Page 38 of Viktor’s Temptation (East Coast Territory #2)

Viktor walked into the car dealership, his patience stretched thin.

This was the tenth “Dave” he’d tracked down today, and frustration simmered just beneath his calm exterior.

He glanced at Gracie beside him. Her tight grip on his arm and furrowed brow mirrored his feelings.

Yet, as soon as they stepped into the brightly lit showroom, something shifted.

Dave emerged from a glass-walled office, his slicked-back hair catching the fluorescent lights.

He stopped mid-step, his pale grey eyes locking on Viktor with a mix of surprise and alarm.

For a split second, Dave froze like a cornered rat, his mouth twitching as though searching for the right words to cover his panic.

Gracie gasped softly, tightening her hold on Viktor’s arm. He glanced at her, noting the flash of recognition in her eyes. Her jaw tightened, and Viktor knew immediately—they had found the right man.

Dave’s mouth stretched into a forced grin, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

He shuffled toward them with an awkward bow of his head, wiping his sweaty palms on his too-tight maroon slacks.

His maroon dress shirt clung to him uncomfortably, and the knot of his matching tie was crooked.

His entire presence screamed "untrustworthy. "

“My lord,” Dave said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. He shot a nervous glance around the showroom, his slick demeanor slipping further with every moment. “What an…unexpected pleasure to see you here.” His gaze darted from Viktor to Gracie, then back again, his discomfort evident.

“Dave,” Viktor said evenly, his tone carrying a quiet authority that made the shorter man visibly flinch. Viktor didn’t extend his hand, keeping his stance firm and impassive as he towered over the other man.

Dave licked his lips, his nervous habit making the gesture appear slimy rather than thoughtful.

“What brings you to our fine establishment today? Clan business, perhaps? Or…are you looking for a new car?” He chuckled weakly, the sound as hollow as his apparent confidence.

“We’ve got some great models on the lot.

Fully loaded. I’d be happy to help you personally. ”

“Not here to buy a car,” Viktor replied coldly, his sharp eyes narrowing as he stepped closer. “We need to talk.”

Dave’s grin faltered. His hand shot up to loosen his tie as though it were choking him, though Viktor hadn’t yet said anything particularly damning. “O-of course,” Dave stammered. “Perhaps we could step outside? It’s a bit…public in here.”

Viktor followed the man, watching him carefully. If only he could use his mind control on this prick, he thought. The guy looked like he was trying to come up with a good lie, even though Viktor hadn’t asked any questions.

”What’s this about then, my lord?” Dave asked.

“Do you consider yourself to be a member of my clan?” Viktor asked, his voice silky smooth. His hands remained by his side, and there was a predatory calmness about him that even Gracie recognized.

“Of course, my lord. I’ve been a clan member for about fifty years. I transferred from the Santir clan before that.”

“And would you say that you’ve been a loyal clan member during all that time?”

Dave swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. He glanced over at Gracie and started to look away. But he did a double take, really looking at her the second time. As Dave’s eyes narrowed on her, Dave inhaled sharply and took a step back.

“No!” he hissed, then looked at Viktor.

Then the stupid man reacted. He tried to run. When that didn’t work, when Viktor grabbed him by the back of his neck, Dave lashed out, trying to strike Viktor with flailing arms.

Viktor growled and Gracie raced over to him, her hands wrapping around Dave’s throat. “You kidnapped me,” she hissed quietly, confident that Viktor would hold the man still. “You tortured and changed me, without my permission!”

Viktor leaned in closer, his hand tightening around the back of Dave’s neck.

“And you did it without my permission either.” His voice was low and terrifying.

“You’ve brutally killed too many people, Dave.

” He tightened his fingers again. “You violated so many clan laws, tortured so many people, and worse, you hurt the woman I love.”

Dave’s grey eyes shifted frantically, trying to see Viktor’s expression as he scrambled to come up with something to say, something to mitigate his actions. But the kidnapping, torture, and killing of so many people wasn’t excusable.

