Blake Kelley

Blake Pov

I stand outside and wait for the car Thomas is sending. Finally, a black sedan pulls up, and a strange-looking man gets out of the vehicle.

"Blake," he says, looking me up and down. His eyes peering over me makes me uneasy.

"Yes," I answer. I should have said no and ran, but I did not.

"I am your ride," He says. He opens the car door for me, and I get inside the car. I must be crazy. This is twice in the last twenty-four hours that I have gotten into a car with a complete stranger. What the hell is wrong with me?

He drives me to the club, looking over at me occasionally and smiling. Who is this guy? Why didn't Thomas send one of the bouncers to pick me up instead of this guy? He sent Leland when it was raining to get me so I would not have to walk in the rain; why send this weird-looking creep?

The weirdo pulls into the club. "Thanks," I say. I jump out of the car and run for the club. I go to the dressing room to change and put my backpack in my locker. I need to find Thomas before I go in to see Robert.

"What the hell happened? Why are you late?" Thomas says. I turn around and look at him. I guess he found me first.

"Look, I said I was sorry. I overslept. I know what you are going to say. I am always late. Well, all I can say is I am sorry," I say to him.

Thomas squints his eyes and looks at me angrily, but then he begins to smile at me. "Sorry, Lord Robert is waiting for you, and he is very anxious. Enjoy your night, Blake," Thomas.

"Wait, where is my money?" I ask him.

Thomas bites his lip and then looks at me strangely. "Wait here," he says.

I will make damn sure I get my money first just in case I have to run out of that room. I get dressed while I wait for Thomas to come back with my money. I am slipping into my heels when Thomas comes back. He hands me five thousand dollars.

"You can have the other five at the end of the night when Lord Robert is happy with your services," Thomas says.

I wait for Thomas to leave before I stash the money. I unzip my backpack and pull up the false bottom and then slide the money inside it. I put my backpack in my locker and lock it. I double-check the lock by pulling on it really hard.

As I walk out of the dressing room, it dawns on me that Alicia is not here and that her dressing table is bare. Did she quit? I know she is not off tonight. She works every Thursday night. Something happened to her; I know it.

I walk down the hall to the private room. I open the door. Lord Robert is waiting for me. "Hello Blake, it is so good to see you walking toward me and not away from me," Robert says, laughing.

"You spooked me a little this morning. I am sorry. I am here now, so we can talk," I say.

Lord Robert pats his lap. "Come sit in my lap so that we can talk about things, my sweet," Robert says.

I feel so uneasy. I might feel a little better if I knew where Alicia is and why this weird guy is so interested in me. I am beyond freaked out! I walk over to him slowly. Robert is licking his lips as I walk over to him. Damn, he wants to sleep with me; I just know it.

I sit down in his lap and try to smile. Robert touches my leg. "Such a pretty young woman, with beautiful long legs," Robert says as he rubs my legs.

"Thank you," I say.

"Why don't you relax? You are so tense, Blake. I am not going to bite you, at least not yet," Robert says.

I look into his eyes, and I see something dark and scary. I am starting to get more and more freaked out as he touches me. His hand moves up my leg, and he pulls close to him. "I can make you young forever, Blake. Would you like that?" Robert asks me.

"What?" I ask him. I jump from his lap. Robert grabs my hand.

"Sit back down, NOW!" Robert yells at me.

He pulls me back into his lap. "Stay still, or this will really hurt," Robert says.

I feel a pinch against my neck. Did he just bite me? I scream out for help! "Help! Please stop!" I scream. Robert laughs at me.

"You are special, Blake, and I want you to be my bride," Robert hisses in my ear.

"Let go of me, you creep," I cry. I manage to get out of his lap. I can feel blood running down my neck onto my top. I touch my neck. "Why did you bite me?" I ask.

Robert does not move. He watches me as I panic. I run for the door, but it is locked. I pull on it a few times and scream. I can see Thomas outside the door. He looks at me and then walks away.

I turn around, and Robert is standing behind me. "You will come with me, Blake, and be mine for eternity," Robert says.

Think Blake Think! What should I do? I look at Robert and try to smile. "I am really freaked out, Robert. Why did you bite me?" I ask him.

He pulls me into him and holds me. "Shhh, my love, calm yourself and just let it happen," Robert says.

I cannot get out of here unless Robert lets me out. I have to remain calm and wait for my opportunity to get away from him. I let him hold me. I do not fight him. Robert leans down and begins to suck on my neck. This guy is a damn freak. What kind of freak bites into a woman and then tells her he wants to make her his bride. This situation has to be some kind of a sick joke.

I return to the couch with Robert and sit in his lap. I do not fight him. I want him to think that I want to be his. "I will take care of you, Blake," Robert says.

My skin is crawling with every word he says to me. I want out. I lay my head on him and pretend to be sleeping. Maybe he will let his guard down; perhaps someone will open the door. I have to be ready for anything.

Robert rubs my back as I pretend to sleep. He occasionally kisses my head. Then it happens; I hear the door creak; someone is coming into the room. I open my eyes just enough to see Thomas coming into the room.

"She has no family. No one will miss her if you leave with her tonight, Lord Robert. I think she is the perfect bride for you," Thomas says. This son of a bitch sold me out.

Robert releases his hold on me. I take the opportunity to run. I run past Thomas. He tries to grab me, but I kick him right in the balls. Thomas hits the floor, and I make it to the door. Robert makes it to the door fast. How in the hell did he move so quickly? I manage to pull the door shut and lock it before Robert opens it.

I start running as fast as I can to the back dressing room. I open my locker quickly and grab my bag. "Hey, Where are you going?" I hear a familiar voice say.

I turn to see Alicia. "You are one of us now, right. Did Robert make you one of us?" she asks.

I do not answer. I run for the back door. I cannot go out the front. I push the fire door open. The alarm sounds, and I start running. I run as fast and as far as I can. I do not care where I end up as long as I am far away from here.

I run into the woods behind the club and keep running. I have no idea where I am, but I cannot stop. I cannot go home. Robert knows where I live. I touch my neck. It is still bleeding, and damn, it hurts. Why did he bite me? Why did he want me to be his bride? That is an odd way of saying you want to marry someone. This entire situation is off. How did I manage to get into this dilemma only days before I planned to make a fresh start away from here?

I run for hours through the woods. I keep thinking someone is following me or watching me, but no one has emerged from the shadow to capture me. I am sure Thomas and Robert went to my house looking for me. If I can make it to the next state, I can get a bus ticket out of here. Maybe go to Florida or Alabama. I do not care where I go anymore as long as it is far away from here.