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  Olivia thought her attraction to Benjamin was dangerous. She was right…

  Carefully, he gathered my mass of hair in his hands and managed to tie the waves into a knot at the nape of my neck. Tilting his head to one side, he gently cupped the back of my head and guided my mouth to his neck.

  The Dead I Owe

  Book One

  Julie Ann Michaels

  The Dead I Owe

  by

  Julie Ann Michaels

  The Dead I Owe

  Copyright 2012 by Julie Ann Michaels

  The right of Julie Ann Michaels to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the author, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  This is a work of fiction and any resemblance between the characters and persons living or dead is coincidental. The author acknowledges the use of places and trademarked products. The author did not receive permission to use such products in this work of fiction and is in no way affiliated with the trademark owners.

  For my husband.

  One

  “It’s the look on their face. It’s that moment when I tell the patient’s loved one that his or her father, mother, husband, or wife made it through the surgery with flying colors. It’s the greatest high in the world.”

  “I can’t even imagine,” I said. “The most important thing I did today was order ten thousand brochures! We don’t exactly save lives at Think Creative Ad Agency.”

  I was being facetious. Whether he found me amusing or not, I didn’t care. Five minutes into the date, and I knew I couldn’t continue dating a surgeon. In his eyes, I would always be less than he and my work would always be considered of lesser value. All because I wasn’t piecing internal organs back together on a daily basis.

  Sure, he was handsome enough, had a respectable job, and even held the door open for me, but there was no spark between us, no instant, inseparable attraction. And at twenty-seven, I was still young enough to expect to be knocked off my feet the moment I met Mr. Right.

  Lucky for me, Mr. Wrong was paged halfway through the main course. He apologized repeatedly, and offered to drop me off on the way to the hospital. I told him not to worry about me and just go save some lives. I’d have the restaurant call me a cab.

  There would be a thirty-five minute wait, and I used the time to sit at the bar and call Laura, my best friend. Laura and I had been friends since we were eight years old and found ourselves the last two contestants in the county-wide school spelling bee. Laura won the spelling bee, and although part of me wanted to stick gum in her hair, we’d managed to become friends ever since. After my parents died a couple of years ago, Laura moved down to sunny Miami to be keep me company; and I have been eternally grateful to my best friend.

  “Hello?” Laura said after the second ring.

  “Hey,” I said, contemplating if I had enough time for a quick drink.

  “I thought you were supposed to be on a date.” Her voice sounded skeptical and disapproving.

  “Yeah, well, Wonder Surgeon was called away for an emergency.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Yep.”

  “You’re going to see him again, right, Olivia?”

  “Ummmm.”

  “Liv, he’s a doctor, for crying out loud!”

  “Well, you date him then!”

  “Maybe I will.”

  “Good.” I said, eyeing my watch. How much time had passed since I called for the cab?

  “I’ll meet you for a drink. Where are you again?” Laura asked, always coming to my rescue.

  “I’m at the Biltmore, but don’t bother. I already called a cab. And yes, I’m sure. Let’s get together this weekend.”

  “Alright, Liv. Have a good night.”

  “You too,” I said, ending the call and slipping my phone back into my little black purse.

  My gaze descended to the dress I was wearing. So much for wearing my new dress out on the town. It barely saw any play time. The short, black dress had an elegant boat neckline with cap sleeves. It was form-fitted and looked great on me. I certainly planned to wear it again. Probably on some other first date. I sighed and took another look at my watch. Definitely enough time for a quick drink.

  “Excuse me, sir,” I said to the bartender. His round face lit up in a winning smile.

  “What can I get for you?” he asked.

  I paused for only a moment to decide between whiskeys, when I felt the fabric of an expensive suit brushing against my arm.

  “Yes, indeed. What are we having tonight?” said the man standing next to me.

  I turned to my left, ready with one of my prepared, “Buzz off. I’m not into the whole pickup artist act,” lines. At least, that’s what I meant to say, until I got a look at the man’s face.

  The man in question was at least a couple of inches over six feet. Even in my black stiletto three–inch heels, I still had to look up at him. His suit was tailored to his broad shoulders and narrow waist, looking absolutely exquisite. His clean-shaven look revealed a face that reminded me of those painfully handsome actors from the fifties. Skin as smooth and sleek as hard marble, hair the color of rich chocolate, combed neatly back, and to the side. His nose was straight and his cleft chin made him terribly handsome. Most striking however, were his eyes. They were mesmerizing and the glacial-blue you might find in the Arctic.

  And then he smiled.

  I didn’t say, “Leave me alone, not a chance buddy,” or even roll my eyes and walk away.

  Nope.

  Instead, I said, “I’ll have a Jack and Coke, thank you.”

  The bartender nodded, and while I waited for my drink, I stared at the stranger beside me like I was an incredible fool. My eyes, no doubt sparkling under deep mascara, memorized the man’s face in front of me. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, couldn't get enough air into or out of my lungs, and couldn’t shake the nagging voice that I shouldn’t have accepted the drink. When I finally had my whiskey in hand, I managed to spit out the words, “Thank you,” then, “I’m waiting for a cab.”

