Vintages

Vampire Hunter: Book 1 – Vintages by Ann Cory

Vampire Hunter: Book 1 - Vintages By Ann Cory

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Vampire Hunter: Book 1 – Vintages by Ann Cory

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A Silk’s Vault Electronic Publication, in arrangement with author Ann Cory. ISBN # 1-934055-55-7 Copyright © 2006 by Ann Cory Cover Design and Art by Dyana Lunaris, © Copyright 2006 Edited by Wendi Felter-Gabbidon

Silk’ Silk’s Vault Publishing www.silksvault.com

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from both the author and publisher. All characters, incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity to characters or persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

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Chapter One She walked along the desolate street turning down Halsey and Fifth, her eyes intent on the night prowlers. This downtown dive was the place she had been asked to come to the area the young woman had called “The Vines”. Streetlamps were burned out. An onslaught of garbage coated the sidewalk. To her it seemed to be a place where the trash walked and fit right in. The chill of the wind bit at her face. She pulled the collar of her leather jacket up close as a shield. Her black leather pants seemed to hold up well for the late autumn weather. She should have thought twice about her skimpy top. Her nipples pressed tight against the fabric, making her wince. Nearly knocking her down, a tall lanky man dressed in black and silver spandex brushed roughly against her shoulder without uttering a word of apology. She hated downtowns in any city. They always reeked of trouble and degenerates. People had no respect for others. Stopping, she came to the end of the sidewalk. Turning to her left she spied a wrought iron sign dangling in the breeze. She found exactly what she was looking for. Taking a deep breath, Regan walked up to the red door. If the woman had not told her what to look for, she never would have found it on her own. Another gust of wind blew against her body. Quickly, she opened the door and dashed inside. Following the winding metal staircase down, she entered the seedy nightclub with the roar of music vibrating the floor. All eyes fixed on her as she strode in, making her feel completely naked. Immediately a petite redheaded waitress greeted her, eyeing her up and down with interest. “Welcome to The Vines. Sit wherever you would like.” Regan pressed the flap of skin around her neck a little closer to make it sure it would not be seen. “Thanks. I was wondering if you could help me. I’m looking for a young woman named Selena. Do you know if she’s here? I was asked to meet her.” The redhead played at her curls giving a soft chuckle. “Sure, we’re great friends. I’ll let her know you’re here. And you would be?” “Regan, like I said, she’s expecting me. I guess I’ll be over at the bar waiting.”

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She glanced at the bartender who was busy attending to a large group of men, taking a seat on the red velvet swivel stool. Bars really were not her scene. Especially the ones who made it out to be a meat market more than anything else. It had been a long time since she had been in one. This particular bar seemed packed with obscenely good-looking men and women, all dressed in black designer clothes, somewhere in their late twenties. Regan looked down at her own attire, figuring she fit in as best she could. Her only regret was wearing the high-heeled boots that laced up to her knees. After seeing them in a store window, she convinced herself she had to have them. Ten minutes into wearing them her feet started to ache. The bartender handed a tray of drinks to one of the waitresses then turned her way, flashing a smile that was somewhere between smug and charming. “What’s your poison, beautiful?” Regan scanned his pale face, light stubble, and piercing green eyes. If he were on the list of samples she would be happy to try him. “Anything you consider your best drink is fine.” The noise of the club lowered to a faint murmur when she spoke, making her feel selfconscious. She did not like looking the part of a newcomer. It usually made people suspicious. In her line of work suspicions were not a good thing. Briefly, Regan looked around making sure no one stared at her. Mister pale and sexy appeared to be amused at her request. He took a large bowled goblet down from the upper rack. ”We carry only the finest vintages here.” His eyes glanced down to her chest where the tops of her breasts peeked out. One thing was for certain, when it came to guys, it was rare that they could recite her eye color, but they usually figured out her bra size. “The finest you say.” “Yep. This is a quality establishment. We serve only the best.” Regan laughed. “That is very impressive, for a bar.” “Are you waiting for someone?” She watched him set several bottles in front of her, none of them had labels. “Yeah, I am.” “Boyfriend?” She laughed as she folded the corner of a napkin several times.

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“No. I’m waiting to talk with Selena.” “Ah. She’s a real sweetheart, sometimes. Really it depends on her mood! Now tell me, what’s your fancy?” Drumming her fingers on top of the counter Regan tried to think of something intelligent to order. Nothing came to her mind. Lately, the hardest alcohol she’d had was a martini. “You know, I’m not too terribly picky. So give me anything you highly recommend. I’ll trust your judgment.” “Very well.” She watched him uncork the bottle with little effort, filling the goblet midway with a deep, ruby liquid. Casually he slid it in front of her. Regan reached out for it and with her fingertips ran across the top of his. It was only a second, but it sparked an interest that went straight to between her thighs. “Consider this one on the house.” He leaned across the counter propping his head in his hands, waiting for her to take a drink. “Thanks, that is very kind of you.” She took a whiff of the wine, blinking a couple times. The smell was familiar and awakened her senses. Regan tilted the glass to her mouth. A thin stream of liquid almost touched her lips when it was snatched out of her hands smashed to pieces behind the bar. “You reckless son of a bitch! Don’t serve her that stuff!”

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Chapter Two Regan turned to see a wispy brunette waving her arms around with a look of absolute rage. “What the hell were you thinking?” The bartender smirked, shrugging his shoulders. “She asked for the finest vintage. I couldn’t very well ignore her. Thanks for giving me something to clean up. It’s not like I was busy serving people or something.” The woman leaned across the bar with daggers shooting out of her eyes. “We will speak later. Meanwhile, why don’t you forget the mess and attend to your oh so loyal customers.” When the woman turned to her, most of the anger faded from her expression fast. “I’m Selena. Thank you so much for coming.” “No problem. From what you said on the phone it sounded like something right up my alley.” “Good. You certainly look tough enough to handle yourself. How long did you say you have been in your line of work?” “Ten years.” “Impressive. Okay, I need you to follow me. We’ll have to go to the back in order to have some privacy.” Regan followed her through the thick veils of smoke. The scent of perfume and sweat lingered in the air. When they reached the back, Selena held the door open for her to step in. Once the door closed the thundering tempo of music died down. “Sorry, it’s about as quiet as we’re going to get in this place. Believe it or not my office is worse. The damn DJ cares little about my peace of mind. Half my pictures vibrate right off the walls.” Regan laughed; the young woman certainly had a way about her. “So you called and I’m here. One question. The scene that happened back there…are you concerned with me getting drunk while I’m on the job or something?” “Oh hell no! My apologies for knocking the glass out of your hands, it was a gut reaction. I’m not usually so rude. Trust me when I say, the new vintages are not your taste. I did not think you made it a habit to drink blood.”

