by B. N. Toler
Returning to the dressing room, I try to stop my heart from pounding like a drum line in a high school marching band as I whisper a silent prayer to the Lord that my plan will work. Hands shaking, body trembling, I change quickly. For the most part, I’m practically naked. I keep my gloves on and my red panties and thigh highs. I lose my naughty schoolgirl skirt and mid-drift top along with my red bra. I grab Mary’s huge red boa off the hook by her mirror and hang it around my neck. Making my way to the back of the dressing room where we keep some supplies like napkins and straws, I grab the box-cutter that sits on the top shelf alongside the inventory list. I quickly remove the blade and slide it under the upper side of my glove. I give myself one last look in the mirror and nod. “This is it.”
Some of the girls begin to trickle in, complaining how Carter was being a dick making them come back to the dressing room.
Steadying myself on shaky legs, I head towards the stage. Eileen catches my eye briefly and gives me a wink that says, you’ve got this.
My look back says, we’ll see.
Once at the bottom, I ask one of our bouncers to slide a chair up on top for me. I also ask him to bring me a microphone. On stage I position the chair dead center, and the bouncer hands me the mic while Carter shoos the remainder of the other girls to the back. Some of the patrons are complaining as the girls disappear so my inner self quickly gives me a hard kick in the vagina and forces me to act.
“How’s everyone doing tonight?” I speak out merrily over the mic.
An assortment of whistles and shouts ring out as the lights dim so the room is forced to focus on me.
“I hear someone out there is having a birthday tonight.”
More whistles and shouts come back to me.
“I also hear the birthday boy has been very naughty.” I smile wickedly and the crowd gets louder.
“Now, I think I should get him up here and give him his birthday spankings.”
They all groan in unison. Guess guys don’t want to watch another guy get spanked.
“No. No spankings?” I tease the crowd and they still groan.
“Well, it is his birthday. Maybe I should let him spank me?”
This makes the room light up with noise.
“Alrighty. Andre…would you like to spank a very naughty girl on your birthday?” I say seductively and the room roars with applause, whistles, and shouts.
I smile down at Andre whose eyes are wild with fire. Even in the dark room I can see them. I know Daniel is nearby, but I avoid allowing myself to look for him. This is probably the worst form of torture for him. I also realize that even if this little plan of mine works he’s going to kill me afterwards for veering from the plan.
Andre climbs the stairs of the stage slowly and my stomach tenses. Andre is hot. Even though I loathe him with every fiber of my being, I can still give the man some credit. He’s truly gorgeous. His blonde hair looks as if it has been cut recently and those intense animalistic eyes stare down at me with a look that says, I’m going to fuck you senseless later.
Placing a steady hand on his rock hard chest, I ask him seductively with my mouth to the microphone, “How old are you today, Andre?”
His lips curve slightly as he answers, “Thirty-eight.” Truth is he could pass for thirty-eight.
“Is everyone going to help us count?” I ask and receive a unanimous ‘yes’ in return.
I place the mic on the floor and lean down holding the back of the chair with both hands. I arch my back slightly so that my ass is out. Against my will I glance out over the room and in the poor lighting I see Daniel exit the room.
Well shit! He’s leaving to miss Andre spanking me. I know he doesn’t want to watch this, but damn. He needs to be in here. But he’ll come back. Letting my mind go somewhere else to escape the shame and humiliation I face at this moment, I hold my breath. With each hard slap to my ass, the crowd counts and so do I. But instead of numbers, I say names, silently, inside my head where a ball of wrath is burning, driving my calm reserve. Lisa, Lucy, Sarah, Rhett, Thomas, and so on, reminding myself this is a very small price to pay compared to what they’ve gone through.
Ten spankings in, I realize Andre has no intention of taking it easy on me. My skin stings from his hard slaps and I bite the side of my cheek to keep from screaming in pain. I still focus on the women this man has killed or hurt. They are my guiding light at this moment, my reason to go on. The knowledge of their bright lives so quickly extinguished by the greed and ruthlessness of this nest feels like a strong hand gripping my backbone, holding me steady when I would otherwise crumble like dried up Alabama mud being crushed in someone’s fist. When Andre places his last slap on my burning butt cheek, the room goes nuts.
