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  There was something about this woman that was…other.

  Vampire.

  The word slithered up in Reyna’s conscious and she recoiled away from the thought. It made no sense considering her current predicament, but she couldn’t help it. Deeply ingrained fear seemed to stick with her no matter her decision to work with them.

  “Four hundred and ninety-two. Miss Reyna Carpenter. Five foot four inches. Brown eyes. Brown hair. Caucasian. O negative. Correct?”

  “Yes,” she confirmed.

  “Good. I have to make sure that you fit all the parameters.” She looked up at Reyna over the rim of her thick black-rimmed glasses. “You’re not pregnant?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Is there any way you could be pregnant?” she repeated.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “There is either a chance or there isn’t.”

  She thought back to the last month and cringed. “It’s possible, but not probable.”

  The doctor sighed as if Reyna was inconveniencing her. “When you enrolled with Visage, you claimed not to be pregnant. We won’t take the risk of endangering a young life. I will order a pregnancy test since you’re not certain.”

  “Um…yes,” she said softly.

  This shouldn’t have even been a problem. When she had applied for the position at Visage, she had been in the off-again stage with her boyfriend, Steven, who worked with her brothers. There was no reason for her to believe that anything would happen between when she had turned in her application and when she had received the information that she could come into Visage.

  The problem was that Steven was charismatic as hell. He was cute and funny and charming. He always said the right things. Every time she walked away somehow he would come right back in and sweep her off her feet. A couple weeks ago, he had convinced her to meet him at the end of his shift, after the warehouses closed down for the night. And she had fallen for it all over again. Two weeks of a whirlwind of passion and then a big “fuck you” at the end of it. She had just been a good time while he waited out another girl. He was seeing someone else now. The end.

  Steven had made her feel like a used-up whore. No better than the run-down trash that they lived in. When Visage had approved her for testing shortly afterward, she had felt like it made sense. At least she would get paid for selling her body.

  The door opened unexpectedly once again. “Excuse me. Dr. Trainer, you’ve been called to the east corridor. I was reassigned to number four hundred and ninety-two.”

  The doctor faced the open door in shock. “What?”

  “East corridor,” the man said.

  The door opened wider, and Reyna got her first glimpse of the man. He was tall with a slightly more disheveled appearance than the doctor she had been dealing with. Though what he lacked in proper grooming, he made up for with the severity of his features. He seemed excessively stern and the haphazard state of his attire only gave off the impression of a mad scientist.

  “Right. Of course, Dr. Washington,” Dr. Trainer said once she realized who it was. “Here is her file.”

  They swapped information, and then Dr. Trainer left her alone with the new doctor.

  “Welcome, Miss Carpenter. I’m Dr. Roger Washington.”

  He extended his hand. Reyna looked down at it skeptically. No one had addressed her or acknowledged her as anything more than a subject to be tested and questioned. What was this, bad cop, good cop?

  “Hi,” she said softly. She shook his hand once. It was chilling and made her shiver.

  “After reviewing your profile, we’ve elected you to be a trial subject in our new program. Your blood type and specific history, build, and biology make you a great candidate for this new venture. I’m the head of the team, and we’re looking for interested participants. You understand that anything we speak about here is completely classified, yes?”

  “Sure.”

  A new program? Classified information? She didn’t know what any of that meant, but she was willing to hear more about this. It sounded like they wanted her, and if they wanted her badly enough, then maybe she could get more money out of them.

  “For some time, Visage has been considering going to a more streamlined system of employment for our human subjects,” Dr. Washington explained.

  “Streamlined…how?”

  The man smiled, and her skin turned ashen. Sharp canines gleamed in the high contrast lighting. She tried to swallow but felt like her mouth was stuffed with cotton balls. She knew he was a vampire. She had known that both doctors were, but suddenly it felt different. This wasn’t some person in the papers or on billboards, but a real live vampire that could reach out and touch her.

  He seemed to assess her discomfort and closed his mouth so that the stern expression was back in place. “You do realize, Miss Carpenter, that the company you wish to be employed by is run by vampires, and that if you are selected for this, you will live with vampires?”

  “Yes, I’m well aware,” she said, regaining her composure.

  “Good.” He nodded. “Now back to what I was saying. We’re working toward a more streamlined system. The current one places a subject with a Sponsor for one month. After that month, you are granted a week off to recuperate, and then you rotate to another blood match Sponsor. As an O negative subject, you would meet with a group of O negative Sponsors in your assigned region. The system then perpetually rotates. Everything is carefully monitored by Visage so that it is safe and orderly.”

  Reyna had read all about this on the pamphlet when she had originally applied. Vampires needed to drink the blood of their individual blood type human match to continue functioning at high cognitive levels. Before when they drank from just anyone, the blood fed them only on a completely basic and primal level. However, it didn’t provide anything more than that. It contaminated their systems and made them corrupt, lethal, and animalistic. For generations, vampires had plagued the darkness, feeding on whatever or whomever they could get ahold of. Reyna couldn’t even fathom a world without vampires—lurking in the dark or out in the open as they were now.

