Chapter Two
Lily
“Here’s fifty.” Malik held out a purple velvet bag, secured at the top by a satin pull rope.
“Fifty? I can’t take fifty. Please, Malik, I can barely handle thirty.” I stood from the chair I’d been sitting in waiting for Malik to bring me the newest batch.
“Boss says he wants it all gone before the next shipment comes in, which is tomorrow. You get fifty.” His long, mocha-colored fingers fisted around the top of the bag, shoving it against my chest. “Take it. Don’t make me have to report negatively back to him about you.” His compassionate black orbs softened as he spoke in a deep, rich baritone. “I don’t want to do that any more than you want me to. So take it and get to work.” His smooth, dark face glistened under the lights of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the entrance I waited in. Or maybe it was sweat. Malik was a gentleman, but also someone highly devoted to Dorian. Or maybe he was simply scared of the powerful vampire as much as I was. It didn’t matter. Both Malik and I had our roles to play. His was to do Dorian’s grunt work; mine was to pretend to love him. Malik had the sleeves of his light blue sweater shoved up to his elbows, exposing his muscular, inked forearms. The skin at his wrists was encircled by scars from years of wearing heavy iron shackles as a slave on an English merchant ship transporting blacks from Africa during the seventeen hundreds. Malik’s white teeth gleamed as he gave me a soft, encouraging smile. “You can do this.” Then, without skipping a beat, he vanished from my sight, leaving me alone with my plight of figuring out how to dispense this much heroin in such a small amount of time.
I glanced at the antique, wooden grandfather clock standing against the far wall as it struck eleven times. It loomed there like a giant time bomb warning me that I didn’t have much time to find buyers for all these drugs. I sucked in my bottom lip as I took in a deep breath and reluctantly held the bag. I had three hours to sell almost twice as much heroin as normal, and I had no clue where I would be able to find that many junkies, especially in my usual territory. I’d never taken drugs, and I hated that I was forced to sell them, but I should probably be grateful that Dorian hadn’t yet used me as one of the other commodities he traded. Traded was a mild word. Sold. As in slavery.
I could escape easily enough. Hide away some place far away from Dorian and his minions, but it wasn’t just me I had to think of.
I glanced at the bag in my hand and thought of Julian.
I had to do this for Julian.
I was going to need to cover more ground tonight, so I took off toward the wharf and materialized behind one of the older warehouses along the waterfront, staying far away from the expensive and elegant restaurants. Most of the people at the wharf were tourists, but at this time of night, I was sure I’d be able to locate some needy vagrants looking for the perfect high.
“You’re pretty brave to be out here alone, missy.” I turned to see a man leaning against the gray brick wall of the building, dressed in black, his dark hood shielding most of his head. I frowned, immediately tuned in to his body language, and it wasn’t drugs he was looking for. You could almost see the thoughts of sex circling out of control in his head, desire glinting from his eyes. Lust practically dripped from his lips. “What’s a pretty girl like you doing out here this late?” he said, pushing himself off the wall with the heel of the boot he’d had pressed against it. He took a few steps towards me, and my stomach groaned.
I was hungry, not having had time for any nourishment before Malik gave me the large satchel of drugs to distribute. In fact, it had been a week since I’d last fed from a human. Fresh blood was always preferred, but when you were locked in a room and unable to leave, one must take whatever provisions were allotted.
The man stank of booze as he stood a few inches from me, his smile arrogant as he held up a large knife and waited for my reaction.
Silly human rapist.
Before he even knew what had happened, the knife was on the ground, and I had him backed up against the wall he’d been leaning on so casually moments before. I sank my fangs deep into his throat, filling myself with much-needed sustenance. His arms dangled at his sides, twitching as I drank. I considered draining the creep, but I’d never actually killed anyone before and I wasn’t about to start tonight. I stopped sucking and licked his wounds closed.
