Wicked Vampire Chapter 1

Summary

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CHAPTER 1

Julius

This is a terrible idea.

Julius looked down at his watch, then over to his mate who hummed in excitement beside him. Just do it. If only because it makes her happy.

Even though it meant her happiness would get him killed. His business partner was going to burn the flesh off his bones when he’d discovered what they’d done at their nightclub.

His mate had the brilliant idea to have him venture out in his vampire form for Halloween. Even though they both knew humans didn’t know vampires were real. And since humans made up ninety percent of their clientele, it was going to be disastrous when he showed up as one.

He’d rather avoid the catastrophe and do something productive like read through the contract for his new joint venture with the dragon, then fuck his mate into oblivion. Then, repeat the cycle until the work was done.

But unfortunately, tonight, his mate had other plans.

“Oh, come on. You’re gonna love it!”

Doubtful, he thought, but held his frown in check.

She’d insisted on this outing and he and his vampire planned to do everything in their power to make her happy tonight. He’d been so busy trying to make this deal happen that he’d been neglectful of his more chivalrous duties.

So, if his mate wanted to go to a party where she’d grind on him in the VIP section, he’d go.

Even if it meant exposing vampirekind.

Erica’s delicate hand squeezed his in reassurance as they entered the private entrance, then walked to the VIP coat check. Her conversation with the attendant was brief as the woman took their coats and handed him a pink ticket. He looked around with an even deeper frown.

Everyone wore their usual uniforms. Plain black shirts with the Savu logo across their chest and black pants. His stomach tightened and he retracted his fangs.

Erica felt his hesitance through their mate bond. There was a magic to the way she tapped into their bond, monitoring his emotional state before sending him exactly what he needed. Right now, she gave him her calmness and encouragement as she gave his hand another squeeze.

“Keep them, she said. “You have to sell the vampire look.”

He did as she asked, then followed her down the hallway to where the music thumped the loudest and into the main body of the club. Violet, blue, and magenta lights sprinkled in time with the heavy bass pulsing through the dance floor.

Well, shit. A smile ghosted his lips and his brow lifted.

Per the usual, his premier investment with the dragon was booming. And just as Erica had promised, costume-clad bodies shimmied to popular dance tunes around the club.

Supernaturals, out in the open, were mingling with humans and no one bat an eyelash. And when a mage—a real one—not the fake wizards dressed in long robes carrying pointy sticks, swirled his magic across a drink at the bar, the ball in Julius’s stomach unfurled and his smile grew wider.

Perhaps, Halloween wasn’t so bad after all.

He wouldn’t admit that fact within earshot of Erica, though. He’d mercilessly protested against this idea.

Erica watched his face glow at the realization.

“Told ya, you’d love it,” she whispered in his ear, sending shivers down his spine. He’d never get used to his mate’s presence so close to him—wrought with warmth and good feeling.

“I’m beginning to see an upside.” Julius looked down at his mate, and for more than a few seconds, wished they’d never left the penthouse.

Erica looked damned delicious dressed as a vampire-consort in a corseted gothic-style mini dress that barely hung past her ass. It was perfectly accentuated by tall black stilettos that had strings weaving up to her upper thighs. He loved her in those heels—hell, he loved to fuck her in them too. Her wavy blonde hair was pulled up into a high bun, revealing the bite he’d left on her neck. To add to the effect, she even told him to let her blood trickle from his marking.

His cock pushed against his pants as he let his eyes linger on her neck, then brushed down to her cleavage. His mate was walking sex tonight.

Yes, they should have never left home.

“Ooh, I love it when your eyes get all sparkly,” Erica leaned into him and kissed him on the cheek. Wanting much more than that, he turned his face to greet her lips, but she was already upright and leading him through the crowd.

Her delicate fingers intertwined with his and her sure steps made his vampire growl in appreciation. He loved her confidence and would follow her anywhere she led. But right now, it seemed she had other plans. He frowned.

Glancing up at the overlook, his feet faltered when she led him to the front bar instead of the VIP section he’d reserved for them tonight. He wanted to get up there as fast as humanly possible. Which apparently, was at a snail’s pace.

Erica paused when she caught his disappointment flash through their bond, then followed the trajectory of his gaze and chuckled. She sent back her patience.

