Chapter 11
"You kept Snow Bunny around?" Wade asked as we got into the car. I had told Ethan to send the other girls home. I wanted to keep them around initially, but I saw no use for it now. They might think Cloney had some part in this, and I doubted some of them even knew he had sold the damn club.
I wanted to start fresh, but Snow Bunny was the one fixture I had to keep.
"I want to keep her. I want her to be our personal server."
Wade smirked.
"And I like how she tastes."
"We've tasted better," he replied, as if he had any evidence of a woman we'd ever met in our lifetimes tasting better. We'd both been single for most of our lives, but as vampires, we had to adapt. Rarely did we fall in love—certainly not enough to procreate.
"When have we ever had better than her?"
"Winter night, two hundred years ago," he joked.
"He was a man," I whispered, recalling the man we drained dry. "We were hungry and desperate then. The only time we've truly ever been hungry and desperate."
"Stranded, we were, huh?"
It was back when nature was cruel, and we were all caged in with a handful of humans.
Our main objective was to obtain blood properly, but the snow trapped us.
At least, that was the excuse we used. We could have easily gone out to find food, but then we would be fugitives.
So we made use of our surroundings, viewing the humans as mere sustenance.
Wade chuckled, lost in thought. "The last man standing."
"It's always the last man standing," I mumbled.
"Rough night?" I asked the driver, noting how slowly the car was moving.
I could still see our skyscrapers. At night, this part of the city, just couple blocks was blacked out, with only a few lights glowing in the cubicles of those working overtime.
For vampires, working late was the norm.
While humans complained of fatigue, we vampires could go all night. We do need to recharge, but usually just a two-hour rest is enough to get us back on our feet.
The casinos brought the city to life, making night look like day and day look like night. They never shut down, constantly draining money from everyone's pockets like a powerful vacuum.
"Your club is drawing everyone to this side of town." The club's office was close, but with the traffic, I might as well make myself comfortable.
The grand opening must have been truly spectacular. I hoped to keep the crowd engaged for at least half a year. We weren't in it solely for the money, but seeing substantial profits would certainly bring bountiful bonuses for our pockets.
"Well, some trouble is likely brewing," Wade replied, her tone tinged with negativity. She often sat around waiting for disasters just so she could get her hands dirty dealing with them.
"It's the grand night. What could possibly go wrong?" I smirked.
"Ethan," she muttered.
"He knows his role, and you know he's adept at playing it. He's like a loyal dog."
"That little self-important fool thinks he's a boss. How could you let him take on such a position?" She sounded incredulous. "He dove into that management role without even reading the entire contract."
"Well, they never bother to read the fine print. It's always too boring," I replied as the car moved more freely, only to slow down again in traffic. I noticed the stoplight ahead.
"I'm just waiting," Wade said, her hands clenched as if she could hardly contain her impatience. "I'm just waiting for him to mess up."
As the car finally pulled up to the club, I was struck by the festive atmosphere. My cold skin felt warm amid the throngs of people.
"All those people can hardly contain themselves," Wade declared.
"Not likely. I'll instruct the bouncer to clear out the club for the first couple of months," I said.
I wanted everyone to have a unique experience.
This is the only club where vampires can indulge in food.
The license for it was sold along with the club, and operating on the main floor wasn't so bad.
The driver opened the door and escorted us directly to the bouncer. I could hear grunts and angry shouts from inside. A pale figure, illuminated by purple LED lights, was already causing a scene.
"Boss?" The bouncer pulled back the rope to let us through, but I declined, choosing instead to observe the commotion before me. The feminine voice belonged to an angry girl.
"I want to speak with the bosses!" she shouted breathlessly, struggling against being thrown out entirely.
She was either an angry customer or a disgruntled worker. Regardless of the issue, the manager was competent enough. I caught sight of Ethan in his baggy attire, holding her around the ribs. Her heels kicked and flailed as she struggled.
I could see her putting up a fight, but Ethan had the upper hand and flung her out. However, before she could hit the black carpet that led back into the club, Wade swooped in to catch her.
She glanced around, seemingly unaware that she had been saved.
Her scent wafted toward me, and I recognized her—it was Snow Bunny.
I took in her appearance: mocha hair, extremely pale skin, and the unmistakable aroma of gardenia.
The first time I caught a whiff of her fragrance, I struggled to identify it, as if it were an overwhelming bouquet of scents.
