Roman (The Clutch Series Book 1)

by Heidi McLaughlin

  “Bye girls, love you!” I hear her say as her footsteps approach. I’m waiting on the sidewalk near the spa, but just out of range for her friends to see me.

  “Love you too! Text me later! Go see about a vampire, will ya?” the one named Lana shouts in the street, making me chuckle audibly. That Lana is funny, and Fiona should definitely keep her around. I do not hear the vampire-hating friend interject, and I can hear their two sets of footsteps going in the other direction. Perfect, she is alone.

  As she turns the corner to where I’m standing, I try not to startle her, which is damn near impossible. “Fiona?” I say as non-threateningly as possible.

  “Oh my God!” She jumps, clutching at her neck quickly. A bit dramatic, but there wasn’t any way to surprise her without, well… surprising her.

  “Fiona, relax. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “Well then what the hell are you doing hiding out here?” she demands, panting.

  “It’s broad daylight. I wasn’t really hiding,” I offer.

  She puts her hand on her hip, and tilts her head, scrutinizing me. “I suppose you’re right. However, were you out here waiting for me?”

  I want to lie and say I was randomly passing by, but we both know I was absolutely sitting out here waiting for her. “I was hoping that we could talk, just for a bit? Could I take you to lunch?”

  Her face scrunches up, and she crosses her arms. “Lunch? Do you even eat?” She’s skeptical of me, and I get it, but I’m not giving up.

  “Well, not human food, but I’d be delighted to buy you food, and pretend to eat while we talk?” I offer.

  Somehow, this elicits a smile from her, as if she’s amused. “Yea, I’m not going to sit with you and have you watch me eat, that’s weird.”

  “It’s only weird if you care what other people think. Besides, I’ll order food. I just won’t eat it. Come on. I can tell you want to.” I smile at her, tilting my head like a playful puppy.

  Her shoulders relax, and she is still smiling. “All right. I’ll let you buy me lunch. But I get to pick the place since I’m the only one eating,” she declares with a light giggle.

  “You got a deal, Ms. Weston. Shall we?” I step aside so that she will lead the way.

  She walks past me, clutching her new Louis Vuitton with one arm, her other hand still floating near her neck, but it’s drifted lower, closer to her breasts. I can’t help but notice her beautiful curves. Her chest is of average size, but she has a perfect hourglass figure, accentuated by her skin tight jeans which draw my eyes directly to her ass. The more I’m around her, the closer I want to get to her, but she’s still scared of me. I need to show her that I’m really just a man in the most important ways.

  “I am in the mood for a Greek salad, and there is a place not too far from here. Will that work?” she asks.

  “Sounds fantastic.” In my human life, I never had Greek food, but I have been to Greece as a vampire. It’s a beautiful country, with extraordinarily beautiful people. The human violence in the last 100 years became a turn off for me, which is why I left.

  The restaurant has a small symbol on the front of the building, next to the fire department signs. It is the symbol that I carry on my wrist. She’s chosen an establishment that welcomes vampires, which is not lost on me and endears me to her further. All public buildings are required to welcome vampires, but human-owned businesses are not required to serve vampires if they do not wish, and establishments that do welcome us openly often display the sticker on their door as a sign of acceptance.

  Once we are seated, she orders her salad, and I do the same. I then jump right into what I want to say. “Have you looked at my business proposal?” I ask.

  “No, I haven’t,” she admits. “I don’t tend to read all of them to be completely honest, as many of them are a real bore, and are primarily about who can get the best deal to make more money. I just do my job, which is to gather the money together, so they all know who has some, and who’s in the market to spend some of theirs on an investment.”

  “Tell me about your father.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I would like to understand him better,” I reply frankly.

  “Understanding him better is not going to get you a deal. He’s not going to work with a vampire, Roman. There’s really no way around that.” Our salads arrive, and she begins to pick at hers while I watch.

  “I didn’t say anything about that. I would genuinely like to better understand the man. You seem to be open to me in some ways, so why not him?” Her face flushes immediately, and I can sense that she is embarrassed that I notice. Unsure of what to say, I wait patiently for her reply.