  Next thing I knew, I was sitting with Benjamin at a small table off to the side of the bar, already on my second drink.

  “What is your biggest fear in life, Olivia?” he asked.

  I couldn’t help thinking it was a bold question coming from a stranger, but I’d quickly found that with Benjamin, the words just spilled right out of my mouth. It was as if my mental filter had been stripped away and my thoughts were completely naked to the man.

  “Being lost in space,” I said, without a second thought. “Floating away in a spacesuit, completely unattached, and just drifting off into space. Knowing that at any moment, the oxygen will run out.”

  Benjamin cocked his head to one side and the sexiest smirk played on his lips. “Did you fail to mention to me in the last hour and a half that you are an astronaut?”

  I laughed. I laughed in a way I didn’t laugh with anyone else, and I was embarrassed by the sound of it. Benjamin smiled when I brought my hands to my mouth, trying to capture the sound and put it back where it belonged.

  “No, I’m an advertising executive. But seriously, doesn’t that sound like the scariest way to go?”

  “I can think of scarier ways, Olivia,” he said, sitting back in his seat. He eyed me qu
estioningly. “And you find the likelihood of that particular scenario very high?”

  I set my drink down and folded my hands in front of me. “Don’t make fun of me,” I warned him. “Honestly, Benjamin, I have no idea where life is going to take me.”

  “Truer words were never spoken,” he said, leaning forward with a smile. Again, I felt the tightness in my chest. I didn’t know if I wanted to smile back at him or cry.

  When I couldn’t stand to look into his eyes anymore, I checked my watch. Had it been almost two hours since my date with the surgeon ended?

  “Olivia,” Benjamin said in a commanding voice.

  “Yes?” I answered, suddenly realizing we weren’t in the bar anymore. I brought my hands to my forehead and tried to remember the steps that took me from the bar to what looked like one of the Biltmore Hotel suites.

  Mild panic swept through me. Benjamin entered from the mini kitchen and once I caught his steely, blue eyes, I relaxed. He removed his jacket and I could tell that under the crisp, white dress shirt, his body was lean and chiseled. When he sat down next to me, I leaned toward him involuntarily. Not much, but just enough.

  What was I doing? I was not acting like myself. This is how the beginning of the crime scene investigation shows start. A young, attractive woman meets a man in a hotel bar, and then bam! She’s dead. I should probably get out of here, I thought.

  Then I looked at him and my resolve flew out the window.

  “You know who you kind of look like?” I asked.

  “Who’s that?” That devilish smirk was playing on his lips again.

  “A young Paul Newman.” Though more handsome, somehow.

  “You know who you look like?” he asked, leaning against the back of the sofa.

  I shook my head.

  “Like Grace Kelly.”

  “I do not,” I said, laughing. That same laugh I only let out when I’m alone and watching a funny movie.

  Benjamin nodded. “Sure, your hair is darker, but you have her features.”

  “We’ll just have to agree to disagree,” I suggested.

  “You don’t know how to take a compliment,” he said, disappointment plain on his face.

  I shook my head.

  “You’re beautiful, Olivia,” Benjamin said.

  “Am I?” I said, as he caught an errant strand of my long hair and tucked it behind my ear. His hand lingered until his fingers made their descent, trailing my neck. The thrill of the beautiful man’s cool fingers against my warm skin sent a tingling sensation all through my body. I caught his scent for a moment--an incredible mix of musky citrus and spice.

  “And interesting, too. You’re a clever girl, aren’t you?”

  “Not clever enough to leave this room, apparently,” I mused, in a light daze.

  Benjamin chuckled, and leaned into me. I caught a pained look on his face just before my eyes closed in anticipation. I thought he was going to kiss my lips, but instead, his mouth landed on my neck.

  When his teeth pierced my skin, I knew exactly what was happening. Benjamin was drinking my blood. “There are actually people that drink blood in this world,” I declared in a brief moment of clarity. I felt the hot rush flowing from me into his mouth. He drank greedily, and the sensation was so blissful that I was entirely unconcerned. I pressed my body against his chest and gripped his shoulders. Benjamin let out a low guttural growl and I moaned in response. Every cell in my body was tingling as I gasped in a desperate attempt to cope with the pure pleasure I was experiencing.

  Benjamin gripped my shoulders with his strong hands and managed to push me away. Holding me a couple of inches away from his body, I caught a glimpse of his face. My blood stained his lips and his eyes were almost glowing in the dim hotel suite lights.

  “Go!” he barked out in a ragged breath.

  The small voice inside of me told me to run.

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. The slightest movement making me dizzy.

  Benjamin gripped my arms tighter.

  “Olivia,” he said, in that commanding voice of his. “Listen to me. You have to leave. Now! I can’t control myself. Can’t you see? I’m going to kill you!”

  There are many things I should have done. Run for my life. Scream. Call the police. Something.

  Anything, to survive.

