Chapter 28 Vampire Prince
It was time for the meet and greet. This was usually the worst part of every concert for me. It was always this long, torturous process. I hated the grabbing of hands, the screeching voices, and the desperate pleas for kisses, autographs, or pieces of my clothing. Humans were exhausting. The security team brought them in four at a time since there were twenty VVIPs total.
But tonight was going to be different, because tonight Shelby was among those I would greet.
Ever since my eyes locked onto her, something inside me had shifted...tilted and then caught fire.
Ripley, Ryder, Lorenzo, and I stood in line like zoo animals waiting to be fed to the public. Security opened the doors, and the first four VVIP guests rushed in...three screaming women and a trembling man who looked like he'd fallen straight out of a fainting couch.
The women attacked us instantly.
"Oh my GOD, he's even hotter up close!"
"NIKO, SIGN MY CHEST!"
"RYDER, I NAMED MY CAT AFTER YOU! HE KEEPS RUNNING INTO WALLS!"
Ryder beamed proudly, as if this were a compliment.
The next batch was louder and rowdier, clawing for selfies and begging me to sign their skin. Ripley laughed through most of it, Lorenzo charmed them into near fainting, and Ryder gave out high-fives like he was hopped up on lightning.
By the twelfth person, I was done. My jaw hurt from forced smirking, and I could practically feel my patience evaporating.
Only eight more.
I rubbed my face with both hands. "I can't do any more."
"Yes, you can," Lorenzo said, though he looked like he'd rather lie in a coffin.
Ripley cracked her knuckles. "I swear, if one more woman tries to lick my neck, I'm throwing someone out the window."
Security signaled for the next four.
I straightened reluctantly.
Four people entered, two women and two men. I scanned their faces... and stiffened. One of the men was a vampire. His stench made my eyes water. I scanned him again and realized it was the informant we were supposed to meet up with the other night.
The human man strutted in like a rooster with a tiny brain and a massive ego. He wore tacky gold jewelry, sour cologne, and a sneer so deep it must've been carved by bitterness itself.
He looked directly at us and scoffed.
"So these are what are passing for men nowadays? Huh? I don't trust men who wear makeup," he said loudly, as if auditioning for Biggest Asshole Alive. "I think men who wear makeup are weak."
"Weak?" I repeated.
My wolf growled so sharply inside me that my vision flickered.
"I'm sorry, but I gotta say it. You boys look soft," he said loudly, eyeing me like he was trying to start a fight. "Y’all look stupid to me. Real men don't paint their faces."
Ripley stiffened. Ryder snorted. Enzo raised a brow.
And my patience died.
I stepped forward slowly, intentionally until I stood toe-to-toe with him. "Is that right?" I asked, my voice dangerously calm.
He swallowed but nodded. "Yeah. I said what I said."
Before anyone could blink, I had him by the throat and slammed him into the wall. His feet dangled off the ground as he choked and clawed at my arm.
Ripley grabbed my shoulder. "Niko! Let him go!"
I growled, tightening my grip.
Over the mindlink, I snapped, ‘Why are you defending a human?’
But she didn't answer.
The vampire stepped forward. "Come on, man, put him down now before you do something you'll regret." His tone wasn't loud, but it was serious.
Ripley stepped between us, shoving my hand off the human's throat. He collapsed to the floor, coughing violently, while the two women scrambled back in terror.
Ripley stooped down to him. "Are you OK?" she asked, and he nodded. Why was she acting like this? This is so unlike her.
"Yes, but your lead singer is crazy," he said between coughs. "He'll be hearing from my lawyers."
"Yes, he is," Ripley said, eyeing me. "But you can't go around accusing men of being soft. You'll get yourself killed. Now what's your name?"
"Omar," he said.
Omar? As in Shelby's ex?
That was it. I couldn't take this anymore.
I felt my eyes growing black.
"Hey, man. Look at me," the vampire said. "Don't look at any of them," he added, referring to the humans.
"Everyone out," I commanded, pointing at Omar and the women without looking away from the bloodsucker.
Ripley mindlinked something urgent to the security outside, and within seconds they dragged Omar and the two women away.
Ripley then spoke. "Marcus, what are you doing here?"
Marcus straightened his shirt, looking unbothered. "I apologize for cutting our meeting short the other night," he said. "But I have news. King Viktor is sick. Very sick. And he's hunting for a cure."
Ripley froze.
"What cure?" I demanded.
"The king wants a very specific type of blood," Marcus said. "Something extremely rare. Something powerful. Something he thinks will save him. If we can figure out exactly what this cure is, then we can stop him once and for all."
I narrowed my eyes. "Why tell us this? Why betray your king?"
Enzo's eyes narrowed. "How do we know this isn't a trick? How can we be sure you're not working for him?"
Marcus scanned the room before answering, then said, "I work for myself. And Viktor is as evil as they come. He needs to be stopped before he destroys the entire supernatural community."
Before any of us could reply, the door burst open.
A blonde barged in, heels clicking like gunshots. "What's the hold-up? Demarcus! Why are you in here so long?"
"Demarcus?" I hissed. "That's your real name!" Then it hit me. "You're King Viktor's son? You are the vampire prince!"
He didn't deny it.
"Vicky... I was just getting to know the members better," he replied to the woman.
But Vicky completely ignored him and marched straight toward me. Her eyes sparkled like she was looking at Santa Claus.
"Nikolai!" she squealed before practically pouncing on me. "My love... we belong together!"
She grabbed my face with both hands and tried to kiss me.
I jerked my head back, ready to shove her off, but then the door behind her slammed open again.
And the scent that hit me made my heart stop.
Shelby.