Bloodbound Desires

Another night!

Nora twirled away to attend to the other side of the bar, I stood there for a moment, frozen in contemplation of my encounter with the enigmatic man. My thoughts were interrupted as Sebastian approached, his mischievous grin adorning his face. He playfully tapped my rear.

"Brother?" I balked. Was the big boss as gorgeous as him? "Whatever. Why does everyone recognize him except me?"

I let out a sigh, a mix of anticipation and uncertainty weighing on me.

"Damn, I wasn't in the shower that long." The memory of seeing someone hit me and I rolled my shoulders, concealing the sudden shiver that whipped through me. "Besides, Nora said she'd seen our new boss, she said zip about a brother."

A rush of people hit the bar, waving their hands to get their orders in. both Sebastian and Nora shot from my side to fill requests. The night was buzzing, and I started to do what I was paid for, and that was to work.

I just didn’t understand why I missed out on the big introduction. But just as I shrugged off the thought, I caught a glimpse of him—the new boss, or his brother, disappearing into the crowd. Was he leaving? And why did his sudden departure send a thrill of dread coiling around my spine?

The Office!

I stood outside the office, a cocktail in hand, hesitating before knocking on the door.

“Come in!”

The voice inside had already called me in, indicating that my new boss was well aware of my presence. It was no surprise, really, considering there were cameras everywhere. I glanced around to make sure no one else was nearby and finally entered the room.

Closing the door gently behind me, I found myself in a dimly lit space. The darkness was suffocating, triggering my claustrophobia and a tremor began to quake through me. I clamped down on the panic, biting my lower lip, trying to steady myself. Breath, just breathe. I chanted the mantra in my mind as sweat trickled a path between my breasts.

A light flickered on in the corner of the room in my boss’s chair with his brother sitting in his chair.

"Do I make you nervous?" he asked, his voice cutting through the tension. The sound of his words sent shivers down my spine.

"No, it's not you. I've always had a touch of claustrophobia since I was a child. No idea why," I rambled, realizing that I was babbling to my new boss.

He steepled his fingers and I could feel his stare like a tangible thing.

“I think that it was growing up in the orphanage, we had small rooms and there were always too many of us sharing.”

Why would I tell him that?

He must think I'm a mess, taking forever to bring him a simple drink and now blurting out personal information.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize," he said, standing up and flipping the switch on the wall to illuminate the room fully.

Oh, he was referring to me being claustrophobic, not about being an orphan.

Relief washed over me as I stopped twitching and finally took in the full view of my boss, who now stood behind his desk, studying me intently.

I waited for him to say something, but the silence stretched on like waiting for a weekend off. The tension hung heavy in the air as his stare made me feel like he was a predator sizing up his prey.Nora's crazy ideas of vampires flittered along the back of my mind, but I shoved the thought away.

Then I found myself finding my voice, and remembering why I came in here in the first place.

"Here's your drink," I offered, hoping to break the tension.

A sense of apprehension swirled in my stomach as he nodded and briskly gestured with a for me to take a seat in an empty chair. I was intimidated, not only by his silence, but also by his captivating eyes that seemed to penetrate every part of my being.

"Ms. Rivers, I'm Xavier Darkwood," he finally introduced himself, his slow nod implying he expected a reaction. "Technically, my brother Lucian Darkwood is, but I'm filling in for him due to unforeseen circumstances. I introduced myself earlier, but you were in the show—changing at the time—"

“I’m so sorry, I was late. I’m not usually.”

He chuckled, “That’s what Nora said. I assume that you’re friends.”

Best friends.

But, I wouldn’t tell him that, I’d already said more than I should have said in a short space of time.

"It's not a problem. I simply like to get to know everyone who works for me," he reassured, finally shifting his gaze away from me and approaching where I sat. "Sebastian has been the assistant manager for the previous owner, but, changes are on the horizon—some quite drastic—and they'll ripple through every corner of this club.,"

Oh s**t .He was going to fire me too. I could feel it. Why else would he bother to tell me any of this?

"Yes, I like to—" Before he could finish his sentence, there was a forceful knock at the door, indicating urgency. Without warning, the door swung open, and an overly muscled guy poked his head in.

"There's an issue. The crowd is getting too large, and we're on the verge of violating the safety code of the building," the tall, pale bouncer informed us.

"Stop letting anyone else in," Xavier commanded with a nod, as if they had some secret understanding. The bouncer swiftly moved aside and disappeared back into the club.

"You may leave now," Xavier said, turning my chair to face him directly. I contemplated whether I should stand or wait for him to move, but sensing his proximity, I decided to rise quickly.

