Bitten By The Bad Boy: A Bad Boy Vampire Romance (5 page)

“We’re going back tonight.” Bree’s eyes flashed. “We’ll figure this out, whatever he did to you, we’ll get answers.”

“Yeah.” Reina beamed. “We’ll make that hot piece of ass talk to us one way or another. Or,” she added deviously, “at least Bree can get something out of the sexy lady manager!”

Bree glared at Reina. “Har. Har.”

“What? We need answers and I bet that platinum blonde waif would spill the beans after a few short minutes with you, B.” Reina purred. “You’ve got mad skills.”

Chapter Five

“You can do this, Kyra.” Reina nudged her lightly in the ribs with her elbow. “We’re right here with you.”

Kyra surveyed the outside of the club as she stood there, arm in arm with her two best friends, just like they had a few nights prior. But everything seemed different now. Hell, everything was different. The club looked less uniform than it had the other night. The developer had not done as good of a job restoring the warehouse as she’d thought, there were sections that were definitely made of new brick and mortar that she hadn’t noticed before.

It sounded different. She could hear the buzz of the neon lights over the thumping techno of the club inside. Most importantly, as Kyra stood flanked by her best friends, the club smelled different. A mixture of sweat and sex and most alluring, blood. She still didn’t feel the need to bite her friends, not even when Reina leaned over her to put the finishing touches on her makeup.

Not even when they rode together, smashed into the back seat of the cab, so close that she could not just smell her friends’ blood, but feel their pulses.
Hello, weird world of newbie vampires, thy
name is Kyra Donovan
. She smirked at her inner commentary as the trio approached the VIP entrance.

“You’ll have to wait in line.” The gruff dismissal of the linebacker sized bouncer drew a haughty sigh from Reina.

“We didn’t have to wait before.” She pouted flirtatiously with the mountain of a man.

The bouncer avoided making eye contact as if expecting the attempt and fearing he’d succumb to it. “I wasn’t here before, I am now. You wait with the rest.”

Bree started to lead Kyra and Reina toward the long line of faceless wannabes when a somewhat familiar voice intervened. “Wait. Let them through.” Kyra peered around the meaty gatekeeper to find Liv peeking out the door at them. She winked at Kyra and opened the door wider.

The bouncer bowed his head to the tiny woman and allowed Kyra and her friends to pass. She thanked Liv as they scuttled past her into the club. Liv caught up with her, took her by the arm, and led the way to the VIP room. Kyra tried to ask questions on the way but Liv ignored her. Once safely inside the quieter sub-room, Liv finally responded. “He’s at his usual table. I’ll keep your friends company but you’re going to have to keep it low key. I don’t want to be repairing any more walls.”

“Fair enough.” Kyra nodded her assent and made for the back table. She glanced back once to see Liv engaged in conversation with Bree. Reina had been right after all.

“I told you not to come back.” His words drifted across the room before she’d even made it to his table.

She slid into the booth across from him. “I guess I don’t listen very well.”

“You should have listened this time.” He glared at her, lips barely moving.

Kyra had a flash memory of what those lips felt like, a shiver went down her spine.
Dammit,
keep cool
she thought. “You did this to me.” Kyra accused. She dug her nails into her palms to settle her electrified body. “You at least owe me some answers.”

“I owe you nothing.” His jaw clenched.

“You did this to me,” Kyra repeated. She tried desperately to remember what she’d practiced with Reina. It was hard to think with him so close.

“No, I didn’t.” He countered, “just because you got mixed up with some bad people who apparently did things to you does not mean you can come in here and accuse me of being the villain.”

“There’s been only you, asshole.” Kyra felt her anger flare and struggled to get a handle on it. What the hell was going on with her emotions?

“Trouble handling your feelings, girlie?” His words were filled with mirth. She loved the way his eye danced, crinkled in the corners as he tried to suppress his amusement.

“What did you do to me?” Kyra attempted another approach.

He took a gulp from his glass and gestured to the bar for more. “Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that I did something to you. What is it that you think I did?”

“You made me a vampire.” Kyra felt foolish speaking the words out loud. She’d practiced that line with Reina in the mirror a few dozen times but it still sounded ridiculous. At least she remembered that one.

His eyes narrowed and he studied her silently for several minutes. “You fed. Shit. You did, didn’t you?” He ran his hands through his long hair, seemingly rattled for a moment, then the stoic coldness returned. “You must have caught the eye of somebody else in town. You shouldn’t be here. If somebody turned you then they will be expecting you and if they find you here, it will start a war. You need to leave.”

