Blood Hunger (A Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Novel Book 3)

by Megan Hawke

  Four sets of eyes cast daggers at me, but they left. They were outgunned and knew it. The fact Dane forgot about them and focused on me was their biggest clue.

  "You turn up at the oddest times," he said.

  "What? You thought you were going to have a fivesome?"

  "Ha! That's funny," he said. "It's all about sex and blood with you now, isn't it?"

  "What else is there?" I said, smiling innocently. Then I glanced down at myself. "Oh, there's fashion, too."

  "That's fashion?"

  "Fetish is a fashion."

  "Hmmm," he said. "What can I do for you?" He looked me up and down. "Despite your overtly sexual attire, I get the sense you're here for another reason."

  "The vampire serial killer," I said. "I'm trying to find the killer. Want to help me?"

  Dane's gray eyes narrowed. He was a scary man when angry. My ex-boyfriend was also a devote vampire slayer.

  "You have to ask?"

  I smiled grimly. "Just being polite."

  "Polite is for sissies," a deep, rich female voice said behind me.

  I glanced over my shoulder to find a beautiful Eurasian woman and four men lined up behind me. They were all werewolves. The two to the woman's left were familiar. Yep, the two wolves that attacked me in Whitney's apartment. They smiled cruelly at me.

  "This can't be good," I said.

  "Not for you," the woman said, and shot me in the left butt cheek with a dart gun. "Nightie-night, Black Heart."

  The drug took all of three seconds to slap me down. Hard. All I could manage was a pitiful groan as I fell to my knees and slumped over. I heard Dane's cry of rage, another POOF, and he fell beside me. Then blackness overtook me.

  I don't know how long I was out, but when I came around I was laying in the back of a limo. They'd bound me tightly hand and foot. I lay there a long moment, letting my senses slowly clear while trying to figure out exactly what they'd done. Seeing Dane next to me showed me how I was bound. Didn't look good.

  Dane and I were bound exactly alike. They buckled wide, thick leather cuffs around our upper arms above the elbow, fastened together with a short, thick chain. Similar manacles bound our wrists, with matching shackles around out ankles and binding our thighs together. There was a little more slack in the shackles, so we'd be allowed a slow shuffle.

  "Welcome back, Black Heart," the woman said.

  She was sitting in the back seat, between my two friends from Whitney's. The other two men were sitting in seats facing the back. They were all wearing dark suits, except the woman. She was wearing a nice black silk dress, skirt knee-length, with pantyhose and stiletto pumps. She looked early thirties, but felt older.

  "Who are you?" I managed to slur out.

  "I'm Mercedes Trudeau," she said. "I'm alpha female and pack leader of the Trudeau Pack."

  "Vampire mafia? What do you want with us?"

  "The Boss has questions for you," she said. "About his minion's murder. For your sake, I hope you have the answers."

  I tried to morph into a bat. Nothing but a feeling of icy magic flooded my body whenever I tried. It took a moment, but I found the problem. They had buckled some kind of talisman around my throat. I was beginning to develop an attitude towards magic.

  The limo slowed, and turned into a gated drive. I struggled to my knees in time to see the mansion ahead. It was a big one. One of those French chateau style mansions. The grounds were heavily wooded, with large oaks. Dane started to come around as we drove up the long drive.

  There were quite a few cars parked in the large, circular drive. Most were Mercedes Benz and BMW luxury cars and SUVs. One Jaguar, and a pair of Cadillacs, as well.

  Dane and I were dragged out of the limo and led inside. We moved at a snail's pace, due to our close confinement. A pair of bulked up werewolves guarded the front door. Inside, we found vampires.

  Vampire mafia thugs in expensive suits and designer dresses lounged around or spoke in small groups, all watching us with cold killer eyes as we were taken through the vast mansion. Their lack of passion was scarier than anything I could imagine.

  We were taken to the library. The Boss was waiting. I was impressed and frightened at the same time. He was one scary son of a gun.

  Henri Trudeau was six feet tall, medium build, with long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was impeccable groomed and dressed, and the epitome of the debonair French vampire. My loins ached with need as my heart raced in fear. Even big bad Yuri didn't scare me like that.

