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Vampire Kisses fanfiction
MURDERVILLE
Author's Note: Getting back into writing chapters on a regular basis is hard! I hope this doesn't sound so dragged out. Thank you for reading and please enjoy!
Rated M for language, sexual content, and violence.
CHAPTER O1
Unexpected Visitors
A brilliant full moon hung in the black sky over the quaint, quiet town of Dullsville. As the witching hour slowly approached, most Dullsvillians were settling into their houses, getting ready for a night of slumber.
On the outskirts of town was the ever popular nightclub The Crypt, Dullsville's most exciting attraction for the young night life, which was quite ironic since the population of the town consisted of mainly Prada-wearing and polo-sporting citizens. Loud metal techno pumped from the restored abandoned mill, strobe lights bouncing off the walls while a long line of eager teenagers waited outside the tall wooden doors, slowly making their way inside.
The club was always blasting the latest metal tunes, with a coffin-shaped bar and two huge metal cages that were placed in the corners of the club for dancing. The gothic décor just made the conservative teens more interested in visiting, as it was something new, and, apparently, something cool for them.
However, the citizens of Dullsville remained oblivious to the fact that this pumping nightclub was founded by full-fledged vampires.
The vampires lingered about the clueless humans, dancing along with them and mingling. However, they were very strict on feeding; no vampire was allowed to feast on the mortals of Dullsville. And since there were no deaths, there was no suspicion that instead of just a few strange, gothic young adults running The Crypt, it was actually run by a group of blood-drinking vampires.
Jagger Maxwell, the main founder of The Crypt, clapped his hands together and looked upon his club, which was quickly filling up by the minute. His mismatching green and blue eyes twinkled like gems in the dim lighting as he grinned.
"Ah, I love business," he sighed, knowing how much money he'd make tonight. He knew these white-bread teens only asked their rich parents for money to come hang with the dark side.
"I hate to admit it, but The Crypt is seriously the best thing that's ever happened to this place," said Raven Sterling. "And I say that I hate to admit it because it means that I'm siding with you," she added with a teasing grin to Jagger. She was formerly known as Raven Madison when she was just a human living in Dullsville. She had been bonded for eternity to the love of her life, Alexander, for a little more than five months now, and she was adjusting excellently to her new life as one of the undead. Of course, this was no surprise to anyone who knew her; Raven had always loved all things dark and unusual and made it her dream to become a vampire.
"Even better than an actual vampire family moving in to the Mansion?" asked Alexander, draping an arm around his petite mate. Raven looked up at him adoringly and smiled.
"Okay, The Crypt is the second best thing to have ever happened in Dullsville," she corrected, pressing her lips to his chin. Jagger rolled his eyes and looked away.
"Gross. Go be disgusting somewhere else," he gagged.
"Jagger's just jealous because he doesn't have anyone to be romantic with," Raven teased. Jagger pretended to throw up.
"I don't need anybody," he argued. "I have this beautiful building, along with all the clueless young ladies that come to inhabit it."
Alexander narrowed his eyes and was about to tell that he better keep his fangs to himself, when all of a sudden his enhanced sense of smell picked up a scent that was strongly familiar to him. Jagger noticed it immediately as well. Raven, still a new vampire, wasn't as adept to her newly enhanced senses just yet, so most smells around her were very new. Needless to say, she didn't catch on to what the boys had noticed right away.
"What are they doing here?" hissed Alexander to Jagger.
"How the hell should I know? I didn't invite them!" he hissed back.
"Alexander, what's going on?" asked Raven. "Who are you talking about?"
Both Alexander and Jagger ignored her as their eyes remained glued on the trio of vampires weaving their way through the moshing crowd of preppy teens and towards the coffin-shaped bar where Jagger's bartender helped clubbers get their fix while Jagger's twin sister Luna hung over the bar batting her long lashes adoringly at her boyfriend Romeo, who was also the bartender. Any second now Luna and Romeo would get a whiff of the scent the three new vampires emitted.
"You guys," Raven whined, waving her hand in front of Alexander's eyes.
"Shut up," Jagger hissed, not tearing his gaze from the vampires.
As the trio reached the bar, Luna and Romeo had already noticed them and stiffened. Jagger, Alexander, and Raven watched as they exchanged words, knowing they'd have to approach them eventually.
