Page 45 of Missing Piece (Neon Scars #2)

T he strange tightness in his chest returned as Tariq announced closing time over the speakers.

Vincent checked his watch and frowned—Adam still wasn’t back.

His human was slower with the crutch, but that slow?

Unless Ophelia was giving him shit and keeping him at the bar for the sole purpose of tormenting him for her own amusement.

That was definitely something she would do.

He should just wait patiently, not that patience had ever been a skill he mastered, and trust that Adam was coming back.

That was the right thing to do. A new way to do things, like Marcus and Luka had said to.

He’s still here in this club, he hasn’t run away.

He’s coming back. My Adam is coming back, he told himself.

The rest of him didn’t want to listen. The muscles in his legs twitched rapidly, like his beast wanted him to go find Adam and drag him back kicking and screaming if needed.

No, I’m not doing that. He’s coming back.

“You look occupied,” Petrov said, kicking one foot onto the round table in front of the curved couch. “It is time for relaxing. When was last time we all were here?”

Vincent fidgeted with the buttons on his vest, trying to make his face relax.

He didn’t want the brothers to notice his preoccupation, but after keeping up appearances with the other vampires who came to discuss the usual exchange of favors, he felt drained.

Away from his home, in front of people that were used to seeing him a certain way, when he just wanted to go relax with a drink in front of the fireplace. Preferably with Adam.

I should buy a TV for the den. He can stay warm and be comfortable on the couch…I’ll move the coffee table so it’s easier for him to get around the room with the crutch for now. The thought made his chest flutter. He rubbed a knuckle over his sternum, trying to loosen the feeling.

“Vincent?”

He blinked a few times, trying to force himself to answer. Why was he so distracted? “I’m fine,” he finally answered, straightening up on the couch as his pocket buzzed.

?He’s worried about Adam.? Luka grinned.

?Fuck off,? Vincent said as Matteo nodded in agreement.

?I’d be worried too, there were a lot of out of town people in this club tonight, they might not know which boundaries to respect,? Matteo said before tapping his nose. ?Maybe ten??

It was no surprise that other vampires came around Club Euphoria from out of town.

Any vampire with a halfway decent understanding of their world knew the town was a good place to stop when traveling, particularly if they were without a trial or regular blood supply.

Even some of the old ones found their way into Euphoria or Wild Side with a surprising amount of respect and grace for the rules he and Marcus had established.

And if they didn’t respect those rules, well, there were others to help police that. But it had been years since that was needed.

Still, that thought nagged at Vincent’s chest again. How many out of towners were lurking around outside of the club waiting to grab a last-minute drunken snack?

What if Adam was out there?

He grabbed his phone from his pocket as he stood up, glancing down to see who messaged him while he tried to convince himself not to run out of the room as fast as he could and possibly terrify any lingering club-goers. He paused. There were no new notifications on the screen. “What—”

His pocket vibrated again. Vincent’s eyes widened as he realized it was the other phone.

?When did you get another phone?? Luka asked as Vincent pulled it from his interior pocket.

LeBlanc : I’m here.

Petrov stood up fast enough that the round table tilted and shoved forward. “What is it?”

Luka tapped his ear. ?Someone is coming.? Matteo nodded in agreement and tapped his nose again.

Richard is here. That bastard is here.

?Go get Adam,? he signed, his eyes locked on the gaudy silver curtain that separated the private room from the rest of the hallway. The sound of quiet footsteps stopped right in front of it.

A man with the fakest smile Vincent had ever seen strode into the room, his cheeks oddly rosy despite the fact that the sound of his heartbeat was barely there.

He placed his hands on his hips as he eyed each one of them.

“Well, well, well. Quite the gathering you have here,” he declared, his southern accent thick and dripping with poison honey.

?Who the fuck are you?? Matteo demanded.

Vincent’s jaw tightened as he signed swiftly to the brothers, ?Go find Adam. Ensure he is safe.?

Luka, Matteo, and Petrov exchanged glances before all three of them awkwardly nodded at him. They didn’t want to leave, probably because Vincent had been abnormally silent about what was happening out in the country. But this wasn’t about them, and he needed them to go make sure Adam was safe.

God, I hope he’s okay.

“Vincent, how wonderful to see you in person!” Richard exclaimed, advancing with his hand extended for a handshake. “I have looked forward to this for some time. We have much to discuss. Fascinating that you’ve learned sign language!”

But Vincent could see the malice lurking behind the polite facade. He remained standing, hands clenching into fists as the brothers disappeared to search for Adam. Their strange visitor’s sudden arrival was no coincidence, and Adam’s absence filled Vincent with dread.

Vincent’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you here, Mr. LeBlanc?”

Annoyance flashed across Richard’s expression at Vincent’s less-than-hospitable greeting. But he retreated and plastered the grin onto his face again. “Come now, Vincent. Is that any way to speak to an old friend? You can call me Richard.”

“We are not friends,” Vincent snarled. His patience was spent.

If Richard did not reveal why he was here within the next few seconds, Vincent would tear the answer from his throat.

Literally. “You’ve made a mess, and I am not a fucking maid, so I don’t enjoy cleaning up your mistakes.

You said you wanted my attention? Now you have it. What the fuck do you want? ”

Richard gestured to the couch. “Have a seat, we have much to discuss.”

“I’d rather stand.” Vincent crossed his arms over his chest. “I know about your bullshit ideology. I’m not interested.”

“But that’s the funny thing, isn’t it? I came here because you’ve accomplished what I’ve been working on for half a century in under a decade,” he mused. “Tell me how you did it.”

