Page 34 of Bite of Sin

The overhead lights suddenly went out, and the red strobe lights lit up the place. Dee pushed open the front doors, and vampires immediately began piling in. Three of them began throwing punches, trying to reach the pool table first. Gia tugged me behind the bar as the music started.

“I know it’s all overwhelming, especially when your body is changing.” She was yelling in my ear to be heard over the music. “But don’t worry about anything. That necklace will make sure they all keep their hands to themselves. Go take some orders.”

She gave me a little push, and I stumbled forward, hesitantly moving for the closest table, where four vampires had just sat down.

“What can I get you?” I asked, keeping my voice strong. I didn’t say it very loud, but all four heads swung my way. Nerves bubbled in my stomach, catching the gaze of the vampire to my left. His brown eyes flashed with desire, and a leering smirk appeared on his lips.

“Who are you?” He stood up quickly, and it took everything in me to stay still. “You look downright fuckable. One of Gia’s new girls?”

“Kellen.” The other vampire grabbed the arm of the one who had stood up. “She’s his.”

Fear was thick in his voice, and Kellen glanced at him before looking back at me, his gaze trailing to my chest, stopping where the pendant sat. His eyes bulged, and he scrambled back, nearly tipping the table over. Once he was standing far from me, he looked over toward the corner, and I couldn’t help but do the same.

“Sorry,” Kellen sputtered out, staring at Zan. “I didn’t know.”

The raw panic he was displaying shocked the hell out of me. Why were they scared of Zan? What power did he hold to have these vampires terrified of crossing him?

But when I glanced at Zan, a jolt shot down my spine. He looked downright fucking terrifying. His eyes were narrowed, his face murderous as he glared at Kellen. He was sitting down, but that didn’t diminish the confidence radiating from him. He owned this place. Owned everything.

All the vampires and the tattooed humans around me were watching the interaction with interest, and none of them would look me in the eye once Zan went back to talking to Viggo and Pax. I had a feeling Gia was right about no one messing with me here.

“Coke,” Kellen stammered out, turning back to me. “Coke is what we want for the table. Please.”

I licked my lips, nodding stiffly. “Sure.”

I spun around and relayed the order to Gia at the bar. She reached under the counter and tossed me a small baggie of white powder. I caught it out of instinct, staring at her in confusion.

“Four glasses of coke,” I said slowly, wondering if she’d missed what I’d told her. Soda was a luxury in Project Hope, but I’d tried it once during a holiday.

Gia giggled, shaking her head. “We only serve three things here. Alcohol. Blood. And drugs. There’s only one kind of coke here.”

“Oh.Oh.” It took me a second to understand. I’d learned about drugs in school but was told they didn’t exist anymore after the war. Just another thing to add to the list of information I had no damn idea about.

“It affects vampires almost the same as humans,” she explained. “But it leaves our system faster. Personally, I don’t enjoy it. Seeing as they’d allow you to try it at the center, you’re more than welcome to do it—”

“I’m good,” I cut her off quickly. I wasn’t sure what it would do to me, but there was no way I was trying anything like that while I was here.

“Smart girl,” she praised while pouring a beer. “Don’t ever let your guard down here. Even with that necklace. Vampires can smell the weak, and they prey on them. The center teaches why we need to work together, but it’s impossible to break the sheer instinct of being predators—even of our own kind. The feeling will grow as you get older. You’ll need to learn how to control it. We don’t condone killing each other unless it’s warranted.”

Her words stayed in my head as I went to a new table and took their order of glasses of whiskey. No wonder the war had lasted as long as it did. Vampires were much more organized than I ever knew. The next table’s orders had bile rising in my throat. O negative blood. They served it like a drink here, and I wouldn’t ever get used to it. Was this where the donated blood went to? Or did they get the blood in a more sinister way?

I didn’t stop moving for the next couple of hours. Running back and forth from the bar to deliver orders. No vampires ever paid for anything, creating more questions. Did they barter or trade? Or maybe it was all given freely. But I kept my chin up and stayed quiet. There was already enough attention on me from the damn necklace, and I just wanted to get this night done with so I could leave for good. Gia glanced behind me, but before I could move, someone spoke.

“Kali is taking her break.”

Chapter14

Kali

Zan’s voice cut through the music, and Gia nodded before I turned to see him standing a couple of feet behind me.

“I don’t need a break,” I said, reaching for the glass I was about to take to a table.

He caught my wrist, tugging me from the bar and dragging me away, ignoring how I was attempting to pry his fingers off my arm.

“Get off me,” I ground out, knowing he could hear me even over the music.

He didn’t respond, and I realized he was bringing me to the area where all the vampires were dancing. The second he stepped onto the open floor, the crowd parted, leaving the entire center open for him. My stomach flipped when he abruptly stopped, yanking me against him until my back was crushed to his chest.

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