"This cannot be good," said Alexander.
"Why the hell would the de Ranges come to my club?" Jagger asked.
"I still have no idea what you're talking about," Raven pouted.
"The de Range siblings are only the most vile vampires in all of Romania. Probably the whole world," Jagger explained matter-of-factly. "You thought I was bad? You do not want to meet them."
"What makes them so bad?" Raven asked.
"They're malevolent and strong," said Alexander, "and they will feed on absolutely anyone. They're evil."
"Which is why it is not a good thing that they're here. You might as well say goodbye to all your townsfolk," said Jagger.
"What?" Raven gasped.
"We won't let that happen," reassured Alexander, and Jagger followed with a snort, which earned a glare from Alexander.
"Hey, if you want to stand up to Maddox de Range, be my guest. It'll be your funeral," Jagger said with his hands raised in defense. Alexander frowned, but when he glanced back at the infamous vampire trio, hesitation and worry flooded his face.
Raven watched the trio and Romeo and Luna. The couple looked extremely nervous to be standing with them, and she wished she knew what was going on, but her vampire hearing couldn't pick up on vampire whispers. She worried about what Jagger said. Would they really feed in her own town? They couldn't, they wouldn't! She thought of her loved ones, dead on the ground with their throats torn open. Her parents, her brother, Becky . . .
The sole female of the group suddenly turned her head slightly, and Raven was pierced with beautiful, but intimidating, lavender eyes. She sucked in her breath in fear.
"Oh shit," Jagger muttered.
Her partners noticed her looking their way and also turned to see Jagger, Alexander, and Raven watching them. The man they referred to as Maddox spread his lips into a wide grin, beckoning them.
"What do we do?" Jagger panicked. "We can't ignore them."
"Then we go to them," Alexander said, grabbing Raven's hand and squeezing it so tightly, Raven knew he was afraid.
They approached the trio and Raven was able to get a better look at them. Maddox was extremely handsome, his face sculpted perfectly like a Renaissance statue. His body was covered in tattoos, which were very easy to see due to his open waistcoat, and his slim legs were encased in black skinny jeans with black Creepers to finish. His hair was black and glossy, even under the strobe lights, and slightly pointed ears poked out from the choppy layers, an array of glistening piercings littering his cartilages. Raven was mesmerized by his handsomeness. Jagger and Alexander were right; he was dangerous.
"Well, well, well," Maddox sang, clapping his hands together with delight. Jagger stood close to his sister, and Raven never parted from Alexander's side. "It's been quite a long time, my friends! I was just telling Luna and this parasite how much I missed my favorite royal families."
The others winced at the insult thrown at Romeo, but he stayed silent, shrinking behind the bar. The burly vampire of Maddox's group laughed at Romeo's diminished demeanor while the woman stayed quiet.
"Don't look so down, little parasite," he cackled. "We're having a reunion!" The burly vampire was slightly taller than Maddox, with a mop of hazardously chopped dark red and black hair and almond-shaped emerald eyes. Thick tribal rings hooped through his lobes and tickled his jaw. His one and only tattoo of a shattered cross was visible on his bicep through his mesh shirt, which clung tightly to his chest. His slim-fitting designer jeans were torn at the knee and tucked into his steel-toed combat boots. Raven didn't have to look at them to know that their was human blood stained on the toes of his boots, as the smell faintly wafted through her nostrils.
"And quite a reunion this is," Maddox mused. "Alexander, I must say, I'm quite disappointed that we were not invited to your covenant ceremony."
Alexander gulped. "It was very small," he said softly, almost in a whisper. "We only invited close friends and family. I'm sorry."
The burly vampire clucked his tongue and shook his head.
"We've known the Sterlings for ages," Maddox said. "Surely that would have warranted an invite."
"Apparently not," said the burly vampire. "A regrettable decision."
"Now, Tristan," said Maddox. "We don't need to remind them of that."
"How … how do you know about our covenant ceremony?" piped Raven, earning her shocked gazes from her friends, including Alexander.
"Well little newborn," Maddox chuckled. "We know a lot of things that you may not realize." He glanced back at the woman, who looked at him briefly before averting her gaze elsewhere.
