by C. J. Pinard
He yanked my arm back and pulled me so close to him, I could hear his breaths. “I’m not keeping you ‘captive’ as you say. I’m arranging for you to move out so you can have your own life. It’s just taking some… time.”
I blinked up at him in shock. “What?”
“You heard me, shortstop.”
I ground my teeth together. “Stop calling me that.”
“No.” He looked at me with a challenge in those hazel eyes.
Right now would be a good time to slap him. I reared my arm back to do just that, but he caught it quickly and wrenched it behind my back. I now found myself with my back, and arm, flush against his front side. Something hard pressed against my tailbone and I told myself it was just the zipper of his pants, even though I knew it was definitely something else. The fact that my panties were getting damp at the feel of him infuriated me.
His voice in my ear caused my undergarment to go from damp to soaked. “I told you, shortstop. I do what I want. I run this club. You do what I say. Just know”—he nipped at my earlobe with his teeth, and I almost passed out—“that everything I do is for your own good.”
He released me and I let go of the breath I’d been holding. I looked around the bar to see every vampire here staring at us curiously. Then, someone opened the front door to the bar to let the line of patrons inside.
“Time to go,” Viper said, escorting me discreetly by the arm to the walkway leading back into that damn warehouse they referred to as a “clubhouse.”
Chapter 17
Room of Horrors
MyAnna
Why was Viper so angry? I’d come to the conclusion that vampires were moody creatures. The way he acted like he wanted me but then would get mad at me for not doing anything at all. So I wanted to play darts and have a couple more shots? Sue me.
I hated how he could infuriate me and turn me on at the same time. I’d never been attracted to anyone like him. Or attracted to any man like this, period. It made me feel weird and I just wanted it to stop. It was a hard enough pill to swallow that vampires even existed, let alone ones who lived like humans, hiding in plain sight, but only coming out at night.
Admittedly, I wasn’t very familiar with any of the stories or history of anything supernatural. I’d only learned about it the hard way being held captive in James’s family’s house. Learning there were non-human creatures walking and living amongst us was terrifying to learn. And now I was learning there were other creatures besides wolves. Vampires, too, and who knew what else. I’d been oblivious to the supernatural my whole life. I chose to ignore the weird stories and conspiracy theories I’d heard. Especially growing up around here. Everyone was so damn superstitious. I remember one of my friends in high school saying she saw a ghost in her grandma’s house every time she went to visit. Like, the same ghost each time. We all thought she was playing us. Now, I wondered if those damn things were real, as well.
Thankful I wasn’t locked in my “apartment,” I wandered around the clubhouse. I saw the door leading to the cells where Viper and his guys kept their prisoners and chose not to go in there. I made my way to the kitchen area and looked through the cabinets and drawers. Next, I opened the refrigerator to find mostly just bottled water and some coffee creamer. The freezer was a bit more interesting. Along with the single box of Hot Pockets, I saw several bags filled with red liquid. I gingerly picked one up and made a face when I saw O+ printed on the front. I threw the bag back into the freezer like it might bite me, and closed the door.
Suppressing a full-body shudder, I left the kitchen and found another door that led to a hallway. Looked like offices. None of them were locked so I wandered in and out of each one, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.
One office had notes about me written down on a pad of paper, although it was hard to read because I feared turning on a light would attract attention to my snooping and there were no windows in here. It looked to be basic stuff, name, date of birth and all that. Viper had told me they were trying to find me a safe place to live, so I wasn’t really surprised to find this. I just wished someone would ask me what I wanted. I’d just taken a couple steps forward toward some independence after my breakup with Braden when those wolves had taken me, and now I felt like I had taken three steps back.
Being with these monsters was different, though. They were nicer and treated me more respectfully. Then, there was Viper. His hot-and-cold attitude was starting to give me whiplash, but it just sort of made him more intriguing. I found myself wanting to dig deeper, figure out why he was the way he was. What made him so moody. Who had hurt him to make him keep pushing me away a minute after I thought we’d possibly be pursuing something? Again, I wished someone would give me a choice. Ask me what I wanted.
