All Souls’ Night: A Midnight Doms Boxset

by Renee Rose

  The front door is locked, but it’s not a barrier for a vampire. However, not having an invitation is. We’re going to have to lure them out.

  I peer through the window. Two men sit in the living room, watching television. I recognize the slimy blond from the bar earlier this week.

  I knock on the door. “Pizza.”

  Liam grins as I join him around the corner in front of the garage, ducking out of sight.

  The door creaks on its hinges. “I didn’t order any fucking pizza.”

  A voice further away says, “Give him money anyway. Big Tony’s going to be hungry after working over that redhead.”

  Footsteps thump onto the porch. “God damn kids playin—”

  I blur toward the slimy blond and snatch him from the front stoop, dragging him back to Liam. I see red. I can smell gunpowder and Zoe on him. I flash my fangs as I hoist him up against the garage door and he dangles from my hands.

  “Phil?”

  Liam hisses, and dashes to the man who stepped onto the front porch. His hand over his victim’s mouth, he holds him against the wall. “We can’t do this here.”

  I nod. “The state park.”

  We blur through the neighborhood into the barren foothills, away from prying eyes and any possible witnesses.

  The stench of urine assaults my sensitive nose and I frown at the pathetic piece of shit in my grasp. “What do y-you want?” A dark stain colors the front of his beige slacks.

  “This is for Zoe. She might want to do this herself when she wakes up, but…” I shrug. “I need this.”

  “Sh-she’s not dead?” Phil’s face loses all color.

  Fisting his silk shirt, I drag his face to mine and bare my fangs. “No, she’s not, motherfucker. But you are.” I grab a fistful of hair, and rip his head from his shoulders. Blood sprays everywhere.

  I keep my mouth closed, not wanting any part of him in me, and drop his body.

  The human Liam grabbed runs, screaming.

  Liam cocks an eyebrow. “Well, that’s one way to do it.” He blurs after the dead man walking and takes him down. The bushes rustle, and the man’s screams end with a sickening gurgle. Liam drags the man back and dumps him next to Phil’s headless body.

  “I need a bag.” I hold up Phil’s head. “I’m taking it to Zoe.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Liam’s mouth hangs open.

  I shake my head.

  He scoffs. “Nothing says love like a bloody head in a bag.”

  I shoot him a glare.

  Liam shrugs. “Whatever, man. Go home to your woman. I got this.”

  Now that I’ve had my vengeance, I don’t feel quite comfortable dumping this on Liam. “Are you sure?”

  He chuckles. “Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll take it out of your ass later. Go on. Get outta here.”

  “Okay.” I had hoped a weight would be lifted when I killed Phil, but it’s only heavier. I blur back through the neighborhood to the house, which is now empty. I check the back door. It’s open, and I test the threshold. My foot easily crosses the doorway. With the owner dead, I no longer need an invite. I grab a trash bag from under the kitchen sink, stuff the fucker’s head inside, and casually make my way to the truck.

  The block is quiet this late at night. The coast is clear.

  Jumping into the truck, I toss the bag to the floor, and crank the engine and quietly navigate out of the area and toward home. Zoe isn’t out of the woods yet. She still might not survive the transition.

  As I pull up my drive, Roxy exits the house and waits on the front walk. “Were you successful?”

  I nod and grab the bag from the front seat. “I was. How is she?”

  Roxy shrugs. “Well, I’ve cleaned her up and her wounds are all healed, so that’s a good sign.” She nods toward the bag, which has a bloody ear pressing against the side of it. “Uh, that’s some present.” She waves over her shoulder as she swaggers to her car. “Let me know if she needs anything.”

  I return the wave as she pulls out of the driveway. I owe her, too.

  I blur through my front door. My heart stops when I see Zoe on the couch. She’s dressed in one of my shirts. I kick the door shut and drop the bag, rushing to her side. My sweet, sweet Zoe. The gray pallor of death colors her beautiful face, and I clench my jaw. She has to survive the transformation. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her.

  Picking her up, I cross to the hidden entrance of my crypt and go downstairs.

