Just A Taste | BOOK 1 The Night Lords Series

11. Blood Master

Author's Note: DO NOT play music until you see my note that says, PLAY MUSIC ;) ~ only if you want to listen to it on the right part of course. Enjoy!!

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I wake to the feeling of someone shaking my shoulder. When I open my eyes, the Consultant drops his hand and proceeds to get out of the car.

I guess we're here. I step out as well and gawk at what I see.

When he said bank I assumed we'd show up at some important looking building with white columns in the front and the title engraved in fancy lettering above the stone steps. This place is the exact opposite of what I'd imagined.

It was a warehouse district. Each storehouse, massive hunks of metal painted black, stood about seventeen yards apart. There were no windows besides maybe a few skylight hatches on the roofs. In the dying light of the day, some of them were pulsating with colored lights that were coming from inside.

My gaze shifts right. I watch as the last sliver of the sun's face disappears behind the jagged horizon of a distant city. The broken towers, with gaping black cavities spotting its glass body, looked to be on fire as they reflected the orange rays stroking their sides. I used to dream of visiting the city when I was little. It used to be an exciting place full of impressive skyscrapers and shops that Mom told me had lots of pretty clothes as well as delicious food I could try. Now, it was the ghost of a city. Not even worth remembering exactly which metropolis it had been before. All I remember is that cities were the first places everyone could hear the screams.

"Isabelle."

I turn around. The Consultant was a few feet behind me, gaze impatient, as he gestured for me to follow. I hurry to his side. We stride- well, he strides while I jog to keep up with him- past two of the warehouses to our left before approaching the third where two burly men stand guard. Both have matching buzz cuts and, like everyone else immortal around here, they wore black. The one on the right had vibrant green eyes while the left bouncer had brown ones. He could pull off being human. That is, until his gaze shifts to me and he smiles, flashing me a sharp set of fangs.

The Consultant comes to a halt in front of the brown-eyed one.

"Devon," The Consultant turns to his companion. "Eric. I have an appointment with Blood Master Elias."

Devon nods his head before jerking his chin at Eric. The green-eyed vampire remains stoic as he turns towards a metal stick in the wall behind him. Yanking it down, a light glows green above his head and the doors start to slide open. The Consultant steps forward, pulling an envelope from the inside of his jacket before beginning to murmur something to Eric. I feel someone staring at me and I glance over at Devon to see his chocolate orbs were fixed on me. He grins once he sees I've noticed him.

Then, he's suddenly right in front of me. I yelp, jumping back a step. Devon chuckles. "No need to be afraid, princess. I'm not allowed to touch any of the new arrivals." He smiles as if that should be reassuring news for me. I stay where I am.

He stares at me with a salacious smirk, unashamedly checking me out. "You're pretty. For a human." The vampire leans closer as he inhales sharply. His pupils dilate. "You smell amazing too." Devon straightens, turning around to glance at Eric and the Consultant. They were still talking low to one another, their backs to us. I don't react fast enough. His arm whips out, snatching me by my forearm before jerking me to him. I open my mouth to get the Consultant's attention but Devon clamps one of his cold, large hands over the bottom half of my face. He licks his lips.

"Don't be mean, princess. I stand out here all day. At night, I patrol. So it hardly gives me any time to enjoy the company of a woman. Why not give me a little taste, huh?" I struggle within his iron hold but his grip tightens. My eyes start to well with tears. Not again.