“That’s nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you in my bed tonight,” he whispers in my ear as his hand gently grazes one of my stinging cheeks.
“Can’t wait.” I smile as I turn and push him down into the chair. “Now be a good boy and sit still.” I motion for the D.J. to start my song and my eyes briefly catch Eileen escorting Daniel back into the room. She walks as though she’s working a job, trying to get Daniel to get her for a lap dance. Her eyes meet mine. There’s no nod, no pointed look, but I get it. She’s telling me to push on and she has my back. I fucking love her.
With a wave of my hand, AC/DC plays and I begin to move my body in rhythm with the music. I straddle Andre using his shoulders to steady me as his hands rest on my hips. Nothing seems to be happening so I stand and face the crowd and slowly pull the red boa from my neck exposing my bare chest. The cold air in the club makes my nipples harden and several shouts and whistles bellow from the audience. With the limited light I can barely see Daniel, but I feel that stare, that tractor beam of scorching rage singing my skin.
But still, nothing happens.
I whirl around quickly and straddle Andre once more, wrapping my boa around his neck and using it as reins as I lean back. His eyes are dark with the exception of the auburn flecks. His hand moves up and gropes my breast gently.
But still, nothing happens.
At this point, I’m pretty sure my plan is going to fail miserably, but I have one last trick up my sleeve and if that fails, I’m screwed. I continue grinding on Andre, his erection bulging from under his pants. He’s completely elated by my dance, and I know he plans to have me to himself tonight.
The song is almost over so with as much grace as I can muster I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. To his credit, he’s a pretty good kisser, but I use this moment as a distraction to pull the box-cutter blade from under my glove and grip it in my hand.
Daniel must not be watching me because I truly believe he’d have one of his anger attacks and use his telekinesis to freeze everyone, but so far nothing.
I pull back from Andre and stare into his dark eyes. Lifting my hand with the blade, I raise it to my throat, but Andre can’t see what’s in my hand. “Hungry?” I mouth to him.
“ALDO!” Thomas roars over the music and Andre and I both jerk our heads toward him. He must have realized what I am planning to do and wants to stop me. I can’t see him so I quickly take Andre’s face and push it so that it’s nose to nose with mine. “Time to eat,” I wink. With a wide grin, I slice my throat with the box-cutter.
His eyes widen, but it’s not from shock, it’s from thirst.
The cut burns across my throat and a warmth spreads down my chest. I touch my hand to it and realize it’s my blood. Wow, I really cut myself deeper than I meant to.
Seconds pass yet it feels like centuries. And there it is, my adrenaline kicking in. I don’t panic—after all I planned this, but I watch Andre’s fangs erupt and I pray this wasn’t all in vain, no pun intended.
He plunges his vise grip bite into my neck, burying his face in my wound. The bite is severe and in that split second I realize he’s going to rip my throat out lost in his blood craze.
But after a moment, I’m still attached to his mouth—he hasn’t ripped
my throat out. Andre is frozen solid, but I’m not. Problem is, if I move, I’ll unfreeze him. His fangs remain clenched in my flesh as drops of my blood hit the floor of the stage, making small smacking sounds. I’m bleeding fast. Very fast. In fact, I think I may pass out. Shit! Where is Sarah? Daniel’s telekinesis shouldn’t have affected her while she was in the office.
With that thought, Sarah is on the stage and plunges a stake through Andre’s back, pushing it through his heart. I’ve never seen a vampire die, but it’s exactly as I heard. Their bodies literally ash away, and as Andre’s does, I smash to the ground taking the chair with me in a hard thud.
As my body makes contact with the floor, I shriek in pain, but no sound leaves my mouth. Instead, blood bubbles out of my mouth as I try to breathe.
Calm down, Aldo. It’s just like the ocean when that asshole Daniel you now think so highly of had you dragged to the bottom and you thought you may drown.
