"Yeah, one eye. He lost it…in a fight." The fight that killed my mother.
"I have no acquaintance with such a vampire."
"You might have known him when he had both eyes."
"True." Frangelico sets down his glass. "I regret that I cannot help you identify him."
"Don't need your help with that. The only way you can help me is to give me more blood."
Frangelico sighs. "Ah yes. I wondered when you would ask."
"I need it."
"Has it ever occurred to you that the side effects of drinking my blood might be…life-changing?"
"You don't mean turning, do you?"
"Oh no," the king's voice turns cold. "Not turning. I would not give you my blood if there was any chance at turning you. A shifter turned vampire-would be an abomination."
The hair on my arms prickles at his tone.
"No," Frangelico continues, heading to the bar and going behind it to open the mini fridge. "I do not allow you this blood because I wish to sire you. If there was any chance of you rising as a vampire, I'd kill you right now and burn your body."
"Good," I can only mutter while my stomach roils. "I'd slit my own throat before becoming a vampire."
"And I'd remove your head," Frangelico agrees, his tone turning smooth and genial. "This is why I work with you. We are on the same page."
"Fan-fucking-tastic," I say. I hate how eager I am, watching the king stack several blood bags on the bar. The first time I had to make myself drink the blood, I only did it because I knew the edge it'd give me.
After the tenth time, I stopped gagging. After the twentieth, I savored the power coursing through my veins.
Now, after a hundred doses and several vampire kills, I live for the hit, the high it gives me.
He glances as me, and must see some of my need on my face. "Are you sure you want this?"
I turn away. "It's not about wanting. I need it." It's only a partial lie.
"I've never heard of a shifter taking so much and surviving. Most vampires would not allow it. I only do because we work so well together."
"And I'm willing to do your dirty work."
"That too. But the day may come where we find ourselves at the end of our bargain. You would be wise to weigh the toll the blood takes on you before then."
I stare at him-not his eyes, a spot on his face. If he thinks I'm going to break down and tell him how the blood affects me, how each hit leaves me weak and blacking out afterwards, he's got another think coming. I don't need his sympathy, or his advice.
I don't need him to tell me that one day when I take this blood, it will be my last. Either the dose will kill me, or it'll leave me so weak my enemy does it for me. I don't care. I just need to take out the one-eyed vampire before I go.
The king finishes stacking the blood bags on the bar. "Good luck on your hunt," he says softly, and leaves. I wait until he's well and truly gone before heading out. Finally, I can get back to Jordy.
But first, I go to the bar and take the blood. I have to. Without it, I can't take a vampire and win. I need the blood to give me power to fight. I need the blood to hunt down the vampire that killed my mother and have my revenge.
Grizz
THE WHITE CAMARO sits in much the same place I left it, a few parking spots over. It's later than I'd like, well after dark. I had another errand to do after I left the vampire king.
I ride my bike right up to the parked car, squinting against its headlights. I can't see anyone. Then a figure darts in front of the car and my entire body tightens. Jordy.
She runs right up to me, her little white Keds flashing, her dress swirling around her knees. The Camaro's headlights outline her form, but the halo of light around her is not as bright as her smile.
"Hey," she says, breathless. Her sweet, unassuming beauty punches me in the gut. she's a flower blooming in a trash littered parking lot. A star blazing in the night.
Forget this shitty day. Forget the wolves, the vampires, and debriefing the Stooges. I gotta get her home, now.
Fuck if I can talk. I hand her the helmet. After she buckles it on, I check the strap and jerk my head for her to hop on. Her arms go around me, I pull them tighter, cause I'm a masochist. The feel of her pressed against my back, her hands locked around my abs makes my dick hard enough to punch through a steel door.
Gritting my teeth, I wave at the three stooges. I'll call them and give them the news and my gratitude later. I'm racking up favors all over town. Jordy leans into me, her head resting on my back and I think, Worth it.
The drive to my mountain takes for-fucking-ever.
She jumps off and goes ahead of me, leaning against the house as I open the door. Once inside, I dump the bags I'm carrying and flick on the lights, before catching Jordy. I haul Jordy into my arms and she lets me, not a squeak of protest as I lift her and give her a hard kiss.
"Missed you, Kit."
"I missed you." A smile plays on her lips. I haul her weight against me and she arches like a cat and rubs herself against my hardness. Fuck, I could get used to this. This is why Augustine kept her collared and caged.
The thought of the vampire is like a bucket of cold water on my dick. I loosen my hold and let her slide down to the ground.
"Grizz? What's wrong?"
"Nothing. You hungry?"
"A little," she says hesitantly.
"I'll whip something up." I go to the fridge and start pulling items out and slamming them onto the counter.