Vincent scoffed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, and honestly I don’t give a shit.

I don’t want you and your monstrosities here in my town.

Actually, no, I don’t want you in this state.

Go terrorize some old folk in Indiana or Ohio.

No one gives a shit about people in those states anyway. ”

Richard’s plaster smile faded, just a bit, and he straightened his shoulders.

“I like this place. The way you got things set up is something I’ve only ever dreamed about, at least that’s what my people have told me.

You installed a vampire in every major institution in this place and avoided drawin’ hunters in.

We’re clearly wantin’ the same thing here. ”

Vincent’s jaw tightened, dread pooling in his stomach. He needed to get Richard out of here before his brothers returned with Adam. Their strange visitor’s obsession with Adam already unsettled him; he refused to have Adam anywhere near this viper when his mask finally slipped.

“I didn’t install anyone, anywhere. Your little starving monsters are wrong,” Vincent growled. “You’ve had your say. Now get out.”

Richard sighed, shaking his head in disappointment.

“It’s a shame. You could have these pathetic humans here under your thumb with the right plan.

Wouldn’t that be somethin’? A city-wide buffet, no more hidin’ and pretendin’ to be one of them.

It could be a utopia for us,” he said, moving closer.

“I heard talk of this place while tryin’ to find somewhere for my children to set up a new home, and when I heard you were here, I thought for sure you would understand me.

Given your maker, I had high hopes. You know, I told myself you’d live up to the hype… but it seems you lack vision.”

Vincent’s eyes narrowed. Something about his expression did seem familiar, tugging at memories he still couldn’t place. It didn’t matter. All he knew was that he needed Richard gone. The alarming fact that he knew there were more of them in town could wait.

I need to get Adam out of here.

“Bullshit. Enough of the cryptic HBO villain shit, tell me where you know me from,” Vincent demanded.

Richard’s dark eyes lit up, as though that were the question he had truly been waiting for.

“You really don’t remember me?” he asked, his tone softening.

He approached again, making Vincent almost flinch.

Almost. “I suppose I can forgive that, you hadn’t really come into your own yet.

Tell me, is Solomon still bossin’ you around? ”

The mention of Solomon’s name tore open old wounds, but he remained still, tempted to rip his throat out, if only to shut him up.

Richard chuckled. “Still harborin’ resentment for your maker, I see. I get it. Do you still got your scars?”

Vincent recoiled, stunned by the question. He grabbed the front of Richard’s shirt, yanking him close as he let his own human appearance fall away. “Enough! Take your bullshit and get out!”

“There it is! That’s the Vincent I remember,” Richard grinned and grabbed Vincent’s wrist. “I’ll let you in on a secret, old friend. You’re 100% correct. It is all bullshit.”

Vincent’s eyes widened as he tried to pull away. “What the fuck are you saying?”

“I had a long time to think all alone, mad from hunger and fear and pain, about what I would do when I found you. I can forgive you for not recognizin’ your old cellmate, I’m not the same man I was then.

Pathetic and weak, right? I’m so much better now.

I have you to thank for that. So allow me to return the favor.

” Richard dug his nails into Vincent’s wrist, letting his own appearance slip as his eyes turned black and his fangs revealed themselves.

“You spent too much time with these humans. You shouldn’t suppress your nature. Let your monster out to play.”

The words seeped into Vincent’s skin, burrowing deep enough to rile his beast—the desire to hunt, truly hunt, as he was taught.

How long had it been since he had been drunk on that delicious adrenaline-laden blood?

Or the thrill of holding a life in his hands, knowing he could end it in a second, but drawing every last ounce of pain and suffering he could before putting them out of their misery?

It’s been so long…why has it been so long?

Adam’s smile flashed through his mind. The echo of the sound he would make when he was trying not to show he was amused. That’s why. You’re not that monster anymore. You decided to do different.

With a snarl, Vincent yanked his hand free and tried to shake off the feeling. “How are you doing this?” He strained his ears for any sounds approaching the room. For any sign that the brothers had found Adam.

Richard leaned in closer. “Come on, don’t tell me you don’t miss it. That rush. The power. You’re a vampire, Vincent. You don’t want to fit in, you want to be the predator you were made to be. And you can be that again. Let it out. Show them who you really are.”

Vincent struggled as the fog of his mind thickened, reason clouded by hunger and rage. He was losing control, like peering through warped glass as an old instinct threatened to overtake him.

“Give in to what you are,” Richard urged, leaning closer. “Why deny yourself? Feed without regret. Make them fear us again. You don’t want to be a doormat, do you? Of course not! Stop pretendin’ you owe humanity penance or protection. Let your old self out.”

Vincent trembled, clinging to memories of Adam—his stupid stubbornness, his undying fire, his gentle vulnerability when he let his guard down. I don’t want that. I don’t want to be what I was. There’s no future that includes Adam if I become that again.

Yes there is, his mind taunted. Take his other foot. He can’t leave you then.

“Stop this,” Vincent hissed, his knees weak.

“I look forward to seeing what you do with this newfound freedom, Vincent,” Richard said. “We’ll talk soon.”

With a shuddering cry Vincent collapsed, the last shreds of resistance scattered. His beast, despite years of maturity and change, surrendered faster to Richard’s poisonous influence, seizing control. No…Vincent wanted it in control. Of course he did. He was a predator too.

Vincent raised his head, a smile full of fangs on his lips, and Richard laughed in delight at the monster unleashed before him before turning on his heel and leaving the room.