I stared into his dark, bloodshot eyes and activated my compulsion ability. “I could kill you. I should kill you. But instead, I have something else in mind. You will never, ever rape another woman. You will become violently ill whenever the thought of sex enters your mind. If your dick gets hard, you will cry like a baby and throw up all over yourself. You will be kind to every female you encounter, and you will volunteer all of your time gathering donations to help victims of rape and other domestic violence. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” His whimper was barely audible.
“Good.” I grabbed at his dirty crotch and stroked against the rough, denim material to witness my cunning idea in action. A whimpering sound escaped from his throat, and tears poured from his eyes. I quickly jumped aside as vomit oozed from his mouth and down the front of his shirt. “Good,” I repeated. “That is excellent.”
I disappeared, removing myself from that disgusting encounter, and materialized down at the beach where a few bonfires were lit. As I approached a small group of what appeared to be homeless people—two shopping carts filled with black plastic bags and other miscellaneous items being my clue—gathered around one of the fires. I recognized one of the males. He was a regular customer of mine. I sighed with relief. If anyone were able to help me push this large amount of heroin, it would be Lenny.
Just as I’d hoped, Lenny had managed to help me sell all but two bags down on the beach. Why I hadn’t ever thought to go down there before was mind-boggling. From now on, the beach would be my salvation as well as my good fortune.
It was nearing two in the morning as I headed back up toward the Tenderloin district and The I.V., the bar where I hoped Preston would be waiting for me. Seeing Press was a dangerous endeavor, knowing Dorian would have my head as well as Julian’s if he ever found out.
I still had a couple of bags left to sell, and as I rounded the corner to the bar, I happened upon a couple of addicts whose names escaped me. I’d sold to them before, though, and it was my good luck that they looked like they could use a fix. One wore a brown windbreaker and khaki pants that looked as if he’d pulled them out of a dumpster. His dirty, stringy hair hung down over his eyes. Totally disgusting. The other man, though equally dirty, was mostly bald and had on jeans ripped at the knees, and a well-worn, black leather jacket with enough cracks in it to make it look like elephant skin.
“Hey, girlie, we’ve been waiting for you,” the black leather jacket guy said.
My nose automatically wrinkled from the stench of the men as I stood a few inches in front of them. I doubted either of them had taken a shower for at least a week. I almost felt sorry for them and considered—very briefly—turning them into vamps just to remove them from their current miserable existence. But I’d never done that. Besides, I had a date waiting for me. Hopefully.
“What’s a girl like you doing peddling this shit anyway? Don’t you worry about getting raped?” Baldy asked.
I considered his question. I could tell him that I was a vampire—one whose sole purpose out here was to protect someone else—and thus the chances of being raped were minimal. But then they’d just laugh, thinking I was joking. So I simply smiled. “What do you care as long as I have stuff for you?”
He shrugged and showed me some gross, yellow teeth. “Don’t care. Just being friendly, I guess.”
“Don’t be. Just give me the money, and I’ll give you your shit.”
They both reached into their pockets and pulled out small wads of cash, offering them to me. I took the bundles and counted. “This one is short seventy dollars,” I said, holding up the one in my left hand.
“That’s all I got,” str
ingy hair guy claimed, shrugging his shoulders again and wiping his fingers across his nostrils, sniffling.
Again, my heart strings pulled for the guy a bit, but dammit, I needed all the cash when I returned tonight, or I’d have to deal with a punishment I wasn’t sure I could endure.
I sighed and put the cash in my purse and handed them the bags. I’d have to find another way to get that extra seventy before I returned. Stringy hair guy looked at me with quizzical, tired, and too-old-for-his-young-age eyes.
I waved them away. “Go on. Get out of here before I change my mind.”
“Thanks,” he said, shoving the stash inside his jacket as they both hurried away.
I had no idea how I would make up the shortage, but I was relieved that I’d been successful at ridding myself of the entire amount of heroin.
