Page 7 of Lured

A human was asking for trouble with so much on show. And that was sort of the point, but I still needed to try a little to cover up. I reached into my bag and pulled out the black leather cord that held my cross on it. I tied it around my neck, making sure it sat in the middle. Something still wasn't right though.

After a moment I pulled my chestnut colored hair around from my back all to one side and used my hands to style it in place with a side sweep. It helped, but I knew I needed a little makeup to really sell the look. I was obviously human and I was going to need to look like I was some vampire's pet. Or desperately wanted to be. It wasn't going to be easy.

With slightly shaking hands I put on eyeliner, lipstick and blush, hoping that the lack of foundation wasn't going to be a problem. It was the best I could manage on my budget.

Finally I filed my nails, not that they were very long. I bit them when I was nervous. And that had been the case quite a lot this last week. I did my best with them, trying to neaten the ends and then I painted them a deep burgundy. It was a gorgeous color and I knew it would help draw attention to them and away from other flaws.

While that would hamper my ability to attack swiftly, it would help me lie more easily. And at least for tonight that was what I needed most. I had to earn someone's trust to begin with to even get close to my target.

Sighing as I looked at myself in the mirror, I opted to give up and get on with my task. I had the money for one drink tonight and another tomorrow when I made my move and I was going to have to make it work.

I made my way downstairs again, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. I'd arrived before the hotel and casino were as busy as they could be, but it was clear there was already a large vampire presence. I drew the looks of several as I made my way to the club I was hoping to find the target near or in.

Trying to hold my head high and walk with a confidence that would hopefully keep me safe, I made my way toward the bar. It was already a little busier than a normal week night, making it clear that more vampires were in town than usual, but for now I was being ignored again, just another human among the vampires they served.

Wearing the cross I was would make it obvious that I wasn't a hapless tourist, but aware that I was at least in some danger. I ordered my drink, handing over the cash I had and hoping it would be enough.

Almost immediately I took a sip of the large mixer. It wasn't my usual drink, but I wanted a big drink that I could sip, not something that could be downed or gone in a couple of mouthfuls.

After a moment I looked around, feeling comfortable to watch the crowds for a moment. Despite my fear, I knew I could get away with at least a cursory look around the room.

I didn't see my target yet, but there were other vampires I recognized. That was the trouble with having been a slayer for a while. I'd seen so many of these vampires on information handouts or occasionally on hit lists. I knew it would get harder and harder for me to use a strategy such as this if I continued in the business. Eventually my face would be as well known to them as some of theirs were to us slayers.

Slowly sipping my drink and trying to ignore the shifty look I got from the curious bartender a couple of times, I kept glancing around the room, but not lingering my gaze on anyone. Now and then I checked the time on my phone and sighed loudly as if I was waiting on someone and they weren't here yet.

I was almost an hour in, my drink was almost empty and my target still hadn't arrived. Exhaling, I realized there was not much more I could do if I didn't attract the attention of any vampire at this point.

I was expecting my luck to run out when I saw the vampire finally appear. He had two unturned women on his arms as he strode inside the room. One of the women looked more at ease than the other, far more scantily dressed woman. There were several male vampires with them, some of the men clearly there to protect Ludis and others encouraging and almost fawning over him.

Although I tried not to stare, I looked his way a few times, the group making enough noise that my attention wasn't the only one drawn. My curiosity was attracted more to the vampire following along at the back, however.

He had the appearance of a bodyguard and was glancing at exits and around the room as if he was assessing the threat and what he could do to respond. But then he didn't move to protect the vampire I was targeting, but rolled his eyes when my target, Ludis Amadori, declared he was going to go play roulette.

Instead of following, the strange vampire came up to the bar, heading to the stool right near me. Our eyes met and for a moment I froze as his gaze traveled down me. It took me a fraction of a second longer than it ought to have done to drop my head respectfully as my heart raced faster. Pissing off a vampire I didn't recognize and who might be a powerful one was not something I wanted to do right now.

He came up right beside me, still staring and taking in everything. I felt myself shudder, but I opted to lift my eyes finally. If he was going to stare at me I was only going to be so submissive. I wasn't actually looking for a vampire to take care of me and show me the bliss that came with being fed on, but I knew that pretending could get me closer to my goal.

The moment I took him in up close, my breath caught in my throat. He was stunningly handsome, dark hair cut short but framing a strong face, with a high forehead and a well defined brow. His jaw was set and his eyes were a deep brown that spoke of so much emotion I could have drowned in them. Combined with the blank, unreadable stare, however, I felt the appraisal of a predator.

This man was confident. And I got the feeling he was more powerful than many of the younger vampires, despite the group he was with.

“Get me a beer and get this brave woman another of whatever she's been drinking,” he said, his voice deep, his accent mostly Italian, but not with anything regional. There was also a slight American twang to it. This vampire didn't spend enough time in either country to sound like he belonged anywhere anymore. In some ways, it made sense. His mafia don had most of his operations on cruise ships and in casinos around the world, unlike a lot of the other twelve who had more fixed abodes.

I inclined my head slightly by way of a thank you to him, my mind still struggling to get past how good looking he was. For a moment I considered if it would be so bad being a vampire's pet for a while. It was protection, a place to live and I didn’t have either anymore.

Immediately I pushed the thought away. It was exactly that sort of soft thinking that had got me in trouble in the first place. I couldn't lose focus. I had a vampire to kill.

Chapter 3

Leandro

Trying not to show the irritation I felt, I followed Ludis as he made his way to the casino, past the main hotel bar. With whatever had gone wrong with his little party the following day now sorted, he wanted to gamble and destress. That meant I could relax as well. All his talk of betraying the elders had been shelved for now.

With any luck it would stay that way, but I wasn't holding out much hope. He was arrogant and ambitious. It wasn't a good combination.

Putting him from my mind for a moment, I made my way to the bar. A woman sat to one end, the stool beside her the only one not occupied. Our eyes met as she looked away from Ludis himself and I saw her react. Human, vulnerable, but there was a confidence and determination about her I liked. Of course, anyone who was human and in this place knew they were walking with trouble and had to have a good head on their shoulders.

She looked down just soon enough she made it clear she wasn't challenging me or trying to get my attention and that was also good with me. I didn't need some human trying to lure me into looking after her and offering her protection in exchange for what usually amounted to some kind of slavery and a fresh blood supply.

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