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CHAPTER TWO

CHANEL

W hen Josh pulled into the parking garage attached to the loft, I started feeling anxious. Once inside, the garage went directly underground. I gathered my purse. I walked with my personal security guard. Josh always made sure I got into the elevator safely. There were security cameras all throughout the parking garage and on the exterior of the building. This place was just another property that Zand owned. I wondered what else he owned. He had money, but I didn’t know how he acquired it. I didn’t think there was anything illegal he was doing to gain wealth. But I didn’t know a lot of things about him.

When I entered the loft, Zand was waiting for me. He removed my jacket and took my purse. Then he greeted me with his crooked smile. He pulled me into his chest and embraced me. I needed this hug more than he knew.

“Hey babe, how was your day?” He kissed my forehead as he pushed back from my body to stare into my eyes.

“It was a day.”

Zand placed my belongings on the table that sat behind the couch. “Was it good or bad?”

I had to think about it. I didn’t have an answer, so I went with something else. “Morgan is driving here tomorrow. She wants to see me. You know, hang out.” I blurted my thoughts out without even thinking about how this was all going to work out now that I knew about vampires.

“Is there something wrong?” It was nice to see he was genuinely concerned.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Is this visit a good thing?” Zand’s eyebrow arched to gauge my honest opinion.

“It’s good. It’s good. I just haven’t told her about a lot of things that happened here in Chicago. You know the things that happened after Craig’s funeral.”

“What did you tell her?”

“Nothing about you. I didn’t tell her about who you are.”

“That’s good, but that’s not what I meant. Did you tell her you were attacked?”

“I didn’t. I didn’t want to worry her. She flipped out when I told her I was beat up outside in the apartment parking lot. I didn’t want to have to lie to her about this other situation.”

“I understand. Lonzo is dead, so you don’t have to worry about him coming after Morgan. Both of you are safe.”

That was true. There was no danger for us I could foresee. I just wished I had a warning about what Lonzo was up to, so I could’ve warned Craig.

“You don’t have to worry. Your friend will be safe here with you.” Zand assured me.

“She’s meeting me at my apartment tomorrow after I get off of work.”

“I thought you didn’t want to go back there.”

“I don’t. But I was caught off guard when she called. I couldn’t tell her my apartment was a crime scene.”

Zand chuckled. “There is no crime scene. Your place is clean. There is no sign that anything happened there. No blood, no bullet holes, not even a dish in the sink. It’s spotless.”

“I believe you, but I think I need to see it with my own eyes.”

“I have to go to The Castle tonight. You can come with me, and we can stop by your place so you can see it for yourself.”

“Thank you. I just don’t know if I can stay there right now.”

“You don’t have to stay there. You can meet Morgan and bring her here to the loft. I have plenty of rooms. This place is big enough for three or four families.”

He was right. His place was massive and cozy. It used to be a warehouse that made metal cans. Zand told me the property was vacant for twenty years before he purchased and renovated it.

“She can come here?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. I appreciate this more than you know.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I would do anything for you.”

He meant it and I knew it for sure. His words melted my heart, and his sincerity cuddled me deeply. He committed murder for me. Somehow, that fact should terrify me, but it didn’t. As a vampire fan, I was more intrigued about the whole thing. I had questions, so many questions, and Zand was literally the only person I knew that could answer them for me. But would he? Would he share that mysterious part of his life with me?

His honey-colored eyes burned as they looked at me. “There’s more. I can see it in your eyes.” He could read me, but how?

“I have questions. So many questions. There are a few things I was thinking about?”

“Sit. Tell me. What kinds of questions?”

Zand took my hand and guided me over to the couch. I sat down and waited until he joined me.

I needed to broach the subject delicately. “I have vampire questions.” I whispered as he leaned back into the plushness of the couch.

“You don’t have to whisper. Babe, we’re the only ones here.” His lips curled into a heavenly, sinful smile. I loved this man, but I was determined to stay focused on my Q and A.

