4. Too Easy

Chapter 4

Too Easy

Vanessa

" E njoy Heaven, Angel."

I jolted awake when I heard this repeated and plucked it straight from my memories, unable to quite distinguish whether it had been a nightmare or not. But what was I saying? Of course it had been a nightmare!

A Vampire!

He was a real-life fucking Vampire for Christ's sake!

I rose from the bed I had obviously been put in and for the first few minutes, I simply held my head in my hands just to get it to stop shaking from side to side.

No… this couldn't be happening.

No… this couldn't have been real.

No… Vampires didn't exist.

Of course, the problem I had was that no matter how many times I tried to get my mind off the possibility of it all being real, another memory would assault me, battling back the doubts…

Because I knew what I had seen.

I knew what I had felt.

My hand flew to my neck, expecting to find it sore or some other evidence to what had been done to me. But there was nothing. Had he healed me? If so, then the next question had to be why? The thought prompted another flash of memories to wash over me… Because he had certainly intended on killing me, that much had been clear from the way he acted.

"Mine."

That's what he had snarled after tasting me, pulling his fangs from me without finishing what he started, as if there had been something unexpected in my blood. After that, the cruel glint in his eyes had softened, and the brutal hold he had me locked to felt more like an embrace from a lover.

"Jesus, Nessa, what are you even thinking about?!" I chastised aloud before my eyes shot around the room, only now thinking about taking in my surroundings. What the hell was wrong with me?! I mean, who wakes up discovering they had been kidnapped and instead of trying to escape, first takes the time to think about how fucking good it had felt being in his strong arms?

Had it felt good?

"Nope, not going there," I told myself, shaking my head and focusing on the only thing that mattered.

Escape.

So that was why the word had struck a cord with me. That damn fortune teller had a lot to answer for! But first things first… I took in the room and wondered if I was actually in a hotel suite or something? It was the most stylish room I had ever slept in, with its rich, deep blue walls and its ivory padded panel behind the huge bed. The furniture was pale wood to match the pieces of carved driftwood on the walls. Thick plush cream rugs lay on the hardwood floors and broke up the bold blues in the room, and navy sheets.

Well, it may have been nice, elegant, modern, and rich but as far as I was concerned, they could keep it without me in it.

I shifted off the big ass bed, one that could have been made for damn orgies for the size of the thing. I found my cheap, stained sneakers next to the bed and even they became a sight that spoke volumes of how out of my depth I was here. I didn't belong in such luxury, and I certainly didn't belong in a Vampire's bed!

No matter how handsome he had been.

Although, even the word handsome didn't seem powerful enough to describe the man. A God among men perhaps. Or maybe the Devil among mortals… yeah, that was definitely more fitting.

Stuffing my feet into my shoes made me wonder, had he taken them off? Had he seen my odd socks and smirked that devilish smirk of his?

"Jesus, I need help." I scowled as I ran a hand through my hair to try and rid myself the vision of him.

"Fantasize later, idiot," I told myself as I reached for my hoodie and shrugged it on, thankful to find those were the only clothes he had taken off.

Or was I?

Okay, that was it, I was getting laid the next chance I got! Because if I was fixating on a bloody Vampire who first tried to kill me, then there was definitely something wrong with me. And it was nothing BOB could cure, that was for damn sure!

I stuffed my hand in my pocket and unfortunately came up with only twenty-three dollars and my apartment key. This was a curse as much as it was a blessing. My hatred for carrying a handbag meant that whenever I was with Stacey, I was used to giving her my phone and wallet to carry.

"Oh shit. Stacey!" I yelled, covering my mouth seconds too late. The last thing I wanted to do was alert anyone to the fact that I was awake. This was an unfortunate habit of mine, talking to myself or blurting things out as they came to mind. Thankfully, after holding my breath and waiting for someone to come barging in here, I finally relaxed when no one came.

But how the hell had I not thought about my friend? She would be worried sick wondering what the hell had happened to me. Had she called the cops? Or worse, had she called any of my family? That was a number I only gave her because she bugged me for it in case something happened to me and I ended up needing a transfusion or an organ doner. Trying to explain to her that they wouldn't have given me a kidney unless it came with a hefty pay out had been like trying to explain to her why some people didn't like dogs.

It was pointless because, let's face it, who didn't like dogs? Which then got us onto the conversation of which dogs we would be, and I didn't know whether or not to take offence to the Corgi she named me to be. Well, at least I hadn't been a Pug or a Pitbull. Although how this memory helped me now, I didn't know.

