Vivinity and Jackie had been dressed for action of a kind that made me want to scream. Vivinity looked like a dream in a black dress and heels, her delicate ears on display, begging to be caressed. It had taken every bit of control I had not to demand she cover herself more thoroughly before leaving the building. Going out like that was asking for trouble.
I was afraid for her, and I was angry that there were three males in her home, even if one was her half-brother. I couldn’t decide which problem to address. I sensed the power in the witch, Jackie, had the moment I’d met her in her office to arrange this living space. I knew Jackie was Osiris’ daughter, and I knew she loved Vivinity, so she would work to protect her. I had to believe it would be enough. Unless they ran directly into Isis, I wasn’t sure even I could protect her then and the thought sent terror coursing through me.
I didn’t follow, because wherever they were off to, if I had to watch her dance, or even talk with, other males, I wouldn’t be able to control myself. I was sent to protect her and to make her realize she was meant to be mine. If I scared her off, she might be lost to me forever. I had to bide my time, plan my moves carefully. I wanted to stalk her, kill anyone who dared look at her, but I knew it would only drive her away. She wasn’t ready for me and that pissed me off.
I had to force an interaction on a more private level, I decided. I sniffed around her door. Two gnomes now, and the fairy, the prince apparently. I knew how to take care of the gnomes, their weakness was cheap, the prince, I would have to be more cunning.
I went back to my condo to prepare for a little party. When Vivinity returned, she’d come to me. I smiled in anticipation.
We arrived at my father’s casino in a cab. I figured I might be flying us both home, depending on how this went, and leaving behind a vehicle wasn’t a good idea. I had a small purse with my wallet, a knife, and the braid in it. If all went as planned, I would only have to pull out the braid while we were here. The casino was a giant greenhouse with a center tower that held its hotel portion. The casino was on the ground level, and it was packed with people tonight, all human from the looks of it.
We slipped inside and made our way through the crowd unnoticed. There was a lot of excitement, lights, and noises from the machines. People drinking, laughing, and mostly losing their money. I couldn’t help but enjoy the flow of wealth around me, it was intoxicating. I walked to a blackjack table and stuck my hand in my purse, maybe I could play just a little.
“Viv!” Jackie whispered harshly and grabbed my arm. “What are you doing, you said no gambling!”
“Just a bit, we have time,” I whispered, biting my lip as I watched the money and chips exchange hands around me. Jackie grabbed me again and I hissed at her, baring my fangs. “Back the fuck up!”
“Not afraid of you.” Her eyes narrowed and she whispered something too low for even me to hear.
Suddenly I couldn’t hear anything, and I gasped, looking at her with wide eyes, my body vibrating with alarm.
Jackie’s words slid into my mind as if shoved there without going through my ears first, it was strange and slightly painful. “Get it together, Viv. I can’t hold you in this state for long, you have to be able to control yourself.”
I nodded and her lips moved again, slowly sound returned to me. I shook my head and snapped back to myself. “Thank you,” I said, a little embarrassed. I had warned her it might be hard for me to resist the pull of winning. I was a fairy after all, and we did love a chance to make easy money; but I couldn’t, not tonight. “Nice trick,” I said with a smile. I had always had the feeling that she was powerful, but she’d never needed to use her magic around me before. I was impressed.
“Thanks.” She beamed with pride at my praise.
I almost felt bad that I hadn’t appreciated her attempted friendship more. “I’m glad you came along, Jackie.” The words came out gruff, but I knew she understood. Appreciation wasn’t my strong suit, it showed weakness and a dependence on another person. That was dangerous for everyone.
I refocused on the task at hand. We had a plan, and it would have gone perfectly, and quickly, if a group of vamps hadn’t entered the building from a side entrance and made their way noisily through the crowd toward us. We had been moving toward the center of the casino after my little slip but we both froze and watched them approach.
“Do you know them?” Jackie whispered.
“Unfortunately,” I hissed.
