“I’d rather die a million times over than live one more day in your presence.”
“Fine. Have it your way.” Her hands wrapped around my neck. She twisted, and my world went black.
Chapter Nine
Red-hot flames ignited in my chest. I sucked in a breath, my lungs aching. A raging inferno coursed through every cell in my body.
What the hell happened?
Opening my eyes, I winced as I scanned the unfamiliar surroundings. My temples throbbed. I could feel each and every frayed nerve-ending twitch.
I jolted straight up and peered at the dark room. There were no windows and one steel door. Navy walls closed around me. I swallowed, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. It felt like the Sahara.
I needed water now.
I stood and made my way to the steel door. I rolled my neck, trying to ease the stiffness. My entire body felt like I had a severe case of whiplash. I jiggled the doorknob, but it was locked. I yanked at the handle and metal hinges snapped, sending me staggering backward. I stared at the silver lever clutched in my hand. I needed to lay off all the working out.
I jerked the door open. A long dark hallway stretched out before me. I focused my eyes and could just make out a dim light seeping through a door at the end of the corridor.
I swallowed again, the saliva in my mouth dissipating at an alarming rate. Why was I so thirsty? I sped through the passageway, hoping to find water at the end of the tunnel.
I rubbed at my temples trying to stop the relentless pounding. I squeezed my eyes shut, and gruesome images flashed through my mind. Sofia. My knees nearly buckled as visions of her blood-covered body were unearthed. I held onto the wall to keep from collapsing.
Isa.
I’d come to her condo for revenge. I’d failed. Memories of our last encounter flooded my mind, choking me. Isa had snapped my neck.
The door at the end of the passageway opened, and a young girl stepped into the darkness. For a moment, light shone around her, bathing her in an ethereal glow. Her blonde hair flowed down her shoulders, a halo encircling her beautiful face.
The heat that had been surging through my body suddenly turned to ice. Was I dead? Was this heaven?
A sweet giggle tumbled out of the girl’s mouth as her bright hazel eyes met mine. She raised a hand, and a gleaming blade flickered in her palm. In one quick movement, she slashed it across her throat.
My jaw dropped as my eyes widened in horror. “No! What are you doing?” I reached for her, covering the gaping hole in her neck with my hand. A pungent metallic scent filled the air. My gums began to ache. It was ten times worse than when my wisdom teeth came in. Sharp teeth bored through the soft flesh and burst out from under my top lip. Panic bubbled up in my chest, squeezing my lungs. No, this can’t be happening. I withdrew my hand from the girl’s neck, and it came back red and sticky. My eyes fixed on the crimson substance covering my palm. Saliva filled my mouth.
I had to have it.
My tongue shot out and trailed from the tip of my finger to the bottom of my hand where the blood trickled down my wrist. I groaned in pleasure. I wanted to lick each and every one of my fingers.
“You can have some more,” the pretty blonde whispered faintly and motioned to the wound on her neck.
I shook my head and clenched my teeth. My new fangs slipped out between my lips. I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t.
“Come on, Damian, just have a taste.” She ran a finger down her neck.
My nostrils flared. The hunger burning inside of me was more intense than I could’ve ever imagined. The sound of the blood pumping through her veins called out to me. It roared through my eardrums taunting me.
I licked my fangs, her salty lifeblood lingering on my lips.
The girl tilted her head, angling her neck toward me. I inched closer, my legs moving of their own accord. If I could just have a little more…
My fangs lengthened, and I closed the distance between us in an instant. My jaw clamped down on her neck, her warm blood filling my mouth, finally quenching the ravenous thirst.
Her body trembled under mine as I drank and drank. The world around me was nothing but a blur. All that mattered was the blood. The flow slowed to a trickle, and her head went slack. I unclenched my teeth from her flesh and met wide vacant hazel eyes.
No.
I released the girl, and her body crumpled to the floor. I stared at her in horror.
The door opened, and Isa walked through, a smug grin on her lips. “Bravo, Damian.” She clapped as she stood over the girl’s still form. “How did it feel to drain her life away?”
