by Casey Lane
His stomach cramped, and he realized he still needed blood. The bar seemed miles away, and he was reluctant to leave her alone.
“Are you okay? You don’t look so good.”
He nodded. “I just haven’t been feeding enough. You could probably use a drink, too.”
She smiled sheepishly. “Brody fed me while you were sleeping.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh really?”
She shrugged. “My options were limited. You didn’t tell me humans smelt so damned good. I could barely resist.”
He laughed. “I forgot about that. You get used to it. Doesn’t seem as obvious the more you’re around them.”
“Does other blood taste so good?” She shivered a little after she said it. “I can’t believe I’m even asking.”
“It all tastes a little bit different. Takes some getting used to.”
He led her to the staircase and got ready to let go of her hand to get the light. She smiled at him and didn’t loosen her fingers.
“I can see a little better in the dark now.”
He nodded. That was going to take some getting used to. She wasn’t human anymore. She was like him. In fact, so much so that he was going to have to train her on some things before they took her by surprise.
They walked down the stairs, into the darkness, enhanced eyesight activating with a warm amber glow. He heard her gasp as the spirits around them jostled and tugged at their flesh.
“What is this? Are there ghosts down here?”
He smiled. “Don’t worry. They won’t hurt you.”
They moved through the darkness swiftly, arriving at the empty bar in seconds. He looked at the half-full glass she’d left there, feeling as if it had been a century ago. So much had happened since then. So much had changed.
“You’re more than human now,” he said as he went under the bar. “That means a lot of things.”
“Like?” She leaned on the bar and poked at her glass. “Can I eat or drink normal food?”
He shook his head and then nodded. “You can, but you won’t want to. It can make you sick, but it’s not impossible to do it. I haven’t eaten in a long time.”
“Have you had a drink?” She picked up the glass.
“Sometimes. It’s less likely to hurt than eating something. It just doesn’t really give the same effect anymore. It’s not as if we can get drunk.”
She pulled a face. “Then what does a vampire do at the end of a long, boring ass week?”
“We don’t have long, boring ass weeks.”
“You’ve been here for a few years, right?”
He nodded as he put a couple of bottles of blood on the bar.
“So, you like what you do in the brothel?” She raised her eyebrows.
He smiled. “It’s not what you think.”
“So, you don’t sleep with women who pay to experience that?”
He shook his head. “I used to bite women who wanted the rush. We call them blood-rushers. That’s more than enough for the average human. The ones that come back again and again are usually the ones who end up craving more. Luckily for me, there are vampires here who cater to that kind of thing.”
“So vampires here do have sex with clients, or customers, or whatever you want to call them?”
He nodded. “A few of us stay away from that side of things. We’re not here because we’re hedonists.”
She took a deep breath and asked her last question on the exhale. “What am I going to be expected to do here?”
His grip on the bottle he was uncapping tightened. “It doesn’t matter what you’re expected to do. You’re not going to have to do it.”
She swallowed. “Those girls I met here before, they like it here.”
“They’re not like you.”
She smiled wryly. “And you know that…”
“They’re ruled by their demons.” He put the open bottle on the bar, sliding it over to her. “You’re not.”
Her blue eyes brightened. “I have one though, don’t I?”
He nodded. “There’s a way to cast the spell when a maker creates a new vampire, a way to keep the demon from gaining control.” He shook his head. “It’s a little more than that, actually. Brody uses part of the trick when he makes his vampires, but he’s a witch so that’s all he can do. As a vampire, I can do a little more.”
“And what did you do exactly when you made me?” She sounded fascinated, twisting the neck of the bottle through her fingers as she gazed at him.
“I told the demon that entered your body to sleep. It obeyed. It had to. I called it forth to create the vampire. I command it.”
“What if it wakes up?”
He shook his head. “I won’t let it. You don’t have to let it, either. It’s bound by my command right now and even if something happened that broke the order, the demon would be too weak to take you over. You would still be controlling the vampire.”
“I am the vampire.”
“You both are.”
She was quiet for a while. “I don’t exist without the demon?”
“There was no other choice.” He looked at the bottle of blood in front of him. He couldn’t convince himself it was anything other than necessity, but some small part of him wondered if he’d been so desperate that he’d only considered his own selfish desires when he’d turned her.
“I know,” she said, picking up the bottle and taking a sip.
He didn’t feel quite so starved now but he took a drink of his, too, hoping to stave off his hunger pangs later. He glanced at the fridge. “We should bring a stash to the room. I’m not sure how long we’ll need to…”
She looked at him. “We’re waiting, aren’t we?”
He nodded slowly, wishing it weren’t true.
“For what, exactly?”
“For the storm to pass.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Skye followed Theo to their new room, the clinking of the bag of bottles oddly loud to her improved hearing. She tried listening out as they passed the rooms, but there didn’t seem to be much going on inside unless there was some kind of sound-proofing in place.