As I went to leave the office, I tripped over the chair and my back slammed against the wall behind the desk. I squealed when the wall caved in and I found myself lying inside a small, dark room. The light was off in the office, but light from the hallway barely illuminated my surroundings. I swallowed hard and my eyes got big as I surveyed the multiple guns and weapons mounted to the walls. There was even a glass case with what looked like syringes and bottles of medicine in it. Did vampires get sick?
I kept my hands behind my back as I looked at all the guns. Big ones, small ones, medium sized ones. The other wall had knives, axes, and other huge, scary-looking weapons all mounted to it. Deciding I’d seen enough, I went to leave the room of horrors, when I realized the wall hadn’t caved in at all. It had simply slid open to allow me access.
What kind of Mission Impossible shit were these guys into?
Before I could step out, the door slid shut, trapping me inside the room. I screamed.
“Let me out!” I yelled, banging on the door.
I started to seriously panic. I was claustrophobic and should have never wandered into this room to begin with.
“Help! Someone let me out of here! Please!” I screamed, pounding on the secret door. “Calm down, MyAnna. You’re going to hyperventilate,” I told myself aloud.
It was pitch-dark in here. I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face.
I slid my hands along the door, then each wall, trying to find a light switch. I was too scared to touch the two walls that had all the weapons and realized I’d have to try to find the light if I didn’t want to sit here in darkness until they realized I was missing.
Would they even care?
What if this room runs out of oxygen? Is that even a thing?
I gingerly felt along the wall where the guns were, from the bottom to the top along the edges. No light switch. Same with the wall of knives. As I pulled my hand away, my fingertip was nicked on something sharp, and I cried out when it sliced through my skin. I put my finger to my mouth to quell the pain.
Understanding that I was stuck in here until someone realized I was missing, I went back over to where I thought the secret door was and put my back against it before sliding down onto my butt to wait for help. I screamed a few more times but got no response, which wasn’t surprising. The music was really loud in the Cobalt Room at night. I could usually hear it float and thump into my ears from my “apartment.”
A single tear rolled down my cheek. I was scared, cold, and felt hopeless. Trapped in a room of horrors waiting to be rescued by monsters wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time. I rubbed the fingers of my other hand over the cut and realized it wasn’t so bad. It was still wet, but hopefully would close up soon. It still stung pretty badly.
With my head resting on my knees, I closed my eyes and prayed someone would come soon. I had no idea what time it was or how long I’d been in here, but it had to have only been a few minutes.
I chastised myself for sitting here wishing Viper would not only be the one to “rescue” me, but that he wouldn’t be mad at me. I was snooping out of boredom, but it wasn’t my fault the secret door opened. I would have been happy to live the rest of my life not knowing this stupid room was here. These va
mpires were scary enough as it was, but to know they had such an arsenal of weapons hiding made me wonder how many other rooms like this there was. I supposed if they were trying to get me my own place, that it would be sooner than later now, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. If I could be allowed more freedom, even in the Cobalt Room when they were open, I would not be opposed to staying here. I briefly wondered what Viper’s apartment looked like and if his bed was soft. Did he bring women up there? Was he even single? Then I wondered if vampires even slept. I let out a humorless giggle at the mental picture of him lying down in a coffin every day, arms folded across his chest, and going to sleep like that. I knew it was silly, but if I didn’t keep my mind occupied, I was going to go insane in this dark room.
“Someone help me!” I screamed. “Anyone!”
My back slammed against the floor as the secret door slid open so fast, I didn’t have time to scoot away from it.
Light flooded my eyes and I slammed them shut.
“What the fuck, MyAnna?”
I blinked my eyes open slowly to see a very angry-looking Viper, that deep V between his brow which I’d learned meant he was super pissed, surrounded by four other monsters, staring down at me.
