Page 45 of Bane of Hate and Silver (Primordial Inheritance #1)

Jules and Gabriel walked farther and farther from their starting point.

They had checked the streets and every darkened corner near the hotel, but had had no luck finding any sign of Eileen.

“I thought she’d be at the pool or bar. I didn’t know she was angry enough to go out on the streets alone,” he mumbled for the third time.

“We’ll find her,” Jules assured again, feeling less confident than she sounded.

While they searched, Gabriel had told her all he knew about the Fort Miles Phantom, which wasn’t very much. He looked to be in his late teens, close to Jules’s human age, and yet he was at least several centuries old. Gabriel couldn’t remember any distinguishing features beyond that.

“Yes. There is a place on the north side. A blood club?” Gabriel said, looking up from his phone screen and answering Jules’s earlier question. “But, that’s a waste of time. She doesn’t even know they exist.”

“But someone there might have seen her,” Jules countered.

“This way.” Gabriel led them down a lesser populated street. “Jules?” Her name was a question on his lips.

“Hmmm?” Jules turned toward him while still moving steadily forward.

“About the werewolf…”

“Gabriel don’t,” Jules said sternly. “Please,” she added more softly.

“Can you just tell me why?”

“Why did you choose Eileen?” She shot back. “Yes, I know she was dying. But before that. Why did you fall for Eileen in the first place?”

“Her kindness,” Gabriel said. “It was the first thing I noticed about her, after her striking looks of course.” There was a sad smile on his face.

“And after you turned her, you were under no obligation to marry her. Why did you?” Jules continued.

Gabriel was silent a moment. “Life with Eileen just made sense.”

“Her personality fit yours. Though you are two whole people alone, she enhanced who you are, didn’t she?” Jules added.

“Are you saying that this wolf completes you?” Gabriel scowled. “But he’s an animal!”

“And we are demons, if you’re generalizing.” Jules kept her tone level. “Not all vampires are demons, therefore, not all werewolves are animals.”

“Alright,” Gabriel conceded. “I won’t say any more about it.”

“Thank you.” She knew he hadn’t really heard her. But at least he was letting the fighting between them cease.

“Did you know that when you first brought Eileen back that I didn’t like her?” Jules asked.

Gabriel looked at her skeptically.

“It’s true.” She chuckled a little. “I spent months wishing things would just go back to normal.”

“But you didn’t ever say anything.”

“No, I didn’t. You were so happy,” she stated.

“It’s true. I was,” he said, smiling toward the sidewalk.

“And now, I love Eileen. She’s part of our family.”

Gabriel nodded.

“And that never would have happened if I hadn’t given her a chance.”

Gabriel sighed. “I don’t know if I can learn to like him, Jules, but I will try to give you space to be with him.

” He stopped walking. Following his lead, she turned to face him.

He reached his hands out, took her head between them, and brushed her forehead with his lips.

“I love you. And I do want you to be happy.”

“I know,” Jules replied.

“Come on, we’re almost there.” He stepped back and continued their walk.

Nick’s lips were pressed against yet another woman’s neck.

Her head lolled back, not in death but pleasure.

He knew why most human’s frequented clubs like this.

Some because they liked the mental blackout that came after the bite, it gave them a kind of escape.

Nick imagined some were hoping a vampire might turn them, while others simply did it for the money.

All that was required was for the human to consume blood from a vampire and the change would begin.

However, this occurrence was rare. Vampires generally didn’t like to share, for whatever reason.

Nick’s eyes fluttered as he saw a memory belonging to the woman whose blood he was drinking.

This dark-skinned beauty and another woman, happy, in love maybe.

Nick fell into the trap and pulled the woman closer until he saw the tragedy of her lover’s death, the event that brought her to this moment.

She was seeking oblivion then. He felt for her.

He also felt for himself. Her blood was rejuvenating him, exciting him.

He wanted to finish her. He wanted to drain every drop of her blood and set her free from her pain permanently.

A hand clamped down on Nick’s shoulder tightly.

He knew this was the first warning for him to stop.

He wanted to shake it off, his senses consumed by his addiction.

However, he pulled back and removed his fangs from her neck.

Her blood dripped down his lips onto his chin.

Gently her head rested in his hand. Her dark skin was glistening where his fangs had punctured her neck.

He wanted the rest of it, now. All of it.

But he couldn’t have it. The woman moaned pleasurably.

