Page 9 of Cinderella and Her Vampires (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 5)

He slapped the counter. I jumped.

“I have found hard evidence, woman! Such proof even you would find almost impossible to ignore.” Spittle flew from his lips as he shouted at me.

I put a good two to three feet of space between us and stared at him. Bobby was off for the rest of the day. I had let him go due to the lack of business, along with all my help. I was starting to regret that decision.

“I think it’s time you go about your business elsewhere,” I stated evenly, watching the patron’s every move.

He rolled his eyes as he sighed, deflating against the top of the bar. He sucked in a few deep breaths. And after several seconds, he sounded resigned and worried. “Listen, I simply want to gather a group of people to help look for him. Some of the patrons who were here the other night. If you see them, pass along my information. Thank you for the water.”

He stood up, removing his hand from the bar, which uncovered a business card. I nodded and watched as he walked out of my front door then settled my eyes on the card. I picked it up and stared at it. For all intents and purposes, it was like any other normal business card, but there was something about it I couldn’t let go of.

I blew out a raspberry and wondered what the odds were. It was one thing for one man to walk into my bar, believing monsters truly existed, but for two completely unrelated individuals to happen across my path? I couldn’t make everything connect. And if something really did happen to the crazy fool, I hated to wonder if I was somehow responsible.

I sighed as I slipped the card into my pocket. If the man truly was missing, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if something happened to him. Even if it was an accident based on prejudice. After all, I was the one who encouraged him to go to the abandoned mansion where the legend surrounding the place involved vampires.

Still, I decided to keep the information to myself. People who were afraid were unpredictable and I just couldn’t let something happen to the house or anyone else who happened to still live in it, despite the stories. I also couldn’t allow anyone else to fall into harm’s way if the rumors somehow had more truth than fiction.

With business being dead, I decided to close early and do a little digging myself. Once I had locked up, I headed toward the mansion. Though every nerve in my body told me I should leave well enough alone, I couldn’t stand the thought of something horrible happening to the man. Crazy or not, I would feel responsible, and that wasn’t something I was willing to live with.

The stories surrounding the place were told to us locals as kids. Lessons in behaving and staying in bed. Part of me believed in the stories. So much dark had surrounded the place for so long, it was easy to get caught in the, albeit small, chance the stories could be real.

At the end of the day, what was the worst thing that could happen? I could be drained of all my blood.

On the other hand, what was the best thing that could happen? I find the psycho man and disprove not only the stories but his as well, and the guy who was looking for him earlier. I could go about my life, free of any and all guilt, and not waste another second on that man again.

Or… I find him and there is a lot more weight to his words.

Regardless of the possibilities, I hoped I would live long enough to regret this horrible decision.

4

BROCK

I leaned against the wall, enjoying the way Collin squirmed as I stared down at him. I never grew tired of the fears humans held. It was almost like a drug for me. Addicting as hell. Especially when they became hopelessly aware of their mortality when it dawned on them that creatures like me truly existed.

“What do you want with me!” Collin demanded.

I smirked. “To watch you squirm, of course. So far, I’m not disappointed.”

“Release me this instant,” he added. “I refuse to take part in your twisted enjoyment.”

I shook my head. “You don’t rightly have much of a choice, now. Do you?”

“I demand to talk to Silas,” he snapped.

I hissed. “You are in no position to demand anything.”

He cowered.

I smiled, revealing my fangs. I so loved my sick, twisted enjoyment. The thrill never got old. “What’s the matter, human? Cat got your tongue? No more witty come backs? No courageous demands? No attempt to fight back?”

Collin stared at me in the way deer stared into headlights of an oncoming car.

I shook my head as I let a breath of air flow between my lips in a soft whistle. “That’s slightly disappointing.”

“Free me,” he said, snapping out of his frozen state and keeping his voice even and dangerous. Well, dangerous for him. “Now.”

“Or you’ll what?” I asked with a heavy hint of curiosity and threat.

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