The Vampire's Pet: Part One

“Shut the fuck up, MacLaughlan,” the man holding him growled and struck Kier again, knocking Kier’s head aside with a terrible sound. Kier’s eyes remained closed and he slumped for a moment but then seemed to regain his composure. He was able to walk and together, the five of us went past Chelsea’s bedroom.

“I’m taking this one as booty,” one of the men said from inside her bedroom. He hauled Chelsea out of the bed and threw her over his shoulder as well.

“No,” I called out. “Please, leave her!”

“Shut up, bitch,” the man holding me said and shook me hard.

“Leave the girls,” Kier said once more, this time his voice sounding conspiratorial. “My brother knows I’m here and it’s only a matter of time that he figures out who has me captive and comes for me. We can work out some kind of financial arrangement. Whatever your master is paying you, I’ll pay you more.”

The man holding him laughed out loud. “Who the fuck do you think hired us?”

Kier was silent for a moment. It was then I figured out what the man meant. Kier’s brother hired them.

“Then why are you using force?” Kier said, for he hadn’t figured it out.

“Your dear brother was the one who put you away in the first place,” the man said. “He’s now the big cheese in your family business and prince of the city. Guess he wanted you out of the way so he could take over while your father slept. Take the business in the direction he wanted it to go.”

I felt a stab of fear in my gut at that revelation. Whoever these men were, they meant Kier harm. Although I had only known him for a few days, and although he was a vampire who could kill me easily, I felt afraid for him. I felt afraid for Chelsea.

I felt afraid for myself.

Before we left, one of the guards took Kier into the guesthouse where he dressed in his clothing. I did as well, pulling on my sundress and sandals. They took Chelsea as she was, in her babydoll pajamas. Kier wanted her to stay asleep and so he didn’t awaken her. He argued with the guards but they finally agreed that it might make the trip easier without another mortal to control.

We were forced into the SUV and the guards threw a black hood over Kier’s head and fastened his arms with zip ties.

The trip took several hours, during which time I sat on the floor in the back of a van and felt every bump in the road. Although blindfolded, I could feel Chelsea lying on the floor beside me. She was still asleep and I thought she was the lucky one, unaware of what was happening. They blindfolded me and then I was unaware of where we went for the rest of the trip.

I figured that some kind of commando squad came for us and captured us – like something I would see in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Did Kier’s brother arrange to have him captured? For what purpose?

The drive seemed to take hours, but finally, the truck stopped and I heard the crunch of someone’s boots on gravel and the side door to the van slid open. Cool air brushed my face and it was a relief after being in the cramped and hot back of the van for several hours.

Someone grabbed me under my arms, which were handcuffed behind me and pulled me unceremoniously out of the van. I stumbled and almost fell to my knees, but strong arms held me up.

“Watch it,” a gruff voice said and I stood there, unable to see anything but darkness. I felt completely upended, and helpless. The men spoke about taking Chelsea inside and someone took my arm and walked me slowly up some steps, and inside a building.

The cool air of shade was a relief. Cement floors were smooth under my feet. Were we in some kind of warehouse?

Finally, I entered a bright room and was plunked down onto a chair.

“Sit there and don’t move,” a gruff voice commanded.

Where the heck am I going to go?

“Where are we?”

“Shut up,” the voice said. “No talking.”

/> I bit my bottom lip and waited. I heard noise around me, the scratch of heavy furniture on the floor, which was cool under my bare feet. A door opened and in swept someone. I could tell by the scent that it was a man. I could smell his cologne from where I sat.

I heard a chair scrape across the floor and I felt as if the man was sitting across from me.

Someone pulled the blindfold off my head and I blinked in the brightness, my eyes not yet used to the light.

Across from me sat a very handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes. By his pale skin, I could see he was a vampire. His hair was shorn almost to his skull on the sides but longer on top. His square jaw and muscles suggested he was a fighter or soldier. Kier lay on a couch beside me and I couldn’t see Chelsea anywhere.

“Hello, beautiful,” the man said and I jerked my head back to look in his eyes. He smiled slowly. “So you’re Kier’s pet?”