All Chapters of Chosen by the Vampire Don: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

I feel myself grow cold, both from the cool touch of Don Federico's embrace but also the fury behind his words. The mafia men all fall quit. The man who demanded I strip for everyone's entertainment sinks low in his seat—he's no doubt wishing he could turn invisible or just completely disappear.I would be more satisfied that a bunch of creepy guys are getting put in their place—but I am currently sitting on the don's lap, so I'm not exactly in a fun, safe position. Between my fear and the don's lack of body heat, I feel like I'm sitting in a coffin.I understand why Don Federico wears gloves—if he didn't, he'd never be able to shake someone's hands. What little is exposed of his skin—from his wrists to elbows, where his dress shirt hangs—is chill to the touch. He must have some poor blood circulation.But I don't want to think about Don Federico right now. Because if I think about him, I'm reminded of just how close to him I am and how uncomfortable this all is.I try to think about

I blink the sleep from my eyes. I can't have really seen Don Federico in my bedroom, right?Sure enough, after I rub my eyes, he's gone. Which either means he's a ghost or—more likely—the stress of job hunting is getting to me.There's only one solution to that problem. I need to get these applications filled out quickly.I know I need to start earning money again before my meager savings disappear.I start job hunting as soon as I'm awake. I check the online listings and send out my resume, but I quickly decide to check out some local spots in person. There's always some shop or dive bar that's hiring.While they're not my preferred places, I refuse to give into James—or, more accurately, his girlfriend Alessia. Even though I've only seen her once, it's obvious who's in control in that relationship. James is putty in that woman's hands—she holds all the power.There's no way James got me fired from my job on fake charges without Alessia knowing about it."I guess they deserve each ot

I look at the offending clause, hesitating. Something must show on my face because Don Federico gets up from his seat and walks over. He leans over my shoulder, eyes instantly finding the problem."I'm not interested in your body, Hailey," he says. "At least not sexually. You're far too thin."I sigh in relief. I'm not escaping prostitution just to end up someone's personal sex doll. Making sure the don eats and sleeps is a little weird, but personal assistants do have a lot of weird responsibilities that normal assistants don't.I reach the end of the contract. There's nothing that immediately strikes me as a huge mistake.Don Federico offers me a fountain pen from his desk. I've never used one before but I confidently sign my name on the last page.Don Federico takes the pen back with a smile and signs his own name."The deal is struck," he says, with an air of finality. For some reason, it makes me shiver.Don Federico waves over a servant. "Show her to her room."The man nods. As

I nearly jump out of bed as I wake up from my nightmare. It takes me a good minute to get my breathing to even out, but afterwards, I feel okay.Mostly. Though my injuries from the other day are all healed up, I actually feel more tired than rested."I hate nightmares," I mutter to myself, waiting to see if I might get a little more energy back the longer I'm up—I have no such luck.It seems like the stress dream left me exhausted. And, even worse, I know I should get ready for the day.I can't let Don Federico claim I'm not upholding my end of the contract.The dining hall is reserved for Don Federico and his guests, so my meals are brought up to my room by a servant. Today's breakfast is a simple omelet and a cup of fruit.The servant who brings my meal can't be older than eighteen. He looks like he should still be in school."Good morning," I say, summoning as much cheer as I can muster. "I'm Hailey. I'll be staying as Don Federico's personal assistant from now on."The teen frowns

"I'm aware of that," I say, my eyes trailing down to his hand on my neck. The pressure he's applied is strong and firm, but not enough to choke me. So, against my screaming instincts, I don't struggle—I can't risk Don Federico grabbing me tighter, even by mistake.My answer seems to take the don off guard. The look of intense anger is still there, but it's softened by surprise. Even his grip on my neck feels a little softer.I take a deep breath and gather my courage. I can't lose my nerve now."You have a very important banquet to attend at 7 PM, Don Federico," I say slowly, channeling every bit of my customer service training in this moment. "Unfortunately, that means you can't sleep until 5 PM like usual—not if you want to be ready and on time for the banquet. So I've woken you up at 2 PM today, sir, so that you can have time to prepare."For one horrible moment, I fear that the don is going to pop my neck like a grape. But then his anger fades and his face shifts back into that nu