6. Gage
Six
Gage
B y the time they were done setting up, not only was the casino’s tent the biggest, but it was also the most eye-catching. They made use of colorful lights that glittered in the night and rugs to make the tent look like a miniature casino on the beach, complete with a roulette table and multiple slot machines for people to play. Figuring out the electrical component was the hardest part, but Nikolas was able to work his electrician magic and found a way to plug everything in while also hiding any extension cords so as not to trip people. The last thing they needed was a lawsuit.
Since Nikolas had put in most of the work, Gage let him enjoy the festival and didn’t schedule him to work the tent at all. Matteo, on the other hand, had pressed a few buttons to turn on the slot machines and then proceeded to make nooses out of the string lights, pretending to strangle himself. He was scheduled to work the tent all night long.
The table at the front was set up with coupons and flyers advertising all the different events the casino offered, and plenty of free merchandise for people to take home. Free pens, bags, and stickers were the best form of advertising—the boys would constantly see them all over town.
The night of the festival brought a wave of people from all over Florida. The crowd was intense, and Gage realized he didn’t mind being stuck behind a table the majority of the night. It kept people a nice distance away from him. All he had to do was hand out flyers and convince them to play the slots.
Matteo hit Gage on the shoulder to get his attention. “Look out, a hottie with a body is coming your way.”
Gage looked up from restocking the flyers to see a blonde, Playboy Bunny wannabe walking toward the tent. Matteo was right that she did have a body. She had an hourglass shape, long supermodel legs, and tits the size of basketballs strapped to her chest.
“There is no way those are real,” Matteo stated as he watched the basketballs bounce around inside of her yellow sundress.
“Of course not.” Gage smiled, but it was half-hearted. He preferred dark hair, not the platinum blonde currently sauntering toward him, but he was more interested in her blood than her attention. “Watch the tent for me, will you? I’ve got some business to attend to.”
“Have fun and wear a condom!” Matteo shouted after him.
As he rolled his eyes and left the safety of the tent, he noticed the blonde looked him up and down and smiled at what she saw. He sauntered up to her with confidence and arrogance radiating off him. He knew damn well what he was doing when his arms flexed as he crossed them across his chest, and was validated when her eyes glanced toward them.
“Now what’s a pretty girl like you doing all alone at this festival?” He asked in a smooth voice. Since this was not a traditional hunt where he planned on killing her, he knew he had to romance her to willing give up blood.
She giggled and shrugged, looking up at him from underneath her lashes. “Looking for a handsome boy to hang out with, I guess.”
He smiled. She was going to be the easiest thing he did all night. “Well, I just so happen to know a handsome boy that’s looking for a pretty lady to hang out with.”
“Let me guess, is it you?” She took a few steps forward and placed her pointer finger lightly on his chest.
As she stepped closer he could smell the alcohol on her breath. She stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “Want to hang out with me back in my car?”
His smile grew even bigger. She was turning out to be the easiest thing he ever did in his life. “You lead, I’ll follow.”
She led him back to a blue Honda Civic and crawled into the back seat, exposing the white underwear that was underneath her dress. The spaghetti straps were already starting to slink down her shoulders and show off more of her cleavage. Gage sat down next to her and shut the door. Before he could say anything, she already had two lines of coke set up on the center console.
Gage scrunched up his face. “Well that was quick.”
“It’s just a little appetizer before the main course.” She winked and snorted up one of the lines. She signaled for him to take the other, but he shook his head.
She shrugged and snorted the second line. “More for me then! Now, where were we?”
With dilated pupils, she scooted over to him and rested her hand on his thigh. She awkwardly shoved a finger from her other hand into his mouth and touched a canine.
He jerked his head away and tried to resist the urge to spit. Her finger tasted like salt and something bitter. “What the hell?”
She covered her mouth with her rejected hand and giggled. “I heard what a bite feels like from your kind. So what’s a girl gotta do to try that wild ride? ”
“How are you not concerned that I might kill you?”
She shrugged and began petting his thigh. “I don’t know. I took some molly earlier and I think it’s starting to kick in. Your pants feel nice.”
Gage grew irritated with her drug use. Typically he had no problem drinking the blood of someone high on drugs, since it would cause him to feel that same high. But tonight he didn’t want to be on whatever mixture she had in her system while trying to work the casino tent. He had to be sober, responsible, and on his best behavior so he didn’t piss off his father.
Sometimes being the new leader was a drag.
“Oh, what’s this?” She purred as she quickly slid her hand across his thigh and up to the zipper of his pants.
For a split second, he wished more than anything that the hand was attached to a dark haired barista instead of a drugged up airhead. He quickly shoved that thought aside and tapped his fingers in annoyance on the car door as the blonde struggled to undo the metal button of his jeans. She gave up and broke out into laughter.
“Sorry, I’m really messed up. I wanna go dance! What about you? Wanna dance with me?”
The idea of having a bloody treat was long gone. He rolled his eyes before getting out of the car. “I don’t dance. Enjoy your night, sugar.”
