VAMPIRE TEMPTATION

Day One ** Ruby Collins pov I check my hair one more time in the mirror. It looks just the same as it did two minutes ago – as frizzy and unmanageable as usual. Giving up on it, I get out and hurry toward the huge office building. I don’t want to be late on my first day. The elevator takes me right up to the top. Vamp Investments owns a building in one of the nicest parts of town. Klaus Ethan, their CE0, is a legend in the business world. I still can’t quite believe that I landed a job as his personal assistant. I step into the office, staring around nervously. I go to the reception desk. “Hello, I’m Ruby Collins. It’s my first day here.” The receptionist gives me a sparkling smile.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Hey, Ruby! I’m Amelia. I’ve been expecting you. Your desk is this way.” I follow her, looking around. I haven’t been here before. I haven’t even met Mr. Ethan yet. My interview was conducted over skype by one of Klaus’s top employees, Katherine Nicholas. It seemed odd at the time, but as I look around, I’m starting to realize that my interview isn’t the only unusual thing about this company. There are tall glass windows, but all of them are covered by thick curtains. The inside of the office is lit by a chandelier hanging in the middle of the ceiling The people, too, aren’t what I expected. A lot of them are normal-looking, like Amelia and me. Some of the others, though… I can only describe them as supermodels. They’re tall and pale and move with a grace that’s usually reserved for cats. Their eyes seem to see everything. They look at everyone else as though they know exactly what they’re thinking. Get a grip, Ruby. They’re just people. You’re nervous, that’s all. You’ll be sitting here. For now, you can start sorting Mr. Ethan’s emails. Take out the advertisements and prioritize the rest in order of urgency. I can do that. I did something similar at my old job. “Thanks, Amelia. When do I meet Mr. Ethan? I assume he has instructions for me? Amelia laughs lightly. “You don’t go to Mr. Ethan – he calls you in. He knows you’re arriving today. He’ll call for you when he needs you.” I was hoping to meet him right off, but I’m sure I’ll see him soon enough. Thanks. I’ll get started.” I spend an hour sorting through emails. It’s mostly the usual rubbish. I quickly organize them into different folders for Mr. Ethan’s attention. I have questions for him about how he wants certain things handled, but I don’t want to make a bad impression by barging into his office when I’m not called. Ruby?” Katherine comes over, her arms full of papers. “Mr. Ethan will see you now. I try now to show my nerves as I walk to the clearly labeled office. I knock, and a voice calls for me to enter. When I do, my feet stumble to a halt. I can’t help staring at Mr. Ethan. He’s definitely in the supermodel’ category of this office. I feel like fanning myself, sure my face has gone bright red. He’s younger than I expected. Gosh, I was never into brunettes, but the way that dark hair contrasts to his pale skin… His voice pulls me out of my thoughts. Ruby. Coffee, please, black, no sugar. The stand down the street.” I wasn’t expecting him to be so brisk, but I take it in my stride. “Yes, Mr. Ethan. I just want to say that it’s such an honor to be working- Yes, yes. Just make sure the coffee is hot.” He dismisses me with a flick of his hand. I don’t think he’s even looked at me. Anger boils up in my stomach. I may just be his assistant, but he can at least be polite! Yes, sir.” I manage to keep my carefully cheerful tone and leave, closing the door quietly behind me. Why does someone so hot have to be so mean? I suppose it’s too much to ask for both personalities and looks. I hurry down to the coffee stand I saw on my way in. I double-check the order, making sure to get it right. Mr. Ethan doesn’t seem like a person to tolerates mistakes well. On the way back, I stand impatiently behind five people at the lift, which doesn’t seem to be moving “What’s going on?” I ask a woman next to me. “Lift is stuck. Mr. Ethan is going to go berserk, he had them replaced two months ago. My heart sinks. “Do we have an ETA on the repairs yet?” I’m not sure, but if it’s not within twenty minutes, someone is getting fired.” The coffee in my hand is hot, but it won’t stay that long for twenty minutes – if the lifts can be fixed that quickly. I bite back a groan as I walk quickly to the stairs. I had thought I was relatively fit. Apparently, I am not fit at all. By the time I drag myself up to the fifteenth story, I feel like I’m dying. ľ’m sure my face is bright red, and it feels like I have daggers lodged in my lungs. The coffee in my hand is still warm, though. Not piping hot, but warm enough. Smiling in triumph, I wipe the sweat off my face and pause for a moment, composing myself. When I knock on Mr. Ethan’s door, he Snaps ‘enter’ almost immediately. “Your coffee, Mr. Ethan.” “What took you so long?” “I’m sorry, it was- Never mind, just give it to me.” I bite back an annoyed comment and hand it to him. He takes one sip and spits it out. I told you to make it hot!” He glares at me. What, exactly, about fetching hot coffee is too difficult for you?” It was the elevator, Mr. Ethan, it -” I don’t want to hear excuses! Get out of my sight.” I bite back angry tears and have to exert a lot of self-control to prevent myself from slamming the door. What a dick. He didn’t even give me a moment to explain. Well, next time I will just bloody well wait for the elevator to be fixed and serve him his coffee stone cold. If he’s going to shout at me for dashing up fifteen

stories for him, I won’t bother in the future. I sit down at my desk, quietly fuming. Does he think I’m incompetent? Fine, then I’m going to prove him wrong. He’ll be eating his words before long… Mr. Ethan doesn’t call me in for the rest of the day, which is just fine by me. I sort his emails, book appointments into his calendar, respond to queries from potential investors, and forward others to Katherine, or Mr. Ethan himself for the most important clients. He doesn’t come to shout at me again, which probably means he can’t find anything wrong with my work. Here’s to small victories. On the way out, I meet Amelia at the elevator, which is now working. “How was your first day?” “Um…”I don’t want to make a bad impression by complaining, but any honest answer is going to sound like a complaint. She grins at me. “It’s ok, I get it. He can be a harsh man, and I’m only the secretary. Being his assistant must be much worse.” I’m relieved to hear I’m not the only one he seems to dislike. “He’s like that with everyone?” “Unfortunately. OOn my first day here, I spent at least an hour crying in the bathroom. Bastard. If this is how he treats everyone, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be working here, regardless of how good it is for my career. What a dick.” “Shh, don’t say that.” Amelia glances around as we step into the elevator. “I swear he has the hearing of a bat. Half of the office does.” I don’t have time to question this, because Katherine steps into the elevator with us just before it closes. Ruby. I trust you had a good first day?” I’m certain that the whole office heard Mr. Ethan shouting at me. I wonder if she’s testing me? It was great, thank you.” She smirks at me, and at that moment, I’m sure Amelia is right. She heard me insulting my boss, and now I’m going to be out on my first day. Shit, this is going to look horrible on my CV. This is the best job I’ve ever gotten, and I’ve gone and blown it on the first day. Amelia looks nervous, just reinforcing my opinion – that I’ve messed up big time. I cross my fingers behind my back, hoping that she’ll go easy on me. By her slightly

predatory smile, I somehow doubt Katherine has ever gone easy on everyone. I’m fucked. I never even got to show them that I’m actually good at my job. T. B. C Dawn writes