Crimson Debt

by Evangeline Anderson

  “Tell me,” I said, patting her knee gently. “Just say it, Taylor. Has she been hitting you again?”

  Taylor shook her head, her long dark hair swirling with the gesture. “I wish it was only that—I’m used to being hit by now.” She sniffed. “You know I never broke a single bone back when I was human? Not even a fracture. But now I’ve had every bone in my body broken multiple times. Of course, they heal almost immediately but it still hurts. You know.”

  “I know,” I said, my throat tight. God, how I hated that abusive bitch, Celeste! If Taylor was still human and a man was doing this to her, we could have gotten a restraining order and hidden my friend away in a shelter somewhere. But there was no such thing in the vampire world—it was eat or be eaten and Taylor was at the very bottom of the food chain.

  “Anyway…” Taylor took a deep breath. “Celeste has guests in town this week. Some important vamps from some other state and she wants to impress them—especially this one, Roderick. He’s the main VIP, I guess.”

  “Yes…” I wasn’t sure where this story was going but I was betting I wouldn’t like the conclusion.

  “So she…she…” Taylor’s eyes began to fill with blood tears again. “She’s been loaning me out. I mean, she gave me to him for the week. Told him to do anything he wanted with me. And he…” She shook her head. “I can’t even tell you some of the things he’s been making me do. He’s into bondage and domination and he ties me up so I can’t get away while he…he…” She put a hand over her eyes.

  “Oh, Taylor.” I grabbed her other hand and didn’t complain when she squeezed it hard enough to make my bones creak.

  “The worst thing is the sex. He tells me I’m his whore. And the things he does to me…and makes me do to him…” She shook her head, unable to continue. “I just…I feel so dirty. I wish I was dead but I can’t die. I’ve thought about staying out after dawn and just letting the sun take care of business but Celeste can feel it when I’m thinking about it and she makes me come in.”

  “Taylor, no!” Despite her circumstances, I was shocked to hear my friend talk about suicide. “No, you can’t mean that. Don’t even say it.”

  “Why not?” Taylor rubbed at the tears on her face, leaving bloody smudges across her high cheekbones like war paint. “I hate my life now. My entire existence is all about pleasing Celeste but no matter what I do she hates me. She says I’m the worst excuse for a vampire she’s ever seen and that I deserve whatever punishment she gives me because I’m so bad. And now…I’m nothing but her whore, Addison. You know I was never one to sleep around but I don’t even have control of my own body anymore. Anyone Celeste likes can use me. I can’t live like this anymore. I’d rather be dead.”

  “Oh, honey…” I put my arms around her, feeling like my heart was going to burst. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” I said, as tears stung my eyes. “This is all my fault.”

  Taylor pulled back from our embrace. “What are you talking about? Of course it’s not.”

  “Yes, it is. I should have stayed with you that night. I never should have gone to that stupid class.”

  “You couldn’t know that Celeste would come and call me to her,” Taylor said gently. “And you couldn’t have stopped me going out to her even if you had been there.”

  “Yes, I could. I would have tied you up. Called the police. Done something,” I said fiercely. “If only I had been there. And now you’re stuck in this horrible situation and even though I’m with the VAB—”

  “There’s nothing you can do,” Taylor finished for me quietly. “Believe me, I know how it is, Addison—I’m living it.”

  “If only we could get some kind of restraining order,” I said desperately. “Find someone who could make her leave you alone.”

  Taylor shook her head. “You’d have to find a vampire that was a hell of a lot stronger than Celeste and one who was willing to intervene for me. That’s not going to happen.”

  I knew she was right. Vamps are like lions—they all have their own territory and boundaries and they generally leave each other alone unless one of them is making a hostile takeover. In which case, you’d better get out of the way because they don’t pull punches.

  But then I remembered what she’d said. Someone stronger than Celeste. To my knowledge there was just one other vampire in the entire state who fit that description. Oh no… I moaned to myself. Surely not. Not him… But there was nothing else I could do, nothing else I could think of. I was stuck.