Even with that reasoning, I know I’m bleeding out, and because of that I can’t heal the wound I’m bleeding from. I become frantic and try to roll over, but slip in the puddle of my blood I’m lying in.
“Easy,” Sarah warns standing over me, but she can’t touch me. It’s too much blood and the burning in her eyes tells me her thirst is too strong.
Now, I’m freaking out. I can’t speak. I cut my esophagus when I slit my throat.
Like Whit says, go big or go home. I’d say I just went really big.
“Get the fuck back.” Daniel shoves Sarah aside and pulls my face so our gazes meet. “Go shake Eileen and the others. Start staking. I have no idea how long this will last,” he says to Sarah and she leaves.
He stares down at me, anger laced with panic in his eyes. “What am I going to do with you, kitten?” he says as he bites his wrist and places it to my mouth.
I quickly latch on and pull, but it’s hard without the muscles of my throat to swallow. Somehow I manage, but as I drink from him, frantic and desperate, I feel his energy slowing and I know I’m taking too much. My throat is still open, but I unlatch myself from him. He’s one fighter we need tonight. He needs his strength.
“Don’t you fucking stop! Drink dammit!” He shoves his wrist at my mouth but I clamp my lips together and turn as much as I can. I tap my ear with my finger letting him know I can hear his energy dropping.
“Andre drank too much and you’re bleeding out. You need more blood to heal, now drink dammit!” I press my lips together as he continues to attempt to jam his wrist onto my mouth.
“Fuck!!” He roars as he leaps to his feet and stomps off of the stage.
Lying motionless in a pool of my own blood, I know I’m about to die. I’m blood starved and my wound is critical. This is the worst kind of death. It’s slow. Not to mention lonely. I have no idea where Daniel just went. I would rather it just be over with. Die quickly and painlessly. Images flash through my mind. My brothers. Hudson’s big doe eyes and Whit’s stupid smile when he’s teasing me. An image of little Beau with smashed up peas all over his face; Lila stroking Hudson’s bare back in a loving gesture. Then there’s Rhett with those amazing green eyes placing his hand to his chest telling me he will keep my love in his heart, always. Rhett—my savior. The man I love so deeply my soul weeps to have let him go, even if it wasn’t meant to be. Finally, there is Daniel. But with his image comes a sensation; a warmth that spreads over my body. A comforting feeling, like he was my last great accomplishment; meeting him, following him, believing in him, and finally—loving him. Maybe the warmth comes from knowing I’m part of him. That even though I’m going to die, I’ll never really be gone as long as he lives.
I smile at the thought and focus my last bit of energy towards holding on to his image—his warmth.
“Open your fucking eyes!” Daniel roars at me.
My eyes flutter open to see him holding a young man who looks half-dazed over me. He kicks the man in the back of one of his legs causing him to drop to the ground beside me. With a fistful of his hair, Daniel positions the man so his throat is above my mouth.
“Drink. Now!” he orders me.
I know I need too much. I would kill him. I shake my head no as best I can, fighting to keep my eyes open.
Daniel grabs my face in one large hand. “You are not leaving me.” Desperation tints his eyes like a soft morning fog. “Not now. I won’t let you kill him. Now drink!” In a flash the man is over me again, throat pressed to my mouth, his pulse bumping against my chin. And my body screams for me to bite him, drink every drop of him, but I can’t. I can’t kill him and if I bite him, I will.
I pull my face away, but once again Daniel pulls me back, his eyes beaming into mine. “You will drink from him or I’ll rip his fucking throat out and force you to.”
My gaze begs him not to do this. He knows I won’t be able to stop. Tears well in my eyes as I say with them, “I can’t do this. I’ll kill him.”
Daniel kisses my forehead. “Do you love me, kitten?”
I do love Daniel. True I haven’t said it, to him anyway, but I do. Of course, he hasn’t actually said it either. I stare up at him, nervous, even in this crucial moment, to admit it.
