Daylight - Book 1 (No Death for the Wicked) (6 page)

“As I was saying, we have many
employment options in which an ambitious individual like yourself will be required to partake in, none of which are amerciable, nor dangerous of course. Now, we do call for a great level of loyalty and commitment from our employees.”  He perches his hands on the armrest of his high back chair which looks more like a throne. He settles back and examines my pensive expression.

“I think I can handle that,” I respond
nervously.
How bad can it be if it's all legit?

“Splendid! Then it is settled.” He affirms and stands with his gold rimmed wine glass in his left hand and taps it with a jeweled covered spoon. The noise level in the room terminates and all eyes turn to him. 

“My welcomed guests, friends, colleges, and family, it is now time to FEAST!”  He roars the last word in a deep husky voice that startles the livin' shit out of me. At this, half the population in the room grabs the nearest human and begins
feasting.
The sent of blood and sex fills the room like smoke churning from hell. My nerves go taunt and my hunger spikes instantly.  A young human guy is offered to me by Emerick. Hell, I don't want a repeat episode of '
mommy dearest
' right now and I am so not feeling in control, I opt out on the generously offered
meal
.

“Don't say I didn't tell you to feed more,” Emerick says as his fangs sink silently into the jugular of the young guy who latches on to Emerick and then starts moaning loudly.  My nails dig into the chair as I curb my natural instincts, the scent threads through the air and my skin prickles with a
madding itchiness. Women sprawl over the vamps baring all and the men share their fair share. I've been invited to countless parties in my time but this one takes the lead. I feign an unexcited grimace as a couple topples in front of me, landing on the table pawing each other. She sighs out an over the top groan and the vamp claws her blouse off, leaving her breasts exposed he squeezes thoroughly with his ample fondling hands.

Fuck
, I'm hungry, my mouth aches and the nagging throb in my head becomes more grating, but hell has to freeze over first before I let myself go. Damn, what I would do for a smoke. Everyone is freely engaged in this sex-feeding fest but one vampire and he does not take his eyes off of me through this menagerie. To my surprise he's not feeding with the others.

“Bravo Mattie, bravo... well done. I must commend yo
u. I do not believe I have ever seen such control in one so young before.” He claps softly and then retrieves a drink from the table and stands. “Will you step outside with me since it appears our appetites are resting at the moment?”

I quickly bolt up and follow
him before the olfactory sensation of the room cause me to loosen the harness on my so called 'control' and I'm swept away by the
orgy of romance
. We step out onto a balcony overlooking the city.  I feel the fresh breeze wash away the craving and I can talk myself into taking a deeper intake of breath. My muscles relax as I grip the balcony rail.

“Beautiful city, isn't it?” He gives me a rhetorical question not expecting an answer
as he stares at the lime light below. “We, the Voynich Vampires built this city some three centuries ago. It takes patience to bring something this magnificent into fruition. It also takes a ruler that will always put the will of the city first. I have ruled here for almost three hundred years and I see a great future for Solace. It is truly a paradise for us. No other city like this exists in the world you understand.” He leans further over the rail and looks down to the streets below and without thinking about it I do the same.
Did he just will me to do that? 

“You are very different from the typical vampires that come here. I can sense things in you that are of great interests to me and I believe you will gain your pay in the service of Solace, my dear Mattie.  And if you achieve what I want, there might just be a place for you within our
Family
.”

My mind took a detour somewhere
right around the point when he said,
“You are very different...”
Okay, I don't know what the hell he is talking about, but I'm waiting for him to try to put a sly perverted move on me or something, but he doesn't. I keep my mouth shut because I want to stay on this side of the tracks. The
mind my own business side,
it’s better this way, and tonight is no exception. I feel as if I should say something though. Comment, or acknowledge him about the tinseled lights below us.

“Your city is dark and beautiful all at the same time.”

“Well said, my dear. I find the same qualities in you as well. I hope you will savor your employment here. We will speak again soon.” He turns facing me, I want to coil away but instead I quiver as the back of his finger courses down my cheekbone. All of my bottled emotions wreak havoc on me at once. Simultaneous, I'm starving, aroused, scared, confused, and then the cogs in my brain grind to a halt and I see Graham. I force everything out and create
him
mentally. Whether he is real or not right now, he keeps me firing on all cylinders. Creepy Krew struts off heading back inside, through the dining area to a private door that looks like part of the wall.

