Blood Harem

Lynda Garcia typed the client’s information into her matchmaking computer system with eyes narrowed to check for errors. Just a few tweaks on species, removing any were cats since my customer is allergic. The computer whizzed to life with its hourglass indicator spinning.

A new page popped up. Lynda glanced at the papers spread all over her desk and tried not to wince. Just a few more answers to type in and the computer would really come to life.

“What’s taking so long?” Sarah, a black-haired witch and her last customer of the night, asked. Her hands twisted one of her many silver rings on her fingers. The heels of red pumps tapped on the carpet as she leaned closer to the desk from her chair. “I’ve been waiting forever for a love match.”

“It’s thinking and comparing thousands of candidates.” Lynda restacked the paper forms Sarah had completed, which she now manually entered into the computer. One of these days she was going to hire an assistant to type in these questionnaire answers. “You don’t want to rush true love, now do you?”

Sarah shook her head and bit her plump bottom lip as she leaned forward as far in her chair as she could without falling, more than a little eager to see the computer screen from her side.

Lynda pretended not to notice Sarah’s mouth hanging open over the photos of men that popped up. Human men had nothing on the supernaturals…most were handsome, muscular, and either rich or powerful or both. But her clientele consisted of both types. Some humans wanted a supernatural lover, but didn't know where to start, and that's where Love Infinity stepped in.

“Let me cross-reference this list with some key questions of yours,” Lynda smoothed her brown hair down over her ears. This summer she'd cut it super short, and though she looked good in the style, it took her a bit to get used to the new style. And took forever to fix in the morning with her natural wavy, thick hair.

She typed in three of Sarah's answers from the stack of completed papers and hit enter. The system Lynda created whirled. It had taken her three years of hard work to get the matchmaking program to work right. But in the last six months business had quadrupled. She was too busy to eat lunch most days. Even if she did manage that, the number of clients that streamed in her door equated to no time to interview anyone as an assistant.

“How much longer?” Sarah asked, her light green stiletto-shaped acrylic fingernails tapping on the desk.

Lynda resisted the urge to push the woman's hand off her desk so she'd stop making that noise. Ticking off a witch who could hex someone with blisters and boils for months wasn't a good idea.

“Here we go.” Lynda hit the print button, and her printer sputtered to life. Really need to get that fixed. It had spit out hundreds of reports in the last few weeks and Lynda was surprised it still worked at all. “Seven candidates for you to pick from.”

She handed the finished printed papers to Sarah with a tight smile.

“Is this all?” Sarah’s perfect eyebrows lifted with doubt.

“Well,” Lynda leaned back in her chair, “you've got a great selection there. Two humans, a vampire, a wizard, a dragon shifter, since they don't have fur, a leprechaun and a merman.”

“What if your computer is wrong?” Sarah stared down at the list, her face a mask that Lynda couldn’t read. That made her nervous, but she hid the sudden urge to fidget. Radiate confidence and people will believe you’re competent, the mantra ran through her mind.

“Here at Love Infinity, we have a satisfaction guarantee.” She smiled, hoping it reached her light gray eyes, and rose from her chair. Sarah followed her lead. Lynda gave Sarah a smile meant to reassure her before she spoke again. “One of these men is your soulmate. It's up to you now to find him. I've narrowed it down from millions of potentials to seven.”

Honestly, Lynda's system was so advanced; that she might have found seven potential mates for Sarah, each fitting a different piece of who Sarah was.

“Thank you.” Sarah clutched the paper to her chest, pleased at last. “I'll let you know how it goes.”

“Please do.” She walked Sarah to the front of the building. “Once you make your choice, the system will remove both of your names from the database. In the meantime, I’ll make the first contact and set up meetings. If you have one candidate you’d like to see first, let me know.”

Sarah nodded, unable to stop smiling, and left. Lynda watched as the woman with an amazing hourglass figure walked out of the building. Lynda’s willowy frame was no match for that, but she still managed to get a few second glances and nods of appreciation from the opposite sex.

“Another satisfied customer?” Amanda asked behind the building’s reception desk.

“Yes, if she follows the plan.” Lynda turned to the other woman and shrugged. People did what they wanted to do, supernatural or not.

“See ya tomorrow, it's already eight, and I've got a dinner date.”

“Have fun.” Why does it always get late so fast?

Lynda turned back down the hallway to where her leased office sat in the back corner. It was all she could afford over a year ago, but now, as she made her way past the overflowing boxes of past data, she thought maybe she should upgrade. Then she'd have to raise her prices, and that could hurt a lot of people just looking for love.

