A Reluctant Vampire Read online

  Table of Contents

  Excerpt

  A Reluctant Vampire

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Note from G.R.

  eBooks by G.R. George

  Excerpt

  Guillermo entered Corazon de la Muerte. Strobe lights skipped over the congested dance floor, filled to capacity with human bodies that smelled of sweat, blood and sex. He needed to find Nadine. The announcer had said three victims with their throats and hearts ripped out. Guillermo wanted to know why he had not been notified. He feared the deaths were vampire related. What else could they be? And if what he suspected was true, then the killer was also vampiro. He cursed his preoccupation with Nathan Greer—his need for the man was overshadowing his business.

  A tall woman with medium-length brown hair sauntered over to him. She wore a blue blazer with a short miniskirt and elegant blue heels. Guillermo ignored her, still scanning the club for Nadine.

  She sniffed around him. Her eyes widened in surprise. “I smell Daddy.” She purred in his ear, “You’ve been with Nathan.”

  “Good evening, Beth.”

  Guillermo walked away, but Beth followed him. Beth had been a prosecuting attorney for Kansas City until a date with Nathan three years ago. She’d been turned—Nathan’s only victim. Beth embraced the change, killing two people on her first night as a member of the undead.

  Guillermo had taken her under his wing. He had two choices, teach her the way of vampiro or destroy her. He brought Beth on as corporate attorney for his own holdings and those of other vampires in the city. At the time, Nathan’s remorse had been so great, Guillermo wanted to help Nathan. Unfortunately, Beth turned out to be more trouble than she was worth. She had a vicious streak, and sometimes Gui wished he had disposed of her.

  “Oh,” she laughed. “I didn’t realize Daddy swung both ways!”

  Guillermo stopped, grabbing her throat and pressing his lips to her ear. “Worry about business, conchuda,” he whispered. “My personal life is none of your concern.”

  This time when he walked away, Beth didn’t follow. She merely watched him. A subtle smirk played upon her lips.

  A Reluctant Vampire

  Kansas City Vampires, Book 1

  G.R. George

  Published 2017 by Book Boutiques.

  ISBN: 978-1-944003-98-2

  Copyright © 2017, G.R. George.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Book Boutiques.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, locales, or events is wholly coincidental. The names, characters, dialogue, and events in this book are from the author’s imagination and should not to be construed as real.

  Manufactured in the USA.

  Email [email protected] with questions, or inquiries about Book Boutiques.

  Blurb

  After years of resisting his nature, Dr. Nathan Greer is finding it harder and harder to control his vampire cravings. After almost killing a co-worker, he is forced to seek help from his own kind, no matter how much he despises them. Unfortunately, his only hope, Guillermo Perez, Kansas City’s master vampire, and owner of BDSM club Corazon de la Muerte, doesn’t do anything without strings attached.

  Guillermo is powerful, sexy, and more self-assured than anyone Nathan has ever known. The last thing Nathan ever expected was to fall under the spell of this ancient vamp—and he certainly didn’t plan to find relief in another man’s arms. But when Guillermo begins to distance himself from Nathan, he begins to doubt if the connection he felt for Gui is real.

  Nathan’s life gets more complicated when he finds out that vampires around the city are being executed, and his ex-fiancé, Anna, is the lead medical examiner for the murders. Anna, who doesn’t know about Nathan’s vampire status, wants to pick up their relationship where they left off. Nathan, however, can’t get a certain master of the city off his mind.

  When Guillermo is accused by an ancient vampire, Min, of the killings, he must defend himself and his city. While trying to find the killer, Nathan and Guillermo discover their need for each other is more than desire. But can they reconcile before one of them loses a heart?

