She’d been out with friends that night, partying, celebrating the freedom of the summer after high school. Young and stupid. She'd come home tipsy, talking loudly, laughing and having fun. Making a target of herself. She wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings, wasn’t thinking about the monsters that could be hiding in the darkness.
She'd heard about vampires. Who hadn’t? Evidence of their existence had been the story of the century. But it wasn’t like vampires had suddenly become a bigger threat now that everyone knew they were real. No, vampires had apparently coexisted with humans for centuries, millennia even. After the shock of their discovery settled down, the vampires made an effort to present themselves as peaceful creatures who drank from each other, with laws enforced by their own kind to govern their behavior.
The government made new laws to ensure that vampires didn’t take advantage of humans, and the vampires created a special agency tasked with enforcing them, the VEA. Proponents of equality encouraged humans to treat vampires with the same tolerance and acceptance that were now given to people of all races, religions, and sexual orientations. Some people considered it a mutation or a disease, but anti-discrimination advocates discouraged that kind of defamatory categorization. Vampires were people, too. Or so they said. They just had a slightly different biology. Different nutritional needs.
No one knew how many vampires there were in the world, but it wasn’t like there’d been a sudden explosion in the vampire population. Although, there had been a rash of people who wanted to become vampires, and vampire obsession was at an all-time high. The few attacks attributed to the newly-discovered species that were splashed across the news were controversial but too sensationalized to seem like a real concern. Most of them had been credited to out of control, newly-turned vampires — humans who’d become so obsessed with vampirism that they’d bribed a vampire to turn them and hadn’t submitted to the governing vampire laws.
But that one terrible night four years ago, a rogue vampire had spotted Caroline stumbling from her friend’s car to her family’s apartment building, high on life and mindless of any danger. He’d darted from the shadows around the building and come at her, right out in the open, like the laws meant nothing to him.
At the first sight of his bloodthirsty rage, she ran, screaming loud enough for the whole apartment complex to hear her. But there was no chance she could outrun him. In moments, his body crashed into hers. She stumbled in her high heels and fell to the ground, scraping her hands on the pavement as she tried to catch herself. He fell on top of her, knocking the wind from her lungs. Caroline gasped for breath as she pushed at his broad shoulders, trying to get him off, but his heavy body pinned her to the ground.
She would never forget the ferocious glint in his black eyes as he stared at her. His skin as cold and hard as marble. His mouth curled into a vicious smile, exposing long, white fangs that seemed to glow in the darkness. She felt a sharp pain and then a burst of euphoria as he sank them into her neck.
She writhed under him, desperate to push him off of her, but at the same time, arousal streaked from the wound and coursed through her body like electricity, shocking her with bolts of pleasure.
Her continuous screams drew a crowd, but no one tried to stop the vampire as he drank from her. They were too terrified to draw his attention. But suddenly, a familiar voice broke through Caroline’s haze of lust and terror.
Her mother.
“Caroline!” She shrieked as she ran towards them and threw herself on top of the vampire. The onlookers gasped at her bravery, or stupidity. A crowd of men might have been able to take down a vampire, but not one lone woman.
The vampire yanked his fangs from Caroline’s neck with a hiss and flipped around, transferring his attention to his attacker. He didn’t care that she was a fragile, human female. He snarled, and his vise-like hands grabbed her. She fought him as best she could, flailing her arms, kicking her legs, trying to gouge his eyes out, mindless of her own frailty.
“Run, Caroline!” her father yelled, distracting the vampire for just a moment. But she couldn’t leave them.
Her father lunged on the vampire’s back and wrapped his hands around his neck, but the vampire flung him off with a shake and pounced on Caroline’s mother again. Her father jumped on him again as the vampire’s mouth descended on his wife.
Enraged, he tore her throat apart. She threw her hands to her neck, and her eyes bulged as blood gushed from the gaping wound.
