My CEO is a Vampire - Book One: The Pact

Prologue: Between Dreams, Blood, and Desire Scarlett fought back a sigh. Could she be dreaming? Even though she knew it was all real, it certainly felt like a dream. There was an engagement ring on her finger worth more than ten of the apartments she used to live in. And her future husband was none other than one of the most desirable men in America, if not the world. A CEO wanted by thousands of women and envied by countless men. Beyond that, she stood before a sea of cameras, and the news was already being broadcast by every source on the internet. It was hard to believe; she—a mature woman, a divorcee, a mother, a warrior fighting against fate—was now standing there, a celebrity by association, radiant, breathtaking, and deeply in love. The blonde’s almond-shaped eyes sparkled. It really was like a dream. But obviously, it wasn’t as simple as it seemed. ♥♥♥ The blonde remained where she was, her hand extended for reporters and influencers to take photos for over twenty minutes. Julian Strike, the powerful CEO and her future husband, stood beside her like a smiling statue. The man was simply beautiful and powerful for a multitude of reasons. Julian was tall, strong, and possessed an air of nobility that made him stand out. When he arrived, it was as if an angel had appeared with wings and a halo, a warm, golden aura enveloping everyone present. Although, of course, he was far from that concept. Julian was almost the opposite of an angel. But what truly mattered was that he loved her. Julian Strike was much more than a man; he was something more, something superior. Upon his shoulders rested the fate of thousands of people across the globe, and yet, even with every minute of his day accounted for, he had found time for her. Scarlett knew that she and the man she loved belonged to different worlds. And she also knew everything he had already done for her, for them, for their love. Powerful as he was, there were others like him in the world. Others who did not approve of their relationship. To reach this point, many battles had been fought. And many more would surely follow. However, she knew that Julian would never give up on them. They were destined to be together. The feeling they shared transcended the ordinary. And neither of them would renounce it, even if it cost them their lives. ♥♥♥ After nearly two hours of posing for photos and giving interviews, Julian and his fiancée announced they were retiring for the night. The party would go on. The director, producers, assistants, and Scarlett’s studio support team would remain until dawn, answering questions with carefully rehearsed lines. The couple knew the repercussions of such an event. Julian wasn’t just a multimillionaire CEO, and it wasn’t just reporters and fans watching that announcement. Even before the sun rose, ripples would be felt across the entire world. "Can you wait just a moment?" the blonde asked, pulling Julian away from prying eyes. "I’m going to touch up my makeup, and then we can leave." "Of course. The helicopter is already waiting; I’ll be close by." The woman gave a discrete nod and walked away. He was always like that—attentive, present. Not to mention the obvious: attractive, seductive, a total charmer. He was like a Hollywood star, making her feel as though she were living in a romance movie. Once in the restroom, Scarlett stared at herself in the mirror. She was beautiful, and she knew it. She sighed; she was exhausted. It had been a long, frantic day. She was also worried—and she had plenty of reasons to be. What would the others think? Those like Julian? She knew that accepting that proposal was like kicking a beehive. However, it was a very large beehive, dangerous enough to threaten the safety of the entire world. She had fought her greatest fears to say yes, all for the sake of love. Julian was good to her and to her daughter, and that was enough. He would keep them safe and guarantee a secure future for Hannah. ♥♥♥ Scarlett touched up her lipstick and blew a kiss to her reflection in the mirror. Regardless of the fallout from tonight, it was done. The whole world now knew about her and Julian Strike. All that remained was to stand by the man she loved and face the challenges head-on. Suddenly, the temperature in the room shifted drastically. It was as if all the warmth had been stolen from the air. Before Scarlett could even think of leaving, another phenomenon occurred. The lights began to go out, one by one. Caught off guard, Scarlett closed her eyes and held back a gasp as she felt a warm touch on both sides of her waist. She could feel a large, strong body behind her, enveloping her, heating her skin. Even though she was surrounded by darkness, she could imagine who those powerful hands belonged to. He had that power—the ability to change his surroundings according to his will. The blonde bit her lower lip softly. Feeling her body wrapped in that embrace was wonderful. No other man had ever made Scarlett feel this way. And she had been with many men; she was far from an innocent maiden. But in that moment, that intense desire was something purely supernatural. Was there such a thing as supernatural lust? Scarlett believed so. It certainly existed; there was no other explanation. The arousal was unique, and it only intensified. Every hair on her body stood on end. The blonde knew what would happen