  Previously Published

  (2005) Changeling Press | (2016) G.R. George

  Acknowledgement

  Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs, Tibbs Design

  Chapter 1

  The rubber between the swinging doors sighed as Dr. Nathan Greer stepped into the corridor, his lab jacket swishing with the rhythm of his footsteps. He’d seen only one patient in the last three hours, a minor head injury from a drunken misunderstanding. His focus was the break room, his intent, a smoke. Fumbling through his pockets for his Marlboros, he pulled out a cigarette and palmed his lighter.

  A static tingle ran down his spine.

  Nathan had always been one of those people who attracted electricity from the air. He hated getting out of his car after driving, detested shaking hands with people, avoided touching clothes and such, because the little shocks were a pain in the ass. But since the change, static electricity running through him had been a warning.

  It meant sex. And that sex meant bad things might happen to good or at least the not-so-bad people.

  A warm flush fell over him and heat from the walls caressed his skin. It was definitely sex. Unbidden, he reached for the source. His smooth fingers dragged along the wall until they touched the supply closet door. His palm was on fire. A fever spread up Nathan’s arm.

  Oh God! It was happening again.

  His body trembled and the driving need roared in his ears. He reached up and ran his hand through his coarse, brown hair. Exhaling tentatively, he listened to hushed noises coming from the closet. Slowly, he reached for the knob, opening the door just wide enough to peer into the dimly lit room.

  Jeanine Antrose, one of the operating room nurses, lay naked on the supply table. She arched her back, full round breasts with erect nipples pointing skyward. Nathan shifted his stance to accommodate his semi-erection.

  As he watched Jeanine, a stinging pain made him close his eyes when they slipped from human to less than human. He bit his lip hard enough to break the soft skin and slid his tongue over the split flesh. The dark blood was not satisfying. His eyelids rolled to a close.

  Shit. What am I doing here? he questioned, but he couldn’t force his body to leave. Unable to resist, he opened his eyes to watch.

  A man rested on his knees in front of Jeanine. Bulky muscles made it obvious that he worked out with weights to an obsession. Blond curls danced against his back while his mouth rained kisses up her leg, leaving a glistening trail on her smooth skin. His hands caressed the inside of her thighs as he languidly ran his tongue over her flesh.

  A small gasp of pleasure escaped her barely parted lips and sweat shimmered on her flat stomach. Jeanine’s hands untangled from her long, dark mane and moved down her chest. Her fingers tweaked her tightly drawn nipples before rubbing down her abdomen until she touched the curly ends of her pubic hair.

  Nathan’s muscles tightened and his hard erection pressed outward on his Dockers. He knew it was dangerous to stay. He could feel the pounding of their hearts beating in unison. The heated blood rapidly coursing through their veins brought a flus
h to their bared flesh and warmed his body even more.

  I need to stop watching.

  His eyes refused to turn away.

  The blond man lapped her dripping sex. His tongue moved enthusiastically in and out of her pussy. A shuddering breath escaped her mouth and she grabbed her lover’s hair, pulling him up. His lips fell hard against hers. The outside of her mouth shone wet over mauve remnants of wasted lipstick. Her lover’s strong hands pulled her to a standing position. Those same hands lingered over her large, soft breasts, his thumbs circling her nipples. Moving closer, she kissed his neck and down his chest, biting him playfully, tugging on his nipples with her teeth.

  His gasp was followed with a sucking breath. Jeanine licked the line of hair that ran down his abdomen, squeezing his hard shaft with her agile hands. Her tongue licked over the tip, then she slipped it into her mouth. She worked her mouth over him back and forth, slowly at first. He flung his head back and moaned.

  The slight tingling Nathan had felt earlier now felt like thousands of needles pricking his skin. “Oh fuck,” he whispered.

  Nathan’s world became cloudy for a moment. His eyes dilated to accommodate the darkness. Retractable fangs slid forward over human incisors. It was nearly too late to stop watching.

  His Beast laughed from within. The Beast knew it was already far too late.

  Nathan watched the muscular man lift Jeanine. Grabbing a handful of her thick hair, he forced her forward onto the table. A smile played on her lips while his free hand steadied his body to slide into her with practiced ease.

