Wicked Love - Michelle Dare Page 0,36

though. Plaid button-up flannel. Shudder.

I memorized his home address and stuffed all the paperwork and photos into the envelope. Thankfully, I was able to leave the warehouse without being bothered by Ringo or any of his goons.

2

The music inside Bash was a literal assault on my sensitive hearing. I kept meaning to go get some of those moldable earplugs and keep them in my purse for occasions like this, but I seemed to be too busy avoiding the sun and killing people once it went down.

I’d only been a vampire for about six months. I’d just finished the night shift at the diner with Angie, and that night, her then-boyfriend had picked her up to stay at his place. When I’d gotten into my car, it hadn’t started. A nice-looking stranger—a demon wearing the face of a saint—had offered me a ride home. I foolishly had accepted. After all, he was dressed in a very expensive suit, wore a Tag watch, and drove a Tesla. I mean, what could have gone wrong?

But… he was a devil vampire in disguise. Devil wears Prada. Son of Sam. Where had my brain been?

I’d known almost immediately that something was wrong. The townhouse was only about two miles from the diner, and when Ringo had pulled over in a deserted alleyway, I knew I was in trouble. I tried escaping but the door wouldn’t unlock. He leaned over, looking like he wanted to kiss me, but I recoiled back from him.

“Just… just… take me home,” I stammered.

He grinned at me and brushed a stray piece of hair off my forehead that had escaped my bun. “What’s your name?”

I remember feeling relaxed at that point. There had been something in his eyes that had calmed me. “Daniela.”

“Such a pretty name. What’s your last name, sweetheart?” he cooed.

“Diaz,” I deadpanned, still fascinated by his eyes, which I could have sworn were brown but now looked silvery.

“Ah, muy bonita,” he replied in broken Spanish.

“Take me home, please,” I pled, a panic building up in my chest but still seeming calm on the outside.

“Shh, senorita,” he said, leaning in and putting his lips to my neck.

“Get off me!” I snapped, trying to push him off.

He covered his hand over my mouth and bit into my throat. I screamed but it was only a muffle. I tried biting his hand, but it was no use. I was growing weak. The harder he sucked, the weaker I became until the blackness finally took me.

I woke up three days later in his bed. I had no idea what he had done to me during those three days—and I never asked. What would be the point? He then drove me home and told me to, “Stay out of the sun.” That was it.

Living with Angie had become a chore until I found a comfortable enough routine. She had quickly switched to the day shift after that and I told her I had quit the diner and was waiting tables at a nightclub (hence the slutty clothing I left in every night). I had installed some blackout shutters on my bedroom window after the one morning she had decided to throw back my curtains and tell me to, “Get up, sleepyhead.” I had had to cower under the covers and scream at her to shut the curtains. The lame lie about my eyes being sensitive to sunlight had barely passed as an excuse.

Admittedly, I hadn’t had much of a life before becoming a vampire. I had been casually seeing a couple of guys, didn’t have any kids, and was an only child. My parents lived in Lakewood and I visited them occasionally (at night, of course). I knew I was going to have to move out of Colorado in a few years, though. I’d cross that bridge when I came to it.

“Welcome to the stage, Innubis!”

I looked up to see a grungy-looking guy breaking me out of my musings by announcing Judson’s band.

With a bloody mary in front of me, I rested my hand on it as I sat alone at the table. I was dressed a little less slutty tonight, in just a pair of fitted jeans, a sleeveless black crop top, and flats so I wouldn’t stand out too much. I did have every intention of “meeting” Judson tonight, though.

I sat through a few sets, bored out of my mind, but watching his behavior. He made eye contact with me a few times, and I threw him a sexy smirk. I