Bitten By The Bad Boy: A Bad Boy Vampire Romance

by Jasmine White

  “Why did you risk telling me if you believe they are dangerous?”

  “I just don’t want to see this happen to another woman. I couldn’t live with myself otherwise,” Lara said.

  Chloe took her time walking back home after the meeting with Lara. She was beginning to feel that she had made a big mistake. She wasn’t sure if she believed the reporter either, but things were just odd enough at Dreas that she was a little more likely to believe something was going on than not. She’d had a prickly suspicion that something wasn’t right for a while. Maybe Michael’s old assistant ran off somewhere, maybe she wasn’t dead. Maybe her own intuition was working overtime.

  It really could just be that Michael Andreas was an eccentric and didn’t run his business like a normal person would. From everything she read, some of the most innovative and creative business minds were often left of center. Couldn’t she just give Michael the benefit of the doubt? Or was she only willing to do that because she was attracted to him?

  Lara might just be an overwrought sister looking for answers, in pain and seeing conspiracies where there were none. Worse, maybe she was just an unhinged news hound looking for a way to somehow exploit her. Though it was hard to believe that because the woman didn’t ask her a single question. She would have to create a completely fictitious a story from Chloe out of their brief conversation, which she didn’t think would be likely.

  As she turned the corner towards her apartment, she saw a figure standing at the bottom of the stairway.

  “Michael,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

  “I need to speak with you, off the clock,” he said. “Will you take a ride with me?”

  *

  Chloe didn’t realize how cold she was until she slipped into Michael’s car. It was pleasantly warm. Sinking into the leather seat and heated air reminded her of slipping into a warm bath. Only, she could allow herself to relax. Michael was beside her, and he was still her boss. She couldn’t imagine what he would need to see her about this time of evening that couldn’t have waited until the next morning. It made her think about Lara’s claim that Dreas had their employees followed.

  “I’m surprised to see you,” Chloe said. “I’m assuming nothing is wrong?”

  He reached over and squeezed her hand. “Something is, just not the way that you think.” Not knowing what to think, she squeezed his hand back. They drove in silence for a time, the sedan cutting soundlessly through traffic. Chloe took in a breath as she realized that they were approaching the marina. He found a parking space near the pier, overlooking the water. They both watched as a dingy with lights strung across its masts glided over the dark water. The moon was high and nearly full. In the distance, to their left, was a fish food restaurant, and a bakery.

  “I’m waiting,” Chloe said.

  “I have wanted to talk to you for a while, and not about work. I hope you know…”

  “Know…?” she prompted. She had all kinds of things going through her head. She thought about what Lara said, about the feeling she’d had lately of being watched, the car taking her to and from work, the odd way that Michael kept her close to him.

  And then, he leaned forward and kissed her.

  It was a long, deep kiss, and she put her arms around him. He held on and after a moment she felt his lips stray to her neck. He lingered there. She felt the touch of his tongue, and a gentle kiss there, but then he moved away abruptly.

  “Oh,” she said. “That’s what you wanted me to know,” she said.

  He laughed, and when he touched her face, she kissed his palm.

  “Since when do you have trouble saying anything?” she asked.

  He put his head close to hers. “It’s much easier showing you than telling you,” he replied softly. “We haven’t known each other long, but I know what I’m feeling for you. I didn’t want to come on too strong, make you worry about your job or what might happen. I know it’s not appropriate. But,” he took a breath in, “I know that I want you.”

  He was gripping the steering wheel. Chloe watched his knuckles turn white.

  “I want you too,” she admitted. “And you’re right, it’s not appropriate. Maybe I haven’t always been the standard of doing the right thing. Mostly, I just have a lot of questions, about you and your life. And about your company too.”

  “I understand. There are a lot of things I haven’t told you about myself yet, things that you deserve to know. Everything has been crazy busy. For now, we have the next few days to get through. The ball is Saturday, and that’s going to be a huge press event. I have scheduled to take some days off after that. We can get a chance to really talk things over. Does that sound reasonable?”

  “It does.”

  They talked for a while more, kissed some more. At times she could tell he was fighting the urge not to push things further, but he kept drawing back. “We should go,” he finally said. “It’s been a long day and we both have to go in tomorrow.”

  Chloe didn’t ask the questions that were on her mind. She still didn’t know what to think about the reporter and her claims, but she decided that she would wait for a couple of days before approaching him about his former assistant and her disappearance. There had to be a reasonable explanation. She certainly couldn’t afford to look like she was accusing him of anything.

  At least the question of their mutual attraction had been answered.

  **

  Michael had to be sure that Chloe was all right after having talked with her that afternoon. So many things were going on that worried him. Quinn was an unexpected problem and so was the vampire that controlled him. At this point, he wasn’t so sure if this predator had something to do with his past or hers. Either way, he was fiercely aware of his need to protect her.

  When he saw her walking toward him on the street, he felt a clenching in his chest. It had been a long time since he felt this way about a woman, but he recognized the emotion—the pull of caring for someone. She looked up at him and smiled. She was not in pain. She wasn’t scared or angry, or hurt. It didn’t sound like much, but that was enough to give him some hope. With so much going on he was concerned for her safety, and for more than one reason.

