Here Be Sexist Vampires

Chapter Nine

(Sam)

The hammering at my apartment door switched my posture to confrontational. I could only think of one person who would be so pissed off with me that he would knock like the rent man. But when I swung the door open, my face a mask of aggravation, I was met with a scene that I would never have guessed at.

“Coach!” crooned Denny.

“Hey,” greeted Stuart.

“I was kind of hoping we’d have got you at a bad time – like a naked time.” Typical Harvey. Max dug an elbow into Harvey’s ribs.

“What’re you all doing here?” I asked.

“Coming to get you,” said Max as if it was obvious. “All ten of us are going down to the Barcelona bar, and you’re coming with us.”

“Isn’t the Barcelona a men only bar?”

“Tonight was a big achievement for us, and we couldn’t have done it without all your training. We’re going out to celebrate, you’re our Coach, so you’re coming with us.” Max had said it like it was a mathematical equation.

“I’m not sure whether I should be offended that you see me as one of the boys...?”

“Don’t tell us you don’t want to get out of that apartment for one night,” said Denny.

“We could always carry you there...” Max let the idea taunt me.

“You wouldn’t dare,” I said.

Max arched a brow. “Wouldn’t I? I’ve told you before, you have your authority during training but when we’re on our time it means squat.” He made a move toward me.

“Okay, okay, I’ll go, I’ll go,” I said quickly.

Max gave me a curious look, as if he couldn’t understand why I had caved so easily. The answer? I was naked under my nightgown. Not that I thought Max would cart me all the way to the bar in just my nightgown, but he would certainly pick me up just to prove the point that he was willing to do that if push came to shove.

So I got dressed. I didn’t put much thought into it really. I just stepped into the black halter-neck dress and the matching shoes that Fletcher had picked, and then slipped on some fashion jewellery. With my hair left loose, I stepped out into the hallway. All of the squad were stood waiting. Each one stared and swallowed hard. Poor buggers didn’t have many female vampires around them on a regular basis.

I couldn’t really understand why they wanted to go to an all-male bar as I’d always thought that part of the fun for blokes was to get themselves a girl. Denny explained that the drinks were cheapest in that bar so they always went there first to get hammered and then they’d move on to the unisex bars.

I didn’t have any trouble getting in the bar; one look at my cleavage and the sound of the word ‘Coach’ and the fact that I was a female faded into nonexistence for the doormen. The inside was actually alright. It looked more like a club with its strobe lights, packed dance-floor and booming music. Despite it being chocker, it was easy enough to get a drink seen as the bar was eternally long.

Max stayed close, a hand always on my elbow or my back. Chico repeatedly rolled his eyes at the sight, as if Max was trying too hard and making himself look desperate. I didn’t see it that way. Max was trying hard, sure, but what he was trying hard at was to show me that there could be a completely different relationship between us outside of work hours and it wouldn’t make anything awkward. I wasn’t sure if the fact that I didn’t want anything more than casual sex would be a letdown for him or the biggest turn-on ever. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to find out.

I was overjoyed when I came across Fletcher and Norm. Again tonight they had been colourful in their choice of clothes.

Fletcher hugged me tightly, asking, “How the bleeding hell did you get in here, it’s men only? Me and Norm just about get in.”

“How do you think I got in?” I gave my boobs a little push.

Fletcher laughed. “I told you a bit of cleavage works wonders, didn’t I?”

“It certainly works for me,” said a voice into my ear. Max.

“Hey Coach,” sang another voice. Evan. He assessed the dress and frowned playfully, giving me the big-brother look. “I should send you home to get some clothes on.”

“Oh I beg you not to do that,” said Harvey to Evan. “The view is perfect.”

Evan shot him a warning look. “Note that she is much too good for you.”

“Harvey’s right, though, she looks absolutely gorgeous,” said Fletcher. “The only girl who has ever tempted me to go straight.”

Max ushered closer to me but I shrugged him off. “Sorry, Slap-head, but I’m going.”

“Where?” he asked, deflating.

“To the dance-floor, of course. And anyone here who isn’t on that dance-floor won’t see me all night.”

“Don’t think you’re leaving me behind,” said Fletcher.

At first I was surprised that the entire squad came to the dance-floor with me, but after a while I came to realise that a big reason for it was because I was getting approached by a lot of blokes since I was the only female in there. Evan’s warning gaze served as a great deterrent to the would-be-drink-offering-blokes as well.

I was dancing with Max when Evan spoke down my ear, “You probably won’t be pleased to know that Jared’s here.”

My heart did a little jump at the sound of his name. Maybe it was faulty. “I don’t care. He can go where he pleases, it’s nothing to do with me.”

“Do you realise that that’s near enough the same thing he said to me telepathically that night when you eavesdropped?”