The acid in my stomach churned. It climbed up my esophagus desperate to break free. I took a long breath and swallowed it down. Isa peered up at me with big doe eyes.
“How could you do this to me?” I growled.
She shrugged, tilting her head to the side. “I gave you every opportunity to join me willingly, but you were just too stubborn to see the gift I was offering. I decided to take matters into my own hands.”
The nausea in my gut was replaced by white-hot fury. It surged in my chest, pumping adrenaline through my veins. I lunged at her, wrapping my fingers around her throat. I’d snap it just like she snapped mine.
A dark blur sped by me and strong hands clamped down on my shoulders. The next thing I knew, I was flying through the air. I hit the wall with a whack, my head bouncing off the wall like a ping-pong ball. A slew of curses erupted from my mouth.
Rubbing my head, I glanced up. Klaus stood by Isa’s side, his thick arms crossed against his chest.
“You do remember my brother, don’t you Damian?” She patted his shoulder and turned to me. “We’re family now. I expect you all to play nice.”
My fangs extended, nicking my lower lip. The metallic taste ignited my unquenchable thirst. I groaned as I licked my lips, savoring the flavor. I needed more.
Isa’s eyes raked over me knowingly. “I can give you what you want, Damian. All you have to do is ask.”
I clenched my teeth together. “I don’t want anything from you. And I won’t feed on another human.”
She laughed. “Of course you will. We all do. The hunger you’re feeling now is nothing to what you’ll experience in the next few days. Your senses and emotions will be heightened. You won’t be able to control yourself without my help.”
Klaus opened the door, holding it for his sister to pass. “She’s right. A vampire needs to be with others of his kind. Your human life is over now; you belong with us.”
Isa held out her hand. The thirst was like nothing I’d ever felt in my life. Fire blazed in my throat, and the only way to stop it was human blood. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t let her make me a monster.
I slowly stood, averting my eyes to avoid the vacant-eyed corpse. I couldn’t deal with that right now. As it was my emotions were teetering on the edge. One wrong move, and I’d go hurtling over.
“I just want to go home,” I muttered.
Isa lowered her hand and walked through the door. I followed, ignoring the scent of blood still in the air. I needed to get out of there.
As we walked into the light, I recognized the maze of corridors. We were still in Isa’s penthouse. That dungeon-like room was just for creating vampires. A chill slithered over my flesh. How many others had she turned just for fun?
Klaus and Isa murmured as we navigated the twists and turns of the enormous condo. I could hear every word they said if I concentrated. My hearing had always been good, but now it was superhuman. I tuned them out, more concerned with finding a way out of there.
We finally reached the palatial living room, and Isa motioned for me to sit on the couch. She and her brother were discussing the Inner Circle vampires—whatever that was.
Dishes clattering pulled my attention across the room to the kitchen. I sniffed the air as a tantalizing scent wafted into the living room. Before I could stop myself, my legs were moving toward the tormenting aroma.
I pushed through the swinging
door, and a middle-aged woman jumped. She had her dishwater brown hair held up in a tight bun. She stood by the sink, running water over her hand. A briny pungent scent filled the kitchen, sending my heart racing. My gaze zoned in on her thumb. Deep red trickled from a small cut.
“I-I’m sorry,” she sputtered. “The glass was sharp; it was an accident.”
My gums throbbed, my fangs itching to burst free. I squeezed my hands into tight balls as I fought the undeniable urge to rip into her throat.
I spun around and darted back into the living room. My throat was on fire. I panted as terror constricted my lungs. How was I going to survive this?
A balcony caught my eye across the vast room. I raced toward it, whipping open the sliding glass door. I didn’t stop until I reached the railing.
I sucked in the fresh air, willing my heart rate back to normal. I took long deep breaths as I leaned over the barrier. Cars cluttered the streets of Central Park West below.
“Everything all right, lover?” Isa’s sultry voice carried in the air.
“I’m fine,” I hissed without turning to face her.
