Desires Unleashed (5 page)

“Hello?” The voice was breathless as if the person had run the hundred-meter dash or just had some really wild sex. She wasn't sure which one would be Annette's excuse. It wouldn't be the first time that Annette answered the phone in the middle of an unmentionable activity.

“Annette?” Natasha asked to make sure.

“Yeah, Natasha?! Girl, you had me running from the shower like I was going for the gold! What's up? It better be some good news!” Annette said as she returned to a normal breathing pace.

“Guess what?”

“What? Please tell me you got the job?!”

“I got the job!!!” The women screamed over the telephone so loudly, they both had to pull the phones away from their ears.

“Oh my God! Girl, I'm so happy for you! I knew if you got off your lazy ass, you could accomplish anything, even getting a job. So now, does this mean I can start borrowing back all the money your ass has borrowed from me?” Annette asked jokingly.

“Yeah, for sure! You've been the greatest, letting me move in with you and taking care of me. I'll never forget it, Annette,” Natasha said with the utmost sincerity. She silently vowed she would return the favor one day.

“Oh girl, don't mention it. You would have done the same for me,” Annette stated matter-of-factly. Natasha would have done the same for her and probably anyone else who was down on their luck who didn't pose a threat. Everyone who knew her called her a “bleeding heart”. She believed wholeheartedly in the golden rule. She always treated people the way she herself wanted to be treated. She also believed that if you do good on this earth, then you are bound to be granted numerous blessings. You just had to recognize the blessings when they came. She knew that getting this job at this time in her life was a blessing, just like meeting Annette at a Laundromat three years ago had been a blessing.

“Okay look, we have to celebrate! I'll be getting off tonight at 1 A.M. I don't care if you don't drink, tonight your punk ass is going to have at least one Long Island with me. Say, why don't you meet me at...” Annette thought about her friend's reluctance to delve in the underworld, she decided to choose a meeting place where Natasha could feel comfortable. “...Let's hook up at the
Slayer's Lair.
Cool?” The two women set their plan for that night. Natasha was content with celebrating at the
Slayer's Lair.
It was one of the few establishments that didn't let their greed blind them. They tried not to cater to “scum.”
Scum
meaning vampires, shape-shifters, supernatural groupies and whatever else fairytales are made of.

There was even a plaque on the wall outside of the popular dance club that stated the requirements for entry. The dress code alone was strict enough to scare off the groupies. All patrons who wanted to party the night away would have to be human and adhere to the dress code of “brightly colored clothes of considerable taste.” To wear all black was to be denied entry, the right was reserved. Natasha decided to go shopping for a brand new outfit for later that night. The outfit had to reflect her ecstatic mood. She was thinking along the lines of a white jean skirt and matching halter top. She hit Michigan Avenue to see what she could find. She walked up and down the crowded shopping district searching for her outfit. There were so many stores. Some of them carried high priced designer fashions while others were more reasonable and definitely affordable for Natasha. She entered those stores first.

She enjoyed shopping on Michigan Avenue, especially in the wintertime, like now. The streetlights were all decora
t
ed with yellow Christmas lights and green, red and silver tinsel. The department stores' windows all had festive displays or decorations, either displaying the nativity or Santa Claus out making his rounds. People were friendlier in the wintertime. She figured it was because December was the most giving holiday in the year. She passed a Salvation Army steward, dressed in an old and worn looking Santa suit, rattling his bell somewhat lazily. She assumed he had been out there for hours and was probably cold. She believed wholeheartedly that it was always better to give than to receive and now that she had a new job, it was time to spread the blessings. She walked over to the man, gave him a five dollar bill so he could get something to eat and put another five dollars in the little red metal pail as a donation.

She continued down the street until she saw what she wanted to wear in a store window. She knew it was cold outside,
but that is why you have a down coat,
she thought. Tonight she wanted to show off her new slimmer figure. She paid for her outfit, had something to eat and caught a movie. She looked at her watch, surprised at how fast time flew. The sun had already set; it was past five o'clock. The nights were coming faster and lasting longer now. She had to get back home and catch a “disco nap” before she got dressed to go out to celebrate her new job.

CHAPTER 3

M
aster, I've counted the bank from last night five times and I still come up with the same total. We're short from last night's profits one-thousand, five-hundred and sixty dollars. You want me to call Anthony and tell him to come in tonight so that you can speak with him?” asked the slender vampire as he knelt on one knee in the middle of his Master's office. His beautiful blue eyes were hidden behind the veil of his long blonde bangs. He was apprehensive about the outcome. He was hoping that he would not be blamed for this blunder; he
was
the night manager at
Desires Unleashed,
but he could not see all.

Darian lay stretched out on his back on the black suede sofa. His fingers lay interlocked on his chest. His legs crossed at the ankles allowing his feet to rest elevated on the armrest of the sofa. An expression of sheer amusement spread across his face as he gazed at the dimmed lights hanging from the ceiling. His second-in-command and lover, Xavier, sat on the armrest nearest his head. One leg crossed over the other and both hands resting in his lap. He shifted his position a bit to glance down at Darian and smiled. He knew what this powerful master vampire clad in a black silk shirt and pants was going to do to this individual, this fool who dared to steal from him. Xavier reflected on Anthony's predicament. Not only was Anthony a moron for trying to steal from his boss, but he was beyond the norm of idiocy for trying to steal a measly $1,560 from a master vampire. Especially one with Darian's reputation.
What the hell was the sixty bucks for anyway?

