Vampires (Death by Reaper MC, #2)

by Esther E. Schmidt

  “You did that reprimand thing with your mind?” Tessera eyes me before a smile slides over her strawberry painted lips. “Would I be able to do that too? It would have been handy to know before the knife appeared in my hand.”

  During the time she’s been here, I’ve only been able to explain some things. It’s not like I could bombard her with every single detail of information, she’s been through hell already. I had to start with how I knew her father killed Aura. What I neglected to tell her is that I was the one who ripped off the head of her father. I only mentioned we killed him...as in everyone who was there to save her and the others, putting a stop to this man’s insanity of creating half-bloods for his own personal vendetta.

  Not that it would matter to her that I killed the man who made her a Vampire. It’s a damn DNA connection, that’s all it is. She didn’t even know it was her father who kidnapped her until I told her.

  “To be honest? I have no damn clue. This is all gray matter. If you were a born Vampire and we would mate, we would be aware of all the damn details that’ve been known through centuries. Except now, with us and the twist of your background, it’s complicated.”

  “Because I’m different,” she muses.

  “Yes.” I take a deep breath and explain again. “Humans who have been bitten and consume the blood of a Vampire don’t all turn into one. Most die because their bodies are inadequately built for the transition, our blood carries a powerful punch. Vampires are meant to be born, not created. I hate saying it, but it’s a matter of physical strength of body and mind. Those who do turn into a Vampire can’t handle it and go on a rampage driven by bloodlust. They don’t live long because we put a stop to those. That’s why there’s a law, as the Prez of the Vampire Charter,”

  “I’m not born...” she interrupts me and swallows. I fucking hate to admit this and it’s the whole damn reason why I neglected to tell her.

  “I know,” I admit.

  She takes a step away from me. “You were supposed to kill me, weren’t you? I was in your territory...you...if you didn’t, Alastair would because you answer to him, and he answers to The Orderly. Tell me I’m wrong.” Her voice turned from shocked to full-blown anger the next instant.

  “I wasn’t going to allow anything to happen to you, and neither was Alastair.” And that’s the fucking truth because I can’t live without my eternal mate.

  Not just because my heart would shatter to the point of no return, but I’d fucking starve to death because no other blood except for hers would do. It’s just the way it is with Vampire mating.

  “Guys, focus please. We don’t have time for a fucking lovers’ quarrel, not with this beacon lying here on the floor in the midst of the clubhouse,” Caius presses, and I know he’s right.

  I stalk to the closet where I grab a small black box that would be big enough to fit the knife in. Crouching down next to it, I meet Tessera’s gaze. “Would you mind picking it up and placing it inside?”

  I can tell she’s surprised by my request but she doesn’t say anything, instead she jumps into action and places the knife in the box. Closing it, I hand it to Theon who leaves the room along with Caius. I shut the door behind them to make sure we’re locked in my office. With the door locked, it’s completely soundproof.

  Believe me, it’s necessary when you’re the Prez of the Vampire Charter. Enhanced hearing is one of the perks of being a Vampire, but not something that comes in handy when you need to talk through delicate shit that isn’t meant for everyone to hear.

  “Before I saw the damn feathers of my wings I knew it would be a major problem we had to deal with. But I can assure you, I would never let anything happen to you,” I vow.

  “The feathers?” Her eyebrows scrunch up adorably. “What do my ancestors have to do with it? You said a Vampire needs to be born. That little fact still doesn’t apply to me, so what’s changed?”

  “The awareness of the kind of DNA that is running inside you, Angel. It changes the odds for you drastically. No one touches the Elite, and I would assume it’s the same for those who have a fragment of their DNA flowing through their veins. That’s only an assumption because they don’t walk this earth frequently, let alone splurge on female attention for their own pleasure. I haven’t even heard about a possibility of one creating offspring until you.”

