by P. J. Day
KING’S BLOOD
A Serial Novel
Episode Three:
Vampire Lust
P.J. Day
Acclaim for P.J. Day:
“P.J. Day breathes fresh air in a genre oversaturated with the same plotlines and characters. This page turner is something special.”
—H.T. Night, author of Vampire Love Story and Winning Sarah’s Heart
“A fun departure from the usual vampire tale, with King’s Blood author P.J. Day has introduced a whole new kind of vampire.”
—sookiestackhousebooks.com
“Hip. Relevant. Darkly funny. Day’s vampires offer a unique perspective on what it means to be human. A fantastic new series.”
—J.R. Rain, author of Moon Dance and Dark Blood
BOOKS BY P.J. DAY
King’s Blood: Serial Novel
Episode One: Vampire Revealed available on Kindle
Episode Two: Vampire Unleashed available on Kindle
Episode Three: Vampire Lust
Episode Four: Vampire Descent available on Kindle
Other Works
The Sunset Prophecy
Zombie Party & Other Stories w/ J.R. Rain
Daughters of Eve w/ J.R. Rain
Mercy's Magic (A Witch Series #1) w/ Elizabeth Basque
King’s Blood: Vampire Lust
Published by P.J. Day
Copyright © 2012 by P.J. Day
All rights reserved.
E-book Edition, License Notes
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the both the copyright owner and/or author.
Cover Design by Susanna at:
[email protected]
www.photogravity.de
Dedication
To my beautiful baby girl, I thank you for perspective.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to H.T. Night, J.R. Rain, Eve Paludan, and Sharon F. Stewart for all their help.
Author’s Note
King’s Blood is a serial novel that has been split up into four episodes. This series is best enjoyed and understood by reading Vampire Revealed first, followed by Vampire Unleashed, then Vampire Lust and finally Vampire Descent. Vampire Lust starts off after Jack and Ted escape a harrowing night that could have led to Jack’s coercion by Hong Kong authorities, potentially putting his identity in peril. Jack is beginning to have feelings for Holly by this juncture in the novel and begins to ponder the possibility of revealing his true nature to Holly. Ted, Jack’s best friend and confidant, is beginning to exhibit reckless behavior and is beginning to put stress on the company’s corrective measures that they both reluctantly agreed to follow. Schnell Corporation, the genetic software company Jack and Ted work for, feel there might be more to their client than what has been revealed so far on the surface; one with potentially catastrophic circumstances, not only to Schnell’s long term viability but also to the global economy. Alan and Rebecca, two of Schnell’s top engineers, have met Jack and Ted in Hong Kong to help Jack find out more about their potentially rogue client and to ensure Schnell remains profitable, thus ensuring Jack’s gainful employment, which safeguards him from a life of obscurity and living in the shadows.
King’s Blood: A Serial Novel
Episode Three: Vampire Lust
Chapter One
It was 3:00 a.m. by the time we arrived at the Peninsula. Ted had fallen asleep on me during the cab ride. His head felt like an enormous, round, hairy paperweight nestled onto my shoulder, leaving my entire clavicle stiff as a washboard. I nudged him a bit, hoping to wake him up from his slobbery slumber. Ted mumbled incoherently like an anesthetized child shortly after having his tonsils removed. With a subtle slur he asked, “Wha...huh...are we there yet?”
“Yes, wake up.”
“You...you...got cash?”
“Yes, I already paid him...let’s go.”
His jacket was saturated with an aroma of booze and cologne, I wrinkled my nose and shoved his limp body up toward the door;
“Can you open it?” I asked him, making sure he was lucid enough to find the door handle.
“I got this, Jack...relax, I’m fine,” he mumbled, one eye half closed, the other redder than a pearl dipped in red ink. The cab driver watched us stumble out of the cab like a couple of drunken frat boys after a night of unsuccessful hunting. Who needed women when we had each other? Bros till the end! Actually, to Ted’s end, naturally and unfortunately, but he didn’t need to be reminded of that fact; it’s quite depressing.
We entered the hotel. The lobby was mostly empty except for some Nordic-looking fellows checking in after another red-eye flight. I waved at them as we approached the front desk. They responded with warm smiles that were nestled in between their rosy, chapped cheeks, then with horrified stares when they noticed the blood all over my shirt and face.
My back was beginning to stiffen up a bit as we continued to stand in line. There was only one person working the front desk in the early morning, checking each guest, one by one. Ted looked haggard and a bit strung out. With hints of dread and worry in his voice he asked me, “What did you do to that poor woman?” He then caught himself and shook his head in confusion and said, “…I mean dude.”
“I did what I was allowed to do. She’s fine.”
Ted looked at me, his right eyebrow raised. With deep skepticism, he asked, “What you are allowed to do? What the hell does that mean?”
“There is an unspoken vampire code I adhere to.”