Xavier reached over towards Darian's face, removing the wavy lock of jet-black hair blocking his view of those gorgeous forest green eyes, accented by thick, perfectly arched, black eyebrows. Darian's
eyes held a depth that could be both dramatic and sensual. Xavier had never seen eyes that shade of green before. In the beginning, when Xavier had first become a vampire, it had unnerved him. As time moved on, he began to notice a lot of vampires' features were extraordinary compared to mortals. Some vampires, especially powerful ones, were well known for having rare and exotic eye color that captured those who dared look in them. Darian had told him the color of his eyes was natural, however the effect his eyes had on others was what made them exotic...supernatural. In addition to a set of knock-out eyes, powerful vampires had hair as soft as a newborn baby and skin just as smooth and silky. Xavier relished the feel of Darian's skin against his. The sensation of their fingers caressing each other's most sensitive zones, the very thought of it sent goose bumps to the surface of his skin.

He broke his gaze from Darian's eyes. Though no spell was cast, just one look into those eyes, one glance at those full luscious lips and double dimpled smile sent a rush of desire through his body. It made his mouth water. Made the bloodlust rise to a boiling point. At this stage, he would want nothing more than to be thrown to the floor, his black leather jacket ripped from his back, followed by his gray ribbed sweater and boot cut blue jeans. His underwear would be last, his lover would take those off slowly to feed his lust, to add anticipation for the indescribable pleasure that would soon follow.

No, he had to get back on track. Back to the seriousness of the situation at hand. Sometimes he resented moments where just one look at Darian or just hearing Darian's voice could make him feel like a newly born fledgling, consumed with desire for his master's touch. Well, one thing was certain, he was no longer a new born fledgling. Darian smiled at Xavier as if he had just read his mind, which he could easily do.

There are two bonds vampires shared, a mental and blood bond. The mental bond between master and fledgling varied in a matter of stages. When a fledgling is first reborn, the master can mentally manipulate the fledgling to help train and guide them. Over time, the strength of that bond fades out completely as the master ceases to control the fledgling. However, the ability to read each others' thoughts is shared between all vampires, unless the more powerful vampire blocks the connection. The exception to this bond lies with the most powerful of vampires. These ancient vampires have the ability to control vampires weaker than themselves. They have mastered their telepathic power enough to bypass natural bonds. The blood bond, on the other hand, is forever. It is a bond that can be manipulated to increase a vampire's strength or to heal and nourish. Vampires of the same bloodline can share blood for the healing power and to increase strength. Any vampire can share blood for nourishment and pleasure. Pleasure could be shared by all bloodsuckers. The taking and giving of blood from one vampire to another was orgasmic. The stronger the vampire sharing the union, the more pleasurable the entire experience.

Only the blood of a direct line can work a certain magic. Darian was extremely particular when it came to sharing his blood. He would make certain that whomever he would share with would be his lover in both flesh and blood. He also demanded a certain allegiance for such an offer, which he did not make lightly.

He lay there on the expensive sofa, never moving from his comfortable position, and began to speak. “John, please do call in our little Anthony. Tell him Richard took the day off and he is needed to fill the time slot. Inform him he will be paid time-and-a-half for the double shift.” He turned his head slightly to set his gaze on the kneeling vampire. “When he arrives, bring him to me. Do not allow him to escape. Do I make myself clear?” His voice was low and masculine. One could hear the vibrations of each syllable, every word laced with a trace of his Greek accent.

“Yes Master, crystal.” John bowed slightly, rose and left the room. Xavier watched John Fallon leave and he rose from the armrest. He walked over to the three-hundred gallon fish tank filled with piranhas built into the wall behind a huge desk. He had admitted to Darian that he loved this office. The floors were black and red marble, with a thick black, gray and blood red art
deco
area rug covering the middle of the floor. The rug itself was a pleasure to walk on, with or without shoes.

There was a three-sectioned black marble desk with carvings of ancient Greek mythological gods on each leg. It reminded Xavier of carved pillars. The black leather chair behind the desk reclined and was temperature controlled. One of the walls had a painted mural of an ancient city being burned to the ground of what he was told was the last hours of Troy. Another wall was made up of twenty-five fifteen inch television screens. Each screen could work individually as a security monitor or all screens could work collectively as a computer monitor or an extra large screen television.

Darian had spared no expense when it came to the state-of-the-art sound system. He had hired a contractor to rig up his office and install a
5.0 Digitex
digital surround sound speaker system. The system was compatible with the television screens and computer as well as a stand alone audio system. Not only was his office a technological and artistic paradise, everything was voice controlled all the way down to the lighting system. There was also a remote control on standby, just in case fifty-five thousand dollars went wrong.

“I think I will feed the fish now,” Xavier said. He knew Darian wouldn't care, both men delighted in watching the piranhas tear chunks of flesh to bits and pieces then devour them. Xavier walked through the doorway leading to the feeding compartment of the tank. He located the cooler and pulled out a ten pound chunk of meat, still dripping with blood. Climbing the ladder, he opened the top of the tank, dangled the meat over the water letting the drops of blood tempt the fish. He dodged the lunging predators as they gathered for the prize. After a while, he dropped the meat into the tank, watching with perverse fascination. He enjoyed the feeding frenzy. There was a certain respect he had for anything that enjoyed the taste of fresh blood.

Nature didn't have to worry about the laws of man. Darian had been most sour when the bills were passed concerning vampires. He felt that vampires were the superior beings to both mankind and shape-shifters. He was resentful of the supernatural council for siding with the U.S. government and creating laws that only supernaturals had to abide by. He, along with other vampires, didn't like being monitored. He did not appreciate that vampires were being forced to abide by laws that protected others who chose to discriminate. Xavier remembered hearing Darian complaining about how foolish mankind was, how utterly naive to believe that they really had the supernatural race under control. He would play along with their delusions as long as
they
didn't interfere with him. Xavier came back into the room, looking at Darian, who was still in the same position as before. His eyes were closed. He looked content.