Page 6 of Club Blood
Even the bloodwasn’t enough to take away the throbbing knot in my temples. It was only just past midnight, still a long night to go, and the club below kept filling with more humans, more Known, and more damn music. How the Authority expected me to both run a proper operation and keep a sane head in a place like this made anger bubble at the base of my throat. They wouldn’t dare give amanthis sort of location. They got the tall skyscrapers and the untouchable federal buildings. A place like this would be below them. But to me? To a woman?
It didn’t fucking matter if I was the best they had.
It was an impossible accomplishment that I was able to do as much as I did. The cards were stacked against me, most certainly by design, but I was not used to failing. I was a winner, a survivor.
The club itself was easy, and after a few absolutely necessary alterations to the day to day operations, the place pretty much ran itself. Even just off the strip,Ambrosiawas an absolute mystery. It was just the right combination of elegance and danger, and because of it, we’d never had an empty night.
The real work was with the stupid men that thought they could control me, step on my toes. Both vampire and human alike, they’d take one look at my breasts and decide I should be grateful to be in their presence and not the other way around. Those ones didn’t last very long. It was in part the reason that most of my cohort atAmbrosiawere women. Not only were they easier to work with, but they weren’t dumb enough to get themselves killed.
I think the thing Nathaniel Tusker loved most about me was my efficiency. I disposed of anyone who didn’t serve me to my satisfaction, and I got shit done. I was his best, even if he never wanted to admit it.
I was a woman playing in a man’s world. And though I delivered on all accounts, my anatomy would always be the reason I was underestimated.
He kept me around, though. Rose me up through his coven and gave me the positions and power that I craved deep in my bones. Nathaniel wasn’t stupid like the rest of them. He had a motivated head atop those shoulders, but even through his charm he was about as trustworthy as a viper. I kept him at arm’s length, although I could do with a bit of a longer wingspan. As long as I kept him in my back pocket.
I didn’t mind so much working for Tusker, not in theory. He was big and commanded respect, and he left me to my own devices as long as I did what was asked of me. I did the majority of his dirty work; under the table jobs, assassinations, bill collections. I showed up, and he let me have my throne.
That and his…infatuating adoration of my blood donation program had me riding a high. He was a frequent flier atAmbrosia, usually stalking the shadows or in his call room. I always had a steady rotation of women to keep him turned on, high on blood, and out of my hair.
When I heard the light steps of Narcissa’s stilettos crossing the catwalk towards my glass office, I flattened the lapels on my violet, suede suit and rotated my chair from the crowd below to greet her.
Narcissa’s face had an ugly twist to it, her nose scrunched up in displeasure. She was still frustrated with me. I raised my eyebrows and clicked my tongue, interlacing my fingers on top of my desk and a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth.
“I trust that our donor is set up in my private chambers?” I asked her. Although I didn’t often sleep there, my room atAmbrosiawas used for late night stress relief. I could only abstain from hunger for so long, and blood and sexual pleasure just went so well together. It would be a crime to let the room go to waste.
“Ready for you when you’re done with your . . . business here,” she choked out. I didn’t understand why she was so uncomfortable. Narcissa had been my biggest ally and strongest hire. Her desire for my wellbeing was misplaced, and her jealousy over a human bloodbag made her weak. I shouldn’t have bedded her. Sex was good, but it always made things more complicated.
“And is the donor prepped for Nathaniel?” I chose to ignore the waver in her voice.
“The young redblood is gathering Mr. Tusker now. Although it seems as though he’s insistent on bringing a guest.”
My head cocked to one side, both shock and intrigue clouding my expression.
“I didn’t stay to hear most of it, I was just on the other side of the wall.” she added.
“How . . . interesting. Nathaniel usually sends his playthings to his room until after our business.”
“As I said, Mercy, he was quite insistent.”
I frowned. It didn’t quite align with my idea of how the night would go, but I suppose I could rearrange. I was good at that.
“I’ll make do. If he’s planning on using her blood, we’ll have to make sure the other donor is utilized with another High Lord. I’m sure there are quite a few here tonight. They do like this place, despite their insistence on not working here. You’d think they would be dying at the chance to have this office,” I rolled my eyes pointedly, “But I digress. She paid us big money to be of service to someone of Nate’s caliber, and I’d hate to have that blemish on one of those stupid Yelp reviews, or whatever it is humans use.”
“That tiny thing?” Narcissa choked back a laugh. The familiar expression of ease returned to her face once more, and it reminded me just how beautiful she was, when she wasn’t brooding or complaining. “She’s so nervous she just about peed in submission at the verysightof Tusker. She wouldn’t have lasted ten minutes with him anyway. Let her talk about this place all she wants. Or better yet, let’s kill her before she has the chance at writing whatever review you’re worried about. It’s the best of both worlds—you keep her money, and you’ve made the Authority happy with another meal.”
“Whatever you’ve been drinking tonight seems to have gone to your head, Cissa, my dear,” my tongue ran across my lips. “You’re as bad as my bloodbag. Didn’t you just say the club didn’t need another investigation? And besides, I’ll have enough blood spilled tonight as it is. Any human would melt into a puddle at Nate’s feet, we shouldn’t judge her weak human tendencies so harshly.”
“You’ve gone soft, Merc,” she said. I held back a low growl, sneering at her. It didn’t come off her lips as an insult, on the contrary it sounded as if it might have been a compliment. I didn’t like the sound of it, regardless.
“I feel like if you talk any more, you’re going to make me kill you too,” I threatened. Her pale face went a deeper shade of white.
“Just because I fucked you does not make you my keeper. Or my equal. I’d just as likely fuck that bloodbag in my room while you watch me. The paperwork was signed before he even set foot in the building. I have permission to use him as I please. You should know, you signed the exact same paperwork just last week.”
NDA’s and pleasure contracts were a necessity at a club like this. Legalities and the like. I had to play by these rules, if none others.
“I amnotweak.” I told her. “And if you so much as insinuate something like that again, in private or otherwise, I will tear that pretty little head off your fucking body. Do you understand?”
At the weight of my words, Narcissa managed a very weak “Yes ma’am” as her legs wobbled. I was content with that.