“Really? I didn’t know anything about this code. What are you hiding from me?”
“Nothing, I swear,” I exclaimed, slightly irritated at his sudden mistrust. “Look, don’t laugh, okay? I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but this code is ancient stuff. It's been passed down to every generation of vampires since antiquity.”
Ted’s face went from a doubtful expression to a jovial smirk. “You didn’t tell me anything about this. Who taught you this code? The whole thing sounds kind of ludicrous, actually.”
“Can’t tell you,” I said.
In all honesty, I had no idea who invented this code. I learned about it decades ago in New Orleans from a peregrine vampire named Chuck as I traveled west to California. I think it was created in order to keep vampires in check—kind of like religion. I vaguely recall the first code was to assimilate; the second code was to never kill your host, only in self-defense, or if your life was in grave danger. Lastly, the third, if I could paraphrase Chuck, was to never love someone and to absolutely never fall in love. The latter part of the code flies directly in the face of our true nature, but it has ended, prematurely, the lives of many in our clan who chose the errant path of Eros.
Ted clenched his teeth. His eyes opened wide, making sharp eye contact with me. “Okay, so did you kill anyone back there or not? Did this code stop you from murdering someone in cold blood?”
I rolled my eyes. I put my right hand on Ted’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly. “Listen to me very carefully...I did not end anyone’s life at the club. I know it looked ugly, but I do not kill unless it’s to defend my life. My life was never in danger, okay?”
Ted’s pacing ended abruptly. He continued to look at the ground, turning his eyes away from me. I sensed a hint of shame in his voice. “Fine, if you say so...I trust you. The last thing I want in my life is to be best friends with some murderer.”
He lifted his head and looked
at me, desperate for a physical cue or a word of reassurance. I leaned a little closer into his personal space and said, “Ted, I swear to you right now, I...did...not...kill...anyone.”
His sharp eyes relaxed a bit as his tense shoulders gave way to his usual hunched posture. “Okay, I believe you.”
A couple of minutes passed as we continued to wait in line. Ted’s changed disposition gave way to a more casual line of questioning. “I was thinking, why did Chang take us to that place anyway?”
“I think it was because he overheard you asking to bite my neck in the cab.”
“Oh,” Ted said, as he smiled. He paused for a moment and then proceeded to chuckle out loud in the lobby.
Eventually, the group of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed giants left for their rooms. We lurched up to the concierge desk, looking like noodles walking on air.
“Good morning, how may I help you tonight?” asked the concierge, his mental state quite cheery, despite working the late shift. He kept focused on the stains of my shirt for a second or two then looked away, refocusing on his purpose behind the desk.
“I know that the internet has been down since we arrived...have they fixed it yet?” I asked.
“Our internet service is back up again. We don’t expect any further interruptions. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No, that will do, thank you,” I said.
“Are you sure, sir?” he insisted. “We have a wonderful dry cleaning service.”
“Oh this?” I pointed at my outfit. “No dry cleaning service is cleaning this thing up.”
We both walked to the elevators that led to our rooms. There was an old receipt in my pocket. I crumbled it up and tossed it at the trash can that was next to the elevator door, of course, I missed. I then noticed Ted rummaging through his pockets for more sleeping pills. “You know what? I think I’m out of Lunesta.” His expression was flustered, like a chimp that just lost his grooming partner.
“Looks like you’re going to have to go to sleep the old-fashioned way,” I said.
Ted was getting antsy. He paced back and forth. His fiending was becoming more and more obvious as our night continued to drag on.
“I need something that will put me to sleep, you know? This whole schedule has me all fucked up. I’ll head to the gift shop for some over-the-counter stuff. You want anything?”
“No, I’m good.”
Ted’s train of thought shifted abruptly as my response didn’t even register in his brain; he immediately turned around and headed for the gift shop. I felt a little bit of remorse leaving him behind in this state. I was tired, though. My back hurt, and considering what happened to me earlier at the restaurant, with my strange symptoms, I felt it was imperative that I went to bed as soon as possible.
I projected my weathered, gravelly voice at Ted. “Hey!”
“Yeah...”
“Thanks for backing me up tonight.”
“Oh sure...of course,” he said, with a smile.
“Meet me in the lobby at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow...get yourself something to eat before we head out.”
“I will. I’ll see ya tomorrow. Good night, Jack.”
“Good night, Ted.”
The elevator door opened. I turned around and walked in. As the doors closed, I noticed Ted stumble and catch his step. He fell asleep in the car pretty easily without the aid of drugs. I was surprised seeing him dependent on sleeping pills—non-habit forming, my ass! Ted was turning into a drug addict before my eyes, but I didn’t have time on this trip to play Dr. Drew Pinsky. I had to live with this new reality and adapt accordingly as long as we were in Hong Kong.