  Jeanine panted loudly with every thrust. Her lover grabbed her thighs, lifting her legs off the ground, using them like handles to pull her against his rigid shaft in assertive, rhythmic movements.

  Nathan dug his fingernails into the palm of his hand. Hunger and lust surged through him until he felt he would pass out.

  “This feels so good. Faster. Faster,” Jeanine said breathlessly.

  The man obliged her, attacking her body with an onslaught of aggressive thrusts.

  “I’m going to explode,” she told him, her voice two octaves lower than normal.

  Nathan’s inner demon forced its dark thoughts into his mind. It was so close to completely taking over his entire body. He wants this! The Beast can’t have this! Nathan’s mind screamed. He couldn’t allow his demon to win this battle, but Nathan’s will could not match the hunger of the Beast.

  “Nathan?” a quiet voice asked from behind him.

  His body stiffened and he pulled the door closed. The voice belonged to Sandra Jackson, an attending physician and friend. He kept his back to her. She reached out and touched his shoulder. It was all he could do to keep his Beast from turning around and ripping out her throat.

  His shoes barely made a sound as he fled down the corridor.

  “Nathan!” she called out.

  Explaining would come later. He would tell her he suddenly felt sick and had to vomit, a flu bug of some kind. For now, getting the hell out of there before he killed somebody was the most important thing on the agenda.

  He found his way to the roof of the hospital. Normalizing his body was a challenge. His lungs expanded as he tried to inhale maximum amounts of cool air. It was so hard to change back to human form. He beat his fists against his forehead, trying to force the mutation out, and finally curled up into a ball next to a heating pipe.

  “Doctor Greer?” a soft voice asked.

  Sandra had found him.

  “Leave me alone,” he growled.

  “Nathan,” she said with a mixture of concern and uncertainty.

  The warmth of her body drawing closer to him made his eyes slip again. He wanted to scream at her to go away but was afraid if he moved his demon would take over. It was taking every ounce of his energy to hold it in check.

  He felt her touch his back.

  He roared as if in pain and reared away from her. Startled, she fell back onto the graveled rooftop. It had been a long time since he had felt this much out of control. Her fear was like an exotic perfume, arousing him even more. Glowing green eyes turned to face her. Sandra screamed, scrambling backwards on all fours, trying to put distance between them. With lightning speed, he closed the gap in one giant leap.

  He used one hand to hold her down.

  She screamed again.

  He shoved her hard against the small pebbles and pinned her beneath him.

  “I want to taste you,” he snarled. Those five little words evoked the response he most wanted from her. Fear. Her blue eyes flared wide with terror.

  His monster chuckled.

  With nothing human left, claws that had once been hands ripped at her soft-peach lab coat and tore at the turtleneck sweater until her throat was completely visible. The Beast barely noticed her small, firm breasts. She struggled against him.

  Nathan watched the blood that flowed through her veins pump faster and faster. He reached down, grabbed the back of her head and wrenched her trembling body up to him. The fullness of her neck captivated him. The rush of her pulse pounded in his head until he could no longer hear her screams. This was what his monster wanted, what he had denied himself for three years.

  He flung his head backwards, ready to strike with fangs protracted to their full length.

  A solitary voice wormed its way into the darkness that filled his mind. He hesitated, slowly becoming aware of his body. Frantic fists beat against his chest and shoulders. The voice reverberated in screams and sobs until it penetrated the cloud of his demon. It reached down into the depths of his being.

  “Nathan, no! No, Nathan… no, please… Nathan. Stop!”

  Her voice reached that hidden place in his mind—the place Nathan retreated to when the Beast came out to play. Instantly, Nathan released her. Sandra’s body dropped hard to the ground. Eyes still less than human looked into her desperate, terrified face. She fled backwards, trying to pull the torn remnants of her clothing over her bared flesh.

