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/ ‎

Chapter 10

I woke, blinking in the darkness lit by a few electrical lines, hunger driving me to move. When I stretched, the lights popped on. I’d survived another day—yay me. Now to hope no one waited outside, then get out of the casino without getting spotted on a security camera. That would be the real trick; speed was the only answer, despite the attention that might bring.

One of my many storage units was nearby. Assuming no one had broken in, I’d have another identity, clothes, and cash. And an electric bike, which could get me to a vehicle. Assuming Theo hadn’t covered every casino with his people. With any luck, the raid on his tower and his fancy store had slowed his attempts to find me.

That distraction wouldn’t last, but soon, I’d be gone. First, I had to get off the Vegas Strip. Theo could have had weres out all day sniffing for me, figuring I’d only get so far. But Vegas was a difficult place to search by scent. There were thousands of people from across the world, bringing unusual food, perfume and cologne with them. Plus, I’d taken a dip in the chlorine-laden waters of the Bellagio. Add in the prevailing scent of marijuana and alcohol everywhere, and it became an almost impossible task. If he’d done his research and found my friends, they’d have a better idea of where to search, but getting it out of them would take more than a few hours. Plus, I knew people at every major casino—and most of the minor ones, too. But I didn’t want to put anyone in danger, though.

I doubted Theo would think of a parking garage cleaning closet, but people who worked for him might. Time to go. I undid the cord, and replaced everything, then opened the door. No one waited for me, so that was one bit of luck. Hopefully, it would hold.

I could use two vampire traits effectively: speed and mesmerizing people. I’d be better if I practiced more. I’d need blood soon, and more if I exerted myself, so I’d be using both skills tonight.

I walked up the stairs and straight to the self-parking entrance, slowing when I came into sight. Families and couples often dropped off their luggage, letting a single driver park. I’d have an opportunity soon. And if one didn’t appear in the next ten minutes, I’d move to another garage and find one there.

I sauntered, watching carefully for my chance. A family van, then a luxury SUV pulled up and unloaded. Stopping, I leaned against the wall where I could see the long drive to the drop point and mimed smoking a cigarette. Doing that, no one would look closely enough to see I didn’t have one. But I couldn’t stay long, or a security camera would focus on me and I’d be identified.

Then the target careened into sight, and I couldn’t hold back a smile.

From the erratic steering and loud music, the driver was drunk or distracted. Loud male voices whooped and hollered. Perfect—I’d be doing the area a favor by stealing the car and getting these idiots off the street. Screeching to a halt, the car pulled up and five young men piled out, going to the back of the SUV and pulling out luggage. I walked closer, blending into the crowd. The driver was at the back too, arguing with one of his friends about his luggage.

Grinning, I sprinted through the crowd, hopped into the driver’s seat, and threw the shifter into drive, stomping on the gas. The key fob rested on the console—lesson one of driving in town: keep the fob in a pocket. The car beeped, complaining that the tailgate was open, so I glanced at the controls, and pressed a few buttons, and eventually, it closed. By then, I’d left the speed bump loaded behind the casino road behind and turned on Paradise Road. I slalomed through the traffic like a ski racer at the X Games, then turned on to Flamingo Road and slowed to the going speed, which was still ten miles an hour over the limit.

When I spotted the popular local chain restaurant Blueberry Hill, I parked, leaving the fob in the car. I wiped the steering wheel and and door handles with a sticky, alcohol-soaked napkin, and sprinted down a side street. Keeping my speed up, I kept going, running through the shadowed parking lots of the numerous low-cost nursing homes in the area. They all had cameras, but not casino-quality. Once out of that area, I slowed to a walk, starving.

Maybe I should have waited at the restaurant and found a victim. But no. I’d control my hunger. Speed and distance was my only chance. Then I’d get money and transport. Reaching the storage facility, I entered the code into the gate, and another into the door, climbed three floors and unlocked my five by five unit. Inside, I changed into dark leggings, a tight-fitting concert t-shirt, cross-trainers and a bike helmet. I opened the false bottom on the cheap overstuffed chair, purchased for this exact reason, and pulled out a hip pack with cash, pre-paid credit cards, a few props and a new identity as Lena Sparks.