  "You are Sable Hart?" he said in a faint but distinct French accent.

  He took a long drag on one of those brown cigarettes, then casually snuffed it out. He released the smoke after a long moment, slowly so that his head was engulf in a thin cloud of smoke.

  "I suppose," I said. "Why? What is all this about?"

  "My beloved Whitney was taken from me. You were found in her apartment," Henri said. "That is enough to chop off your head, as far as I am concerned. Unless you convince me you have nothing to do with her murder."

  "Pleased to me you, too, Boss," I said. "Lord have mercy, can we tone down the Mafioso attitude? You really shouldn't watch gangster movies, you know. What's next? Are you going to make me an offer I can't refuse?"

  Mercedes backhanded me. It split my lip, but not much other than that. She only had supernatural strength as a wolfman or wolf. Alpha werewolves in human form were only a little bit stronger than a normal human.

  "You're awful brave while I'm bound up like a Thanksgiving turkey, Cujo," I said, sapphire eyes narrowed to slits. "Want to unlock me and try that again?"

  "I don't think so," Mercedes said. She smiled smugly. "I like you helpless and vulnerable."

  "Because you are a coward," I said, and got backhanded again. "Coward!"

  "Enough!" Henri cried.

  "Do you try to piss people off?" Dane whispered.

  "Sometimes," I said. "But I find cowards offensive. Untie me and let's have a bitch slap contest, Mercedes."

  "I said enough," Henri said, rising to his feet. His power swept over me. It was soul numbing fear. Like Antoinette's power to arouse the libido at will, he could force even vampires to quake in fear. "Sable, I do not have any love for you or your vampire slayer boyfriend here. If you cannot give me a reason to let you live, I will give you to Mercedes and her pack. They have reason to make your last few hours quite miserable."

  That was not an idle threat. You could tell Henri didn't make idle threats. He made real ones, and followed through.

  "I am looking for the vampire that killed Whitney, and the other two women," I said. "Dane wasn't involved before Mercedes showed up, though he is willing to help me. I'm narrowing down the possible suspects."

  "To who?" he said.

  "To someone at the bondage club, The Crimson Knot," I said. "All the victims were members and good friends. I just have to discover why they were killed, and then I'll know who killed them."

  "Or we could just kill all the club members and staff," Henri said. "Which is the direction I am leaning."

  "But that would cause undue publicity and news coverage," I said. I was trying to sound reasonable. Vampires were not known for being reasonable. "I can do this quickly and minimal notice. Another staking by Black Heart is hardly newsworthy, now is it?"

  "Actually, the media loves you," Mercedes said.

  "Well, they're idiots," I said. I turned back to Henri. "The police call us in to do their stakings. We can find and stake the rogue vampire killing those women, fast and efficiently."

  "She's right," Dane said. "Killing everyone that is a member of that club, after three members were killed, will cause a media frenzy. You and Family could easily be outed as vampires."

  "And that is supposed to scare me?" Henri said haughtily.

  "It scares most vampires," I said. "Wouldn't it be better to keep your name out of this whole sordid affair?"

  Henri returned to his chair. He picked up a wine flute half full of blood. Dane grimaced. I took
an involuntary deep breath, savoring the smell of fresh human blood. Nothing but the best blood for the vampire kingpin.

  "You were brought here because I wanted you to resolve this problem for me, Miss Hart. I wasn't expecting them to bring your friend," he said. "But he is involved now, whether he was before or not. You have one week to find and kill the vampire that took my Whitney, or I'll send in my wolves. Mercedes and her pack are thorough, but not very neat."

  "You'll let her kill everyone? We know it is a vampire, there's no need to kill the mortals," I said. All I could think of was Sabrina. "I'll get you a list of the vampires."

  "Either you prove who killed Whitney, and stake him, or we will kill everyone," Henri said. "And that includes you and Dane. One week."

  "But — " was all I got out.

  POOF! POOF!

  Pain in left butt cheek. I fell to my knees, looked up at a grinning Mercedes, and fell flat on my face. I was out before my head bounced the second time.

