3

Big Red coughed. “Ah, she’s not ready to go, she just got here.”

“And what pray tell, would you possibly be going to do with her?” Ruben asked with an eyebrow arched, his tone dropping back to that threatening vibe.

“She’s payment for her owner’s debt.” Big Red smirked, carelessly choosing to ignore Ruben’s tone and instead showing off that she was his newly acquired prize.

“Payment?” Ruben asked in an even deeper threatening drawl.

 “Scott McGowen, her owner, has racked up quite a bit of debt with me…which he can’t pay, so he has agreed to give me his Kitty Kat for the night, to do with whatever I like.”  He twiddled his fat pudgy fingers around and waggled his eyebrows making Kat almost hurl. She heard Ruben growl softly.

Kat fought her bonds and muttered behind the gag in anger, extremely annoyed now that Ruben had somehow managed to cut her off from her power, he was a vampire wasn’t he? How was he able to do this. Ruben squeezed her thigh in warning again making her wince. Contact? Was it through contact that he was able to nullify another’s power?

“Enough Kat!” He waited for silence from her, expecting her to obey his command, which she did with a hateful glare. Ruben calmly turned back to Big Red and continued the conversation like it had never been interrupted. “I see…and that’s why the warlock?” Ruben glanced over to the bound warlock who was looking quite miserable.

“Yeah well, we know she has magic.” Big Red answered nervously, he was starting to feel like there was something going on between these two on the couch.

“Quite…you don’t actually know what she is though, do you?” Big Red looked blankly at Ruben. “No, I didn’t think so. What is the debt?”

“One hundred and fifty thousand.”

“That’s one hell of a night’s worth.” Ruben exclaimed, his tone harsh. He couldn’t help but glance around at Big Red’s men and wonder if they were all intending to join in. His jaw clenched tight as he considered just killing them all right now.

“Well, it wasn’t going to clear all the debt.” Big Red grumbled. “More like a down payment…”

Ruben stood up and straightened his suit. “Well, consider the debt paid in full and I’ll be taking the merchandise with me.”

Merchandise? Does that cheeky fucker mean me?

“Now wait a minute!” Big Red went to stand up but Ruben stepped up to him and pushed him back in his seat and brought his face close to Big Red’s, snarling at him and showing his fangs. As he pressed his hands on the arms of the chair, locking Big Red’s wrists to it painfully.

“Unless you want to end up dead, of course.” He snarled in Big Red’s petrified face.

Kat watched him intently, he was definitely a man who expected everyone to obey him…okay so it wasn’t just her, that made her feel a little better. He was obviously a dangerous and powerful man to cross.

Big Red shook his head and said nothing holding his breath and sweating profusely. Ruben straightened up, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiping his hand as he indicated to one of his men who came round and picked Kat up over his shoulder. Ruben stepped over and lifted her head with the tips of his fingers under her chin, brushing her long hair aside as she flailed and growled out muffled insults. She guessed he was over six feet tall, as he had to bend down to get eye level with her.

“Trust me.” He said to her and walked off towards the elevator. “Pleasure doing business with you, Red. You’ll see the money within the hour and tell Mr McGowen to contact me if he wants to see his merchandise again.”

…………….

As they got into the elevator and the doors closed Ruben glanced sideways at Kat and the massively muscled man holding her.

“Untie her feet so she can stand and walk.” He ordered of his men, who scrambled to do his bidding. One took out a switchblade and deftly cut the ropes from her ankles while the one holding her bent down and gently put her back on her feet.

She found herself standing facing Ruben, he reached up and took the gag out of her mouth and smiled at her, he lifted her chin with the index finger of one hand and peered briefly at her neck like he could see the collar round her neck before letting her chin go.

“No funny business, please.” He said as she stared at him perplexed.

“Why did you take me?” She asked as the elevator opened to the underground carpark and they quickly made their way to a couple of black Audis.

“No time to explain right now, baby girl, but I promise I will soon.” As he indicated for her to get in the back of the car. Once she did he followed her in and sat down next to her.

.

In the car Ruben was on the phone sorting out the transaction for the money to Big Red, obviously talking to his accountant or something, Kat thought. Her hands were still bound behind her, but after a while of being ignored while Ruben was on the phone she looked up at him catching his eye, his eyebrow raised a little in question as she grinned and brought her hands round the front of herself, rubbing her wrists, as she dropped the ropes on the floor at her feet.