I walked out of the elevator. My eyes were beginning to feel very heavy. There was slight itch in my throat, probably due to all the ceremonial alcohol drinking I did all night. As I headed to my room, a beautiful brunette with a red scarf and a stylish beige parka strutted toward me in the hallway. As we got closer, she noticed the blood on my shirt. She quickly gave me a concerned glance that slowly morphed into an awkward smile.
“I won the fight, don’t worry,” I told her, as we crossed paths.
She furrowed her brow, lowered her head, and continued toward the elevator, picking up her pace after my pathetic attempt at deflective small talk. I don’t blame her. I looked like I’d entertained myself tonight by rolling around the filleting floor of a slaughterhouse.
I continued walking to my room, smiling to myself and wondering what random people thought of my appearance. I then noticed a large envelope at the foot of my door. I picked it up, carefully examining both sides of it. The front side had “Game Plan” written on it with black marker, probably from Tim and Rebecca. I anticipated reading an even more complex plan than the one that was discussed at dinner last night. It was just another reminder that I no longer was in control of the region, let alone this account. I really hated playing by the book. This corporate gamesmanship was starting to get old.
Control of my job was the only thing that kept me from disappearing into the woods or some sort of dark, dank sewer system. It’s what made me human, I supposed. Now that all of it had been taken away and replaced with unpredictability, I feared being exposed. I was no longer the lead man in this operation. I was concerned about how long everyone’s patience would last about my condition.
I dropped the envelope onto my bed; my anxiety temporarily putting off the contents of what might be inside. I then opened the laptop on the desk. I usually signed in as invisible whenever I logged into my instant message service. For some reason, I hadn’t bothered deleting some of my old flings from my friends’ list. I guess it was easier to click “invisible” than it was to right click and delete someone I didn’t want to communicate with any more. Such was the path of least resistance in technology, even if it meant an extra click or two.
I quickly noticed that Holly was online. I sent her an emoticon. Girls love emoticons. I don’t know why, but they love those little smiley faces. I found them pretty damn cheesy, but there had to be something alluring and inviting about a yellow head with a smiley face, I suppose.
You have a message from roe7163 do you wish to accept? Yes/No
Holli26: You sent me an emoticon and nothing else?
JKing1131: You didn’t like the little smiley puckering up for a kiss?
Holli26: It’s cute, but how about a hello?
JKing1131: I thought you girls liked these little things?
Holli26: No. What I meant is that they are what they are...juvenile. I’d rather get a hello. These generic smiley faces are so impersonal.
JKing1131: Sorry...Hello, Holly!
Holli26: Much better...
JKing1131: Lunchtime?
Holli26: Yes, how did you know?! You are getting good with the time differences aren’t you?
JKing1131: No, I forgot to change the time on my laptop.
Holli26: Oh, you could have lied to impress me, you know? Opportunity wasted...
JKing1131: If I lied then I wouldn’t be able to stop.
Holli26: True, then it gets messy.
Holli26: I was hoping you’d be online. I have a surprise to tell you!
JKing1131: Did Sir Flipperson survive?
Holli26: No, that is not the surprise; however, I was going to let you know that he is doing real well. In fact, when I called the shelter, they told me if the volunteer would have showed up 10 minutes later, our little friend would not have made it. So we did good!
JKing1131: See! We make a damn fine team. That’s good news...see, even if that disgusting smell in my car still lingers when I get back, it was all worth it.
Holli26: I’m so sorry about that. I promise I will pay whatever it takes to get the smell out.
JKing1131: Seriously, please don’t worry about it.
Holli26: So, you ready for the surprise?
JKing1131: Sure, ready...hit me. I love surprises!
Holli26: You know how I’m a freelance photographer for the movie studios, right? I do set-up shots fo
r desired locations during pre-production and all that jazz.
JKing1131: I knew that already. You kind of touched on it briefly on our date. You do take some awesome pictures.
Holli26: Thanks, I don’t like showing off my work to guys I barely know. It could come off as gloating.
JKing1131: No, I didn’t feel that way. You are pretty humble about your work. I remember seeing a picture of “Fly Geyser” http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fly_geyser.jpg
You told me it looked like a mess. I think it’s one of the most glorious things I have ever seen!
Holli26: I was scouting some locations for a zombie movie and this was one of the locations we talked about. Thanks, but that picture takes itself, you know. You would have taken just as good a picture.
JKing1131: No way! You’re so talented Holly! If you weren’t as talented as I know you are, then you wouldn’t be in such demand.
Holli26: Thanks Jack, that’s nice of you. The older you get, the less people you know that are sincerely interested in one’s work. I appreciate that.
JKing1131: So, what’s the surprise?
Holli26: I’m heading to Hong Kong tomorrow!! They want me to take photographs of some well-known buildings, the Kowloon and the bay.
JKing1131: Really? Wow!