The leader of the group was a small woman with a pink mohawk. She was wearing black leather everything; pants, vest with nothing underneath, and boots, Gemma. Her breasts were nearly popping out and everyone she passed took notice. She was no more than five feet, but I knew better than to underestimate her. She was a real ninja with a sword, and though I couldn’t see one strapped to her back today, I was sure she had a blade on her somewhere and her bright blue eyes were locked onto me. On her left was a tall vamp with shoulder length brown hair and a forgettable face; his eyes were assessing, sweeping the crowd for danger, never settling, Ferdinand. He was wearing black slacks, a pinstripe button up shirt, and a fedora. He was always wearing a fedora, some kind of throwback to the time he’d been alive. His preferred weapons were his hands. I heard once that as a human he’d been a serial killer, strangling his female victims and leaving them in disturbingly sweet poses. Like sitting up at a table set for tea, or in a chair with a book of poetry open on her lap. I barely contained a shiver thinking about it. On Gemma’s left was a man with wide shoulders, short black hair and eyes that locked onto my breasts and stayed there, Trystan. He was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt. He preferred knives but wasn’t opposed to using a gun. As a human I think he must have been a pervert of the normal sort. Just lusting for everything that moved, but not really dangerous until he’d become of the undead sort. Now I knew he mostly terrorized young blondes with big boobs.
I didn’t know anything about Gemma’s human life, but I was pretty sure she was older than me. Maybe she’d been some kind of cavewoman battling off men with a club before she’d been turned. I knew she preferred sleeping with women, though like most beings who lived such long lives, dabbled both ways.
“Vivian, I am surprised to see you out.” Her eyes assessed Jackie and I curiously. “Or…wait, is this your bachelorette party?” Gemma sneered. “Is this witch going to be your maid of honor? And I thought I would have the privilege,” she mocked.
I grabbed Jackie’s arm and squeezed, hard. Anything she said could get both of us into some serious trouble. “Yes, we are out here celebrating,” I said between clenched teeth.
“Well, how serendipitous, we are meeting Alejandro upstairs. Join us.” It wasn’t a suggestion.
Trystan moved to grab Jackie’s arm and Ferdinand grabbed mine. I gave Jackie a warning look that she would hopefully interpret as, keep your mouth shut. Her eyes were full of fear, I gave her a little nod, hoping she would take it as my guarantee that I would do everything I could to keep her safe, and not to try anything.
Damn-it this is why I don’t have friends! I can take care of myself, but if I have to worry about a witch too, what kinds of decisions will I have to make? And what will happen if Alejandro finds out I care for Jackie… I was full of fear, not for myself, but for her and that pissed me off.
They led us to the elevator and we went up. The small space was excruciatingly tight with the five of us, especially since Trystan took the opportunity to press his disgusting body against me, and I could feel how excited he was about the situation. Jackie looked equally uncomfortable, but I knew Ferdinand preferred men, so at least she wasn’t being violated in the same way I was. He had a tight grip on Jackie’s arm, I could see the pain behind her eyes, she was trying so hard not to cry out. Gemma was enjoying watching all of it. She knew exactly what everyone was doing, she didn’t miss a thing and she enjoyed watching others suffer.
I was never happier to get off of an elevator. I hurried forward, breaking the body contact with Trystan. He didn’t loosen his grip, and I knew I would have a bruise. Gemma hurried forward and took the lead, stopping in front of a room and dropping in the key. She held the door open and smiled darkly.
“Alejandro! You’ll never guess who we found in the casino,” she chirped happily.
We were forced into the room and I could feel Jackie’s tension amp up, I hoped she could hold herself back, if she tried anything, I wasn’t sure I could stop them from destroying her.