I roll my shoulders back and let out an annoyed sigh. My hip hugs the rail and I raise my two fingers against my lips and I act out
using an American classic Zippo lighter to light my imaginary smoke. My mind hits bliss as I take a long pretend drag off the smoke, my lips purses as I imagine blowing out loops of smoke. 

After a few moments
Emerick appears. “I'll show you to your room.”

“You need to show me where I can get some smokes.”

“I offered you what you needed earlier,” he flouts back.

“Emerick, how does it feel to be clueless about what
I need
?”

“We know more than you think, Miss Kinsley.”

“
You wish, fucker,
” I mumble under my breath.

*

I take up a new residence in the upscale Voynich Hotel. Everything I need is here, well
almost
everything that is. I check out the room from the creamy silk drapes to the velvet club chairs. I unfasten the double doors to the armoire and flip through the clothes. I'm not too impressed so I move on to conclude my investigation. Picking up lamps that weigh a ton, I also go through the drawers. I unwrap all the soaps in the bathroom and smell them.

I
abandon my snooping to enjoy the view through the pointed arched windows. I'm stumped that this giant building dwarfing all the others. It monstrously bullies the vibrant busy streets. Each structure is simple and crude, but yet, beautiful and charming. The river looks like a vein running through the city linking an old world to a new world and blending them together. 

“Stunning isn't it?” I divert my a
ttention to a female vamp named Estelle who is standing behind me. Emerick said she would be here within the hour. For a moment I thought she was a mannequin, porcelain skin, her glossy black hair is cut trendy and short cropped. Her bangs level perfectly with her eyebrows. I like her style, the crimson and Gothic black one piece dress fits her well. I even like her lace up mini-platform knee boots with the decorative bow.

“Yeah, yeah it is,” I agree.

“I'm sure Emerick told you all about me and why I am here.”

“He gave me a name and that was it
,” I quirk my brow at her as I continue, “but since you're here, I'm all ears.” I carry myself to a cushy chair, fold my arms over chest and wait.

She takes the chair behind the large wooden desk which sits across from me and begins weeding out papers from her purse. Picking one paper up and holding in front of her face, she reviews it and then slaps it down. “You are about a seven, with work you could be a nine, maybe. Nines can make nine hundred an hour. Since you are a chaste in this, you will only be allowed to make four hundred an hour until you have proven you have more skill.”  She reorders her papers, smoothing one out and continues. “You are to escort clients to functions, which happen all over our illustrious city. Being the entertainment for our clients is
of the utmost importance. I'm pleased to have you join our services. I'll have you know to become one of the few escorts of Solace is a prestigious job. Your ultimate task is to satisfy their every whim, man or woman, it makes no difference.”

“Wait a minute... you're talking about fucking?”

“Not necessarily, you will provide companionship at certain events or galas. You have had sex before? If so, I see no issue. Sex is what most of the humans want. It can be an even exchange. There really is only one rule to remember here. Do. Not. Kill. Them. These humans come from all over the world to visit us. They pay for what they can never have anywhere else. It is this income that helps build our city. We have formed a symbiotic relationship with the wealthiest humans. It has been this way for hundreds of years. Now, you will be allowed to curtail the amount and fetish style on your own.

Krew has extended his personal invitation to rejoin the feasting upstairs, but it is understandable that you are tired and need to absorb all this. Your dress will be delivered here to your room at first dark tomorrow.  Au revoir Mattie, it was a pleasure.” And with that she flashes to the door
and out of sight, leaving me with the echo of the door closing behind her. 
What the hell are you getting yourself into, Mattie?
 

*

“I think you're trying to kill me,” I huff at the loopty-loops of hair dangling in my face.   

“You are a jewel on their arm, c'mon Mattie you can say it,” Estelle pokes and prods me.

“I'm more of the diamond tipped razor ready to slice them open for a cocktail, type.”

“Mattie, this job is about style, personality, and appeal. You want to dazzle your companion and
—”

“And blah, blah, blah. I happen to have style, and personality,” I pitch in, my meter
is reading
way
past the annoyed mark.

“The client expects to have you on his arm and for the rest of the room to be deliciously green with envy.” She tucks and pins another strand of hair on top of my head and whispers, “It is what they pay for.” 

“Seriously, this
thing
has a damn bow on it. And, don't take this wrong, because I like red, hell it's the color of blood, but on me, it doesn't work. You have to find a different dress or something that isn't crayon red. Black, maybe, black looks good on me, it enhances my inner style, c'mon Estelle, you've gotta have something better than this. Hey, your outfit isn't half bad, just trade me, okay?”

