The Lady Has Needs (3 page)

“I’m not afraid of her,” Jonathan said. “In fact, I find her enchanting, but I’m already in a committed relationship and Magda would pull off my head.”

Dominick tried not to laugh. He’d met the Alpha female before and Jonathan wasn’t kidding. She was one bad bitch.

“Back to this Lillian person,” Cyril said. “Is she a hunter or a scientist? I’m confused.”

It took a lot to get to Cyril, but Dominick could tell his sire was interested in the information.

“She’s a scientist who was trained by her father to be a hunter. Apparently, she’s not keen on destroying us. Instead, she has been working on a cure for lycanthropy and the vampire syndrome. I’ve also heard that she has developed a synthetic blood that tastes close enough to the real thing to keep you guys in line.”

Dominick could vouch for the stuff. It invigorated him.

Cyril frowned. “I like the real stuff.”

“Her blood is pretty sweet,” Dominick said.

“You bit her?” Jonathan asked.

Dominick nodded. “I’m a vampire. That is what I do.”

“No wonder she hit you,” Jonathan said. “I’m surprised she didn’t cut your head off. She has quite a temper on her.”

“She did threaten to stick a stake in me,” Dominick said with a smile.
And she’s not bad with a whip.

Cyril glared at him again.

Oops.
He’d momentarily forgotten that his sire could read his mind if he left it open to him.

“Why are you joking about such things,” Cyril said. “The woman sounds dangerous.”

“I’m not afraid of her,” Dominick said. “In fact, she has invited me to the lab so she can give me blood.”

“You better hope she doesn’t poison you,” Cyril said.

“She won’t,” Dominick said. In fact, he felt refreshed after being with her.

Cyril continued to watch him.

“Lillian was supposed to come to our meeting this week, but cancelled,” Jonathan said.

Once a week, the preternatural community met at a private hall in eastern New Orleans to discuss things pertaining to them. Jonathan was president of the organization and often passed down punishment for those that disobeyed the rules. Cyril was also on the board of directors, but he hardly ever attended the meetings. Halloween was rapidly approaching, which meant this meeting would be important. It was the one time of year that most of the preternaturals looked forward to. This year it fell on a Saturday and there was a predicted full moon, which meant Jonathan would be busy trying to control his pack members.

“Why was she going to attend the meeting?” Cyril asked.

“To introduce her new synthetic blood to the community,” Jonathan said. You’ll get the chance to meet her next Saturday at Julius’s party,” Jonathan said to them.

“I’ll be there,” Dominick said. Not for the blood but to see the lovely Lillian again.

“I can’t make any promises,” Cyril said.

Dominick smirked to himself. If he was putting in an appearance, Cyril would certainly show up too. Cyril was a bit overly protective of him and his other spawns.

Jonathan finished his drink and decided to leave. “The meeting will begin at ten o’clock sharp. Don’t be late.” He rose and Cyril stood up too. He walked Jonathan to the door while Dominick stayed in the parlor finishing his drink.

Cyril returned several minutes later, glaring at him. “Are you crazy? What were you thinking biting that woman and not destroying her?”

Cyril always thought he took too many chances with his life. “Do I interfere with the creatures that you date?” Dominick asked. He and Cyril were no longer lovers.

“No,” Cyril said. “I know you’ve been with her. I can smell her scent all over you.”

Dominick hadn’t showered before he left Lillian in his haste to make it to the mansion before Cyril put out an all points bulletin for him. “She is unlike no woman that I’ve ever met,” Dominick confessed. “I think you would like her.” He had the feeling that Lillian would like Cyril too, even though he was totally arrogant and always wanted to be in charge.

“I’ll see,” Cyril said.

“And that stuff she created isn’t bad either. In fact, I liked the taste of it.”

Cyril hissed at him. “One of these days someone is going to poison you.”

Dominick rose from his chair. There was no known drug that could harm them. “Ouch,” he said rubbing his tender behind.

“What’s wrong with you?” Cyril asked as he followed Dominick out of the room.

“I got spanked for being naughty,” Dominick said.

“She’s a spanker?” Cyril asked with a little too much interest.

Dominick nodded. “You should see her arsenal. Very impressive.”