The room was a large suite with a living room, bedroom, and kitchenette. Alejandro Flores was seated in a chair facing the door and two vamps I didn’t recognized were on a couch. Alejandro was a short male, not much taller than me, with dark hair in a shaggy style that landed around his ears. He was of Spanish descent and had retained a dark olive skin tone after his transition to vampire; and with his eyes vampire blue, and his lips pouty, I knew a lot of women found him quite desirable. Not just because of his looks, but also because of his power. In the world of vampires, there were five main families. Used to be six until I killed the head of the Vondrake family and refused to take up my place as head of it.
It had been a small family anyway, weakest around, and it was quickly absorbed by the other five. All except me, I was rogue. I refused to join anyone, and I took care of myself for a thousand years. It technically made me head of the Vondrake family, and seriously put me in danger of being killed by other vampires who were power hungry, but like I said, I am not so easy to kill, and Alejandro figured out another way to take my power.
When Alejandro first approached me, I thought he had to be joking. He called me Vivinity Vondrake and said that since I was the sole surviving member of the Vondrake family and hadn’t pledged myself to another family, I was open to being courted, and he had every intention of sealing the deal with me. Thinking he was a total nutcase, as some vampires tended to get after a few thousand years on the earth, I hadn’t taken his advances seriously. I was almost rid of him and his attentions, about two years ago.
Then I found myself in a particularly sticky situation with a pack of werewolves. Looking back I wonder if it hadn’t been contrived by him to begin with.
I’d been cornered, surrounded, and they were out for my blood. They’d contained me in silver chains and locked me in a dark basement. I’d inadvertently almost killed their packmaster’s lover, a human. Alejandro had negotiated my release, under the condition that I officially accept his proposal of course.
I’d had no choice; I wasn’t ready to die. Not without revenge.
In accepting his help, and forced proposal, I had sealed the deal in all vampires’ eyes and to go back on an acceptance of marriage is a death sentence. I was strong, but I wasn’t stronger than the entire Flores family. The only hope I had was to buy my freedom; I needed my inheritance. I didn’t kid myself into thinking it was a love match, it was all about power and joining the two families, even though mine was symbolic only. Apparently if I had ever cared to, I could have joined their little meetings where they decided what direction and rules the vamps had to abide by. I didn’t care to.
Alejandro would get two votes once we married though, and that carried a lot of weight. I was sure that would not be a good thing, no one should have that much power. One thing I did know about the families is that they kept their vamps in line; no slaughters, no mass turnings, no letting humans know about us. Alejandro struck me as the kind of vampire who didn’t like to follow those rules, and from what I’ve seen of his followers, they didn’t either. As much as I didn’t want anything to do with vampire politics, I knew I didn’t want them to try and take over the world. It would be like letting a hundred wolves loose on a chicken farm. They would eat like gluttons and then they would starve. We needed humans in a continuous supply, or we would all die.
“My bride! How nice of you to visit.” Alejandro stood and waited where he was for me to cross the room and greet him.
I didn’t want to, but getting away from Trystan seemed like a good deal. I yanked my arm out of his grasp and crossed the room. All eyes followed me as I approached Alejandro. His face showed a touch of surprise as I leaned forward and laid a kiss to his cheek. He knew I didn’t love him; he didn’t care. He sat back down and didn’t offer me a seat anywhere, so I stood, trying to hide my nervousness. I looked at Jackie briefly, she looked confused and scared. Ferdinand had let go of her arm, but he was standing close to her, she couldn’t even think of trying to leave. And I knew that no matter how powerful she might be, she couldn’t take on six vampires at once, even with my help.
“Vivinity, these are my new brothers.” Alejandro indicated the two men on the couch. “Benton and Chase, this is my bride, Vivinity Vondrake, the last surviving Vondrake and head of the Vondrake family.”
I inclined my head and smiled politely at the two. They both looked like they had only recently been turned, and if I had to guess, they were from Texas. They were both in boots and hats, with clean jeans, and button up plaid shirts. Real American cowboys. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out they’d been brothers in life too, they had similar round faces. They’d been young too, probably no more than twenty at turning.