  The stone room is cool and bare. I have my single coffin and little else, save for the table next to it for my cell phone. Lifting the lid, I lay Zoe down on the cushion and brush her damp hair from her face.

  I press a kiss to her mouth and place a blanket over her body. She won’t feel the cold, but I suddenly feel helpless. There’s nothing else I can do to help her through the process but wait.

  I leave the lid open because I don’t want her waking up and being frightened. My heart races as I try to focus on anything but the fact that she still might not make it through the night.

  I access the vampiric network and place an order for a double coffin so we can rest during the daylight hours together. She might hate me when she wakes up, but she can’t survive without my blood for the first few years. That, at least, gives me time to win her heart and soul. And I will, if it’s the last thing I do.

  Chapter 10

  Where the hell am I? I sit up quickly, feeling far too good to be true. I must have died. The last thing I remember is being shot by Phil and everything fading to black, like in a horror flick. No way would I wake up feeling better than I ever have before in my life. Well, except for this blinding hunger.

  The second I acknowledge the hunger, I’m oblivious to anything else, and leap into the air. The scent of decadent dark chocolate feeds my senses, and I make a beeline right for the source.

  The only thought running through my head is to drink as much of it as I can. I tackle someone, and my teeth sink into the object of my hunger. The taste of wine and dark chocolate hit my tongue, and I am gulping mouthfuls as fast as possible. My nails slice into bulging shoulder muscles to keep my prey locked in my grip.

  An eternity of bliss passes before I am wrenched away from my paradise.

  Armando holds my hands in a tight grip. “That’s enough, mi cielito.”

  “Armando!” I throw my arms around him, so happy to see him… but that delectable chocolatey aroma seizes me again, and I’m sinking my teeth into his succulent neck.

  “Zoe, stop.” He’s gripped my shoulders and is glaring at me.

  I cover my mouth in horror. “Oh, my God! What’s happened to me?”

  “Listen, mi cielito. You’re a vampire now. You understand?”

  “What the actual fuck?” I want to rip his throat out for lying to me. Of all the stupid things he could have said, this never crossed my mind. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “It’s the truth, love. I know this is difficult to believe, but vampires are real. I am one.” He bares his fangs.

  I can hardly believe what I’m seeing, and I run one finger down the sharp, elongated tooth.

  Tilting my head, I peer into his partially open mouth. But up this close his sultry scent overwhelms me, and I wrap around him like a limpet, my mouth on his neck. My eyes roll to the back of my head, and the hunger that hadn’t truly gone away abates a fraction.

  Armando pulls me off him. I snarl, and red liquid flies between us. My gaze is glued to the blood pouring from the wound in his neck.

  My stomach is churning, and my hand flies to my mouth. “It’s true. Oh, God. Why? How?”

  “Karina called me last night and told me where to find you. What I want to know is why the hell you left me?”

  My mouth drops open for a second before I snap it closed. A thousand things fight for attention in my brain. The one that wins blurts out of my mouth. “Wait. You’re a vampire? Why didn’t you tell me? And am I a vampire because I had sex with you, then died when Phil sho
t me?”

  Armando’s jaw ticks as he clenches it. “I am your sire, but it doesn’t work like you described. Before we go further, I need to set a few ground rules. You will not leave the house without me. You’re dangerous right now, and could go on a killing spree if I’m not monitoring you. Second, for the foreseeable future, you need to feed directly from me. As I’m your sire, you need my blood to survive. If you don’t drink from me, you risk going feral.”

  I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. “Well, I’ve got news for you, buddy. You don’t get to lie to me and then start bossing me around.”

  He’s in my face so fast, I never saw him move. “I am not a liar. I kept what I am from you because I didn’t want you to refuse me. You belong to me, mi cielito. I…” His dark brown eyes search my face, but the anger melts and his shoulders deflate. He sighs, defeated. “I cannot watch you be with someone else, so if you left because you are tired of me… then I will let you go once you’re stable.”