  “My daddy simply doesn’t understand your kind, Roman, and honestly, I can’t say that I do either. You frighten me. But I’m willing to admit, that is because of folklore and what I’ve heard from my father. It just feels like bigotry or a reason to hate you without cause, and that’s not who I am as a person.” She seems like she wants to say more; she fidgets in her seat a bit, looking uncomfortable.

  “It is not my intent to frighten you, Fiona. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.” I feel a smirk begin to form as I shamelessly flirt, just a bit. Watching her turn red is fast becoming a huge turn on for me.

  She takes a breath before replying, collecting her thoughts. “I can see that you are actually a nice… man.” She pauses. “But I honestly do not think that I can help you. My influence is minimal, and my father isn’t going to change his tune about vampires. He’s old-fashioned and set in his ways.”

  “Perhaps you can read my proposal. I will email it to you, and then if you don’t think it’s worth anything, I will walk away or find myself a human to partner with as I’ve been instructed to do. But I want you to read it.”

  “Why me? I told you, I’m just the party girl. I just hook people up like a matchmaker.”

  “Fiona, you’re so much more than the party girl.” She blushes again, and lowers her chin, looking up at me through her lashes. Her blue eyes bore into me, and at this moment I want to tell her all about my plans, but I don’t. I reach across the small table, extending my finger out under her chin. As I gently lift her chin, so she looks at me directly, her warm skin sends electricity through me. Heat engulfs my skin, a sensation I’ve not felt for as long as I can remember. I can hear her heartbeat pick up again as if it’s beating in my own chest. Possibly a dash of fear, but definitely something else. “I want to know what you think of it. I want your opinion on my proposal, and then I want you to tell me that you don’t want to help me.”

  She replies softly. “I will look at it. But I cannot make you any promises.”

  “Just promise that I can see you again. So that we can… talk more.” I hesitate, my growing attraction to her making me want to sweep her into my arms, taking her back to my place for safe keeping. Her soft smile exposes her beauty; she's herself with me. Not at all the woman who I thought she’d be.

  Shyly, she replies. “That… I can promise.” Her expression is inviting; a smile that begins to melt my exterior spreads across her face.

  And with that, I lower my hand and sit back in my seat. With Fiona, I need to be patient. I need to ensure that she’s not scared of me and that she allows me to get a bit closer each time we meet. Anything more, and I could lose her, and I can’t bear the thought of that.

  8

  Fiona

  The words start to blur. It doesn’t matter how many times I read them. Each time I come to the part of Roman’s proposal where he wants to open a home not only serving homeless people but more importantly the foster children of Las Vegas. I can’t wrap my head around why a vampire would want to help humans. None of this makes sense to me.

  A few times while reading, I picked up my phone to call him because I had to know, but I could never bring myself to dial his number. Right now, I hate myself for thinking about him outside of a business standpoint. He’s nothing more than a client. No, he’s not even a client.
He’s someone who doesn’t take no for an answer, and as much as I’d love to sell this idea to my father, and beg him to give Roman the permits necessary, my father would never budge. Roman doesn’t have the right vital organs.

  However, the concept is beyond amazing and needs to happen, and if Roman needs to find a human partner to make this project come to life then, that’s what he needs to do. I wish I could tell him this, but the other day at lunch he didn’t seem too keen on the idea of having a human involved in his business, not that I blame him. After we parted, I stopped at the library and did some research on vampires. The first thing I learned, despite their extraordinary abilities, is humans have always somehow had control. At one point in history, more vampires walked the earth than humans, yet we were responsible for the extinction of the undead. It’s not exactly clear why the reemergence happened, but that the government has put strict guidelines on vampires’ ability to walk among us.

  Their rules are simple, to say the least. While the cross I wear doesn’t protect me, the vampire is supposed to respect it, which Roman has done each time we’ve met. The books also stated there are rogue members out there who do as they wish, but a majority of the creations are trying to live among humans, as humanly as possible.