“Yes,” he says as if he’s reading my mind. “You are my fucking world. I love you. Now tell me, do you love me?”
“You know I do,” I say with my eyes.
“You promised to trust me.”
“I do.”
“Then trust me now. I won’t let you kill him.”
With my gaze locked with his, I know trust is all I have left now. I’ve needed Daniel in so many ways. I needed his coaching, his guidance, and I needed his patience. All he has ever asked of me is to trust him and I have time and time again failed to give him—the man I love—this one thing.
But I’ll give it to him now.
I plunge my fangs into the young man’s throat and pull his warm blood into my mouth moaning as I feel my body healing and strengthening.
“Look at me,” Daniel orders and my eyes dart to his, locking into that beautiful gray stare. “You’re doing good. Just listen, feel his heartbeat. When it starts to slow, we’re going to count to ten and you’re going to unlatch. Blink twice when you hear his heart slow.”
I have no idea how much time passes, but I remain latched on like an infant to its mother’s breast, my hunger nowhere near filled. When I hear his heart slowing, I give Daniel the signal.
“Let’s count now. One, two…” He counts for me and I prepare myself for the struggle of unlatching myself, unsure if I can really do it.
“Eyes on me,” Daniel orders. “Eight, nine, ten,” he says softly and he gives me a slight nod. “Let him go, kitten.” My mouth immediately opens and Daniel pulls the man back and places his hand to his throat healing him.
“Will he be okay?” I ask as I attempt to sit up.
“He’ll be fine,” Daniel replies as he helps me.
The wound on my throat has closed and I touch the area gently. There’s still a crease from where the cut was, but it’s closed and I can actually speak.
“It will heal.” He kisses me softly and stands, removing his shirt and helps me slip it on to cover my bare upper body covered in blood. “Stay right here.”
I watch from the stage as our group finishes staking the remainder of frozen vampires and blood healers while Daniel’s telekinesis still holds them frozen. When everything is said and done, we all stand around the base of the stage, me sitting on the end with my legs dangling off of it. Nick is in the back spelling the girls not to remember anything they saw tonight and sending them all home. Eileen, Bridge, and Flynn took care of the humans in the main room and sent them on their way. Cassia is waiting outside in a getaway van in case all hell broke loose tonight and we needed to get out fast.
For a few moments, no one says anything. We just sit in stunned silence. We’re all relieved the plan worked, but it could’ve gone very differently.
“There’s still the compound, and the few left at the nest to deal wi
th. Of course, we also need to figure out what to do with the pregnant women and the children, too,” Thomas points out.
“Help me deal with the remainder of Andre’s followers and I can handle the rest,” Sarah adds.
My eyes dart to Sarah.
“I’ll help you,” Thomas says as he moves to stand beside her. His gaze meets mine and I know he realizes he has a place in all of this and it’s not with me. I don’t need to spell him after all.
“My brother and I have been helping healers for years. We can place most of the children with good families and help the women too,” Sarah volunteers.
“Most of them will be pretty brain washed,” Carter says.
“We’ve dealt with that before.”
My throat feels tight for some reason, but I fight back the tears. I realize Rhett, Thomas, and Sarah will be together—without me. “What about Whit and Hudson and Lila?” I ask concerned.
“They’ll come with us. We’ll need all of the help we can get.”
“But that isn’t safe.” I panic. I don’t want my family put in harm’s way.
“And they can decide if they want to help or not,” Sarah snips. “You of all people should understand they deserve to choose.”
I glare at her. Sarah and I shared a moment before the crazy events of tonight, but that’s over now. She killed Andre and now I’m the weak, pathetic girl who broke her brother’s heart again.
“We’ll talk about this later.” I slide off of the stage and face her. “You know all I’ve ever wanted is to keep them safe.”
“And what, you think I don’t? I’m in love with your brother. I would do anything to protect him.”
“So bringing him into this mess is protecting him?”
“And hiding him from it all is how you protect him? You are such a fucking hypocrite.” My fangs erupt as a growl escapes me. I hear gasps escape Carter and Thomas.