  The green-eyed monster is clouding his judgement. That is the last thing on my mind right now, especially given the fact that I’ve been turned into a blood sucking creature of the night.

  But the pain in his eyes slices me deeper than this damned hunger. “It’s funny, I never pictured you as the jealous type.”

  That fire flares in his gaze, and he pulls me into his arms. “I’m not the jealous type. What’s mine is mine. End of story.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Sí. But I will never force you to stay if you don’t feel the same way. I love you too much for that.”

  My throat tightens and my vision blurs from the tears. “Oh, Armando. I love you, too. But this is so much to take in right now. I feel like the world tilted on its axis, or maybe I’m in a coma and I’m dreaming all this.”

  He claims my mouth in a kiss that burns all the way to my toes. If this is my imagination, I never want to wake up. Arousal has never held this much of an edge for me.

  Every cell in my body is attuned to Armando. The slightest brush of his breath across my cheek, and I shudder. His hands on my hips might as well be on my breast or clit. Both pulse with desire, pushing me up the mountain. I want nothing more than to jump off the cliff when I reach the top.

  When his tongue sweeps into my mouth, my mind fractures, and I am torn between wanting more of his blood and needing his cock inside me. Thank God I’m too consumed to be disgusted with my new urges.

  I didn’t think Zoe could be any more attractive, but I was so fucking wrong. As a vampire, she is beyond stunning. I couldn’t have dreamt her perfection in my wildest imagination.

  “Trust me, mi cielito. You’re very much awake. Before the sun set, you were in a coma-like state, but once dusk came, you were released from the sun’s hold on you.”

  Her fingernails dig into my back, drawing blood as she arches into me. She snarls but licks her lower lip with her eyes glued to my mouth. “I have so many questions, like how vampires go into a coma during the day, but I can’t focus on anything with the battle raging in my head.”

  I want to take her into my arms and lose myself in her body. She will relish fucking and feeding. I almost give in, but I need to maintain control, so she knows who’s in charge. The risk of her doing something she will regret, or going insane, is too great.

  “Some very old vampires can stay awake during daylight hours, but most don’t bother fighting it. It will be a long time before you get there. I need you to set aside the questions and tell me how much you hate me.”

  Her stunning hazel eyes regard me closely. I can only imagine how heightened her senses are, how distracting, and how they emphasize her desires. I have no doubt she is consumed with every kind of lust a vampire experiences, just as I was when I turned. I’m tempted to forget my need to know how she’s feeling, and give her what she wants.

  This woman consumes me. I don’t want one more fuck from her. I want her body, heart and soul. I can’t live without her. She already owns me completely.

  “There’s so much going on inside me and it’s hard to tell up from down, but I don’t hate you. I’ve loved you for months. It’s crazy, but I have ever since the first time I laid eyes on you.” Her eyes widen and her face pales. “Karina! Oh my God, I need to call her and make sure Phil didn’t get to her.”

  I cup my hands around her face, my heart leaping at my opportunity. This should win me a few points. “Phil didn’t get to her at all. I made sure of that.”

  I kiss her brow and blur to the hall outside my crypt, where I grab the trash bag. I’d stowed it outside, so the scent of blood didn’t mess with her. Back at her side, I lift it up and shake it once.

  Her eyes narrow. “What did you do?”

  “I killed him for hurting you. You don’t have to run anymore.”

  Her gaze snaps from the red-stained plastic to my face. “No one has ever done anything like this for me.” Claws punch through my fingertips and cut into my palm. I want to find her parents and every foster parent lucky enough to have had her, and make them pay for failing Zoe so completely. Every child should know, without a doubt, that they are loved and cherished and worth protecting.

  There is something comforting in knowing your parent will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Even though mine couldn’t stop me from being forced to become a soldier, they still tried. Zoe never had that.

  “I will always protect you, mi cielito.”

  Her teary gaze goes back to the bag. “I don’t have to run anymore. And that son-of-a-bitch won’t be able to force any more women into sexual slavery.” Her head lifts, and she smiles at me through her tears.

  I feel like I’ve hung the moon for her.