  When I woke up I was hanging by my neck from a tree limb in Dane's backyard, my feet inches from the ground. My bustier was pulled down, with all the manacles and shackles still binding me tight. But the magic collar was gone, so I morphed into a bat and was free.

  A second later I was back in human form. I looked around, relieved to see Dane wasn't hanging from a limb, too. The back door was unlocked, so I went in and dumped my clothes on the dining room table. I found Dane in his own bed, tied spread eagle, ball-gagged, and naked.

  "Ew, I can smell that bitch all over you," I said.

  "Mmmmuggghhh!" he screamed into the ball gag. It was gray, the same shade as his eyes. Have to admit, that kinda impressed me. "Uuuuggghh."

  I crawled up on the bed, between his legs and looked meaningfully at his flaccid penis. It did not stiffen and rise. That didn't please me in the least.

  "Are you totally worn out?" I asked.

  Dane looked at me like I was crazy. He narrowed his eyes at me, and nodded his head "yes." I sighed and untied him.

  "Later, baby," I said, heading for my clothes. "I'll see you tomorrow night. We'll discuss our plan of attack."

  Chapter 5

  For the first time since moving into Kale's house with Desiree and Heidi, I did not have sex during the night. Kale was sound asleep. Desiree and Heidi never came home.

  I watched TV until Kale woke up for work.

  Desiree turned me on to VEN, the Vampire Entertainment Network. VampTV, as some called it. It was more than vampire programming twenty-four seven. They had werewolves and witches, too. They even had shows for and about thralls. I'll tell you, vampire sitcoms were not particularly funny. I didn't get the humor in it. But they had some damned fine detective, adventure, and drama series.

  The vampire soap operas were the best. Very erotic. Borderline porn at best, and most were pure porn. I mean, they showed everything. The actors really had sex, and from the amount of sex they were having they had to be vampires. I'm not sure a human body could handle that much.

  Watching VampTV was educational, too. Until I started watching, I used "minion" and "thrall" interchangeable. Most people did. But in the vampire culture there was a big difference. A minion was anyone that was part of a Vampire Family, and took orders from the Family's most powerful vamp. All vampire groupies were called thralls, but the ones in a Family were called minions. Most vampire groupies didn't care if you called them a thrall or a minion, but they took umbrage to being called blood cows.

  I made breakfast for Kale, and I told him some of what was going on. He was in danger, too, so had a need to know. There was a little fear he'd ask me to move out. He should've, but instead he smiled and said he had confidence I'd take care of it. He even offered to help.

  What a man.

  I sent him off to work with a big, wet kiss, then locked myself up into the master bedroom and went to bed. Desiree woke me up around 9 AM, to let me know she was home and ask where Heidi was. I don't recall what I said before the sun above drove me back into the abyss. Daylight completed enervated vampires.

  By 4 PM I was awake. Most days I woke up before the sun was completely down. The winter sun was easier on vampires, or so I'd heard. At least in the northern hemisphere. Since Kale's house is not light sealed, I stay in the master bedroom until twilight.

  Desiree was in the kitchen when I emerged. Kale was sitting in his recliner, looking ill. My vampiric sense perked up, and I felt how wrong he felt.

  "Are you coming down with a cold?" I said, hurrying over to press my lips to his forehead. "You don't have a fever."

  He didn't have a cough either. I could tell he wasn't faking it.

  "I'll be fine," he said.

  Kale was a construction worker. Really, a contractor. He referred to himself as a framing subcontractor. Whatever that meant. He built houses and apartment complexes, and had at least two crews going at any given time. He was doing well, but wasn't anything approaching rich.

  He was six three, muscular, still tan from summer, with shoulder length light brown hair and pale blue eyes. He wore jeans and t-shirts, and had a slightly sweaty scent that drove me wild at times. He was tough and rugged, but tender and caring to me and my family girls, as well.

  I didn't like it that he wasn't feeling well.

  "Desiree! Make chicken soup!"

  "Way ahead of you, babe," Desiree said, carrying in a tray with a bowl of soup and stack of saltine crackers. Kale gave it a wary look. "Eat up, sick boy. If necessary, I'll hand feed you. Would you like that?"

  "Yes, I would, but I can handle feeding myself," he said.

