Working Class Vegas Vamp is a free urban fantasy serial, usually publishing on Tuesdays. It is unedited and subject to change. If published later, it may differ significantly, and will probably include additional material. Typos and English errors are likely; feel free to leave a comment or write me at am {AT} amscottwrites.com (revised as a standard email address. Pesky bots!) Available for a limited time only!

Haven’t started yet? Chapter 1: https://www.amscottwrites.com/2024/10/29/working-class-vegas-vamp-chapter-1/ ‎

I sat back, rolling my eyes. “Ugh. I don’t even know where to start.”

He smirked. “Luckily for you, I do. I’ve been where you are now.”

“Don’t you werewolves do the whole fight to the death thing and kill your way up the ladder?” The thought turned my stomach. I didn’t like Theoden or his people, but I liked the idea of killing even less.

“Yes and no.” His lip curled. “I have killed those who were unwilling to yield, or betrayed the pack. But I prefer to fight for supremacy and I’m good at it. I can help you.” His gaze met mine again. “But only if you help me.”

“I’ll help you with your niece, regardless.” It was my turn to curl a lip. “But taking over the Vegas vampires? That seems like a lot of work with no reward, just more work.”

“Leadership can be difficult, it’s true.” He pointed at the ceiling. “My pack is enjoying their normal lives, while I’m in a windowless basement, talking to a blood sucker.” He smirked. “But there are benefits, like knowing my people are safer because I’m in charge.”

I blinked, stunned by his arrogance. “And you know this, how?” I shook my head. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’m not so certain the Vegas vamps will be better off under my rule.”

He stabbed his forefinger towards me. “I’m sure. I’ve seen who you are through my pack. You’re thousands of times better than Theoden, let alone those hedonistic idiots lazing around in his tower, making a mess of human lives and hassling us. You will take command and put them to work. That will keep them out of trouble.” He snarled. “Except Trinity. She’s mine.”

He didn’t mean that in a positive way, clearly. Trinity must have lured his niece away. “I don’t know any of them. Never wanted to know any of them after Cerise almost killed me.”

He smirked. “Fortunately, I keep tabs on all of them.” He tapped on his phone. “I’ll share my intel with you. Bios, preferences, and backgrounds, although some of them are older than most records. None of it leaves this house in anything but your head, understand?”

I nodded. “I agree. I appreciate the help, but I still don’t see how I can take over Vegas. Theo’s been ruling for decades. He’s a billionaire CEO, not some bandit king. He makes decisions impacting thousands of human lives and millions of dollars every minute.” I spread my hands. “I mix drinks and talk to people.”

He shook his head. “You lead diverse humans, werewolves, and gargoyles. You manage drunk humans without violence regularly. That’s incredibly rare in the vampire world. Theoden leans on technology, avoiding the humans who work for him, because he doesn’t have the control to deal with them. Before email became common, a lot more humans died. I’m amazed he sat at your bar for three days without killing anyone.”

“I’m amazed I didn’t kill him. He’s been a black hole, bringing everybody down.” My tips had been next to nothing, except those he dropped, and I left those in the tip jar for everyone else.

“So why didn’t you?” His eyes narrowed. “You could have taken care of all your problems with one quick thrust. Plenty of wooden chopsticks on your bar.” He mimed stabbing with one hand.

Stake Theoden? In public? Right. “You have greatly exaggerated ideas of my capabilities.” Theoden’s speed and stealth were terrifying. I couldn’t come close, literally and figuratively.

“I think you underestimate yourself.” He shook his head. “You have plenty of speed, strength and mental talent. It’s confidence, training, and awareness that you lack.”

“Oh, just those.” I didn’t hold back my eye roll. “I’ll get right on that.” Like I hadn’t been practicing when I could? My opportunities were limited, because I trusted few.

He leaned forward. “If you want to live free, you can. I will help with the training and awareness. Confidence is all yours, sweetheart.”

I huffed. I could do without the cute diminutives. I heard enough of that at the bar. “I’m confident that Theoden can kill me whenever he wants to.”

The Alpha sighed. “But he doesn’t want to, or you’d already be dead. He wants to control you. Don’t let him.”