“We’ll get there soon enough.” She resumed weaving them through an opening in the crowd and beelining to a woman with raven hair and piercings that cascaded down both ears.

Dressed as an angel, Erica’s best friend beamed when she saw them approach. The irony of her costume made him quirk an eyebrow. Marie may have been dressed like an angel, but she was anything but.

After all, she’d been the goading accomplice to the vandalistic act that left his car a wreck and she and Erica fleeing the scene. They’d destroyed it thinking it belonged to Erica’s ex. Not that the asshole didn’t deserve it. He deserved a lot more than a crushed car, but they’d wrecked the wrong one. Even so, in a strange way Julius was thankful for it. The act brought him and Erica together. Yet, a modicum of pain still lingered. It was a beautiful car.

“Marie!” Erica shouted across the bar when they reached it. Rising on her tip-toes, Erica leaned against the bar to kiss her friend on both cheeks. Fortunately for him, the act hiked Erica’s skirt up an inch and caused the hem of the tulle to dance just underneath her ass. His fangs lengthened in time with his cock.

Desire raced through his veins as the pull of their bond brought him closer to her. Erica was at the perfect height for him to slip his cock in without anyone else noticing. Yet, Marie was speaking to them.

“Hey Babes. Julius. Or, I guess I should be calling you Mr. Craul while we’re in here since you’re technically my boss.”

“Julius is fine.” He smiled warmly, and Marie carried on.

“You guys are so stinking cute in your costumes. Best damn vampire couple of the night.”

Little did she know, he was a real one. It was one of the few secrets Erica kept from her best friend.

“Thanks.” He kept his smile pleasant, but didn’t resist the urge to press his cock against Erica’s ass. To his greatest delight, Erica stifled a moan as he wrapped around her and placed his hands on the bar on either side of hers.

“You should totally enter the costume contest. You’d win by a mile,” Marie suggested as she finished topping off the drinks of the couple beside them, then wiped her section of the bar clean.

By the gods, they needed to hurry this conversation up. More patience came through.

“Not this time,” he replied. “I might be accused of rigging the entire thing, given my status.”

“True that. Once you’re a co-owner, you lose certain perks. What can I get for you two tonight?” Marie asked placing two napkins on the freshly wiped bar top.

A closed mouth and a quiet booth so I can fuck my mate to pieces.

“I want something festive,” Erica glowed, pressing her ass against him, but instead of patience, she intensified his desire with a little shake of her ass. She was teasing him. “Have you perfected that candy corn martini yet?”

“You know I have. Don’t tell me you came in on your day off for this.” Marie frowned, but her eyes held nothing but affection for his mate.

“Of course, I did! How could I miss my favorite holiday of the year at the best place in town?”

That caught him. Christmas was her favorite holiday. Or… was. But when her fingers traced his knuckles, he knew her new found love for this day came because he could be seen as himself—a vampire.

“One candy corn martini coming right up. What about you?”

Julius eyed the mage. He would kill for a magicked drink from him. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a business card and a pen and scribbled two words on the back of it.

“Can you hand this to him?” He held the card out to Marie and nodded toward the mage.

“Sure thing.” After grabbing a bottle of fresh squeezed orange juice from under the bar, she took his card, walked over to the mage, tapped him on the shoulder then handed it to him.

For a second, the mage’s eyes went wide and he paled. Julius met his gaze and flashed his fangs with a slight nod. Their secrets would be safe with each other.

Visibly, the mage calmed and raced to finish the flame shots for the group in front of him before working on his drink order.

“What are you getting?” Erica asked, eyeing the blue and green magic swirling in the drink.

He leaned in and murmured against her neck. “You’ll see.”

Julius let his fangs scrape against her neck as they watched Marie make her drink. That earned him another shiver and her ass bucking up against his cock. He could smell how wet she was already.

Fighting the urge to sink his fangs into her was a test of his self-control, but he managed. As soon as they were in the overlook, he’d have his way with her.

His vampire agreed.

The mage poured grenadine down the side of his glass while Marie shook Erica’s drink in a glossy black cocktail shaker before straining it into a martini glass.

He took this opportunity to show Erica exactly why coming to the front bar was a waste of their time. He traced her thigh, then traveled up under her skirt. She squirmed.