Either way, calling any of my shitty family was a huge mistake. Let's just say, we weren't exactly on speaking terms. There was a reason I left home the second I turned eighteen and never looked back.

"Nope, not going there," I told myself with yet another shake of my head. Although the one positive I could take from all this was that if I did manage to pull off a miracle and get out of here, then at least the Devil-God man had no way of knowing who I was. No ID, no name. And well, he hadn't exactly been the type of gentleman Vampire to politely ask my name before sinking his fangs into my neck with the aim to drain me dry.

Had my blood tasted off or something? Sour perhaps, like spoiled milk… do I need to get it looked at?

"Jesus… not going there either," I told myself.

I walked to the door and held my breath as I pulled down on the handle.

"Fuck!" I hissed when finding it wasn't the outcome I had hoped for. The bastard door was locked. But duh, Nessa, of course it was! Okay, so I had to think about my situation… What about the windows? I ran to the heavy blinds that showed the hint of daylight behind them and yanked them open, only to find myself practically up in the clouds!

Jesus, where the hell was I?!

In some penthouse suite in one of New York's many skyscrapers, that was where. Damn it, what the hell was I going to do now? I looked to the other doors and after checking them, I found nothing but a luxury bathroom I practically drooled over and a walk-in closet that was empty. Like, not a single useful thing was in the whole place, although what I was expecting, I didn't know. It's not like people kept jackhammers in their closet or lock picking sets in their bathroom draws.

"If only this damn door would open!" I snapped, yanking the handle and getting more panicked by the minute. Then the most astonishing thing happened and the door suddenly clicked open. To the point that I fell back on my ass, not expecting it.

"Oh shit," I muttered, the pain nothing in sight of my freedom. I was just surprised that not only had it opened, but that there wasn't a looming figure standing behind it. Well, I certainly wasn't going to sit here and continue to question why. Not when any second someone could come and check on the prisoner.

His prisoner.

Again, I shook this thought away, hating the shiver that rippled through my body at the erotic thoughts that went with that mental image… Along with that hypnotic voice that had flipped like a switch from predatory to tender in a heartbeat. A fluttering heartbeat, as he had asked me to calm when trying to fight my way free of him. The change in him had been dizzying and instantly had my stomach in knots, despite crying out for him to let me go. My body tried to deny the request, knowing how it felt to be held by him.

Jesus, can anyone say Stockholm syndrome, much?

I stuck my head out of the doorway, edging out inch by inch and half expecting to find someone shout "boo".

"Please let there be no guards," I said aloud on a whisper.

I stepped out into a clear hallway that held stylish artwork on the paneled walls. The haunting scenery of dark skies over the turbulent seas. Or the snow-capped mountains with lightning splitting the sky and highlighting the castle nestled against the rock high above the town below. Each one I passed had a common theme, and the weather looked traitorous and foreboding. The dark clouds were so lifelike it felt as if I could reach out and touch them. As if I could grasp the shadows they created.

Now where had that thought come from, I wonder?

Okay, Nessa, it's so not the time to admire some Vampire's artwork. No, now it was time to escape the crazed blood sucking hottie. So, with this in mind and hopefully without any more squirrel moments on my side, I walked with purpose to the end of the hall and through a door that led into a huge living space.

"Holy shit balls," I muttered as I took in the huge room that had been split into sections, with a black, U-shaped sofa facing the wall of glass. The view showcased the city below and Central Park, telling me that I was currently standing in premium real estate.

As for the rest of the room, it was all sleek lines, glass, and metal. The sofa was big enough to sit ten people at least. Black, gray, and white were the only colors on display, whether it was with the artwork, the rugs, or the soft furnishings. It was also cold, soulless, and completely masculine.

I tiptoed across the room, seeing what must have been a front door. One that was grand and imposing with its black carved wood, like thousands of serpents all writhing together. Or perhaps it had been two large ones all knotted up, because the only two heads were the ones that looked like they were coming straight out of the door. Two oily black snake heads acted as the handles, each one snarling, with long fangs that looked sharp enough to slice through skin, should you not take care when opening them. Something in my haste I learned too late because it cut across the insides of my shaking fingers as I yanked down too hard and sliced three of them.

‘Oww,' I mouthed, holding my bleeding hands up to see the clean line across them. But thankfully it stopped me long enough to hear the voices behind the door, making me freeze. Then with utter horror, I watched as the head of the snake started to move down, making me act quickly. I snuck into the first door I could see and found myself in a closet.

Oh great, because horror movie girls stuck in closets always worked out well… And wouldn't you know it, my mouth still wouldn't stop as I whispered the second I could see feet approaching.