Raven studied her curiously. She was probably the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen, even for a vampire. Her long black hair fell in shimmering thick waves to her waist with a couple large feathers weaved into her locks. Her make up was thick an immaculate, from the wings of her eyeliner to the shimmering dark color of her eye shadow. A thin silver ring hugged the bottom left side of her plump lips and her doe eyes matched in color as Maddox's. She was shorter than Raven, but her curves were perfect on her petite ballerina body that made her quite envious, and she looked amazing in the short black babydoll dress that revealed just enough cleavage and leg to remain sexy and not slutty, long torn cardigan and Mary Jane platforms she was dressed in.
"I must say that this club is interestingly popular for its location," Maddox said, changing the subject. "I wouldn't think it would be as popular as your other club, Jagger."
He widened his mismatching eyes. "You've been to the Coffin Club?"
"Oh yes," Maddox mused.
"It was quite delicious," Tristan added with a smirk.
"Delicious?" asked Alexander.
"You mean in the Dungeon, right?" Jagger said, referring to the underground club beneath the Coffin Club designated for the real vampires.
Tristan and Maddox laughed.
"Hell no! You serve the best drinks upstairs! The more insecure, the better," Tristan said with a lick of his lips.
"I prefer the feisty ones," Maddox said with a stroke of his chin. "Even Aiza has her own type. She knows how to find the best ones. She's a real hunter, right Baby Sister?"
He nudged the woman with his elbow and grinned at her. She scowled and crossed her arms.
Raven couldn't believe what she was hearing. None of them could. Jagger couldn't be right about their feeding－but the more Maddox spoke, the more likely it sounded that he was right.
"Maddox, what exactly are you here for?" asked Alexander slowly. His piercing purple eyes slowly turned to Alexander while a sickly menacing grin spread across his spider-bite lips.
"I'm glad you asked Sterling," he said. "Turns out, this pathetically quaint town is the home of something I have sought out for a long time." He crossed his arms and nodded towards his sister. "You remember that Aiza is a blood reader, and her fascinating ability is just what I need to find what I am looking for."
"Blood readers only do that－read blood," Luna piped. "How can you use it to search for something?"
"Ah Luna, you stupid bubblegum fake vamp," Maddox sighed. Luna gasped and her eyes widened, while Romeo and Jagger clenched their fists, however neither were brave enough to stand up to Maddox. "Reading blood is exactly what is needed in this search."
"But in order for the blood to be read, there needs to be physical touch," Alexander said.
"Aiza isn't like your brother, Maxwells," Maddox said. "Her gifts are far more advanced than Valentine's. Not only does she not need physical touch to read and record anyone, but she can learn someone's past, present, and future with just the scent of anyone's blood, vampire and human.
"And because of this, she can search for anyone she wishes. She is the ultimate hunter." His eyebrows narrowed and his smirk widened.
"We have an agreement here," said Jagger. "We can't feed on any of the humans here."
"Yeah, we would have done it already had it not been for those two," Luna muttered, pointing a well-manicured finger at Raven and Alexander. Raven scowled at her.
"It's for our own protection," Alexander explained. "Our identities remain hidden and we remain safe if we don't feed on the humans."
"Safe from humans? Since when are vampires ever in any danger from humans?" scoffed Tristan.
"You know what I mean," Alexander said. "They are more of a threat than you think. Sure we are more powerful, but together they are a huge threat. They can run us out of town."
"No number of humans is of any threat to me," Maddox said. "I have nothing to fear. Besides, I'm only here for one thing. One human."
"You really can't feed here," Alexander said, sensing his bride fill with sickening dread. "This is Raven's hometown. She's lived here her whole life. These people are dear to her."
"One person won't be missed," Maddox said dismissively.
"Please, Maddox－"
"You can't change my mind! I'm on a mission, and I am determined to follow through completely."
"You can't feed here," Raven finally said, softly and slowly and angrily. "This is my home."
"Let me tell you something, little newborn," Maddox said. "Obviously you don't know much about me, which you should really blame your vampire mate for"－Maddox clucked his tongue－"but if there is one thing you should know about me, it's this."
He leaned in close to Raven's face. Alexander's grip on her hand tightened ten-fold. She held her breath, staring at the perfection of porcelain skin that spread across his face. She could count every eyelash, see her reflection in every piercing on his face, and see every detail of his lavender irises.
"I always get what I want."