  When Visage came forward in the midst of the economic collapse, they promised a new horizon for humans and vampires alike. Visage wanted humans and vampires to coexist in a mutually beneficial atmosphere. Thus came the blood type cure. They registered all the known vampires and offered humans money to become their blood donors.

  “How is the new system different?” she asked.

  The doctor smiled once more, and her fingers dug into the paper on the bed. “Now the Sponsor requests a blood type match and a certain profile, and the subject stays with the Sponsor…permanently.”

  Chapter 3

  “Permanently?” Reyna gasped.

  “Yes. The new system would place you with a vampire match. You would be placed in the home and share living quarters with your Sponsor.”

  “Forever?” she asked in disbelief.

  “Well, not forever, as if there is no other option, Miss Carpenter. The system is supposed to fix some of the issues with the previous functions within Visage. It allows less fluctuation and gives the subjects a better lifestyle.”

  “So…we could never leave?”

  “Of course not. If the Subject or Sponsor deems that the relationship is no longer functional, then another Permanent would be located and your contract made void. We have no grounds to hold you against your will. We are merely trying to find a more suitable lifestyle for our Sponsors. And if it makes you feel any better, all Sponsors who are selected into this program are top echelon candidates. You will be well taken care of.”

  A permanent placement with a vampire. She couldn’t think of anything she would want to do less. It sounded like an easy way for vampires to take advantage of humans and eliminate the checks and balances of the previous system.

  “It’s
a better situation for the Sponsors, but what about us?” she demanded. “How do we know that we’ll truly be taken care of when there is no one to check in with once a month?”

  “I can guarantee that every Sponsor has been carefully screened. They are very high-ranking officials within the organization. We would never place our employees in potentially dangerous situations.”

  “Of course not,” she said dryly. “So, these Sponsors are bigger and better than the other ones. Does that mean the pay is better?”

  He chuckled and then seemed to recover his expression. “Straight to the point, I see. How does double the monthly salary sound for this Permanent position?”

  Reyna’s eyes were as big as saucers. Double? To stay at one vampire’s house indefinitely?

  That was just…incredible. She wouldn’t have to work for Visage as long if she was able to make double the income they had originally reported. She could stay with the Sponsor just long enough to get her and her brothers back on their feet. With double the pay, she could even save up to go to college. With a shiny new degree someone might even employ her. It all depended on how everything actually went once she was there. She could handle that. And it didn’t matter what Brian or Drew said, she knew she had to do this. Then she would leave the entire Visage corporation behind forever.

  “Are you interested in this new program?” Dr. Washington asked her.

  “I…”

  She was about to say yes, but the doctor’s eagerness stalled her. Why did he want this so bad? And what was it about the situation that put her on edge?

  It wasn’t the obvious things. She knew she was surrounded by vampires and about to give her blood up to one on a regular basis. She had more or less come to terms with it, but something else bothered her.

  “Why was I selected?” she asked instead.

  He pursed his lips. “You fit the profile.”

  “And what profile is that?”

  “Young, fit, and the proper match.”

  “You said something about my history in my file. What about my history?”

  Dr. Washington narrowed his eyes and then pulled up her file on the computer.

  “It says here that your parents are deceased. Car accident. You were only eight. Your brothers, Brian and Drew, were fourteen and twelve. Both are currently employed at Cartwright Warehouses. Your uncle is your only other living relative. He left you at age eleven and as far as our records show disappeared completely. No death has been reported. Your history, Miss Carpenter, shows that you are entirely alone other than two brothers who despair having another mouth to feed.”

  Reyna defiantly raised her chin. Hearing her bleak history spelled out before her in such terms made her heart constrict. “I know my own history well enough. But it doesn’t explain how that makes me a good match for your Permanent program. Do you just want someone without family? Someone that if things go south for you, there is no one who will be blowing up the papers in anger over my disappearance?”

  He laughed. “I already told you that you will be perfectly safe. You’re hesitant. I understand that, but you have the wrong impression of our organization.”

  “Do I?”

  “We’re not selecting you because we don’t want any liabilities later. It’s because you need it the most, Miss Carpenter. You have no one to help you and you are a burden on your siblings,” he said bluntly. “A permanent placement with Visage would provide all you’ve ever dreamed and more. We are looking for people who are truly interested in a permanent partnership with our Sponsors. If you’d rather a more temporary position for less pay, then this is not the service for you.”

  Reyna needed time to think. Brian and Drew wouldn’t be happy that she had agreed to a month of work at Visage. She couldn’t even imagine their reaction when they found out that she had agreed to a permanent spot in a vampire’s home. She had never even considered working for Visage permanently. It was supposed to be a temporary fix for her family. Yet, even when she came home from working at Visage, she would still have to find a way to afford food long term, which meant she needed that degree.

