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Opal takes my hand, but Walcott snatches me by the wrist and yanks me away. He points his gun in Opal’s face and growls. I expect her to try to attack him, the fear of her getting hurt or worse scaring the crap out of me, so I wave my hand.
“It’s okay, Mistress Opal. I’ll be fine,” I say, my words coming out a whisper. I only use her formal title to show her I won’t do anything stupid to get myself in trouble.
“That’s too bad you have such an obedient little bitch. I was looking forward to teaching you both what it means to stand against me.” Walcott dares Opal with his stern gaze to act out against him. She wouldn’t, though. Unlike with the other fucker still clutching his now bloody ass in silence a few feet away, he didn’t hassle her. She is a smart woman and handles things as they should be instead of acting out in defiance.
Opal swivels on her heels and disappears at vampire speed, materializing at the edge of the crowd. She folds her arms across her chest and messes with her earring, the sign that she’s putting out an alert to Alexander.
Something smacks me hard on the ass, making me jump. I whip my attention from Opal and Walcott as annoyance washes through me. I should know better than to react, but damn it. I can’t believe he had the nerve to spank me with the side of the barrel of his gun.
“Go stand over by Monroe. You’re mine until your master shows,” Walcott says, growling under his breath. “If he doesn’t, I’ll take you until he’s man enough to face me.”
Fucking no, I’m not his. Opal would never allow it. He’s disgusting and far from attractive like the other vampire who offered to help me. I don’t tell him as much, though. I know better than to stand up for myself. I’m a blood donor and nothing more to most of these vampires.
I slowly nod my head and stride away from Walcott, wanting to get space between us. It’s not until I flick my gaze at the vampire extending his arm to me that I realize it’s the guy who brought me and Opal here in the first place. Monroe. His name is Monroe. I repeat it in my mind a few times as my nerves loosen with his presence. He makes me less nervous than Walcott.
“Little bird, Knox isn’t going to appreciate that you’ve drawn Walcott’s attention...or mine for that matter. You should’ve fluttered away like I told you to when you had the chance.” A muscular arm slides around my bare waist, tugging me closer.
I shiver under the soft sensation of Monroe’s fingers caressing along the waistband of my bikini bottoms. A part of me wants to resist and try to stomp on his foot for touching me without an invitation from Alexander. Another part of me begs to release the breath I’m holding and relax. He’s hot but insane, and I’m not sure how to feel. Unfortunately, the sensible part of me wins, and I ignore him the best I can, letting him drum his fingers on my hip while keeping my eyes on the shiny tiles. It’s not like I haven’t been touched by a man or a vampire before. I’ve been through worse. I’d rather gentle touches and testing boundaries than getting smacked, hit, screamed at, and threatened to be thrown to the vampires of the Strip—vampires I’m pretty sure are a part of this weird crew. I don’t think they’re coven brothers. At least not official ones under the La Vega city laws barely followed by anyone. These guys seem to have some sort of alliance, and that’s all.
Leaning closer, Monroe shifts the pink hair of my wig away from my ear. “You ever been with a man before, little bird? Most donors recoil at a vampire’s closeness. You’re shifting closer. You like my hand on you, don’t you?”
I swallow and ignore him, trying my best not to look at him as Walcott instructs a few other vampires to get in line. Silence fills the casino, and I peek at the entrance to the lobby and notice how vacant the hotel has become. I don’t think it’s ever been this empty.
“It’s all clear,” a guy in a dirty T-shirt, jeans, and well-worn black boots calls, shouting to Walcott. I spot a few more guys in the same type of attire, lurking near the slot machines glowing and chirping with catchy tunes. It’s the only noise outside of the low murmur of voices.
“Listen up, staff of Aris!” Walcott yells, aiming his gun toward the ceiling.
Weapons like his aren’t legal in La Vega, but he’s obviously no law-abiding citizen. None of these guys are. It’s not like Alexander is either, but with his power and wealth from the casino, a lot can be bought. I guess the same goes with brute force.
“Your fucking showrunner seems to need a little incentive to show his ass.” Walcott grins at a few of the guys and stomps his way closer to the group of vampires. Opal is the only woman among them, and she remains stiff and expressionless. “So I’m going to need someone to help me bring him out. Do I have any volunteers?”
Monroe tightens his fingers to my hip. “You’re going to want to keep your gaze on the floor, little bird. You might lose a couple feathers otherwise.”
What the fuck is he talking about?
“I—I can go find Master Aris,” Harvey, the head concierge, says. He straightens his shoulders and steps from the crowd. All of the vampire staff are trained to serve others, and he would be the first to always jump to making sure things are in order.
“What a suck up,” Monroe says, breathing a cool breath in my ear.
“It’s his job,” I whisper, wishing my mouth would learn to control itself.
Monroe leans in, brushing his lips to my ear. “He’s going to regret his job and decision to speak up in three, two, one—”
Harvey’s scream rips through the air, practically sending my soul from my body. I automatically twist and hide against Monroe’s chest like the freaked out blood donor I am. Alexander is going to whip me if he sees me in this stranger’s arms, but my human fear instincts yell like crazy, wanting me to hide behind someone stronger and more powerful than I could ever be.
“Fucker Aris!” Walcott shouts. “Come out, come out. If you don’t, your overeager minion will lose his other arm next. Then his legs. Maybe even his cock. I’m going to need something to shove down your throat to choke you with.”
I gasp, my eyes welling with tears. I don’t know Harvey that well because I’ve never been allowed to interact with anyone apart from Alexander, Opal, and the rest of the performers, but I’ve seen him every day for as long as I could remember. And the sound of his pain? I think I’m going to be sick. He doesn’t deserve to go through this.
A cool hand covers my ear, and Monroe presses my head against his broad chest. The sound of his heartbeat picks up, thrumming in a quick, rhythmic beat that helps keep me from dry heaving. It’s not like I could throw up if I wanted to on an empty stomach.
“Get ready for another round,” Monroe whispers, turning me slightly to wrap both his arms around me. Why does his embrace feel so good? I can’t recall a man ever hugging me like this. They’re always far rougher, pulling my hair to bite me.
I feel his body harden between us. He likes embracing me as much as I do, and there is nothing he can do unless he lets go to stop him from pressing his cock against my stomach through his pants. I freeze at his boner flexing, and I can’t help wanting to reach between us to let my hand act as a barrier. He’s enjoying my closeness way too much, which doesn’t help my own wandering thoughts. I would be lying to myself if I wasn’t curious about what he looks like naked. It’s one of the things I get anxious about when performing in private for guests of Alexander. I’ve seen a lot of cock, and there is something about a nice one that makes things easier. And now? I could use his attraction against him. I’m not naïve and clueless. I use my sexuality every damn day to bring in stipends to this hotel, and Monroe loves every second of this.
Maybe I can use it to my advantage.
I shift, pressing closer to his body, squirming just enough to get him to slide his big hand over my shoulder and down the length of my spine until he reaches my lower back. I risk giving him the wrong impression and rub my hands over his back like I can’t help myself. His scent engulfs me—like mocha and whipped cream, or one of the desserts Opal lets us have after a good performance. I bet he’d taste like it too. I’ve had some vampires taste so good that my mouth waters. He’d be one of them.
