Excerpt: Burning Daylight

Zach’s head ached like a sonofabitch. Which was strange, because vampires didn’t often get headaches. And his mouth tasted like he’d been licking the inside of his own toilet. Good God Almighty, what the fuck had he done last night? He hadn't felt this bad since that night when he and some friends had played that stupid drinking game with tequila and vodka. He must have really tied one on with Travis and RJ—he just wished he could remember it.

They’d all gone out to a local bar, The Dark Well, a favorite hangout of the local vampire community. It was private and discreet. Not many non-vamps ever came in. After they had met up with some other friends, they'd spent some time just chilling out and knocking back some brewskies. He'd gotten some phone numbers from some pretty youngs things and had hit the dance floor several times. It had been country night, and he loved doing some boot scootin' boogie. Then things got a little hazy. He thought he remembered drinking from a hot red-haired vampiress and shooting some pool, but that was about it. Well, he hoped like hell he’d had fun, because he was sure paying for it now.

Slowly he pried his eyelids open. Above him, a night-dark sky was visible, dotted with thousands upon thousands of twinkling stars. It would have been a sight to delight his creative, hidden poet’s soul if not for the fact that he should have been home in his own bed. What the hell was he doing outside? Was this some kind of practical joke? He knew the guys had been watching way too much of that damned Punk'd show, but RJ thought that shit was hilarious. Zach just thought it was dumbass. They'd better not have set him up for some crazy and embarrassing trick.

He tried to push himself up, but his hands wouldn’t move. Looking over to his right, he saw that an iron chain was wrapped around his wrist and staked to the ground. At first his sluggish brain didn't seem to register exactly what it was that he was seeing. He tugged again. It wouldn't budge. “What the…?"

A harsh laugh erupted to his left, and he quickly turned his head toward the sound. Oh, fuck! This was not good. And definitely no practical joke. Towering above his prone body was one of the vamps he’d seen earlier that week in New Orleans, one of Her crew. Obviously he’d been spotted when he'd gone in to do a little snooping. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Ethan was not going to be happy about this. Not at-fucking-all. But, dammit, Ethan still treated him like he was about thirteen instead of a full-fledged adult vamp of 233. Of course, considering the situation he now found himself in, maybe Ethan did have something of a point.

He tugged futilely at his bonds. Iron chains held him securely. Even his legs were bound. They’d stripped him of everything but his boxers and staked him out. And dawn was approaching. He could feel it in his gut.

“Well, lookee here, fellas.” The vamp gestured towards where Zach lay, and for the first time Zach became aware of the other shadowy figures standing around. “This pretty-boy vamp seems to have gotten hisself into a bit of a bind.” His laugh turned to a sneer, and he spoke directly to Zach. “You think you’re so smart, don’t ya, sweet cheeks? Well, guess what? You ain’t.” More laughter, this time from the other side of his prone body.

Another familiar vamp. Zach remembered seeing this one as well. He’d been at the bar last night, sitting at a corner booth and smoking some big-assed cigars. More details of the previous night were slowly coming back to him as the pounding in his head started to abate somewhat. He remembered he’d hooked up with the redhead for more than a drink in the alley in back of the bar. He'd fucked her hot and heavy up against the wall and sucked her blood until they'd both had screaming orgasms.

Afterwards, he'd decided to call it a night and head back to their lair, but Travis and RJ had met a couple of wild twins and wanted to stay a little longer. He’d left them there and made his way to the parking lot. Just as he was about to get in his Jeep, he’d heard a step behind him. And that was it. Nothing after that but a blank wall. Fuck, they must have knocked him out and brought him here—wherever the hell here was. Ambushed like some fucking new-turned. If he got out of this alive, and he wasn't that damn sure that he would, he’d never hear the end of it.

The second vampire approached and knelt down next to Zach. It was obvious just from the way he carried himself and the sharp gleam of cunning intelligence on his face that this was the man in charge. All the others looked like drooling escapees from some zombie movie. The vamp's gaze traveled up and down Zach’s bound figure. “You’re in a pretty pickle, son. Too bad you didn’t mind your own damn business. My Mistress is tired of you and your little friends making her life so difficult. All she wants is to do her own thing, but you and your buddies just won’t leave be. She figured it was time she sent a message—loud and clear—to your boss.” Zach spat at the mention of the man’s “Mistress” and looked away.

The vamp’s hand reached out and grabbed ahold of Zach’s chin, forcing his face back around. He leaned so close that Zach could see the pores in his skin and smell the stench of his breath. “You ever heard what happens to vamps who die from sun poisoning, boy? It ain’t quick and painless like in the movies where the vamp gets burnt to a crisp as soon as light hits him, with nothing left but a big pile of ashes. Nosiree. At first, ya know, it just feels like a light sunburn. Just a little tickling irritation. And our natural healing properties, well, they'll take care of it—at first. But as the sun gets higher and higher, the rays start eating into the skin and your body is less and less able to repair itself, especially if there’s no fresh blood to hand. If a vamp can’t get out of the sun in time...” He let the words hang in the air for a long moment. Then he shrugged...”well, by the end of the day he’s dead—and he’s glad of it.”

He released Zach’s chin and stood up. “Now, it’s just too bad, son. And that’s all there is to it.” He gestured to the others, and they began melting away into the darkness. “Much as I’d like to stay and chat more, it’s getting too close to dawn for my liking.” He quirked his head to the side. “This here’s a private piece of property that my Mistress owns. No one ever disturbs us way out here whenever we have...personal business in the area to attend to, so don’t get your hopes up that you’re gonna get rescued or anything.” He turned and started walking away. He stopped and turned around. “ I’ll come back tomorrow night and make sure that what’s left of you gets delivered to the right individuals. We wouldn’t want them to miss out on this important message, now would we? Then this would all have been for nothin'. And that would just be a damned shame.” With that, he turned back around and strode off into the surrounding woods.

Zach’s ears could easily hear the men as they made their way through the forest and to their cars. All his vampire senses were on alert as he followed their progress. Eventually slamming doors and cranking engines echoed and then the slowly fading sound of the cars as they drove off. And then there was nothing. Nothing except the natural sounds of a forest at night. He could detect no sign, no trace, of anyone else—not human nor vampire. He was alone.

How the fuck was he going to get out of this one?