“I forgot to tell you about Grace. She’s our housekeeper. Try not to eat her, please.”
I cracked my knuckles, every muscle tense in my body.
“There are others of course. I’d be happy to bring you a snack if you’d like.”
I whirled around, heat rising from my chest. “How many times do I have to tell you, I’m not doing this. I don’t want to be your vampire king!”
“It’s a little late for that.”
“No, it’s not.” I spun around and leapt over the railing.
Chapter Ten
I couldn’t even keep track of how many times I’d died since the day I met Isa. Luckily, it had been a quiet night on Central Park West when I jumped off the balcony, and no one had seen my fall. I rolled my shoulders out as I marched toward the subway. I’d been dead and then a few minutes later I wasn’t. A thirty-floor fall had to have broken every bone in my body. And yet here I was, strolling along like nothing. The cool evening air tingled over my skin. The dim streetlights seemed more like high beams. Isa hadn’t been lying. Everything was a hundred times more intense.
I descended the subway steps, and the stench of urine and garbage drifted into my nostrils. My nose twitched, and I held my breath until the subway came. Again, I lucked out because the car I’d chosen was nearly empty. An old man sat at the opposite end, his coat reeking of booze and sweat. It was so sharp it completely masked the faint scent of blood rushing through his veins.
I squeezed my eyes shut for the rest of the ride, hoping to still my racing thoughts. It didn’t really work.
I was a vampire.
How does one wrap their mind around that? Then there was Sofia. I’d have to call the police when I got back to the apartment and report her murder. I cursed myself for not doing it before I was turned into a monster.
I sped up the four flights of stairs to our apartment, not feeling the slightest bit winded. Maybe there were a few perks to this vampire thing. I stopped at the door, my chest tightening. I didn’t want to go in there. Sofia’s blood splattered our apartment, and I was afraid of what that would do to me. My fangs pricked my gums at the thought. I was disgusting.
I held my breath and pushed the door open.
“What the hell?”
The studio was spotless. No Sofia. No bloodied walls or carpeting. In fact, it was the cleanest I’d ever seen the place. I raced around the tiny space searching for any remnant of what had happened, but there was nothing. Even with my sharpened vampire senses, I couldn’t smell a thing. Sofia had vanished.
I slunk down on the couch and braced my head between my knees. Isa must have done this. She sent someone to clean up after her mess. As much as I hated to admit it, a part of me was relieved. I didn’t want to see Sofia like that or deal with the police’s questions. I was a coward.
And I was hungry.
Fire burned in my throat, and only one thing could satiate it. My fangs descended as I envisioned the warm crimson liquid filling my mouth. A growl reverberated in my throat, and I clenched my jaw tight. I had to learn to control this. I leaned my head back, and a small card on the side table caught my attention. Bradley’s busines card. I reached for it and passed my finger over the black letters. I hated calling him again, but he was the only one that knew about all of this supernatural stuff.
I grabbed the phone off the table and dialed the number.
“This is Bradley.”
“It’s Damian. I’m sorry to call you so late, but something’s happened. I need your help.”
“So you didn’t take my advice, huh?”
I groaned. I was such an idiot. “No,” I muttered. I glanced at my watch; it was nearly midnight. “Can you meet me tonight?” It had suddenly occurred to me that in the movies vampires couldn’t go out in daylight. Would I be trapped in my apartment come morning?
Bradley cleared his throat. “Yeah, I can come if it’s important.”
“It is, and I appreciate it. I’ll text you my address. I’m sorry; I have to go. There’s another call coming in.”
“I’ll see you in an hour.”
I stared at the unknown number flashing across the screen. Who was calling me at this hour?
“Hello?”
“Hey sir, it’s Ted. Sorry to call so late, but I wanted to check in on you.”
I suppressed a groan. My over-eager trainee was the last person I wanted to talk to right now. “Check in on me?”
“Yeah. The captain told us what happened to your fiancée. I’m really sorry.”
I paused, my mouth hanging open. What the hell was he talking about?