  She stalks over to a chair and leans her ass on the armrest. “Why are you suddenly calling them Elite? Alastair mentioned something about calling them that instead, is it a synonym? Doesn’t it draw the same kind of attention? And how can you be so sure?”

  “The knife. It has inscriptions. And I call them Elite because they are...top of the rank. Those who come down here and set foot on earth are the most vicious warriors. If one would step in to save a human who’s screamed for help, one would handle the situation within minutes and disappear right after. They only pop in and out when they are called upon by a human in need. That’s why the word is flagged as a call for help. It’s scanned for so to say and if needed they drop in, take action how they’ve deemed fit, and hightail out, no questions asked. But seeing the Demons would like to get their hands on one for reasons unknown...they answer to the same...call so to say. When more than one at a time comes down, it’s because of a major threat, you might say it’s the kind of threat that would cause an apocalypse. No one knows when or if we will see them, they are hidden until they are needed. Like the knife that appeared in your hand.” I run a hand through my hair because this is the part she also needs to know. “The fragment of DNA that links you to them has clearly been dormant all your life. But it all changed with our mating. The reason we don’t mention what you are is because they will hear our ‘call.’ The mere mention of that word made in a reference to them will be screened to see if there’s a reason for them to come and render aid. They can tune in...like a video feed being monitored so to say. We won’t even know if they do that shit.” When I mention that last part, it makes her eyes spark with interest, fuck.

  “Not a good thing, Tessera. You don’t want their interference. Their ways are resolute and they leave you no option or choice; their ruling is final. But like I said, it’s not just them you send out a signal to and attract, it’s their counterpart too.” Stalking toward her, I lift her chin with one finger to connect our gaze, to make sure she knows I’m not voicing this word either. Not that the word itself has the same effect as voicing Angel but it’s not something to take lightly, so I let it slide through her thoughts. “Demons.” I let my thumb slide over her bottom lip before I continue our discussion out loud. “If the call for an Elite is considered legit, they will show up and kill the one that voiced the call for help before the Elite has a chance to get there. They pop up just for the sole reason to aggravate The Orderly who need to keep a handle on all the Death by Reaper MC Charters. Demons are outlaws and they live for the fun of killing. Or so the rumors say. They respond to the call for an Elite to...capture one? Kill? The one that shows up. Who knows, because their war has existed for decades and everybody is aware of it and stays out of their path. The one thing that’s clear about those two is that they are natural born enemies. And if they find out that you...”

  “Shit,” she mutters while standing up.

  Panic enters her stunning eyes, understanding the risk that comes with the trace of DNA that’s running through her veins.

  “You’re the Old Lady of the President of the Death by Reaper MC, Vampire Charter. You’re protected by us, and with that, you also have the support of the Hell Charter. Not only because they back us up as a matter of it being their duty to do so, but also because of the link with your sister. Seeing the Elite always protects their own, I’m fairly sure you have their support also. At least when it comes to protecting you from others, but it might come with strings attached and that’s not something either of us want. They might try and take you away from me or make another decision I seriously don’t want to fucking think about. Let’s just conclude that it’s a big pile of fucked up s
hit we’re going to deal with.” One thing at a fucking time I tell myself, because I have to admit that I have no damn clue how all of this will unfold.

  “Have you ever met one?” Her voice is barely a whisper.

  I give her a slight nod. “About a century ago. It wasn’t pleasant but I welcomed the interference. We were tracking a Vampire who went rogue. He had his eyes set on a human who he was obsessed with. She ran into an alley, screaming for help. He was taunting her, holding her by the throat against the wall while we blocked the alley. We always put the priority of a human life first. We couldn’t risk killing him without the woman getting hurt. Then out of nowhere one appeared behind him and with a mere touch the Vampire was dust. The Elite brushed his fingers along the woman’s temple and with it deleted the Vampire out of her memory so she wouldn’t remember anything. The Elite’s eyes met mine, he gave me a nod as if to say it’s been handled, and then he was gone. That quick, that simple.”

