In the bathroom I took a deep breath calming my nerves. I would always love this night, for Preacher showing me such a sacred piece of himself and for Cash confessing that loving me was what saved his soul. When I finally had my eyes free of tears I stepped back out and my ears were assaulted by a female Vampires version of 'I can’t make you love me'. Even Vampires sang the same songs that humans tortured in karaoke bars. I was certain before the night was over I would hear a mangled version of 'Black Velvet.'
Back at the table I had missed something. Preacher was still making his rounds, talking intently with a young looking Vampire with baggy pants, an oversized jacket and a Sox baseball cap flipped sideways. Preacher seemed stiff but interested and I hoped the guy wasn’t pissing him off. Preacher didn’t do well on really high nights if he had to fight, worse if he killed.
Cash was watching him just as intently and I waved my hand in front of his eyes. "What's going on? And don’t you dare say nothing." I was a little freaked out and had the worst feeling to look over my shoulder.
Cash leaned in but the jerked back and hissed, "Fuck me....." All of my warning flags inside were flying and screaming for me to ask them if we could leave. Cash stood and reached for my hand as if to say we are leaving.
Wrong.
"What Cash?" I asked on guard.
"Princess go sit down and at act like your having the time of your life." He was still watching Preacher talk to the homey looking kid.
"No, not till I know what’s going on." I made sure that my voice stayed strong. This secrecy between him and Preacher would soon drive me over the edge then they would fear me and my wrath.
Cash looked at me, his gaze deep and intent he spoke through gritted teeth. "Be defiant later Princess, I can’t deal with you right now."
He could have slapped me and it would have hurt less. "Don’t talk to me like that Cash. Ever. I may love you but that does not give you the right to dismiss me as some silly girl you’re putting up with."
Now he leaned in his temper on display. "Well that is what you’re doing right now, making me deal with you like a child. I asked I won’t ask again, do it or I will make you."
I snapped he should have known I would. "Fuck. You." I didn’t wait for a reply I walked to the bar and asked the waitress for a shot. I half expected him to come back and throw some snide hurtful comment at me but when I looked over my shoulder he was nowhere to be seen. I could still see Preacher and I made sure I kept him in my line of vision. Now he and the hip hop guy had taken a seat in a less crowded section of Doubt.
I hated not knowing what Cash was up to but I had to get it out of my head. Every Vampire in here seen me walk in with him, they knew I was his but they also knew I was pissed off right now and they would use that to their benefit. I stayed at the bar until I had my shot. Setting the glass down I felt my nerves kick in.
Something wasn’t right. Preacher looked tense and I didn’t have any idea where Cash had gone. They had said that I would never be alone, but I was. Right now and every Vampire, Custos or Nex were watching me.
*
Cacius
"Klem, how are ya old friend?" I asked before taking his hand in a friendly shake. I had known him a few centuries and knew he would be strait with me. He was an old school Vampire. He fought for reasons not giggles. Now more powerful than when I saw him last, about twenty years ago. He had an entire team to do his bidding. He was a power player in the Immortal world and I was glad he had my back.
"Cacius Troy, what has it been?" He was a large man to say the least. He stood around seven feet and I wouldn’t pretend to know what he weighed. Dolf Lundgren looked like a wimp next to this giant Russian.
"I'd say twenty years. How have you been?" It was easy to be nice to Klem as long as you knew your boundaries. I was much older and had that on my side and the power players I rolled with were from the opposing team so our friendship was like keeping up with the Jones's, but he knew who out of the two of us would win in battle and knew not to fuck with me. He was an ally with a bridge I dared not burn, but his feelings were mutual.
"Too long. I have been good." He said his deep Russian accent made his words sound heavy. "Tell me what do I owe the visit?"
"I am looking for a Vampire, from The Nex. He's new can’t be more than a few months and his name is Conlin Freebold."
I saw the look of awareness before he even spoke. "Little shit has been in here a few times trying to push his trade. I told him to leave if he liked his ass this side of sunrise."
"What was he trying to push? Was it called Bliss?" I asked hoping that the name they were toying with hadn’t changed. It would add another hassle I didn’t need right now.
"Believe so. I had never heard of it but these days most are manufactured in dingy bathrooms. The old days we stole from pharmacies or pulled it from the earth. I haven’t seen him though, not for the last few weeks, proves he's smart." A knock came from the door and Klem stood. "Excuse me."
I sat looking around the office and saw the screens for the cameras out in the club. I scanned two screens before finding London. Sitting at the table alone I could sense her unease. I would have to apologize, I knew that. I was pushing five hundred and it had been a long time since I had a woman in my life to answer to. Well more like forever, I never paid mind to Mary unless it was her needs in bed. I was a shitty husband but not a shitty lover. I would be kissing London’s sexy ass in no time out of fear she wouldn’t let me touch her wet places any more.
The woman had me, I didn’t stand a chance against her no matter how hard I tried. She was the most defiant thing I had ever met. The only way to get her compliance was to push until you hurt her, and I hated that I did that to her. She had a point, sooner or later I would need to keep her in the loop but I feared for her life to deeply.