  “So, Karina’s okay?” she asks.

  Wrapping my arms around her, I know we are going to be okay. Sure, there is still a lot of shit to figure out, but the bond we share is stronger than ever. Nothing will come between us. I’ll make sure of it.

  “I’m not sure. You can call her, but you can’t see her yet. You need to gain control of yourself first. That might not be for quite some time, mi cielito.”

  Her shoulders slump, and I realize she’s lost her only family. Guilt sits like a rock in my gut as I watch her grab my cell phone from the small table.

  “Stay here,” I tell her. I blur through my house and outside to dispose of the head in the desert, and give her a few minutes of privacy.

  The night air is crisp and cool compared to the heat that burned between us in my crypt. Once I’m several miles away, I bury the head. Then I return to Zoe’s side. I can’t be away from her for too long with her in her current fragile state of mind.

  “And, you aren’t ripping Theo or Alex’s throat out?” I stop cold when I hear Zoe’s question. My heart skips a beat. Theo must have turned Karina. If he did, that would make everything better. Karina is Zoe’s family. Losing Karina would destroy a vital part of her. I step closer to hear the conversation.

  “No. I’m completely fine. Lucius was just here, and he believes it’s one of Theo’s special powers.” I can hear Karina’s response as if she’s in the room.

  I snap my fingers to get Zoe’s attention. “Let me speak to Theo.”

  Zoe hands me the phone.

  “This is Theo.”

  “Hola, amigo. What is this about special powers?”

  “Lucius says I’m a rare vampire called a True Blood. Apparently, I have the ability to take away the ravenous hunger of a newly turned vampire. At least, with one I’ve turned.”

  “Are you willing to test your blood on Zoe?”

  “I don’t see that it would do any harm. If she takes my blood and the hunger is still there, she’ll have to deal with it like every other new vampire.”

  “But if it works, the girls can see each other.”

  “Yes. And it might help stabilize our clan with the new members we’ve had join recently.”

  Zoe claps her hands under her chin, like a kid on Christmas morning, obviously listening in on the en
tire conversation with her newfound vampiric abilities.

  I smirk. “Are you able to stop by this evening?”

  “We need to take Karina out to feed first, to be sure she’s truly in control. If all goes well, I’ll let you know.”

  “Gracias, Theo. Adiós.” I end the call and set my phone on the nightstand before pulling Zoe back into my arms, where she belongs.

  “I definitely fell down the rabbit hole. This is—”

  I silence her words with a kiss. She melts against me, and my shaft hardens. “Let’s go shower before they arrive,” I say.

  “I like the way you think.” Zoe’s arousal is like a drug, and I claim her mouth once more. There is plenty of time to lose myself in her before the others arrive. Who would have thought my life would bring me to this point?

  I gave up hope of anything meaningful when my mortal life ended. Thankfully, a brave young woman walked into my immortal one and proved that belief wrong. Holding Zoe close, I pray Theo’s blood can help her. I saw the mask in her bedroom, and would love to take her to the masquerade at Toxic on All Hallows’ Eve.

  Chapter 11

  I can’t stop myself from twirling in a circle. I’m laughing, and breathless despite the fact that I no longer need to breathe. Although, if I don’t inhale and exhale, I can’t talk. I tried, and ended up in a fits of giggles when all I did was mouth the words with no sound.

  I haven’t quite gotten the hang of being a vampire, but I’m no longer on the verge of ripping everyone’s throat out, otherwise I wouldn’t be standing in this elaborate gown with this sexy mask on in the middle of a very busy Club Toxic.

  Karina and I have been looking forward to the Masquerade Ball ever since hearing about it, months ago. I thought I’d lost the only chance I’ve ever had in my life to dress like a princess and attend something so fancy. There was no homecoming for me in high school. No prom. No graduation dance. I missed them all. My foster parents refused to spend any money on events they thought were a waste of the cash they got from the state. Well, fuck them. If they could only see me now. On the other hand, if they could, I’d probably sink my teeth into their fucking throats.