I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire (Accidents Happen #2)

30. Bite Me, Vampire.

30

Bite Me, Vampire.

“ D id she wake up?” Lena looked over at my sister from the open door.

“No, she’s been like that since we got her back.” I swallowed the lump in my throat as I watched my sister lay beside Maverick. Once he’d eaten, he joined her in the bed and hadn’t left her side. “She will wake up, right? I mean, we didn’t accidentally put her into a coma, did we?”

“The child will be fine.” Likosa appeared behind us. “We must work quickly, though.”

Lena and I stepped aside and let her enter the bedroom.

“Whitney, we need to do this alone,” Lena said softly. She knew I didn’t trust Likosa and didn’t want me to protest.

“I can’t watch?”

“No, especially with her energy powers,” Likosa answered. “If you were to get emotional, it could interfere with our magic while we work in her mind.”

“Right.” I looked Lena in the eye, and she nodded. “Okay.”

I joined Jackie and Domino, who sat in the front room, still bickering about paint colors and changes that needed to be made to her home. Domino questioned the cost of something labeled chartreuse love , and I rolled my eyes. There was no way I was going to sit and listen to them.

Instead of trying to convince them to cut out the noise, I went into my office. I had planned to spend so much time in the space, looking out at the water while I made deals for fresh artists. Instead, I hadn’t been inside since setting up my new bookshelves.

“Might as well work on this,” I muttered and went to complete the busy work of unpacking my office. I could feel the pushes and pulls of the energy Lena and Likosa worked with and tried everything I could to ignore it. Likosa’s warning stayed in my mind. If I interfered, it could hurt my sister.

“You hiding in here?” Jackie slipped into my office, shutting the door behind her.

“Well, I wasn’t about to sit out there with you two.” I pointed through the glass door to the man sitting on my couch. “Are you done poking at the vampire?”

“Never.” Jackie clapped her hands. “It’s too fun.”

“I think you like him more than you’re letting on.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “The hunter getting soft for her prey?”

“Miguel said the same, but I assumed he was just jealous.” Jackie frowned as she considered my words. “No. He’s a vampire. I’ll always hate him.”

“Why would Miguel be jealous?” I asked. “Is he the only person you’re allowed to throw witty insults at?”

“Well…” she trailed off.

“Well, what? Are you two a thing?” I perked up. Finally, some tea that had nothing to do with me.

“Kind of.” She sighed. “It’s so cliché that I would end up with another hunter.”

“What would be cliché is if you ended up with a monster,” I corrected her. “Isn’t that how the stories always go?”

“Don’t give Lena any more story ideas.” Jackie shook her finger in my face and laughed. “But seriously, are you okay?”

“Yes. I’ll be better when Jai is awake and I know her mind isn’t warped, though.” I looked out the window. “I’m sure it will be okay, but the worry is still there.”

“Lena is really good and with Likosa, so I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” Jackie reassured me.

“Thanks.” I nodded. “I’m still shocked at how advanced Lena is. All these years, she’s been practicing magic, and I never knew!”

“Okay, I need to know something. Aren’t you excited now? I mean, your life is about to change.” Jackie couldn’t hide her enthusiasm even if she wanted to. Her eyes were so wide, I thought they might pop out of her head.

“Should I be?” I cocked my head to the side.

“Yes!” She grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “Come on, woman! Snap out of it. It wasn’t long ago that you lost your job and didn’t know what the future held. Now, you do.”

“Maybe it looks that way to you, but not to me. At the end of the day, I’m still without a job and I still have bills to pay.” I pushed her hands off me. “We aren’t kids, Jackie, and unlike you, I wasn’t born into a family with money. Hell, I wasn’t even adopted into one.”

“Sure, you don’t have a rich father, but you now have a rich vampire. You telling me he won’t pay your bills? Because if he’s talking about going fifty-fifty with you, I’ll stake him right now!”

“You’ll look for any reason to kill him, won't you?” I laughed.

“Just say the word and he’s outta here!” She mimed plunging a stake through his chest. “But seriously, listen to me, please. We’re independent women, I get that, but let him help you until you work out the money thing. It won’t be forever. In the meantime, we get to hunt monsters. I don’t know if you know this, but it’s a lucrative field!”

“Would I still get to be an art buyer?” I considered the thought. I could travel the world killing evil creatures and buying all the best pieces. That was close enough to being a spy, right?

“Monster-hunting art buyer with a vampire boo thang?” Jackie scratched her chin. “Lena is definitely putting that in a book! It will be her next bestseller! Who do you think they’ll get to play you?”

Domino knocked on the door, interrupting Jackie’s laughter, before he poked his head inside. “They’re done.”

I followed Jackie out of the office to find Likosa and Lena standing in the kitchen.

“How did it go?” I glanced at the bedroom door.

“She’s fine. Still sleeping, but that will wear off when we’re all gone.” Likosa answered. “If she sees me, it might mess with her mind. I had to tiptoe into her head a bit there.”

“Thank you,” I paused, “I think.”

“No problem. I have to get going now; other magical things need correcting.” Likosa gave Lena a lingering hug then vanished from the room.