Maybe the name was a little too on the nose, but it was better than Charmaine Flame, the first one the forger suggested. Picking something close to my current name was easier to remember, but also easier to find. However, Lena Sparks was a real person; a bike messenger doing a booming business. I couldn’t use her identity for long, but that was okay—I had a plan. I got the bike outside, and rode to my next storage facility, using a convoluted route not easily followed by car.

Inside that facility, I pulled the cover off my rusty 2001 Subaru Forester and checked the tires—they still looked full. If not, I had a tire pump. Opening the back, I slid the e-bike inside, closed the door, got in and drove away. I wouldn’t try to leave Las Vegas—after last night, that seemed foolish. Plus, I needed to feed before I thought more about shelter.

Driving towards Henderson, I found another popular chain restaurant and parked. I hated taking advantage of people but at this point, I was starving. Unfortunately, buying blood boxes would get me picked up in a heartbeat. If I was in the country, I could find a large animal. But here, I needed an adult human. And not a drunk or someone higher than a kite, which at this time of night, became challenging in Vegas.

But out here in the suburbs, it was possible. I pulled out a cigarette and waited for my victim to appear. Vehicles pulled in, carrying groups and families, but finally, a single man parked near me. I walked towards him. “Hey, got a light?” I kept my voice low and sexy, and thought “look at me” at the man.

The man turned, scanned my body and then looked into my eyes. ”Sure.” He dug a lighter from his pocket and handed it to me without looking away. He wasn’t wearing a ring, which wasn’t a guarantee, but better than seducing a happily married man.

He didn’t look away, because I didn’t let him, pushing my will into him. I controlled my revulsion at my action and walked backwards, and he followed. “Thanks. But that’s not what I really want.” I smiled slightly and kept moving into the shadows behind a big blue SUV, keeping my focus on his eyes and sending my thoughts to him, telling him I was safe and he wanted to make me happy. I didn’t know why this mental ability worked, but it did, most of the time. I put the lighter back into his pocket, then took his hand, rubbing his wrist. Good veins. I moved my hands up to his elbows, rubbing the insides, while keeping his gaze. I kept shoving my thoughts at him, asking him to surrender, to make me happy.

He pushed into my body and I allowed it, but rested my head against the vehicle to keep his eyes on mine. His hands gripped my hips.

I whispered, “If you want me, say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” he slurred.

Completely under my spell. “Such a strong man. A good man. A generous man. You want to give me everything, don’t you?”

“Yes. Everything.” He shoved his pelvis into my stomach.

He was under my command. “Close your eyes and you’ll have your wildest dreams.” He closed his eyes and I turned him around, leaning him against the SUV. Then I raised his arm, lowered my fangs, and licked his inner elbow several times. Each time, he shuddered. Knowing his skin was numbed, I bit down and drank, counting the seconds and pulling away after taking a pint. I licked the holes until they closed, then released his arm.

I didn’t want to stop—it took every bit of will I had to let go—but I wouldn’t kill or injure to feed myself. Bad enough that I had to steal someone’s will and body to live.

The man flopped against the SUV. “You had the best time with your dream woman. You’ll have a wonderful, happy life.” I tucked a hundred in his pocket and left, getting in my car and driving away. The man would wake soon and never know how he ended up with an extra hundred dollars.

I knew, from listening to gossip at the drag bar, that it was much easier for me to enthrall someone than most. Perhaps it was because an old vamp turned me, or maybe it was an innate talent, or a combination of both. I’d always been persuasive. I certainly wasn’t asking Theo. He’d never tell me the truth, anyway.

Even though I needed the ability to stay alive, it made me sick. The mesmerizing was the primary reason I’d left Theo’s den as soon as I could. He and his friends took anyone they wanted, for as long as they wanted, without any thought for the consequences to that person. A lost day in Vegas wasn’t unusual and most people recovered, laughing it off. But a week away from your significant other, then stumbling back claiming no memory, and the police dismissing the experience with a “you’re lucky to be alive” platitude ruined marriages and lives.

Decades after I’d left Theo’s lair, I’d served a group of Theo’s lackeys laughing about a social media group they’d found called “Lost in Vegas,” all people who’d come for vacation or work and couldn’t remember anything.