Too many people married the wrong person. It was heartbreaking…like her mom who had married and divorced five times after Lynda’s father died in a car accident.

She shook her head and moved a box onto a filing cabinet to make a clearer path for customers.

It wasn't that Lynda didn't believe in love, she did. Only not the perfect kind where all needs were met. Love, after the honeymoon part, was hard. Too many friends had come sobbing on her shoulder about their breakups. So much so that she'd thought of this dating agency program a decade ago and had majored in computers instead of psychological counseling. If her mom had had a detailed program like this, she wouldn’t have ended up heartbroken so many damn times. But her mom passed away before the program was done and Lynda vowed to help as many people find their ideal mates.

No, real love was a system of matched answers, beliefs, environment, and tolerance. With a foundation based on those criteria, two people could build and establish a long-lasting real love. One that was based on facts and figures and not infatuation or feelings…at least not at first.

For example, a jealous husband would not be happy with a flirtatious wife.

And that was where Lynda's system gave couples the best odds of finding and maintaining a relationship based on compatibility and tons of other metrics.

Lynda stepped past the entrance into her main office. There, sitting on the edge of the desk, was an elderly gentleman in an Armani navy suit.

His presence pulsed authority...and money...and danger.

Lynda paused to look at him but did not reveal her thoughts, instead, she looked at him with a polite smile.

“Hello, may I help you?” How had the man gotten past the front desk without her or the building’s receptionist spotting him? And the security in the back would’ve buzzed her over her cell phone.

He oozed power and Lynda was certain he was a supernatural. When she first started this company, the weres, vamps, witches, and all sorts of non humans made her nervous. But nowadays, she took them all in stride. This man with his suit and short, curly dark hair, and cold dark stare made goosebumps break out across her flesh. The desire to run spiked through her.

Whatever supernatural this man was, fleeing would only make him want to chase her, instinct alone told her that. And even gold medal marathon runners wouldn't win a race with a nonhuman.

“You don't know who I am, do you?” His accent sounded Eastern European.

“Sorry no.” She brushed her fingers behind an ear, a habit from when she had long hair. “Am I supposed to?”

Briefly, she again thought about fleeing out the door rather than getting trapped in her office with him. But she’d never outrun a supernatural. She knew one thing about dealing with nonhumans: never give them control or they take more. She sat in her desk chair and shut down her computer with calm patience. Her desk drawer had a gun with blessed wooden bullets swirled in silver that could slow a vampire, were, or some black magic using witches.

With every move she made, she felt the weight of his stare. But cowering before this guy wouldn't help anything. Besides, she could always shoot him.

He hadn’t answered her question “Occasionally, I stay late for clients, but never without an appointment. If you'd like to schedule a meeting, I have an evening open in three weeks...on the eighth.” She broke the silence while she flipped through her desk calendar to the only day she knew was open. “That'll give you time to fill out the necessary paperwork and arrange payment.”

He chuckled, but the sound didn't comfort her. Instead, it sped up her pulse, and she fumbled for her pen.

“So, shall I put you down for six-thirty?” She passed her hand over the date. If he was a vampire, the sunset was marked at five-fifty that day and he’d have plenty of time to get to the appointment.

“No, I'm afraid you’ll need to rearrange your other clientele for the week and enter three questionnaires tonight.” He turned on her desk slightly toward her and brushed away a piece of lint from his pants.

Her eyes followed his movements until she glanced up and found him smirking at her.

“Like what you see?” He asked with a smirk that she wanted to slap off his face, but she didn’t dare go near him.

She laid her pen down and closed her planner. “It's late, and my office officially closed half an hour ago. Call back tomorrow, and the receptionist will book your appointment for three weeks or so from today.” She stood and straightened her sweater. She could already tell this guy’s type no matter what kind of supernatural he was; he was an arrogant prick who thought he owned the world. “Now if you'll excuse me, I have a personal appointment.”

Her favorite TV show’s finale had been recorded months ago, and she needed to pick up a bag of pistachios and soda to enjoy it.

She weaved around him sitting on the edge of her desk to her door. Why wasn't he leaving? Was he a spy for one of the other dating services out there? “By the way, I created safeguards on my computer. Not even a genie could unlock it.”

Before she touched the door handle, he was next to her in a flash and closed it, locking them inside.

“Did you call me a thief?” His voice lowered to a growl and his eyes darkened. At the side of his neck was a triple triangle tattoo in crimson, gold, and black.