  “Can you stay here tonight…er, today?” I asked my friend but she shook her head.

  “No, I’m expected back in an hour. Celeste didn’t want to let me go at all but Roderick had some meetings to go to so he wasn’t…wasn’t using me at the moment. I think she only lets me come see you at all because she thinks it hurts me to remember my former life.”

  “Does it?” I asked.

  “Not as much as forgetting would. You’re all I have left, Addison. Mom and Dad won’t see me anymore since they got so religious—they say I’m the bride of Satan. And you know I never had any other close friends.”

  I patted her back. “We’ll be friends as long as we’re alive…” I suddenly remembered that she wasn’t technically alive but it sounded wrong to say 'as long as I’m alive and you’re undead' so I just shrugged. “Er, you know what I mean. And don’t give up hope or do anything crazy because I think I have a plan.”

  Taylor shook her head listlessly. “I appreciate it, really I do. But I don’t think anybody can help me now. I just have to…just have to endure it. Roderick is leaving town in a month or so. Maybe things will go back to normal then. Assuming Celeste doesn’t give me to him permanently, that is.”

  “She wouldn’t.” I felt like my heart had jumped up in my throat.

  Taylor shrugged tiredly. “She might. She might do anything—you know that.”

  “I know,” I said, filled once more with helpless rage. It was completely unfair that my friend had lost her rights as a person, her dignity, and her self-respect just because she’d been turned into a vamp. Eventually I was hoping there would be some legislation passed to protect the rights of the newly turned but people still viewed vampirism as a choice—not as something that could be done to you against your will.

  “I have to go.” She started to get up but I pulled her back down.

  “When’s the last time you fed?”

  Taylor looked uncomfortable. “Not that long ago. I’m fine, really.”

  “You’re not fine,” I said, eyeing the copious red streaks and smears beneath her cheeks. “You lost about a gallon just now crying.”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t come here for blood, Addison. I just needed to talk about it…to say it out loud. And honestly, I feel better now.”

  “You’ll feel better if you have a quick bite.” I shrugged out of my suit jacket and offered her my arm. “Here, do the inside of the elbow this time. I think the veins are better there.”

  “I shouldn’t.” But she was hungry—I could tell. She was eyeing the thick blue vein that ran along the inside of my right elbow like a starving man eyes a steak.

  “Do it.” I thrust my arm under her nose, steeling myself for the pain. From what I understood, some vamps were able to make this a pleasant experience—even pleasurable—but it never was with Taylor. It just hurt like hell—not that I would ever tell her.

  “You’re sure?” she said, giving me an apologetic look. It was the same look she’d used to give me when we split a dessert at a restaurant and I told her to take the last bite. The memory hurt my heart and I pushed my arm closer to her mouth.

  Without asking again, Taylor bared her fangs and sank them deep into my vein. I managed not to yelp aloud but I bit my lips so hard I could taste blood on my tongue. It was like being stabbed with two sixteen gauge needles by an inept nurse. Luckily with my pale skin, my veins are easy to find or Taylor might never have gotten any nourishment—she seemed to lack the instinct other vamps had for finding blood
vessels no matter how deep or invisible they were.

  In the beginning it had been excruciating when she used to have to bite over and over to get into the vein just right but lately she’d been getting a little better about hitting the target on the first try. So maybe she was learning, just very slowly. Too bad it was Celeste setting the curve for this particular class.

  Taylor sucked hard, drawing the blood out in slurps like someone sucking a thick milkshake through a straw. I sat rigidly beside her, biting my lip and holding as still as I could. I didn’t like it any more now than I had the first time I had offered her my blood and it wasn’t just having her fangs stabbed into my flesh that bothered me.

  Aside from the pain, it gave me a squirmy, uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach to let my best friend feed on me. I couldn’t explain it except to say that it felt a little like bugs were crawling over my skin. Of course, I would never tell Taylor of the discomfort I experienced—she would feel so bad she’d refuse to take my blood and if she did that I was certain she would starve. I didn’t need that on my conscious along with my other load of guilt.

