Chapter Three
Kiley arrived the next night dressed in a long-sleeved leather dress that fell to few inches above her knees. She paired that with knee-high black boots with kitten heels. The dress zipped up the front and skimmed her figure, but was not skin tight. Sondra had patience with her and selected clothes that didn't expose too much. Sondra had wondered why she was so shy about that, since Sondra said that her figure was nothing to be ashamed of. Once again, she felt it had been a mistake to send her on this assignment. She didn't think she was convincing in this role that she was playing. Shane had sent her because normally she was his best girl. But, he didn't usually send her on assignments involving vampires. But, she thought, tomorrow she would snoop in the daytime. And if the Sheriff did anything to show that his curiosity was more than personal, she could quit and claim that her cover was blown. The thought of quitting made her feel much better. She never thought that she would be looking forward to returning to Shane.
It was a Friday night, and the place was much busier than usual. But, that meant that she had less time to ponder her problems. Since she really didn't care about the money, she passed off the bigger tippers to the other waitresses. She continued to observe Sheriff Northman, but he seemed to only sit in his chair gaze at his dancers or the humans who came into this place. For a sheriff, he seemed to have a lot of free time, thought Kiley. And he had ignored her. Until she came to a table, near the dais where he and Pam were. As she stood there, taking their orders, she could feel it. It felt like little tendrils of static electricity passing over her. She felt this need to turn her head and gaze into his eyes. He was exerting his influence over her. Why did he want to mess with her so much? She found herself angry and for a moment she gave into it and ignored him. But, she realized that he would wonder if she did not behave as he expected. So, she lifted her head and stared into his eyes. They stared at each other until Eric gave a tiny smile and looked away. Kiley returned her attention to the table and then left for the bar. Eric watched her stalk away and smiled. He had made her angry. Their new little waitress had a temper, it seemed. She was curiously resistant to his influence and when she had turned and looked at him, she was too angry with him to completely mask her true feelings.
"Why are you messing with her?" said Pam who was standing behind Eric.
"Because it's fun, Pam," said Eric.
"She doesn't like you," said Pam.
"That's what makes it fun," said Eric.
"Don't harass her and make her quit. She's the first decent waitress we've had in a long time," said Pam.
"Oh, she won't quit," said Eric.
"How can you be so sure?" asked Pam.
"I'm not totally sure of anything about her except for the fact that she will put up with my harassment. I intend to find out why," said Eric. "Send her to the office after closing."
"Send who to the office?" demanded Tasha, the lead dancer.
She had come out between her sets to flirt with Sheriff Northman. Eric sat in his chair and ignored her.
"Is it that waitress?" said Tasha, for she had seen the way Sheriff Northman gazed at Kiley.
When Eric continued to ignore her, she said, "Why would you even be interested in a lowly waitress like her? She's only fit for wiping tables and taking out the garbage."
"You're very wrong about that," said Eric.
"I thought that we could spend some time together after closing," said Tasha.
Eric turned to stare at her and then said, "I don't think so. I have...other plans this evening."
Tasha grew incensed and said, "With that waitress?"
Eric turned and stared at Kiley and a small smile touched his lips.
"I'm looking forward to it and if you do anything to spoil my fun, you will regret it," said Eric.
Tasha watched him a moment as he stared at the waitress, but something about that gaze bothered her. It was like a cat watching a mouse that was caught out in the open and didn't have anywhere to hide. Maybe, she shouldn't be so jealous after all, she thought.
After closing, Kiley began to do her chores. Pam walked up to her and interrupted her.
"Eric wants to see you in his office," she said.
"But, why? Have I done something wrong?" asked Kiley.
Pam gazed at her and wondered if Eric was right about her. If he was, she wondered how he would punish her.
"He didn't tell me," said Pam. "But, I'm sure you can guess what he wants."
A frightened look passed over Kiley's features and she looked down. She turned away and headed for his office. It seems that Eric was right about her putting up with his attentions, since it seemed obvious that the girl was not enjoying being singled out, thought Pam.