  “They don’t wait around to chitchat, gotcha,” she muses. “Can I ask what he looked like? It was a he, right? Or a she?”

  “This one was a male, yes.” She makes me chuckle and add, “He didn’t have a piece of sheet wrapped around him, no robe, this one was dressed casual. White slacks along with a white shirt. They are pristine with their large white wings. Even when I only saw him for the blink of an eye when he left. His wings weren’t there when he presented himself, so that means he made himself visible after he arrived at the scene, allowing us the chance to handle it. It’s a mutual respect, but like I said earlier...you don’t want them to swoop in because they take decisions out of your hands. No negotiation, sweet-talk, nothing...their decisions, their rules. To be honest...I have no clue what their intentions would be if they’d find out about you.”

  She takes her bottom lip between her teeth, clearly worried like I am with not knowing if the Elite could be our enemy or friend. “And the other ones? Have you?”

  She’s curious about the counterparts of Angels; Demons. Pure evil. That’s what they are. “More than a few times. We can handle them when needed, unless it’s one of the very few upper level Demons; I know at least two of those exist. They possess too much power if we were to face them on our own. But a low-level Demon is a bit of a pickle to handle too. You need to behead them fairly quickly because they scream when they’re about to die and it attracts more. Those upper level Demons also get a visual of the person who kills one of their own. Then you’ll have the attention of the big one, you’ll be needing backup within minutes or you’re the one to die.”

  “Crap. Every time I think I have a handle on some of the things going on, you throw new wood on the fire. Anything else I need to know about? Just lay it on me, I can handle it.” She stands up and starts to pace.

  “I just got started.” Her eyes flash to mine, horror stricken, making the corner of my mouth twitch. “But most can wait, Angel. These were the main things you need to be aware of. We’ll get into other things as we go because there’s a lot about the Paranormal world you will need to experience, or learn for yourself. Like handling every biker in this MC. I might have told you everything about being a Vampire, but these guys have their own twists. I’ve explained some of their powers and when you need them for something, you might be able to reach out for them with your mind. It’s something we will need to practice. Not today, though, today has been an overload of information. There’s only one thing we need to do now.”

  “What do we need to do?” Again, concern edges her face.

  I don’t fucking like it one bit and it’s been a dragging few weeks with her holed up in her room. With our bond in place, her becoming my Old Lady, she needs it as much as me, and everyone else in this MC.

  “We need to party,” I state, and flash a huge grin.

  Chapter 04

  ***Tessera***

  We need to party. What a freaking idiot.

  “Now?” I squeak. “You want to throw a party right now?”

  “Angel, think about it. All of our guys know very well what the fuck is going on and what might be coming our way. I just explained to you what kind of trouble is hiding around the corner, right? Most of us have been walking this earth for centuries, but guys will always be fucking guys. They need to blow off steam; fuck, take blood, have a good time. That kind of shit. We need for them to let go because when push comes to shove? They will be the difference between keeping your head on your shoulders or watching it roll by.”

  Shit. He does have a point. “Fine. Have your party time with the guys.”

  “We’ll be required to show face, seeing you’re my Old Lady now and that’s the reason they were already organizing the party when I brought you here into my office. Practically none of the guys have seen or met you. You’ve been hiding downstairs in the basement, that ends today,” the idiot tells me with a smirk on his face.

  Great. While we were discussing drama, they were busy organizing a party. And he’s right...I have been hiding. I groan and take my head into my hands. “Why can’t things be normal? Freaking Vampires, badass bikers, who strive to protect humans. Yet this right here makes me think you’re just boys with toys who want to drink and play.”

  “Boys with toys, huh? Drink and play...well, they are boys, their toy would be their dick, the women who come here freely will be played with while they drink. Booze or blood; both will flow as freely as orgasms.”

  “That’s disgusting and only drives my point home.” I shake my head at how he makes it sound that his guys are merely a bunch of horny teenagers while some in fact are centuries old.

