Page 61 of The Vampire’s Prey

Great. She’s going to make me work for it. Internally, I roll my eyes. Plastering on my best smile, I lean against the building and motion her towards me with a crook of my finger.

"Don't be like that. There will be plenty of time to get to know me. What I want to know is why you have me thinking about those luscious lips of yours when I should be working."

A cute blush pinks her cheeks, but she remains silent as she makes her way closer. Smirking, she tilts her lips up to me, begging to be kissed. I brush across her lower lip with my thumb and electricity shoots down my hand and straight to my groin. Oh, what the hell. At least I'll come in her instead of on the rocks. Pulling her closer, I let my lips skim over hers. God it’s been way too long since I’ve been with a woman, stupidly waiting for Evangeline to make the right choice. Anger fills me, and I grab Barbara and hold her tightly in my grasp. My lips go from tender to brutal in the span of a second.

Her small frame fights against me, but I’m having none of it. I’m done with women. Nothing but lying, cheating bitches. Running my hand up her scalp, I yank back on her hair, so she’s forced to look at me. "Is this what you want? Tell me."

Her eyes are wide and round; her breaths come in harried gasps. I get harder the more she fights me, the more she fears me. I’m a god, and she’s my mortal. Just begging to be crushed. She can’t answer me. She just stares up at me, her eyes pleading. I don’t care. I’m beyond women. It’s time they learned their place and stayed there. The music drowns out her gasps and whimpers, but I’m not taking any chance with vamps nearby. I never got to interrogate one, but studies show that they can hear a butterfly flap its wings from several miles away.

Knowing them though, they probably have a harem they’re fucking and won’t be able to tell the difference. Still, I don’t want my plan to be spoiled too soon.

"Don't you fucking making a sound," I growl into her ear before reaching into my bag. I let go of her for just a moment to tie the fabric around her mouth. Now, she can moan and whimper all she wants. No one will hear her. She writhes and struggles in my arms as I bind the rope over her wrists before tying the other end off onto an exposed pipe. I can’t tell what it is, but I don’t care. The more she fights the bonds, the more my brain becomes fuzzy. My cock thumps against my pants, demanding I set it free and show this bitch who’s boss.

Looking around, I see a few objects sticking out of the ground. Those will do. I grab one leg and tied it to one and the other to the opposite one. Finally. Just where I want her. I start to unzip my pants when I hear the doors opening around the corner. Fuck. I have to just get this over with and play later with Evangeline.

Stalking over to Barbara, I hold my hand over her mouth and pinch her nose shut. Her whole body bucks beneath me, but I hold on. Lowering my hips, I groan as her body writhes against me. If she keeps that up, I'll be getting off after all.

After a few minutes, her body goes limp underneath me. I hold on for just a bit more, making sure she’s actually dead. I don’t need her waking up and turning me in. Quickly, I hop off of her, trying to ignore my insistent erection. Soon. I have every plan of unleashing hell against the one woman who caused all of this to happen.

Turning Barbara's face, I feel for her jugular and make two puncture marks. From what I surmise, they’re as close a distance to actual fangs as possible. I take the gag off and rub around her face, trying to get rid of the marks as best I can. Pausing, I listen for anyone coming. Still good. I undo her pants and pull both underwear and pants down to her ankles. After stuffing the knife and gag back into the bag, I run it to my car before going back into the club.

I scan the area for a moment and see Evangeline at the bar, but luckily, Adrian is not next to her. He’s towards the back, in a booth, his head buried in his phone. Keeping one eye out for Evangeline, I slip my way through the people and make my way back to Adrian.

"Do you work here?" I whisper, trying not to alert anyone.

He sighs and looks up at me. Hatred fills my vision for a moment. It takes every ounce of willpower not to pummel him right then and there. But I can’t. I have to keep my eyes on the end game.

"Why would you think I work here?"

I gesture to his clothing and shrug. "You're wearing a suit and aren't a bouncer.” I look around before leaning back in. "Look, even if you don't work here, something really bad went down. I think someone was attacking this woman. She was on the ground and struggling—I think he did something to her neck. I couldn't quite see."

Adrian looks at me sharply. "Where?"

"Behind the club. I went out for some air. As soon as I saw something going down, I felt like I had to tell someone."

"Actually, helping might have been better," he grumbles. "Stay here."

I watch him head out, thankfully not alerting anyone else. Perfect. Watching the time, I wait a minute or so before grabbing one of the waitresses.

"Adrian wanted me to pass on to Evangeline to meet him outside. Are you Evangeline?"

The cute brunette shakes her head and laughs. "Not even close. But I'll tell her."

Everything is going according to plan. Now, to leave and watch the fireworks.

12

Adrian

Dear gods. At first, I thought the man who approached me was crazy or trying to create trouble, but now I can see that trouble hit. As I get closer to the body, the smell of blood hits me hard. It's fresh and still sluggishly flowing from the wound. A vampire didn’t do this. Even the crazy ones wouldn't leave that much blood.

Someone killed her and staged it as a vampire attack. But why? Who would do this? Hunching down, I peer closer at the body, then my blood freezes. Ropes crisscross about her wrists and ankles in a very amateur way but enough to get the job done. But, it isn’t the fact that it’s rope that gives me pause. I know that rope like I know my very own hand. It is not someone targeting vampires but targeting me specifically. The rope I use is a special blend of jute and cotton. Very exclusive. To my knowledge, I am the only one in at least one hundred miles to have it.

After filing these details away, I finally look up at the face. Regret and guilt slam into me. For just a moment, my vision blurs as I take in Barbara’s sweet face. Why her? She was the kindest soul that ever worked at Club Toxic. Never once did she say anything bad or wrong about anyone. The fact that someone did this to her was even more unforgivable.

I crouch down low to her hips and scent the air. Her clothes are disheveled and mussed, but no one came inside her. There is not even a whiff of latex. Either they were interrupted or had no intention of pleasuring themselves at all. I crawl back over to her neck to examine the puncture wounds.

"I was told you wanted to see—"