Van Hell v2.0 Chapter One

Van Hell v2.0 Chapter One

Chapter One: Insomnia

October 26, 2023
New York City


The world is alive.

Constantly moving and spinning on its axis to the beat of the universe while the world sleeps.

And yet, I lay here.

Awake.

Just like every other night.

“What are you thinking about, Nikolai?” The voice was a musical murmur against my ear, stirring me from my wandering thoughts.

I lifted my head off the cold, white satin of the pillow under my cheek and turned to look at Maximus.

He smiled at me like a serpent. There was no reason to hide his fangs from me. Well, perhaps there was, but Maximus enjoyed tempting fate. And in a way…it would seem so did I.

He was beautiful, for a vampire. I don’t really know how old he was, but I did know he dated back to ancient Rome. He used to talk of Pompeii like it was something he had lived through. I wouldn’t have been shocked if he had.

“Nothing.” I lied as I offered him a smile back in return, though I felt the effort it took to twist my lips how I wanted.

“You’re a horrible liar, my girl.” He chuckled softly and dipped his head to press a kiss to the cool skin of my shoulder, his fingers running over my arm. “Did you know that?”

“I think you’ve told me that on a couple of occasions.” I shut my eyes at the feel of his feather light touch.

“That is something to think about, perhaps?” His cool lips touched mine and I was soon on my back in the bed, the satin sheet sliding from my skin as he put himself between it and me.

When I opened my eyes again, he was over me, though his weight barely pressed on my skin. I had to marvel at his beauty once again. His dark brown curls tousled in an array that fell around his deep russet eyes. His features were cut like a statue, one of those Greek portrayals of a god set in the stone that was his alabaster skin.

He always caught my breath like this. I had to force my lungs to expand and draw in air again.

His smile said it all though. He knew what he did to me and without a word he tilted his head down and found my jaw with his lips. His kisses were soft as he moved his way along my jaw to my ear. He whispered something that I knew was Italian, but I couldn’t understand what he said.

I knew what he was after though. My head instantly tilted back against the pillow and I bared my neck to him.

He gave a soft sound of pleasure as he followed the line of my throat. He pressed himself into me for the third time tonight and his fangs brushed my skin…

And the guitar rift from Bohemian Rhapsody echoed from the nightstand.

Sighing heavily, Maximus reached for the phone and gave it to me without a word, though his eyes showed his annoyance as he remained over me, drawing back to watch my face as I answered the phone.

I flipped the small, blue phone open and looked at the caller ID.

It was my turn to sigh before I pressed the tiny green button on the phone and put it to my ear.

“What’s up, Sister Jean?” I asked in a very level voice. It didn’t sound strained at all…good. The last thing I wanted a nun to know was that I was laying naked with the equivalent of a real deadly sin hovering over me.

“Hardly a polite greeting, Nikolai.” The elder nun’s voice was slightly cracked from her age, but the stern undertone could not be denied.

I rolled my eyes in my skull and, just like in school when I had done the same behind her back, she seemed to see the action over the phone. “Must you roll your eyes like that? It’s very unbecoming.”

My eyes flickered to the time on the clock next to the bed. Great. It was only 2am and I was already getting chided. “Did you call for a specific reason, Sister?”

The nun on the other end sighed softly and I perked a brow in anticipation.

Maximus tilted his head curiously above me then gave a wicked smirk as he gently rolled his hips.

I bit my bottom lip and gave him a glare. He only bit back a chuckle and began to move his hips again in a slow rhythmic grind.

Evil Bastard. I thought and focused on the phone again.

“Are you going to tell me or not, Sister? I have things I could be doing.”

“I would imagine so.” Sister Jean’s voice was hard with criticism, as if she knew, but she cleared her throat. “Father Crenshaw just got a call from the police department…They’re looking for you.”

“The police know how to reach me. They have my number…” My voice cut off as Maximus thrust into me abruptly harder.

“They aren’t looking for you because they need you for a case…you are the case, dear.”

My hand went to Max’s chest at that, telling him to stop as I sat up slightly on my elbows. “What do you mean?” The nun had my attention now.

I could hear her muttering to herself as her rosary beads gently clinked in the background. She was praying.

“Sister Jean?”

She drew a deep breath. “There was another murder around midnight.”

“Who?” I pressed and there was another long pause. “Who??”

“Joseph Skiner.”

My blood ran cold in my veins at the name.

“Nikolai, don’t you see? They are tracing these killings back to you…you’re the only common link they are finding.” The Sister said softly into the phone.

“Why would I kill my own informants?” I asked, not holding back my annoyance. I would have thought the cops would be smarter than that.

“You’ll have to explain that to them, dear…”

I shut my eyes as I fell back against the pillow again with a groan. “Where was he killed?”

“You shouldn’t go there, Nikolai. It’ll only add to they’re suspicions if you show up…as if you were coming back to the scene of the crime.” Her voice was again stern, but I ignored her.

“Thanks, Sister Jean.” I said and clicked the phone off without another word.

Maximus, quiet this whole time, finally spoke, his lips trailing my shoulder again as he did. “Who’s Joseph Skiner?”

I sighed softly, letting my fingers run into Maximus’ curls. “He owns the gun shop I go to…he supplies weapons to a few other hunters…mostly the lycan hunters.”

“You hunt lycan’s though…” He muttered and I shook my head, my thoughts wandering off.

“Not anymore.” I shifted under him and he let me move to sit up on the bed, my legs dangling off the side. My eyes went to the large bay window that stretched across one wall of the bedroom, over looking the New York sky line.

“Are you going to the scene of the murder?” Maximus whispered from behind me, his hands going around my stomach as he moved in behind me, his cheek resting against my shoulder.

I nodded slowly, still looking over the city silently. My city. The memorial light still shot through the night sky, disappearing into the smoggy clouds above.

“The Nun is right…they will only suspect you more if you show up there…” He said, his lips moving once more to my neck.

I pulled from his hold, no longer in the mood anymore. He leaned back on his hands, lounging like a porn star and I had to force my gaze not to drift back to him as I gathered my clothing and began tugging on underwear, pants, and my bra as I walked for the bedroom door.

I picked up my holster from the dresser next to the door and strapped it around my thigh tightly before I turned back to Maximus again. “I owe it to him, Maximus. I owe it to all of them. Jay…Thalia…”

“It’s not your fault, Nikolai. You couldn’t have been there to save them…” Maximus spoke softly, and I had to force a smile again.

“I know…but in some way…the cops are right. All these deaths can be linked back to me…regardless of who the real killer is.” I pulled my shirt on over my head. “I guess this curse affects everyone I come into contact with…”

Maximus looked pained at those words and got to his feet to come to me, taking the satin sheet with him to wrap around his waist. He took my face in his hands and forced me to look at him. “It is only a curse if you let it be, Nikolai.”

I shut my eyes so I wouldn’t have to look into his dark, knowing eyes. “I need to go…”

“Call if you need me…” He kissed me at that, soft at first, then deeper, urgent. I felt his tongue nudge my lips and I opened for him. His tongue gently slid over my fangs and I pulled away from him at that, my eyes low.

I excused myself and reached for my gun off the dresser and slid it into the holster before I turned and headed for the door of the penthouse. Leaving Maximus and his lovely words behind.

It’s only a curse if you want it to be…

Where had I heard that one before?