Marked by the Vampire King

I was never one to take a leap, but here I was, staring at a man that I was sure had to be otherworldly and wondering if I should ask him on a date. The man looked like walking sin, with dark hair pushed back from his face, a well-trimmed beard, and dark eyes that seemed to miss nothing.

Remi elbowed me. “What are you looking at?”

“Him,” I murmured, then pointed over the counter at the man standing near the back of the room. “He looks like he walked out of a fashion magazine.”

She laughed and checked him out, her eyes dragging over him from head to toe. “You should ask him on a date. Either he’d be one that takes you home to his parents and marries you or he’ll be a wild night of fun.”

I rolled my eyes. “You say that about every man, Rem.”

She groaned. “Because that’s most men, my dear little friend.”

Remi moved away, sauntering down to the end of the counter to speak with a regular. She leaned over, her cleavage spilling out as she spoke to him. I turned away when I saw his eyes glaze over.

He was drunk, and he would tip her well. I couldn’t say I blamed her. We all needed the extra money however it came.

My gaze went back to the man, hoping to see him, but he was already gone.

“Ah, shoot,” I said, looking across the room in search of him. “Where did he go?”

The place was loud, so I wouldn’t have heard him leave. It was possible he snuck out the door while I was talking to Remi, but I hoped he’d still be around. After a moment of searching, I gave up and turned to head to the back room.

I passed through the doorway, sighing heavily. My eyes dragged over one of the boxes with the newest shipment of some beer my boss had recently signed for. He claimed it would be a big hit, but not one single person asked for it tonight.

“Some deal you made,” I groaned as I reached down to pick up a bottle and admire it. “Beautiful design, but sucky marketing.”

I set the bottle down, shoving it back in place just as something rotten hit my nose. My entire body froze.

“What the—”

I turned, searching the room. All that was back in this room were the crates full of bottles and some old promotional material. The walls were brick, so there was nothing here that would rot.

The kitchen was on the opposite side of the room from us and that was where all the food and non-alcoholic things were kept, so it shouldn’t be here.

I sniffed again and again. “What is that?”

Remi stuck her head in, coming to get one of the new bottles of beer. “Woo, first one tonight. Hey, Livvy—” She paused as the scent hit her too. “What is that smell? Is something dead?”

“I don’t…know,” I said, turning to search the room. “Do you think something crawled into the walls and died?”

“It has to be,” she grumbled. “You don’t think it’s a gas leak, do you?”

“Oh, come on. Don’t joke with me like that,” I snapped. “That wouldn’t be a good night for any of us.”

She laughed it off and turned as someone called her name. “Well, I better get this beer back out here for Mr. Snyder. He wants to tip generously tonight.”

She giggled as she left, checking her cleavage as she went, and I was left alone with the stench.

“Good grief. I have to hunt this down,” I groaned, my head tilting back.

I started with the crates near the back of the room. There weren’t many, and I figured those had to be where the smell was coming from. Oddly, with each one I moved, I couldn’t smell it and the only thing I found was some old straw.

“Fine, middle of the room. If there’s nothing, that means it’s the new beer,” I mumbled as I moved closer.

The middle of the room turned up nothing as well, leaving only the new crates near the front, where the scent seemed ‌‌strongest.

“No wonder it doesn’t sell well,” I laughed.

I walked to the crate, picking up one of the bottles and smelled the glass. There was nothing.

A chill crept up my spine, starting at the base and going all the way up to my neck. The base of my hairline seemed to tingle as chill bumps spread across the backs of my arms.

“What’s wrong, blood letter?” A voice purred from behind me. “Scared of little old me?”

I whirled on my heel. In the middle of the room was a man who was at least seven feet tall. There was nothing human about him. A horn was on each side of his head. His teeth were jagged and blackened. His eyes were an odd shade of orange.

I stared at him for a second, my mouth open but not a sound coming out.

“Scream for me, blood letter,” he said, his voice low. “I want to hear it before you die.”

Die?

My eyes fluttered as I closed my mouth.

“What…are…you?” I asked, my voice cracked on each word.

“Do you not know?” His voice was entirely too amused as I shivered. “I guess I’m your first demon.”

“Demon? Those are only in books.” My voice was barely audible as I spoke. “I must have fallen and hit my head.”

He shook his head, his long dark hair falling into his face. “You’re not dreaming, blood letter. But if you like, I can make it good for you before you’re sacrificed. Does that sound to you?”

“Sacrificed?” I asked, my voice trembling. “Good for me? What are you talking about? This has to be a nightmare.”

He laughed, the sound filling the room. “Oh, your fear tastes divine. You have no idea what you are, do you?”

“I’m a bartender by night and a barista during the day with no social life,” I said, my voice low. “That’s all I am.” My gaze darted to the beer. “Look, if this is about the beer, take it. You can have the entire crate.”

His gaze darted toward the crate, his eyes lit with amusement. “You think I want the crate when I told you what I want?”

“Surely, this is a dream and you’re after that instead of little old me. I’m a nobody,” I pleaded.

“No, blood letter, you’re exactly what I’m looking for.”

He stepped forward, his mouth pulling into a sinister smile to reveal all of those sharp teeth. I imagined them slicing through my skin, wondering if that was how he planned to kill me. My eyes watered as I realized how little I had lived.

I had never made anything ‌of myself and was barely hanging on. I wasn’t even sure if anyone would miss me if I were gone.

My eyes slid shut as tears flowed freely down my face. “Please don’t hurt me. I’m not a blood letter or whatever it is you keep calling me.”

“Oh, but you are,” he purred. “You’re exactly what I’m after. But first, I want to hear your cries of please while I ravage your—”

His words were cut off just as something splattered onto my face.