Caroline’s father pummeled his fists into the vampire, but he might as well have been hitting him with pillows. He switched to pulling and kicking at him, but the vampire swatted at him like an insect, sending him flying backwards.
Caroline watched in horror as the vampire ravaged her mother, sucking and biting and clawing at her. Her mother’s body flopped like a rag doll as he assaulted her. Only when she went still did Caroline know her mother’s agony was over.
Once the life was drained from her, the vampire tossed her limp body aside and turned his rage towards Caroline’s father. She’d never forget the terror in her father’s eyes as the vampire stalked him, his face and hands smeared with her mother’s blood.
Her father flicked his eyes towards her, silently begging her to run, to escape before the vampire turned his attention to her again.
She should’ve run to help him, should’ve tried to distract the vampire so her father could get away, but instead she bolted, sacrificing her father to save her own life. She would never purge herself of the guilt she felt for that one act of selfishness.
Everyone, from the police officer who took her statement to her best friend, said the same thing — nothing she could’ve done would’ve saved her parents in that moment. But none of them had a convincing argument when she said she should’ve stayed home that night. If she'd never gone partying with her friends, her parents would be alive right now.
Hot tears ran down her cheeks as she let the memories overwhelm her. They played like an ear-shattering heavy metal song on repeat the first dozen times she came here, but she considered the torture a form of penance. She would let the scene play out until she couldn’t stand it anymore, chanting her confession over and over again.
When she told the grief counselor assigned to her, the counselor recommended Caroline limit herself, allowing the memory to play only once per visit then forcing herself to remember the good things about her parents instead, as a tribute to them. Eventually, her mind started playing the good memories first, and the terrible flashbacks stopped.
After a while, visiting her parents’ graves became a source of comfort instead of atonement. She couldn’t say she'd totally forgiven herself, but she'd made peace with what had happened. Most everyone would’ve done the same thing in her position, and her survival was what her parents wanted more than anything. Her guilt was a rejection of their sacrifice.
But tonight, the memories came back again with a vengeance, spurred on by the sight of the vampire in the bar, no doubt. She couldn’t stop them if she tried.
The world around her disappeared as she transported back in time to that night four years ago. She was so caught up in the flashback, she didn’t notice the figure dart from the nearby oak tree until his cold hand wrapped around her neck and his lips pressed to her ear.
Chapter 3
Fear detonated in Caroline’s body, exploding out of her in a palpable wave. Her limbs shook, her knees went weak, and her vision turned black. The vampire caught her from behind before she slumped to the ground, wrapping one hand around her waist and the other over her mouth so she couldn’t scream. Not that she could, anyway. Terror had silenced her more effectively than a gag.
Once the initial rush of fear dissipated, her senses quickly returned, sharp and vivid, and she focused on them. She could smell the oily taint of hair grease, feel the warm rush of his breath on her chilled skin, see the glimmer of evil in his eyes. Her body tightened, trying to shrink away from his touch.
The cemetery waited
with her in silent anticipation of the vampire’s next move. Her past experiences primed her for his attack. She closed her eyes and tensed, expecting him to plunge his fangs into her or tear her throat apart. But as the seconds ticked by, he did neither of those things.
If he wanted to drink from her, he could’ve had his fangs in her in an instant. Instead, he seemed more interested in soaking up her reaction to his presence. His lips curled in a smile as he leaned his head over her shoulder and pressed his cheek against hers.
“Little barkeep, you frightened my date away. I was anticipating an enjoyable evening with her. Now I need to find someone else to amuse me.” His silky smooth whisper sent shivers coursing up and down her body.
“I can feel your fear radiating through your warm, little body. You don’t even know me, yet you’re terrified of me. Why is that? Have I done anything to harm you?”
Caroline tried to speak, but his hand still covered her mouth. He pulled it away slowly, laying it on her heaving chest. “Don’t scream or I’ll be forced to silence you. Permanently.”
