Page 10 of Lured

Chapter 4

Anais

I could have hit something. Or someone. When I had taken this job, I had known it would be difficult. I hadn't known that it would include a stray vampire trying to hit on me. Not that I would have minded on any other day. He was hot, even for a vampire and I knew I was safe enough as long as I didn't let them corner me anywhere alone.

It wouldn't have been the first time I had flirted with a vampire to help get a job done, either, but this one was different. I got the impression that he was a lot more serious. And I needed my wits about me.

Now, I wasn't sure where my quarry had gone and I was also delayed by having to grab a bunch of chips. Given that they represented the entire cost of being here and some, I wasn't leaving the chips behind, but I didn't have anywhere to put this many chips without basically shoving them down my boots and other... more intimate places.

As I quickly stowed them about my person, clutching the rest in the crook of one arm against my body, I looked around for signs of the vampire. This Ludis guy was proving a pain in the ass, but he was also getting more drunk. Or had been until he'd vanished.

I had to hope I could find him. If I didn't and couldn't get rid of the vampire by the end of the weekend, it would be extremely unlikely I would ever get another job as a vampire hunter ever again.

With each step I took forward, I shoved some more chips down my boots, hoping that I didn't jingle too much and would still be able to walk. Eventually I was done and I could finally focus on the world around me some more.

Ludis had to be around here somewhere and I was determined to find him. I just had to look for one of the vampires with him or someone in similarly strange clothes. For a vampire, Ludis wasn't even trying to blend in with his own kind. I should be able to find him.

Trying not to panic and do something rash, I walked around as if I was looking for a place to gamble and try something new, like anyone else in the casino would be. Eventually I spotted one of the other vampires, a thin guy with an ice hockey jersey on that was far too large for him and so many chunky gold necklaces it looked as if he might be able to drown in them.

I knew it was a way for me to find Ludis again and I began to follow at a distance. Although I hoped they would lead me where I wanted to go, I was still anxious. And I didn't know exactly how I was going to kill the vampire even when I got to him. But I had a few days. I just had to make sure I didn't lose him and then find a way into his circle.

Given the interest I had already been getting from one of the vampires here, I hoped that the simple answer was to act as if I wanted to be his enthralled and hope to be taken in. Even one of the vamps close to Ludis would be enough.

It wasn't long before the vampire I was following reached one edge of the building. There wasn't a lot over on this side. A back alley and a staff parking lot. Then the next casino was across the road. It was like that in all of Vegas.

I didn't really want to go out there, but if that was where the vampire went, I needed to try to follow and figure out where Ludis was. All I had to do was be as quiet as possible.

Moving quietly had been one of the few tasks I had been taught to do well, but sneaking up on vampires was different to sneaking up on humans. Vampires could hear far better.

Because I was only supposed to be scouting and learning today, I wasn't dressed for being stealthy, however. I had heels on and a dress that rustled when I walked. If it wasn't for the knives I had stashed around my body, I wouldn't even have a way to harm a vampire, let alone kill one.

Even with two knives I would struggle. A vampire needed to be full decapitated or staked in the heart to kill them and stakes were too obvious if they were found on a slayer. No one was going to blink an eye about a vulnerable young woman having a knife to defend herself with, but wooden stakes tended to draw attention.

I put my drink down near one of the machines as I got close to the back door that led into the alley. It wasn't really a full door, more of a fire exit and I knew that no one was meant to be using it to leave and it was designed so no one could easily come back inside that way.

Despite that, I was going to have to follow that way. In many ways I was being reckless, but I didn't have a choice. This was a dangerous mission and if this was the only dangerous part of it, I would be doing well.

As I put my hand on the bar that opened the door, I looked to my left and the majority of the casino. No one appeared to be paying any attention so I pushed to see if it would open.

The door didn't budge. I frowned. Had someone blocked it off so I couldn't follow?

I hesitated before I tried again, this time a little harder. Although I didn't want to make noise, there was no way to do this quietly and get through.

Thankfully the door must only have been stuck and it slipped open. It did make a squeaking sound, but I was committed and I hurried through. As I shut the door behind me, I looked around. It was still dark and a few hours before dawn, but that didn't mean Vegas was quiet.

We were around the back of the building, however. Back here there was pretty much no one. I could hear talking further off, but I was behind a dumpster and they were out of sight.

Despite them being out of sight for now, I knew I was exposed. I had no easy way of hiding if they came back this way, but I couldn't stay where I was either. For now I was holding the door behind me open, but I knew that I couldn't keep doing that. If someone inside looked this way, they would see me.

I had to keep going. No matter the risk, there was only one way that I was going to get this mission done and that was to keep going and hope for the best.

With that in mind I tried to pull the door shut behind me but keep it silent. As it shut the metal scraped and announced my presence far more than anything I could have done. I had to bite my tongue to keep from swearing. I reached for my blade and shifted to one side, but it was too late.

One of the vampire henchmen came around the corner toward me and I squeaked before I could stop myself. Memories of my last mission going horribly wrong played in my head.

The vampire grabbed me by the arm and began to drag me toward the others. “We've got an eavesdropper.”

“Let me go,” I replied, and tried to wiggle. “I was just trying to get some fresh air.”

---