I shook my head. “We’re going in circles.”

A knock at the door interrupted his reply. The Alpha rose, striding to the door and cracked it. He accepted a tablet, then secured the door and returned to his seat. “This contains biographies, likes, dislikes, accomplishments, failures, and suspected strengths and weaknesses. Everything we’ve been able to gather about Theoden and his vampires over the last forty years.”

“Forty years? You’ve been at this for a while.” That was a lot of data.

He nodded. “Yes, we have. As I told you, I’ve got intel on every supernatural and all the important humans in the area, too. Although the human files are shorter, even with scum like your former boss, Ald.” He tapped on the tablet, then turned it around. “Look into the camera and follow the directions, please.”

I took it from him and created a profile, including biometrics. Then I selected the file folder labeled vampire. Folders appeared, labeled by vampire name. I clicked on Theoden’s, of course.

The Alpha—I had to learn his name at some point—pointed at the tablet. “Every file contains a summary, with links to the detailed documents. I’d recommend reading all the summaries, then concentrating on weaknesses and strengths. Except Theoden, because you need to know everything about him.” He sniffed. “Everything we know, that is. Much of his early years are unknown, because he was raised in Russia.”

“Russia? How did he get here?” Perhaps Klaus was his given name, rather than a fake. Northern Russian heritage would explain his ice-blue eyes and blond hair.

He shook his head. “We don’t know for sure, but we think he came over with his creator during the California Gold Rush era. There are no immigration records, but that wasn’t uncommon back then, particularly for those who came through Asia. We know that much of his wealth came from gold discovered in California and Nevada. Some supposedly haunted mines weren’t—the vampires were living in them. Claim jumpers were a food source.”

I wrinkled my nose, but had to clamp down on my thirst. My last meal had been too long ago, and I’d have to do something about that soon. Without taking anything from the werewolves. “I suppose that’s fair, unless they killed them.”

He rose and retreated to the bar, returning with a familiar box and handing it to me. “No, they mostly lived, but with wild stories to tell. Kept all but the most adventuresome away.”

He was too perceptive. I stabbed the straw into the box and sucked. After the first pull, I remembered my manners. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He returned to the bar and slid a container into the microwave. “I’m hungry, and I can’t eat without offering something to a guest.”

I laughed at his smooth handling. “Well, I appreciate your manners. They’re rare these days.” I scanned through the vampire files, then the gargoyles, other supernaturals, and the weres—except werewolves.

“True. Some of my people have a lot to learn. Theoden’s vamps even more.”

“I notice my name isn’t on any of these files, nor is yours. Or your pack members.”

The corners of his mouth lifted. “I don’t gather intel on my pack. They are mine and I know them, inside and out. I have a file on you, and I could probably gain a lot from watching you read it, but I try not to betray a trust I’m trying to gain.”

He was certainly an Alpha—wearing command like a second skin—but an enlightened one. Although, he was gathering intel on me now, so maybe he just hid his inner ruling Alpha well. Even without a dossier, I was fairly certain he’d been Alpha for a very long time, but it would probably be rude to ask. “I appreciate the attempt.”

He brought the container to the couch, popping the top and filling a fork with shredded meat.

It smelled spicy and delicious. “Carne asada? Smells fabulous.”

Smiling with his mouth closed, he nodded, then swallowed. “It is. Almost too spicy, but it’s good training. You never know when you might run into peppery hazards.”

I held back a grimace at his subtle condemnation. I wasn’t sorry for trying to cover my tracks. “I suppose so. I miss eating tasty food.” I sucked down more bland blood.

“Turning has tradeoffs for any supernatural. There is always a price.” He returned to his meal.

“I suppose so.” I finished the box while I scanned the rest of the files. It would take me days to go through all of these—or nights, more accurately. I had about an hour left tonight, so I turned to Theo’s file.