I spun on my heel, giggling but offended. “I did not eavesdrop.” In truth, I hadn’t turned so that I could jokingly confront Evan. I wanted to get an idea of where Jared was. My senses reached out, alerting me that he was somewhere to my right near the bar. And not happy.

“I was just letting you know he’s here.”

I knew what he meant: be aware that Jared’s here and tone it down with Max or Jared might snap. I’d have disagreed, but Jared had told me telepathically that I’d saved Max’s life by saying no to him, though I never really understood why he was so mental over a bonk.

“Look,” began Evan, “maybe you should pretend you’re going to the bar for a drink and let him approach you.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because I can feel that he’s riled.”

So could I. That was the thing that got to me: I shouldn’t be able to sense his emotions so well. “It’s not my fault that Antonio wants me to lead the squad alongside Jared. I told Antonio I didn’t want to, he made it clear that it was an order.”

“So let Jared approach you, let him bring it up, and then tell him that. Let him get it off his chest.”

“Why should I reassure the plonker?”

Evan sighed. “Please, Sam?” He very rarely called me that. “Yeah he’s a pain in the ass but he’s also my twin brother. Maybe once he’s got it off his chest you two can start behaving civilly to each other again…you know, like grown-ups do.”

I couldn’t help smiling at that. I supposed it wasn’t very mature to snub your colleague when you have to see them and work with them every day. Plus, if we didn’t somehow sort this out how would we ever successfully lead the squad together? How could we ever protect The Hollow the way we were needed to?

Evan kissed my cheek when I sighed in defeat. I then left it to Evan to keep Max out of the way while we tested this theory that Jared had something to say. As Evan suggested, I went to the bar and ordered a drink. I then leaned my back against the bar as if having a brief rest, and kept my gaze forward as I sipped on the red grape NST. Only moments later I felt Jared approaching. Felt his eyes, felt his annoyance...and God that scent.

“I never thought you’d manage to pass as a guy.” His humour didn’t disguise his irritation very well.

“I never thought you’d manage to get entry either, considering you have to be an adult. Sulking is more a toddler thing.” I heard him take a long breath. It pleasantly tickled my skin as he exhaled.

“The squad was impressive at the arena.”

There was a slight emphasis on the word squad; the interpretation being that he believed it was them that deserved the glory, not me. I didn’t rise to that. The fact that was they were impressive and wouldn’t have been unless they had listened hard and tried hard. I was proud of them and wouldn’t take that away from them.

“I’ve noticed that they’re improving physically too,” I said. “Especially Max. You’re obviously training them right.”

He hissed slightly on hearing Max’s name. “You sound surprised that I am.”

I hadn’t sounded surprised at all. My tone had been completely flat. I realised then that he was trying to get an argument out of me. Oh he wanted to get things off his chest alright, but he wanted to argue while he did it.

“Antonio thinks highly of you, so why would I be surprised?”

“Antonio thinks highly of you, but I was surprised tonight.”

“Like you said, the squad was impressive.”

Another long, heavy breath. “Look at me.” It was said softly.

So I looked at him and, as I’d earlier expected might happen, my brain clapped out for a second. It had felt like so long since we’d actually properly made eye contact. He was doing his shameless staring thing again. I didn’t look away this time, but I couldn’t help that my pulse was racing madly.

“Antonio must have told you that he wants you to help me lead the squad when The Hollow is attacked.”

I nodded. “He did.”

“But you never brought it up? I thought you’d have been dying to throw it into conversation and tease me about it.”

“Then you don’t know me very well.” I had taken it as Antonio thinking I was good at what I did, not that he thought that Jared was crap.

“So tell me why you didn’t bring it up.”

“We weren’t exactly having conversations that anything could have been brought up in. And, besides, I had a pretty good idea of how that conversation would go, especially since Antonio had admitted that you weren’t happy about it.”

“I don’t think I need you as co-leader.”

“Ooh, now that’s a shocker right there,” I said sarcastically. “Antonio ordered it, it’s out of my control. You can confront me or sulk or whatever else but none of it will change that. Talk to Antonio.” I looked away from him again.

“Why is it you can’t seem to look at me for long without squirming or turning away?” It was said tauntingly. “Surely you’re not feeling self-conscious.” His tone dared me to object.

My peripheral vision alerted me to the fact that he had taken a slow step toward me, leaving only one step between us. I looked at him and watched as his eyes drifted to my lips a few times. Yes I’ll admit my libido thought this was great and I was tempted to give his lips a look or two. Or a kiss or two. I was also tempted to put more space between us. I did neither. “Trying to aggravate Max, are you?” No doubt the bloke was glaring at us.

“I don’t give a shit about Max.” He said it in a way that implied that there was something else he gave a shit about.