He felt the desire flowing through Cyril as they left the house to go check up on their hotels and night club. Lillian was going to knock Cyril off of his high horse.

§§§

The scent of the woman was all over Dominick when he arrived. No doubt she was a human. Cyril could tell this from the chemicals that she used to cleanse her body…the coconut scented shampoo and conditioner, the honey almond lotion and the baby powder scented vaginal deodorant. His well-trained nose had detected all of it plus he knew for a fact that preternatural females weren’t meticulous when it came to their body odors. Human females he had discovered were much more attentive to detail when it came to themselves. Most of them lived in beauty parlors and those popular nail places, and a lot of them were now taking up space in the local gyms keeping their bodies in shape. Not that he minded the extra effort, but he couldn’t trust a human female because they were always trying to outdo themselves. Oh yes, he’d seen a few of those horrendous reality shows before. Either they were married to a rich man or they had their sights set on marrying one. Oh no, not him. He was much too smart to be trapped by a pretty face and he hadn’t maintained his bachelorhood for eight-hundred and fifty years by being stupid.

On the other hand, Dominick, his creation and best friend, was either going to get his heart stomped on by this new woman in his life or he was going to end up marrying the wench and siring a couple of little ankle-biters of his own. And though he had tried for centuries to teach Dominick that women couldn’t be trusted, he still fell in and out of relationships that always ended with them finding out that he was a vampire and wanting no part of him. Cyril hoped his ex-lover would just keep his dick in his pants from now on.

“What’s wrong with you?” Dominick asked as they rode in the backseat of Cyril’s chauffeured-driven town car.

“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about what Jonathan said about that scientist.”

“What about her?” Dominick asked.

“I was wondering if she is indeed trying to help us out or if this is a well thought out plan to destroy all of us.”

“I’d be the first to admit that Lillian is a little bit different from any woman I’ve ever met, but she doesn’t strike me as some fiend just waiting in the wings to destroy all vampires.”

“That’s because you’ve fucked her. Your emotions have been dulled by what is known as the power of the pussy.”

Dominick scowled at him. “How do you come up with these things?”

“I’ve been around a lot longer than you Nick, and all females, no matter what species, are conniving and manipulative and will use sex as a way to bring males to their knees. But that will never happen to me because I am too smart,” he bragged.

“Is that why you prefer the company of men sometimes?” Dominick asked.

“No, we’re manipulative too, but on a much smaller scale than females. Males just want sex, where females want relationships.” He shuddered.

“And a stiff dick up your ass every now and then gives you the best of both worlds?”

Cyril nodded. “Yes.” He wasn’t a bit ashamed of his sexuality. He just loved sex. It didn’t matter if the partner was male or female just as long as it felt good. Cyril frowned. But it had been a long time since he’d had sex or a lover to share his time with.

“I hope I’m still around in the future when that one female comes along who knocks you off your high horse and gets you to the altar,” Dominick said.

Cyril laughed. “Preposterous. That is never going to happen. I would throw myself on a stake after killing you first.”

Dominick frowned. “Why would you kill me first?”

“Because it will probably be your fault for letting me fall in love in the first place. Your mission in life is to stop me from doing stupid things.”

“Is that why you bit me?” Dominick asked.

At times, Dominick was like a great big old handsome teddy bear with fangs. “No, I needed a companion. I took one look at you on that fishing dock centuries ago and thought he’s the one.”

Dominick scoffed. “You probably got a good look at my ass and thought hot damn he’s fine.”

Cyril laughed. Dominick had quite the sense of humor. “It was twelve-hundred and eighty-five. I don’t think he’s fine was in anyone’s vocabulary.”

“But it’s true, isn’t it?” Dominick asked.

“Yes, I’ll admit that I was drawn to all your muscles and that nice ass, but you’ve grown on me over the years.”

“So, you’re not going to interfere in my relationship with Lillian?”

“I didn’t say that,” Cyril said. “I will not hesitate to take that bitch down if I get one sign that she wants to betray us.”

“But you haven’t even met her yet, Cyril. Believe me, you’ll like her.”

“I doubt that,” Cyril said. “You know I’m not crazy about mortals.” He straightened his suit coat and brushed an imaginary piece of lint from the thigh of his trousers. “She’ll be at Julius’s party. I’ll get to meet her then. So, try not to fall in love with her so soon.”