“Why won’t you listen to me?” Kyra growled. She had to explain to him, he had to hear her. “I haven’t been with anybody else, only you. I’ve only been with you, that one night. You bit me and things got weird and then I woke up with blood all over myself this morning and then I had fangs and the sun burned me and now I’m here because I need to know what to do to go back to how I was.”

She sounded like a little girl talking her way out of being grounded. Or worse, she sounded like the college version of herself trying to talk her way out of that night at the Kappa house. Kyra clamped down on those memories. No, she wasn’t going there.

He laughed. He actually laughed at her. His laugh sounded beautiful, melodic. No. No it isn’t. Kyra chastised herself. “It isn’t funny,” she commented stubbornly.

“Ah, but it is.” His eyes flashes silver, even in the shadows. “Once you’ve fed there is no going back. If my kind bites you, you’ll get a few days of extra energy and strength and the like but if you don’t feed you will gradually regress to your original state. But, if you feed then there’s no going back.”

Kyra wanted to cry. “What?” She managed to eke out, her voice cracked as she uttered it.

“You should go find your sire, girlie.” His face almost registered pity, but not quite.

“I’m looking at him,” Kyra responded stubbornly.

“I. Did. Not. Bite. You.” He stared at her, eyes hard. “Now go back to your lonely little life, museum girl.” He stood and left her there.

She tried to follow but failed miserably. It seemed as if he disappeared into thin air. Was that something vampires could do? Was that how he got out of her room the other night? Kyra fought back tears as she searched the room for him. Finally, she thought of a different approach, gave up and sought out her friends in hopes that Liv could help.

“But, if he did it, then he owes her, right?” Bree questioned Liv as Kyra approached their high-top table.

“Yeah, if he’s her sire, then that’s how it works.” Liv shrugged.

“He is.” Kyra chimed in. Liv, Bree, and Reina turned to face her.

Liv sighed. “Patton is really a good man, he just forgets it sometimes.”

“He’s an asshole.” Kyra muttered. “He told me to go back to my lonely life.” Then it dawned on her. “Wait, he called me museum girl. How did he know that?”

Liv pushed out the empty chair at their table and gestured for Kyra to sit. “Let me tell you a little story, sis.” She bared her own fangs for Kyra to see - shiny, white and sharp.

“I didn’t see that coming,” Reina interjected. “So are you all vampires? Is this like a vampire club or something?” Reina looked impressed more than anything.

Liv grinned. “Yes and no. About half of our staff are our kin in some fashion or other, but the others are humans. Patton likes to establish legitimate businesses whenever we start up in a new city, just so we don’t step on any toes before we can establish ourselves. Clubs allow us the opportunity to blend in with the community. Nobody asks why we don’t attend day time events when we are always at the club late and our VIP room gives us the chance to network with all of the big players in town. See, it works.”

“Makes sense.” Reina nodded. She opened her mouth to ask something else but Kyra gave her a warning look. “Oh, right, not the answers we need. Sorry, Kyra.”

“So, how did this happen to me?” Kyra asked.

“Well, that’s a strange story.” Liv began, “it started weeks ago when you hosted that Furry Friends Fundraiser at the museum. It was an evening gala so Patton and I attended. He was quite taken with you. Honestly, I didn’t see the draw, no offense. But, he did. Something about you spoke to him and he had to talk to you and he did. You spent most of the evening together in a quiet corner.”

“I would remember something like that.” Kyra argued. “That’s ridiculous.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Liv explained, “He compelled you to forget. Patton is very good at compelling. He’s not so good at letting go, though. He had you followed for weeks after that. I’ve never seen him like that. But, he kept his distance until you showed up here the other night.”

“Whoa. That’s intense.” Reina blurted out. 

“It’s a vampire thing.” Liv shrugged. “We kind of feel things more intensely than humans do. You get used to it.”

“Then why did he stalk me?” Kyra asked.

“He didn’t. Not really.” Liv defended her boss. “He just wanted you watched, to make sure you were alright. It did not make him happy when you were forced to take vacation. Patton just wanted to protect you. It’s kind of flattering in a way, isn’t it?”

“Oh yeah, like a real world fairy tale.” Kyra bit out sarcastically, “stalk me, wipe my memory, take me home, leave me wondering what happened and best of all, turn me into an undead blood-sucking fiend then deny you did it at all. What a great guy.”