Before I got far, the Alpha rose, putting his container in the sink and gathering more blood boxes. “Come, and I’ll show you to your room.” He walked to the door behind his desk and entered a code. “I’m the only one with the code to this room, although there is an emergency entry protocol if I don’t log into the house security every seventy-two hours.” The door beeped, and he opened it, revealing a master suite with a king-size bed, dresser, TV, and a compact, but luxurious bathroom with dark gray solid surface countertops above pale wood cupboards. No bathtub, but the shower had multiple adjustable spray heads and full size toiletries.

“This isn’t my room, but I’ve slept here often when work gets busy. Feel free to use anything you find in here; it’s pack property, not mine. The room is completely light-safe; the door seals tight. There are no windows, but there is an emergency hatch in the bathroom that exits into an upstairs safe room. That safe room exits into the mud room or there’s an emergency tunnel to the desert behind the fence. Getting out that way requires blowing explosive bolts.” He led me into the bathroom and pointed at the ceiling above the toilet. “Just turn and yank the toilet paper holder to pop the hatch. Please don’t do that unless you really need it. There is no security on the exit above, and it’s not accessible from the outside without explosives.” He put the blood boxes on the sink counter.

My previous lair’s security was a joke in comparison. “I’d prefer not to use any exit but the usual, because that means something has gone terribly wrong.” I backed out of the small bathroom, uncomfortable with his proximity. “This is very impressive.”

He smiled wryly. “We didn’t start in this house, but when we built it, we sunk every penny we could afford into security. Later, we renovated with a bit more luxury.” He followed me out, turning to the door. “I’ll lock this from the outside. If you need out, just look at the scanner.” He pointed at what I’d thought was a peephole. “You might have to jump, sorry.”

I sighed. “Tall people rule the world.”

“I’m not that tall by today’s standards, but yes.” He opened the door with a quiet hiss as the rubber seals peeled apart. “Rest well.” The door locks thunked into place and the scanner glowed red.

I carefully placed the tablet on the bed and took my backpack to the bathroom. I hoped the bathroom didn’t have cameras, but the Alpha seemed justifiably paranoid. I pulled my leggings down, palming the paper left by the badgers, then sat and read it again. After I memorized the phone number, I flushed it. Then I got ready for the night.

After a long shower removed some of the knots from my back, I put on the extra clothes in my bag. Then I washed my dirty ones in the sink, wringing them out before hanging them over the shower enclosure. Back at the bed, I glanced at the time, put the tablet next to the bed on the floor, then peeled back the sheets and climbed in. The mattress was firmer than mine, but very comfortable.

I attempted my meditation, but the Alpha’s stare was hard to forget, and Theo’s threat even worse. I fretted until I fell into darkness.

*

The next evening, I rose, ran through a quick meditation and yoga routine, showered, and sucked down a blood box. Then I returned to the tablet. I considered letting myself out of the room, but if the Alpha was busy, I didn’t want to bother him. On the other hand, I didn’t want to make him wait on me, either.

I could read in either place. If he had pack members out there, I’d return to the bedroom. I packed my clean clothes in my bag and cleaned up what I could with a washcloth. I’d strip the sheets and towels, but it was likely I’d stay here again tonight, so I wouldn’t bother. But I also wouldn’t risk leaving anything behind.

Rising on my tiptoes, I looked at the scanner, and the locking bars thumped, the light turning green. I cracked the door and peered out. Seeing no one, I left the door open and entered the office, plopping back on the chair I’d used the night before.

When the office door beeped, I jumped, then shuddered. I’d been so lost in the files I hadn’t been paying attention. That could be deadly. I’d obviously assumed I was safe here, and that was a leap of faith I had no business taking, even if the Alpha somehow projected safety.

“Good evening, Char.” The Alpha entered, wearing dark jeans and a long sleeve dark green Henley. He filled out both very nicely; lean, but muscular, just like a true wolf. “I hope you slept well.”

“Very well, thank you.” I was alive, so it must be true. As usual, time had passed leaving no memories behind. “I haven’t gotten much farther with these files.”

He handed me a blood box. “And you won’t get farther tonight, I’m afraid. Theoden knows you’re here.”

***To be continued***

Working Class Vegas Vamp Copyright © 2024 by AM Scott. All Rights Reserved.

Cover by Achlys Book Cover Designs