Now that I’d managed to finally sell all the drugs, I ached to see Preston, and I hoped he’d still be at The I.V., the bar where we usually met. It was a dive frequented primarily by vampires, a run-down tavern in the less fortunate Tenderloin district of the city, and feeding was easier there because of the vagrants and hookers. I’d met Press by accident a few months ago as I’d sat at the bar. I’d gone in there after I managed to get rid that night’s shipment just to relax for a few minutes before heading back home. I’d been killing time, waiting for the night to pass, not wanting to go back to Dorian’s just yet, and Preston had come in and sat down next to me. I instantly recognized him as one of the band members from the Lost Boys who played at Club Royal. When Preston had turned to me and questioned why I was in such a sleazy place like The I.V., I simply shrugged. But then he removed his shades, and I glanced into his mysterious dark eyes that instantly melted my heart. From that moment on, I wanted to know more about him, and desperately wished I didn’t need to return to Dorian. But as the night progressed after introductions, and Preston and I talked, Dorian became the last thing on my mind. Press and I chatted and laughed together until it was almost daylight. We’ve been meeting there a few nights a week ever since.
When I finally did make it home, Dorian wasn’t even there, which I was thankful for. Whenever Dorian was home, every night was a party. He was continually inviting people over to make deal after deal.
I flashed to the alley behind the bar where I usually entered through the back door. Right after I materialized, two large men came around the corner. They didn’t look very friendly, and I didn’t want to stick around to find out for sure, so I hurried inside.
My stomach jittered with excitement at the sight of him sitting at the counter alone, his finger slowly skimming the edge of the tumbler in front of him, and his black leather jacket unzipped and open to reveal a black silk shirt. His dark glasses were down over his eyes, and he hadn’t seen me come in yet. He looked mysterious and sexy, and I wanted so badly to lay with him in private. To feel his hands on my body was just a dream, though, as I didn’t want to involve him in any of my problems. Dorian was a dangerous man, and I couldn’t afford to have Preston become one of his enemies. Preston and I had kissed a few times, but I’d been reluctant to let things go any further for fear of Dorian finding out. I needed to keep Press a secret. Of course, I knew if Dorian ever found out about my relationship with Preston, he’d kill not only me but also Julian—maybe Preston, too.
No, for now, Dorian needed to believe and trust that I belonged to him and only him. If I ever acted on my desires for Preston, I was certain that Dorian would know—he’d see right through me. There was no way I could hide my feelings for Preston if we were to take our friendship to the next level.
“You have beautiful eyes. Why do you always hide behind those dark shades?”
“Lily.” Preston turned toward me and gave me a delicious smile. “You made it.” He raised his glasses to reveal the most gorgeous, dark chocolate eyes I’d ever seen; eyes I found myself frequently lost in. Securing his black lenses on his head, he pulled the stool next to him closer. “Please, sit. I’ve been wondering if you would be here tonight. I’m glad you came.”
I smiled. “How are you, Preston?”
“Better, now that you’re here.” He spoke softly, his mouth close to my ear. His breath was spiced like the whiskey he’d been drinking, and I wanted to turn my face and press my lips against his.
Did he feel the same way? Renewed, youthful, and lightheaded with desire? Being close to Preston made me want to run naked on the beach with him, holding hands as we fell blissfully to the sand in each other’s arms and made passionate love. Butterflies took flight in my stomach whenever he was near, but I kept that all to myself for fear of leading him on to something I couldn’t allow or chance.
The bartender placed a glass of red wine in front of me without asking what I wanted. It was my usual. I didn’t think I’d ever ordered anything other than wine, and this old vine zin they had here lately was excellent.
“I was hoping you’d come by tonight. I wanted to let you know I’m taking the lead tomorrow night at the club. I thought you might like to come and listen. I can reserve a table for you.”