“Mattie, you're fine, the dress is fine. Now, we need to discuss some points
that we may be able to use to our advantage.”

“What's that suppose to mean?
” I glare at her while I switch from my nose hoop to my platinum nose stud.

“Well, in order for you to accommodate someone, you need to play the role, smile and dance. You do know how to dance right?” 

“Actually, I'm a little insulted that you had the balls to even ask me that.
Pfft…
Do I know how to dance? Let me show you my Gangnam Style,” I snort at her.

She shakes her prim pale face as if I haven't even spoken to her at all. “Mattie, if you comply with everything you will be greatly paid. Quid pro quo.”

Estelle is not the only one that can ignore someone. I stride out of the bathroom, jerking on the dress. My breasts are squished together making me feel like a western harlot. “Hey, I know, how about a Mosh Pit, now that is more my style. You know, smashing, sweaty, hard, hot, grinding bodies colliding together like a rippling wave rocking you to—”

“Mattie...
Mattie
... point taken.”

I stop and catch sight of her snowy white fangs sprouting out
. She lightly touches the jet black glass tear-drop beads attached to the bottom edge of her choker. “I have one last proffer for you.”

“
Oh yeah, and what's that?” I shoot back.

“Try to be approachable. It's a very endearing quality to have.”

“What the hell do you think I am, some Emo bitch that hates the universe? I am very approachable, Dammit!”

She gives me a deadpan expression, nods once and collectively says, “Well then that's that, have a good night Mattie, oh, and your shoes
, I left them in the box on your bed.”

I p
lod my way to the bedroom suite sitting in the middle of the hulking bed is a black and red oriental patterned shoebox with a shear black ribbon tied around it. I untie the bow and lift the lid trying to keep my cool.

Chapter Five

The Cathedral

The short, sheath red cocktail dress wouldn't be that bad, if I could have worn my Gothic Lolita shoes. I toss my temper tantrum out the window as the car pulls away from the grand scale hotel. The trays in the backseat
are filled with drinks to tide me over from my hunger. I swallow down one glass after another, from Bloody Mary, Bloody Caesar, Bloody Josephine to Bloody Maru. It's not a cure for the real thing, nothing beats the real thing, but it will curb the craving. We pass the ginormous grey-stone buildings, each one etched with Romanesque architecture. Carvings are so detailed with images of animals, people, and chimeras. I count a hundred and two granite gargoyles clinging or perched over the main entrance of the Parliament. The car parks and I shove my feet into the ludicrous high heel stilettos. As I reach for the door handle the mute driver hands me a note.

They paid for a night to remember.

My heels miraculously glide over the flawless stone steps and I venture up to the Gothic Cathedral. This is definitely nothing like back home. Black velvet curtained walls, no windows, and marble pillars form the massive room. A supernatural hue of blue illuminates everything. The Dark Age vaulted ceiling adds so much capaciousness that my mind can't comprehend it all. I'm actually floored and overwhelmed to be in such an impressive place. I take a few more steps forward when a man in a three piece suit hands me a Venetian mask. It's hideous. I think it has every damn color of the rainbow painted on it. I twirl it around with the stick it's glued to and plant a hand on my hip. “Seriously?” I ask him unamused.

He smirks, a fang glistens at me as he comments back, “You are an escort. Are you not?”

“I am, but I didn't agree to wear this and look like some kind of carnival freak.”

He slips a plain black mask out from his pocket and places it over his face, the thin line of his lips spreads with a smile
as he retorts, “Suit yourself.” 

I watch as he turns, admiring the view briefly. I amble away and find the nearest trash bin and fling the mask inside. Score one for Mattie, I have never dressed up for anything, I don't wear costumes or anything that relates. They're lucky as hell I wore this. I adjust the long satin bow that's centered along my lower back. I'm here for one thing and one thing only
, the
Daylight Serum
. I slap back the curl bouncing freely in my face and decide to appear,
well-behaved
.

Music
possesses the room, as a slow tantric sound lures everyone to dance. The unfamiliar faces all begin to blur with copper, crimson, gold, and white Paper Mache masks meshing together. And before long, I'm swept into the flood of people. A swanky uptown male leads me across the glossy onyx floor with one intention. His hand starts at my back but slowly wanders down. My quickness halts his roaming hands, as we waltz around, he grins, “Were you unable to find a mask?”