Her nerves were rattled. The nightmare wasn’t over, she knew that as definitely as she knew the heart in her chest no longer moved. Her emotions were still wired in, but the lack of physical response was the most unnerving thing about the new version of herself. She’d bumped into the wall on the way out of the tunnel of ghosts, and it hadn’t even nipped a little. She’d poked and nipped at the skin on her hand, and it felt like nothing. She worried for what that meant. She was dead, but so far not on the inside.
“I can’t seem to feel pain.”
“You won’t. Not physically, at least. Not unless you starve yourself of blood.”
He opened the door to their new room and hit the light. She closed the door behind them. It looked exactly the same as his room. The layout, the décor, everything. Fancy hotel room with no widows seemed to be the brothel’s look.
“What about pleasure?” Surely, there couldn’t be one without the other?
He put the bag down and pulled her to him. “Your responses might be slower, but believe me, they’re very much alive and well.”
He crushed his mouth to hers. She gave in to him as he lifted her into his arms and onto the bed. She understood what he meant gradually, as his kiss deepened and she started to feel that first flush of heat below her waist. She pushed him back suddenly.
“Take off those clothes,” she told him, screwing up her nose as she remembered who they’d belonged to. “And never put them back on.”
He did as ordered and she stripped at the same time, eager to find out how everything felt in this new state of being. There had to be advantages she wasn’t aware of yet.
He was quick to pin her back down as soon as she was naked. She felt him throbbing between her legs as he gazed into her eyes.
“I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
“Anything?” She raised an eyebrow, b
ut she knew exactly what he meant and it made her stomach flutter. He’d done nothing but try to save her from the moment they’d met. Had that only been a day ago now? She could barely believe that. It felt like she’d known him for a lifetime.
He smiled, kissing his way down her body. This time he didn’t stop at her throat. His kisses didn’t tingle strangely against her skin like they had before; he didn’t feel cold. It felt teasing, and each touch sent a thrill through her body, anticipation sparking her desire. The heat at her core spread as he ended the trail between her legs, his kisses softening as his tongue began to move against her. She groaned under him and he gripped her hips, keeping her from squirming under his touch. She reached down and stroked through his hair as he worked her closer to climax. It hit hard and fast. The scream that left her lips was earth-shattering. He moved, licking at his lips as he positioned himself to enter her. The self-satisfied smile was justified, so she didn’t tell him to wipe it off his face.
“It’s just as well my heart doesn’t beat anymore,” she told him. “That might have stopped it.”
He slid his length into her wet warmth and she wound her legs around his back, keeping him close. She was still riding the high, ecstatic to be pinned down by his muscular bulk and loving the feeling of being filled by him. She never wanted it to end. He moved, bending to tease her nipple into his mouth as he slowed his thrusts. A fresh spark of heat burst through her as he sucked. She moaned as he worked her into a second orgasm, his measured thrusting and well timed tongue flicks driving her crazy. The euphoria that followed kept her in a state of bliss as he reached his own climax inside her.
His kiss this time was relaxed, a slow but passionately infused embrace that made her want more. She pulled his head back to hers as he started to move away, not letting him end it. He legs stayed wrapped around him possessively, keeping him in place.
He smiled when she let go. “You don’t want me to move.”
“How did you guess?” She grinned.
“Well, if you want a repeat performance you’re going to have to let me drink something first.”
She let him go. “That’s how it works?”
He nodded. “You might not even notice it, but something happens when we drink blood. It’s called a Pulse. It’s what makes sex possible.”
“So you have to drink right before, every time?”
He shook his head as he grabbed a bottle and picked up the bag. He had to put it in the room’s fridge before it went bad. As soon as it was gone, he sat back down next to Skye.
“I haven’t been drinking enough. It’ll take me time to get back to full strength.”
She looked him over with a raised eyebrow. “This is you not at full strength?”
He smiled wryly. “I might look okay, but inside I’m a little messed up.”
“I think that could be said of anyone.”
He nodded. “You know what, you’re probably right.”
He opened the bottle and took a drink.
She wondered why he hadn’t been drinking enough, but she didn’t quite have the guts to ask. It was why he hadn’t been able to stop himself from biting her when they’d met. The reason couldn’t be good.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The phone was ringing and it wouldn’t stop. Theo reached out and yanked it off the night stand. Being broken out of peaceful dreams was a whole new experience, and it made him incredibly pissy.
“What is it?”
Stacy took a breath before she spoke. “Someone booked in an appointment with Skye. Through Brody’s dad. He paid ten grand for it. I’ve been told he gets to do whatever he wants to her.”
Theo was suddenly wide awake. “That’s not happening.”
“It was a direct order,” she said, her voice small. “I’m only relaying the message.”
“Then relay this one to him…”
“Brody wants to talk to you.”