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Regan’s smile faded. That explained a few things. “I have never heard of a place selling bottles of blood.” ”Welcome to The Vines. It’s all that is served.” “Do they assume everyone drinks blood that walks in?” “This place is crawling with children of the night. The vampires, lamias, Nosferatus, you name it. And yes, they all drink blood, sweetheart. If you don’t drink it, you can consider yourself fair game.” Regan’s brow furrowed. “I was under the impression vampires fed off people, not buy it in cases.” “This is the new millennium. Try and forget what you think you know, see this place for the realism it reeks of. Have you seen the people wandering the streets outside? You would not want to touch one let alone drink their infected blood.” Selena paced back and forth, her voice bouncing from loud to faint. “I know you are well versed in the history of vampires, or I would not have called for your services. But look around, you will find there are very few who are not some type of vampire. Those who have not been fed upon are too infested with diseases or doped up on the latest drugs to be proper nutrition for even the most desperate.” “So I guess I am fair game while I am here. I hope you plan to watch my back.” “I am not letting you out of my sight.” Regan fidgeted with the zipper of her jacket. “Normally I don’t work for a vampire. I hunt them.” “Relax. While I delve into blood drinking for social reasons, I am not a vampire. Basically to survive in this city, it’s better to pretend you are one than risk becoming someone’s midnight snack. You do not have to fear me in any way. I am probably the only person you can trust in this place.” “Oh I don’t know. That bartender of yours looks pretty tame.” “More like clueless. I guess that’s why I hired him. Well, and yeah, he fills out his clothes pretty well.” “So this leads me back to why you hired me,” Regan prompted. “The vampires have so few resources to choose from anymore when it comes to feeding. Many are falling sick because they are sharing blood, tainted blood. They do not even realize it. Which, of course, it sets it up for them to pass their diseases on to everyone they drink from. If it

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goes on much longer there will be an epidemic that no one will survive. There is a terrible shortage due to the diseases and infestations that run rampant with humans today. All the drug use has caused a brand new kind of illness to those who live the vampire lifestyle. Most of them are young children out experimenting when no one is watching.” “You have got to be kidding me.” “I wish I were. The Innocents that first came here were all Descendants, but now it is a place kids runaway to. They think it is all about style, popularity, and fitting in. With them comes a new breed that even I cannot begin to understand. They are killing off the Descendants left and right. The death toll has tripled in the last couple of months, though you will never hear about it anywhere else.” “Why is that?” “It is sort of like a tourist spot, in a way. You don’t want bad publicity or no one will come. If the news about the disease and fatalities gets around, there will not be fresh blood here.” “What kind of death toll are we talking about here?” “Last month thirty people went missing. The month before I would say it was more like forty. About fifty bodies have been found strewn in dumpsters and in back alleys.” “Geezus. That’s scary.” “I know.” “Where does The Vines come in?” “I inherited this place when my parents died. It has been many different things, but usually I try to cater to what the people want here. There are other people who oversee the business, take care of the finances, and order in the product. I am not very business savvy to be honest. But I really do not want to dishonor my parents by selling it. The bar has only been in operation for a year. “It went from a gathering place to a hangout, and now it’s some fancy feeding establishment where the only thing on the menu is blood. I have tried to do something about it but I am getting death threats. I need your help because I am concerned about where the blood supply is coming from. I fear there is a connection to the disappearances. In the history of all the vampires who have made this their home, there has never been a fatality problem to this magnitude before.”

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Dark and unsettling visuals raced in Regan’s mind. “Have you been able to find anything out at all? I mean, have you spoken to the people you’ve hired?” Selena chewed on her lower lip. “I’m afraid to find out anything. There is an order here that I don’t want disturbed, but it may very well happen. It is my position, by birth, to oversee the preservation of the Descendants. Not all vampires are bad.” “That depends on who you are trying to convert,” Regan joked. “In my experience, very few are good. I have seen disturbing things that continue to plague me with nightmares.” Regan could tell Selena was not happy with the direction the conversation was going. “Pardon me while I defend my people a minute. There are bloodsuckers everywhere. In the modern world, your men of politics and government, the CEO’s and slave drivers, they all suck the life out of people one way or another. They are the ones who are evil, doing their business out of greed and stupidity. Vampires are careful in who they select, save for some who were born seekers of revenge, and those are the ones that make up your violent cults. The majority of people here are not accustomed to these outside influences but work in a way that has been a tradition dating back centuries ago.” “You make a valid point. But I’m not here to analyze or define your status. You intrigue me; I’m not so sure you are not a vampire. You call everyone your people like you are their leader.” Selena’s cheeks filled with color. “I guess I look at them as a mother. I have always been a nurturing type.” “Hmm. Regardless, I will check out The Vines and see what I can find. While I like the fact you have my back, you won’t be able to follow me everywhere. I have a feeling it will arouse suspicion in a place this size.” Selena shrugged her shoulders. “It’s your life on the line if I am not around to protect you.” “I have my own survival skills.” Regan saw a shadow move against the wall putting her fingers to her lips. “What is it?” Selena whispered. Looking around, Regan could not see anyone else inside the room. “I have a feeling someone has overheard part of our conversation. Go now. I will meet up with you later.”

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Selena sighed as she hesitantly put her hand on the doorknob. “Be very careful. Most cannot be trusted here.” She nodded at the young girl, ushering her out. When Regan was sure no one was looking she exited the back room and proceeded down the hallway. Walls were painted in a gaudy red color with black iron sconces dimly lit. Four large doors lined the hallway and she tried to check the rooms behind each one. The first three were vacant without even a stitch of furniture. When she tried the last one, it was locked. Immediately her curiosity was piqued. Why would someone only lock one? Regan put her ear to the door and did her best to filter out the sound of the driving beat from the bar. Nothing. She jimmied the knob again, but it would not budge. Keeping her eyes peeled, she followed a narrow walkway looking up at the sign. COATROOM She walked in to investigate it. Her hands grazed across the tops of the different textured jackets, almost all dark colors. Back behind the last row of jackets was a door with a padlock. A pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and she jumped.

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Chapter Three “Can I help you with something?” Regan turned around to find the bartender giving her a curious look. Damn, he was handsome in his tight black slacks. She was equally impressed with the peek she got at his chest, thanks to the way his white shirt was slightly unbuttoned. “I’m…umm…just looking.” “This is not a store, you know.” “No, I realize that. I meant that I am looking to leave my jacket here. I was trying to figure out if there were tags attached to them. I would not want someone else to go home with it.” He turned her the other way, sliding the jacket down off her body. Regan watched with her mouth wide open as he hung it up. “I promise no one will steal it. Now, why aren’t you out enjoying the drinks and music?” “Oh, well see, I was in the ladies room. I came out, that is, when I noticed the coatroom. It is far too warm in the bar to have my jacket on.” Once again she was talking to the top of his head while his eyes feasted on her breasts. She was certain he could see right through her top. He stepped up close to her, his chest brushing against her hardening nipples. “I’m Garrett, by the way. It’s Regan, isn’t it? I overheard Selena mention your name.” Her voice would not cooperate so she nodded her head instead. “Beautiful name. Kind of warrior-like. It suits you.” The side of his cheek skimmed hers. He was so close she could smell the invigorating, enticing scent of his cologne. “It is nice to have a moment with you where it’s quiet instead of talking above the music. Don’t you think?” Regan tried to talk again but all she managed was a squeak. Obviously pleased with her reaction to his close proximity, he smiled at her. As much as she wanted to wipe the egocentric look off his face, she realized just how much her body longed to feel his contact. “No one will come in here for hours.”