  Finally she finished. Just in time too, I was starting to feel light-headed and a little sick to my stomach. I forced myself to smile at her as she licked the ragged, bleeding gash she’d made in my arm to seal the wound. It stopped bleeding but it still looked awful. I suppressed a sigh. I was never going to look good in short sleeves or a bathing suit again. Right, like you go to the beach so much. Which was true. With my fair skin, I burn like…well, like a vampire in the sun. So despite living in Tampa, I stayed off the beach. Which was why I needed to stop feeling sorry with myself and get to bed. Another long day tomorrow and all that.

  But as I saw Taylor to the door and gave her a final hug, I knew there was something I needed to do first. Pulling out my cell phone, I fished around in my pockets until I found the private number Corbin had sent his flunky to give me. I was practically grinding my teeth in frustration as I punched it in but really, what else could I do?

  “Hello?” came a deep, smooth and all-too-familiar voice.

  “I need to see you,” I said, forcing the words out. “I have…damn it, I have a favor to ask.”

  Chapter Four

  I’d been rehearsing my speech for hours—ever since I’d hung up the phone with Alec Corbin the night before, in fact. But the minute I saw him, the words dried up in my throat.

  Though it was only six in the afternoon, he was up and about, lounging behind a carved glass and teak desk that looked like it had cost as much as a luxury car, wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt combo. Corbin was one of the rare vamps who seemed to feel comfortable in casual clothes—or maybe he was just so powerful he didn’t feel the need to dress up for anyone. Whatever the reason, I had to admit that Hanes looked as good on him as Armani did on anyone else. The plain olive green t-shirt he was wearing emphasized the width of his broad shoulders and made his pale skin look almost tan. Around his neck was a thin gold chain with a small copper coin attached to it like a charm, and his hair, as always, was perfect.

  I felt dowdy in contrast, despite the fact that I had come dressed in my best black suit. I didn’t know if it was the perfect planes of Corbin’s face or his exquisitely toned body, but I always felt like a grimy little girl in his presence—which might have accounted for some of the hostility I felt for him. He claimed to be attracted to me but really, how could he be? I’m not bad looking but I’m not a model, either. I have way too many freckles and I’m too short and pleasingly plump to ever carry off the “I’m a sexy stick insect” look that the fashion industry seems to favor. Sternly, I reminded myself that I wasn’t there to strut the catwalk—I just needed Corbin to help me rescue Taylor. So I tried to give him a professional smile as I stood in front of his desk.

  “Addison, what a pleasure to see you again so soon. I was afraid I would have to wait another long month before our next meeting.” He gave me a polite smile—no fang showing this time—and steepled his long fingers on the desk in front of him. “What can I do for you?”

  I took a deep breath. “I… have a proposition for you.”

  He arched one eyebrow. “I’m intrigued. Go on.”

  I wished there was some way to sugar coat this but nothing I could say would make it any easier. So I just dove in. “I have a friend who was, uh, brought over against her will. She didn’t want to be a vampire, it was forced on her. And now her maker is abusing her. Making her do horrible things.”

  Corbin gave me a completely unsurprised look. “And?”

  “And?” I said, irritated by his lack of sympathy. “And I need your help. I need someone who can force my friend’s maker to let her go or at least stop torturing her.”

  He frowned. “I do not think you know what you are asking. The bond between a maker and his or her fledgling is incredibly strong. To intervene in such a relationship and break it…that is almost unheard of among our kind. It would be like a human taking a child away from its parent.”

  “They do that every day,” I pointed out. “Parents lose custody of their kids when they abuse or neglect them. And believe me, if Celeste was a human parent she’d be sitting in jail right now for what she’s done to my friend.”

  “Celeste, is it?” Corbin shrugged. “Ah, she is a sadistic one. Although no more so than many of my kind.”