Yep, he’s pissed. Did I expect anything different? Nope.
Chapter 18
On The Road Again
Tampa, Florida – 1988
After quitting my job over the phone, and then telling my landlord I was moving out, I was on the run the very next day. Why had my life become so goddamn complicated? Why couldn’t I eke out an existence in peace? I rather liked my job at the Bunny Hole and all the regulars I’d gotten to know. Now I would be lucky to find another job because the hell if I was gonna be able to use that place as a reference by leaving so abruptly. I didn’t even have the chance to collect my final paycheck, as I feared some of Dick’s goons would be waiting there for me when I did. Thank God most of the patrons paid their tips in cash so I had that at least. That minimum wage paycheck I could afford to throw in the toilet.
With nothing but a backpack full of my possessions, I sat on one of the benches inside the Greyhound bus station and counted the wad of cash I had rubber-banded that I kept in one of the pockets. I looked around to ensure I was alone and counted it. And then counted it again. And then a third time to be sure I was correct. I had seven thousand dollars. That was more than enough to buy a motorcycle. I stuffed the cash back into my pocket and looked around for a newspaper stand. I put a quarter into the slot and pulled open the Plexiglas lid before retrieving a paper.
Scanning the For Sale section quickly, I found a used Suzuki GSXR for sale for six thousand dollars. I looked around the station for a pay phone and breathed a sigh of relief when I spotted a bank of phones on the east wall. I dumped a dime into a phone and quickly dialed the number.
“Hello?” a man answered.
“I’m calling about the motorcycle. Is it still for sale?”
“Yes, it is. You interested, man?”
I checked my watch. It was 10 p.m. “I am, but I don’t have transportation. Any chance you can drive it to the downtown Greyhound station? I have cash and I’ll pay extra for your time and gas.”
“Hell yeah, I’ll be in there in ten. What’s your name and what do you look like?” he asked.
I relayed the details and hung up.
The guy arrived in five minutes. The bike had a few dents and scratches, but I didn’t give a shit. I sat on it, revved the handlebar throttle, and determined it worked just fine. I handed him six thousand in cash, plus another twenty-dollar bill for his time and delivery fee, and thanked him. After signing the bill of sale and shoving the title into my backpack, I took off up I-10 West for an unknown destination.
It was a sleepy town, really. Just the type to get lost in. After driving about six hours I decided to stop in Pensacola, Florida. The locals were nice, a thick Southern drawl apparent in their speech. I paid cash for one night… or day, I should say since it was now almost 5 a.m.… at the Motel Six. I parked my new bike (which I loved, by the way) in a spot around back, and made my way to my room. I threw the heavy comforter over the window and collapsed on the bed as the upcoming daytime sun caused me to succumb to sleep.
I woke ten hours later to a room still full of light. Sunlight creeped around the edges of the blanket I’d haphazardly thrown up there. When I got up to take a shower, I was rewarded with a zap of sizzle to my backside from the sunbeams so rudely blaring through the cracks. I smacked my bare ass cheek to quell the pain before slamming the bathroom door shut behind me.
Being a vampire was such a fucking drag.
My shower complete, I realized I was famished. The two blood bags I’d stolen from Dick’s mansion were long gone, as I’d gulped them down while Alan had slept on my futon. I hadn’t wanted to feed off the poor dude who’d rescued me. It was bad enough I’d had to compel him into completely forgetting about me before leaving him in the apartment alone, wondering how he got there.
But shit, the sun was still out. Or… was it?
I saw a glow of orange around the blanket but no actual sunbeams blaring into my room. With vampire speed, I whipped the blanket down and stood with my back flush against the wall. No more sunbeams. Just that orange glow. I chanced a glance out the window to see the city still illuminated, but not engulfed in the sun. Knowing I could heal from a sunbeam hit, yet knowing it would hurt like a sonofabitch, I took the chance. I put my hand in front of the window and waited for the sting. Nothing. I slowly walked in front of it and peered down. Nothing happened to me.