Ruben surprised her by smiling widely at her as if he was pleased and amused by her antics. She looked away from his intense soulful gaze and out the window. It was pitch black…where were the street lights? She realised then they must be driving out of the city central. Ruben hung up the phone and put it in his pocket.

“Well, I knew you were just biding your time, tell me…why didn’t you just break the bonds back at Big Reds?”

“I wanted to know what was going on first.” Kat answered, rubbing her wrists.

“Were you going to kill him?” Ruben gave her an intense look, his eyes almost seemed to glow.

“Yes, I still might…the dirty bastard.” Kat still couldn’t believe it but she was more pissed at Scott, what gave him the audacity to think he could go off contract like this and hand her off to someone else?

“Well I got there just in time then.” He regarded her with an amused expression. She couldn’t help but feel hot under that gaze.

“Why is that?” She frowned at him, giving him a stare back, which only caused him to smirk on one side of his mouth and raise an eyebrow at her like he was issuing a challenge.

“Because you can’t kill Big Red, I need him alive.”

“Hmm, why should I care about that?” Kat asked genuinely interested as she blinked at him innocently.

Ruben regarded her quietly a moment as she looked at him questioningly. He was so attractive, but then pureblood vampires were, weren’t they. He blinked and looked away. “No mind.”

Kat smiled widely, her green eyes sparkling in amusement. “Did you just try to enthrall me?”

Ruben looked back smiling…always smiling. “Perhaps, but it doesn’t work on you it seems…my other power did though.” He said smugly, his ice blue eyes sparkling with delight.

Kat frowned at him. “What was that? That’s not a normal vampire ability.”

“No, it’s not.” He leaned in close to her, sliding his back along the seat and bumping her shoulder with his. “Want to know a secret?” He whispered playfully, looking sideways at her. She gritted her teeth against the heat that was stirring in her belly at his touch.

Kat stared at his eyes, he had the most amazing beguiling eyes. “What?” She breathed as he turned his body to face her and once again put a hand on her thigh as he placed his other arm up on the back of the back seat, behind her, corralling her in.

“I’m not just a vampire…I’m part warlock.”

“Oh shit!” Kat muttered. That was a very dangerous combination, no wonder he was an Overlord in the city. The power he would have at his disposal was more than a match for hers. She bit her lip and looked out the window. He raised the hand from her thigh and grabbed her chin turning her face back towards him.

“Don’t fear me.” He said in a deep seductive tone.

“I don’t.” Kat said as she met his eyes calm and unafraid.

“Good, I want us to be friends.” He smiled beautifully at her, his eyes taking in every inch of her face.

“Yeah, I got that much.” Kat smiled and downcast her eyes.

“Kat, look at me…I’m serious…I want you on my side.”

“Who doesn’t really, once they know what I am…” Kat said as she flicked her eyes back up at him. She noticed his eyes go dark and tighten a moment like that statement had angered him but then he smiled again.

“I don’t know what you are…I mean it…I don’t want your obedience. I want your friendship and loyalty to be by my side.” Kat stared at him. “It may take a while, but I’m willing to put the effort in, if you are?”

“Why?” Her voice was a hushed whisper of disbelief.

“Because I like you, can’t you tell?” He beamed his toothy smile at her. “And, I couldn’t bare seeing you abused by that dumbass human any longer.”

“Well that ‘dumbass human’ may have something to say about your ‘friendship’.”

“I’m expecting it.” He pulled away from her and sat forward for the rest of the journey, neither of them saying a word as he seemed to occupy himself once more on his phone.

As they pulled into the driveway of the old three storied mansion, Kat looked out the window at the sudden light as the front of it was lit up with several security lights and stared at the house with awe.

“Welcome to my home.” Ruben said warmly as he purposely leaned over her and opened her door which was on the house facing side of the car. She was intoxicated by the smell of him for a moment as he grinned at her, his face mere inches from hers, almost knowing. She frowned at him, her eyes dropping briefly to his soft pale lips before she came to her senses enough to concentrate and got out of the car. She had to keep a clear head and Ruben at such close proximity did not help.

He got out the same side and grabbed her hand. “Come…let’s get a drink and I’ll show you around.”

Kat looked down at her hand as Ruben tugged gently on it, leading her forward. With this contact she knew he had control over her power, like a switch he could turn it off, yet for some reason she wasn’t worried.

Why do I feel so at ease in this Vampire Lord’s company?

.