“Yeah, I'm wearing it now, can't you see it?”  I make a face as if he is a moron and he drops the interrogation. He doesn't react well to my approach towards his ego and he grabs me hard by the wrist and begins pulling me through the crowd.

The soles of his expensive dress shoes barely tap the numerous steps of the spiral staircase. He’s a man on a mission. He comes to a stop once we reach the top of the stairs. The little jaunt doesn't help his breathing or his heart rate, plus he's thoroughly pissed off. He quickly locates a room at the end of the corridor toting me along with a vise like grip.

He slams the old wooden door
closed behind him and lays it out.

“I paid fucking good money to be here tonight.”

I had no doubt in my mind that he did, the diamond engraved cufflinks he wears are worth the sum of what Sammie's rich uncle made in one year.

I reply dryly, “Okay.”

“Okay?!”

His chest heaves, he's so irate right now I think he might pop a blood vessel. I glide my tongue across the top of my teeth and smack my lips at him.

“What would you have me do?”

He rips off his mask, “Get on your knees.”

“I'm sorry? What?”

He's not overly hot, if you took away the crooked nose, beady little eyes, and the deep scar that runs the side of his
jawline, he might not be too bad. His hand snakes out and grips the bundle of hair I have piled on top of my head.

“You're going to suck me.”

I collide him hard against the wall. I have to study his pupils to see if they still focus. Satisfied, I snarl, fully caught in the moment. “I don't suck, I bite.”

I flick my tongue along his neck, as I unbutton his collar. He
unclasps his belt and roughly chokes out his approval, “That's it bitch just move down a lit...”

My fangs extend. Penetr
ating the soft, succulent flesh as my mouth forms the perfect rhythmic motion and I draw in his blood fast and hard. My hand clutches his neck, feeling the elevated vein, and the hammering pulse. I monitor myself, careful not to add a toe tag to him and end the night with hauling him to a morgue. I've learned our affect is different but the end results are typically the same for males and females. Both have extremely stimulating orgasms. The females reach their peak faster and multiple times than the men,
usually
.

Drinking in deeper
, he begins to moan, his engorged and swollen erection strains for release. His hands relax their tight hold which was threaded through my now loose hair, and drops to my hip as he grinds himself against me. His head lags to the side giving me more exposure. He builds to the next stage, faster the friction between us escalates. His pulse rate and blood pressure mount and I know he's close. His short breaths try to maintain itself with the rapid beating of his accelerated heart. And then the sudden tension of all his muscles and nerves experience the most intense physical pleasure one can have. I retract my fangs, lick the punctured marks, the tiny amounts of my saliva will restore and leave no trace he had been bitten. I try to make it quick and painless, a skill I've promised to keep. I have watched too many throats being torn out by mother dearest that I have lost count. 

I drag his half comatose ass over to the bed, leaving his stylish belt clasp open and
the distant fuzzy memories of me. I close the door. Just give him a few hours to sleep it off and he'll be telling someone else what to do. I plod my most inelegant heels outside, elbowing anyone who gets in my way. Just as I bust through the main entrance, that same vamp showcases by, sliding a silver case of cigarettes inside his silk lined jacket.

“Hey, do you have a spare?” I don't wait for any other reaction as he slips one out and offers it to me. Smoke in hand, I roll it between my fingertips while I rush down the steps. Metaphorically, I have two twin devils sitting on my shoulders, chastising the hell out me right now.
Is this what you signed up for, men to belittle you?
The other Tempter dictates,
What the hell, you're a vampire, you should parade right back in there and...

A flicker of light from a shiny expensive Dupont lighter wavers in front of my face and I look up and meet Graham's haunting cobalt blue eyes.

“Enjoy your meal?” His fingers brush the corner of my mouth.

My breath hitches, my knees lock up, and if I had a damn beating heart it would go into cardiac arrest. He's in a pristine black suit, no tie, and the first two buttons are unfastened. A tendril of dark wavy hair drifts down
ward over his brow as he gloats at me. I'm off-kilter seeing him here. I lean in and light the cigarette. Taking in a long much needed drag.

“Yeah the meal was great, but the company sucked.”  That earns me a low chuckle from him. I raise my cigarette up and watch as the white ringlets of smoke float upward. I eye him.

“So, are you waiting on this to kill me?  If so, I think that memo has circulated the office already. We both know that it's going to take a lot more to take my life.”