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She stared down at her boots. Heat rushed along her cheeks and made her dizzy. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting like a teenager on a first date? This was not what she was here to do. She was on duty. She did not know anything about the man that stood before her, other than the fact she wanted to wrap her thighs around his waist to ride him all night. Her pulse picked up, thudding in the small room. If he heard it, he did not say. “Do you mind if I kiss your luscious red lips?” A million thoughts swarmed in her mind. There was not a single logical reason for her to be in the position she was. Selena was counting on her to find out some information; after all, she was supposed to be focusing on her job. But something about Garrett sent her hormones into overdrive. She wanted to say yes, she realized. She tried to make her lips say yes. “No. I wish you would.” Regan made a mental note to kick herself, once she got out of the coatroom. “Just what I wanted to hear.” Garrett brought her chin up with his thumb, tracing her chin with the back of his hand. “You have gorgeous eyes. I have never seen you around here before. What brings you in tonight of all nights?” “I…” Her pulse sped up twice its normal rate while his face blurred in front of her. She could feel beads of sweat forming along her forehead, her lips aching to touch him. “I was thirsty.” His smile almost made her knees buckle. Try as she might she could not snap out of the mode she was in. The heat between her thighs had almost reached the boiling point. If she did not stop and walk away now, she would be sorry. Garrett reached for her top, pulling it up over her head. Her long, raven hair slipped over her bare shoulders, while a few strands got caught in her eyelashes. He reached up to push them aside, bringing his lips next to her ear. “How about I give you something to quench your thirst?” She started to say something when his lips found hers. The warmth of his breath was comforting, inviting. His tongue slipped along hers, doing a full sweep along the inside of her mouth. He tasted of something she could not place, a taste she was rather fond of. Regan wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips tighter to his. She was aware of his hands slipping behind her to unfasten her bra. In her last attempt to flee she pulled back.

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“Umm…I should…” He bent down, taking a nipple in his mouth, lolling it around with his tongue. Blood drained from her face as she had to grab hold of him to keep from falling down. The man knew all about the fine art of seduction. She could not walk away now, even if she wanted to. Garrett swept her hair away from her shoulders, seeking out her other nipple, bringing it to a hardened peak as well. She was being reckless, something she never was. All she could think about was where he was going to put his hand next, hoping it would grace the area between her thighs. “You have succulent breasts.” Regan had no intention of letting him tease her this far and not deliver the goods. She was far too worked up, wanting to make sure he knew she’d be a sure thing. Slowly she regained the feeling in her hands as she began to unbutton his shirt. His pale skin almost glowed in the halflight of the coatroom. Her hands slid the material off until it landed on the floor. In return he sank his thumbs beneath her leather pants to find the button. The release was a breath of fresh air. He paused from attending to her nipples to kneel down to unlace her boots. Reaching back up, he grabbed her waistband, pulling her pants off. She gripped the wall as she stepped out of them, followed by her black thong. Fully exposed, she felt light and free. In all her years she had never been so daring as to have sex in a place where someone could walk in on her at any time. Regan unbuckled his belt, pushing his tight slacks down, taking a moment to revel in the eyeful that was his cock. She did a double take as she felt her cheeks burn. No underwear? “Looks like I was in a rush this morning and forgot a little something.” She eyed his fully erect sex, eager to slip it in her mouth or between her legs, anywhere to experience its full length and size. Garrett kneaded her breasts with his fingers as he kissed her forehead, cheek, and mouth. The kisses turned into a powerful hunger that kisses alone could not fill. She let her hands rest on his back. His cock throbbed against her upper thigh, taunting her with each pulse. She had to have him. Now. “How do you want it Regan? Tell me. How do you want my cock? In your mouth? Hmm? You want to taste it between your full, moist, ruby lips? How about your pussy? I’ll bet

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you cannot wait to take it all the way. Your ass? Are you into that? Talk to me. Let me give you exactly what you want.” His words brought her pulse racing to an erratic beat. She clung onto him, frightened she would pass right out, unable to catch her breath. Everything. She wanted him everywhere. She wanted to grant him full access to any part of her being. Her body trembled at the thought of him taking her. “I don’t know. I just…I only know I want you. I do not care how you give it to me.” Regan shuddered as his finger swiped at her clit. “You’re a bad girl for coming in here. Snooping around where you do not belong. I would say you need a spanking. What do you think? Hmm? What kind of punishment should I deliver to you?” Her mouth watered at the thought of his hands making contact with her ass. He turned her away from him, smacking her lightly on one side of her buttocks and then the other. With his knees he made her spread her legs. She felt the tip of his hardened member stroke her quivering sex. Again he brought the palm of his hand to her buttocks to give her a smack. He pushed her to lean forward to manipulate both her arms above her head. “You wet for me? Are you?” She had never been at a loss for words before in her life. All of a sudden now she could not even string two words together. Her flustered mind was out of control with thoughts of how he would feel inside. She ached for him as her body throbbed for him to make her his. “What do you want? Sexy little ass you have. You sure caught my eye earlier. I have had a hard-on ever since.” His fingers slid between her thighs, inside her wet cavern. Two fingers, three fingers, four, filling her up to capacity. “Want to feel the real thing throbbing between your legs? Want my cock shoved up inside you? I cannot do it until you tell me. I have to hear it for myself.” A tear formed in her eye, not out of pain, but from the anguish of how badly she needed him right then. She willed herself to tell him, to muster up the courage to tell him what she wanted. “Please…”