  “I’m sorry,” he groaned, anguish pouring through his body. He pounded his fists against his head, all the while hating his monster, hating himself.

  The look of horror in Sandra’s eyes was mixed with pity. The fact that he still wanted to drink, nay, bathe in her warm red blood sickened him. The sight of her, scared and helpless, with him wanting her because of it, was more than Nathan could stand. He turned and ran to the edge of the building. He looked back at her once before he jumped, landing with a solid thud on both feet, three stories down.

  * * * *

  Doctor Nathan Greer ran, leaving his car, his job and his life behind.

  He had once been a “normal” person with “normal” feelings. That is, until he was murdered by a bloodsucking vamp during a one-night stand. Just thinking about that night still made him shudder, remembering the piercing pain he felt when she tore into his throat at the point of orgasm. One incredible night of sex with all that it promised and this was what he was reduced to, a damn vampire. At first, Nathan thought he could handle his lifestyle change. Hell, he was a doctor. He had plenty of access to blood, both fresh and frozen. He would never have to hunt victims to feed on, right?

  Right.

  Three months after becoming a vampire, he had ended a great date, so to speak, with a beautiful woman named Beth, by transforming during sex and killing her. When she rose the next night as a new citizen of the living dead, he’d apologized profusely, but she really didn’t seem to care as she took two victims the same evening without the slightest bit of remorse.

  That night, Nathan chose celibacy as a way of life. Hell, he might as well be a priest, it had been so long since he’d fucked anyone. That didn’t stop him from feeling the change every time he was even slightly aroused. A stiff breeze against his pants could cause his eyes to shift.

  He made good time getting to his apartment building down on the Plaza. Christmas lights covered the streets in colored visions. Although it was mid-December, the air was unseasonably warm. Nathan reached the entrance to
the building and slowed. His breathing stayed even, barely labored after running four miles. He collected himself and unlocked the front doors.

  Checking to make sure no one was around, he ran up the five flights to his apartment. Inside, he didn’t need to turn on lights. Instead, he grabbed a duffel bag from his closet and shoved in some clothes. Sandra would call the police. Even if they didn’t believe her, his public life in Kansas City was over.

  There was only one hour of night remaining. He raced to get out of the apartment. Staying home was not an option. During the daytime, he was just another corpse. He couldn’t risk cops coming in and seeing him dead.

  The bathroom mirror grabbed his attention. His face looked near human again, except for the metallic glow from his normally green eyes.

  So much of vampiric lore was myth. A vampire could see his reflection. Crosses didn’t bother him in the least and silver made nice decoration, but that was it. On the other hand, a wooden stake through the heart really was an effective way of elimination, though removing the heart and head worked much better. Of course, a vampire that was only decapitated could be re-animated, but you had to find someone who would care enough to do it.

  He glanced at his watch. It was almost daylight and he had forty-five minutes to get to Corazon de la Muerte, Death of the Heart, a nightclub on Eighteenth and Oak Street.

  Chapter 2

  The club was an old auto glass shop converted to a Goth joint. The owner, Guillermo Perez, a solid businessman and a five-hundred-year-old master vampire, owned several properties around the downtown Kansas City area. Guillermo had decided to buy this one when he discovered there was a homeless shelter right around the corner. It was easy to keep a low profile when you fed upon people nobody missed. If anyone could help Nathan, it would be Guillermo.

  But would he help?

  He’d met Guillermo nearly four years ago. A friend had taken him to the club to show him a wilder side of life. The whole scene had entranced Nathan. It was like something straight out of a BDSM magazine. Nathan fascinated Guillermo Perez instantly, to the point where it made Nathan uncomfortable. He’d never had a man look at him like he was candy. It was only after he turned human leech he discovered Gui himself was a vampire. Back then, Guillermo had offered to help Nathan adjust to his new life, but Nathan declined angrily. He would adjust without any help from another bloodsucking bastard.