She spit, trying to rid her mouth of the vile taste of him. He chuckled darkly.
“You’re a vampire, that’s all I need to know.” Her voice sounded weak and pathetic even though her tone was tinged with rage.
“So, you think that makes me dangerous, because I need blood to survive? Tell me, have you ever been with a vampire before?”
One hand stroked up and down her arm, and her body clenched again, her skin a size too tight. She wasn’t about to tell him about her past experience with a vampire. She didn’t dare give him any ideas.
“You seduce women so you can drink from them. It’s against the law.”
“You know, most humans find the experience to be quite enjoyable… erotic, even. That’s why so many humans are eager to volunteer at the blood clinic.”
“Then why don’t you drink from one of them?” She spat out then instantly regretted it. Offending him wouldn’t help her chances.
He sighed and loosened his grip around her waist just enough that all she could think about was yanking herself away from him, but she knew she could never outrun him. Whatever he had in mind for her, she'd have to let him play his game if she had any hope of surviving.
“It’s so… impersonal. Go to a clinic, sign a form, wait your turn. And then you have to take whatever donor they give you.” His lip curled in disgust.
“It’s degrading, like getting food from a soup kitchen. Where’s the fun in that? Drinking should be pleasurable, for both parties.”
His voice purred in her ear. The arm across her chest slid up, and he stroked a hand along her neck, his cold fingers chilling the skin and his hot breath warming it. “I much prefer to treat mealtime like an experience to be savored. Believe me, my meal companions have never complained.”
Caroline’s traitorous body responded to his words, his touch, and her own memory of the experience. Electricity zinged from her neck to her breasts, causing her nipples to pucker, then tingled between her legs. She pressed her thighs together, trying to halt the sensation, or increase it. She wasn’t sure which. Her chest pressed against his arm, her breasts seeking attention.
The vampire let his hand rove from her neck, down the valley between her breasts, then around her navel. She quivered under his touch. “Ah, see what I mean? Your mind is telling you to run, but your body is saying something entirely different.”
“It’s not personal.” She sneered.
A laugh burst from his mouth, hitting her with another blast of heat and desire. “I like you, little barkeep. So fierce and feisty. And I can smell your exquisite blood pulsing under your skin. So appealing. It would be my honor to introduce you to the pleasures of feeding. I think you’ll change your mind about my kind once you experience it.”
Terror flooded through her, and her body shook violently at his words. “No, please, no!”
He licked her neck, searing her skin with his tongue. “Don’t be afraid; it only hurts for a moment.”
Caroline screamed as the vampire’s fangs pierced her flesh. Blood streamed from the puncture wounds as he sucked the lifeblood from her veins, gulping and moaning. The hand around her waist held her tightly to his rock hard body. The other hand palmed her breast, kneading the tender flesh and plucking at the already-erect nipple.
She tried to resist her arousal, but the hormones in his saliva were too strong. Despite her disgust, her body responded to him like he was her lover. Her heart raced, her cheeks flushed, her skin tingled. Her body turned to liquid, his for the taking. If he hadn’t been holding her so tight, she would’ve spun around so her front was to his, pressing her breasts to his chest and her groin to his erection.
As it was, she squirmed in his arms, not in an attempt to escape, but trying to increase the friction. Her head lolled to the side, giving him better access. She could hear pants and moaning, but they weren’t coming from him. She cursed her reaction, but she had no power to stop it, and she was quickly losing all desire to resist him. The dark, quiet cemetery around her disappeared. There was nothing but him, and her, and the pleasure.
When his lips pulled away with a sucking sound, she groaned, and her body flailed at the loss of sensation. Tremors shook her like an addict dying for a fix.
“Mmm, you’re even more delicious that I imagined. What is your name, little barkeep?” His voice vibrated with the same desire that coursed through her.
“Caroline.” Desperate to please him so he’d take her again, she let her name burst from her lips on a ragged gasp, but she immediately regretted it. She shouldn’t want this, she shouldn’t feel this way! Sanity struggled to push through the fog of her desire, but lust built like storm clouds, blinding her.