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“Please what, my little seductress. If you do not tell me I will have to put my clothes back on and go back to the bar. Your choice.” The thought of him leaving her like this, so vulnerable and craving his touch, it was unfair. “Fine! Yes, I want to feel your cock inside me, throbbing, thrusting, slamming away. I want to feel your fingers squeeze my nipples until I scream!” “Yeah? You like that, hey? What else do you want? No need to be shy. I can feel your thighs shaking.” He throttled his fingers inside her again, barely hinting at her clit. Her whole body shuddered uncontrollably. She knew what he wanted to hear. Damn him. She knew. In a low, soft whisper she let him know. “I want you to fuck me.” “That’s my girl.” He pulled out his fingers, replacing them with his cock. He eased inside her and brought goose bumps all over her body. More tears flowed, it felt so good. She gripped the wall while he held her hips, his body slamming against the curve of her ass, his cock sinking in and coming back out, just to plunge back in harder, faster. Regan spread her legs apart wider and jutted her ass out, pushing her body back into him to get him further inside. “Your pussy is so hot. It is practically melting my dick right off. You like? Is this what you want?” “Yes.” Her heart pounded as fast as he pounded into her. Damp strands of hair fell in front of her face. She leaned forward a little further, now pushing her hands against the wall while he pushed into her. She knew the orgasm was coming, the bittersweet moment when she would cool the raging fires inside. Her breath came in short, quick pants. “You gonna soak my cock with your sweet nectar?” “Yes.” Her pants turned to whimpers as she neared her orgasm. She was desperate to feel it, to let it go, to spill all over him. Garrett sped up his thrusts. She closed her eyes, concentrating only on what was going on inside. It was so warm, so stifling warm, she squirmed, trying to reach the sweet spot that would do it for her. He reached his hand around to manipulate her clit so fast she cried out. It was

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exactly what she needed to set off the jolts throughout her body. At the same time she heard him holler. “Right now! I cannot hold back.” She felt him slam into her three more times and then he was still. As he pulled out she shuddered again. Tiny spasms lingered along with her racing heartbeat. “I had a feeling you would feel good, but woman, you just brought it up a notch. I loved the way you held me tight inside, it drove me wild.” Her breathing finally returned to normal and she turned to him. Strands of her hair were disheveled and full of static. “It was very good sex.” She felt her face flush. She always found it embarrassing afterwards. Nothing to talk about. The deed had been done. But he was different as he held his arms out. Regan stepped into his embrace to let his warmth wrap around her. It had been ages since a man made her feel secure. Usually she was the one playing the toughie. “I guess we ought to get dressed before someone comes in.” “I thought you said no one would be in here for hours?” “Umm, I’m sure I did; I was ready to say just about anything right then.” Regan laughed. She loved the way he looked at her. His eyes reflected kindness. Something rarely found in the downtown atmosphere. For the first time in a long time she actually considered giving out her phone number. Hell, after sex like that she would gladly see him again. Garrett pulled on his clothes, doing his best to fix up his hair. “I will let you have some privacy to get dressed again. The ladies room is just around the corner in case you want to…clean yourself up.” “Okay. Thanks.” “I hate to rush off but I am expected at the bar.” He leaned forward and gave her a gentle, sweet kiss. Completely opposite of the ravenous ones he delivered just moments before. “Come out when you are done. I will pour you something good.” She smiled watching him leave. A girlish giggle started deep in her throat erupting around her. Had she really just had sex with a complete stranger? In a coatroom of all places? It did not sound like her at all.

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After fixing herself up and pulling on her jacket, Regan’s focus immediately returned to the door in the wall. She looked behind her to listen. The driving beat of the music was all she could hear. Just as she turned around, she caught the glimpse of a black shadowy patch moving along the ceiling. Cautiously she watched it slip above the one locked door out in the hallway. There was only one thing that shadow could have been, and where it was going was where she needed to be.

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Chapter Four She pulled her jacket off the hanger and put it on. Garrett would have to wait for now. The door was still locked. No amount of turning the knob was going to change that. It was time for her to use some resources that only a gifted vampire hunter knew. Standing a little ways back she focused hard as a red ray of light blazed from her eyes, melting the lock. She smiled to herself; the old girl still had it. The door opened easily; she put the lock in her pocket. With a quick glance over her shoulder, Regan made her way inside. An arduous odor filled the air, just about knocking the wind out of her. She enjoyed the way Garrett smelled and how they had smelled with the scent of their sex mingling in the air. The room was spacious with strange looking tubes and equipment hanging from the ceiling. It was dark, but not so dark she could not make her way around. Regan kept a sharp eye on every corner. She might not be able to see the shadow without better lighting, but she could feel it looming around. Her boots came to a slick part, making her skid and nearly losing her balance. She reached into her jacket pocket and found a small penlight. Shining it on the floor she was shocked to find a puddle of deep crimson. She knew exactly what that was, oh boy the thought was disturbing. A gurgling noise caught her attention and she walked along the edge of the wall, still glancing around for any sign of shadows. The gurgling got louder as she walked on. She shone the light and gasped when she noticed a thick stream of blood pool around a sieve. It jetted together into a thin red ribbon, filtering down the tiny holes, but to where she could not tell. There had to be stairs somewhere to get to a lower level. The smell of the coagulating blood aroused her senses. It made her almost as dizzy as Garrett’s passionate kisses. She fought hard against the primal instincts from her past, reminding herself she was here to do a job. People were dying and she could be the one to put an end to it. She took her time looking around, taking in her surroundings. The place was cold. She could faintly make out her breath. Regan was surprised Selena had not bothered to check where she was since they split up. So much for her back being covered, she thought. Her imagination started to work overtime. She wondered if perhaps Selena was not the person she said she was.

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She had talked about her people in a way that made her feel uneasy. Maybe she was out to trap a vampire hunter so there would be one less person in the way. “Well, bring it on,” she said quietly, pumping herself up. She was used to working alone, including being equipped with enough protection so she did not need to worry about a thing. The air changed around her again as Regan walked on. Something made the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up. She did not think she was alone anymore. Some of her abilities had weakened over the years, but her instincts were not one of them. She paused after going a few more feet into the room. Her stomach lurched. Pale bodies, corpses, and body parts lined the counters, drained of all their blood. Regan had encountered many unsightly things before. Gore and grisly crime scenes were nothing out of the ordinary, but it still got to her. She took several deep breaths to keep herself from vomiting. It looked like someone had shaved off all the hair, dumping it in a garbage can. She walked a little closer to touch one of the skins. It was rubbery in texture, nothing like the feel of her flesh, nothing like when she touched Garrett’s soft body. The initial shock finally wore off, replaced with anger. Some tasteless bastards thought they were so smart, using this place as a storage room to keep the bodies after draining the blood. This was where the bodies were stored before they were dumped in back alleys and the like. Regan knelt down, seeing a bloody handprint on a cupboard door. She opened it with one finger and noticed a brutal array of sharp utensils that had obviously been recently used. A macabre thought crossed her mind. Once upon a time she would not have thought twice about draining people of their blood and discarding their bodies anywhere she saw fit. Times had changed. Her changeover had consisted of the most agonizing pain she had ever experienced in her life. It was rare one could go from a vampire to leading a normal life, but she succeeded. There were challenges to face but she was strong-willed. Being around so much blood was proving enough of a challenge for her. She stood back up, following the wall until she came to a sign pointing toward a stairwell. Slowly she descended the stairs, aware of the sudden drop in temperature. Where it had been cold before, she swore she had just stepped into a freezer. She heard the sound of the blood trickling from the room above. She knew she was headed in the right direction. Turning on the wall switch a faint red light bulb enveloped the room, adding a sinister ambience.