“You look too good to be at Death's door, Mattie.” His subtle scan over my body literally makes me quiver in all the right places. I swallow hard. Graham's unadulterated presence has always made me antsy, mantled with a touch of fear, and not the kind of fear that
he's Death,
but afraid of how he can make me feel.

“So, by your reaction I take it you're not enjoying tonight?”

I shrug, smashing the cigarette out. “Let's just say I've been to better social functions. Hell, yours tops this one.”

“Well then, if I was the life of that party, let me show you how it's done.”

We enter the main foyer and Graham cruises by a bench, picks up a mask, and adds it to his dark and mysterious appearance. Every man and woman, vamp or human will be wooing over him the moment we step foot into the room. 

He leads us smack dab to the center. It's so jam-packed I wonder how the hell anyone can move, let alone dance. He quickly positions a firm hand on my mid-back and the other, clasps my hand. A heavy drumming billows out and the entire atmosphere becomes sensual. He moves lithely and my steps mimic his gracefully. He spins me and I twirl. He plunges me back and while I rise up, his hand smoothly coasts along my leg lifting my dress. Our bodies gesture a flirtatious dance and the music is arousing and tormenting all at the same time.

The traces of his fingers linger over the lacy material, and then stray down. In one process he uses his thumb and forefinger to dismiss the tiny sliver of fabric. My eyes widen, my mouth goes insanely dry and I'm not sure what turns me on more, Graham touching me or getting off with a mob of others surrounding us. 

The overall sensation has me wet
. He inserts a finger inside as his thumb rubs the sensitive bundle of nerves. My eyes scantly look at him as I glance around the room. He embraces me closer, shielding the rhythmic motion of his hand. He sweeps the pad of his thumb side to side, faster. Slowing down, he changes his caress, circling and rubbing harder. I attempt to swallow but the effects of my current state have my mouth aching with thirst. Fully aroused my senses absorb anything and everything. The beating of the drums begins to echo inside my head like a thousand pulses tempting me beyond my control.

The tips of my fangs lengthen. I'm on the cusp of my first climax and I breathe his name out in a faulting whisper, “
Graham—”

His hand releases my back and I feel my knees wilt. He places his fingertip beneath my fang and breathes back, “Suppress your urge. I don't think now is the time to reveal yourself.” Sorely they retract and his hand resumes his position. My instincts are going unhinged and I'm hanging on by a frail pin.

I rest my head in the crook of his neck, smelling his scent. He teases with a constant refined touch. His strokes become varying and unvarying until my body trembles at just the right contact and he repeats the fluid motion. My fangs extend and I clasp on to him tightly. He builds the pressure inside me as if he's unifying the sweetest bliss. The rapture produces another quake through me and my teeth sink softly in my lower lip, muffling my own secluded moans of ecstasy.

Just as ethereal as his poise, he straightens the lacey hem along my hip, and removes his hand. The red silk dress cascades downward and appears unrumpled. My half dazed eyes meet his
. Clouded with so many emotions I'm not going to try to decipher them all. Not here, definitely not now. Right now, all I want to do is steal him away. Prolong the night with him in every position possible.

“Let's go,” he whispers next to my ear.

We tour to the front of the building and outside.

I barely make it
down the last few steps before I ask, “Why did you leave, Graham?”

“I couldn't stay, I have to move around just as you do Mattie.” He reaches up and discards his mask. A shimmer of light reflects off his lighter as he holds it up.

“Need a smoke?” 

“No, are you trying to put another nail in my coffin?”

“I would love to nail you Mattie, but I have to go.”

“Go?! I thought we were just warming up.” He steps closer and lifts my chin up. I swear the air around us die
s and it is only he and I standing. Deep unworldly eyes unravel me, bury me, and revive me all in a minuscule rift of time. I blink once and he's gone.

*

There's no way in hell I'm promenading back in the Cathedral, not like this. I rub the tenseness in my shoulders, and clutch my stomach. Not sure what to do with my current situation, itching for another cigarette, leaving me the only outlet other than attacking someone right here on the street. I'm hungry and aroused. Driving myself insane I suck so hard on my damn lip ring it's starting to split my lip. Cars park after dropping off more chumps and my gut twists like a jagged knife corkscrewing inside me.

The nagging burden
of hunger in me spawns my next action. If I can't have him, then someone will have to do. He can't leave me like this, wanting, needing more. I'm not looking for pillow talk. I just need to feel satisfied. Another white ultra-luxury car rolls next to the curb and I act before my brain can tally a vote whether this is something I should do. I'm seated next to a man.