“So then you just want to make me feel uncomfortable, you want to aggravate me. Come as close as you want, it won’t work.” He did come closer, which I hadn’t actually expected him to do. My body was now pining for him, aching even more because he was close enough to touch and I was doing nothing about it.

He looked pleased with himself so I gathered he’d picked up on it, maybe by the fact that I’d stiffened a little and clenched my fists. “So, you were saying it won’t work...”

I turned so that I was facing him. Then I covered a little of the space left between us. Oh he was taken aback. My tone and posture and expression were all confrontational. “I can’t work out what I did that’s pissed you off this much. You certainly want to get me just as riled as you and you’re wasting no time at all in doing it. Just tell me, Jared.” I placed my face even closer to his. “Be a big boy and tell me what it is that’s really making you be a prick.”

His irises began to glow red. But he didn’t look angry. “Don’t push me, Sam, or I swear to God I’ll kiss you right here, right now with everyone round to watch and we both know you won’t stop me.”

Why did disputing get this bloke horny? “I won’t stop you?” I probably wouldn’t, actually. I doubted I’d be able to. As soon as his lips touched mine the same thing always happened; fire through the veins.

“No.” His eyes dropped to my lips again. “And I seriously doubt that your boyfriend will like it. Does he know we’ve kissed before? Twice?”

“What’s up, Jared? Worried one of your recruits might just get to shag me while you can’t? That’s a worryingly big ego you have there.” I demolished the remainder of my NST, plonked the empty bottle on the bar and went to walk away. His hand seized my wrist. His grip was possessive.

“I’m not finished.”

“Take your hand off me or I’ll snap it off.”

He snorted. “I’m not hurting you, you probably like it.” I did. “I want you to stop leading my brother on.”

Alright that was the last thing I had expected to hear, hence why my response was, “Say again?”

“Evan’s not like me.” Too right he wasn’t, that was why me and Evan got along so well. “When he likes a woman he wants the whole thing, and seen as you’re not interested in a relationship with anyone all you’re doing is leading him on.”

“You think Evan and me are interested in each other?”

His jaw went tight. “Don’t be cute with me, Sam. It’s obvious with the amount of time you spend with him.”

“You should try it some time.”

“Meaning what exactly?”

“Meaning that he’s your brother, you’re twin, and you’re barely a part of his life. I know more about what’s going in his life than you do.”

“I don’t need advice about my brother from you, alright. Now stop trying to change the subject. I won’t watch while you lead him on, not when he likes you.”

I half-snorted half-giggled. “Do you know that what you’ve just said adds further support to the argument that you don’t know anything about what goes on in his life?” I went to walk away again but although I’d tugged hard to free my wrist he’d tugged harder to keep it.

He was speaking so close to my ear that he was almost nibbling on it. “You can wander off back to Max and Evan but we both know that you don’t want either of them as much as you want me. You think that’s fair to Evan? To either of them? I wonder what they’d think if they knew about our little encounters.”

I snickered and faced him again. “If you honestly thought that having this little info that we’d kissed gave you some power, then you’re thick as pig shit. It gives you nothing. Just because I hadn’t told them doesn’t mean I care if they know. If you really want to find out what Evan and Max would think then go ahead and tell them. Better still, we’ll go together.” I grabbed his free hand with mine and pulled. “Come on, let’s see what they say.”

I could almost sense Jared’s ego screaming at him not to back down. Jared eventually listened to it – typical. He released my seized wrist and allowed me to pull him with my other hand to the dance-floor where Max and Evan where stood amongst the rest of the squad and Fletcher and Norm.

“Hey bro,” greeted Evan, smiling. “Everything sorted between you two now?”

“What was all that about?” Max asked me discreetly.

I smiled and looked to Jared, totally unconcerned if they knew or didn’t about the kisses.

“I can’t have my bro and my honorary little sister fighting,” said Evan, ruffling my hair exactly like a brother would.

Jared’s expression suddenly changed. His eyes danced between Evan and I, studying us as if truly seeing us together for the first time. Realisation of the truth seemed to hit, and then he nodded. “It’s sorted.” His smile faded slightly when his glance slid to Max.

Max, being Max, moved slightly closer to me and grinned at Jared sort of evilly. Then he said to me, “I thought I saw him grab you...?”

Jared, having heard, started laughing. “You don’t need to worry. I’d never hurt her. We just like to play rough, don’t we?” I would have responded with a sour scowl but his crooked smile just made me want to laugh. Evan seemed amused too. “Getting my ass kicked by Sam is my idea of foreplay, and she’s very good at foreplay.”

Jared might have thought he was being clever, but he’d misjudged Max; rather than being discouraged, Max attached himself to me. Any closer and he’d have passed for my Siamese twin. At first Jared seemed agitated by it but then he took to repeatedly saying things down my ear – inconsequential things that could have even been said telepathically, but it was all part of winding Max up. It seemed that Jared was intent on making Max either storm off in frustration or snap. He did neither. The more something became a challenge for Max, the more he wanted it. They weren’t actually all that different.