I felt like an idiot and giggled to play it off. “Right.”

“Okay, well then, hit me with your vampire questions. I knew you would have some, eventually.”

That was smart of him. Did he really think he could spring this vampire life on me without any questions and concerns? I reached over and grabbed my purse. I removed my cell phone from the side pocket. “I put the questions in my notes so I wouldn’t forget them.”

“Good idea. What’s the title?”

“The title?” What did he mean?

“Yes, what did you put your questions under? What’s the heading, the title?”

“Ah, ah.” I stuttered.

“You have one? Don’t you?” He asked.

“Yes, I do.” I didn’t think he would ask that, and now I was getting flustered.

“Let me hear it. I’m curious. Your title.”

“Okay. It’s nothing fancy. I just have the question mark symbol (?) with an (s) and the number (4) and (My Mr. Vampire).”

He instantly put it together. “Questions, for my Mr. Vampire. Cute.” He grinned. “Really, that’s very clever. Is that really there? Let me see.” He requested.

I turned my cell phone screen to face him and tried to hide my embarrassment before quickly turning it back to me. “I didn’t really think about it. I just jotted something down.”

“I think it’s nice. You claimed me as your own vampire. I love it. I prefer my Mr. Vampire to dear Mr. Vampire.” He looked away and then back at me. “No, I actually like them both.”

My smile spread over my entire face. “I aim to please.”

“Chanel.” His face morphed into seriousness. “You know you can ask me anything. I will always tell you the truth.”

“Okay, my, Mr.Vampire, let’s test that theory. One of the questions I have, it may seem stupid, but I really don’t know the answer.”

“There are no stupid questions, babe. Especially from someone as smart as you are. Give it to me.”

“How do you walk in the daytime, the sunlight?” I really needed the details on this one.

Zand let out a slight snicker. His lips curled up on one side. The urge to lean over and kiss him crossed my mind, but I couldn’t. I had to be cool. I had to keep my hoe in check. I had real vampire stuff to learn.

“Sunlight killing us, that’s a myth, our skin feels human. You know this. You’ve touched me all over. Vampire skin is very resilient. We don’t feel temperatures the way that you do because of this thick durable dermis. You will never see me sweat. The need for a jacket or a coat doesn’t exist. I wear them to blend in with everyone else during the seasonal changes. I don’t have a scientific explanation. We can withstand the sun and UV rays.”

I thought long and hard and I could honestly say I’d never seen Zand sweat. Even in the cold night air, I’d never seen him shiver. He never complained about being hot or cold. Even his skin just seemed to always be the right temperature when I touched him.

“Chanel, does that answer your question?”

“Yes.” My eyes moseyed down to the notes screen on my cell. “Okay, well, how did you become a vampire? Like, who bit you, or whatever the process is?” I waited for his response and when he didn’t answer right away, I said. “You don’t have to tell me if it was traumatic or triggering.”

Zand smiled at me. “No. It— the transformation— was a bit traumatic. I wouldn’t describe it as triggering. I’m not one of those vamps that have been around for hundreds of years. I was made in the winter of 1977 shortly after Christmas day. I remember it vividly. Not just because it was the year I was turned. It was also the year serial killer Ted Bundy had escaped a Colorado jail and went on his last killing spree. It was right before he was recaptured that next year.”

“Ted Bundy wasn’t a vampire. Was he?” The question seemed illogical, but it popped into my head and out of my mouth without me even thinking about it.

“No, he was just a regular human killer. Some vamps, a few vamps kill, but we’re not like them. Blood is needed for our survival. It’s sustenance. Those deviant human killers are just mammals with deprived brains and weird fetishes.”

“Some vampires kill humans?” I just knew it. They were depicted as predators in movies and T.V. shows. Some of the things in movies and T.V. were modeled after real life.

“Yes, some, but not many. Those types of vampires are shunned. They usually stop acting out if they want to be a part of a clan, coven, or group. Killing humans brings attention to our kind. We want to blend in. We long for community because the life of an immortal can be long and lonely.”