Holy shit! This guy was part of the vampire kings of Romania, Bulgaria, and the Ukraine. They controlled three-quarters of the vampires around the world, and she’d just pissed one of their elite members off.

“My employer requests that you enter three queries and find a suitable mate.” The vampire kept his hand on the door.

“Bullying isn’t going to work with me.” Lynda lifted her chin and hoped he didn't notice how her legs shook. “Set up an appointment like everyone else. It's late, and I'm tired.”

“Thought you said you had a date?” He smirked. His sultry voice oozed mocking laughter.

“What I have planned is none of your business.” She pushed against his arm to get him to move so she could leave, but he didn't budge.

“Payment will be a million dollars—”

“W-what?” The standard fee was a thousand per entry, and she often had sales and gave away many free entries for those who wanted a stable relationship but couldn’t afford it. That much money, she could offer even more passes for those who needed them. She could move to a better building. Get an assistant.

Plus, she could pay off her loans. But what would agreeing cost her? Would she be indebted to the vampires for the rest of her life? Have to sign off her business to them? That was too risky to take the chance.

“I told you, make an appointment or go see another matchmaking service.”

“Each.”

Her hand stilled on the doorknob. “Three million? Just to input some data and find mates for vamps…and that’s all it is? No hidden agenda?” That would pay off her loans, hire help, and allow her to move to a better office.

“Yes.” He removed his hand from the door. “I'm part of the group too, to ensure your system actually works.”

“Of course, it does.” She bristled. “My system is guaranteed, I don't run a scam.”

“Never said you did. But if we don’t find mates for the princes, then we’ll be forced to use one or more of your competitors which will, unfortunately, run you out of business.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Entangled Love has agreed for us to use their systems, but we’d prefer to work with someone who cares about the outcome of their clients.”

Fuck! He must have studied her. Entangled Love was started by her ex-fiancé who stole her idea and an early version of her work. Since she had asked him to help her test it, his lawyers argued that he helped create it. She hadn’t had the money to pay for her defense. Because of the court case, she had decided to ditch the program and start from scratch. She’d prove her system was better than any others. She marched to her desk and booted up the computer. “Well? Where is the paperwork?”

“One moment.” He sauntered to the front of her desk and lifted a silver briefcase from the floor she hadn’t noticed before. After he spun the combination, he bit his thumb, then placed it over a center lock. The briefcase clicked open, and he removed a USB flash drive.

“Here you go.” He placed it on her mouse pad.

“No way am I putting that in my computer.” It could install a virus or spyware or wipe out her whole program. “I have a paper filing system and will be happy to upload your data manually.”

He tilted his head, impaling her with his dark eyes that seemed to look into her very soul. “Are all human women so stubborn?”

“Have you not been around many human women?” How was that even possible? Vamps were typically old, and this guy appeared to have been turned in his early thirties.

“My duties keep me from being involved in more than sex or blood. There's no time for interaction with females of your kind beyond giving them orders.”

She snorted. “Sounds like you need to get out more.”

“There would be too many casualties if I were lax in my duties.” He pushed the USB flash drive closer to her hand. “The information on here is clean; I give my word.”

“Look, buddy, I don't even know your name...who you work for exactly...or who your three clients are. But this is my company, and I will not jeopardize it for a stranger. Besides, how do I know this isn’t just a ploy to find rare blood donors?” With his triple triangle tattoo, he could kill her and say it was business and no one would question her death.

“I am Andrei Kalrtic from Count Vlad’s bloodline.”

Her mouth dried and she licked her cracked lips. “The Count...as in Dracula?”

“The same.” He nodded. “I'm working to ensure the continuation of his lineage.”

Her mind whirled with questions. Surely, he was joking. How could a match-making service save Dracula's heritage? They were vampires. Just exchange blood with someone and bam, a new convert that carried the Dracula lineage.

“I don't understand.” She fingered the flash drive, but she still wasn't putting it in her computer. “Can't you all make more of your kind from him?”

“No,” he pinched the bridge of his nose, “he wants a new generation of blood kin. Ones equal if not superior to the Russian clans who have been our enemies for centuries.”

This was new. Didn't all vamps have the same abilities and such? “How are the Russian’s different?”

He paced before her desk. Did he ever sit down in a chair?

“They can be out in sunlight for an hour after dawn and an hour before sunset.”

“That's not possible.” Sunlight fried vamps. Some, depending on how old, could manage a few minutes with boils and blisters before they burst into flame.

He paused from his pacing. “I assure you that it is.”

“Do you know how?” She leaned back in her chair.