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The scene was something out of a madman’s laboratory. Carboys lined the tiled counters. Some were still being filled from a large vat that was underneath the sieve she saw earlier. A mass of rich colors ranging from scarlet, crimson, rust, to ruby were labeled, categorized by age, texture, and what appeared to read as a royal bloodline. Bottles were stacked on the other side, some empty, some full and others stacked in crates. One box had the word VINTAGES on it. When she pulled out a bottle, she swore it looked like the same one Garrett had opened. She replaced the bottle, standing completely still, listening. Someone was coming and she had no place to hide.

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Chapter Five Rapid footsteps came thundering down the stairs; she dove to hide inside a cabinet under the sink. It was not easy but she squeezed herself in as best she could, trying to hold the door open just enough to hear what was being said. A man’s voice echoed inside the room, pinging off the walls with a raspy tone. “That dark-haired woman was here, I can feel it. She is one of those vampire hunters, a good one from what I’ve heard. I saw her being served at the bar earlier, but so far I have yet to see her leave. She’s going to ruin what we are doing around here.” “Then you will stop her. Or I will inject you with the tainted blood.” Regan could tell that whoever the woman was, she was not someone to be crossed. “Come now, sis. You wouldn’t do that to your own brother. Your own flesh and blood? I doubt you even know where it is stored.” “Do not test me. We have a lot at stake right now, one wrong move and we are out of business for good.” “You worry too much. You always were a worrier.” “You do not worry enough. I am very cautious. You do realize it is your throat if you get caught.” “Do not threaten me. Come on, she can not have gotten too far.” Regan listened as she waited for their footsteps to grow faint. She did not know exactly who either of them was, but her instincts had been right; she had been followed. Now the question was who were they, and what did they have to do with the illegal underground blood bottling going on. She waited a few minutes longer before popping open the cabinet, letting her eyes just to the red light. Carefully she crawled out, stretching out her back. It disturbed her how close she had been to getting caught. Too many risks had been taken since she stepped into The Vines. Risks she could not afford. Selena had hinted something was going on, but the magnitude of what she discovered so far was enough to shut the whole city down for good. Once the headlines caught wind of a bar serving up blood like it was wine, the cops would come in droves. She strained her ears. Whispers flooded her mind, but they sounded far enough away. With her hearing she could pick up voices several miles away if she focused hard enough. 21

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In the dim light a small piece of yellow paper taped to a crate caught her attention. She pulled it off to read it over. It was an invoice, signed in blood, which did not help any. But the wording of the contents that were delivered was crystal clear. It stated that shipments to The Vines arrived every Tuesday, with over twenty cases of goods being sent from another underground establishment. She could only assume the “goods” were fresh bodies and parts. What interested her further was the smaller print, listing names of institutions and hospitals. Could it be they were being sent patients that died while under the care of these facilities? New vintage her ass! Regan was halfway across the room when she heard footsteps again. She panicked, hiding back in the cabinet. At this rate it would be morning before she could get anywhere. Part of her felt like she was on a giant goose chase. She felt she was being sucked into one thing after another without anything concrete to go on. Someone entered, whistling a catchy tune, making a lot of racket. While she tried to get into a good position to look out to see who was there, something grayish brown flashed by and made a definitive squeak. Regan cringed. Was that a rat? There was nothing she hated more than a rat with beady little eyes and a long thin tail. She turned on the penlight; to her horror she was right. A big, fat, disgusting rat! Probably the largest she had ever seen. She bit her lip, trying to keep from screaming, but the rodent charged at her, enticed by the blood stuck to her boots. Regan kicked at it and accidentally bumped against the cabinet. It made a loud banging sound as it closed back up and she held her breath. The rat did not get the hint, but she knew the person in the room had heard. “Is somebody in here?” The voice sounded very familiar. She opened the cabinet slightly to peer out. With a sigh of relief, she saw it was Garrett. Or at least it was his ass, which she had grown rather fond of. He was bent over, putting bottles into a crate. The rat lunged for her again. She could not take it anymore. She had to get out of there. Slowly she poured herself out from the cabinet trying to put on an easygoing expression. “We meet again.” Garrett stopped cautiously, looking behind him. His instant smile when he recognized her warmed up her chilled body. But then he gave her a harsh look.

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“I waited for you and you never came back to the bar. I thought I had been stiffed, after stiffing you.” She smiled at his poor attempt at humor. “Hey, what are you doing in here anyways? This room is for employees only.” “Would you believe me if I said I got lost?” “I would say you have a bad habit of getting lost. And no, I would not believe you.” “Okay. How about, I thought this was another way out.” Garrett gave her a funny look. She felt guilty. What was it about this guy that brought about so many emotions? He was always getting her flustered. She stood up and brushed herself off, making sure to close the door on the nasty rodent. “Okay, Garrett, I guess I better come clean with you. Do you know what you are putting inside that box there?” “Bottles of the Vintages.” He thrust his hands on his hips, giving her some attitude with his body language. “I do not know why you are asking the questions here. I want to know how you got in here.” “Fair enough. Truth time. Selena asked me to come here to investigate where The Vines is getting its product. When you found me in the coatroom, I was snooping around, just as you said. Only I had no idea that I would be taking time out of an investigation to get busy with you. Nice distraction, but totally unexpected. Anyhow, I noticed a shadow; a shadow that I swear has been following me since I got here. I followed it to a door in the hall, making my way here. Believe me now?” “That was too well rehearsed if it wasn’t.” “Are you aware of what the Vintages are made of?” “It’s classy wine for sophisticated people.” “No, it’s blood.” “That is just a running joke here. We do not really serve blood.” “Garrett. Are you being serious? You honestly didn’t know you were serving up goblets of blood?” The blank expression on his face spoke volumes. “When I asked they told me to just play along. I tried the stuff they consider to be the best. I spit that crap out. Guess I am not a big drinker.”

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“You are aware vampires roam the streets around here at night.” “Oh yeah. That is why I work here all night. I am safer in here than out there.” “That’s blood in those carboys. Do you know where that blood supply is coming from? Have you seen the bodies?” She saw Garrett’s face turn white. “What do you mean, bodies?” “Corpses. Dead bodies. People with no life left in them. Are you following me?” “I am not sure I want to.” “How in the hell did you get down here without seeing the bodies?” “I came in through the coatroom.” “Why would you do that?” “It is the only room I have a key for. It takes me straight in here so I can quickly restock whatever we’re out of. Tonight everyone’s asking for the Vintages.” Regan walked up to him putting her hands on his shoulders. “Listen to me, something is not right here. There has been a rash of deaths going on and right upstairs I stumbled upon a pile of bodies. The Vines is selling overpriced blood to customers who come in looking like they stepped off the Hollywood bus. So somewhere there is a lot of money being laundered, but at the expense of innocent people. In fact, the majority of the bodies I saw in there were of young women.” He stared at her like she was a ghost. “Earth to Garrett, hello? Am I getting through to you?” “You kinda lost me back there at the corpse part. I cannot really get the visual I have out of my head. You are really creeping me out. I do not get it. How do you know all this? Why did you even come here?” “I am a vampire hunter. Selena hired me to find out what is really going on.” Garrett shook his head up and down, real slow like, almost mechanical. He started laughing. “Vampire hunter? Are you for real?” “Yes, I am. I am surprised you can ask me that after the fantastic sex we had.” He covered his face with his hands shaking his head. “I think all this is beyond my comprehension. All I am expected to do here is keep the bottles stocked and serve the customers.