“Can you tell me if there are other vampires around?” My curiosity longed for information.

“Around?”

“Like here in Chicago? Are there other vampires here in Illinois?”

“Yes, we are everywhere. All across the country and the world.”

“Are there vampires at The Castle?”

“Yes.” He grinned because he probably knew I already had the answer to that question.

“But you’re not going to tell me who these vampires are?”

“I can, if you would like to have that information.”

Why wouldn’t I? “Yes, I want to know. I don’t like secrets.” Not after Lonzo. I hated being in the dark.

“I can respect that. Everyone on my security staff is a vamp.”

“Everybody?” Images of the faces of his security staff appeared in my mind.

“Yes.” He bobbed his head. “It’s a job that a vampire is good at.”

“That means Natasha, right?” I asked.

“Yes, she is. I’m sure you knew that.”

I did. “Josh?”

“Yes, of course.” He smiled as he brushed my hair behind my ear. “I wouldn’t leave your safety up to a human. We’re faster and stronger.”

“Thanks, I guess.” I pursed my lips as I consumed all the information.

“I think we should play it safe for now. Lonzo is dead, but he had an entire organization of people. We don’t know if he came to town by himself. We don’t know if he informed anyone where he was going, and who he was going to see. I want to be cautious where you’re concerned.”

This was something I hadn’t fully thought about. Zand had the same concerns that I had. Lonzo had people. He had family and people that worked for him. It felt like my problems were over, but I couldn’t be sure. His sister, Marisol, had come to town to assault me and maybe she knew her brother was coming to Chicago.

When I thought about her, I got angry. That bitch jumped me. She was a little thing, and I probably would’ve whooped her ass if we fought one on one. After what she did to me, I couldn’t believe she would be stupid enough to put her freedom in jeopardy by coming back here.

I set that aside. I had the ultimate question. “Can vampires die?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“It’s a secret.”

“I thought you said we didn’t have secrets.”

“It depends. Are you trying to kill me?” He joked or at least I thought he was joking.

“That’s not funny. I would never try to hurt you.”

I could tell he was thinking about it. He’d been hurt before, by an ex. He told me that was the reason he came to Chicago in the first place. “Seriously, I want to know for my own safety. When we’re together, I’m the minority. There are vampires all around me.”

“That’s a good point. We can die by fire. It must be an intense, continuous fire. Not just fire by itself. I can run into fire as long as I am able to run out. But I can’t stay in the flames for minutes, a few seconds perhaps.”

“What about a stake through the heart?”

“No, that doesn’t work. Knives and bullets don’t kill us. Knives make us bleed, but aren’t very painful. Getting shot is a nuisance, of course, but not deadly.”

“So, what happens when you’re injured?”

“We heal. Not instantly like in horror films, but sooner than humans, depending on the injury. It’s a shock to our system, but nothing that stops us completely.”

I took a few seconds to let the knowledge sink in.

“Have you made someone into a vampire before? You know, like turned them like you.”

“I have.” Zand looked from my eyes across the room. “My ex. I turned her.”

Oh, hell no! His ex-girlfriend is a vampire. “She wanted it? Or you just did it because you wanted it?”

“Oh, she wanted it. She wanted to be like me. She begged me. I tried to talk her out of it, but I was served with an ultimatum. She pleaded with me to change her. I had to, or she was going to leave me.”

Why would she want that? I wanted to ask him, but the question probably wouldn’t give me an answer that made sense. “You’ve been a vampire since 1977. That’s a long time. Did you turn anyone else other than your ex?”

“Yes.”

“Wait, did you have a wife and kids back in the seventies?” That random thought popped into my head.

“I didn’t have a family.”

“Are you sure?”

Zand chuckled. “I’m very sure. If I had a child, they would still be alive, and I would never abandon a child, my child, a human child. That’s something I can never have.”

“Right. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. I wish I would’ve had a child when I was human, but I was turned when I was single. Before I was made, I just worked and went home at night.”