  Instead, what I did was almost unthinkable. I turned my head to one side, exposing the other, still pristine side of my neck.

  “I don’t care,” I said, offering myself to him.

  I didn’t catch his reaction. I only felt his fangs sink into my neck.

  I felt pleasure.

  And eventually, I felt nothing.

  “What did I say before the combine started?” a man asked.

  “Would you stop lecturing me?” Benjamin said, sounding flustered.

  “I told you to keep a low profile. Do you remember that? A low profile,” said the man.

  “Just do something, would you?” Benjamin insisted.

  “Do something? What exactly do you expect me to do? The girl is dead.”

  “She’s not dead, Thomas. Not yet.”

  The mystery man had a name. Thomas. And, I wasn’t dead. Yet.

  “Benjamin,” Thomas said. “You’re going to have to change her.”

  “Nobody is going to like that.”

  “They’ll like a new vampire a lot more than having to cover up a murder during the combine.”

  Silence.

  Cool fingers gripped my wrist for a few fleeting moments.

  I was dying... fast.

  “Son of a bitch!” Benjamin growled, dropping my wrist from between his fingers.

  I felt the weight shifting on the bed, and then his wrist was at my mouth. The warm blood pooled onto my lips, but I did not cooperate.

  “Olivia, open your mouth,” Benjamin commanded. “Drink.”

  I wanted to obey him, but I was too weak to comply. Benjamin, realizing my distress, used his fingers to pry my mouth open. His blood dripped onto my tongue, at first slowly, and then flowing in a steady stream. It tasted awfully of metal, but I drank because he told me to.

  I slept.

  Two

  Opening my eyes, I was refreshed and alert. I felt as if I’d slept for a century, only to wake up instantly at full attention. I was propped up on down pillows across luxurious sheets that belonged to a king-sized bed. The covers were crisp and white, contrasting against the dark grays of the room. On my left I found Benjamin, sitting on a black leather recliner in the corner of the room. His hair was neat as I remembered it—combed back and to the side. He wore a white dress shirt and black slacks.

  He was staring at me with his frozen blue eyes.

  “Would you look at that?” I said, propping myself up on one arm. Upon realizing that I was no longer wearing the black dress that I had on when I met him, I pulled the covers more tightly around my body.

  “Hmmm? What’s that?”

  “Well apparently,” I said, picking at a loose thread on the duvet, “when you go to hell, you are confined for the rest of eternity to stay in a room with the man that murdered you.”

  “You’re not dead,” he said, folding his hands in his lap.

  “Then why don’t I need to breathe?”

  “Okay, maybe a little dead,” he said, standing up from the chair.

  With that small movement, the room seemed to get smaller. Benjamin was an imposing figure. When he moved around the room, he commanded my attention. I followed his body with my eyes until he stopped to lean against the large dresser in front of the bed. He folded his arms across his chest and the corner of his lips drew up on one side.

  “You’re taking this well,” he said, almost pleased.

  “Well, how else am I supposed to take it?” I snapped. “You turned me into a… into a… vampire,” I finally spat out. “Completely against my will!”

  “Would you rather I just let you die?”

  “I would rather you just left me alone in the bar to go along my
merry way. Did you trick me or something? Because I can clearly remember several moments during the evening when I intended to leave.”

  “At first, no, you accepted a drink and my company of your own free will.”

  “Well, sue me for accepting a drink from a hot guy!”

  Benjamin’s eyebrows rose at the compliment.

  “Oh, don’t even,” I said, standing away from the bed. I was wearing only a man’s t-shirt and nothing else. At least the shirt went down to my knees, I thought.

  “After that,” he continued, “yes, I used mild hypnosis.”

  “And?”

  “And I meant to only drink your blood, however,” he said, pausing before admitting his weakness, “I lost control. Took too much. My options were to either change you into a vampire or let you die.”

  My patience snapped. New instincts kicked in and I launched myself across the room at him. I took Benjamin down with incredible strength. A strange sense of power rushed through my veins. The feeling only lasted a brief moment as Benjamin regained control and held me under his iron grip with my back pressed against his body. Unable to move my arms or legs, I stopped struggling.

  “Never forget,” he said with a voice full of malice and impatience, “as strong as you are and as strong as you may become, I will always be more powerful than you.”

  “You ruined my life, you bastard,” I said, shaking with too much emotion.

  Benjamin bent his head down so that his chin rested on my shoulder. “I am eternally sorry for what I have done to you. I never wanted this outcome for either of us.”

  He released me.

  Not knowing where I was, where my clothes were located, or how to even begin dealing with becoming a vampire, a sob escaped my lips.

  “Don’t lose your cool now, Olivia,” Benjamin said. “You were doing so well.”

  I let him wrap his arms around me in a comforting embrace because, frankly, I needed a hug and he was the only person around. I wasn’t ready to forgive him... not even close. In fact, if I could have figured out how to kill the creature, I would most certainly have considered it. But at that moment, his arms were strong, his scent intoxicating, and I hated him for it.