Kiley softly knocked at his door and entered when she heard his voice.
"You wanted to see me, Mr. Northman?" she asked.
She stood by the door and did not enter further into the office.
"Yes, I do," said Eric.
He got up and moved to his sofa. He patted the seat next to him and smiled at her.
"Can I ask you why I'm here?" said Kiley.
"Because I ordered you in here," said Eric. "You do obey me, don't you?"
"I work for you as your waitress," said Kiley. "But, I don't believe that makes me your slave."
"Slave is such a harsh word," said Eric. "Isn't pet so much nicer?"
He watched her face and saw that it blanched when he uttered the word pet. So, she knew enough of vampires to realize what a pet was, he thought. Curiouser and curiouser.
"I think that there has been some misunderstanding, Mr. Northman," said Kiley. "I apologize if I have given you any wrong signals. But, I simply want to do my job here."
Eric smiled and said, "And, here, all this time, I had thought that you were playing hard to get. How very smart of you since I do enjoy a challenge. It's so boring when the girls just throw themselves at me."
"I...I haven't been playing any kind of game with you," said Kiley.
"Now, Kiley, I thought that we could start being honest with each other," said Eric. "But, I see that you still want to play. Sit, please, don't be shy."
He watched Kiley as she stood like a frightened bird, so wanting to take flight and fly away. Who had such a hold over her to make her stay here? He wasn't particularly angry with the girl, only with who had sent her. But, he had every intention of using her to find out who that was.
Kiley slowly walked over and sat down next to him. He touched a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear.
"Now, isn't this so much nicer? It's just me and you getting to know one another," said Eric.
He leaned in and kissed her shoulder and placed his hand on her knee. She trembled slightly and he moved to her neck and kissed her.
"Mr. Northman, I think you should stop, please," said Kiley.
He moved back to look in her eyes and with a wicked snick brought out his fangs. He bared them at her and saw her flinch away.
"You don't really want me to stop, do you?" said Eric. "I think that you've done exactly what you came here to do."
"I...I don't know what you mean," said Kiley.
"Still playing innocent. I love it. We both know the wicked game that you are playing," said Eric.
He trailed his hand in her hair and said, "I know that you've been pretending that you don't want me in order to drive me crazy with desire. It has worked brilliantly."
"You're mistaken," said Kiley, trying to get up.
He easily held her down with one hand and smiled which was decidedly predatory looking with those fangs.
"Still teasing me, you naughty girl," said Eric. "I admire your ability to stay in character. But, it's my turn in this little game."
He smirked at her a moment and then lunged and sank his fangs in her throat. Kiley was too stunned to do anything and sat there frozen in place. When he tasted her, he found that she met his expectations of her which had been high. He gave a soft growling sound and sucked harder on her neck. His hand moved higher up her thigh and began to caress her. He was rewarded by hearing her become aroused by this experience which was his intention, besides finding out how she tasted, of course. She arched against him and he heard her breath catch as he continued to feed on her.
He stopped a moment to stare into her eyes. He saw desire reflected in their depths. He would have influence over her by being the first vampire to taste her. It was a power that even she was susceptible to. And if it was a vampire that had sent Kiley to him, he would be crushed when Eric took her away from him. For, to lose something so precious would pain even a vampire.
"Tell me, Kiley, don't you like this new game we are playing?" he asked.
Kiley hesitated and closed her eyes. But, Eric heard a soft, "Yes."
Eric replied, "That's my girl."
He moved again to her neck and fed on her. And when he heard a soft moan, he smiled in satisfaction.
Kiley breezed though the bar with her eyes down. She decided that the other girls could handle the cleanup and quickly departed. But, she knew that she drew their stares as she left, for Eric Northman's fangs marks were prominently on display against her throat. She decided that she would also forego watching the bar until dawn. She still planned to break in during the daytime. She was just too upset right now to stand in the shadows and watch that place and think about him. She wondered what was wrong with her. She had actually enjoyed that. As she remembered those noises he had made as he fed on her, a shiver ran down her spine in response. Was she crazy? She needed to put some distance between that vampire and herself and whatever voodoo he had done to her. She drove to the place she was staying and parked the car. As she walked up the steps to her porch, a figure stepped out of the shadows. She gave cry of surprise.
