“This applies to heirs. Viktor claimed this reward with a photo of your family after they attacked. Now that rumors have begun to stir that an heir still exists, the person who paid him is asking questions. Viktor is under pressure to either prove you don’t exist or turn your dead body in.”
Damn, that was a lot of money. A lot of motivation. Not only would Viktor be fighting to keep his life, but also so he didn’t have to give back the reward money. He’d probably already spent a lot of it.
“Super. So, one wants an unknown amount of blood from me and the other wants my head on a platter. Sounds like a great time to be me,” I said sarcastically.
Maciah came back around his desk and grabbed my arms. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. For now, Silas is our main problem. Viktor’s crew might be closer and poking around, but I’m not worried about them, yet. Not with Viktor still remaining in the shadows and Silas making it known that he’s getting closer.”
A knock sounded at his door, and I took a step away from Maciah before it opened. Maciah stared down at me, hurt showing on his face. I didn’t know why I pulled away. Apparently, a part of me still hadn’t completely wrapped my head around the fact that I was living with vampires and diving headfirst into an attraction for one.
Hopefully, Maciah understood that I just needed time to fully adjust.
Zeke poked his head in. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“We were just finishing. What’s wrong?” Maciah asked.
“One of the newborns we’ve been working on flew off the handle. We’re having a hard time getting him to calm down. If you had some time, we could use your help.” Zeke glanced at me. “Maciah is the big bad wolf around here. He always scares people into submission. Well, everyone but you.”
I grinned. “I’m not easy to intimidate.”
Maciah murmured something I missed, but I didn’t call him out on it. Instead, I headed toward the door. “You two have fun with the crazy vampire. I’m going to go to my room for the night.”
I nodded at Zeke first, then met Maciah’s gaze. His eyes were still dark, and my skin shivered at the intensity of his stare. He could never just look at me. He was always searching deeper for something. I equal parts liked and hated it.
“I’ll see you later,” Maciah said.
“Yep,” I replied in a hurry and backed out into the hallway.
Yeah, I was in so much trouble when it came to that vampire.
I headed toward my room with a smile on my face. I’d been around these people for less than a week, but there was something that felt right in my gut about being where I was. I’d had my rules for a long time and for good reason. I’d once let a man influence my choices, but Maciah wasn’t like Caleb.
I hadn’t thought of his name in a long time, but the closer I got to the others around me, the more I thought about my past and how more than one instance had changed everything for me.
Caleb was a fellow hunter. He was probably still a hunter, but I’d long ago done my best to forget him. He’d found me when I was living on the streets, hiding from Child Protective Services. He took me in, taught me about vampires and how to kill them. We’d grown close. Too close.
I’d allowed my heart to care for him, because I had nobody else left in the world to care for. He took advantage of that and tried to control me. Never again would I let that happen. Looking back, I should have seen the evil in Caleb’s eyes.
Maciah might be a vampire, but he wasn’t evil. I’d known that since the first time I saw him. Something inside me kept me from killing him. I was going to trust that part of me and break my rules. As long as I was still on the hunt for those who took my family from me, changing things up seemed like the best move at this point.
As I got to my room, all thoughts of the past were shoved back to where they belonged, and I saw Rachel and Nikki waiting in front of my door.
“What have you been up to?” Nikki asked with a wink.
“Learning about psycho vampires,” I replied, pushing them out of the way so I could open my door.
Rachel hummed. “Is that why there are newly formed knots in your hair? All from learning and not from anything more frisky?”
I pointed a finger at each of them. “No.”
“No what?” Nikki asked as they followed me into my room.
“Just no.” I was not having this conversation with them when I barely knew anything about what was happening between Maciah and me.
“Well, fine. You seem a little uptight still, so nothing good probably happened anyway. We’re headed out. You’re coming with us,” Nikki said, and I laughed.
“Yeah, I’ll pass.” They were already dressed up, something I hadn’t paid too much attention to before, but now that they were talking about going out, there was no way I was shimmying myself into a little black dress like the two of them had.
“Come on. You need to loosen up. It’s been a long week, and Club Nyx is safe for us to go to,” Rachel said.
Nyx? I’d heard of that place. In order to get in, you had to be a member that was invited. An invite that came with a high price tag. The club didn’t let humans in, which meant I never thought to try and gain access.
“They’re not going to let me in,” I said. Even if my sperm donor was an original vampire, I was still human.
Nikki chuckled. “Oh yes, they will. Maciah practically owns that place. He buys all of us that prove our loyalty a membership. We can get you in.”
Interesting. I didn’t take Maciah for the clubbing type of person, but the other vampires around? Yeah, I could see that. Another reason that made me want to trust him. He took care of his nest. Most people with money didn’t do that. They only used their power to control those under them. Just like Caleb had.
Damn, I thought I’d shoved the thought of him back into a box. I needed to try harder. He was my past, and I wasn’t going to let that asshole have anything to do with my future.
“Okay, fine. But if one bloodsucker gets near my neck, I’ll stake them without asking questions first. Oh, and I’m not wearing a dress. I’ll put on boots and a nicer top, but I don’t do dresses,” I said with my arms crossed.