Chico had been watching Max cling to me all night and got increasingly annoyed about it to the point where he came over and said something to Max about needing his help with an extremely drunk Butch. Being the good friend that he was, Max left my side to help with Butch – a little hesitant, but still he went. Chico winked and nodded at me. I gave him an appreciative smile. It was nice to have some breathing room.

“Here’s my darlin girl,” said Fletcher as he approached with Norm. Standing behind me holding onto my shoulders he asked, “So, who will you be shagging tonight?”

I almost choked on my drink. “Say again?”

“Oh come on, you can’t tell me you’re not horned-up to death. I can sense it coming off you like fumes.”

“Max will definitely be up for it,” said Norm.

Fletcher nodded. “The way he’s glued his body to you all night he practically has shagged you.”

“Sam’s got a complex about being someone’s consort,” said Jared, not seeming to like the topic of conversation.

“Doesn’t mean she can’t have one of her own,” insisted Fletcher with a giggle. He squeezed my shoulders. “Or just a nice jump to keep you going for another week.”

A jump with Max sounded good to my body, but not good enough. It completely ached for someone else. However, with Jared not being an option that meant a night with Max was on the cards. Why did the idea of it make me feel off inside? “I need alcohol,” I told Fletcher. “None of these alcohol flavoured NSTs, I need real alcohol.”

“Good idea,” he said. “It’ll settle your body a bit and then you won’t end up assaulting the bloke.” Fletcher patted my upper arm and then disappeared, returning seconds later with one gorgeous, muscled, brown-haired human bloke who had several teeth marks in him. Drinking blood from intoxicated people was how we vampires got drunk. “Here we are.”

The bloke looked at me and grinned. “A Sventé? I haven’t been bitten by a Sventé in years. I’m going to enjoy this.”

Well of course he would. Our saliva did a good job of getting our prey all hot and bothered and could make them orgasm on the spot if we drank from them for more than ten seconds.

“You’ll have to hold my hands still,” he told me, high on anticipation.

“Why?” snorted Jared.

“Because it’s that good I’ll end up fondling her if she doesn’t. I’m used to getting bitten and standing the pleasure but when it’s a Sventé bite there’s no way of keeping still.”

I grabbed his hands and held them firmly behind his back. I was more or less embracing him. Although some vampires were content to drink from the same bite mark that others had made, I wasn’t. It was like sharing a cup that had been passed around a load of strangers. Not for me, thanks. As I ran my lips down the curve of his neck he shuddered. Content with a certain spot on his neck, I paused.

Now, here’s something you might not know. A vampire bite is a lot like a kiss; there are different styles. For instance, there’s the firm bite; clamping your eyeteeth abruptly down and making the suction fast and hard and greedy. Then there’s the softer approach; tenderly popping the skin with the tips of your eyeteeth and then feeling the blood rush into your mouth, keeping the suction gentle and slow. Of course there’s a bite that is somewhere between the firm and the soft style that some vampires prefer to do.

My personal favourite is a style I developed myself. First I nick the skin with my eyeteeth, which tickles the human, and then I lap up any blood that surfaces. It’s more or less teasing but Sventés are like that. Then I do a double bite; letting one of my eyeteeth pierce the skin slightly first, and then sliding them both down into the neck.

When I nicked his neck the human instantly quivered. Then he felt the double bite and moaned in pleasure, I hadn’t even started sucking yet. When I did, gulping slow but taking long pulls, his arms strained against my hold and he tried grinding against me. I had to ensure to keep it shorter than ten seconds or else I’d probably make him come in his pants – something that wouldn’t be great for either of us. Not right here right now anyway.

Opening my eyes as I began to draw back from him, I noticed that Jared was watching intently. The human wasn’t so easy to shake off so Evan and Jared helped.

The bloke shook his head as if clearing his foggy thoughts and smiled. “It’s on the house. I’ll come back later.”

I returned his smile. “You do that.” When I turned my focus back to the vampires around me I found four sets of eyes fixed on me, two glinting red, two glinting amber. “What?”

Fletcher swallowed hard then said to Norm, “Now I’m even more curious.”

The others nodded and suddenly I understood. “None of you have ever been bitten by a Sventé? Oh come on you can’t be serious.”

“You’re a Sventé so you travelled in Sventé circles, none of us did,” explained Evan.

“There has to be some Sventés here.”

“Only a few,” said Fletcher. “Antonio and Luther have them as consorts.”

The curiosity was still shining from their eyes. Their mouths were twisting to the side and they seemed to be debating whether to say something, looking to each other for cues.

“You want me to bite you?” I asked all of them. Their smiles and arched brows all said ‘hell yes’. “You can all sod off, I’m not biting any of you.”