"Easy, it's just me," said Shane.
"How the hell did you get here?" she demanded.
"I have my ways," said Shane.
He stared at her and could see that she was upset and flustered.
"Can you open the door and let me in before someone sees me?" asked Shane.
Kiley stepped to the front door and unlocked it. Turning on the lights, she invited him in.
He stepped inside and turned to face her and that was when his eyes fell on the fresh bite marks. Kiley noticed his gaze and her hand crept up to her neck and covered them. He felt a surge of jealousy that another vampire had tasted her and marked her. Kiley did not meet his eyes and he felt another surge of jealousy as he wondered if Sheriff Northman had done more than just bite her. He tried to calm himself down and be rational. Isn't that why he had sent her? To catch the Sheriff's eye and find her way to his bed? In the course of a few days, hadn't she accomplished her task?
"I see that things are going well," said Shane.
"I...I guess," said Kiley. At least, he had not made some taunt or embarrassed her, thought Kiley. For if he had, she thought that she might start to cry.
"Is there something wrong, Kiley?" asked Shane.
"Are you serious?" demanded Kiley.
When Shane was silent, she said, "Is there something wrong? How can you even ask me that? I've been forced to come here and whore myself to this Sheriff by you and you have the gaul to ask me if there is something wrong?"
Shane took her shoulders in his hands and said, "Tell me."
"I...I took the job as the waitress instead because I didn't want to sleep with him. But, he has still singled me out. He is playing some sort of game with me and don't know what he suspects because I can't read him. He bit me and made it clear what his intentions are. But, isn't that why I'm here? To spread my legs for him and hope that he might part with some secrets while he's banging me," said Kiley.
Kiley began to cry and Shane brushed her tears away.
"Has he said anything that indicates that he knows that you have been sent there to spy on him?" asked Shane.
"No, but I have made him curious," said Kiley. "Please, let me leave."
"I can't, not without you being in danger," said Shane.
Kiley turned away from him and said, "Unless there is another reason that you are here besides gloating at the position you have put me in, I would like for you to leave."
Shane paused and again silently cursed his king for making him turn the girl against him. It was also dangerous to alienate her since the Sheriff Northman might use that to pull her closer to him. He had kept Kiley mostly away from vampires, out of jealousy, perhaps. But, he had not done her any favors since she was now battling wits with a vampire who was way out of her league.
He slowly turned Kiley back to face him and lifted her chin.
"There is something that you could do that would help me protect you. If you drink my blood, I would be able to know if you are in danger," said Shane. "You know that I would come for you."
"But, if I did that you would have influence over me and I would be yours," said Kiley.
"Would that be such a terrible thing?" asked Shane. "Surely, you realize that you are important to me."
"I can't do that," said Kiley.
Shane had been sure that she would refuse. She would never do anything to willingly bind herself to a vampire. It was a pity, in more ways that one, he thought.
"I want you to check in with me every day from now on," said Shane. "And if he does or says anything else that indicates that he knows you are a spy, you are to leave immediately."
Shane wanted to take her back with him, but he could not explain removing the girl to his king simply because the Sheriff wanted her.
"I'm looking for another girl to replace you," said Shane which was true. A girl that would fit in better here and not arouse the Sheriff's curiosity.
Kiley nodded and Shane caressed her shoulder.
"I'll see you later," he said and then he left quietly.
Kiley watched him leave and then hugged herself. She felt totally alone and she ran her fingertips over those bite marks again. She couldn't stop touching them or thinking about that vampire. Was this also part of his influence? He had managed to get inside her head. She consciously made an effort to stop thinking about him. He only has power over you if you give it to him, she thought. She kept telling herself that but she wondered if she really believed it.