“As what?”

“A roadie.”

“What’s that?”

“I was a technician on the road. I traveled on tour with a musician from state to state, setting up the stage for the performances.”

I knew what a roadie was, but I couldn’t see Zand as one, so I thought maybe there was another meaning. “You went on tour, with like singers and a band?”

“Yes, well, only one singer.”

“Who?” I wondered if I knew the person.

“Elvis.”

“Elvis who?”

“Elvis Presley?” My mouth dropped. “The King?” Or should I say the thief that stole his whole entire vocal style and movements from Roy Hamilton.

“Yes. Sadly, he died in 1977, months before I was made a vampire. I wished I’d been made sooner. I could’ve made him one too. But of course, things didn’t happen that way. Life has a way of not making any sense at all.”

It took me a few seconds to let it all sink in. He was on tour with Mr. Jailhouse Rock. Zand didn’t have any reason to lie to me. He didn’t have to make up stories to impress me. I was already impressed. He was a goddamn vampire. That was impressive enough for any-damn-body.

“How old were you when it happened to you, when you were turned into a vampire?”

“I was twenty-eight. That is the number I have proclaimed my lucky number.”

“Okay, so you made your ex-girlfriend a vampire. You said there was someone else you made into a vampire?”

“Yes, recently. I made a vamp. I’ve only made two vamps.”

“Like recently, what does that mean?”

“Months ago.” He shrugged nonchalantly. Like this was normal, and not a thing.

To me, it was a thing. Was this other person even willing? Did they want to be a vampire?

“Did this happen since you’ve known me?” Was a better question.

“Yes. I met him because of you.”

I felt some way about this unknown recently turned vampire. I tried to keep my face neutral, but I had even more questions on this topic. “Was it a woman?”

“No, a man.”

I was so confused. When did all this bloodsucking or blood drinking happen? Was there some ritual? Was it sexual? Damn, was Zand a bisexual vampire. Could vampires be bi, or pan, or gay? I didn’t know anything about his life.

“Chanel, you look worried.”

“No.” I lied. “I’m just surprised. You were busy making vampires.”

“No, no, a vampire, just one. Love, please, at the time you didn’t know what I was. I couldn’t tell you about him without telling you I was a vampire. I didn’t have a way to explain it to you.”

“But you had to explain it to the man you turned, right?”

“If I can be brutally honest, I don’t even know why I did it. I might have turned him because of you.”

“Because of me.” What did he mean?

“But I did turn him and now I have a son.”

“A son?” I could feel my eyebrows arch back into my hairline.

“Not that kind of son. He’s an adult. It’s taboo to make children into vampires, but of course, some of us do make children vampires for selfish reasons. It’s not a big deal. You can meet my protégé at The Castle tonight.”

“Your new vampire son?” I practically choked the words out.

“Yes.”

My mind did cartwheels. I glanced back down at my cell phone screen. “I know what you said earlier. Can vampires procreate?” Somehow, I knew the answer to this question, but I asked it anyway. I had to be sure.

“We cannot. Not the way humans do. Our only children will be the ones that we turn or adopt. I believe our internal organs are dead.”

“Huh, so that means you have a maker.”

“I do. He’s older. His name is Gillian.” Zand shifted his weight on the couch. “I believe he’s in L.A. where he should be.”

Something in Zand’s tone let me know there was something going on with his maker. Now wasn’t the time to ask him about this man. I had a hundred and one other questions I wanted to ask. As soon as I asked one question, a million others popped into my head.

The sound of Zand’s cell phone ringing interrupted my thoughts. We both had the same cell phone, but I was holding mine in my hand.

Zand removed his cell phone from the front pocket of his black jeans. He looked at me before answering.

“Yes… The Castle…I will be there tonight… No… I thought he left town…” Zand stood and left the room, leaving me sitting on the couch. I didn’t mind. It was clearly something urgent regarding the club. He had to run a business. All my vampire questions could wait for another time.