“Why not?” whined Fletcher.

“Because it would turn you all on.”

“That’s why we want you to do it,” said Norm, sounding horny already.

I grimaced. “I am not biting my best friend, my best friend’s boyfriend, someone who I consider a brother, or my co-worker who I have to work close with every day.” Suddenly my head felt a little heavy and I almost swayed. Oh yes I was now tipsy! It’d been a while. A hand caught my elbow. Oh, I had swayed. It was Jared’s hand. My body automatically reacted, pining for him again and I found myself automatically clenching my thighs. I had to move away from his touch, and now.

I did. But his hand only moved to my back as if ready and waiting to have to steady me again. Making matters a gazillion times worse, he spoke down my ear again, close enough that he was nibbling on it as he spoke. I just about managed to hold back a shudder.

“You’ve got the Dutch courage now. Shall I go get Max?” His tongue lightly flicked my earlobe. “Or are you ready to admit that it’s not him you really want?” Discretely his hand teasingly travelled slowly and lightly down to the small of my back, fingers splayed.

Oh God. Another shudder began to crest. I tried holding it back but a tremor still ventured through me. Jared felt it and giggled. It wasn’t so much the contact that was causing the shudders, it was more to do with the fact that it was Jared who was touching me.

Desperate for some kind of distraction, I glanced around the club; concentrating on how bright the flashing, colourful lights were and how drunk humans were prancing about waiting to be bitten and how –

Oh my God. The sight my eyes found made my brain fail for a second. My cheeks and hands burnt; something they always did when I was irate. My breathing became short pants as I felt the anger swirl around my lungs. The contents of my stomach curdled and my pulse was practically out of control. Familiar voices were talking to me but my brain didn’t interpret the words; every part of me was far too fixated on the spectacle before me. Approximately eight feet away from me, dancing and giggling like he had a right to walk the Earth, was someone I never thought I’d see again. Someone I swore to one day find. And now he had more or less fell in my lap.

At that moment his eyes incidentally found me through his fuzzy, red, unruly hair – as if sensing he was being watched. He tensed and his eyes widened. Abruptly he swung his arm in my direction and a ball of black fire came zooming at me. Without even waiting to see if his aim had been successful, he darted toward the exit. I drew in the energy around me and then released a gush of water from my palms to cancel out the black flames. Then I chased after him, ignoring the complaints of the people around me who were now a bit wet.

Outside the club I halted and scanned the street. Further along the path, passing each of the stores with an admirable speed, was the tall, scruffy bugger. Sucking in more energy, I manipulated it into the form of my whip and then cracked it like I’d never cracked it before. It wrapped around his ankle. I ragged the whip hard, dragging him along the pavement and over to me.

“Throwing fire balls at me? That’s not very nice, is it.” He didn’t struggle or try to free himself. He just gazed up at me, a mixture of shocked and incredibly anxious. I realised something then. “You thought I was dead, didn’t you. I hate to disappoint you, but Victor spared me.”

“I should have known that the Sventé Feeder everyone’s been talking about was you,” he said in a shaky voice.

“Yes, you should’ve. You never were very bright.” I became aware that there were crowds of people around. I picked up the scents of Jared, Evan, Chico and Max close behind me. But I didn’t care to answer their questions. “Is this where you’ve been hiding for the past few years then, Clark, hoping Victor wouldn’t still come after you just for the fun of it? Turns out that Victor was the least of your worries, eh. No wonder I couldn’t find you. Just how did you get accepted here?”

“My Sire got a security-guard position. He was permitted to bring along two of his guards.”

“And the stupid bastard thought you’d be loyal?” I leant over him, eyes almost bulging out of my sockets. “Well I hope he’s not going to miss you too much, because your life has now reached its expiry date.”

Clark held up his hands, palms out. “No hang on a minute, Sam. Let’s talk about this.”

I straightened up and sniggered. “Trying to negotiate? This isn’t a hostage situation. It’s called retribution.”

“Come on now. Killing me won’t bring Bryce back.”

“Oh I know that. But it’ll feel bloody fantastic.” It wouldn’t bring me peace, but it was the next best thing. “Just how does it feel to know you’re the reason you’re best mate’s dead?”

“He wouldn’t want this. He wouldn’t want you bitter like this, he loved you, he -”

“Oh do me a favour and stop with all that.” I shook my head; amazed at his nerve. “Do you know what, Clark? I told Bryce not to go to you for help. I told him I didn’t trust you. You know what he said to that? He said he’d known you all his years as a vampire, that you were his best mate and you’d never betray him, and that he trusted you with his life.”

Clark’s face was even paler than before. I doubted I’d ever reach the tiny conscience he had, but he was getting the lecture all the same. Clark was like Victor in many ways; he was good at politics and manipulating people. He would know exactly what you would want to hear and then he would tell you just that. If you had a compassionate side, he would appeal to it. If you had a weakness he would pounce on it. If all else failed, he would barter.

