Bitten by the Beast (Virgin Blood 1)

“I’m going to the city with Ravana,” I say and follow her to the front door.

“Tell your sister I said hello, and I hope you have a nice night. Looks like it might rain.”

She’s met Ravana on several occasions and seems to talk up a storm with her. But my sister is always careful with how much she reveals about her own past so that it doesn’t give away inconsistencies with my own. She’s my sister because we were made by the same vampire—the leader of our coven. But in actuality, Ravana is about seventy years younger than me.

We make small talk until we walk outside and she gets in the back of the car. I nod to the driver and tell her goodnight. It’s Friday, she’s the only staff allowed to come and go on the weekends. My other staff is off on the weekends. I prefer the solitude as much as possible.

I go to my office and meet with my security and groundskeeper. When they’re finished updating me, they leave for home. I watch out the window as they all drive away and watch the sun fully set. When I’m sure I’m alone I go to the kitchen and put the food Mora made me down the disposal.

Vampires are nothing like in the movies. Even now when a vampire movie comes out, Ravana and I like going just so we can laugh at what people have come up with. Some of the rumors are true, like not going out in the daylight. But others are blatantly made up. We don’t have fangs or sleep in coffins. Although I do have razor-sharp incisors and like a good nap just as much as the next guy. But the biggest misconception is that we need blood to survive.

When I was changed I was given all the venom I needed to live for two hundred years. That’s the lifespan of an unmated vampire. The only thing we need to keep us immortal is the venom of our true mate. Once we have that, we can both live forever. But if we never find the one in two hundred years, then we die.

I walk out of the kitchen and into the formal living room. From there is a set of French doors that lead onto a balcony. It overlooks the pristine rose garden that I’ve heard is beautiful in the light of day. Maybe I’m making excuses, but I love the way they look at night. The dark reds and pinks glow in the moonlight. It’s so fragrant and inviting that it’s probably my favorite part of living here. But the thought of who will be here after I’m gone makes me sad. Will they love it as I do?

I hear a car pull up in the distance and check my watch. Ravana must be early.

I turn and walk towards the front of the house, but I hear more than one set of feet and stop. I close my eyes and listen carefully to the sounds of people coming towards the gate. I can make out what I think are four people, so I slowly move from the window and stare out into the darkness. It’s too far for me to clearly see what they’re doing, but I can hear their conversation.

I let out a frustrated sound when I hear them talk about a sorority and this being part of their initiation. There’s a college nearby and every few years they get a wild hair up their ass and think this is the place to prove their worth. I’m exhausted with humans lately, and this is just icing on the proverbial shit cake. I’m not putting up with this anymore.

I can hear one of them begin to scale the gate as I walk into my office and check the security screens. It’s a young woman, and her face is turned away from the camera so I can’t see what she looks like. I pick up my phone to call the police when I see her friends back away from the gate. They’re leaving her? I put down the phone as I watch the young woman clench her fists and turn towards the house. She walks up the hill as her friends scurry back to their car parked on the other side of the road and I hear an engine start.

“Cowards,” I say to myself and decide against calling the cops.

I’ll tell the girl to leave and that I’m going to press charges if she comes back. If she’s like the rest of the people who try to come on my property, a little threat goes a long way.

When I hear her footsteps on the front porch, I walk out of my office and to the front door. The scent of roses overwhelms me and my legs become heavy. I must have left the balcony doors open and the wind has blown the scent in. But it’s never affected me like this before. My head is dizzy and it’s like someone just turned on the heat. I can feel my skin getting hotter and with every step I take towards the front door, all of my senses heighten.