I saw no point in sitting here giving myself a talking too, she would have a mouthful later, no way would she back down. It was exactly why I loved her as much as I did. Her defiance made me hard even if we were in danger. She knew what set me off, but she also held the command to bring me down. It made fighting with her worth it when all was said and done.
I knew we would fight tonight but I also knew she would get it out and then we would fuck and she would be so wet. I had never been with a woman who got as wet as quick as she did or came as fast and frequently as she did. It stroked my ego every time she broke into a million pieces beneath me. I had to find a new topic and fast because my cock was setting up shop in my pants. It had a mind of its own when it came to Princess.....
"Sorry Cash but I need to get out there." Klem said and I stood to face him, adjusting my cock before I turned around and showed him my two man tent I built while waiting.
"Yeah, here is my number. Call me if you see him in here again, but keep him around till I get here." I shook his hand and he agreed to call. He told me drinks were on the house tonight but I had a feeling that London would not be festive when I returned.
I walked over to Preacher who was in deep conversation with the kid from earlier. But I knew what they were talking about. "Preacher you ready?" I asked, knowing he was about to get what we needed and by leaving the kid would follow desperate to make the deal.
"Sure, I'll get my coat and meet you and London outside." I knew he said her name louder on purpose. Her name was a hot commodity on the streets right now; the Vampire world was all a flutter with the price tag for her alive.
I nodded and headed back over to London, bracing myself for a war. "Princess are you ready to leave?" I asked hoping she had simmered down.
She blushed and giggled, all fake and made for me she smiled. "I get a choice. Wow, you know how to treat a girl."
Nope.
She was furious, I could feel the energy as it flowed off her body and slammed into me. She smelled like burning hair. I always thought that was the perfect smell, you knew by that smell that 'Oh fuck, this is not good.' That was my night mapped out and wrapped like fucking Christmas.
&nb
sp; "Get your things please." I said. I didn’t have the energy right now to fight with her and keep a sharp eye with Preach. She didn’t like my tone, I knew that when she rolled her eyes grabbed her purse, or clutch or whatever the hell it was, and we walked towards the door. I placed my hand on the small of her back to guide her through the now packed to capacity club. She walked faster and as I tried to move my hand into hers she pulled back and gritted her teeth, "Do. Not. Touch. Me."
It was going to be a long, long night.
*
Chapter Eighteen
London
He had to be kidding me. Did he really think I was that simple? Outside the cool air hit my skin and I reveled in the fresh air, well air. This was Vegas after all. The strip was bumper to bumper with cars and the sidewalks lined with tourists and street venders. Women at every corner promised a good time to anyone interested while others passed out hooker business cards and pamphlets to the best call girls. Even in its seedy nature, only in America could you fight with your boyfriend, storm out of a bar and be greeted with a list of other things you could be doing right now.
A couple walked past Cash and I, the woman was plastered and the guy on her arm held her drink as she spun in circles screaming 'I love Vegas.' I felt Cash place his hand against my spine again and I wanted to scream. "Let’s just get to the car please so I can get home and as far away from you as possible."
He scrubbed his face with his hands, a gesture that usually made me feel for him knowing he was searching for words but not tonight. "Jesus are you seriously still pissed?" He asked his tone implying that I was crazy. It only infuriated me more.
"Do you think I’m that resilient? You treat me like a two year old one minute and a Goddess the next and when you feel like being nice I should bow down? Maybe I should drop to my knees and blow you? Or bend over and let you fuck me up the ass? Think again asshole."
I could see him processing my sarcasm and deciding it was in fact sarcasm, not an open invite.
"Princess, I needed to get to Klem when I saw he was free. Preacher was in the middle of getting some good info and I needed Klem to keep the door open to Conlin if he tried to sale again here."
"He's been here?" I asked no longer concerned with my pride. I'll fight with him later right now this was a lead we desperately needed. "Where’s Preacher?"
"Inside getting the guy worked up enough to follow us out here so we can....question him." He said then reached for my hand to pull me against him. I found it funny how men assumed that because you dropped something for one second that the issue was dead and buried. Fool’s the whole lot of them. He looked cute though, his sympathetic eyes and a smile so innocent you would think he was a saint not a sinner. But I would not be swayed. He hurt my feelings.
"How hard was that Cash?" I asked my voice full of pain I tried to mask.
He cupped my face in his hands. "I know Baby, I'm sorry. I forget sometimes how strong you are and what you can handle." He kissed my forehead and I couldn’t help but sigh. The feel of him inside of me earlier had stayed with me throughout the night and his touch brought me back there again. And I know it's me thinking like a high school girl but I love when he calls me Baby, it was few and far between but when he did it brought me down from climbing the rafters in anger.
"You hurt my feelings Cash. I hate being treated like a nuisance when I have done everything in my power to help." I could see that he hated that he hurt me and I knew the fight was over.
"I'm sorry I hurt you. Please forgive me Princess...." His mouth hit mine and a smooth sneaky hand slid a thumb beneath the waistband of my jeans. "Let me in Baby.... five minutes and I'll make you scream I swear."