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How can all this go on around me and I did not know a thing about it? What kind of proof do you have?” She showed him the invoices. “I would be happy to take you for a tour upstairs to see the drained bodies.” “I do not think so.” “Have you seen anything strange going on since you have been working here? Any odd people frequenting the place possibly?” “No, can’t say…well. Hmm. I’m thinking. See, when I first started here we got a lot of old men who came here just to get away from their wives, drinking up a storm and causing trouble. Selena hired some people to make sure they were taken care of. I have not seen them since. The place was real rundown back then, but a bunch of interior designers came in, totally revamping the place.” Regan was doing her best to listen to him, but her eyes kept shifting down below his waist. Fast little blips of the two of them kept popping in and out of her head. Like pictures from a camera moving at a fast rate, with him with his lips on her nipples, his cock moving in and out between her legs and those to die for passionate kisses. “Are you hearing me?” “What? Oh, yes. Sorry.” “Sure didn’t seem that way. Your eyes were all glazed over.” “No they were not! Now go on. You never saw anything weird go on with the Vintages wine?” “Well, after all the bums and slummers stopped coming in, a new crowd came, armed with a ton of money and dressed real fancy. I mean, we are talking the women were head-to-toe glamour while the guys were all in suits, carrying briefcases. Lots of pretty people. The drinks we used to serve were all removed. Suddenly we were stocking the shelves with big fancy bottles, though most of them were without labels. Like I said, I thought it was nasty, but the people order it up like crazy.” “Strange. What I need to figure out is why vampires need a lot of money. And if they are not being paid in cash, what are they getting in return.” “You really are not kidding around, are you?” “Not at all.”

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“If you are a vampire hunter, that means you only hunt them, but you aren’t one. Right?” “Right. I used to be.” “How can you be a vampire and then not be one?” “It requires a lot of patience, pain, and torture, but it is possible. Look, I will have to tell you all about it later. Right now I need to…” A rustling sound startled her she looked up toward the ceiling. Three black figures circled above them, silver glints reflecting off the light. There was no mistaking it. They were surrounded by bats.

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Chapter Six “Garrett, you need to get out of here right now. I do not want you to be involved in this. It could get really ugly.” “What should I do?” “Take your crate of bottles and act normal. Pretend you came in here to get some more Vintages.” He picked up the crate, starting to walk a few steps when the crate rose out from his arms to land several feet away. Regan pressed the thick layer of false skin closer around her neck, standing silently. A blanket of darkness crept into the room as she stood her ground, waiting. From the shadows emerged a man with long blond hair and piercing red eyes. He looked fairly young, but there was no mistaking the look of superiority on his face. Layers of his black wings shed, falling to the ground, turning to dust. She sensed the others were watching from the rafters, biding their time. She hated surprises. “Well, well, well. What are you doing here, Garrett? Helping the spy? You realize being a traitor is grounds for death in this establishment, don’t you?” “Relick, I was just…I was just coming to get more bottles for the customers. I am all out upstairs. Everyone is going nuts with the Vintages tonight. It seems everyone wants to drink it tonight.” “You know, if I happened to be completely stupid, deaf, and blind, I might just buy that story of yours. Too bad for you I overheard everything you two were talking about.” The vampire thrust his hand out, making Garrett’s feet leave the floor. He was thrown clear to the other side of the room with his body slamming hard into the wall. Regan made to move toward him. “Stop right there! You are the vampire hunter I presume. Well, I can see why Garrett could not keep his hands off you. Watching the two of you going at it with each other got me rather aroused. It is not everyday you see a beautiful body posed in such compromising positions. I wondered how exactly you would like me to fuck you, and where.” She did her best to not glare at him. If her gaze met his, even for a second, he could easily hypnotize her. What he did not know was what she herself was capable of. Two black shadows 27

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fell from the ceiling and landed on the floor. Regan watched as they shed their wings, transforming. Relick slowly walked around the room, his hands clasped behind his back. If she could wipe off the arrogant look from his face, she would. It was getting under her skin. “So I see you have found our cellar. Impressive isn’t it?” Regan gave a dry laugh. “Pure genius. A steady supply of blood from innocent men, women, and children, and no one is any the wiser.” “Ah, that is only one of our brands. I like to call it urban essence. The Vintages, now I am doubly proud of that brand. It is blood of the upper class, important people, celebrities, and even royalty. The purest blood one can get here. We purify it, sanitize it, and make sure it is free of bacteria. Unless, of course, we are not familiar with you, with you making us feel uneasy. Then we give you the toxic stuff. Straight from the drug addicted, disease infested humans of today.” “Maybe you can help me figure something out. I am pretty smart, but I guess you have one over on me. Just how exactly do you profit from all this? I cannot see money being the guiding force here. Vampires have very little use in the finance department.” “Oh come now. Surely you are hip to the modern world. You have had to hear by now that money is not everything. My dear, you make me sound like I am some ruthless, heartless, greedy pig. No, money is not what I am in it for. I want the leadership, power, and prestige. To kill providing the perfect elixir to the people is what I am striving to do. To create a new species by filling them with the essence of a strong bloodline, so they in turn can pass it on to their children, and their children’s children. “Those things hold more value than money ever could. I happen to care about the people of this town. They look up to me. They know I can offer them something that no one else can. Those who die are the ones who should. We live in a world where even the air can be deadly if you breathe it too long. We will not grow weak, because what we drink is pure.” “You are a really sick bastard, you know that? I saw the bodies. There were women and children in those piles. You have reduced them to nothing but a vat and pieces of skin. Then you deny them even a proper burial by discarding them in dumpsters? I do not call that compassionate at all. You are nothing but a killer.” “Ah, and such is the life of a vampire. We feed, that is our life, but why should we put ourselves at risk every time? The humans are not healthy anymore. They walk around without