He slammed the door behind him, leaving her alone in her car. She didn’t seem all that disappointed as she prepared another line.
Gage approached the tent and frowned at Matteo who was shocked to see him back so soon. “She’s a druggie. I don’t feel like getting high tonight.”
“Is she now? Where did you leave her at? I wouldn’t mind a quick bump.”
“Good luck, she was going to go dancing. She probably went over to the EDM stage. ”
Matteo rubbed his hands together in anticipation and headed off on his mission, completing forgetting the fact he was supposed to work all night. Gage went back to tending the tent and kept his eye out for a girl that would be able to get rid of his hunger. To his disappointment, all the women who came up to the tent had partners or were old enough to be his grandmother - and the thought of draining a granny didn’t sit right with him. It wasn’t until an hour had passed that there was a girl who approached the tent alone.
“Fancy seeing you here.”
His charming smile melted away when he looked down to see who it was. “Oh shit, it’s you.”
Willow looked different tonight, dressed in a distressed classic rock band shirt that hung off one round shoulder, black frayed shorts, and plain black flip flops that looked like they came from a dollar store. Her thick hair was up in a high ponytail, and she had winged eyeliner emphasizing her hazel eyes.
The blonde may not have turned him on earlier, but he sure as hell was now.
He was tempted to flirt with her and get her down on her knees to take care of the tension resting in his pants, but something about picturing her like that made him feel gross. She was too sweet to be treated like that. She deserved someone who would take her on a proper date first, not a vampire that was only interested in one thing.
“Uh, yeah it’s me.” She said.
He realized he had been staring at her for an uncomfortably long time as he analyzed her new look. “Sorry, you just look different.”
“In a good way or a bad way?”
“Well, you’re not ugly.” Gage bit his tongue and felt himself growing frustrated at his awkward comment. He was always cool and in control during situations with women, but something about her destroyed that .
“What, am I usually ugly?” She tried to fake offense but ended up laughing. “It’s okay, I know I’m not the prettiest girl in the world. But hey, at least I’ve got nice hair.”
She fluffed up her ponytail and Gage gritted his teeth as an image of his hand tangled up in the velvety mess crossed his mind.
“I didn’t mean that. I just meant that you…you don’t look ugly right now.” He threw a hand up in defeat and let his awkwardness take control.
“Aw, are you trying to compliment me? Is that why you look like you’re in pain? I honestly thought you were about to have a stroke when you said you liked my coffee the other day. I noticed you haven’t been back since.”
“I’ve been busy. With work and stuff.”
She looked around at the tent. “Do you work at the casino?”
“Kind of, my father owns it and I help him out when he needs it.”
Her eyes turned into wide saucers and he held back a laugh at her comical look. “Wait. Holy crap. Clay is your dad?”
“Yeah, why do you seem so shocked?”
“Because he’s so nice and sweet and you’re, well…not. Although, having him as your father explains the asshole energy you give off. You’re a rich brat.”
“What?”
Her face reddened and she covered her mouth to giggle. “Sorry, I’m a little tipsy and sometimes things slip out a little more freely than they should.”
He remembered his discussion with his father about the murder rate increasing. He hadn’t found out yet if it was due to vampire attacks, but he wasn’t stupid. Especially if there were rumors of Waldo being spotted around Vista Maria, he wouldn’t put it past the man to start having his men hunt freely on his territory. And a festival this large would be a prime hunting ground for hostile vampires .
“You really shouldn’t be wandering around here drunk, especially if you’re alone.”
“Calm down, I’ll be fine. I’m used to being by myself anyway. I did see my friend Marla here but she was…busy. I was wandering around when I saw all the lights from off in the distance and was drawn to this tent.”
“You sound like a moth.”
“Moths are cool.” She smiled up at him but her eyes were drawn to a slot machine that began flashing and blasting music. The man at it shouted in joy as he won fifty dollars.
“Can I play?” She asked Gage.
“That’s what they’re there for. Tell you what, I’ll let you spin for free if you go get me a beer.”
“Deal!” She did her excited clap before running off into the crowd outside the tent. It took her a surprisingly short amount of time for how busy the beach was before she came back with two clear plastic cups of golden liquid.
“I got overly excited and forgot to ask you what you drink. I figured this was a safe choice. Oh, and I did a shot of tequila while I was there so I’m a little tipsier than I was before. I’m not an alcoholic, though! I swear! I don’t get to drink often, so tonight is my night to celebrate.”
Gage grimaced at the lite beer but took it anyway. “Who’s running the coffee shop tonight if you’re here?”
She took a loud sip out of her cup and glanced around at all the slots that were flashing. “No one. I closed it for the night so I can have some fun. Speaking of which, can I play a slot now?”
“Sure.” He threw her a few tokens that could be used in place of cash and she bounced off to the nearest open slot. As she played, he unsuccessfully tried to keep his attention on the people who walked in. He found his eyes slowly slipping back over to her every few seconds, taking in her round ass that looked like it would fit perfectly in his hands. It didn’t help that she played the slots with as much enthusiasm as a child at Disney World.