“It wasn’t like that.” Liv pleaded.  “He danced with you that night hoping you would recognize him, remember something. If your feelings for him were strong enough then they would break through and you would remember. If that happened, then he probably would have turned you. But, it didn’t.”

“Then why did he bite me?” Kyra probed. “Seriously, this whole story is insane.”

“I think maybe he couldn’t help himself when you were together and it just happened.” Liv posited. “I don’t know for sure because I wasn’t there but when he came back that night he was different. Something happened between you two and he hasn’t been the same since. I really don’t think he remembers doing it.”

“Awesome.” Kyra muttered. “He was obsessed with me but now he wants nothing to do with me. What a great guy.”

“It’s not like that.” Liv reached out to touch her arm but Kyra pulled away and slipped out of her chair.

“I don’t give a shit what it’s like. He made it very clear he wants nothing to do with me. Apparently there are other vampires out there who can tell me what I need to know, I’ll find one of them and get some answers.” Kyra spun on her heel and stalked off.

“I should go with her,” Reina said apologetically, “she’s just scared.”

“I understand.” Liv replied. “But, the others are not very kind and if they know Patton sired her they will not help, they may even kill her out of spite. Just get her home and I will stop by after we close tonight.”

Bree and Reina nodded their assent and took off after Kyra.

Chapter Six

“Be nice, Kyra.” Bree warned.

“Just cuz you like her doesn’t mean I have to.” Kyra grumbled. She knew she it sounded mean but she didn’t like this.

“That’s not fair, K,” Reina chastised. “Liv is willing to help, to give you answers. Just hear her out. She seems nice enough.”

“Oh, yeah. She’s an angel.” Kyra muttered petulantly. “No, wait, she’s a vampire like me.”

“You’ve had a rough couple of days so I will forgive your bitchiness right now but it’s gonna have to stop soon.” Reina frowned. “Come on, Kyra. This isn’t like you.”

“None of this is ‘like me’ isn’t that the point? I’m not me anymore.” Kyra grumbled. She sounded whiny. She just couldn’t help it.

A knock at the door broke the tension. Bree opened it slowly and Liv bounded in, backpack slung over her shoulder at odds with her mostly leather, club-ready appearance. “Sorry it took me so long, we had a few stragglers that were tough to get rid of.”

“We’ve just been hanging out.” Reina responded brightly. “Make yourself at home!”

“Thanks.” Liv settled on the floor, cross-legged with her bag in front of her. “I brought blood bags for you, Kyra. It’s a good place to start and it will keep you from wanting to bite everybody around you.”

“But I don’t.” Kyra scrunched up her nose at the sight of the blood bags.

“Huh?” Liv looked perplexed. “You haven’t been fighting the urge to rip their throats out?” She gestured to Bree and Reina.

“Uh-uh.” Kyra shook her head. “Not even a little bit.”

“Then who did you feed on?” Liv’s eyes narrowed.

“I don’t know?” Kyra felt defensive. “I wake up in bed with blood all over me. I smell blood but I don’t feel like eating it or drinking it or anything. Why? Should I?”

“Um, yeah.” Liv sounded confused. “I mean, I wanted to drink constantly after I was turned. Seriously, Patton had to chain me up for a few weeks.”

“Nope, not so much.” Kyra shrugged. “Maybe it’s my super power.”

“It’s probably just because she’s really only been around us.” Bree reasoned. “We’ve been through everything together.”

“But she didn’t freak out at Blade either.” Reina countered. “She hasn’t really seemed interested in blood at all.”

Liv tossed her a blood bag. “Pour this into a wine glass, it helps when you’re new.”

Reina stole the bag from Kyra’s hands before she could protest and went into the kitchen. She returned with a half full wine goblet. “Drink up, K.”

“It’s thicker than wine.” Kyra observed. But, she sipped at it cautiously under the watchful eyes of her friends. It wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t wine. Or even a good craft brew. The metallic undertones troubled her – betrayed what she was drinking.

“It’s not so bad.” Liv accepted a glass from Reina. “You’ll find that other food just doesn’t taste right, though alcohol is much better.”

“Really? Alcohol is better?” Reina settled on the couch with a full bottle of wine that she propped between her crossed legs.

“Yeah, I don’t know why but Patton can explain the science of it.” Liv chatted casually, lounging back and stretching her legs. “It feels strange discussing this with humans, not many know about our existence, let alone all of the details.”