“I think that’s our cue to get out of here as well.” Lena picked up the bag she’d brought. “I have some things to do and a lot of people to apologize to. I missed a few tour dates.”

“I’m sorry.” I hugged her. "Thank you for making this a priority."

“Hey, it comes with the gig, right?” Jackie joined our embrace. “Now, I need to get those damn hunters out of my house and prepare for the contractors.”

She said the last part loud enough to make sure Domino heard her. He muttered something I couldn’t hear, and I ushered the ladies out of my place.

A half-hour after everyone left, Maverick strolled out of my bedroom, followed by a yawning Jai. She stretched her arms over her head and wiped the sleep out of her hazel eyes.

“I can’t believe I slept that long, but I told you two a day on the beach would take it out of me.” She lumbered over to the counter where we stood.

I hesitated to answer but ultimately decided to go along with whatever she said. “Yeah. We should have believed you.”

“What time is it? I don’t want to miss my flight.” She squinted at the smartwatch on her wrist. “I have two new job interviews next week. I need to make sure I’m there to prepare for them.”

“You have a few hours,” Domino answered and nodded at me. Apparently, he knew more than I did.

“Domino, it was so good to meet you.” Jai smiled at the vampire and then pointed at me. “I hope you do right by my sister. I would hate to have to set Jackie on you.”

“Isn’t this the part when you’re supposed to threaten me yourself?” He chuckled. “Tell me you’re going to kick my ass.”

“Do you see me?” She waved her hands at her petite frame. “I can’t do anything to a guy like you, but Jackie is a ball buster. She’ll beat your ass, and I won’t hesitate to call her. Trust me, I’ve done it before.”

“Really?” Domino glanced at me.

“Yes, really.” I shrugged; Jai had called my friend on exactly three of my ex-boyfriends. “Jackie, don’t play about us.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He nodded.

“My ride should be here soon,” she said. “I’ll go finish packing.”

“We can drive you,” I offered.

“No, you two need to be together. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.” Jai turned and headed for the bedroom to gather her things.

“Did I miss something?”

“The witch conjured a bag. I purchased a flight. A vampire I trust will drive her. He’s waiting downstairs. Likosa said it’s best to get her back to her normal routine as fast as possible. If she stays here too long, the story in her mind will unravel.”

“Oh, okay.” I nodded. “Thank you.”

“As far as she knows. She came for the weekend to visit you and meet your new boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” I raised a brow.

“Lena’s words, not mine.” He shrugged, but I could tell he wouldn’t protest the idea.

Soon, we were standing on the curb outside my building, waving at the black car as it drove away with my sister inside. She looked perfectly fine and had the same bubbly energy that always annoyed me. I told her we would plan another trip, one where she could hang with Jackie and Lena, and that was it.

“Oh, Ms. Harris,” Cordell addressed me as we entered the building. He hadn’t been at his desk when we walked out. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” I nodded. “And about the hallway…”

“No, there’s nothing to worry about.” He winked. “But I want to apologize.”

“For what?”

“Helping that vampire.” Cordell’s confession shocked me. “Reddick offered to pay my tuition if I did.”

“Oh.” I glanced at Domino, expecting some reaction, but he looked completely unphased.

“It was a shitty thing to do. You’ve been so nice to me, but I figured putting a letter in your car in exchange for all that money was worth it. I’m sorry, but I come from a poor family.”

“It’s okay. I understand.” I nodded. “Thank you for telling me. Did you at least pass your exams?”

“Yes. I’m officially a licensed attorney,” he said proudly. “This is my last week. I start my job next week.”

“Congratulations. Now, stay out of this business, please.” I pointed at him.

“Kind of impossible.” He bit his lip.

“Why is that?” I asked.

“I hired him,” Domino spoke up.

My eyes shot to the man beside me. “What?”

“He knows about us, he works on our schedule, and I’ll need someone to handle all the shit my brother messed up. I may not be king, but I was related to him, so some of his crap fell on my lap now.” Domino pulled me to his side. “Don’t worry, he’ll work with a team of lawyers who have been doing this stuff for years. He’s just the face since the others can’t be present during the day. “

“I don’t like this.” I shook my head. “He shouldn’t be messing with vampires at all.”

“I didn’t think you would.” Domino sighed. “But he’s a big boy. He can handle himself.”

“Are you okay with this?” I asked Cordell.

“I’m a first-year attorney making more than people who have been at this for well over a decade. Yes, I’m okay with it.”

“Okay, but stay out of things as much as possible—and let me know if this one is mean to you.” I poked Domino in the side.

“I will.” Cordell nodded and smiled at us until the elevator doors closed.

“How do you feel?” I asked Domino as we walked back into my condo.

“Different.” He looked at me. “But mostly the same. I’m stronger than I was before. I don’t feel as thirsty.”

“That’s a good thing, right? It means my blood isn’t doing anything bad to you.” I examined him.

“I don’t think it is.”

“Good.” I sighed. “And what about Reddick? I wasn’t going to bring it up before, but I think we should talk about it, especially if you’re responsible for tying up his loose ends.”