“I didn’t betray him. It wasn’t like that.”

“He went to you for help, for somewhere to hide out for a couple of days, and you handed him and me over to Victor on a silver bloody platter!”

“I had no choice, Victor would’ve killed me if he’d found out I was hiding you and Bryce.”

“Bryce wouldn’t have gone to you if he’d thought you’d have been in danger because that’s the kind of person he was. Was.” I spat the last word. “Now get up.” I allowed my whip to fade away, freeing his ankle, and watched as he struggled to get up.

“What’re you going to do?” he asked.

“We’re going to duel. There’s no sport in just killing you outright.”

“I can’t fight you, Sam,” he said, shaking his head.

“Why’s that?”

“I can’t hurt you. Bryce loved you, I can’t hurt you.” The words couldn’t have been more false. The people around me sensed that too, a part of my brain registered.

I snorted. “It wasn’t five minutes ago that you threw a fireball at me, and then you legged it like a rat up a drainpipe. I think what you really mean is that you don’t think you can defeat me, and now you’re just saying all this shite in the cause of self-preservation. Well you’re only stalling the inevitable.”

Backing up a little, he said, “Sam, it won’t bring him back.”

“Yeah, I believe you already said that.”

“I’ll leave here. We don’t have to duel, I’ll leave The Hollow and I won’t come back. You’ll never see me again, I swear to you.”

I had to laugh as we reached the bartering stage. “I know that if I let you walk off now the second I turn my back there’ll be more fireballs coming at me.”

He looked exasperated now. “Okay, we duel,” Clark finally said, snarling. His expression was so different now that he had dropped the fake crap. The innocence and fear had all vanished from his eyes only to be replaced by the callousness and spite that usually resided there.

Apparently Clark had no intention of duelling, however. He hadn’t even fully turned before he abruptly swerved, hoping to catch me off-guard, and launched more deadly fireballs at me. I absorbed the energy of the natural element air, releasing it as a forceful wind that not only sent Clark careening backwards but sent his pretty fireballs with him. When his back reached the wall of one of the buildings he crashed to the floor. His fireballs then crashed into him and he disappeared, screaming, in a large ball of black fire. A black fire that was meant for me.

Both mine and Clark’s suspicions were right; his death hadn’t made much difference to how I felt inside. Bryce was still gone, he had still been betrayed, and it still hurt to even think about. But the whole thing now seemed more balanced. The people responsible for his death weren’t living the life that he should have had. Victor had once told me that it wasn’t anything personal to Bryce, that he’d just had to die because he loved me. ‘Wrong girl, wrong time,’ Victor had said. But Bryce had met me and loved me before Victor even knew me. By loving me and wanting to be with me, Bryce had been living exactly as he should have been, and exactly when he should have. It was Victor who had wanted the wrong girl at the wrong time, and it was Clark who had made it possible for Victor to get what he wanted.

The memory of Bryce’s last seconds flashed in my mind so forcefully that it was almost like being slapped. It was all as clear as if it was happening right this moment. I could perfectly remember his contorted expression, his cries of pain, and the way his eyes had shot me a ‘goodbye’ glance.

A hand gently rested on my shoulder, and I suddenly realised that my name was being softly repeated. The touch, the voice and the scent alerted me to the fact that it was Jared. And although there were plenty of people around and several of them seemed to be trying to reach me through my daze, it was Jared I needed. I turned into him, burying my face in his chest and gripping his shirt. His arms instantly went around me.

“Will you just leave her alone for a minute,” he said to someone. That someone seemed to persist and Jared responded with, “This isn’t a game of who can get closest to her. Just give her a minute.” Louder now, that someone persisted. Max.

Jared spoke down my ear, “Want me to teleport you away from here?”

I nodded against him. There was fluttering in my stomach and then the ground beneath me was softer. Opening my eyes, I saw that we were standing in the living area of my apartment. But I didn’t move away from Jared and he didn’t drop his arms. He didn’t ask me questions which I appreciated. He just let me have a moment to collect myself.

After a few minutes I stepped out of his embrace and, without meeting his gaze, uttered a barely comprehensible, “Thanks.” I then headed straight for the refrigerator. Sure Vodka flavoured NST couldn’t get me drunk but the taste would be enough for a little comfort.

Jared didn’t leave. He followed me into the kitchen and leant against the counter, mirroring my stance. “I don’t know what to say.” He was speaking softly. “I was going to ask if you’re okay, but that would be a stupid question.”

“I’m fine. Seeing Clark just dragged up a lot of memories, that’s all.”

“Memories of someone called Bryce.”

I nodded. “Yep.”

“Who was your boyfriend…?”

“Yep.”

