Maybe I’m the result of some mutant military research project, developed in a Data-X lab and then somehow got free. Maybe that’s what my dad was. I always had the feeling there was plenty my mom didn’t tell me about Dad’s history. Whether because she thought she was keeping me safe, or because she didn’t want me to know.
Or maybe she didn’t even know.
Ianto’s hunger makes everything else fade away around me, even as I turn to mix a gin and tonic for one of the slutty house elves, as I sometimes call them, to take to a customer.
Here, have a condom, Dobby.
Lucius is the most powerful and connected vamp I’ve ever hooked up working for. There are others out there even more powerful, but I avoid nests where the vamps are more interested in hunting than coexisting. Lucius and Selene both swore to protect me and my secret. He’s the first one I’ve ever sold blood to, so I didn’t realize how different Ireallywas until he and Selene first sampled the test vial they drew on me.
Normally, someone would need to have a serious blooding fetish or be batcrap crazy to associate with vampires the way I do. I’ve always felt safest among them and shifters because most vampires have a serious sense of self-preservation and don’t like to fuck with things stronger than them. Especially things that are day-walkers.
I’m not the average human. Could one of them snap my neck before I even realized they were behind me? Absolutely.
Which is why I play to my strengths as a curiosity, an enigma. The whole thing I can do influencing them and being immune to their influence might have helped a smidge, too.
Thank you, Neimus, my vampire sensei. He might have saved my life with his teachings.
Lucius is also the first vampire I’ve told as much of my backstory to as possible, and that’s because of Selene. Because if Lucius fell in love with a shifter and mated with her, he can’t be soulless and evil.
So far, he’s never let me down.
Which is why I’m a little pissed off that this strange vampire—hunky Ianto doppelgänger or not—is making fangy eyes at me.
He’s still sitting there talking with Selene and Lucius, but his gaze never leaves me. When other vampires, or human males, come up to the bar to order something, it’s like I feel a wave of possessive energy wash over me from him. Yes, all the way from the other end of the room.
Dang.
I shiver, and even my lady bits yawn and stir a little.
Nope. Not sleeping with a vampire, because sexwiththem leads to becoming dinnerforthem. I’m not stupid enough to let one do that to me, especially now that I know how desirable my blood is. I cannot get myself addicted to that and become a sweetblood. I’m protected by Lucius, and it’s a death sentence to fuck with me without my consent.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m frigid or anything. Every fanged hunkadoodle in this place who works for Lucius has made it clear they’d be happy to spank and fuck me even without blooding me, but I’m not about to risk my freedom that way. Even if I would like a Dom of my own to watch my back.
The vampsarehunky, for the most part. Yeah, I might have a suit fetish. Lucius knows what he’s doing in the marketing department. It’s not unusual for first-time vamps here to return on subsequent visits wearing a far better-quality outfit when Lucius’ men snag all the prime Twat Pockets.
It’s been a while since I’ve slept with anyone, though. Last guy was a couple of years ago, a cheetah shifter, Chad, passing through Tucson and visiting a cousin for a few days. I met him over at the shifter Fight Club when I was there running an errand for Garrett Green. He had no interest in a mate, so I knew he wouldn’t be an asshole and try to mark me.
He was good. Speedy, but good. Excellent recovery time and long-term stamina, though, so I wasn’t complaining.
When Mr. Dashing Ianto Wannabe gets up from the table and slowly starts making his way over, trailed by Selene and Lucius, I know I’m going to be playing the name tag game again here shortly. He looks like a vamp not used to hearingnofor an answer, much less taking it for one.
Oh, goodie.This’ll be interesting.
5
Dexter
I feellike I’ll crawl out of my damned skin watching others talk to her, especially other vampires.
I want to stake the ones who make her smile. Especially since I can sense the vampires’ desire, how much they want to be the first to mark her unblemished throat.
Lucius leans in, dropping his voice so only Selene and I can hear. “Rule one—you donotviolate consent while in my club. Rule two—you donotharm humans on my property. Rule three—thatwoman is undermyprotection. Harming her is an automatic death sentence, and any of my men will enforce it immediately, if Selene or I don’t beat them to it. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal.” I throw back the rest of my bourbon and slide out of the booth, so I can make my way over to the bar. I angle toward the far end, where it meets the wall, so I can hopefully have a private word with the woman.
I’m aware of Lucius and Selene following me, but I don’t care. All I care about is remembering her taste, a taste that fills my senses even now.
I realize before I’m even halfway across the space that she’s been watching me, aware of me. Whether because I’m sitting with Lucius and Selene or because she happened to notice me, I don’t know.