With difficulty, he retracted his fangs and licked off his lips. Gently he laid the beautiful woman down on the black leather couch they had both been sitting on as he stood and stepped away.

Nick turned to the pair sitting next to him.

Eileen was delicately sipping from her partner’s wrist. The countenance of a vampire in complete control of her own desires.

A twinge of jealousy swept over him, and then it was gone.

It was what it was. His father had been an alcoholic, Nick was cursed with an addictive nature, and he had to live with that.

He tapped Eileen gently on the shoulder.

She pulled back easily and looked up at him, temporarily-red eyes, fangs, blood and all. “What’s up?”

“If you don’t want to become an addict like me, you’d better stop.”

She whimpered, stuck out her lower lip for a moment, then thanked her woozy host, and wiped off her mouth. “You didn’t tell me it would be like that!” Eileen almost bounced in place. “Normally I just feel peaceful, comfortable. But that was a rush! I mean, wow!”

Nick chuckled. “Come on, let’s wash it down with a whiskey.” He held out a hand for her, and she took it, standing.

“Why could I see his memories?” she asked as they approached the bar.

He waved his hand at Antonio. “Part of drinking from the source,” he replied. “It gets pretty intense at times, but you’ll learn to block it out eventually.”

Antonio hurried over, but scowled when he noticed Nick was not alone.

“Two shots of your best.”

Antonio raised an eyebrow and looked between Nick and Eileen.

Nick raised his back, almost in challenge.

“Coming right up.” Antonio scowled and then added, “Sir,” almost as an afterthought.

At least Nick thought he was getting the message.

Nick wasn’t the dating type. The shots arrived in front of him moments later, two small shot glasses of whiskey with a drop or two of blood in each.

“Drink this.” He handed her one of the glasses.

“Won’t do anything for you, but it tastes good. ” Nick tossed back the shot.

Eileen copied him and then sputtered, her face contorting in disgust. “That so does not taste good.”

“To each their own,” he said shrugging.

“I want more blood,” she blurted out just as the red in her eyes began to fade away, exposing her original color once again.

“Take it easy, tiger,” he said, patting her on the arm. “Pace yourself, the next one you have to pay for. Let’s dance.”

Jules and Gabriel approached the unmarked building, walking to the back of a long line of humans to wait.

After a few seconds, however, they were waved forward by the bouncer.

Jules approached tentatively. Silently, he inspected both Gabriel’s and Jules’s eyes, determining their approximate age and species.

Nodding low to Jules, he waved them inside the club. “That was easy,” Gabriel commented.

“Age has its privileges,” Jules said nonchalantly.

The sights and smells hit her hard. A long bar sat to the right while to the left was a crowded dance floor.

Lights flashed, loud rock music blasted over the speakers, humans and vampires surrounded them.

Across the open space was a section set apart by velvet ropes.

Inside it were vampires consuming fresh, human blood.

Jules could smell the blood laced with vampire venom from the front of the club.

Her body tensed. Her fingers twitched. Jules took a step toward that part of the club.

The sight made her want to feed. Gabriel’s hand on her shoulder held her in place.

“We’re here for Eileen remember,” he whispered sharply in her ear. This was about her coven and trying to stop an out of control vampire.

“Gabriel.”

Surprised, they both turned toward Eileen’s call.

“And Jules, you’re here together.” She approached, smiling widely at them. Jules was unnerved by the relaxed and happy expression she wore. She looked at ease in this place that was making Jules’s skin crawl.

“We were looking for you,” Gabriel said, sounding exasperated. But he could just be yelling to be heard over the music. Jules couldn’t tell for sure.

“Well, here I am,” she said, throwing out her arms. Gabriel looked her over, presumably making sure she was unhurt.

“You missed a spot,” he said down his nose, pointing to a blood drop that had run down her white top.

“Oops,” Eileen replied.

“Never mind all that,” Jules said, stepping between Gabriel’s tense expression and Eileen’s jovial one. “How did you get here? Did someone bring you or…”

“Nick did.” Eileen pointed nonchalantly toward the dance floor.

“Nick who?” Gabriel asked.

Eileen considered the question for a moment. “You know, I don’t know.” She turned back to the dance floor and scanned it. She zeroed in on a couple grinding together to the music. The red-haired vampire’s back was turned toward them.

“Nick!” Eileen shouted.

He turned at her call.