I forgave him immediately, like I said school girl. He succeeded in working me up, quick slippery flicks on my clit had me barely able to stand but before I could agree to hit the van we heard Preacher.
"Watch your heart rate and bite your tongue this is going to be hard but remember it's not real and you’re loved." Cash spoke so quietly I hoped I understood him correctly. The minute I heard Preachers tone I knew I'd heard right.
"Done with the human yet?" he asked Cash who laughed and slid his hand behind my neck and pulled me to his mouth. He let his fangs strike hard enough that the vampire at Preachers side would smell my blood, but in reality he barely broke my skin. Awareness flooded me and I knew my role was to be a simple little human feeding machine.
Cash's laugh was like a cackle. "Not yet, gonna take her home and fuck her too." He stroked his thumb against the back of my neck confirming as best he could his love for me."Aint that right London?" I knew why he said my name and why he said it in that tone. The unknown Vampire was introduced as Simon Hall. He couldn’t have been more average than if he said his previous job when human was working in a call center that gave killer benefits. I wasn’t even a Vampire yet but even I thought they were getting a little desperate.
Simon stared at me like I had beer flavored nipples. Not sure what his deal was Cash figured it out. "Don’t even bother friend, she is under my Infatuation and I am way too powerful for you to override."
"Not with what he has in his pocket." Preacher said before looking at Simon. "Show him."
Simon reached into his pocket and I felt my heart speed up. I knew what he was pulling out and Cash stroked the back of my neck letting me know he was picking up on my vitals and I needed to calm down.
Simon extended his hand and in a small match box sized baggie he held seven small red pills that looked like Sudafed. "What's that?" Cash scoffed and moved his arm over my shoulders to pull me tighter. I ate it up on cue and nuzzled into his side. As jobs went cuddling into him was damn awesome.
"It’s a drug that uses Vamp blood; it'll override any Infatuation and make any human bend to our will." Simon said far too excited than I was comfortable with. The fact he found the idea appealing made my stomach turn.
"Never heard of it." Cash said dismissing the young Nex.
"You will, your friend said the same thing. In about a month every Vamp in the nation will have heard of it and the Custos are gonna have their hands full." He laughed a fast nervous cackle that made my skin crawl. "Give it to your girl there and you'll see."
Cash's instinct was to rip this Nex apart but before he could jump in the guys face I stepped in. "Drugs? Will they get me high?"
Cash looked at me, a look to speak, no scream volumes. He did not want me touching that stuff. I hadn’t been trained in what to do in this situation but I figured as long as I was with Cash and Preacher then Simon’s Infatuation wouldn’t affect me as hard regardless of the drugs capabilities. Cash was gripping my hand tighter but I yanked free and stumbled into Simon. He put his arm around my waist to steady my phony fall and Cash growled.
"Why not head back to our place and talk about this further?" Preacher said, his voice as soothing as ever. He was high, super high and I was feeling even better about the drug. If all I had to fight off was Simon I was certain I would be fine. Infatuation was strong but it didn’t remove my free will. I would know what was going on.
"Hey Simon, will it get me high?" I asked again leaning in and playing up my easy girl vibe. He ate it right up.
"Oh yeah Baby, you'll feel like the sexiest girl in the world and you'll want a party." He looked at Cash who was ready to kill and at Preacher who was stunned, both because of my performance. "We can take turns showing her a good time."
It took every fiber inside of me to not freak out and yeah he totally ruined Baby for me. He was asking permission to gang rape me with Preacher and Cash. Cash was keeping calm to my complete shock. Preacher said “whatever lets go." and walked to the van. Inside he texted Leushus saying to meet at the house for back up. Good Preacher.
"Let’s party big boy. How many do I take?" I asked with my hand out. Cash came to stand behind me and try and pull me against him. "Take two." Simon said and handed them to me. I turned and held on to Cash making it seem like I was a girl up for anything.
"C'mon handsome. Let’s go have some fun tonight." I walked with him to the Van and could feel him waging a war inside. When Simon stepped in the van Cash grabbed my wrist and kept me from getting in. "Give us a minute guys, I'm not sure I want to share tonight."
Preacher and Simon laughed and closed the door. Cash pulled me to the side as far from the van as we could get so Simon wouldn’t hear. "What are you doing?" He hissed fangs bared and his eyes furious. Round two I guess.
"What? It will put me in the throes of Infatuation. Who cares?" I shrugged my shoulders. "You can take him to the prison down stairs and then fuck me till the affects wear off." I actually liked the way it was playing out in my head.
"And what if you don’t want me? What if something in the drug makes Simon or Preacher more desirable? What then? Know what; don’t answer you are not doing this!" He growled.
Just like before in the bar, he told me what to do instead of asking me and, sick of his shit I popped the pills in my mouth and swallowed. The look of complete shock on his face was priceless. "Maybe now you'll learn once and for all who the boss of me is." I said completely annoyed and ready to claw his eyes out. I walked to the van but didn’t feel him behind me. Looking over my shoulder he stood still where we were talking. Shocked at what I had done. "Better hurry Cash, don’t want to miss the show."
Bliss (The Custos) Page 15
