A frightened girl stumbled as Stevenson shoved her into the line. Shrill gasps escaped the bedraggled row of captives when Wadim entered the room and walked back and forth observing them. He stopped in front of a few, cupping their chins in his bony hands and turning their heads to study their profiles. A look of disgust consumed his death-like features.“There is very little of value here. I expected better,” he spat.Stevenson wasn’t worried. He’d witnessed this reaction from Wadim every time he brought in a newload of captives. It was the vampire’s way of getting theprice for the shipment down. Stevenson wondered whyhe bothered. It went without saying that Wadim would only have to pay what he wished to pay; if he paid at all. Then Stevenson would be forced to buy back the captives Wadim rejected. More often than not it was at an inflated price. Stevenson was at his mercy. Since Wadim seemed to enjoy his little ga

 Stevenson put on his most alluring face while he bid the small group of women to enter the novelty shop. The limousine driver lounging against the building smirked as he watched some men grab the women’s arms and pull them away. Stevenson scowled in frustration and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his breast pocket. He’d redeemed himself in Wadim’s eyes with that last shipment. He wanted to keep the flow going. It wouldn’t do to allow his shipments to fall back in size and quality again. Although his men were doing a good job, he liked to be able to take the credit for contributing now and then; especially when he spotted fine looking women such as these.Stevenson was reveling in relief after his last shipment. Wadim made it clear on more than one occasion that Stevenson was slipping in his duties and he was considering replacing him. If that happened, Stevenson would end up as dinner instead of at dinner. He’d do anything to keep that f

 I stared at my reflection in the wash basin as I prepared for the fight. How had I gotten myself mixed up in this?Thoughts of Jessica floated through my mind. I remembered how lovely she looked the night I met up with her at Mickey’s bar.She was sipping on a glass of wine and didn’t notice me when I approached her from behind until I smothered her neck with kisses.Recognizing my scent, she’d smiled and held my hands, as they rested on her shoulders. She leaned back against my chest and tipped her face upwards to allow me access to her soft, moist lips. I smile when I recalled her forced pout when she informed me that I’d kept her waiting once again.I enjoyed Jessica. She was a compatible match for me. She rarely angered or got agitated with me and she allowed me far more freedom and liberties to pursue my own interests than any woman I’d ever known. In fact, the only quarrel I could recall -other than when I left to

 It was almost an hour before we made it back to our hotel room. I fell onto one of the two queen sized beds that dominated the room. Mei-Lien wet a cloth and wiped some blood from the gash on my bruised temple while Shen and Dao-Ming gathered our things.Shen and I had returned to suitcases filled with clothes and necessities. This wasn’t the case for the women.“See if you can get these to stay on,” Shen said as he offered a pair of his sandals to Dao-Ming. “They will not let you on an airplane barefoot.” He looked at the robe she was wearing and added, “I better give you some clothes too.”Dao-Ming took the sandals and slipped them on. They were several sizes too big. Shen handed her a shirt and pants and she giggled as she put them on. She stood in front of the mirror; first smiling at the thought of wearing Shen’s clothes and then knitting her brows together as she realized how precarious everything was h

Jessica struggled with her emotions as she stepped away from the door and allowed the group to enter. She accepted my kiss on the cheek with abstract attention.Mei-Lien and Dao-Ming had changed into clothing that fit them and accentuated their beauty. Mei-Lien hesitated as she watched me kiss Jessica. Her eyes sent a smoldering message to Jessica as she passed that caused a shudder of dread to run through her entire body.Mei-Lien’s time with me had created a bond between us that Jessica instantly felt. Mei-Lien was married, but it was several years since she’d seen her husband and didn’t know if she’ d see him again before she turned into a vampire and was distanced from human emotion. So much had happened. Even if she didn’t become a vampire, she wouldn’t be returning to him the same woman he’d married. How could she be?She’d grown attached to me in the short time she’d known me, maybe more than she was t