“Um, I’m actually right outside your apartment. I thought maybe you could use some company.”
No, no, no. Thirst clawed up my throat. My mouth was so dry it felt like I’d been gargling cotton balls. “Now’s not a good time, Ted.”
“Oh okay. My mom baked you some cookies. I guess I could just leave them at your door.”
I could almost picture Ted standing out there, his big green eyes looking like a lost puppy. Ugh. “Hold on a sec. I’m coming, but you can’t stay. I need to be alone right now.”
“Sure, I get it.”
I pushed myself off the couch and marched to the door. Clenching my teeth together and holding my breath, I opened it a crack.
Curious green eyes peered through the opening. He must have run all the way up the stairs. He held out the tray of cookies, and I was forced to open the door further.
“Thanks,” I muttered, scared to talk too much and get a whiff of his blood.
“I’m really sorry again about the accident.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “If there’s anything I can do for you…”
I nodded. My eyes zoned in on the artery pumping in his neck. I cleared my throat. I needed to get him out of there, but I had to find out what Isa had done to cover this up.
“You look okay though—not too banged up or anything.”
“I was lucky.”
“The Captain told me the funeral is on Tuesday. Is it okay if I go?”
Isa had already arranged for a funeral? I tightened my fists at my sides. “Sure, kid. Thanks.”
He reached out his hand to my shoulder and squeezed. The vein in his wrist throbbed in my periphery. My eyes fixed on the light blue vein spiderwebbing underneath his pale skin. It was like time stood still. The rush of his blood roared through my eardrums drowning everything else out. My fangs pricked at my gums, itching to break free. My heart rate quickened, pounding against my ribs.
“You have to go now,” I hissed.
His expression fell as did his arm from my shoulder. “Oh sure, I’m sorry.”
I sucked in a breath. Big mistake. His savory scent filled my nostrils, breaking through every last bit of my restraint. The tray of cookies clattered to the floor as I yanked him by the shirt collar and pulled him across the threshold. My fangs descended an
d clamped down into his neck.
His screams were muffled by the pounding of my heart. Warm blood slid down my throat, quenching the unending thirst. I sucked harder as the flow began to slow to a trickle. The thrashing stopped.
The bloodlust haze lifted and panic unfurled in my chest. I released my jaw, and his limp body crumpled to the floor. Lifeless green eyes stared up at me. No. I lowered my head to his chest and could just make out a slow rhythm. It was so faint. I was fairly certain that had I still been a human, I wouldn’t have heard a thing.
I dialed 911 and raced out of the apartment.
Chapter Eleven
New York City, Thirty Years Later
The phone rang, pulling me away from the computer monitor I’d been staring at for the past hour. I pressed the speaker button and rubbed my eyes.
“Go ahead Olexa.”
“Hey boss. You should probably get going for your 9:30 meeting in the city.”
“Right. Thanks for the reminder. What’s the name of the coffee shop again?”
“Thanks-A-Latte.” She laughed, and the sound brought a smile to my face. “What a great name for a café, and the person you’re meeting with is Camellia by the way.”
I pulled up the calendar in my cellphone with all the details. “Right, got it.”
“Do you want me to have someone pull the Lambo up to the front of the building?”
“No, thanks I think I’ll fly today.”
I got to my feet and stretched, looking forward to a little fresh air. That was the one thing I hated about headquarters—it was underground. No windows and no views. I walked over to the corner of my office and glanced up at the narrow round shaft in the ceiling. Excitement hummed through my veins. I closed my eyes and focused on the sound of my heart pumping my mystical blood. Every cell in my body vibrated and warmth ignited in my chest, spreading outward. The air around me blurred, and my entire body trembled and contracted.
I let out a screech as I flapped my leathery wings and darted up the slender chute. My heightened bat eyesight guided me through the darkness until I reached the opening on the roof. I stretched out my wings to their full length and soared high into the cloudless sky. I flew over the East River, its murky brown waters lapping in the slight breeze. It was a quick trip to midtown where I would meet with my newest client.
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