In the very heart of London, a line of people cued to enter the hottest venue around. Club, XII. 

The establishment owned by Drago Dascălu.

Drago's fair hair was tied at the back of his neck, exposing a powerful jaw and eyes as black as a starless night. The black shirt he wore was slightly open on his chest and between his teeth he clasped a small bone, a pinky finger from a victim he could barely recall a face, but their finger served him well as a toothpick.

From his vantage point, he looked out onto the crowd beneath, strobe lights and music he would never relate or relax with wrapped around the people below. Inhaling deeply, only the intoxicating sweet spice of blood in the air kept his impatience at bay.

Humans.

Weak. Inconsequential... and yet still necessary.

And so easy to entice into his world. His club. A place for him to choose from the cream of the crop, so to speak, as well as being a front...for the underbelly of the sex-trade world for the entitled humans who sought their pleasures and paid handsomely.

Ah. There.  His eyes followed a dark-haired female, hopping onto a barstool. She had snagged his attention, entering his establishment via the live feed, guarding the entrance.

Her pretty features reminded him of the mate of Hunter Stone... Sage.

Her timing, showing up here in his club tonight, could't have been more perfect... for him, at least.

As he watched her flick her long wavy hair over one shoulder, she tried to catch the attention of the barman.

Drago focused his mind, reaching out, pushing his instruction onto his child.

The barman's mouth quirked, but he said nothing to the woman, as his dark eyes lifted to the creature above. His master was watching, whispering. 'She is mine.'

He gave a nod and filled a glass halfway with water and garnished it with a slice of lemon and placed it down in front of the young woman.

The woman picked up the glass, tasting. And seemingly not to her liking, she put it down and pushed it back toward the barman with a shake of her head.

The barman smirked and pushed it back, lifting her chin with one cool finger, looking deeply into her innocent blue eyes. And under his silent command, she picked up the drink and drank it down without pause or complaint.

Drago watched on with interest at the ease with which his kind could sway humans to every whim and wish.  But his moment was about to be interrupted as he growled to the sound of  footsteps approach and stop outside his office door. He tilted his head and captured their scent in the air.

The knock on his door was expected and when it opened, he didn't care to turn around and greet them. He preferred to watch the female whose hips swayed seductively as she wove through the crowds... coming to him.

His door swung wide and a man marched in. Well, not a man. A wolf and a poor excuse for one at that.

"Meddler," his voice was low, greeting the wolf with little more than disdain.

"Drago," he started with an air of importance entwined in his greeting. "We need to talk."

One dark brow inched upward. "Do we?" Drago did not care to look upon Meddler's face.

Meddler moved to stand alongside the vampire, casting a bored eye over the oblivious humans below. "The council are asking more questions and—" Spitting out the name. "Stone,"  said with little respect. "We cannot control him. He is coming for you."

Drago, already bored with his uninvited guest, asked. "Is that all?"

Meddler's head reared back, turning swiftly to look upon Drago's side profile. And without a thought or care for his self-preservation, he made the mistake of grabbing the upper arm of the vampire to garner his full attention.

An error he would not make again when he found himself acquainted face-down with the floor with his right arm, twisted back in a painful hold.

Drago held the insolent fool there. It would be so easy to rip his arm from the socket. He had done this many times. The wolf in his grasp was just as fragile, pathetic as the humans beneath them.

As Meddler's breathing increased and his whines of desperation filtered up, Drago set him free. "Lay a hand on me again and your death will be slow and torturous," he warned.

Meddler took a few seconds to compose himself. Sweat dotted his brow as he moved slowly to rise from the ground, straightening his suit. "I'm sorry," he blustered, adding, "but I don't think you understand what this means. What I'm trying to warn you of."

Though a vampire could invade the mind of most supernatural creatures, he rarely invaded their thoughts. 'You would be wise to go now.'  He simply put the words into Meddler's head.

A stormy expression filled Meddler's expression. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly thought better of it. Feeling a rising tension and Drago growing larger in front of his eyes, Meddler's feet turned him around and hurried him toward the door.

'And, Meddler.'

Meddler's feet froze.

'Never come here again.'

Without a reply, Meddler left.

Snaring her bottom lip between her teeth, the young woman stood before the metal door, unsure how she found herself standing there. Leaving her friends behind, dancing without even a word of where she was going.

Looking left then right, she finally lifted her small hand and knocked.

The door opened, exposing a man as broad as he was tall.

Angling her head up, she found herself tongue-tied as he stared down, his eyes narrowing before sliding downward in a long, far to hot, perusal of her body.

Finding her voice from her parched throat. "You wanted to see me?"

Indeed, he did as he spoke in a deep, sensual voice laced with an accent she couldn't place. "Will you give yourself willingly, human female?"

He didn't answer her question, but she couldn't stop looking into his dark eyes as he studied her for what felt like forever. Finally, he said. "Come."

The door creaked as Drago expanded the opening to allow her inside.

She swallowed, and without a word stepped inside, hearing the door shut behind her. Seeing an expanse of glass, she walked toward it. Peering down, she could see the smiling faces of her friends, and wondered if they could see her.

'Look at me,' she heard a whisper inside her mind and slowly turned. Their eyes caught and held, locking her in a heat-filled stare that stole her breath and she gasped when she heard more whispers.

She was unaware of the existence of vampires or their ability to coerce and seduce vulnerable humans.

A slow nod and her hands moved, slowly unzipping her dress

Drago watched the woman slip from her dress. She was a vision to behold.

And before she took her next breath, let alone think, Drago's movements were agile and lightning fast as he pinned her against the glass, his muscular legs framing hers, pressing against her bare thighs as his cock hardened with interest of her sweet scent calling to him.

She felt drugged, consumed by his presence and, to her disbelief rather than fear, she felt a fire burning deep inside her. It ladened her limbs with desire, her nipples tightened with uncontrollable arousal.

Drago stared down at the small female, his eyes half veiled, with something remotely like irritation sparking in the depths of his stare. He did not care for her name, but asked for it anyway. "Your name?"

"Sonya." She blinked.

"Sonya," he repeated and just as he could smell her desire, her ripe readiness for him to take her, he ran a finger down the centre of her throat. "I will give to you something more than you could ever hope to experience."

He grabbed her leg, lifting it to his hip, and moved to cup her ass. He fit his clothed cock to her core. His mouth lowered to her ear. "Do you offer this body for me to do as I so wish including death?" He inched backward enough to fix her in a fiery stare. In her eyes, he saw her confusion mingled with sensual heat. She was scared shitless, yet she could not help wanting him.

And it was a pity there wasn't enough time for him to enjoy her fully, to feel her sweet pussy tightening around his cock.

Sonya's palms moved to press onto his chest. "I am yours," she uttered the words, unknowing of what she had invited.

He lifted her higher and pressed his nose into the soft skin of her neck and as his fangs extended and sank in deep; she shivered and arched her neck, surrendering.

There was neither pain nor pleasure as her breathing slowed, and her final thoughts rested only with him.

Drago drank until the last beat of her heart echoed through her small chest. Easing from her grasp, he stepped away, and she slipped to the floor.

Wiping a hand across his mouth and sucking his finger into his mouth, he reached out, calling for one of his children. He wasn't alone for long when a young vampire answered call, kneeling before him.

'Take this body and deliver it to the Stone residence.'

The young vampire moved swiftly, lifting the lifeless body with ease as it flopped in his arms.

'Feed well on your return as I have need of you tomorrow,' Drago instructed.

Alone again, Drago returned his attention to the scene below. His hunger satisfied, a smile found its way to his lips. Soon, he would have in his hands what he had spent half a lifetime searching.