  Was everything the doctor had said true? Was she just burdening everyone in her life?

  The fact that she didn’t have an immediate answer unsettled her.

  She didn’t know how long she would need to be a part of Visage before all of this could unfold and she and her brothers were living comfortably again. On the base salary…much longer than the Permanent wage.

  “I could still leave at any time if I need to, right?” she asked again for confirmation.

  “Yes, of course,” the doctor agreed. “If you find that the situation is not for you, then we would remove you from the program. But we have been very particular about our selections for you as well as the Sponsor and we do believe this will be a great match.”

  Reyna sighed. Here’s to hoping that all her dreams really could come true. How much worse could it be?

  “All right. What do I need to do?”

  * * *

  —

  After Reyna had completed a mountain of paperwork, Dr. Washington returned to her room to collect all the documents. It felt a bit like she was signing her life away, but she made sure to read every line.

  Dr. Washington scrutinized the many places she’d had to place her signature and then nodded. “This is satisfactory. Your Sponsor just arrived to collect you.”

  Reyna jolted. “What? Now? Already?”

  The doctor gave her a confused look. “You’re not reconsidering, are you?”

  Reyna tucked a lock of her brown hair behind her ear. “No. I’m not reconsidering. I was just unaware that my employment began today and that I would be leaving with my Sponsor immediately.”

  “Well, employment does start as soon as the paperwork is signed. Plus, your Sponsor is a very busy man, and he won’t have time to return to collect you another time.”

  “Oh. I see, but I need to speak with my brothers.”

  “I’m sure you will be able to get a message to them once you are settled into your new living quarters,” the doctor said.

  Reyna frowned. She couldn’t believe she was about to divulge how utterly destitute they were, but there was no other option. They clearly had done their homework on her background already. It couldn’t come as that much of a shock to them. “But we don’t have a phone or anything.”

  “A letter?” he suggested.

  Reyna’s frown only deepened. “I really need to speak with them in person.”

  “I’m afraid that won’t be possible at the moment. Your Sponsor is almost here. Unless you want to forfeit your position with Visage entirely, then you’ll need to leave now.”

  “No, of course I don’t want to forfeit my position. I just signed all of that paperwork.” She threw her hand out to the stack the doctor was still holding.

  “Then you will have to speak to your Sponsor later about when you will have free time to visit your relatives. You’re a Visage employee now and must work under Visage rules.” His phone buzzed in his pocket. He retrieved the phone and then checked the device. The doctor’s shoulders tightened. “He’s here.”

  “Already?” She pushed her shoulders back and tried to look taller sitting on the sterile hospital bed in her threadbare jeans. It was hard to do when her feet didn’t quite hit the step below, and her legs could swing back and forth with ease.

  “Yes. He’s on his way in right now.”

  “What’s he like?” she asked with hesitancy. She wasn’t entirely sure why she asked now. It might have been an important question to consider before agreeing to live with the vampire permanently for the next…ever. But in the end, it probably didn’t matter. He was a vampire. How different could they all be?

  “You’ll see in just a moment.”

  There was a knock at the door.

 
“Ah, here he is.”

  Reyna jumped to her feet. She had felt ridiculous sitting on that bed to begin with. She didn’t want her first interaction with her new employer to be that of a scared little girl sitting on a hospital bed. She wanted to appear strong and confident. Ready to take on the world.

  But when her Sponsor walked in the room, she shrank in on herself in terror. She had never felt so small before in her life.

  The man filled the doorway. His mere presence made him seem to stand even taller than his immense height and strong build. It was as if she could feel the power vibrating beneath the surface. There was no other way she knew how to describe it. He held himself with such utter confidence that he took over the small room.

  Her eyes lifted to meet his, and all she could do was stare into the endless dark depths. For a second, she thought she saw something flicker in his eyes, something that spoke of need, but then it was gone. Replaced by nothingness. His features were chiseled out of stone. His cheekbones were sharp and defined, hollowing out his cheeks. His jaw was strong and pronounced. Even his dark hair was precisely cut and maintained. He wore a crisp black suit with a blood-red tie.

  He was plainly terrifying to behold, but also…gorgeous. Horrifyingly beautiful.

  “Reyna, allow me to introduce you to your Sponsor,” Dr. Washington said. “This is Beckham Anderson, senior vice president of Visage Incorporated.”

  She locked eyes with Beckham, and she refused to look away. If he was trying to intimidate her with his lethal stare, it was working, but she would never let him know that.

  Here she was in tattered jeans, a plain threadbare gray T-shirt, black Converse sneakers, and a maroon baseball cap stuffed in her back pocket. Her hair was in a high ponytail. She wore not an ounce of makeup. And she was in a standoff against a man who was by all accounts…perfect. But she wouldn’t look away. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.