3. Like a Lamb To Slaughter

-Gabriel-

I knew Katherine was in town before Fenriz even called me in to take care of the problem, and as I walked out of his hotel, I set up a meeting without her even knowing I was behind it.

The Death’s Temple guild has always been a thorn in my side ever since their first generation took out half of my family back in Romania. My siblings, my cousins, and nearly all of the Purebloods were taken out because they assumed we were to blame for the spate of recent killings in the small towns below our castle.

Well, they weren’t wrong; my 50-year-old cousin decided to turn one of her human servant friends into a vampire, and the boy went on a rampage. 50-year-old vampires would be about ten years old in human years, so she didn’t know any better.

But that little act of naivety cost half of our family, and we were forced to either fight back or flee. My father, the oldest vampire at the time, decided that we should lay low in Bulgaria for a few years before we returned home. By the time he decided that we were ready, we found out that the Death’s Temple had taken up residency in our castle. 

The Décès clan turned our home into their base of operations.

Now, as I peer down at her in my club, I wonder if she knows the truth behind our family’s blood feud. Knowing her father, he’s probably spun a lie so tight that she’d never believe anything other than what he’s told her. But that’s fine with me; I want her to hate me before I kill her.

Katherine Décès - as beautiful and deadly as they come. She looks out of place here, and I can sense her anxiety even if she seems confident amongst my kind. 

I appraise her from my vantage point and imagine how it would feel to have her underneath me, giving into me slowly even though she hates it. But those slender legs that should be over my shoulders have chased down so many vampires, and those nimble fingers that should be digging their nails into my back have put many out of their misery.

So even as she is beautiful and perfectly sexy, she’s out of bounds. But I have a plan to make her submit to me before I kill her, and tonight I am putting it in place.

Valentine approaches her, and I watch as she stiffens at his touch. She trusts him to an extent since he’s brought her so many of my men’s heads, but she really shouldn’t. He’s my second in command and club VP, after all. 

They chat for a while, then he leans into her, whispers that I’m here, and walks off while she tries not to hyperventilate. She straightens her back and tries to control her racing heart before turning her head and looking straight in my direction.

The second her eyes locked with mine, a delicious current shot through my body; it made me want to devour this woman with no consequences of what her death could bring. Her cold blue eyes widened slightly, and when her tongue shot out to moisten her lips, I could feel my cock harden to steel. By the way her heart picked up its pace when I grinned and winked at her, I know she felt the exact same way.

What is it about forbidden fruit that makes me want to ruin it?

“You look like you needed that, little lamb,” I say and watch as she stiffens at my proximity. Her sweet caramel-scented perfume doesn’t hide her fear, but her arousal is even more overwhelming. Hmm, I guess I was correct in thinking the feeling is mutual.

“Little lamb? That’s a condescending thing to call a lady,” she says, taking a sip of her wine but still not looking my way. “Are you implying that I’m docile?”

I chuckle. “Well, you look out of your depth in the middle of vultures who, I might add, are all looking to feast on your carcass.” When I say this, her eyes scan the crowd behind her, but she shows no fear even as my men all drink her in. 

“So, if they’re the vultures, does that make you the predator about to devour me?” she says, finally turning to face me. Her blue eyes look even colder up close, and her pale skin is rosy from either alcohol or arousal.

“Hmm, it depends on how you look at it; you can either enjoy the feast or fight me. I’m fine with it either way.” I grin as I say this and love the tiny gasp she tries to stifle at my words. 

Rolling her eyes, she takes another sip of wine and scoffs. “You make consent sound like a dirty word,” she says, then reaches up to touch her ear. “Or is that what all women are like with you? Do you prefer them fighting back?”

“I prefer them wet, willing and begging me not to stop,” I say, then motioning behind her for my men to get rid of the other cockroaches who came in with her.

My words cause her to laugh, and she finishes her glass of wine in one gulp, then gets to her feet. “Okay, this turned dirty real quick, and I need some space from you. Which way is the little girls' room?” she asks, swaying a little.

I gesture to the bathrooms off to her right. “That way; and you better believe that I’ll be waiting for your return, little lamb,” I say, stepping out of her way and ordering myself a whiskey.

She chuckles again but looks unsteady as she makes her way to the restrooms. I watch her walking away and motion for Valentine to follow her before looking down at her glass and grinning triumphantly. Yes, I am aware that these hunters pump themselves full of anti-vampire cocktails, and it’s a bitch to bite into a meal and feel it biting back.

However, that only works on your average vampire. I might not be able to use my Allure on her or drink her blood, but the second she ingests my blood, the cocktail clashes with it and will render the person unconscious. 

I knew she wouldn’t drink something she didn’t see being poured herself, so I had the bartender put my blood inside the bottle. In about twenty seconds, little Katherine will be unconscious and mine to do with as I please.

Not that I would ever touch a woman without her consent, no… but I can make her think something happened when it didn’t. I can make her hate herself even more than she hates me; all it took was a drop of wine.

The Death’s Temple’s downfall starts with the ruination of their princess; and how glorious it will be.