Hollering like I’d just won the lottery, I punched the air with my fist and yelled in victory. Quickly packing up my belongings, I raced down the stairs and checked out of the hotel. With the now-set sun still illuminating my way, but not harmful enough to kill me, I made my way to my bike. I took a look around. A scroungy-looking man was digging through the dumpster.
Silently, I approached him. “Excuse me,” I said.
He turned around and furrowed his brow at me. “What the hell do you want?”
I pulled a twenty-dollar bill from my pocket. “Just a minute of your time. I have a few questions.”
He looked at the cash then narrowed his eyes at me. “You a cop?”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
He jumped down and approached me slowly. “Whatcha wanna know?”
Once he was within five feet of me, I used preternatural speed and grabbed him by the back of the neck. He gasped, then hollered. My fangs descended, and I quickly bit into his carotid. Sweet blood flooded my mouth and I swallowed it down quickly. This guy seemed to be homeless, but he obviously ate somewhat well.
I removed my fangs and sucked in a breath, “Ahh, you, my friend, are well nourished.”
I dropped his passed-out, yet still alive, body to the ground and shoved that twenty-dollar bill into the pocket of his dirty trousers before I mounted my bike and took off into the night.
I didn’t get far because I found my bike inadvertently steering toward the beach. The drive took me over a large bridge, its view of the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico absolutely breathtaking. My bike sped over it and I had to fight to keep my eyes on the road instead of the view of the sparkling water. At late sunset, the view was indescribable.
A sign welcoming me to Pensacola Beach greeted me at the end of the bridge. I steered the bike around a lot of traffic, and for nighttime, I found this odd, until I realized it was a Saturday. Lots of partiers looking to have some drinks on the beach. I had once been that guy. I weaved the bike through the streets where the bars and restaurants were and realized this was where I was going to put down some roots.
A bar called the Thirsty Parrot caught my attention and I parked in the lot. As I wandered inside, tons of young people dancing, drinking, and having a good time caught my attention. Everyone was so happy!
I wandered up to the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. After the bartender gave me my price, I paid him in cash and a
sked if they were hiring.
His face lit up. “Oh yeah, man. We need servers and bar-backs badly. You interested?”
I nodded. “Hell yes, got years of bartending experience,” I replied.
He shoved a business card at me. “Jim’s the manager. Come back tomorrow before two. He’ll be happy to interview you on the spot.”
Fuck.
I put on my best charming smile. I looked at his nametag, then back to his eyes. “No can do, Corey, I got a day job. I can only be here at night. Let Jim know I’ll be by around seven tomorrow night.”
I downed the gin and tonic, which had no effect on me, shoved a dollar in the tip jar, and left the bar, hoping Jim would be here tomorrow night. It wasn’t like I had a phone he could call to set up an interview.
The next night, I showed up at seven sharp. Sure enough, the manager was there and hired me on the spot. He asked for references, but I had to use that hypnotism thing on him just like the last time. I hated it but had no choice. I was sure the manager at the Bunny Hole would have given me a decent reference, despite my abrupt departure, but I couldn’t risk one of Dick’s guys finding out who had called for a reference and tracking me down.
Fuck that.
I began working that very night. Aside from the lack of strippers and costume-clad waitresses, the place wasn’t too different from the Bunny Hole. Lots of drunk and happy partiers, the occasional fight and kick-out, and chill-as-hell coworkers. The tips were actually better here, believe it or not. I lucked out and found myself a furnished apartment the next day. Manager said some guy had moved out abruptly and left all his stuff a month ago. He never came back to claim it, so it belonged to the apartment complex now. Hmm, sounded familiar. I was sure some man or woman was enjoying my abandoned “furnished” apartment right about now as well.