I smiled. I’d heard Preston play before and he was fantastic. He’d done a couple of Elvis Presley numbers from the late sixties. His bandmates even called him Elvis. Though he had introduced himself to me as Preston. He told me that Elvis was a nickname they’d given him because he wore those dark glasses all the time and, of course, his name being Preston, they’d begun calling him Elvis Presley. “I will, on one condition,” I said, though I hadn’t a clue as to how I would get out. But I’d done it before; I would try again.
“What’s that?”
“I’d like to see you perform something as Preston. You introduced yourself to me as Preston, and it’s that guy I want to see on stage.”
He grinned. “That, I can absolutely do. No problem.” To my surprise, he stood and grabbed my hand. “Come with me a minute.”
I stood and followed him through a door leading to a hallway where the restrooms were and then to another heavy, metal door. Press shoved the door open and gestured for me to go outside. As I stepped into the cool night air, someone large stepped out of the shadows, grabbed me by my arms, and tugged me against them.
I gasped as the unexpected assailant held me with my back against him and his hand around my throat in a tight grasp. I tugged at his arm, but by the strength of his hold, I instantly recognized that he was a vampire. I’d never been attacked in an alleyway by a vampire before and it took me completely by surprise.
“Nice of you to come out here and join me, missy,” he hissed against my ear. His breath smelled like dead rats, and I wondered if he’d recently fed on one.
As Preston stepped through the door, he stopped in this tracks at the sight of me being held by that creep. His eyes narrowed, his mouth tightened, and he stood ready to fight. I grasped my hands around the vampire’s arm again and tugged with all my strength, finally freeing myself from his chokehold. Preston immediately pulled me away from the idiot vampire and tucked me behind him, shielding me with his body.
“Hey, I saw her first,” the vampire said. As I peeked over Press’s shoulder at the guy, it clicked. He was one of the two men who’d approached the bar right after I materialized back here earlier. I’d been right about them being unfriendly, though unfriendly was being kind. This one was creepy looking with gaunt, hollow cheeks, rather cadaverous in appearance. He flashed blood-stained teeth as he grinned at me. He did look as if he fed on rats regularly.
“She’s not available,” Preston growled through gritted teeth.
I could have taken care of the idiot myself, but I enjoyed watching Preston zip into protective mode as his foot met my attacker’s jaw, sending him flying backwards against the wall. Everything seemed under control until the second vampire who had been with him earlier came out of the shadows. He was uglier and meaner looking than the first one, with two huge black eyes that bugged out like a giant fly’s, and a mouth the size of . . . well, it was freaking huge. I would have loved to h
ave something to shove into that massive maw to shut his ugly trap.
“Carl, get the fuck up,” uglier vampire yelled at his friend. “I told you to wait for me, stupid.” Then he turned toward us. “Come on.” He wiggled his fingers at Preston, urging him to come at him. “Let’s see how you do against two of us.”
He lunged at Preston with clenched fists flying, but Press was fast and ducked low. From his crouched stance, he swung his leg up. His booted foot caught the ugly vampire right in his too-big mouth, making him stagger backwards, but he quickly regained his balance.
As Preston fought the ugly vampire, hollow cheeks got to his feet and came at me. I twisted and kicked him in the middle of his chest. He hardly noticed and came back for more. I tried for another kick, but his hand caught my leg and I toppled backwards, almost falling to the ground. I took advantage of my momentum and back-kicked him hard in the jaw. He went flying right into ugly vampire’s swinging fist meant for Preston, slamming him hard against the wall. I immediately kicked him in the head one more time as he crumbled to the ground, completely out cold.
I turned to see Preston pummel punch after punch into ugly vamp’s face, and without skipping a beat, Press picked him up with hardly any effort and tossed him clear across the alley. The ugly vampire slammed against the brick wall then slid to the pavement. Press wasn’t out of the ordinary large, but his vampire strength outshined most others I’ve witnessed. He wasn’t only a great musician; apparently, he was also a badass fighter, and I may have just fallen a bit deeper for him—if that were even possible.
Possessed by a Vampire Page 2