  I still can’t believe I’m a Vampire myself and that most of the legends are false about Vampires. You do see them in a mirror, they can walk in the sun, they can eat normal food and drink whatever they freaking like. I have a degree in Greek Mythology, have a job in a museum, sucked up every piece of information about mythological creatures and details of gods and all the wide variety of traditions and adventures, only to find out that not all is what it seems.

  And to be honest? I don’t like change. At all. Whether it’s my brand of soap they changed to make it better or the new washing machine because the old one gave up, it doesn’t matter. Any change is screwing with my head. So, with learning about all these mystical creatures, to have the knowledge I’ve learned was either incomplete or dead wrong...being kidnapped and thrown into a Paranormal world...one where I discovered that I’m not the person, or freaking human, I thought I was all my life? Yeah, try playing catchup with all of that running in your brain.

  Oh, and add the fact that the biggest freaking change is standing right next to me...being mated to an insanely hot Vampire, who’s centuries old I might add. That makes me think...how many women did he have before me? I’ve had maybe...wait, why can’t I remember how many men I’ve been with? I did have sex...right? Dammit, now I’m doubting myself.

  “Have you been thirsty?” His voice is husky. “For blood, booze, or multiple orgasms?”

  Shit, I hate when he does that; makes my nipples harden with just the use of his voice. It ignites a demand to have him, his touch, his blood...him, inside me.

  “How would I freaking know about orgasms?” I snap. “I can’t even remember if I ever had sex. Pretty sure I did. No, I’m not exactly sure because I can’t freaking remember,” I seethe while the man chuckles and smirks some more, making me add, “I’m really starting to dislike you.”

  “You like me, huh?” His voice oozes sex while he slides closer. “That’s a start, but Angel...you’re following me on a long distance because I was already on the road to love when you sank your fangs into my neck and mated with me for all eternity.”

  My eyes go wide. “Love? You can’t be serious. Love is something,”

  “Something that slammed into me when I first laid eyes on you. Something that mingles with every cell inside my body. Something that scorched my soul and imprinted for life. With the lifespan we have...a Vampire’s love...that’s for all eternity and he, or
she, loves only once. The eternal mating is most definitely something created so no Vampire soul would spend an eternity alone. A reason why Vampires are born is because only eternal mates are able to have children. Please don’t insult my feelings when you don’t fully understand something.” His jaw tics.

  It seems he wants to say more but instead he turns and stalks to the door. Without turning back, he says, “I’ll have someone bring you to our room where you can get ready for the party.” Then he’s gone.

  What just happened? My heart beats like crazy and all my mind can come up with is that I’ve insulted a man who just told me he loved me. But that’s insane. We have been in each other’s presence for a few weeks and it’s not like we dated in that time, or got cozy.

  How on earth can that man love me? Snap your fingers and boom, love. Me. Someone who was left as a baby, has no parents, and was bounced from foster home to foster home. I have no family, no long-term friendships or relationships. Well, I can’t remember having sex and with that any man in my life for that matter.

  Dammit, this is crazy. How can he be insulted while I can’t even wrap my head around any of this? Yes, I get that he opened up his heart and held it out in front of him for me to take...but it’s unrealistic. As is the fact that I became a Vampire, am mated, and am insanely attracted to him and deep down know very well my feelings toward him are huge and real, but still...in-freaking-sane.

  Add the fact that I haven’t even loved anyone in my life, how can I be so sure these weird and overwhelming feelings I have for him are in fact love? We haven’t even freaking kissed yet! See how all of this is confusing? Yet he’s pissed off I questioned his freaking love.

  “Hey, Tess, Prez wanted me to escort you to your room. Mind telling me why he didn’t take you himself?” Caius is standing in the hallway and only pops his head into the room, showing his long, bright blue hair, and his all-knowing smile on his face as if he has all the answers.