago, he seemed to be celebrating.
“Okay, Vampy, I don’t know what’s going on here, but did you maybe forget to take your medicine?”
“I need you to know that I will always protect you. I never want to lose you again. Do you understand, sweet Jessica?”
“I understand the words you’re saying. What I don’t understand is the reason you are saying them. You’d think we’ve met before or something. And I’d never forget a vamp like you. You’d better fucking believe that!” I said, spooning a piece of key-lime and shoving it passed my lips.
“What’s the endgame here? First you give me the third degree, now you act as if you know me. Do you know me?”
He hesitated for a moment as if a thousand words hung from his lips, a plethora of emotions burning in his eyes all at once.
“Do not ask me such things, Jessica. They will only bring pain to us both. Can we not just move on?”
“Move on? Sure, why not?” I said to his visible pleasure.
I hadn’t the smallest clue what was going on here, but something deep inside of me told me not to push the issue. He’d only just seemed to have regained some semblance of sanity in the last five minutes. The last thing I needed was to send him on another rampage or worse, hurt his feelings.
Escape of the Fae Page 9