“Caroline.” His mouth caressed her name, his lips humming against her skin while his hands stroked her body. “Beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
She moaned and pushed her neck towards him. He chuckled and turned her around to face him. He didn’t have to keep her from running away anymore, and he knew it. She was a captive of her own desire. Inches from his face, she drank him in — slicked, black hair, dusky skin over sharp lines, onyx eyes, the thin scar that ran through his blood-stained lips.
“You see what I mean now? Feeding is nothing to fear. In fact, I can bet you’re craving another hit so badly you can hardly breathe.”
Caroline murmured and pressed her body up against his, clawing at his clothing, desperate for more of him.
“Lucky for you, so am I.” His mouth lunged towards the other side of her neck. Another burst of pain, another rush of pleasure. She clung to him as the euphoria overwhelmed her.
He sucked wildly, draining her till her body grew weak and limp. She could no longer support herself, but his strong arms held her upright. When he pulled away again, she thought she'd die from the loss of sensation.
“Caroline, I must have you!” His voice was crazed, desperate.
“Take me!” Her voice sounded the same. A small part of her brain called out to her, but she was too intoxicated to comprehend the warning. He could drink her dry, and she'd gladly let him just to prolong the sensation.
This time when he bit, it felt different. After the sharp prick of his fangs, a jolt of pain streaked down her vein, fanning out through her body. She could feel it searing her arteries like a stream of gasoline ignited. The agony pierced through the haze, and her mind instantly cleared again, despite a sudden compulsion to drink from her attacker.
Caroline shrieked and pulled away from him, suddenly aware of her own plunge into insanity. Her eyes darted around in the darkness, looking for someone to save her. “What are you doing? What’s happening?!”
He grabbed her arms and stared into her eyes, his own black irises flashing. “I’m making you mine, Caroline. That’s my venom you feel inside you. Now you must drink from me, and you’ll be one of us. Then I’ll take you as my mate. We can feel this way every time we feed from each other.”
She
pushed against his chest, her face twisted with panic. “What? No! I don’t want to be like you!”
“Caroline, you must. There’s no going back, now. Your veins are filled with venom. If you don’t drink, you’ll die.”
Terror swept through her mind and body, burning away the last vestiges of lust, awakening her to the reality of her situation. Oh God, what had she done? She didn’t want to be a vampire! She despised them! And being mated to this lecherous monster? She could think of nothing more horrifying.
“No, no, no!” she screeched and flailed at him, desperate for him to let her go, but he held her tight, the firm hold she craved a moment ago now a jail cell.
“Caroline, there’s no use running. What are you afraid of? Vampires are superior to humans in every way. We’re faster, stronger, smarter. We live forever! Nothing can kill us but hunger or the sun. You’ll be young, beautiful, and powerful forever.”
“No, you’re monsters! I could never be like you! I’d rather die!” She slapped him in the face then gasped at her own foolishness. If she angered him, he could kill her in an instant. But she was as good as dead now, anyway. The hard blow hurt her hand, but all it did was surprise him. He let go of her just long enough for her to bolt away from him.
Caroline ran as fast and hard as her depleted body would let her. She knew he could catch her if he wanted to, but he could never make her drink from him. She weaved through rows of headstones, her legs wobbly and uncoordinated, her loud breaths drowning out every other sound. When she glanced behind her to see if the vampire was following, her foot stumbled on a low grave marker, and she tumbled to the ground, cracking her head on a gravestone. She felt her life fade away as the darkness closed in on her.
Chapter 4
The phone jarred Roric out of a weeknight evening stupor. He yanked himself out of his couch slouch and grabbed the cell off the coffee table, knocking over a beer can in the process. He quickly uprighted it.
Compelled by the Vampire: Vampire Enforcement Agency Series Book 1 Page 2