“I won’t,” Dominick said. “Lillian doesn’t seem like the settling down type.” He chuckled weakly. “She reminds me a lot of you.”

“You mean she’s a snazzy dresser and knows how to rock your world?”

“No,” Dominick said. “She knows her way around a man’s body and she’s not afraid to ask for what she wants.”

“Is that how you see me?” Cyril asked.

“Not so much now-a-days, but it’s how you used to be. Now, all you care about are the hotels and your other businesses,” Dominick said.

Cyril turned to Dominick. “Money means power and don’t you forget it. Without it, we’re just like any other run of the mill vampire who is just out to suck the world dry. Money buys respect and there’s not a mother-fucker in Louisiana who is making it rain like us…not even Julius.”

“But he is the leader of the southern vampire clan,” Dominick reminded him. “That means he’s pretty powerful too.”’

“Yes, yes, I know this,” Cyril said. “But he’s not my leader or yours. Remember that. He might be ruling supreme in the south, but he’s no match for Giovanni.”

Cyril got angry just thinking his sire’s name. The vampire was the epitome of evil. Sometimes it seemed like it had just happened yesterday. The two of them had met and fallen in love. Or so he thought. His turning had been quite painful. Cyril had never forgotten or forgiven Giovanni for doing that to him. That wasn’t love. Love was never supposed to hurt. Giovanni had killed Cyril’s parents first because they wouldn’t accept their relationship. Then, Giovanni had captured Cyril, bound him, and then subjected him to every deviant sexual act known to man at that time. He had literally fucked him until his ass bled. Then, that bastard bit him and took his humanity. It wasn’t until Cyril happened upon Dominick several years later that he actually felt happiness again. Cyril hadn’t seen Giovanni in a hundred years, not since Cyril had taken Dominick and left Wales to get away from him. But he knew his sire was still out there somewhere ruining other lives and probably searching for him. Cyril would be ready for him this time.

The driver pulled over to the curb and Cyril and Dominick got out in front of the Saint Louis Street Hotel that Cyril owned.

“We won’t be long,” he told the driver.

He and Dominick entered the hotel and stayed just long enough to find out if the managers needed anything and to make sure everything was running smoothly. After visiting the other two hotels and popping in at the casino, they finally ended up at Club Serenity.

The night club was jumping as usual for a Friday night. Women literally threw themselves at Dominick the minute he stepped through the door.

Cyril went to the back office to look over the books while Dominick danced and entertained his guests. This happened every time. Dominick got to have fun while he slaved over the books, took care of the bills, and made sure the bars were stocked. Cyril really didn’t mind. He wasn’t exactly a people-person and he had to fight his natural urge to suck all of them dry.

Chapter Three

Oh my gawd, I’m so sore.
Lillian sat up in the bed when the alarm went off. It was Saturday morning already and she had a thousand things to do before attending the annual spring ball given by the illustrious and utterly boring Julius McMahon. She hated the man with a passion because he never did anything to improve the conditions of his people. His entire world revolved around him and he didn’t even seem to care that his folks were breaking the rules and still biting and creating more vampires. If something wasn’t done soon Louisiana would be overrun by blood suckers. That was one of the reasons behind her creation, New Life. If the vampires had a more readily available supply of synthetic blood then they would leave the humans alone. It was logically possible for them to co-exist in the world with mortals if they stopped biting them. Of course, they still would not be able to go out into direct sunlight without turning into a crispy critter, but they would no longer have the urge to attack unsuspecting citizens.

Lillian touched her neck. It had been a week since she’d been bitten by Dominick and she hadn’t seen or heard from his ass. Since then, she had dug around to try to find out as much as she could about him. So far, she had learned that he wasn’t part of Julius’s clan. That was a plus in his favor. And that his partner Cyril Kent lived very close to her in eastern New Orleans. Both of them apparently kept a low profile and had a decent relationship with her good friend Jonathan Meyers. Lillian liked Jonathan. He was a good guy even though he was a wolf. But he was having a bit of trouble controlling the younger wolves because drugs were so accessible and some of the wolves were not only using them but selling them too. But she couldn’t fight all the battles.