"Please leave… just leave me alone."

Amazing… as soon as I said this, the shadow of feet underneath the door stopped. Then I heard a man's voice.

"Disturbance reported on level eight, let's go."

I watched as the shadows disappeared and the guards left, making me finally let go of the breath I had been holding in. After this, I heard the sound of an elevator door opening right before blissful silence.

Meaning I was once again alone.

Well, whatever was happening on level eight had my eternal thanks because I wasn't about to miss my golden opportunity for escape. I cautiously stepped back out, still holding my hand in a fist because it hurt to open my fingers up. I knew that my blood was dripping over the floor, but right now there wasn't much I could do about it. It wasn't like I had the time to go rifling around looking for a band aid. Besides, what would a Vampire need with a first aid kit? Wasn't their company bleeding the whole point?

"Don't think about it," I scolded as I opened the door once more, this time taking much more care. Once the double doors opened, I soon found myself in a fancy entrance hall. All white marble with plain white walls and a single marble table in the center. One that held a large sculpture.

It was a skeletal hand tilted to one side, holding the serene face of a beautiful woman crying. The tear rolling down her delicate cheek was blood red, weeping from beneath closed lids. It was so lifelike, it was simply breath taking, despite how haunting the image was.

I even found myself walking around it slowly, as if at any moment the eyes would open and stare back at me in horror.

I couldn't help but gasp when I saw the other side.

It was the complete contrast to the serene beauty. The face of the woman had been replaced by the face of death. A feminine hand now held up the carved face of a skull, one still bleeding from the hallow eye sockets. The crimson stone poured down in streams until it reached the table it was sitting on.

I didn't know why, but I found my hand reaching out on its own accord, but I snatched it back as soon as I realized what I was doing. It was too late though, I touched it and now the representation of blood was coated with my own. I looked down at my bleeding hand. As if seeing it for the first time, and asked myself once again, what had been in my blood that made him react to it the way he had?

"Not now," I told myself. I needed to leave this place… and now! Which was why I quickly turned and ran to the elevator door, pressing the button over and over again, as if at any minute an alarm would go off and alert him to the fact that I was no longer where he had put me. Where he had obviously intended for me to stay.

The door dinged open, and I launched myself inside, turning to see an endless amount of buttons. Jesus, we were on the top floor!

I quickly pressed what would surely take me to the parking underneath, because I didn't think going to the lobby a wise choice. However, the second the number didn't light up I began to panic again. Even more so when I noticed a card reader and pin code, telling me that this was clearly a private elevator used only by who lived here.

"Shit, shit, shit! Come on, please just work!" I shouted at the thing, pressing the button like a woman possessed. My shouting obviously worked because suddenly the doors closed and the lift started to descend. Holy shit… Lady Luck was finally on my side!

I don't know why, but I swear it felt like my heart was going to beat right out of my chest, just as it had last night. My back found the far wall on the elevator as I looked up at the ceiling.

"Ssshh shh now, calm that fluttering little heart of yours."

His voice seemed to soak into my consciousness, and I placed a hand to my chest and took a deep breath.

The doors finally opened, and I ran out into the underground parking, seeing rows of luxury vehicles all lined up just waiting for the extremely wealthy to come pay them a visit. I gasped when I saw the gold plaques on the walls in front of each one because they all held the same name…

That's when the man's name came back to me.

Mr. Erebus had been what the unfortunate soul called him. It was an unusual name that strangely suited him. I wondered what it meant? Well, I would have enough time to google once I got the hell out of here… Something that one of the super sleek sportscars would have certainly helped with. Hell, but only one of them would have no doubt been the equivalent of winning the lottery because I would have no trouble paying off my debts then. I wasn't a car buff by any stretch of the imagination, but I recognized names like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, and Rolls Royce.

I doubted my luck would extend to getting away with grand theft auto, so instead, I used what God gave me and started running, knowing there had to be a way out of here. Sunlight soon became my guiding light and beacon of hope as the exit called to me.

"Please let there be no one to stop me," I said aloud the second I saw a security booth up ahead, but as I edged closer, I let out another held breath when I saw a man there in a chair, lounging back. He was clearly doing a grand job by snoozing away the paid hours, making it easy to sneak on by unseen.

"I did it," I said, looking around the busy street and doing the impossible. I escaped. After seeing things that I shouldn't have seen last night, I'm just glad my life is still intact. Although I had to ask myself,

What the hell I was going to do now…?

Now that I knew Vampires existed.