“You can’t get in trouble for breaking the code or anything like that, can you?” Reina asked, half joking, half worried, “I mean, some strange vampire ninjas aren’t going to come in here and take you and Kyra away from us, right?”

Liv laughed so hard she nearly spilled her blood. “No, nothing like that. We try to keep quiet because a lot of humans get scared and then things happen and people die. Usually, our kind just turns people who are loners, not any with real lives or friends.”

“Huh? I had no idea.” Reina seemed enthralled. Bree silently watched Liv from her perch on the edge of the couch.

“So what does Kyra do about work?” Bree finally spoke up.

“She keeps on working. Why?” Liv smiled warmly at Bree.

“How? I mean, how do I work at a museum during the day? I might as well make my forced vacation into a permanent one,”  Kyra muttered into her goblet.

“Didn’t you go to work before the sun rose? Don’t you always stay until after it goes down? How would that be any different now?” Reina seemed to be embracing this vampire thing a little too readily.

“Except that I’m apparently going to be craving blood and completely unable to be exposed to sunlight,” Kyra practically growled at her friend.

“Kyra, it’s really not that bad. There are ways to avoid the sun and you can absolutely make your old life work with your new life,” Liv said gently.

“Yep, I’m sure nobody will ever notice.” Kyra rolled her eyes and took another drink. It made her feel warm. She hadn’t realized how cold she’d felt until now. Just another weird aspect of her new life.

“Is this a new vampire thing?” Reina asked Liv.

“What?” Liv missed what Reina was hinting at but Kyra didn’t. She glared at her friend.

“The negativity. Kyra never used to be so pessimistic.” Reina ignored her glare. She took another swig from the wine bottle.

“It’s a lot to deal with, Rey.” Bree broke her silence and slid to the floor. She reached out for the bottle of wine and took a healthy gulp.

“I don’t need you defending me.” Kyra shot back. “So what if I’m feeling negative? I’m a vampire now for fuck’s sake. I have to live on blood and I can’t live in the sun anymore. So sue me if I’m not Susie Sunshine.”

“You’ll get used to it, Kyra.” Liv soothed. “I did.”

“What was your life like before, Liv?” Bree moved a little closer to Liv, under the guise of being closer to Reina to share the wine bottle. Right, Kyra thought, at least somebody is gaining something out of this.

“It wasn’t much different,” Liv started, “I worked at a club, you might have heard of it – Studio 54?”

“No way!” Reina slapped at Liv’s shoulder and practically shrieked. “What was it like? Did you meet Andy Warhol?”

Kyra tuned out of the conversation. She didn’t care about any of this. What the hell would life be like now? How would she explain this on Monday when her mandatory vacation ended and she had to return to work at the museum? How would she get blood? What else was in store for her? What happened if she encountered some of the other vampires in town? Would they know that Patton sired her? Would they hate her because of it?

“Kyra?” Liv spoke softly, her lips barely moving as she nodded along to what Bree and Reina were discussing around them.

“Yeah?” Kyra met Liv’s eye.

“It’s going to be alright.” Liv nodded. “I will help you.”

As if that makes me feel better
, Kyra thought. But she forced a smile and lifted her goblet in a mock toast. She let the rest of the night play out, mostly Bree flirting with Liv and Reina trying to score as much information on life as a vampire. She sat there with an empty wine goblet for hours, watching the world move around her, listening to her neighbors argue because the thin walls were now far too thin for her enhanced hearing.

Kyra excused herself at some point and curled up in bed. She didn’t really feel like sleeping but she didn’t want to pretend anymore. Maybe she just wanted to dream because in her dreams she could be just a girl again. In her dreams, Patton could be just a guy. No complications. No blood bags. No rejection. Kyra drifted off to thoughts of a normal life, the kind she’d never have again.

***

“So, can she eat regular food?”

“Of course, it’s just a little different.”

“How so?”

“It just doesn’t taste like much and our bodies don’t process it quite the same.”

“Huh. Weird.”

Kyra listened to Reina and Liv with her eyes closed. Were they sitting on the end of her bed? What the hell?  She opened an eye to get the lay of the land.

“Morning, Kyra.” Reina peered into her face.

Kyra grumbled a response and slammed her eyes shut again. She had no desire to be social right now. Maybe they would go away if she ignored them.

“Stop pretending to sleep, we know you’re awake.” Reina sounded annoyed.

“You can’t just spend the rest of your life in bed, Kyra,” Bree joined in.

“Sure I can,” Kyra grumbled into her pillow.

“Kyra, get up.” Reina ordered.