In my haste, I nearly stumbled into him, yet he remained perfectly still as I sidestepped away. Just as I reached for the door handle, he spoke again, his words sending a tingle down my spine. "If you had fallen, I would have caught you."

What the hell?

With that, I closed the door and leaned against it to steady myself. There was an undeniable attraction between us, but I couldn't help but wonder if Xavier Darkwood, with his striking looks, would be seen as creepy if he didn't possess such magnetism.

While I strolled down the long hallway, descending the stairs, the blend of sweat, spilled alcohol and unique blend of perfume of the club hit me. My mind played tricks, each thumping beat of the music seemed to echo 'He's not creepy, he's hot' in rhythm.

Too hot, to be with someone like me.

I couldn’t keep him interested for him to stay. This was my issue, thoughts like that did keep men at bay, especially the likes of someone like Xavier Darkwood.

* * *

Three weeks in and not even a glimpse of the big boss man, Lucien. As for Xaiver, his brother, guy was a straight-up ghost. I was beginning to think he didn't actually exist and I'd imagined everything.

I nudged Nora about Lucien since I'd never actually laid eyes on him. But all I got was this coy blush and a giggly, "Oh, he's just as dreamy as Xavier…in a different way. Maybe more."

Seriously? More? Was that even possible?

"You on tonight, Eva?" Nora called out, snapping me out of my thoughts. "I never checked the schedule." She effortlessly strapped on her red heels that matched her dress.

How the hell does she manage to look drop-dead gorgeous with zero effort?

Yet, I could never be jealous of her. I loved her too much for that.

“Nah, not tonight. I've got some serious thinking to do," I replied, sinking deeper into the sofa in my comfy PJs. The club had been acting all weird ever since Xavier took over. "My shifts got slashed, and I needed the cash—bills ain't gonna pay themselves, you know? Besides, idle thoughts are a dangerous playground for me. I mean, it ain't the salary that keeps me going, it's those sweet tips."

I could rake in an extra hundred bucks on a good night. Missing out on two shifts meant missing out on a whole lotta moolah. Sure, I had some savings, but I didn't want this becoming a weekly thing. If I flunked my exams and had to find another job or move out, I'd be screwed. The college had some bizarre grading holdup this year, and the whole thing was giving everyone a major headache. They were tight-lipped about it, and it's been dragging on for weeks now.

"Come on, Nora. You've been going steady with Des for a year now. And seriously, screw school grades. What the hell am I supposed to do?" I sighed, feeling a tinge of sadness.

"Where did that come from? Did Des say something to you?" Nora inched closer, concern etched on her face. I shook my head. I had a feeling her silence meant she had something to spill.

"Well, you're right about one thing. Des and I talked, and we're thinking about taking things to the next level," she sighed, and I sensed a "but" hanging in the air.

"But here's the deal. If we move in together, he'll move into my place, but only if you're cool with it. I'd never kick you out, and—"

I cut her off before she finished her sentence. The sight of her staring at the floor was creeping me out.

"It's fine, Nora. We can't be roomies forever." I gave her a tight hug, but deep down, I couldn't help feeling a twinge of nerves about the impending changes. What if I flunked my exams? What the hell would I do? Where would I go? I took a deep breath as she hugged me back, her internal struggle evident. I couldn't just keep dwelling on my own problems. I had to be there for her too.

She stood up, attempting a hasty exit, which was quite the challenge in those goddamn towering heels she was wearing. Her makeup seemed heavier than usual, which was odd. She was never one for caking it on. I shrugged as she called out that she'd pick up my paycheck and wished me a good night.

There was only one thing to do on nights like this, and it had been way too long. A visit to the casino seemed like a damn good idea. I had a little cash stashed in my bag, so I could afford to loosen up a bit tonight. I never played with my cards; it was all for pure pleasure, not for shitting my pants later, worrying about bills piling up from a losing streak. No, gambling was my guilty pleasure, not a pain in the ass and I planned to head there tonight.

Some people took drugs.

Some drank.

Some stole.

I gambled, I was only human, and I had my own addiction just like everyone else.

Underneath the swollen moon casting long, twisting shadows on the pavement, I was just hoping lady luck might fancy hanging out with me tonight. Silently begging her to cut me some slack.

Just when I was nearly to the casino, a howl—raw, primal, and damn eerie sliced through the city streets. Goosebumps hit me like a freight train. For a moment, I stopped, glancing around expecting to see some huge dog. But there were merely cars and pedestrians who seemed indifferent as they wove through the streets.

But that howl, it was like some wild creature out here was throwing out some sort of invite, vibing with my own restless itch.

Nah, that was crazy. Shaking off the weird feeling, I picked up my pace, the howl following me into the night.

It was time to roll the dice and see where fate would take me.