“What happened to him?”

“Victor killed him right in front of me.”

(Jared)

There was no emotion on her face or in her eyes or in her tone as she spoke those chilling words. But I sensed that underneath all that, Sam was screaming. I could feel the ache in her chest like it was mine. I wanted to hold her – not that this was anything new – but the air around her was so tense that it was almost as though she was inside an impenetrable, invisible dome.

“Tell me about it.”

She studied my face. “You don’t have to stay with me, I’m not going to breakdown or anything.”

“I’m not asking you to tell me as an excuse to stay and keep an eye on you. I genuinely want to know.”

Sighing, she opened her refrigerator door and gestured to the contents. I took a Cola flavoured NST and leant against the counter again, a little closer to her this time.

“I’d been in a relationship with Bryce for about six months when I first met Victor; we bumped into him at a club. I hadn’t known Bryce was a vampire, and he told me that Victor was his boss at work. I noticed that he didn’t seem to like having to introduce me to him, and then they started arguing because Victor said I’d make a good consort for him – I had no idea what he was talking about, of course – and he wanted Bryce to give me up. Bryce wouldn’t. And when Victor came onto me, I said no.”

She paused as she drank the last of the contents of her bottle before then grabbing herself another. “I was attacked that night outside the club, left for dead, and Victor Turned me into a vampire. I think that maybe Victor was the one who attacked me too. He had plans for me to be his consort. He was my Sire so he had rights to me that Bryce didn’t have...But then he realised I was a Feeder and his plans for me grew immensely.

“Like any newborn Feeder, I was out of control. I was absorbing energy without meaning to and then shooting fire or water or energy balls here, there and everywhere. Victor had to lock me up in a little room by myself. He didn’t let me feed much so that my energy levels wouldn’t be too high and my power would be diluted. But every day, three times a day, he took me out of the room and tried to get me to control my gift. He’d have a line of humans waiting, and for every time I failed to do whatever task he gave me he’d kill one of them.”

“Bastard.”

“Yeah. Bastard.” She took a long swig out of her bottle before continuing, emotion creeping into her voice. “Bryce had been appointed as one of my guards, and he promised me that as soon as I could control my gift and there was no chance of me hurting myself we’d make a run for it. We did. We went undetected for a whole week, but then Clark gave us up. Victor tortured Bryce before slitting his throat. I couldn’t stop him, I wasn’t as controlled as I am now, and Victor had me drugged and completely bound and gagged while I was forced to watch.”

If I’d known all of this before meeting Victor and Clark, I’d have killed them both myself. I couldn’t imagine having to watch someone I cared about go through something like that, especially while I could do nothing to stop it. Something like that would stay with you forever.

“I tried to run away from Victor by myself after that,” she said, her voice steady again now. “He’d told me that if I ever tried it he’d kill one human every day until I was returned to him. I hadn’t believed him. I was caught two weeks later by a Pagori who had a similar gift to Salem’s but not as powerful. When I was conscious again I was back with Victor and at the other side of the room were fourteen dead human bodies, most of them just kids. I didn’t try it again after that. At least not until Sebastian showed up. I knew Victor would be too busy following me here to be bothering killing humans.”

It was only now that I was getting a true idea of just why it was so important to her to be her own person. She had basically spent the past three years as a hostage, sex slave and assassin. I admired her for being stood in front of me right now. A lot of people would have tried to end their own existence rather than live that kind of life. “That’s what you meant when you said to the guys that they had no right to forget their pasts.”

She nodded. “In a nutshell, Bryce died because he loved me. Trying to forget that would be the biggest insult to him and his memory.”

“You really did love him.” As unreasonable, strange and seemingly idiotic as it was, I felt a twinge of jealousy at the idea.

“I’m not going to lie and say I thought we were going to be together forever. Sometimes people love each other for a little while. But I did love him, yeah. Look where it got him.”

“Hey, the blame doesn’t lie with you. You have to know that.”

“Do you know what’s the saddest part of it all? Bryce hadn’t wanted to go to the club that night that we saw Victor. I’d been all packed ready to move into a new flat in the other end of London the next morning, and I’d said I wanted to go to that club one last time. Funny how one decision can lead to so many different things. I might never have been Turned into a vampire, Bryce might still be alive -”

“Or you could have met Victor at a later date and had the same thing still happen.” I advanced toward her, but not attempting to penetrate that dome she had created around herself. “You can’t go thinking stupid shit like that. They’re the kind of things that Victor might have said to you. I’ll bet he’s looking up at you right now, listening to this and laughing about it. This would be exactly what he wants.”

She smiled a grim smile. “Victor already got what he wanted; he said the ‘experience’ should teach me not to want to love someone ever again. It did. I’ve never wanted anything like that since. It hurts to love someone. I couldn’t ever again watch someone I loved die.”