  I couldn’t understand his careless reaction. “And that’s okay with you? Do you have any idea what she’s forcing my friend to do?”

  He raised an eyebrow at me again. “Probably something sexual considering how upset you are. I notice that matters of the flesh seem to trouble you.”

  “Just because I’m not into casual sex doesn’t mean I’m a prude,” I said, irritated and embarrassed by his piercing gaze. “But this isn’t about me, anyway—it’s about my friend.”

  “Oh no, my darling.” He sat up straight and leaned across his desk. “Make no mistake about it—this is purely about you. I don’t really care what horrible things are happening to your friend. Whatever she is enduring will either make her stronger or kill her—that is the vampire way and all of us have been through it.”

  I was so angry I wanted to kick him. “You honestly don’t care? Celeste is whoring her out—forcing her to have sex with some sadistic bastard just because he’s a VIP.”

  Corbin shrugged again. “As I believe the expression goes, ‘been there, done that, have the t-shirt to prove it.’”

  I glared at him. “You’ve been forced to have sex with someone you hated? Or you forced someone else to have sex?”

  His silver-blue eyes narrowed. “I will let you draw your own conclusions about that. But sufficient to say, what your friend is enduring is nothing new. And since I don’t know her or care about her, the tale of her sad plight doesn’t move me in the slightest.”

  I threw up my hands. “Then I guess I’m wasting my time.”

  “Not at all.” He sat back again, lounging like a lazy cat behind the expensive desk. “I may still be persuaded to help you. Remember, Addison, I said this is all about you. So what can you offer me to make removing your friend from her maker worth my while? Bearing in mind, of course, that I will have to go to considerable trouble to do so.”

  I thought fast. “That citation I wrote you last night? I haven’t filed it yet. We can just pretend it didn’t happen.”

  “Please—is that really all your friend is worth to you? A slap on the wrist and the sum of a paltry fine?” He tsked. “Really, my darling, I had thought better of you.”

  I took a deep breath. “What do you want me to say?”

  “What do you think I want you to say?” He smiled, showing considerable fang this time.

  Crap, I’m in so much trouble here! I swallowed hard. Could I do this? Even for Taylor it was a close call. But then I reminded myself of the horrible conditions she was enduring. She was being forced to have sex with a man she hated over and over again. Surely I could make myself to do this one thing, this one time
to save her. Giving Corbin a level stare, I spoke in a shaky voice.

  “Fine. I’ll have sex with you. But no biting at the same time. And I damn well hope you can control yourself—I don’t want to end up looking like I just went through an industrial sized blender, even to save my friend.”

  Corbin stood and suddenly he was around the desk and right in front of me though I had barely seen him move. Damn, he was fast. And probably incredibly strong as well. I steeled myself not to flinch as he reached for me, but instead of pulling me to him he only stroked my cheek with one finger. His touch was light but I felt a rush of tingles go through me anyway.

  “So you offer me your body but not your heart.”

  “Sorry.” I swallowed, forcing myself to stay where I was. “My heart isn’t up for grabs.”

  “Is that because it belongs to your friend?” He searched my eyes. “Is she your lover as well?”

  “What?” I almost laughed at the idea. “No, of course not! Why would you say that?”

  He frowned and nodded at my wrist where the scars were hidden by my suit jacket. “She is the one you have been feeding, correct?”

  “Well, yes,” I admitted. “She, uh, she can’t glamour humans into giving her blood. And she won’t take it by force either. So I’m pretty much her only recourse.”

  Corbin shook his head. “Such a one as you describe is too weak to survive. She should never have been brought over in the first place.”

  “You can take that up with Celeste—she’s the one who decided my friend had ‘potential’.”

  He looked thoughtful. “Hmm. She is not usually so mistaken. Her retinue is one of the strongest in the state because of her instinct for finding those who should be born to darkness.”

  “Well, she was wrong in my friend’s case,” I said. “And I still don’t see why the fact that I give Taylor my blood would make you think we’re more than friends.”