“I’ve had four different requests to come downstairs with vamps.”
The growl rumbles free before I can stop it. “Whoare they?”
She snorts. “Yeah, like I’m telling you.Sir,” she adds, bouncing onto her toes to kiss me again. “I’m no idiot.”
“You aren’t available for that.”
“I know, but I’ve made over two hundred in tips so far tonight.” She taps a pencil tucked behind her right ear. “Don’t worry. I got this.”
“She really is amazing,” Lucius says from his throne. “Blue, my dear, can they spare you for the rest of the evening upstairs?”
“Not really, Mr. Frangelico,” she says. “The line’s all the way down the block, and we’re hopping upstairs. I was asked how busy it was down here, so thought I’d take a minute to check in.” Her gaze returns to me. “And say hi.”
“She is adorable, is she not?” Lucius says. “Blue, you may call me Lucius while you’re working, if you wish. I’ve told you that.”
“Thank you, Mr. F, but I’d rather set a good example for the staff and customers.”
He looks at me. “Nephew, help?”
I grin. “I’m the only one she has to call Sir, and even that’s byherchoice.”
Lucius sighs melodramatically and looks to Selene. “Any advice, dear?”
She grins. “Blue’s got a point, Sir. Sorry.”
Lucius looks at me and shrugs with awhat can you do?kind of resignation, making me chuckle. “I have to say, uncle, I like this new, mellower you. It suits you.”
He reaches over and squeezes Selene’s hand. “My queen has been a rather interesting influence on me. Ironically, I can afford to embrace a softer stance with her by my side. Mostly because she’s terrifying as fuck, as they say.”
After one last kiss, Eilidh returns to the nightclub and I retake my seat. Tonight, I don’t mind watching people playing or having sex, because I no longer feel the familiar, painful emptiness. There’s no twisting pang in my soul.
I’m no longer alone.
Throughout the night, the dungeon picks up and the debauchery intensifies. I watch two of Lucius’ men, Augustus and Tiberius, sandwich a young man between them and DP him as they each feed from his neck. I watch Theophilus fuck a young woman into bliss as he snacks on her, and then passes her off to Maximus, who has a turn fucking her face before getting his own taste. There are mostly male vampires, with a mix of male and female bottoms, and two different female vampires, who are definitely tops.
It’s lustful carnality and something that, only a week ago, I would have been unable to stand by and observe so placidly without feeling grief.
At home, I have a special hotel suite right off the casino floor where I can take people, quickly feed and fuck them, and then they can awaken there later, courtesy of the house, their bill completely paid if they’re a hotel guest, or sent away after a fresh breakfast if they’re just there for the casino.
I never leave them with a memory of who they were with—I always plant in their mind before leaving them that they are very, very drunk, and while they will remember they had a fantastic time, they will have no memory of who that someone was. I also never take someone who isn’t single, unless their partner is with them and also attracts me, and I can take them both.
Lately, the suite’s remained unused, my needs most easily sated with bagged blood and my own right hand.
Tonight, as the clock closes in on two a.m., which is last call in the nightclub, a few more vampires make their way downstairs with the last of their nightly chosen. When Eilidh returns to the dungeon at 2:17, my cock’s hard and my need is high. I’ve already been back to the suite and confirmed everything I wanted is there. I take her hand in mine and bid Lucius and Selene a good night as I lead her to our awaiting sanctuary. I’ll have approximately three solid hours before sunrise, and maybe another hour or two after that before I’ll be forced to close my eyes.
I want to make full use of every second I’ll have, showing her how I feel.
Once we’re locked inside, I smile and pull her into my arms. “Where are your things?”
“I’ll grab them later once we’re alone. They’re counting tills and tips up in the office. I didn’t want to get roped into closing procedures. Theophilus shooed me down here.”
I kiss her, savoring her. “Remind me to thank him later.”
“I will.” Another kiss, with her delicious body pressed along mine and setting my soul aflame once more. I am a better man with her in my arms and no one can convince me otherwise. I want to be the best I can for her.
“Seems like someone got left hanging earlier,” she teases as I back her toward the bed.
“We will remedy that, eventually.” I kiss my way along her jaw, to the sensitive spot I found behind her ear earlier, and she shivers in my arms. “Right now, I want to keep that one promise to you.”