After I got off work, I looked up the group. Some of the posts were obviously people who’d overdosed on alcohol and drugs, but a majority described the symptoms of mesmerization. There were comments from individuals claiming to be law enforcement, and some of those seemed real. Some of the requests for direct messages were obvious creeps and scammers, but there were also indications that someone was forming a serious group to investigate and punish those responsible.

I’d warned Theo that he was playing with fire, but he laughed it off as the fears of a baby vamp. The older vamps didn’t understand the power of social media or the strength of large numbers. Which was stupid, because humans had banded together to take out vamps before, and been successful. Theo knew that, but chose to ignore it.

Just one more reason to stay far away.

Maybe that was the existential threat he’d been worried about. If so, he’d created the problem—he could deal with it.

And if I got caught in the fallout, I’d be angry, but I deserved punishment, too. I was part of the problem, even if I only took the minimum I needed to live.

I had a more immediate problem, though. I had to find shelter for the coming day, and a way out of Vegas. Maybe I should drive out now—Theo would be dealing with the attack. But he was experienced, had lots of people, and he was intelligent. He could keep searching for me and expand that search to find his attackers. I’d be better off laying low for a while, then getting out.

I didn’t want to risk any of my acquaintances or friends, so it was back to natural lairs. I kept going south to Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. Like Red Rocks, I’d found plenty of places where stacked rocks left hollows I could hide in. Every vehicle I’d stashed around the city—and I had three more, all “owned” by people in care centers—had an emergency pack that included a fire shelter and something to sit on. Sadly, blood boxes had quick expiration dates, and no one had managed to successfully dehydrate blood so that it retained the qualities that kept vamps alive.

I drove south, found a quiet neighborhood to park in, pulled my emergency pack and my bike, and rode. Sneaking into the park on a bike was easy, and I reached my hideout fast. Stashing the bike out of sight, I crawled through the narrow passage and came out in a small hollow. I opened up my little chair, and pulled out the fire shelter. I had a few hours before the sun would rise, but after last night’s close call, I was happy to just relax for a while.

Besides, I needed the time to make some plans. I had to avoid Theo and all his people, while also avoiding all my friends, and then get out of town. While I wanted to go north, maybe I’d need to go south instead, at least temporarily. Out of the Vegas area, I could swing back north. But I hadn’t scouted light-safe lairs to the south, while I had to the north.

What I’d never figured out was why Theo was so determined to control me after he’d allowed me decades of freedom. First, he’d turned me without any of the usual blood vows of fealty and obedience, after knowing me for only a few nights of casual conversation. I’d learned that was almost unheard of; most vamps with the ability to turn others only turned those who had served them for many years, people they knew well and often, intimately.

After I’d gained control of my urge for blood—something I’d also accomplished much faster than most—I’d left Theo’s without fanfare, never guessing that was odd. Or that Theo would be angry about it. Or that he could probably find me whenever he wanted to, but had left me alone. I’d been blissfully unaware, staying with a female vamp who’d visited Theo one evening and offered to help me. I hadn’t known she saw me as a rival until she told me; after I laughed at the idea of me as Theo’s consort, she helped me find a job and a safe place to live.

I hadn’t stayed in either for long, and I’d remained far away from that female vamp. I’d heard Theo had rejected her bid to remain at his side forever. Which was too bad; she’d been a much better choice for the job than me. If that’s what Theo wanted me for, which I kind of doubted. Why would he, when he was surrounded by beautiful, intelligent women? Sure, I was clever, but I’d never gotten past high school. And I appeared too old next to Theo, who looked like he was in his twenties.

Not a mystery I could solve. My problem was getting out of Vegas. I should have bought a burner phone before I got here to research routes. But I hadn’t. Instead, I could decide how many days I’d remain in this spot. Two was a good starting point, if I moved my car every night. I could change it out with one of the others as well, but that meant returning to Vegas proper. I hadn’t stashed anything to the south, a failure I should have anticipated.

I really couldn’t make any more decisions until I got more information. After I survived another day, I’d check out some of my south end acquaintances and see if anyone was watching them. I was pretty good at spotting tails and surveillance on me and others. I might miss an older vampire with the gift of shadows, but most of them were too proud to do footwork.

The night was almost gone. I shook out the fire shelter and pulled it over my body, and released the chair sides so I could lay back. Then I waited for the blackout of day.

***To be continued***

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

Cover by Achlys Book Cover Designs