I couldn’t watch her in pain anymore. For the second time tonight I held her. Tight. She didn’t resist like I’d thought she might. With her palms flat against my chest, she had tucked her head under my chin. How could it feel this good just to have your arms around someone? I’d say I was getting just as much comfort from this as she was.

I’d never seen Sam look vulnerable before. Even now, though, there was still an air of strength about her. She was the last person I know who would need protecting, but she made me want to shield her from everything. She brought out this protective side of me that I hadn’t even known I had. I lightly kissed her hair and squeezed her even tighter.

The moment was shattered by the heavy knock on her apartment door. “Sam, it’s Max.”

Oh, great. Had I ever wanted to smash his face in as much as I did right now? I loosened my hold on her, expecting her to dash to greet him.

Sam sighed as she took a single step backwards. “I know he means well but I just can’t deal with him fussing right now.”

If she had any clue as to how happy I was to hear her say that she’d laugh her ass off. “Then don’t answer. He’ll get the idea.” I held her tight again. And again, there was no resistance from her. Max knocked again but, as I’d suggested, she ignored him. At that, he went away. Happy days.

“You’re good at hugging,” she said after a minute or so of silence.

I chuckled. “Thanks, I can’t say I’ve had much practice at it. You’re comfortable to hug.”

“You seem to like my hair as well.”

Subconsciously I had begun stroking her hair. In my defence, it’s so soft and beautiful. Like her. “Want me to stop?” She shook her head. So I didn’t stop. I combed through it with my fingers, enjoying the silky feel of it against my skin. I’ll swear she was close to purring. But then she squirmed a little, and I thought she was about to free herself. I was wrong. In fact, she was sliding her hands up my chest and reaching for the collar of my shirt. One button open. Another button open. And then there was the unbelievable feeling of her lips on my skin. Not kissing, just lingering there. That was enough to make me hitch in a breath. She kissed the spot beneath the hollow of my throat and I shuddered a little. Her lips then slowly began to work up the column of my throat, dabbing it with light kisses. She then gave it a little lick and exhaled heavily over the wet spot before scraping her teeth over it, causing me to quiver again. My downstairs department rose to attention.

I’m not much of a person for ethics and morals when it comes to sex, but a feeling struck me just then that had me questioning whether I wanted this now. It wasn’t so much me that she wanted; it was comfort that she was looking for right now, and I didn’t want us sleeping together to be about that. Voicing this view, however, was proving to be a struggle seen as I was sort of caught up in the sensation of her lips and tongue and teeth on my skin. Then she grinded against me. Not helpful.

As such, all that came out was: “Sam, you have to stop.” I can’t say that I sounded all that convincing, especially seen as I was clutching her close to me.

“Why?” she murmured against my neck. “You want me.” As if to emphasise her point, she grinded against my raging erection again, and a low moan escaped me.

Her lips worked their way around my entire neck, her tongue lightly flicking out each time, her teeth nibbling. There wasn’t one part of it that she didn’t kiss. Christ, I had to make her stop now. I was too close to thinking ‘comfort sex it is’.

“Sam, really, you need to stop.” Again there wasn’t much force behind my words, and considering that I had one hand tangled in her hair while the other was cupping her ass, she wasn’t likely to take much notice of me.

“Why?” her husky voice said into my ear before she kissed the hollow beneath it while grinding against me again, harder this time.

“If I kiss you I won’t stop.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

I want you, you’ve no idea how much, but I don’t want it to be about comforting you. Can you honestly say that you would’ve kissed me like this tonight if it hadn’t been for what happened with that guy out there?

Her lips left my skin and I felt her release a small sigh. As she stepped out of my arms she gave me a half-smile. “Fair enough.” At that she slowly headed to her bedroom. “Good night,” she said quietly over her shoulder.

It took every ounce of my self-will not to follow her into that room and into that bed. God, why am I being such a fucking girl? If she wanted to use me, she could use me, what was so bad about that? The end result would be the same whether it was tonight or another night: sex. And yet it was oddly important to me that she wanted to sleep with me for no other reason than that she wanted me; it wouldn’t have felt balanced if it was any different.

Since when did I care about things being balanced?

This whole thing was too weird.

I was stood staring at the closed door of her bedroom with my hands slapped against the sides of my head, releasing sigh after sigh after sigh after sigh. Occasionally I’d step toward the door only to then take a step back. I couldn’t help thinking about how she was in there, in bed – naked? – and finally willing to sleep with me. Seriously what the hell was I doing out here?

But then, like a smack to the face, the importance of her wanting me just for me, not comfort, hit home. True, this wasn’t like me. True, being used for sex was never a problem for me before. But, for whatever reason, it mattered to me now with this woman. So, with a strength I honestly had no idea that I had, I ignored the protesting coming from the bulge in my pants and teleported to my own room.