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even realizing the disease that grows rampant in their bodies. Why should we drink tainted blood, getting so sick we start dying from the inside out? Do you understand how frustrating it is to be starving and not have a sufficient drink to quench your thirst? Vampires used to enjoy an everlasting existence until all this rot was introduced. Now we can die by feeding on the wrong people.” Regan backed away. Sure, she knew all about it. She watched her mother and siblings die after feeding on tainted blood. It was why she put herself through years of hell to rid herself of the blood she previously feasted on, went through withdrawals, surviving the brutal pain, all to regain control of herself, allowing her to live a more normal life. She could have turned out like the freaks standing before her. Out of the corner of her eye she watched a female vampire emerge, taking a warrior’s stance. Her streamlined body looked tough. Regan figured her for a contender. The other made his transformation, a dark-haired male, all muscle and brawn. They made an impressive trio. Adrenaline pulsed through her body as she realized things were going to get pretty bad any second. “I knew you would understand where I was coming from. You may have denounced your inner vampire, but do not kid yourself. Even living life among humans you happen to run a great deal of risk in poisoning yourself. Your meat is tainted, your fish is toxic, the air will kill you, plus your water is poisoned. Surely you understand that one must do what he can for survival.” “I quit being a vampire because I could not stand hurting innocent people. I did not ask to be born into such a life.” Relick stepped forward, closing in on her. “There is no such thing as innocence where humans are concerned. Only newborns are innocent, though even some of them are born with disease. It is their generation that will supply us as time goes on. It is that generation I am trying to mold, feeding with the purest of blood. Blood so sweet it goes down your throat smooth as wine. The bottom line is, we take what we need to survive.” “It would seem you have taken more than you need.” Regan’s gums stung as her teeth grew sharp, cutting the sides of her tongue. No! Now was not the time!

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Regan’s body shook. When provoked her body reacted by growing fangs. The pain was almost unbearable. “You might as well open one of your precious bottles, letting us toast to your demise.” The vampire chuckled. “Sounds like a challenge.” He took a step closer, too close for her comfort. She thrust out her hand to emit a powerful vibration, knocking all three of them to their feet. Her stomach lurched as the craving for the forbidden wine clawed its way into her mind. All of a sudden Garrett groaned, rolling over onto his back. “Regan! Who are those two? Don’t you dare hurt her!” She watched him get up, heading straight for Relick. The vampire opened his mouth to bare his fangs as the bartender strode closer. With the look in his eyes, she knew he would not stop until he was dead. Regan screamed out his name but he would not listen! “Garrett! No!!!”

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Chapter Seven The only thing she could think to do was use her own powers against him. At least it would keep him alive. This was why she never got involved with men, especially in her line of work. Regan put her hands up, making a powerful blast that sent Garrett reeling into the wall again, with more strength than she originally planned. There was no time to see if he was going to be okay or not; if she turned her back for even a second she’d be putting herself in danger. “I see you have retained some of your powers, vampire hunter.” “I try not to leave home without them. Especially, when the person I am hunting is nothing more than a merciless slayer.” “I thought you said you did not like hurting people.” “Ah. I believe I said that I am not into killing innocent people. You do not qualify as innocent.” The door on her right swung open she was surprised to see Selena standing there, her eyes wide open and cold. Regan shook her head. “You should not be here.” “Oh yes, I should. Have you figured out why I asked you to come yet?” “To find out where the blood supply was coming from. Unfortunately I know the answer now.” “Excellent. But that is not really why I hired you.” The wispy brunette sashayed to the middle of the room, a mischievous look on her face. “I did not know if you are aware or not, but you come from a very strong bloodline yourself.” “Pardon me?” Regan did not like where this conversation was going. Her blood ran cold inside her veins, giving her a sign that meant her life was on the line. “Yes. Your Descendants are of noble blood. I researched you thoroughly before making the call. Did you know that the very blood that runs through your veins is in high demand? People will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for it.” Regan shook her head. “You bitch. I figured you were not telling me everything. You brought me here, knowing I would figure it all out. All this time you set me up to walk right into

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a death trap. You want to drain me dry, tossing my body out like yesterday’s trash, is that it? Just what is it you will gain from my supposed royal blood?” “Mixed with the Vintage blood we will create the strongest vampires ever to reign over this world.” Relick joined her side, rubbing his hands together. “Yes, my sister did her homework. While we have been doing away with one vampire hunter after another, she found out you were made with something extra special. Using your noble blood, we will form an entire vampire society to take over the world. The strongest and most deadly of all vampires, we will become unstoppable. I, of course, will be celebrated as the creator of this society. Everyone will bow down to me. Humans will cease to exist on Earth any more.” “I have never heard of anything so absurd. It will never work. What happens once you have killed off all the people? Where will you get your blood supply then?” The words hung thick in the air. Regan sensed a presence above her and dived out of the way. Relick grabbed her hair, pulling her head back. Regan hissed. “You do not want my blood. It will kill you. I promise.” Selena stepped forward, her hand up in warning. “Relick, be careful with her, she is extremely valuable. She has to be handled delicately or the blood will not be pure.” “I realize that. I am not stupid. Do not think you are taking the credit for all this! It was my idea to start the Vintages.” “Yes, dear brother, so you have mentioned…several times. However, I am the one who sought out the vampire hunter. I am the one who found out that she is one who possesses the royal blood!” Relick stormed toward Selena, his face set in anger. “That is not how it works in The Vines. I own every ounce of blood here, even yours. If you want it any other way you will have to die over it. Only the chosen few are aware of the tainted blood, Selena. I promise you will be drinking it by choice or by force. I have allowed you to be as you are because you are family.” “Not by blood.” Relick delivered a strong kick to his sister’s stomach. She collapsed to the floor. Before Regan had a chance to react, he turned on her, pinning her to the ground.

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“Well sweetheart, I will be the one in charge of bleeding you dry. But I want you alive for as long as possible so you can endure every second of the sheer absolute pain you will feel.” Regan grabbed for his throat, scraping her extended fingernails across his throat, drawing blood. Forcefully he held her down, his eyes searching for hers, willing for her to look at him to submit under hypnosis. “Garrett was really onto something. To feel your body beneath mine has me all hot and bothered. It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of tasting a woman. Especially one as strong-willed as you.” “You flatter yourself if you think I will let you do anything to my body.” His laughter echoed throughout the room. She cringed at the sharp points of his fangs. He reached his hand underneath her shirt, a smile spreading wide across his face. “I think I will have my way with you first, then bleed you dry. I will enjoy filling myself up with your essence.” Regan struggled, kicking her legs, kneeing him sharply in the groin. “You will pay for that!” She smelled his sour breath. His fangs neared her neck. She tensed as they sunk into her neck.