He sighed, rubbing his face. “What the hell is going on, Brody?”
Skye was beginning to stir beside him, and he didn’t want her hearing any of this shit.
“We need to talk. Meet me down in the bar in five.”
He hung up and Theo frowned at the receiver before he threw it down.
There was only one reason Brody would want to meet in the bar. It was more protected than the rest of the brothel. They’d be able to talk there privately without risking anyone overhearing their conversation. His father’s spells wouldn’t be able to penetrate the cavern. The spirits down there messed with all forms of magic, apparently.
He got up, uncertain as he threw the clothes back on. He didn’t want to leave Skye on her own, but Brody apparently had something important to tell him, something that likely related to a plan. There was no way he’d let his father hand Skye over to some creep who was going to torture her.
He shook Skye’s shoulder, but she didn’t wake up. The decision weighed on him for a few more seconds before he rushed out the room. He’d be gone five minutes or less.
Chapter Thirty
The knock on the door took Skye by surprise. She pushed herself up on the bed and frowned into the darkness. She was alone. Theo wasn’t in the room.
The door handle turned, and she froze. The girl from reception came in with a handful of clothes, closing the door behind her. She had a tight smile on her tired face, and she held out the bundle of clothes like a piece offering.
Skye wrapped the sheet around herself and looked for her underwear.
“What’s this?” she asked, trying not to freak out at the weird situation.
Stacy took a deep breath before she spoke. “Okay, so this is going to sound bad but just listen and try not to freak. Okay?”
Skye raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on that I need to try not to freak about?”
“You know how you agreed to work here?” She pulled a face with her teeth. The false smile only made Skye’s panic rise. “Well, you have a client. And there’s nothing I can do about that. So, here’s what we’re going to do.” She dumped the clothes on the bed. “Pick out an outfit. You’re going to try using compulsion on me.” She folded her arms, and suddenly the fear in her nervous attitude shone through.
“Compulsion?” Skye guessed she probably should have asked Theo more questions about being a vampire. “Where’s Theo?”
“He’s speaking to Brody right now. We’re all in on this plan.”
She was shaking a little.
“You hate vampires, right?” Skye wished she had time to sympathize, but right now she wanted to know what the hell was going on.
Stacy shook her head. “I just… I don’t like how they can have complete control over someone.”
Skye nodded, fingering the clothes in front of her. They were all nightdresses, slinky, silky, or lacy. She picked the least revealing silk one and hauled it over her head. It was probably two sizes too big, but her ass was fully covered and the neck wasn’t scandalously low.
“How do I use compulsion?”
Stacy took another breath. “Just look me in the eyes and will me to do something.”
She locked gazes with the trembling human girl and smiled. “Tell me you love vampires.”
“I love vampires,” she said in a dead tone that creeped Skye out, just a touch.
She shivered. “Yes, that’s how you do it.”
“It seems easy.”
“So they tell me.”
“What’s the rest of this plan?”
Chapter Thirty-One
Theo ran the whole way there, which took about a minute with his super speed. Brody was waiting for him, a grim look on his face.
“Hey,” he said.
“What’s going on? What are we doing about this client situation?”
“We have a plan. So relax. Skye’s not going to get hurt.”
“Is he still here?” He was still wondering why the hell Brody had called him down here. He was trying to stay calm, but leaving Skye alone was playing on his mind.
; “He’s not, but we have reason to believe he’s looking in on us right now.”
“Looking in?”
“He cast a spell before he left. I didn’t catch all the words, but I caught enough to know he’s watching to find out what happens. He’s expecting us to do something to mess this up. We need to be careful.”
“I don’t give a shit about being careful. Tell me what the damned plan is.”
Brody nodded. “We let the guy come here, and he changes his mind about who he wants to spend his time with.”
Theo frowned at him.
“I mean, we change his mind. Compulsion. It’s harder to detect than magic. My dad might suspect, but he won’t know for sure. It’s risky, but it’s all we have.”
“Compulsion.” Theo shook his head. He supposed ripping the guy’s throat out would be even riskier, particularly as it seemed he was one of Brody’s father’s rich friends.
“We won’t let anything happen to Skye. We just have to get this to play out right so this whole thing can be over and done with.”
“We’re leaving after,” Theo said, knowing it was what needed to be done to keep Skye safe. This place had been a haven for him when he needed it, but it had turned into a nightmare.
“I’ll help you get out of town later tonight.”
He nodded. “I need to go.”
Brody put a hand on his arm. “I can’t let you do that.”
He turned, incredulous, as Brody dripped blood into the darkness and said something he knew was activating a spell. When he tried to move, he couldn’t. Blood magic had him frozen in place.
“I’m sorry, Theo. This is for everyone’s good. You’ll understand once we’ve gotten through this.” He walked into the darkness, leaving Theo trapped in his own body in the bar.
Chapter Thirty-Two