By the time she had run out of tokens, he had finished his beer and had given up on controlling his wandering gaze. He walked over to her to see how much she had won for the night, only to notice that any winnings she had were put right back into the machine.
“I better go find Marla so I don’t walk around unsupervised and drunk for the rest of the night.” She giggled.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re the type of person to wander into trouble when you’re unsupervised?”
“Because I am.” She downed the last of her beer then looked at her phone. “Oh! It’s almost time for my favorite band to start, too. I really do have to get going, thanks for the free spins.”
She hopped up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He froze in his spot as his cheek started to burn where she kissed him. The scent of her washed over him. It was similar to something he had smelled once before, yet better. Sweeter. She smelled like candy with an undertone of warm vanilla. The last time he had smelt a girl that delicious was with Venice.
????
The four boys walked into the coffee house the next day to find Willow in yoga pants and a beat up gray t-shirt, with dark bags under her eyes. Gage had decided to join them tonight in order to help him procrastinate on installing new carpeting in one of his father’s rentals. Plus, he wanted to get another look at Willow to confirm it was only lust that made him look at her differently last night. Unfortunately for him, the homeless person chic was working for her.
“Let me guess, you had a little too much fun at the music fest?” Matteo grinned as he leaned against the counter and looked her up and down.
“I think so. I also remember now why I don’t drink often. Are you guys getting your usual?”
“Yes ma’am,” Matteo responded.
She looked over to Gage and raised one eyebrow but didn’t bother to smile. “Still no beer, so do you want black coffee or the drink I made you last time?”
As much as he did not want to order the unmasculine, frilly drink she had made him, it had been pretty delicious. Plus, he deserved a treat if he was going to be doing hard labor all night long. “Does that drink have a name?”
“Why yes, actually, it does.” She moved aside and pointed to the chalk board hanging behind her. Drawn in different shades of brown and white was the drink of the month, labeled “The Rich Brat.”
“Hey, that’s you!” Horatio laughed and slapped Gage on the back.
Gage kept his face expressionless as he stared at her. “Yeah, I’m not going to say that. Can you put it in a to-go cup, though? I can’t stay long.”
“His rich daddy has him working on a big project tonight.” Horatio joked, but flinched when Gage turned his gaze on him.
“No problem, I’ll bring it to your table when it’s ready.” Willow said. She turned her back to the boys as they headed over to the booth that had become their usual spot.
“Did you ever find that blonde?” Gage asked Matteo as the boys sat down. Like clockwork, the nurses sitting next to them got up and left, this time giving them dirty looks like they had forced them to end their breaks so early.
“Nah man, she disappeared. I was hoping to turn her into a vassal, but yet again my hopes were crushed.”
Horatio snorted at his brother’s reference. “A vassal? What the hell are you, some kind of pimp? No one has vassals anymore, it’s the twenty-first century. We have what’s called bloody booty calls . You get some girls that are into getting their blood sucked and have them saved in your favorites for easy access when you’re horny and hungry.”
“Hey, retro things are coming back in style and I’m making sure vassals make a comeback. I mean, who doesn’t want a hoard of naked women living in your bedroom, eagerly waiting to please your every desire?”
Nikolas squinted at Matteo. “Dude, that’s a harem. A vassal is just a person who agrees to let you drink their blood as long as you don’t kill them.”
“Also, having a hoard of women sounds expensive. Sammy damn near cost me forty dollars in food last night, so just imagine having to feed ten women. That’s like four hundred dollars’ worth of food every single night. Don’t forget all the little gifts you’ll have to buy for every holiday and birthday. No way, I’m good with just one girl,” Horatio added.
Willow came up balancing all four drinks on a platter and looked at Horatio. “Not to be a creep, but I saw you and your girlfriend last night. You two were cute together.”
Horatio’s smile split across his face. “Thanks, she’s a cutie, ain’t she? I think I’ll keep her.”
“And I saw you met my friend Marla last night.” Willow looked toward Matteo with a knowing smile.
“Who?”
“Marla, the little brunette girl that was following you around all night and kept looking at you like she was in love.”
Matteo’s face went pale as he clearly remembered the girl she was referring to. “Oh yeah, that chick was weird. I told her I wasn’t interested, but she was determined to change my mind.”
Willow’s brow scrunched up and her smile turned into a frown. “Don’t call her weird. You just don’ t know her well enough yet.”
Nikolas laughed. “You’re the one who wants to start a harem, might as well kick it off by adding her.”
Matteo’s eyes grew round and he chuckled, quickly looking at Willow and blushing. She simply shook her head and walked away.
“He’s just joking! I’m not a pervert like that,” he called after her.
“Well, as much as I’m enjoying listening to you idiots swoon over girls like a bunch of high schoolers, I have work that needs to get done,” Gage said.
He stood up from the booth and headed out to his truck, which was loaded with tools and rolls of carpeting. He sat in the darkness of the cab and watched Willow through the window as she yawned and walked around the shop lazily talking to her regulars. He had been annoyed to discover that he was still intrigued by the woman and his lust from last night had nothing to do with it.