Page 5 of Accidental Vampire

“Ours. Not yours, Pet.” Aurora braced, knowing I might smack her for real for using that stupid pet name. She was probably the only person who could get away with it. I couldn’t be bothered at this point.

Then I felt the chime ring through my entire being, making me shiver. I hated that it still felt good. If you were a vampire with others looking to you, bonded, a Scion, a Legate, a mate, bonded family, you could call them to you. It was like ringing a metaphysical gong that resonated down to your very soul. Not that I thought that I had one of those anymore.

I took my sweet damn time crossing the expanse of Ruelle. I hadn’t been feeling very social lately, say for the last decade, but I was deliberate with making the rounds today. Stopping to smile at this one, let that one caress my arm. Monroe whispered a wicked “please” for his next bite. All the while, I could feel Veronica’s eyes on me, pulling me to her. Veronica knew I’d come when called like the dog I was.

Strictly speaking, Ruelle wasn’t a Venier Family property. All were welcomed to this posh den by Nadine. But this was where Family business was done. The space was done up in rich browns in every shade and texture, from crisp cream linen to chocolate brown velvet drapes. Nadine spent millions renovating when Veronica casually mentioned the bordello red and black scheme bored her. That was a few years ago. 50 maybe? A century? Whatever.

The crowd swirled around me, their faces expectant and hopeful, but wary too. My foul mood was legend these days. Aurora was swept up in my wake. She showed up at my side one day and just never left. I considered that her biggest character flaw. She was useful, though. She kept my personal space bubble rather wide. She often cherry-picked who got my attention with her flawless cockblocking skills. No one wanted on Aurora’s bad side.

Veronica’s table was never packed, but never empty. She was rarely alone. That was for safety and personal preference. Juliet was on her left, with her signature pearl-handled six-shooter strapped to her thigh. Flashy, yes, but it’s not like Juliet needed a weapon to be deadly.

Kyle was there, obviously. Left to his own designs, he’d be sitting at her feet like a puppy, licking the grit from the soles of her stilettos. I refrained from sneering at him, just barely. Kyle was her current pillow princess. His hands just turned me off. They were too beefy. No idea how Veronica could stand those stubby sausages on her perfect skin.

And oh, this was a mild surprise. Otto, Patron of the Mesman Family was on her right, close and cozy but still at a respectful distance. Otto was here to beg a favor, I had no doubt. Family rules didn’t apply just to those we shared blood with. Veronica was the queen in all but title. New York was her domain, but Veronica’s influence knew no bounds.

She held her hand out to me, palm down, across the table and wiggled her fingers. Her carnelian nails were so shiny, the dim lighting of the salon dazzled off them. I gave a perfunctory head bow to the table as was expected of Legate of the most powerful vampire family in the new world. Satisfaction at my obedience curled Veronica’s lips as she waited for me to take her hand. I smiled the kind of smile that would make even Kyle wet his panties.

Threading my fingers between hers, I flipped her hand palm up and pressed my lips to her inner wrist. I could hear her sharp intake of breath at the shocking public display of such an intimate gesture. I answered her mental chime with my own. That metaphysical bond went both ways with us, because Veronica wanted it that way. My eyelids fluttered at how fucking good it felt when her pulse throbbed against my lips. Through our connection, I could feel her flush.

I dropped her hand and nodded to the tiny assembly. Then turned my back and walked away. Duty done. Obedience paid for.

“Let’s get something to eat.” I said over my shoulder. Aurora would follow me to another adventure somewhere that was not here.

FIVE

TIFFANY

Christina instructed me with a circling finger. “Well, then, give us a twirl.” She was the owner and proprietor of the cutest gift shop on the Upper West. I obliged, but the giant canvas tote bags over my arm took away from the presentation.

“Are you cosplaying as some dark academia headmistress taking naughty boys to her office for a paddling?”

I paled and then flushed. I had been planning out this outfit for weeks. A black v-neck long sleeve that wasn’t too clingy and didn’t show off too much cleavage, paired with a black pencil skirt that came well below my knees. I had found it in a consignment shop ages ago and it only looked good on me when paired with a set of Spanx. It had a red satin lining that flashed when I walked. I was wearing plain black flats so my height wouldn’t be intimidating. I scanned my look in the antique mirror behind the counter and began to question everything. I had even curled my hair so that it would hang nicely.

“What? This is like the most corporate thing in my wardrobe.” I protested.

“Oh honey, if by ‘corporate’ you meant secretarial wet dream, then you nailed it.” Christina beamed at her own joke. “It’s the choker, hon. Blame it on bad music videos from the 90s, but a black velvet choker is the stuff of fantasies.”

“Well, I didn’t want to put on a necklace that would have them staring at my boobs.” I fiddled with the choker to move the knot to the back again.

“How’d it go?”

“Awful.” I slumped on the counter, kicking the tote bags at my feet out of the way. “HR didn’t show up. The legal department did.”

“He wasn’t your boss. I still don’t understand how he had the power to fire you.”

“I know, right? That’s what I kept asking. They insisted they would not speak on the issue unless I signed an NDA.” I made ayada-yadahand gesture.

“Did they offer you severance?”

“Sure, but only if I signed the NDA.”

“Well, then you walked out of there with a nice fat check, right?” The bell on the door chimed and Christina tracked the guy who walked in. He stopped and surveyed the room, planning a line of attack. His nose wrinkled. Christina had an obsession with essential oil diffusers, so they were everywhere. Combined with the scented candles, lavender laundry sachets, and hand-crafted colognes, it did make the shop overly perfumed. It was a nice change from the smelly streets in the summer, but could be a little much in the winter.

“I wasn’t going to sign that.” I said with disgust.

She swung her gaze back to me, dropping her usual pleasant shopkeep smile. “Tiffany.” That one word held gallons of indignation.

“Christina, they are black balling me from every law firm, accounting firm, finance, you name it. I can’t get a call back, let alone an interview.”

---