  Still, as much as I like this proposal, the only way Roman achieves his goal is to hand it over to a human. I’m fairly sure my father won’t even entertain the idea if a vampire is involved, even as a silent partner.

  Holding one of his architectural sketches in my hand, I lean back in my chair. The new home is perfect for the empty lot, is beautiful and nothing like we have on the Strip. Even though it would have the same grandiose feel as the casinos or stores along the road, it fits. Truthfully, when I opened the portfolio, I expected to find a gothic vibe, with pages filled with black, coffins and cobwebs. I blame my father for my thought process.

  Roman is nothing like I had imagined, and it makes me wonder what type of human he was before he was… what do they call it? Turned? Bitten? The book I read didn’t exactly go into detail of how someone becomes a vampire, and something tells me his creator didn’t bite him because he was dying of Spanish influenza when he was seventeen. I can attest, Roman doesn’t sparkle, but he does dazzle me, and part of me hates it. As Leslie says, it’s unnatural, but I’d be a liar if I said I haven’t thought about Roman since our lunch date. I have, in every possible way. It’s that part of me that wants to know him more, to find out what makes him tick and discover why this project is so important to him. He could go any place else and build something like this, so why Vegas?

  As much as I want to help him, I can’t. There isn’t anything I can do. Knowing this breaks my heart because Roman seems to be more kind than his human counterparts. The other proposals are just money making ventures. Investors looking to dump millions into a failing hotel, making it a hot spot for the next year while collecting copious amounts of revenue and eventually letting it fall by the wayside as the current owners have. No one considers the long-term investment. They’re unprepared for the complaints that will undoubtedly come in about the air conditioner not working, the uncomfortable bed, dirty room or the loud banging coming from their adjacent wall. Each of these items cost money, and unless you’re jam-packing your casino, the hotel is going to struggle.

  Did Roman consider this? I don’t know why I care, but I rifle through his proposal to see. My eyes scan the page, and sure enough, he has. He has the funds to do a complete overhaul of the current hotel, upgrading it to the finest of everything the market has to offer, all while keeping his prices competitive, if not below market.

  “Why can’t everyone think like him?”

  When did I start thinking of Roman as a pronoun? I still don’t know the answer. Is he a man? He looks like, talks like, and acts like – well better than some, I know – a man. So why not? And if he’s not, what do I call him?

  I shouldn’t call him anything. In a matter of days, this… whatever he is, has entered my home uninvited, stalked me outside the spa I was enjoying the day at with my friends, and… that’s when it hits me. He approached me in the coffee shop, knowing who I was. It wasn’t happenstance or a shy flirtation, he sought me out with the sole purpose of getting to know me because of who my father is. With that, I close his portfolio and tuck it into my desk drawer, determined to forget it.

  I don’t know how I ended up here, but here I am, standing in the middle of the Majesty Hotel and Casino, watching as very few people push quarters into the slot machines. As casinos go, this one is empty. The typically loud and boisterous sounds that represent Las Vegas do not exist here. At one time, the Majesty was a staple of the Strip, the hot spot mecca until misguided fortunes and super casinos opened.

  “I hate my imaginary job.”

  “Cocktail?” A young… no strike that, he’s not young because he’s a vampire, is smiling at me. He’s carrying an empty tray with a pad of paper on it.

  “You’re a vampire,” I say, stupidly. I’m sure he knows this.

  His expression changes as he looks around. “If you’re uncomfortable, I can ask Jenny to come take your order.”

  I shake my head. “I’m sorry for my outburst, it was rude of me.”

  Now he steps back as his eyes go wide. He opens his mouth to say something but quickly closes it. He clears his throat, which brings up another list of questions I have. Like, do vampires go to school to learn how to act human or do they retain these mannerisms once they’ve turned? I’m sure Roman would answer anything I want to know, but honestly, I think seeing him is a bad idea. He makes me feel things, which I’m not sure are entirely true to the way I’m feeling. I’m convinced Roman has me under some spell or something.