Rachel and Nikki shared a smile. “Deal,” they said at the same time.
Oh, man. I was going to regret this.
18
Before I had time to overthink the choices I was making, I found myself in Nikki’s blue Audi and headed to a club I didn’t belong in. A club filled with only supernaturals. If I was accepting Maciah’s words as truth, then technically, I was one. Except I needed baby steps. I still considered myself human.
I wore my favorite black boots with three-inch heels and daggers tucked inside each of them. I also donned a flowy, black sequin tank. It was loose enough that I could keep a couple of stakes tucked into my pants without anyone the wiser, so long as they didn’t put their hands where they didn’t belong.
Rachel and Nikki were overly excited. They had the music volume in the car turned all the way up and were singing at the top of their lungs to some rap song I didn’t know the lyrics to. I preferred classic rock, but I could tolerate pretty much anything.
We pulled up in front of the sleek club ten minutes later. There were valets out front waiting to open our doors and take the keys, along with a red carpet leading to double doors where a bouncer stood.
I exited the car, and the valet at my door did a double take at me. He probably knew I was human and was as confused about my presence as I was.
Nikki and Rachel grabbed each of my arms and led me toward the door. Heading down the red carpet felt like I was walking to my death. I should have said no. I should have gotten into bed and stayed put. Instead, I’d agreed and was going to freeze to death without the jacket I should have also brought if we didn’t get inside soon.
Rachel leaned in and whispered, “Quit looking like a hostage. They won’t let us bring you in if they think you don’t want to be here.”
“But I don’t.”
&
nbsp; She shushed me as Nikki approached the bouncer. A badass chick that I was pretty sure was a wolf shifter stood with her arms crossed. She was dressed in black leather pants and a red crop top with dark hair braided down her back.
“Nikki, you know the rules,” the bouncer said, glancing at me.
“Oh, come on, CeCe. She might seem human, but I assure you she’s not. She’s our guest for the night,” Nikki replied, and I wanted to punch her. I was pretty sure people shouldn’t know I wasn’t human.
“If she’s not human, what is she?” CeCe asked.
Nikki moved in closer. “Can’t say. Maciah’s rules. You know we don’t like to upset him.”
Oh, Nikki was devious. I saw the moment the bouncer heard the underlying threat that wasn’t at all real. Maciah would be grateful if CeCe didn’t let me in. In fact, he was probably going to be livid we’d left without telling him. Something I hadn’t really thought about until then.
CeCe sighed. “Fine, but tonight only. You know the rules. Guests only get a pass once. If you want to bring her again, then she needs a membership.”
Nikki kissed her cheek. “You’re the best, girl.”
“Yeah, yeah. Get out of here.”
We passed by the bouncer, and I avoided her stare. As the doors closed, darkness enveloped us, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. The walls were covered in a crimson velvet, and the floors were a dark hardwood. Lights were up ahead, leading us toward the bar.
As we turned the corner, a dance floor came into view that was lower than all of the seating areas. Overhead, small drop lights hung down from the ceiling, casting ambient light through the room. Bright enough for me to see where I was walking, but low enough that the shadows offered privacy to those who wanted it.
“Let’s get drinks first!” Rachel said, pulling me toward the bar.
That was a good idea. They were going to have a hard time getting me to dance if I wasn’t liquored up. Both of them ordered sugary lemon drops, and I ordered a double of Blanton’s, neat, gaining an odd look from the bartender, one who had nothing on Dave.
I turned my back to the bar, looking out across the room to see where the exits were, a habit I’d come by on my various hunting trips. There were bathrooms at the far-left corner and an unmarked door on the right side.
“What do you think? So much better than the dive bar I found you in,” Rachel said, and I sneered at her.
“Don’t diss my bar,” I snapped.
Nikki laughed. “Someone’s touchy.”
“Crossroads isn’t the best, but the ones who work there are good people,” I said.
“Then, we’ll have to check that one out next time,” Nikki replied sincerely.
Rachel didn’t seem keen on the idea, but I had a feeling Nikki would love Crossroads.
Our drinks arrived, and I had half of mine gone in one gulp as they led me to a table. It was small, but there was room around us to breathe.
“Drinks, then dancing?” Rachel asked, again holding her pinky out as the drink dangled between her fingers.
“Is the pinky thing a habit you can’t break or something to make you feel fancy?” I joked.
She glared at me, but also smiled. “I don’t want any shit about how I hold my drinks. I’ve done it since I was a toddler. Tea parties were my jam. I threw the best ones.”
Yeah, I had no doubts about that. I took another drink from my glass and shivered. “This isn’t like the bourbon I’m used to.”
“Did we forget to tell you these are supernaturally spiked drinks? Yeah, you’ll be drunk within five minutes,” Nikki said with an evil grin.
“I hate you,” I muttered, then hiccupped. This was so not good. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been drunk. Being in control of myself was always a necessity.
I pushed the drink away, but the damage was already done. My vision was beginning to blur as the liquor settled in my gut.
“Ready to dance now?” Rachel asked.
I looked around. There didn’t seem to be any threats. Everyone was smiling and having a good time and not paying me any attention. I might as well take advantage of the temporary impairment. I wouldn’t be letting it happen again anytime soon.
