“Get her decent lingerie,” Madam Lucia said. She pointed at me. “That won’t do.”
I’d put on the sexiest set I had with a black satin bra and panties. A woman handed me a matching yellow set with intricate lace designs. When I put it on, the magical transformation began. I stood straight and proud, pushing my breasts out and gawking at my reflection like I was a model.
When they followed with the dress, there was much zipping and fussing and pulling my hair up and to the side. I stood there like a doll being dressed by school-aged girls, who made adjustments until they were happy with the selection. They had me remove the dress while they worked on my hair and makeup. Even though I sat half naked, the expensive set made me feel sexy as hell rather than self-conscious.
Next, they buzzed around me to curl my hair into heated rollers and apply makeup with a variety of brushes to my bare palette. When they removed the curlers, large curls flowed over my shoulders and back.
After I was dressed and made up, Madam Lucia assessed me the way a drill instructor inspects a recruit. Instinctively, I stood up straighter, sucking my stomach in, and avoided looking her in the eye.
“You’re ready,” she said with a satisfied tone.
I stepped in front of a full-length mirror, and my mouth dropped. That couldn’t be me, could it? My hair looked so—lustrous. My blue eyes were made up dark and smoky, but not overdone. Seductive. Even my skin glowed with radiance. How did they do that?
The dress was gorgeous. I swished it around my legs. It revealed the perfect amount of cleavage and leg—to tease—like I’d been hearing about all afternoon. Whoever designed this dress knew how to tempt, making up for my lack of knowledge.
“We will unveil you and the other girls in Salem tonight.”
“We’re going to Salem?” I asked. I’d guessed the event would take place in Cambridge or close to it.
“Yes, Salem is an exciting place during Halloween.”
She strode out of the room but not before giving a parting sentence. “Tonight, your life will change in ways you never dreamed.”
My pulse shot up. I hoped that meant a good change.
At sunset, I was sent to meet with other girls. We climbed in a sleek black car, and one of Madam Lucia’s chauffeurs drove us north of Boston.
Since I was the only newbie in this car, I listened to them chatter. Most of their conversations focused on which vampire they hoped to go home with that night. Since I didn’t know any of them, it was difficult to keep track.
“Any tips?” I asked.
They pretty much gave me a rehash of what I’d heard earlier that day. I was supposed to tease and tempt. And they told me to avoid eye contact as some vampires might try to force their will on a human.
Once we left the highway, one of the girls, Courtney, slipped me a small vial.
“This is holy water. I always carry some on me. It’s kind of like pepper spray, but for vampires. It burns them, like a strong acid.”
I tipped the vial, watching the water shift. It was amazing to think something this innocuous could affect them so.
“Have you ever had to use it?”
“Luckily, no. But, it makes me feel more comfortable having it on me.”
Another girl added, “I carry some, too. Better safe than sorry.”
When the driver pulled up to a hotel, I stuffed the vial into my coat pocket before I exited the car. Holding up my dress so I wouldn’t trip on the hem, and being careful to traverse the brick sidewalk in my heels, I followed the other courtesans into the hotel lobby. In front of a ballroom entrance, a man checked our names off a list.
“Mia Rhodes.”
“Ah, one of our newest courtesans.” He sized me up quickly. “Go on in and pick a mask. Check in with Madam Lucia.”
I entered the vast ballroom, and the sound of a big band playing Moon River and the hum of conversations surrounded me. The room was packed with men dressed in suits and women in brightly colored dresses. Although I knew vampires existed, I’d never met one, to my knowledge, and never guessed so many lived in the area. All wore some type of mask, ranging from simple black to elaborate feathered designs. The disguises didn’t help my comfort level as I could sense the stares on me, a newbie. The other courtesans picked their masks and said good luck before they blended into the crowd.
I picked a yellow feathered one that matched my dress. Then I took a hesitant step forward, ready to embark on the next unexpected chapter in my life.