“NO!” Kyra screamed into her pillow. Her blankets disappeared. It had to be Bree.

“Kyra, get your blood-sucking ass out of bed and take a shower.” Bree used her best authoritarian voice. “No more self-pity, no more wallowing. You are going back to work tomorrow and you are going to start living again.”

“Work is on Monday.” Kyra mumbled into her pillow. “Leave me alone.”

“No, you’ve been in here for two days and we’ve left you alone, but now it’s time to get up and deal with your life.” Bree had her no-nonsense tone working for her. Kyra didn’t believe her.

“K,” Reina pulled out the sing-song
I’m-gonna-bribe-you-with-something
voice, “Sam called from the museum and they need you tomorrow because everything is a mess for the fundraiser on Wednesday. You know how much you love fundraisers and how upset you get when they aren’t done right.”

Kyra groaned. The fundraiser. She’d forgotten. How could she handle that now? She couldn’t. Her life was over and she had come to grips with that. Why couldn’t they?

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get your shit together.” Liv joined into the guilt-fest.

“Why don’t you all leave me the hell alone?” Kyra lifted her head and glared. “I don’t care about the museum or anything to do with it.”

“Liar,” Reina spat. “Get up and shower. We’ll help you get ready and make sure you get down there early but you have to get moving.” As an afterthought she added, “you smell terrible, K.”

“I don’t care.” Kyra shoved her face back in her pillow.

“Yes, you do or you wouldn’t be so upset,” Liv chimed in again. “If you didn’t care you would have gone on a killing rampage or killed yourself. I’ve seen it. So why don’t you stop being a child and get up.”

“Maybe I will just kill myself,” Kyra pondered, aloud. “I didn’t know that was an option. What do I have to do?”

“Come on, just get up and shower. Then, if you don’t feel better I will help you kill yourself,” Liv bargained.

“I don’t believe you.” Kyra shifted in bed and sat up to face everyone.

“I will make a deal with you,” Liv continued, “shower, have a glass of blood, and listen to your messages. If you still don’t want to live after that, then I will gladly help you end it all.”

Kyra pondered it for a minute. She knew that Liv was somehow manipulating her but it seemed reasonable enough. She couldn’t seem to help herself and before she realized it, Kyra was in the shower scrubbing her skin with a sponge. How did that happen? Admittedly, she felt better when she got out of the shower and put on clean clothes. She still  didn’t see the point of anything anymore but did feel better. Kyra joined the girls in the kitchen where they were already sharing breakfast.

“Morning!” Reina handed her a mug and pushed a plate her way.

Kyra didn’t have to ask what was in the mug but there was something slimy on her plate that was highly suspect. “What is on that plate?”

“Eggs, silly!” Reina frowned and turned away to pour another cup of coffee for herself.

“Those do not look like eggs,” Kyra critiqued.

“Then don’t eat them.” Reina sipped at her coffee and ignored the criticism.

“So, I’m eating. There was something about messages?” Kyra just wanted to get this all over with. She felt like the outsider at a slumber party.

“Yeah, Sam left several messages.” Bree nodded and detached herself from Liv to hand Kyra her phone. “He’s desperate and it sounds like the assholes are making their move at the fundraiser.”

Kyra listened to the voicemail, cringing at the desperation in her assistant’s voice. Poor guy, he sounded so stressed, so frustrated. By the third message, Kyra swore he was crying. Poor Sam. Shit. Something was sliding down her cheek. Kyra wiped at her face and came away with a streak of tears.

“See, you care.” Liv leaned in, hand on her shoulder. “Your life isn’t over. Let us help you get it back.”

Kyra frowned into her mug. “Why do I feel like this?”

“It’s the emotions.”  Liv agreed. “They’re the worst part and the hardest to get a hang of. Feeling a little blue turns into hardcore depression in no time. That’s why we had to get you moving, had to get you feeling something else.”

“So I wasn’t really suicidal?” Kyra asked, somewhat hopefully.

“Nope.” Liv grinned. “Just a side effect.”

“It didn’t feel like a side effect.” Kyra grumbled into her mug, even though she did feel better.

“You’ll get the hang of it soon enough. We’ll work on it.” Liv assured her. “You’re lucky, Kyra. You have two friends who are willing to stand by you. Not everybody gets that.”

“Yeah, be grateful for us.” Reina laughed. “We love you, K.”

“Even when you ruin a perfectly fine dinner at a restaurant,” Bree interjected with a smirk.