  The marina was Michael’s favorite place to go when he wanted to be alone and think. It was also a good place to go because they could be alone, but still a public place where he wouldn’t let himself go. He didn’t entirely trust himself to be alone with her yet. He was glad that she agreed to come. He didn’t want to work a compulsion on her if at all possible. It didn’t occur to him until they were sitting together looking out at the water that she wanted to know what he had to say. He hadn’t been exactly careful about showing her that he liked her, but she had been careful in her responses.

  When they kissed, it was almost more than he could handle. He’d draw back from her and then kiss her again. The taste of her skin was sweet. Feeling that pulse at the base of her neck, he promised himself not to drink from her. He would, but not before she knew what was happening. She needed to be willing, to have knowledge of what she was giving and what she was accepting from him in return.

  Michael was sorry that their time together was coming to an end. When he pulled up to the curb of her place, he stole one more kiss. After saying goodnight, he waited in his car until she was safe inside. He listened for the latch of her door snapping into place, and smiled as he watched her moving behind her windows, shutting curtains and turning on the lights. There were only two days left until the ball, and then he could tell her everything.

  ***

  The ball was planned on Saturday night, beginning at nine that evening and going on late into the evening. There were a few different bands playing, raffles, and prizes, and everything of course went to Heartbeats for Women. The charity usually filled most of its coffers on the money they gathered from the yearly ball. It cost a thousand dollars per plate. If you wanted to bring guests, it was five thousand extra for a table, on top of the other charges, including the door
fee.

  When Chloe did the math, one party of five would pay out in one night very close to what she made the entire year. And that didn’t include the really fun goodies, like the auction for a couple of rock stars who were being offered up for a date with the highest bidder. Celebrities always loved these benefit events, because it was an opportunity to be seen doing something positive.

  Michael picked her up himself, this time without any trace of security behind him. “You look beautiful,” he said when she came to the door. She had decided on a red dress, shoulder-less with a sweetheart neckline, with a skirt that flowed down to her ankles. The charity’s signature color was red, and he had told her to choose something bold, after all. The shine in his eyes made all the squeezing, pinching, and cussing it had taken to pour herself into the dress feel worthwhile.

  The event had a red carpet with paparazzi swarming around taking pictures of noteworthy people. Chloe felt like a fish out of water, but tried not to show it. She was relieved when they made it into the ballroom. The place was opulent, decorated with white flowers, crystals, and candles. It might as well have been for a wedding, it was that pretty. A band played on stage, and there were people up and swaying to the music. Michael kissed her cheek and offered to get them drinks. The moment he was gone, Chloe felt a hand grip her upper arm.

  “Come with me,” Sharla said.

  “You’re hurting me,” Chloe said.

  Sharla ignored her. She pulled Chloe down the hallway and into a small room. Once she had a chance to look around, she realized they were standing in a pantry behind the kitchen. Under any other conditions she would have complimented Sharla on her dress. It was a pale blue satin, draping down her body like the flowing gown of a Greek goddess. All Chloe could do was fight the urge to punch the woman.

  “Look, I’m going to tell you this once,” Sharla snarled. “If you know what’s good for you, leave tonight and don’t come back.”

  “What? Look, I know you don’t like me, and I have a pretty good idea why, but I haven’t done anything to you…”

  “You’ve got that wrong, because if I really didn’t like you, there’d be no need for this conversation,” she snapped. “I’m not sure exactly what’s going on, but I can tell you don’t have a very good chance of staying in one piece if you stay in Michael’s company. It’s not that he doesn’t care for you. Just understand that women who hang around him wind up dead. I would know.”

  Before she could ask what she was talking about, Sharla was gone. Chloe stepped out of the pantry and looked around. There was no trace of Sharla or which direction she went. Chloe found her way back through the shadows into the ballroom.

  Looking around, she didn’t see Michael. She found her way back to her table, and decided that she would sit and wait. When Michael found her, he looked concerned.

  “Where were you?” he bent into her ear and whispered. The music was loud.

  “Um, went to the lady’s room and saw an acquaintance on the way back. I lost track of time.”

  He smiled, but the look in his eyes let her know that he didn’t buy her explanation. She wasn’t sure why she should protect Sharla, but she had the feeling this wasn’t the time to tell him about what she’d just done.

  “Let’s dance,” he said, taking her hand.

  Once she was in Michael’s arms, Chloe tried to forget everything else. With the music, and so many people flowing around them, it was easy to hold onto him and close her eyes. She asked him where he learned to dance, and he replied that he’s learned back in the said when these dances weren’t so old yet. Such a strange answer. But then she knew him to be a patently strange man.

  Chloe felt her heart skip when he suggested that they leave at the end of the evening. Michael drove quickly through traffic, bringing them back to the building. He was taking her to the penthouse. Once inside, he built a fire in in the grate. While he did that, Chloe stood at the window, looking out at the lights of the city. This was the point where things would change. When he came to put his arms around her, she sighed, enjoying the comfort of his nearness. He kissed her cheek, her lips. With her chest pressed against his, she shivered as his fingers traced the contour of her neck.