  Desiree made chicken soup for everyone. I got a big bowl to go with my evening glass of blood. I didn't need normal food. My body gained no nutritional benefit from consuming anything but blood. But my body would process it, of sorts.

  I loved eating with them. It helped to make me feel less different. Besides, I loved the taste of food. And since vampires couldn't get fat, I could gorge myself on chocolate cake all day and not worry. Sometimes it was good to be a vampire.

  Kale ate all of his soup, and a little more. He looked better afterwards, too. But I told Desiree to put him to bed as quickly as possible. He grumbled, but knew sleep would do him good.

  I went and dressed for another night at The Crimson Knot. Saturday night should bring in most of the members. Sabrina said it was the big night of the week. I only had a week, so had to get started fast. But I had time. Most of the members didn't start showing up until after ten, though it was open from six in the evening to five in the morning. They couldn't sell alcohol after 2 AM, by city ordinance, but they could all stay in the club longer and party.

  I was staring at the closet Kale let me take over, trying to decide what to wear. Leather or latex? Black, red, white, or purple? Pants or skirt? I wanted to make a good impression on my first day of "training."

  Then it hit me. Alertness. Confusion, followed by fear. It was Dane. Mercedes Trudeau immediately leapt into my mind. She kept looking at Dane with hungry eyes. She wanted him. Badly. She'd forced herself on him the night before, while I was unconscious and hanging by my neck from a tree.

  Bet all the werewolves were howling with laughter.

  Quickly pulling on a pair of jeans, red button down shirt that I just tied off under my breasts and knee high boots, I stuffed my purse into the black leather book bag pack and ran to my motorcycle. Kale and Desiree called after me, but I didn't have time. Dane was in grave danger. If Mercedes decided she really wanted him, she might bite him. There was a seventy percent chance of becoming a werewolf if bitten, for most mortals.

  Dane wasn't exactly your average mortal, though. He was a dhampir. Sort of a half-vampire. Some people called them Daywalkers, but they didn't feed on blood or need it. Few even had fangs. Mostly, they were extremely strong and hard to kill.

  He could be Changed into a full vampire, but rumor said a dhampir could not become a werewolf. I didn't want Mercedes to test that theory.

  I rode the short run up to
Loop 635, then headed east and opened her up down the shoulder. Rush hour traffic, you know. His fear and confusion turned to deep arousal. An arousal caused by a vampire, so if it wasn't Mercedes, then she had undead help. I was pissed and frustrated and cussing up a storm the whole way. I just knew some ass would open a door or something to make me crash.

  But I got by unscathed. Made it to Town East Boulevard, and turned towards Dane's house. I was thinking of all kinds of imaginative ways to kill Mercedes and her vamp friend. Racing down his street, I killed the engine and rolled in fast, braking right in front of his door.

  I was prepared to rip the front door off the hinges, but it was unlocked. Very sloppy of Dane. He should know better than leave his doors unlocked. If we survived I was going to cuss him out big time.

  There was no sneaking up on them. Werewolves could hear almost as well as vampires, and my stilettos were loud on the hardwood floors. So I followed my link straight into the master bedroom.

  "Mercedes, I'm going to...to...huh?" I said, stumbling to a halt at the end of the bed. Heidi and Dane looked back at me with quizzical looks. "Jesus! Heidi, you mesmerized him to seduce him?"

  Dane was on his back, with Heidi riding him with some enthusiasm. My arrival only slowed her down. She didn't stop. Dane just gave me a stupid smile and continued to fondle her big silicone boobs. He didn't feel right in the head.

  I froze, my throat tight as I watched his thick cock sliding in and out of her body. The stench of their sex, of their lust and needs and desires saturated the air. Heidi's vamp pheromones had filled every corner of that room, and they were doing a number on both me and Dane.

  "Um, is that wrong?"

  "Yes!" I cried. "Release him and get the hell off."

  "Fine!" she said, rolling off the bed completely. "There. Happy?"

  "Dane, are you all right?" I asked, crawling up beside him.

  "Yeah. Wow. I've never had vampire sex like that before," he said, discombobulated and rubbing his temples. He looked up at me. "You never do that to me."