CHAPTER 2
Renato
Madam Lucia was hosting a ball in Salem, Massachusetts, the legendary town where the witch hunts occurred in the 17th century. She often held themed evenings to make the outings more exciting for us jaded vampires. It was difficult to distract the elders with anything new.
I had found the past several decades tedious myself. Once I had accomplished the task that had kept me burning for decades—revenge—my inner fire had diminished like cooling ashes. For years now, I’d simply existed. Whether there was meaning to this alternative form of life, I didn’t know. I gave up asking that question a long time ago.
Even with the advent of the technology era and the Internet as a shiny new distraction, it only provided entertainment for so long. I soon went back to my regular ways. For a vampire, that meant seeking sustenance with blood and finding a location to protect us from the sun. Night in and night out. The same endless existence.
My assistant, James, drove down a main road, slowed by traffic. Salem shined with all its Gothic and gaudy flair, especially during October. The number of visitors swelled, attracting vendors who set up shop to capitalize on the opportunity. We passed the kitsch witch tourist attractions and themed shops, slowing to a crawl in the traffic as we approached the hotel.
“It looks like a supernatural carnevale,” I remarked.
“Indeed.”
Salem at this time of year was a spectacle with humans in various costumes clogging the walkways. Witches and vampires were common, as well as superheroes, Gothic variations, and all sorts of celebrities. We vampires would appear more normal than our human counterparts who dressed in black capes and inserted fake fangs, pretending to be like us. They piled on pale makeup with fake blood dripping from their mouths. They weren’t fooling anyone with their ridiculous excess.
When we reached the hotel, I gave James a one-hundred-dollar bill.
“I’ll be here for a few hours. Get yourself something to eat. Plenty of good restaurants around, if you can find a parking spot.”
I had to treat James well. He was human and tended to the many aspects of life that I avoided during daylight hours. He took care of the household, handled some of my business dealings, and ensured I got where I needed to be. Good help was hard to find. Loyal help was even more elusive, which I’d discovered over the years. Finding someone who was both, I wouldn’t take him for granted.
“Thank you, Renato. I’ll find some clam chowder nearby. Let me know when you’re ready to leave.”
The ball was already in full swing when I stepped inside. Vampires and blood courtesans circled each other, eager to make arrangements. Some danced in front of the band onstage. Others flirted near the bar or intimate tables.
Many wore masks with elaborate designs with feathers, colors, and sparkly things, passing each other like peacocks strutting their feathers. I donned a plain black mask, one without fanfare. No need for any ridiculous props. I’d leave that to the costumed revelers haunting the streets of Salem tonight.
Madam Lucia greeted me. “Good to see you, Renato. I’m glad you made it. I know this event is a bit out of the way.”
“Buonasera, Madam Lucia.” I kissed her hand. “I’m a vampire. All I have is time to kill.”
“It should be worth your while. We have a few new courtesans making their debuts. I’m sure you’ll find one to your liking.”
“I hope so. I’ll contact you if I do.”
After heading to the bar, I ordered a glass of Chianti. Vampires w
ere keen on red wine, and I liked the rich, bold flavors. I scanned the room, avoiding vampires. The entire point of coming here tonight was to find a courtesan, not mingle with other vampires. I had no need for them.
I sipped my wine while I scoured the attendees. Having an aperitif before I had an entrée. Several women who entertained me in the past greeted me. I raised my glass and moved on. Why have what I’d already tasted when I could sample a new flavor?
And then I saw her.
In a light-yellow dress, she looked like early rays of sunrise, something I hadn’t seen since the 1940s. Her brown hair cascaded over her shoulders in large curls. Although the feathered mask obscured part of her face, it didn’t hide her beauty. The mystery of it increased my interest—hiding a secret I wanted to uncover.
She had to be one of the new ones. The way she glanced around like a typical newbie—nervous and excited as if she didn’t know what to expect—solidified that theory. That vulnerability was one most vampires couldn’t resist. Innocence. New blood was quickly snatched up by bloodsuckers. It was time to advance.