  “I promised that I would tell you everything,” he whispered.

  “Did you change your mind?” she asked. “Maybe we can just skip to the fun part?” Her fingers strayed to his hair. Since she met him she wanted to run her hands through those locks. His wavy hair was luxuriously soft.

  “I wish,” he said. “Come sit with me.”

  They sat down together, on the bear rug in front of the fireplace.

  “It’s not so easy to be with me,” he began.

  “Who is?”

  “Chloe. Let me tell you. It’s not easy to say. I’m going to do something. Just stay still.”

  “What?”

  He turned away for a moment, looking into the fire. When he turned back, his blue eyes were lit with a preternatural shine. Parting his lips slowly, he showed her his fangs. And then, with a shake of his head, both were gone. For Chloe, it all felt like it was happening in slow motion. Jumping backwards, she pulled herself up unto the couch, legs up, arms at either side. “You… you’re a vampire!”

  “I didn’t want to frighten you. But if I had only told you, you’d have thought I was insane.”

  He reached for her hand and coaxed her to sit back down next to him.

  “I don’t understand,” she said. “I’ve seen you walk around in the daytime. And eat. And drink wine. Not that you’re supposed to exist anyway!”

  “Actually, he said. That’s somewhat true. My kind were never meant to exist, but yet, here we are.”

  “Okay, so that means Sharla is too, doesn’t it?” she said.

  “Well, if you must know, yes.”

  “I knew it.”

  “To answer your other question,” he continued. “Some years ago, I read about a scientist who was doing ground-breaking work with blood cells. He’d already done amazing things with stem cell research, and I was curious about what else he could do. You may have heard of him.”

  “Dr. Emerson?”

  “Yes. I basically kidnapped the man to get an audience with him. I wanted to see if it were possible to change the cells of vampires. Most of the things you have heard are true: we can’t go out in daylight, eat, and make love. I asked Emerson to work on a serum that would allow for regular blood flow, the ability to eat, and to walk in sunshine. This is how I’m able to do such things. I take the serum. So does Sharla. Emerson has two other vampires he gives the medications to. There are few side effects now. But to begin with, they were horrible, and I was his first guinea pig. And there were human trials. All illegal. Despite the suffering for all involved, that was how we developed more than half of the advances the company created, which will go to helping humans.”

  “Enough about that. Tell me about you,” Chloe said.

  “I was made a long time ago.”

  “How long is long? Before the Civil War?”

  “Before that by a long shot.”

  “1600s?” Chloe teased.

  “1690.”

  She sat, trying to absorb what he’d just told her. “Where?” she asked.

  “Italy.”

  “Do you still drink blood?” she asked.

  “I desire it,” he said. “I can live without it, but from time to time, I crave it.”

  She took in a deep breath. “This is why you say it’s hard to be with you.”

  “Yes. Are you okay, honey?” he asked.

  “Probably not.”

  He got up and poured her a drink. Rum. Chloe swirled it in the glass, and then downed most of the liquor in one shot.

  “Did you want to become vampire?”

  “No. Almost no one wants this, I didn’t. That’s another long and sad story, but my maker has long been dead.”

  “Is Sharla yours?”

  “Yes. Though she is much younger than I am.”

  “Sh
e’s still in love with you?”

  He smiled. “No. She has love for me, as I do for her, but we’re not in love with each other,” he said. Michael caressed her face with is fingertips, the gentlest of touches. “We all have someone in our past that we have affection for. It’s nothing like how I feel for you.”

  “Then… what happens between us?”

  “You have a decision to make,” he said. “If you want to be with me, you can’t remain human. It would be too dangerous for you and me both. It would be too easy to hurt you without meaning to, and that’s something that I won’t allow. But you need time to think about it, and make sure that it’s something you really want.”

  “What happened to the girl that used to work for you before me? Jennifer?”

  “How do you know about her?”

  “It doesn’t matter. You want me to trust you, so just tell me.”

  “It was not my intention to hurt her,” he said quietly. “She found out my secret, and she was going to tell. I couldn’t let that happen.”

  “You killed her.”

  He nodded in agreement. “Ugly truth.”

  “What happens if I decided not to be yours?” Chloe asked.

  “You’d have to leave the company. I’d help you find work anywhere you wanted to go. I have faith that you would not reveal my secrets.”

  “Why is that?” she asked.

  “I couldn’t continue to see you every day, knowing what I missed out on. I need you too much for that, and I know that you feel something for me.”

  Chloe nodded. “How would this work?”

  “If I drink from you, just a taste,” he said. “It will make a bond between us. I can be with you. It will allow me to sate… some of my desires, enough to allow me to be gentle with you. That blood bond will last a little while, maybe a week, if I don’t drink from you again. You can think about what you want to do. I would not ask you to leave your life behind without time to consider the choice. Like human life, a vampire’s usually begins with desire and hunger, with no thought to consequence. That’s the way it’s always been.” His blue eyes sparkled, reflecting the firelight. He licked his lips. “I know what a serious thing it is, one I would not ask you to enter into without thinking about.”