Page 59 of That Mafioso Magic
“Are you done taking it all in? I know you sense things differently now that you’re a vampire. As a shifter, your senses were heightened on an astronomical level. But as a vampire, it must be a sensory overload,” Salino said, dragging me out of the very thing he said I was experiencing.
I’d been trying to process everything that was new to me since I’d first risen as whatever I am last night. Like, even the water from the shower felt different on my skin, sensual. And now that I was in the presence of so many vampires, I could feel them, feel a connection to them. And especially to Salino, it was unmistakable and also made me want to be near him. That, I didn’t like so much. For so long, he’d been my enemy and now, looking at him… I wanted to know what his skin tasted like on my tongue. A part of me wanted his touch, his love and approval. Fuck! I shook my head to clear my mind of the image of my tongue running along the length of his neck, my fangs bared, ready to bite. This vampire shit was going to take some serious getting used to.
I stilled my expression, looking Salino directly in his eyes. “Your home is tacky as fuck. No style,” I snapped, wanting to insult the bastard.
He huffed at that. “And yours was dull as hell. No flair." He gestured to one of the chairs that was on the opposite side of the cocktail table.
I didn’t bother to make any further comments about his home. I could be petty, but that wasn’t why I was there. I took a seat and crossed one leg over the other and rested my hands on the armrests. “So, your blood turned me into a vampire? What kind? What does it mean and what the fuck do you want from Adrian and me?” I asked.
Salino smiled and I had to admit, the motherfucker was gorgeous. But his features could leave a person with their guard down and that was when he could strike. Not to mention, his sexy French accent and tone of his velvety smooth voice. Those things had a strange affect on me now and I knew why. I was his child, as these vampires say. Something that annoyed me to no end, to be honest.
“Well, Sage, from what I observed as you made your first kill as a vampire, you’re a pleasure feeder. Your bite produces euphoria… ecstasy in your prey, and when you feed, it’s that much more satisfying for you if they are enjoying your feeding. I’m almost envious,” Salino said with a slight lift of his blond eyebrow.
Well, that confirmed my suspicions in that regard. Being a pleasure feeder was better than fear and pain other vampires tended to feed on, at least for me, because I really wanted to feed on Adrian and I’d rather he enjoys my bite than detest it.
“Okay, so, what do you want from me? And can I make other vampires?” I asked.
Salino reached over and plucked a few grapes from a platter of fruit he had before him and popped one in his mouth. He chewed it thoroughly before answering me. “Well, that is something I’m also curious to know. Can you make other vampires and if so, what kind? Will they be hybrids like yourself? Or just regular vampires? Will they be weaker than a normal vampire or stronger? I’ve got questions.” Salino popped another grape into his mouth and chewed. “As for what I want from you. Well, didn’t your lover tell you what promises he made for the trade of my blood? Tricky spell—that, by the way.” He ate another grape. “One that I feel like I fully benefitted from in the end. Bloodwellinvested.”
“Yeah, he told me. But let’s get one thing straight, I’m not your lacky, Salino.”
“You’re exactly that,” he said very calmly. So much so, I actually felt a chill run down my spine. Never before did I feel inferior to Salino. But with his blood flowing in my veins, I couldn’t help but sense his dominion over me and I fucking hated it.
I snorted. “The fuck I am. I’m a lion king. I won’t be giving my territory to you, it’ll be over my dead body,” I shot back.
“I see you need another lesson in who between the two of us is running things.”
Before I could react, Salino was on me, his hand at my chin, forcing my head back and his fangs were in my neck. It hurt like hell. Whatever venom he was injecting into me felt like molten lava. I screamed and tried to move, I tried to push him off, but my body wouldn’t respond just like the night before when Salino had immobilized me. I could feel myself growing weaker with every swallow he took. The room began to spin as my vision blurred. The sound of my whimpering from the pain of his bite nearly drowned out the sound of my heart beating. God, it was unbearable and I just wanted it to end.
Salino pulled back, licking my blood from his sensuous lips. He shivered from the pleasure of my blood, then smiled. “God, you taste magnificent. Robust, all magic and raw power.” He moaned, but kept his grip on my chin and he forced me to look up at him. “Now, I understand that this transition is difficult for you, Sage. Never before have you had to answer to anyone else. It is something we vampires are quite used to, our hierarchy. You must now learn to adjust as you belong to me. Always and forever as you are immortal now. I do hope this will be the last time I will have to discipline you on the matter.” He tilted his head and smirked. “Although, I doubt it is. Shifters are a stubborn bunch. Always challenging.”
He released my chin, then walked away. He also released his control over my body and I slumped like dead weight in the chair, looking like a broken doll, I was sure. I was weak, hungry, and in desperate need of blood.
“Bring me the human,” I heard Salino say to one of his minions.
I could feel my strength returning because of my shifter blood. It was healing me, and that was something a normal vampire who’d just been drained wouldn’t be able to do. So, that was a plus. I shifted in the chair just as Salino came around to stand in front of me.
“Well, well, well… look at you. You’re able to move even after all of the blood I took from you. I’m impressed,” he said, then he walked over to the divan and sprawled across it the same way he had been when I’d first entered the room.
“You… you son… of… a bitch,” I mumbled.
He smiled then plucked another grape from the bunch and popped it into his mouth. “And you can even talk. This just keeps getting better and better. What a perfect child you’re turning out to be.”
I heard the door open and sensed another vampire enter along with a human. I could smell the two distinct scents, both succulent to me. And my stomach growled in response.
Salino chuckled. “Don’t worry, no child of mine will ever starve unless they’ve earned themselves such a tormenting punishment.”
I turned slightly to see the same vampire who’d accompanied Salino to my home last night standing beside me with a human he was shoving to his knees. The human scoffed at the rough handling and shrugged his shoulders as if trying to knock off the vampire’s hands. I think the vampire’s name was Nakago, if memory served me correctly.
“You don’t have to handle me like I’m some prisoner, ya know,” the human said.
“Shut the fuck up,” Nakago snaped.
“Now, now, Nakago, no need to be rude. If Dillon here survives, he’ll be one of us,” Salino said.
Dillon, the human, looked at Salino, eyes wide. “What do you mean ‘if I survive’? You said that I had proven myself loyal and worthy of your blood.”
“And you have,” Salino said. “Only, you will be turned by my child here. And if you survive his bite, I wonder what special abilities you will possess.”