next. It was strange and… good. It was like having a nightmare and yet never wanting to wake up. ♥♥♥ At first, it was painful. It felt as if two needles were piercing her neck side by side, simultaneously. But the pain was soon replaced by pleasure. It was as if some kind of venom were being injected with the bite, transmitted through the predator's saliva, numbing her, disarming every one of her defenses. It was a good venom, the kind that brought pleasure even in death. Moments after the fangs sank in, the blood began to flow. There was no need to worry. The puncture wounds from the fangs always healed quickly on her skin, becoming imperceptible. She didn’t understand how it happened, but it did. And the blood would be cleaned away. Scarlett felt ecstatic, drugged. She knew the trickle of blood running down her chest was nothing. Her lover sucked most of it away. She was anesthetized by the bite, by his grip, completely turned on. Had she surrendered herself to the vampire before? She couldn’t remember. It was strange; her memories felt clouded, as if behind a fog. It felt as though she had done this before—a sense of déjà-vu. The uncertainty of her own actions caused a flicker of insecurity, yet she was unable to pull away from her predator's grasp. And she didn’t want to. She felt an excitement no other man had ever stirred in her. At this stage of the game, the only thing Scarlett could think was that she had become entangled in a match far greater than herself—larger than anything she had ever been connected to before. And even there, in the eye of the storm, all that mattered was what she felt. The fangs soon withdrew slowly from her flesh, inch by inch. Even that simple gesture brought her pleasure. In those singular, peculiar moments, everything else seemed trivial. It was as if the entire world ceased to exist, leaving only this moment. The bite was replaced by kisses on her neck, her ear, and her shoulders. Warm, strong, firm hands slid down her waist, then moved forward to caress her stomach and breasts. The vampire likely did this in mere fractions of a second, but her mind processed it all slowly, hypnotized, dreaming. The pressure against her backside made her crave more than just these simple, teasing touches. It made her think of the marvelous experience of being taken right there in that restroom—in that very moment, with so many guests in a hall so close she could hear the music if she opened the door. She was nearly begging. She would have shed her dress without the slightest hesitation. When she opened her eyes, the scene startled her. Despite the darkness, she was certain she was no longer in the restroom. In the distance, she saw floor lamps with black candelabras, their candles glowing like stars. She also couldn’t feel the floor beneath her feet. Was she levitating? Was that even possible? Or was she really dreaming? ♥♥♥ Spinning her body around, the woman came face-to-face with her lover. She intended to ask what was happening, but she never got the chance. The vampire pulled her into a tight embrace, taking her lips in a deep, wet, lingering kiss. As always, Scarlett was unable to resist. She could never deny her own desires. She could taste blood in her lover’s saliva, but somehow, it was good. When their lips finally parted, Scarlett’s eyes widened in shock. "Y-you..." she stammered. "You’re not Julian! Who are you?" The man was tall and strong, just like the CEO, and equally handsome and seductive. However, he had long, dark hair; a beard and mustache covered much of his face, and his eyes were a piercing grey. He looked serious, somber, and cruel. "You know who I am, Scarlett. And you know why I’m here..." "I... I can’t... I don’t know..." she was still stammering. "It doesn’t matter. Don’t worry. I only came to congratulate you on your engagement," the other said. "I don’t intend to interfere—not today..." Backing away, Scarlett could finally take in the creature. He was robust and terrifying, dressed in black clothes and a fur cloak that billowed as if caught in the wind, much like his hair. He smiled, and his fangs were visible. "You’re... you’re a vampire... why do you feel so familiar if I can’t remember...?" "That should be quite obvious. Calm yourself. You won't remember any of this..." Scarlett was about to ask another question when she blinked, and suddenly she was back in the restroom, everything in its proper place. Before her was only her reflection, staring back at her, startled and surprised. Why did she look like that? Grabbing her small purse, the woman took a deep breath and stepped out of the restroom. Her future husband was there, close by, waiting for her, as beautiful as ever. "Are you ready?" he asked, extending his hand with a smile. "Yes, thank you for waiting," the blonde replied, confused. As they headed toward the helicopter, Scarlett wondered why she felt so apprehensive. She didn't remember anything out of the ordinary. What could have happened? It wouldn’t take long for Julian to notice her racing heartbeat. She forced herself to remember if she had seen or spoken to anyone in the restroom, but her recent memories seemed to have vanished. She must have had too much to drink, and to make matters worse, she was exhausted. A good night's sleep would fix it. Fortunately, she felt safe. Julian provided that security. Whatever had happened, she would find out... In time...