I maneuvered through the crowd, to introduce myself before another greedy vampire got his fangs in her. A blood courtesan I’d hired in the past greeted me. After a quick, polite exchange I moved on, just in time to see Gideon sidling up to her, like a snake sneaking up to catch a mouse.
I stopped and watched. As I waited, I tried to control the rising fury. He’d been a thorn in my side for decades. Why would it be any different tonight?
No, it wasn’t the time for anger, but for cool calculation. I’d play this game. Whenever I played, it was to win. It was simply a matter of making the right move at the right time.
I studied my opponent and my prize, waiting for the opportunity to strike.
Mia
Hungry eyes fixed on me as I walked deeper into the ballroom. I had the sense of being swept under quicksand. Nobody from my ordinary life knew I was here. I could be drained dry by a maelstrom of vampires in a flash.
All the sexy vibes from earlier that day, as I’d been primped and pampered for this event, flitted away. I squirmed under their predatorial gazes like an animal chosen for sacrifice.
“You must be new here, sweetheart. What’s your name?”
I glanced up at the man who stepped up to my side. He had dark blond hair and loomed over me, even in my heels. Although, he would be considered good-looking in a traditional sense by most women, something about him turned me off. Maybe it was the piercing gray eyes that looked down at me through the holes in the mask that I found imposing. I shifted my feet under his probing gaze, fighting a sudden urge to run.
The hunger in that gaze left me in no doubt he was a vampire.
“Mia.”
“I’m Gideon.”
He asked me more questions, the same way any guy in a bar would do when trying to pick up a girl, but in this case, it was a vampire trying to solicit a blood courtesan.
“You’re pure, aren’t you?”
I wasn’t sure if he meant virginal in the sexual sense or not having had my blood sucked from by a vampire before. At any rate, I didn’t want him knowing my business. Like in any situation when a girl had no interest in the guy hitting on her, I wanted to end this conversation and slip away.
“If you mean whether I’m new to this role, then yes.”
His eyes flickered with excitement. His entire demeanor transformed, reminding me of a greasy used car salesman salivating about making a deal with someone he was about to rip off. Whether it was at the thought of sucking my blood or having sex with me—or both—I wasn’t sure. Either way, eww.
“I’d like to be your first.” His voice lowered to a sleazy octave. “Introduce you to our world.”
I avoided eye contact and resisted shuddering to shake off the heebie-jeebies.
This was the job I signed up for, with a vampire making moves on a courtesan. I was supposed to flirt and tempt and tease, but the last thing I wanted to do was encourage him. Not when he stared at me like I was a freaking surf ‘n’ turf dinner. Nothing about this encounter was appetizing on my end.
“Thank you, but excuse me. I need to go.” I hurried away, sensing he was following me through the ballroom.
Terrific. Now I had an unwanted pursuer on my tail when all I wanted was to evade him and get the hell out of there.
What had I been thinking? Of course, this was the role. Offer my neck and spread my legs. Nothing romantic about the encounter. Simply a business deal. Payment for services rendered.
Although his actions appeared to be some sort of courting, there was nothing romantic about it. I would be someone’s meal. Simple as that. And he wasn’t dark and brooding like a sexy cinematic vampire, but light and menacing.
Still, I had thought it would be somewhat enjoyable on my end. I must have watched Bram Stoker’s Dracula too many times and oohed over Gary Oldman turning Winona Ryder’s tears to diamonds. This was more like Nosferatu. Evoking repulsion and making me tremble.
Stupid, naïve, Mia. This isn’t the movies.
“Don’t leave before giving it a chance,” he said. “I promise to make it pleasurable for you, and well worth your time.”
Cold terror wormed up my spine. Shit. He wasn't going to leave me alone. “No, thank you.”
This was a mistake. I had to get out of here.
He grabbed my wrist with icy fingers and glared at me. “Do you think you’re too good for me?”
