Garlic Is For Vampires (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 14: The White Falcon

We walked close together towards the club entrance. Brendon whistled a little tune to soothe me but I felt weak and my limbs were jello. We continued until we stood in front of the bouncer who had Celtic tattoos running up his tough arms. His hair was a shocking yellow-green, but for some reason it didn't look dyed.

"Hey, sweet cakes," the bouncer said in a gruff voice. "You look ready for the night."

I was dressed in a white dress with a slit in the side of the thigh, and wearing at least 5 inch heels. The dress stopped a few inches under my butt, and there was a white sheer fabric covering my collarbone. It was backless and the hem of my dress had a sort of nice flowery fringe.

I gave a flirtatious laugh and smiled up at him. I gazed at him with childish eyes and let Brendon take my waist. He chuckled and stepped towards the bouncer with a false smile. He had me stand in front of him and I let myself relax, as if I were submitting to him.

"Me and my little doll came here for the party," Brendon said. "So can we just go in?"

"Gonna need your invitation pal," the bouncer said. Brendon turned my wrist over and held my hand out to the bouncer. He studied me before raising a knife and leaving a cut away from my veins. Then he took my hand and dropped his head, running his tongue over the blood that ran down my wrist. I watched in wonder and shivered. I was supposed to act stupid, but my body's instincts sensed the danger. I couldn't handle playing the submissive vampire blood slave without worrying that I'd screw up and give away my identity, along with Brendon's. But this was how Howard Skylark wanted us to play, to see if we were worthy. If we'd survive. Something told me this man had been lied to far too many times and needed to go through certain procedures before ensuring he could trust a person. So when I shivered slightly, Brendon simply touched my shoulder. I stopped shivering.

The bouncer stood up straight and then looked at Brendon. "Your turn, hotshot."

Brendon tilted his head back and let the bouncer smell him before nodding and opening the club's door for us. There wasn't a line to get in but a party was in full swing inside the club. The bouncer handed Brendon a small vile with gleaming silvery glitter inside.

"Vampire crystals," the bouncer said. He gave me a smirk before meeting Brendon's gaze. "For when you want to...you know. Make her excited so you can both have fun."

Brendon growled and I thought it was over for the both of us but his growl turned into a chuckle. "The fun is only beginning," Brendon said, and we walked into the club.

It was dark but there were lights and glowing chairs and tables where people drank and stood together. On the dance floor were numerous bodies, and they all danced to a song that even made me want to dance. My eyes felt heavy and I realized it was because of the slow motion of the bodies and the cold radiating from Brendon. He was a temporary vampire with a potion Howard delivered that sharpened Brendon's senses and gave him a vampire's scent-the only reason he got in undetected. Brendon's skin was cool and I felt a little insecure around him, but I knew the feeling would go away once the potion wore off the next morning.

"Come," he said, guiding me through the crowd. Heads turned in our direction and I felt a hand slide over my arm, gripping my elbow. Brendon whirled on the vampire standing before us. He had his hand on my elbow, looking at us with a satisfied smirk. He bared his fangs, and I watched his eyes turn inky. Another vampire appeared, female, and she hissed at us. I whimpered and fell back into Brendon. I didn't need to pretend because I was scared.

Brendon hissed and I could picture his incisors sharpening and his eyes darkening. Both vampires backed away and others watched us as we continued walking. We made it to a sitting lounge and Brendon paused to observe and pull me into his arms. I leaned into him like a kitten, as if I was starving for his touch. Brendon ran his hand down my back an then to my thigh, then back up to my hip. Brendon pulled me against him and placed his hands over my ears. He buried my face into his chest and I wondered why he was doing that, but then I heard a piercing scream behind me.  I flinched, and tried looking up at Brendon but he kissed my head and held on for the longest until the snarls were over and the moans of pain. I could smell the blood and I felt like gagging. Brendon tensed. I knew he thirsted for blood but his human side didn't want to drink it.