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Chapter Eight Relick pulled away, a string of saliva following him. He stared at her incredulously, a frown replacing his smile. “What? Why do you not bleed?” Regan scraped at his face again, delivering a strong blow to his gut with the tip of her boot. Relick flew back, crouching on the ground, grabbing his face. “What have you done? My face, it is burning!” Regan quickly got up from the ground, raising her hand; drops of his blood fell from her fingernails and dripped to the floor. “What have you done to me?” Selena walked over, clutching her stomach. “Dear brother, I thought you were such a mighty vampire, capable of strength that surpasses anything even I could ever muster. Right now all I see is weakness in you. How can that be?” “Get away from me you filthy half-breed. My face burns! You dare call me weak!” Twice he tried to stand only to have his legs buckle under him. “It is poison,” said Regan, circling Relick like a hawk. “Underneath my nails I have a toxic substance that weakens your defenses, and as of right now it is eating away at your blood cells.” “That is impossible.” “I know what I am doing. I walked among your people at one time. You modern day vampires, or whatever you care to call yourselves, lack the true strength and power of the vampires of long ago. Unknowing, you have corrupted your systems with unhealthy blood for quite some time now. The bodies that have been shipped to you come from hospitals, prisons and psyche wards. You have it backwards. You are poisoning your own people with the very blood you claim to be pure. Your new vintage is simply the death of you and your kind.” Selena kissed his forehead. “Goodbye brother.” From behind her another vampire ran forward, slamming her into the wall. “Get off me!” Baring his fangs the vampire thrust her head to the side. Selena thrashed beneath him, barely able to make a sound. 34

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Regan stepped in, grabbing the vampire’s head and pulling him off. “Regardless of what tricks you have up your traitorous sleeves! You are no match for me.” “You are correct. I am stronger.” Regan swiped his face again with her fingernails, leaving the toxic residue deep within his pores. Relick stood, his body staggering. “I am not through with you yet. You cannot kill me. I am immortal.” She sauntered toward Relick, content that she had all the control. “I would like to leave you with one thing.” Regan took his hand, pressing the crucifix from her pocket against his skin, watching the flesh burn and melt. His eyes locked into hers, red orbs showing nothing but shadows of pain. She unsheathed the top part of the crucifix to reveal a small wooden stake. With all her strength she plunged it into his heart, black blood spurting out, pouring down her arm. She brought her body close enough to whisper in his ear. “Die, bloodsucker!” The two other vampires took off before Regan could get to them. Selena applauded, kicking at her brother’s ashes. “Peace will return.” Regan wiped her hands along her pants. “I was not sure which side you were on for a minute there. I trusted my instincts, giving you the benefit of the doubt.” Selena laughed. “Thank you. My people will be all right now. I appreciate your help. With Relick out of the way, things will change and order will be restored. I have a lot of work ahead of me.” “Now tell me. Are you a vampire or not?” “Yes I am. As are you.” “As I was,” corrected Regan. “Relick mentioned you are a half-breed.” “Yes, we share the same mother. His father found out she was sleeping with another man…my father, who was not a vampire, and because of that he killed him. We ended up growing up as brother and sister. So, how is it Relick could not draw blood from you?” Removing the false skin from her neck Regan threw it to the floor. “I make it a policy to never bare my neck when working with vampires.” “Clever. How is it you still hold such strong powers?”

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“It is in my blood.” Selena groaned. “I need to make some calls to get rid of those bodies and carboys of blood. I will try to keep much of what happened as quiet as possible, but no guarantees. I am afraid the bar is closed for good and all the bottles will be confiscated.” “As I expected. I never wanted that kind of activity here. I could not find a way to take down my brother. He was just too powerful for me and knew how to scare me. As for my people of the city, we will go back to our old ways, following tradition.” Regan put out her hands and shook them. “Just as long as you leave me out of it! Otherwise the next vampire I hunt will be you.” With a laugh, Selena waltzed away. Garrett moaned, rolling over onto his back. Regan rushed over to check the bump on the side of his head. “That is going to smart for awhile.” “Who cares about my head? Are you hurt?” “No, I’m fine. Got the bad guy. Only…It looks like you are out of a job.” “I did not much care for it anyways. I am just glad you are okay.” “I am a big girl. I can take care of myself. I have never needed anyone’s help before.” He shrugged, giving her a hurt look. “You sure about that?” “Yeah, why?” “Well, since I am out of a job…I thought maybe I could be your bodyguard.” Garrett sat up to slip her jacket off, toying with her nipples. They stretched toward him beneath the fabric of her shirt. “Hmm. Well, you were not much help to me earlier.” She laughed as he gave her sheepish look. “But I suppose I could at least give you another try. You can start right now.” His hands slipped low to dart between her thighs. It did not take much to make her horny as hell for him. “Good. I think I will enjoy guarding your body.” Regan looked around. Not her first choice of where to have sex, but then neither was the coatroom; but that had turned out better than expected.

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Vampire Hunter: Book 1 – Vintages by Ann Cory

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“Let me just say, watching you fight bad guys, it was totally hot. I have never seen anything so sexy.” “You were watching?” “Uh…just that last little bit there. The whole crucifix thing. You were a real wildcat there.” She punched him in the arm playfully. “You big faker.” “No, I was not faking, I swear! If that vampire was going to go any further, I would have put a stop to him. Somehow!” “I just did not want you to get hurt. You are not a vampire.” He pulled up her shirt to ran his warm hands along her breasts. “Do I have to worry about you biting me or turning me into one? I mean, I would do that for you if you really wanted. I like the night.” She put her finger to his lips to quiet him. “No. I have myself under control. I will never turn you into anything that you do not want to be. I’ve only retained a few traits from when I was one. My job is to hunt down the ones who are corrupt and bring justice to those who need it.” “So you kill some and protect others.” “Right. It is like anyone else. There are good guys as well as there are bad guys. The trick is figuring out which is which.” “I do not get it, but when you talk about it…hell, it just drives me even more insane for you.” He put his lips around her nipples. She let her head fall back, letting the moment take her away. The harder he suckled the stronger her craving for him grew. Regan ripped open his shirt to push him gently to the ground. Situated between his legs she unbuttoned his pants to pull them down and off. Her hands stroked his cock, excited by the way it grew in her hand. “So far I like your qualifications. You might be the right man to guard my body.” She took her own clothes off to straddle over him. The feeling was overwhelming as she sank her moist sex over his shaft, his thickness spreading open her inner walls. Garrett caressed her breasts, fingering her nipples until they hardened. “All I see are benefits to the job.”

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Vampire Hunter: Book 1 – Vintages by Ann Cory

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Regan pressed her hands lightly across his belly, shifting her weight back and forth along his cock, riding it in slow, languid motions. He pressed his thumb against her clit, circling it, starting a series of shakes deep within. “I do not think I can ever get enough of you. Where have you been all this time?” Her whispers turned to moans as she neared the release point. “Waiting for you!” Faster her body moved over him, her thighs clenching tight around his. His thumb increased the pressure on her clit. All she could sense was her whole body awakening. She threw her head back as the orgasm shot through her insides. Her whole being shook. But she refused to stop. Garrett gripped the sides of her hips, bringing her into him. She tightened her muscles around him, holding as tight as she could until he exploded inside her. She nestled down over him, kissing his forehead, eyelids, cheeks, and lips. “You have definitely got the job. But I want you to know there is some danger involved.” Garrett smoothed the long strands of her hair over her back and shoulders. “Yeah, it is called love.”

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