“You know I have to punish you for your crimes, right?” Viktor explained, still whispering in Dave’s ear. “Johnny is spilling his guts right now, telling us everything.” Viktor tssked, shaking his head. “You’ve been a very naughty boy.”

“I…I can explain!” he choked out. “It’s not what you think!”

Viktor’s fingers tightened once again. “I think,” he said, emphasizing the word, “that you were trying to create an army of vampires to challenge my authority.” He shook the shorter, less powerful vampire slightly. “Was that your plan?”

“No!” Dave gasped, trying to shake his head, but with Gracie in front of him and Viktor behind, the man was well and truly trapped. “I’d never do that to you, my lord!”

“Then what was your plan?”

“I…it wasn’t my plan!” he squeaked.

“It—it wasn’t my idea!” Dave sputtered, his words tumbling over each other. “There’s someone else. Cerberus. He’s the one who contacted me months ago. He promised me money—loads of it—if I could create a vampire army for him.”

Viktor’s brow furrowed. “Cerberus?”

Dave nodded frantically, snot coming out of his nose now as terror gripped the man. “Yes, my lord. He’s an old vampire, over nine hundred years old. Lives alone in the mountains, in some creepy old house. He said he was tired of being alone, and he wanted a clan—an army—to live with him.”

Gracie’s lip curled in disgust. “You killed innocent people for money?”

Dave’s eyes darted to her, then back to Viktor. “I didn’t know what else to do! He said if I didn’t comply, he’d hunt me down and kill me. I swear, my lord, I never meant to hurt the clan.”

Gracie stepped back, disgusted with the cockroach.

Johnny mentioned that you enjoyed watching the people in pain,” she said in a low, angry voice.

“You’re pathetic!” she said, then slapped his face.

With that one slap, all of the horrible memories, the pain, and misery she and the others experienced came rushing back. So she slapped him again. And again!

“Hey!” a voice called out. “What’s going on over there?”

Viktor looked at the human who was standing in the doorway to the showroom.

For a long moment, the salesperson stood very still and Gracie knew that Viktor was telling the man to just go back inside and forget everything he’d just seen.

A moment later, the man waved, gave them a smile, then went back into the showroom.

Gracie was impressed that Viktor could use his mind control on a human from across the parking lot, but that was probably why he was in charge of the clan. His powers were significantly stronger than any other member.

“What are you going to do to Dave?” Gracie asked, glaring at the sniveling slimeball.

“Tie him up,” Viktor said, handing her the thin wire that she knew would hold Dave. “Both his hands and his feet. We’ll take him back to my headquarters and convene a tribunal to decide his future.”

Hurriedly, Gracie wrapped the wire around Dave’s feet, then his hands.

He tried to resist, but Gracie was eager to test out her new strength and she won easily.

When the vampire was trussed up, Viktor literally dragged the man across the asphalt parking lot, then tossed him into the back of the SUV.

“Call Trent and let them know that we’ve got him,” he requested, tossing her his phone.

She quickly dialed and told Viktor’s deputy and head of security that they were heading back to headquarters with Dave in tow.

“I should tie him to the back of this truck and let him bounce along the street behind us,” Viktor muttered as she hung up.

“That would be difficult to explain.”

His mouth twisted slightly. Then he said, “Yeah, but it might be worth it.”

Gracie climbed into the passenger seat, her emotions swirling. Viktor joined her, starting the engine as though they’d just concluded an ordinary business transaction. Yet the tension in his body was palpable.

As they drove through the city streets, Viktor’s hand found hers, lacing their fingers together. The simple act grounded her, and she turned to him with a soft smile.

“I love you,” she said quietly, the words carrying a weight she hadn’t fully processed until now.

His grip on her hand tightened, his eyes flicking to hers. “I love you too, Gracie.” His voice softened. “And I’m not sorry you’re a vampire. I can’t be—not when it brought you to me.”

She smiled, her heart swelling. “I’m not sorry either,” she admitted, leaning back as the city blurred past. For the first time since her ordeal began, Gracie felt a flicker of peace. Viktor was her anchor, and together, they would face whatever came next.