A flash of desire careened through their bond. He smirked.

I take it, you like that. He spoke into her mind. The ability for mates to speak through their thoughts usually took years to develop, but he’d found that when they were in a heightened emotional state, it came easier for them.

Based on her reflection on the glass in front of them, Erica’s desire was holding on by a thread. She dutifully kept her face serene but the way her ass grinded on him, slow and rhythmic, reminded him of every time she was on top of him, riding out her orgasm.

By the gods, he wanted to give her one now.

Yet, the mage had finished his drink and used his magic to slide it in front of them. Julius couldn’t help the groan. He wanted to tease his mate more.

Erica’s eyes lit up and her back straightened as she eyed the lime-green drink smoking in front of her. “That looks good. Wait, we don’t make that. Did you order off menu?”

He loved his mate’s surprise. “I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t. It’s called a Wicked Vampire.”

She shook her head as if to say, ‘what am I to do with you?’ before asking, “What’s in it?”

“It’s Midori, triple sec, and a little lemon juice with a grenadine drip.”

Erica’s face scrunched as she thought over the ingredients. “Isn’t that a Witch’s brew?”

Technically the drink without the grenadine drip and the dose of magic would be, but he could improvise a drink if he wanted to. “With my additives, it’s now called a Wicked Vampire.”

Erica looked over her shoulder at him. Her scent blew in his direction, making his vampire curl. He steadied himself. “What else did he add besides grenadine?”

Meaning, what was the magic for?

“It’s an enhancer.”

She laughed incredulously and bucked her ass on him again. “Take it from me, you don’t need enhancements.”

I can barely keep up with your drive as it is. Her thoughts flashed through his head. He smirked, knowing she hadn’t meant for him to hear it but also because she’d always matched him in vigor when it came to affirming their bond magic.

“It’s not for performance. It’s for sensation.”

“Like this?” She pressed her ass against his cock again.

He groaned. Not that kind of sensation, but if it prompted his mate to do that, he’d let her think it was. She backed against him again, like she’d done when she was on all fours with her ass hiked in the air and taking him from behind.

Fuck, he was seconds away from pulling his cock out and filling her, but a martini glass filled with orange liquid, topped with whipped cream and candy corn pieces was placed in front of her.

“Enjoy!” Marie gave them a chuckle and a knowing shake of her head before heading to the next group.

Drinks in hand, they pulled away from the bar. Erica sipped her drink before her eyes lit up.

“I swear, she’s done it again. Marie is an amazing mixologist. Here, taste.”

Erica dipped a finger into the whipped cream and held it up to his lips. He took it in and flicked it with his tongue as if it were her clit. A pulse of her yearning flowed into him.

Hmm, he wondered how long she could stand his teasing before she burst.

“What do you think?” she asked as a distraction.

As sweet drinks go, it was beautifully balanced. Like an orange and cream popsicle.

“That is good,” he washed it down with his own drink. It was far less sweet, but touched the right place. For him, the mage’s magic would enhance the buzzing effects of the alcohol in this realm. Usually, it would take half a bottle to feel a buzz, but with the magic, he’d only need a single drink.

His mate took a final sip of her martini before discarding it on the tray of one of the bartenders floating through the crowd. She’d barely had any of it. She’d only ordered it to draw out her teasing.

“Come, let’s dance.”

He frowned again and couldn’t help but glance at the overlook.

“We’ll get there,” she promised. “I want to dance first.”

Erica swayed her hips back and forth to the music as fake fog rolled past their feet, then she guided them to the center of the dance floor to where the hazy fog was the densest.

Erica’s body snaked against him. The desire that was ever present in him sparked with new life. She felt incredible.

“You’re doing this on purpose,” his voice became hoarse as Erica slowly grinded to the music against his growing friend.

Spurts of pleasure sprayed like firecrackers through him.

“What do you mean?” Her feigned innocence made him chuckle. “I only want to dance.”

“We can dance up there, Erica,” he positioned her to face the overlook, and snaked a hand up her dress. Before he could get to her wet panties, she moved. He growled. “You’re teasing me. And you know what happens when you tease me.”

She twirled to face him, then purred. “I’m betting on it.

Author’s Note: Tease!!