“We are discussing boring business stuff, so it is nice to have a beautiful distraction.” Alejandro reached out and patted my ass. I had to bite my cheek to keep from grimacing and pulling out of his reach. I knew he lusted for me, and fully expected me to perform in a wifely way when he forced our marriage, it was being written into the contract I was expected to sign. Just another reason I had to get out of it at all cost.
“We were just about to do a little gambling and maybe take in a show.” I motioned to Jackie, who was trying to melt into the wall and disappear.
“Oh, you brought a friend… I was under the impression that you had no loyalties.” His words seemed like a casual comment, but I knew better. Anyone he suspected I cared for, could be put in danger and be used against me. I didn’t want to be responsible for the horrors Alejandro could inflict on her to get my attention.
I chose my next words very carefully. “Jackie sold me my condo and has been a casual companion a couple of times.”
Alejandro’s eyes were intense as they examined me. I felt as though he were looking into my soul, searching for any glimmer of care I might have for this other being. A speck of care that might keep me from being completely his, or perhaps a speck of care he could use against me in threatening the girl if I didn’t go through with the marriage ceremony. I met his gaze with all the blankness I could, while on the inside I was screaming.
Apparently satisfied that our relationship was casual and forgettable, he turned to Jackie. “Nice to meet an acquaintance of my bride’s. You two should probably get back to it, like I said, we have boring business to discuss.”
I managed to give him a tight smile and leaned over to again kiss his cheek, then hurried to the door, grabbing Jackie’s arm as I passed. We had the door open and I’d shoved Jackie into the hall when I heard Alejandro’s voice call, and I froze. I knew it couldn’t be that easy.
“Oh Vivinity. I will be expecting to see you tomorrow night, for the official signing and celebration.”
I turned, barely containing a shudder and looked at him over my shoulder. I couldn’t see the men on the couch, Ferdinand and Trystan had disappeared further into the room as well, but Gemma was standing behind Alejandro grinning viciously. “Yes, pay or sign. I know the deal.” He’d offered me a price for my freedom. I was going to get it, tonight.
“Vi—”
“Not here,” I snapped, cutting Jackie off and rushing her toward the staircase. The elevator dinged as we passed it and continued on toward the stairwell. A shiver ran down my spine as we went, something foreboding creeped into my mind, but I ignored it, determined to get off of Alejandro’s floor as fast as possible. We got to the staircase door and something pulled at me hard enough that I turned to look just as a woman stepped off the elevator.
She was beautiful, tall and slender, straight black hair that reached just below her shoulders. She was dressed in a red evening gown with gold thread shimmering throughout, it was eye catching and obviously expensive. Her arms were covered in gold bracelets and armbands, her eye makeup was dark and heavy giving her an exotic look. She walked to stand in front of Alejandro’s door, watching me intensely.
I shivered, that woman was trouble I didn’t have time to investigate.
“Not a woman,” I whispered as the door closed between us.
“Demon,” Jackie confirmed. “Why the stairs?” she whined.
“I can’t stand still right now,” I snapped. Three floors down, I finally slowed a little. “I wonder if my father realizes he’s got a coven of vamps in one of his suites.”
“How do they manage to sleep in there?” Jackie panted.
“I am certain they don’t. They probably have somewhere dark and dirty to sleep the days away, returning to the bright clean room once the sun’s set.”
“Someone could make a killing with a vampire friendly hotel,” she said, and laughed a little hysterically at her own joke.
“Yeah, just as soon as humans become calm and reasonable, I’ll look into that,” I grumbled sarcastically. “We need to do this and get out of here before Alejandro decides to take an interest in what I’m doing.”
“Yeah, you have a lot to explain, Viv!”
I frowned at Jackie and hurried down the rest of the stairs. I burst out of the stairway doors like I was coming up for air, I couldn’t put enough distance between myself and Alejandro. I hurried through the lobby and back to the center of the casino.
Jackie’s job was to keep spectators back and warn me if any supernaturals were around or approaching. What I was about to do was highly discouraged, which is why it would get my father’s attention.