  “Do I have to gamble to get a drink?”

  The waiter shrugs. “It’s normally the rule, but the owners bend it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Over the years, the owners have been very lax on the requirement. We can serve anyone free drinks.”

  “I see.” This explains why they’re losing so much money. Liquor sales, combined with gambling are what keep the casino afloat. The more people drink, the more they spend at the tables and slots. “I’m going to sit over there.” I point behind me to the Wheel of Fortune machine. “I’ll take a vodka sprint, please.”

  He smiles and tells me he’ll be right back. I do as I told him and sit down at the machine. I’ve never been one to gamble, but today seems like a good day to let off some steam by punching the buttons as hard as I can. I feed the machine a twenty and start playing. Every few turns I win a dollar or two. It’s enough to keep me in my seat, and before I know it, I’ve put more money into the machine and am on my third or fourth drink.

  The more I drink, the louder I get when I hit the smallest of victories. I have no doubt my antics are the highlight of the security team watching me because when I lose, I all but fall out of my chair and flail about like a fish without water.

  “No whammies,” I yell, pushing the button down. I figure if I hold it longer my electronic spin will be more powerful.

  “Ma’am, the no whammies machine is over there. I can show you if you want.”

  I look at the waiter, who is smiling brightly. Everything about him is perfect from his teeth, nose, lips, jaw and even his hair. I stand abruptly and lean into him, inhaling as deeply as I can. “Nope, you don’t smell like Roman.”

  “No, ma’am. I’m the vampire known as Gregory. I don’t know Roman.”

  “Do you know all the vampires?”

  He shakes his head. “There are many.”

  “But you’re all related?”

  “In a way, I suppose. Do you need me to call this Roman for you? Are you his consort?”

  I’m sipping my drink when he says this, causing me to almost choke. “His what?”

  “His mate or as some of the women here call it, his juice hustler.”

  My mouth drops open, and I snicker. “I’m not Roman's consort or a juice hustler.”
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  “Okay, ma’am.”

  “Did you really say, juice hustler? What is that?”

  "We call them donors, but some people like to mock us."

  "I see."

  “Ma’am, your machine is beeping. You need to play before it zeros out your funds, and you have to start all over.”

  Blindly I reach for the button and press it. I’m not done with this conversation, but also feel I shouldn’t have it in the middle of a casino. I feel bad for asking Gregory all these questions, but now I’m curious. There are things I need to know. I pat the seat beside me, motioning for him to sit down.

  “I really shouldn’t.”

  “You should.” I raise my eyebrow, fully expecting him to do as I’ve asked. After he looks around, he finally relents and takes the seat next to me. “I have questions. You will answer them, right?” I look deep into his eyes, waiting for an answer.

  “A human cannot compel a vampire.”

  “I know.”

  “Please stop looking into my eyes, you’re creeping me out.”

  I blanch at this statement. Shouldn’t I be the one creeped out by him? He’s dead for God sake. His heart doesn’t beat… but everything else works! The words of Lana replay loudly in my mind. I find myself looking at his crotch while thinking about what she said.

  “Are you the one who fucks Lana?” I ask, in my drunken stupor.

  “I’m going to go get you some water and see if I can find this Roman you speak of.” Before I can tell Gregory to stay, he’s gone lightning fast. I have no choice but to leave. I don’t want Roman showing up here nor do I want to see him. He needs to understand we can never, ever do business together and the sooner he figures this out, the better we’ll all be.

  9

  Roman

  Initially, I had decided to give Fiona some space after our lunch. She is a complicated creature, and the last thing I want to do is overwhelm her. I need her to view me not as a monster, but as a man, who has desires and feelings, and I think she will start to see that after she reads my business plan. I’ve intentionally not shared my plans with my vampire brethren. Many wouldn’t understand my desire to help humans in the way I want to, and it’s none of their business. I’ve spent hundreds of years on this earth doing what I want, and it’s time to give back. It’s not a common emotion that vampires experience being an elite species. It’s certainly not something I thought I’d want to do.