“I thought I would feel worse about his death. Maybe if I had been the one to kill him, I would,” Domino said honestly. “He was my brother, but the man hasn’t felt like family to me since before we were vampires. Over a century of him tormenting me, and it’s over. It’s a strange sense of relief.”

“And what about the vampire kingdom? Who will take over now?”

“That’s not up to me to decide.” Domino shrugged. “When it’s all settled, they’ll make sure every vampire knows about it. Right now, the biggest egos are still battling it out.”

“The person who takes down the king doesn’t automatically take his place?” I asked. “Isn’t that why Vance was king after Reddick?”

“No, but I’ll have to pay a hefty fine for doing so,” Domino said. “Vance was king because he’d positioned himself to be king. He’d been planning that for years. I just hope they’ll be a little lenient on me for killing him when they learn the circumstances.”

“I hope so.”

“Are you saying you won’t be the queen of vampires?” He pulled me into his arms, and we stood in the hallway, hugging.

“Absolutely not!” I chuckled.

“Good. because I don’t want to share you with them, and I don’t want to spend all our time keeping your blood safe,” Domino said honestly.

“You think the memo got out about what happens when you try to bite me without my consent?”

“If not, I’ll make sure it does.” Domino tightened his grip. “No one will dare come for you.”

“What happens now?” I asked as Domino released his hold and led me through the apartment.

“I don’t know.” He sat on the couch, looked at the empty space beside him, and then glanced up at me. “What do you want to happen?”

I stared at the couch and then, with little hesitation, joined him. It felt just like I imagined it would—firm but soft, the cushions cupping my ass just right.

“I want to travel the world, collecting art,” I answered Domino’s question.

“Wait, you’re sitting here now?” Domino smirked. “What changed?”

“I did.” I nodded. “This couch was supposed to be a symbol of me stepping into a new version of my life. The promotion, the new job title, was all a symbol of a new me. Before I could even enjoy it, they snatched it away. I was left with this question of who I would be moving forward. I know it sounds crazy, but I didn’t want to sit here until I had an answer to that question.”

“Tell me, who do you want to be? What do you want to do?”

“I want to travel the world, collecting art,” I answered Domino’s question. “The new me isn’t all that different from the old me. She just doesn’t have a regular job tying her down right now. Maybe I can embrace that for a while. You know, while I figure all this magic stuff out.”

“Then that’s what we will do,” he said confidently.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes. I told you, it’s my job to ensure all your dreams come true.” He sighed. “And remember, I offered you a partnership before all this.”

“I have another dream you can help me with.” I raised a brow at him. “Actually, it's more like a fantasy.”

“Tell me about it.” He grinned. “I’ve run out of spy movies.”

I grabbed his wrist and lifted it to his mouth. His lips curled up into a sinful grin before he dropped fang and punctured his vein. I drank from him, allowing the hypnotic effect to spread through me. Then, I wiped the blood from my chin with my finger and spread it across my neck.

I licked my lips as I watched Domino. His eyes were focused on my hand. When I dropped my finger from my neck, I ordered, “Bite me.”

His eyes snapped up to me. “Are you sure?”

“Do you love me?” I asked, knowing exactly what his answer would be.

“Yes,” he said with a heavy tone.

“Then bite me,” I repeated my order and leaned my head back to further expose my neck.

Domino leaned forward, pressing his lips against my pulse, and then his teeth grazed my skin. As his tongue slid across my neck, cleaning away the blood, I shivered. The sensation of his warm breath on my skin made my pulse quicken before he finally sank his teeth into me.

As his sharp fangs sank into my skin, I felt a surge of terror, a fear it would end badly, that my blood would hurt him. The longest minute passed as he sipped from me, licking the blood from my neck, and then he pulled me into his lap.

I pulled away from him, my blood spilling down to my breast.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He paused, the silence thick around him, waiting for something to happen. I could see the same concern in his slow, shallow breaths. His face remained stoic for a few moments, and then a wide grin spread across it, lighting up his features.

“Yes, I’m fine.” He looked down at his hands. “No exploding.”

“Good.” My heart raced and my pussy tightened. “Do it again.”

Domino leaned forward, but I pushed him back and jumped off his lap.

“Wait. Not here. I don’t want to mess up my couch.” I examined it to be sure we hadn’t already gotten blood on it.

“Seriously?” he huffed.

“Hey, this cost a lot of money,” I fussed. “I worked hard for that, and we aren’t going to ruin it now.”

“You’re out of your mind.” Domino laughed as he stood, picked me up, and carried me to the bedroom.

RAAWWARRR

As soon as Domino put me down, Maverick attacked him from behind, stabbing his claws into the vampire’s back with a hiss.

“I thought we were cool now!” Domino yelled as he pulled Maverick from his back.

“Maybe he’s still getting used to you!” I laughed.

“Yeah, right.” Domino tossed Maverick out of the room, slammed the door, and returned to the bed. “I’m going to need more blood after that.”

I licked my lips and dropped my head back to expose my neck. “Bite me, vampire.”

The end.