She turned her head, disturbance evident on her face as she found herself in Wade's arms. With a quick movement, she jumped out and stumbled right into me.
Her hands reached out, exploring my body like a lost pirate adrift at sea.
I would have loved for her to continue, but my curiosity about the situation was piqued.
I cared, albeit selfishly. I couldn't let this one piece of heaven slip through my fingers.
I gently took hold of her small fingers, feeling her pulse racing against my touch. I could hear her blood cannonballing to her heart. Mhmm. I just had to get a hold of her during her period.
"What's going on here, Snow Bunny?"
She turned to face me, surprise flashing across her features before morphing into disdain.
Her mouth opened, ready to argue. I waited patiently for her retort, intrigued by the fire in her eyes.
It was always these girls—those with the sweet taste and the enticing allure—who were the hardest to claim.
I leaned closer to her. "Yes, Snow Bunny." My fangs tingled with anticipation, eager to feast. If only I could have her right here, right now. "You're angry, aren't you?"
Her eyes darkened with anger once more. I smirked, relishing the moment. Life in the office was dull, but here, with her, it was anything but.
"Forget it," she growled, adjusting her handbag on her shoulder in a heightened attempt to leave. No way—I couldn't let her go. I blocked her path before she could make a move. Where did she think she was going with my... our pussy?
"I fucking quit!" she yelled, her voice cracking. Mhmm. Her opposition only fueled my desire. Wade stepped up behind her, and Snow Bunny groaned as she looked up at her. "Are you going to force me to stay?" she challenged.
Wade tilted her head in amusement.
In a flash, Snow Bunny sidestepped us, moving faster than any vampire could manage. She stepped off the curb and onto the deep edge of the road, raising her hand to hail a taxi.
I appeared before her just as she tried to open the door, her hand brushing against my abdomen, tantalizingly close to my fully erect cock. Wade stood behind her once again.
"And where do you think you're going, Snow Bunny?"
"I quit, vamp face. So what does that mean? It means I'm going home!"
"What happened?" I asked.
"Go ask the 'boss' which one of you lent him a suit—now he's feeling himself a bit too much."
"Stay," I demanded, as if her working or not wasn't her choice. I didn't care; I wanted to taste her again tonight and every other fucking night.
"I quit. I. Quit. I quit. I quit!" She jumped up and down, frustration radiating from her. "Let me get in the taxi!" she growled.
"No."
She sidestepped again, but this time, I was quicker. "Taxi! I'm coming in!"
"She's not! Get out of here!" I tapped the side of the car, and it drove off. She huffed, glaring at the taxi as if she wanted to chase it down and jump in.
I held my hands out to her. "Let's go, Bunny."
"I won't go until certain things are compromised."
"Whatever you want." I nearly shouted it, but quickly composed myself. "What do you want?"
"I want to dance."
"Absolutely out of the question."
She looked down, biting her slightly flushed lips. They looked so beautiful, like ripe fruit, begging to be tasted. I leaned down closer to her. "Well?" I smirked. "What else do you want?"
She met my gaze, her eyes a striking combination of purity and trouble. She was like a little gem, buried in the soil.
"I'm not working for five thousand dollars by the end of the night. I want more, and I deserve more."
"Done. You'll get ten."
"Whatever money I make in the club, I take home."
"Done."
"And I want to do a private dance and my pole dance—"
"No, you—"
"Shut it, Jager," she growled, stepping closer. Something about her made me silent.
"Go ahead. Talk."
"That's what I do. And I like doing it."
"I want you to be our personal server," I said.
"I can, but I want to work the pole."
"You can dance on the pole for us."
She smirked. "I like having many eyes on me. I appreciate it."
Damn it, she was unshakable. How was I supposed to have her all to our self? "You can do pole dancing in the VIP sections," I suggested. There wouldn't be as many eyes there.
"Alright, but I still quit." She turned her head, scanning for a taxi.
My unalive heart, which served no purpose other than to weigh down my body, felt as if it dropped. "What?!" I growled.
"Ethan is the problem. Cloney never treated me like shit, so I don't see why I should stay for him to do it."
Wade's brows furrowed in anger as she gestured for me to come closer.
"We'll talk to him, and you'll see the difference."
She seemed to contemplate this before sighing. "Okay." She took my hand, and I began leading her back into the club, the bouncer watching us intently.