19. Bleed Them Dry

Chapter 19

Bleed Them Dry

S ylvia held her wineglass of blood and gazed down upon her vampiric subjects cleaning The Heart and Rose from the nightly revelry. They toiled away in silence, mopping the floor and scrubbing the bar after the activities of the various patrons who visited for a night of drinks and dancing.

Those unfortunate souls sought relief from the daily stress of their lives only to be enthralled and bled for the pleasures of the vampires who inhabited the building. They didn’t die, but they lost enough blood to be bedridden for a few days. The vampire staff ensured every trace of their sanguine activities was erased.

Sylvia raised the glass to her lips. The intoxicating scent of the blackish-red liquid enticed her senses, filling her nose with a metallic aroma. With a gentle sip, the insatiable hunger which drove her to madness subsided as the sweet warmth coated her taste buds.

Most vampires hated the taste of blood at first, but not Sylvia. She reveled in it. She wanted it. She craved it. She had accepted her fate willingly. Still, there was one thing she didn’t have, one thing she sought above all else—immortality. While no longer mortal, her reign as queen of her empire could be usurped and short-lived. She suffered from the same vulnerability as all other vampires.

Her mind was focused on one thing and one thing only—acquiring The Lovers’ Kiss —the spell she sought for lifetimes. So close, yet still so far. Too much time had passed—a week—since she had turned her new pet in the restaurant. They should have acted by now, attacked in some manner as retribution for her actions on the fateful night their negotiations escalated.

She swirled her glass and took another sip. The nectar of her life tickled her senses. Her fingers danced on the railing, playing an invisible piano as she followed along to the music being played behind her. She finished her glass and turned around, leaning against the rail.

Sebastian sat at the player piano, playing his favorite song “Moonlight Sonata.” The keys flourished as he entered the third movement. The song picked up tempo, each key struck with purpose and passion. The song built to its thrilling finish, and with a few dynamic chord strikes, it was over. He turned and smiled at Sylvia.

“I never grow tired of hearing you play, my love,” Sylvia said.

“I only play it for you. You’re the light of my night and should be serenaded with song,” he replied.

Sebastian grabbed the lid and gracefully closed it over the keys. The lid landed without a sound. He locked eyes with Sylvia.

There was a pause. Their game began again.

Sylvia stood and broke eye contact with Sebastian. “I can’t play tonight.”

“Something troubling you, my queen?”

She set the glass down on an end table and took her seat in the crimson, high-back chair. She nestled into the corner of the chair so she could look at Sebastian. She crossed her leg and continued to play her invisible keyboard on her knee. “Do you think it’s odd nothing has happened?”

“I’m sure they’re waiting for us to make the next move. ”

“It’s been a week. They haven’t done anything. Surely, they would have slipped up by now.”

“Maybe their move is to not make a move. Maybe they’re waiting for us to mess up.”

“Still . . . I don’t like it.”

Sebastian stood and sauntered toward Sylvia. He straightened his vest and tugged a few times on his necktie. He towered over her, glaring down. She loved him looming over her. For all her drive and ambition—her dominance and control—she loved to surrender herself to him. It was her release. Her ecstasy. Her pleasure.

Her heart fluttered at the sharp inhale of breath in the still moments of silence.

Loud crashing noises broke the silence below. Sylvia snarled, ready to spring up to yell at those toiling away below. Sylvia hated noise. She couldn’t stand it. After her vampiric transformation, loud noises bombarded her senses, crushing her head by a cacophony of sound.

Sebastian placed a hand on her shoulder, inviting her to sit back down. “I’ve got this,” he said before moving to the railing. He placed both hands on it and leaned over. “If there is one more sound—one more noise—I’ll come down there and rip off your heads. Is that understood?”

Sylvia shifted in her chair, never taking her eyes off Sebastian. She wanted him. She craved him. She needed him. She loved silence, but she loved Sebastian more.

He returned. “I’m sorry, my love. It won’t happen again.”

She smiled and gazed up into his dark brown eyes. Even on the dimly lit balcony, she could always lose herself deep in his eyes. Sylvia bit a portion of her lip, leaving a fang exposed. She wanted him to see her fang—the same fang that transformed him into a vampire many years ago.

His chiseled, stoic face glared back. A small corner of his lips betrayed him and arched up into a smile. Maybe she did want to play their game after all .

“What’s our next move?” Sebastian said.

“I should use his blood to enthrall him to bring the spell to us,” Sylvia suggested.

“Do you think it’s wise? We have enough for what—one, maybe two attempts at best. What if she stops him? Then we lose our leverage.”

“We should force them out,” Sylvia responded. “But how?”

Sebastian paused. He drew his hand to his chin and lips.

After a moment, he asked, “What if we only have to force her out? We could draw her to the Raskins’ home, leaving him inside.”

Sylvia glanced away, lost in thought as the idea sparked new ones in her mind. “Yes. It could work. You could draw her out. Then I only need to use a small amount of his blood to enthrall him.”

“He can let you in, and you won’t have to worry about a thing.”

“I’d have free rein to look through the house. I could compel him to tell me where the spell is hidden. No one would stop me.” The mere thought brought a glimmer to her eyes and a sly smile to her face.

“We’ll send the ghouls to the Raskins’ house right before sunset. It will force him to stay in the house. She’ll have to respond, and it will leave him all alone.”

“With only a small amount, I’ll need to look him in the eyes to enthrall him. He won’t answer the door for me,” Sylvia said.

“Of course not. Wait until a few minutes after sundown. Then frantically pound on the door like you’re one of the Raskins seeking help.”

“Yes. That will work. When he looks outside to see who’s there, I can enthrall him to let me in.”

“And everything we ever wanted will be ours.”

She stood. “Everything we ever wanted,” she said with a smile. She breathed in, every inhale deeper than the last. Her heart raced at the thought of being this close to the end of their goals. “Tomorrow.”

He took a step closer to Sylvia. “Tomorrow night,” he said in a whisper .

They stood in silence. His musky scent tantalized her senses. She bathed in his aura. Jolts of emotions coursed through her body. Every essence in her being was alive. She wanted him more than ever. She gulped.

Sebastian placed his hand beneath her chin and tilted her head up. His thumb traced an invisible line from the end of her nose, over her lips, and down her chin. Her knees buckled. Her shoulders tightened, and a shiver went down her back. She smiled.

“We’re so close my love. Can you feel it?” his gravelly voice whispered.

“I can feel it,” she replied in a hushed tone.

“Do you want it?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“I can’t hear you,” he said through a mischievous smile.

“Yes,” she said louder.

He leaned in to kiss her. Before they became reacquainted, he paused. The distance between them was an ocean of anticipation. She waited with bated breath for him to close the final distance. She was held in sweet torture as his breath mixed with hers.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” she shouted.

“That’s my good girl.”

Their bodies pressed together as their lips reunited once more. The smoldering fire of their longing fused their hearts and souls together. They closed their eyes, slipping into the eternal bliss of their personal paradise. An eternity of immortal love where time lost all meaning, and there was only a single thought remaining: Sylvia would burn the world down for Sebastian.