“Here, take my keys, but don’t forget to lock up,” I say tossing her my keyring.
She catches it easily and sprints up the stairs and into my house. I’m the last one to get picked up since I live the farthest out from Holland, Michigan. It’s a small quirky lake town that’s known for its tulips in the Spring. I’ve lived here all my life and known these girls for the same amount of time. We all went to the same elementary school, and one bloody game of four square cemented our enduring friendship. We’ve seen each other through everything. Break-ups, deaths, college, engagements, dropouts, and pregnancy scares. None of us are married or have children yet, though my money is on Iris and McKenzie ending up together. They’ve been on and off again for years, but they’re endgame. Audrey got close to getting married one time before she caught her fiancé cheating on a Jumbotron. Really, cheaters aren’t so bright to be going to such a public place where there’s cameras, but at least she’s much better off now.
Audrey sits at the helm of the van that she borrowed from her mom so we could all fit. She calls it Bertha the Beast, because of its massive size. Two large bucket seats are in the front with a heat feature that can burn your buns off and there are three more rows of seats in the back that easily fits her mom’s entireBingo team. Audrey’s mom frequently travels around the state bringing Bertha the Beast to cart her Bingo team from town to town, winning championships, getting drunk and screaming out BINGO! While Audrey might not understand her mom’s hobbies, at least Bertha comes in handy for times like these.
It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive to our destination— Nightmare Acres. Situated directly between Paradise and Hell, Michigan.That doesn’t seem ominous at all, I think as I sling my bag into the back.
Iris, Stephanie, and McKenzie are all in the back of the van leaving one spot open for me. Faye usually takes the front needing to control the music. Or as she claims, ‘setting the tone of the trip’. She’s also the designated navigator, which means I can zonk out while we drive. I pulled an overnight shift at the nursing home and haven’t been able to sleep yet. I can feel the exhaustion digging its claws into me.
Audrey wants to get there before it gets dark because she hates driving at night and has reminded us in the group chat at least three times yesterday and twice today. Her type-a personality is just what we need though, because without her, we probably wouldn’t do half the shit we do.
“Took you long enough,” Audrey jokes from the front seat as I buckle up. Her long blonde hair is tied back in a blue bow that matches her eyes. She looks like a Disney Princess come to life.
I blow out a breath, grateful for the air conditioning hitting me from above. I’m a winter girl, personally. Give me snow and weather that I can curl up with a good book. Summer makes me feel like a walking wax melt, only it’s scented in sunscreen and bug spray. And this summer in particular, has been extra hot, with heat warnings and air quality alerts hitting us from the wildfires in Canada. At least I brought my insanely large water bottle and an electric fan that wraps around my neck.
Faye rushes back, always in a hurry, and tosses my keys back to me. I fumble with the catch but manage to put them away.
“Door locked?” I ask.
She rolls her green eyes at me. “Yes, mom. Now, who’s ready for some music?”
Audrey pulls out from my long driveway with music blasting through the speakers and a smile on her face.
“Gird your loins, girls. We’re about to get the shit scared out of us.”
“At least I packed for it,” I say back.
Only, I really hope I don’t shit my pants.
Chapter 2
Maverick
It’s summer at Nightmare Acres and our campers are set to roll in at any moment. It’s been a long winter of waiting for this —feeling our bloodlust grow every day until it’s become a raging inferno. My fangs are practically dripping from the need. While we spend the Halloween season feasting as much as we can, it’s not enough. It’ll never be enough to quell this insatiable hunger for blood that rages within my veins.
“Pull yourself together, Maverick, they’ll be here any minute,” Talon, the owner, chastises me as he cracks his knuckles. The vampire lord is tucked away in the shade, looking out over his twisted kingdom of terror. I hate how he can easily read anyone that’s around him. Though, I’m not any better.
“Whatever you say, boss,” I quip, cracking my knuckles in anticipation.
Hendricks hits me in the arm. “Check it out. Fresh meat.”
I smile wide, showing off my elongated canines, more than ready to dig into some supple warm flesh.
Hendricks and I are known as ‘the Ricks’ because of our names. Plus, we’re always together.
I move? He moves. Always in sync with each other. Anticipating each other’s wants and needs.
We’re two sides of the same coin. Though we look nothing alike. My hair is dusty brown, and I sit at well over seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and otherworldly green eyes, Hendricks is slim with jet-black hair that curls and icy blue eyes. He also loves his tattoos and piercings that I don’t possess either.
He’s named after his affinity for Jimi Hendrix, and they call me Maverick because I was Talon’s first turn. His first vampire to survive the transition and join him on this crazy ride. We’ve watched this world take shape before our very eyes, turning this place into our own playground after securing a deal with Jack, the original landowner. He was more than happy to relinquish the responsibility of paying taxes, as long as we agreed to keep him on in return. It was an easy deal, and one that I’m grateful for.
Us monsters found our way here to our haven where we’re allowed to be ourselves. And no one but the werewolves are out for our necks. It’s a vampire’s dream come true. I don’t remember who I was before Talon found me, but I know that who I’ve become is exactly what I want to be— powerful.
An enormous black van pulls into the first spot and out pours out a rowdy group of girls. I can feel my cock tighten in my jeans just looking at all those supple curves.
My eyes zoom in on a brunette with blue highlights and a fan hanging around her neck. I feel my smile turn downright deadly as she glances around with wide eyes, taking in the camp.
“That one,” I say to Hendricks, and I feel him still beside me. He feels it too— her innocence. The way her wide eyes bounce around with fear lets me know she’ll be so fun to break and mold into our very own plaything. Just imagining the screams coming from that pretty little neck has me frothing at the mouth.