“Let go of me.” I tried yanking my arm away, but it was like struggling against a stone vise. Of course, he was a damn vampire. A supernatural being. My heart hammered while I fought to find clarity amid the rising terror. How could I get out of this situation without drawing too much attention?
“Leave her alone, Gideon.”
What the—? I faced the man who had intervened on my behalf. The deep baritone with the rich Italian accent was enough to attract my attention—I was as much a sucker for a smooth accent as the next woman. Although his voice had upped the attractive factor right away, the rest of the package accentuated it. The black suit fit him well. Even though I knew little about fashion, I sensed it was tailored and expensive. Dark hair extended past his chin, curling at the ends. Although he wore a black mask, the intensity of his dark eyes shone through.
Gideon released his grip on my arm, and I exhaled.
“Renato. Figures it’s you interfering in my affairs—again.”
“The young woman has said she is not interested and yet you continue to harass her.”
He snorted. “I don’t recall Madam Lucia hiring you as a bodyguard.”
The clipped tones indicated animosity between these two.
“Clearly, this young woman is out of her element,” he said. “No need for the big bad wolf to hunt the timid rabbit. There are plenty of other bunnies willing to be pursued.”
I shot this dark vampire a look. Timid rabbit? Bunnies? Anger flared up, piercing through the mounting fear. Screw him and his bloody fangs. I’d show him just how timid I was by kicking him in the—oh right. Never mind. He was a vampire. His balls were probably made of stone. And since he was also a vampire, he could snuff out my life quicker than I could extinguish a candle’s flame. A sobering thought. A smarter option was to take action where I had greater chances of survival.
Escape.
Since neither seemed to notice my presence as they shot vampire eye venom at each other, I used the moment to my advantage to slip out of the ballroom.
I retrieved my coat and hurried through the foyer of the hotel. After tossing my mask on a table, I bolted through the revolving doors onto the brick sidewalk. The heel of my shoe caught in one of the gaps, and I stumbled, falling out of it. Glancing up to see the revelers dressed in all sorts of costumes, I focused on a little girl wearing a Cinderella costume. I groaned, thinking of my own precarious situation with the shoe, a dark, twisted version of Cinderella. Only I had neither a fairy godmother nor a carriage.
After I retrieved my s
hoe, I fumbled putting it back on my foot. My palms were slick with perspiration, hampering the effort. Then I hurried in a pseudo walk/run, avoiding the gaps as my desperation to get away soared. Darting quick glances behind me for vampires in pursuit, I fought to find reason in that haze of apprehension. The crowds slowed my progress. I only relaxed when I’d made considerable distance from the hotel and dropped my hands to my knees, trying to catch my breath.
My time as a blood courtesan was over within minutes of stepping in the same room with vampires. Lovely. What a disastrous debut.
My concerns turned to the next issue—I was stuck in Salem. Searching the crowded streets, I debated how to get home. It was a good forty-five minutes from my dorm by car, likely more so trying to navigate through the October traffic. Not that I had enough money for a cab to get me back there. I often took public transportation with my restricted student funds, but the idea of taking the commuter rail wearing this dress seemed ludicrous, an invitation for more unwanted attention tonight.
Perhaps I should go back and talk to Madam Lucia. Ugh, that was not a conversation I wanted to have. To admit I wanted out on night one made me feel like an idiot. The words failed courtesan came to mind.
When a black car with tinted windows pulled up beside me, my breathing hitched. I quickened my steps, stifling the urge to break out into a full-on run, which would be a fiasco in heels. I could only stomach being a walking disaster so much in one night.
“Where are you rushing off to?”
My pulse shot up. All I wanted was to be left alone. Wait, I recognized that accent. That smooth Italian one from the ballroom. With a quick turn over my shoulder, I confirmed it was the same vampire. He sat in the back seat of the car, speaking to me through the opened window.
“I’m headed home.” I kept walking. Maybe he’d take the hint and leave me alone.
“How?”
Good question. I didn’t answer, since I didn’t know.
“Are you going back to Cambridge?”
Pursued: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance Page 2