“Let’s go,” I said with a smile.
They grabbed on to me and led me down a short set of stairs and onto the dance floor. The song changed to Pour Some Sugar On Me, one I knew well and enjoyed. Before I knew it, my hands were in the air, and I was swaying to the music.
Okay, maybe being slightly intoxicated wasn’t such a bad thing.
The three of us danced through several songs. The longer I was moving to the beat, the more I let my guard down. The vibe in the club was calming, and I understood then why it was so exclusive. I was going to be finding out how I could get a membership, even though I technically didn’t meet the requirements to join.
We drew a crowd, and people joined in to dance with us. Women and men. Bodies touched, but I didn’t feel threatened. Instead, I closed my eyes and fell into a groove.
Hands grabbed my hips, moving my body in sync with theirs. I considered stepping to the side, but they weren’t doing anything more than dancing with me. My eyes opened to find Rachel and Nikki also dancing with two other guys. Everyone was having a great time.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d enjoyed myself that didn’t include killing a vampire. I’d worried for a moment that the other supernaturals here would throw a fit about my presence, but that hadn’t been an issue at all.
“I’m going to go grab another round of drinks,” Nikki called over the music. I nodded, as did Rachel.
I moved closer to Rachel. The guy at my back stayed with me. I hadn’t even turned around to see what he looked like. When I thought to do so, my gaze caught someone familiar and extremely furious.
Maciah was standing at the top of the stairs to the dance floor. He had Nikki in his grasp and was staring daggers at me.
His rage was so palpable that I stood frozen where I was. Rachel turned to see what had my attention and winced. “I didn’t think he’d get that mad,” she said.
Yeah, she also didn’t know that I had been making out with Maciah before leaving his office and having him find me with another dude humping my back probably wasn’t helpful to the situation.
I shoved the guy behind me away, only offering him a quick glance. “I’d run if I was you.”
He was smart and took my words seriously. The guy behind Rachel did the same. I took a step forward, ready to face Maciah. He didn’t own me. It wasn’t like I’d left alone and was in danger. I had two of his top vampires with me in a club where fighting was prohibited. The risk was minimal.
He closed the gap between us and picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder. Rachel moved ahead of us and headed for the exit with Nikki.
I slammed my fist into Maciah’s back, but he wasn’t at all deterred. I considered grabbing one of my stakes from the back of my jeans but decided against it. I wanted to be able to come back to Club Nyx one day.
The whiskey was wearing off, and I stopped fighting against Maciah’s grip across my thighs. His Mercedes was parked up front, the valet standing several feet away from it.
Maciah dropped me into the passenger seat, then turned to Nikki. “Get your car and come straight to the house.”
She nodded and took the keys from the waiting valet. Rachel glanced between the two vampires, seeming unsure what to do.
Maciah snarled at her, and she went with Nikki. I was going to be facing the pissed-off vamp on my own. Just how I liked it.
He got into the driver’s seat and gripped the steering wheel until it began to bend beneath his fingers.
“We were—”
Maciah cut me off. “Not yet.”
“But all I was going to—”
“I said not yet, Amersyn,” he snarled.
His tone set me off. I wasn’t going to be treated like a child. I wasn’t acting like one. I was merely with friends who were capable of
fighting in a controlled setting. He could be mad we left, but that was it. Okay, maybe because of the guy dancing behind me, but that had been innocent.
“We were perfectly safe back there. Being bound to protect me doesn’t make you the boss of every decision I make. Nyx is an exclusive club with rules. One you support. Excuse me for wanting a moment of normalcy after all the shit that’s been happening lately,” I said, finally without him trying to interrupt me.
We stopped at a red light, and he stared me down. “A club with rules that were broken tonight the moment they let you in. Had it occurred to you that people like Silas and Viktor don’t care about rules? They don’t live here. They don’t care if they’re not welcome back at Nyx after they kill you. Things like that don’t matter to vampires like them.”
He had a point, but still, nothing had gone wrong, and I said as much.
“You don’t get it, Amersyn. I’m not sure you will,” he said with a tone that sounded a lot like disappointment.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped.
He pressed the gas, and my head slammed into the back of the seat.
“It means that you’re young and I shouldn’t expect so much from you.”
Oh, that little prick.
My fist struck out, but he caught it in his hand. “You can’t hurt me. Try all you want, but I have been at this a lot longer than you. As have Viktor and Silas. Rachel and Nikki should have known better, too.”
“You’re making a big deal for no reason. Nothing happened,” I said as I jerked my hand back.
He turned to me. “And what if it had? Did you think about how that would have made me feel? Or were you only thinking of yourself and your need for ‘normalcy’?”
His words struck a little deeper. Maybe it had been a selfish move, but it wasn’t a spiteful choice to go out with Rachel and Nikki.
I didn’t bother to answer him. He had been right before when he tried to get me to stop talking. We both needed a little time to calm down and think about a better way to handle things. I wouldn’t be kept locked away forever. I’d rather die than be a prisoner.
Vampire Heir (Scorned by Blood Book 1) Page 13