“You must promise never to work for another vampire clan.” He paused. “To be safe, all vampires who wish to enter your agency from this point on will need to pass my inspection to ensure they aren’t Russian or spies. You must never meet alone with any of them; they could get information from you that would—”

“I never divulge confidential information about clients to anyone.” She crossed her arms and glared at him.

“Even if he was very,” he paused and brushed a finger over the top of her computer screen. Somehow the movement looked more sensual than it should have. “Persuasive?”

Heat rushed to her groin, and she let out a slight gasp as desire filled her. She blinked and shook her head. “Wait, are you using vamp pheromones on me?”

Because vampires needed blood, they had the ability to lure their prey to them.

His crooked smile made her heart skip a beat. Damn it. And when his grin widened, she knew he'd heard the difference.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I have a stubborn and strong will compared to most and have never succumbed to anyone.” She smiled back. “So, if you were thinking of influencing me into doing whatever you like then get used to disappointment.”

Shock filled his face for a split second before he schooled his features. “You do have an ability to block my power that I find intriguing.”

He moved around her desk toward her, but she held a hand up.

“That's far enough. Touching me isn't allowed.” No matter how much pleasure a vampire could release with skin-to-skin contact. Which was why she didn't allow clients to meet alone the first time. Love was unpredictable, adding in pheromones or abilities mucked up science. Once everything was in place, and two people had the best chance of success, then love could be welcomed into lives. Too soon and passion overruled good judgment.

Not her. She refused to get sucked into desire and hormones like her mom.

He cocked an eyebrow and inhaled, his nostrils flaring. “Your scent suggests otherwise.”

“Then maybe you should get your sniffer checked out or hire a werewolf ’cause I have zero attraction to you.” Her voice came out breathy instead of strong.

Andrei shook his head. “I think the lady doth protest too much.”

“We're done here.” She bristled. “It's late, and I've no reason to continue this conversation.”

When she stood, he took a step back and bowed slightly. “My apologies, but please, listen to my employer’s proposal before you make any rash decisions.”

She leaned against her desk. “You've got two minutes.”

“The King insists on finding human women for his three sons. They will be brides...princesses...and whichever of them conceive first will be the reigning King and Queen.”

“Because the King wants to continue his actual bloodline rather than turning a human into a vampire.” Made sense even if it was a bit flawed with the details. Not many human women could become pregnant with a vampire. It was easier to get struck by lightning. “Why not put out a call? Hundreds or even thousands of women would jump at the chance to live a life of luxury.”

“The King believes, as you do, in a sense that everything must line up first before allowing two people to fall in love.” He moved to her office window and stared out at the night. “In this case, it must be assured the three women would be able to conceive a half-vampire baby. One that would be able to walk under the moon and the sun and bring that ability to future generations.”

Lynda shivered. “But why do you need me? My system can't give you that analysis. It's not set up for biological components of that magnitude.”

He fingered her blinds. “True, except you do collect a drop of blood from all your clients who have wished to have kids with their...partners.”

“No, that's only to confirm their identity.” When she first opened her business, too many humans and supernaturals alike professed to be something they weren't. A dating service on the other side of town got shut down because two of their clients were goblins looking for certain types of meat and ate their way through twelve women before it was discovered they weren't the gnomes they'd claimed to be. Lynda had adjusted her system to compare blood samples to ensure that didn't happen to her. Other nasty non humans could change form and prey on the innocent too easily.

He turned from the window. “Don't sell yourself short, Lynda.”

Her name in his Eastern European accent made her knees weak. It was like dark chocolate with a yummy cherry center and she was an addict.

“With a few tweaks of what I've learned about vampire DNA and reproduction, your system will enable us to find viable candidates in a few hours.”

“Are you some kind of scientist? How do you know so much about DNA?” It had taken all her savings and her mom's life insurance to pay for the blood analysis component of her matchmaking program.

He stalked toward her like a predator. Reaching her side, she fought not to step back. His presence made her body tremble. He picked up the flash drive and handed it out to her. “I've studied it for over a thousand years. Now, please humor me and add the data to your system.”

“No. How do I know that won't crash my program or something? That this isn't some hoax from my competition to wipe me out of business?”

The muscle in his jaw ticked. “We’ll double your pay. Two million each and a fifty thousand signing bonus.” He nodded to the door. “Check out my information on another computer if you doubt me.”

“And if I refuse?”

His eyes darkened and his fangs extended. She backed up, her heart racing. Her hip hit the drawer with her gun filled with blessed wooden bullets.

“Then I will have to convince you by whatever means necessary.” He reached for her faster than she could scream.