Bite Of The Past: The Black Fan, #1

By Laura Greenwood

When Catherine encounters a vampire from her past, her life is turned upside down. 

Outcast from vampire society hundreds of years ago, Catherine hasn't let anyone stand in her way of succeeding. As one of the most successful madams in the City Of Blood, she's made a name for herself. 

But when she finds her first love in her waiting room, she is forced to confront the reasons she was thrown out of vampire society in the first place. 

Is Benedict worth risking her heart for a second time? 

- 
Bite Of The Past is part of The Black Fan, a paranormal romance series including vampires and a dystopian setting. It includes a second chance romance, a vampire courtesan, and a chance to start again.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Drowlgon Press
• Release date: Sep 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393714040

Laura Greenwood

Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy romance. When she's not writing, she drinks a lot of tea, tries to resist French macarons, and works towards a diploma in Egyptology. She lives in the UK, where most of her books are set. Laura specialises in quick reads, with healthy relationships and consent positive moments regardless of if she's writing light-hearted romance, mythology-heavy urban fantasy, or anything in between. You can find a full book list and more information on her website, or in The Paranormal Council Facebook Group. Happy Reading!

Book preview

Chapter One

The parties are nothing like the ones from when I was a young girl newly presented to the vampire court. Probably because none of this would be approved by them. Life five hundred years on is too different for most of the men in charge to accept now. They'd never have even dreamed of a city run by vampires, even in their wildest dreams.

Lady Catherine, it's a pleasure to see you here, a voice breaks through my thoughts.

I focus my attention on the speaker and search my memory for his name. I want to say Mills, or Miller. Something like that. He's the Mayor's second in command, though that doesn't mean anything these days. She changes them every other week or so. I have to wonder how this man got his position. And if he'll be regretting it soon.

Would you do me the honour of a private session once we are done with the festivities? He trails his gaze up and down my body. I can feel it through the skirts of my dress and the thick embroidery of my bodice.

I flick open my fan and use it to smother my amused smile. This happens every time, without fail.

I'm sorry, I no longer entertain clients, I respond once I've regained my composure.

His mouth falls open, as if he doesn't understand the words coming from my mouth. But, your fan...doesn't that mean... He gulps nervously, no doubt worrying he's insulted a lady from one of the noble houses. How he'd laugh if he knew the truth about me. I'm as disgraced as they come, thrown out for a love affair gone wrong. I'm sure Father thinks I'm dead. If he even thinks of me at all.

I snap my fan shut, loving the sound it makes. I no longer entertain, but my girls do. Hasn't our Lady-Mayor explained it all to you? I ask sweetly.

He shakes his head, nervous to the extreme. I sigh. None of it is to do with me, I know that. But I wish the Mayor would start explaining this to people before they make a fool of themselves. Particularly people she plucks from the many to make into her pawns.

Why don't we take a seat and I'll explain how it works, I promise.

Thank you, Lady Catherine, that would be appreciated.

By him, perhaps. It'll stop him from making a fool of the wrong person and ending up short a head.

I direct him to one of the tables hidden in an alcove. It's the safest place for us to talk. I take a seat, then gesture for one of the serving girls to bring us wine. There's no need to go through this without it.

Where did you come from before this? I ask to start the conversation.

The fourth district, he answers instantly, his chest puffing out a bit.

I raise an eyebrow. It's an impressive jump to go from there to the Mayor's right hand. Maybe the people above him in the chain didn't want the job, for the obvious and deadly reason of the Mayor herself.

So you haven't attended many of these parties before? I ask, loathing the idea of calling them balls. They weren't anything of the sort. Balls should have dancing, and clandestine flirting, potentially even more. These parties were all about indulging the most base of desires where everyone can see them. I hate it. But can never say anything. No matter how I feel, this is how I make a living and stop myself from starving.

No, this is the first one, he admits.

That makes sense. He's acting as if he's discovering it all for the first time.

Before I can ask my next question, the serving girl returns with a pitcher of wine.

Is there anything else I can get for you, Lady Catherine? she asks.

No, thank you, Bella.

She gives me a small smile, then disappears into the throng.

You know her name? the man asks.

Mills. His name is definitely Mills. I won't bother finding out his forename, he won't matter soon.

Of course. The whores and serving girls are the only constants at parties like these. I shrug, not adding that the faces of the Mayor's favourites change so frequently it's pointless remembering them all. "Make friends with the staff, and they'll see to your every reasonable need."

You called yourself a whore? He studies me, a slight frown on his forehead.

I shrug. It's how I started, and I'm not ashamed of it. Though I suppose the correct term for women like me is a Madam.

And that's why you don't take clients? Mills asks.

I don't see clients because I don't want to. Plenty of the Madams still do. Sylvia over there loves to entertain, she does it multiple times a week. I point out a woman with a yellow fan.

So the fans...

Are how you identify the courtesans. We used to have names for the brothels, but when we realised people were identifying us by our fans, we stopped bothering. Now we're known by the colours. It's a simple system, and one that seems to work. Technically, there's no rule to say a normal vampire woman can't bring a fan to one of these events, but in the time since the City Of Blood had been founded, I've never seen one do it.

Oh.

Tell me, Mr Mills, do you still want to procure the services of one of the courtesans tonight? I ask as I pour the two of us wine.

I...erm... He isn't correcting me on his name, which means I probably got it right. Though he doesn't seem able to get many words out at all.

Taking matters into my own hands, I gesture to Madeline, and she makes her way over, artfully dodging any conversation.

This is one of my best girls, I say to Mills. Madeline, this is Mr Mills. If he calls on you, it's on the house, I instruct.

She dips into a terrible curtsy. There's no teaching some of the younger vampires these things, no matter how much I try. I suppose it's a dying art.

Do you need my assistance now, Mr Mills? she asks sweetly.

He shakes his head.

Very well, I'll be around if you need me. She doesn't wait, and disappears off into the crowds. Like many of my girls, she isn't here to perform favours now, but to get clients for later.

Do you have a family? I ask.

He shakes his head. It's just as well. Fewer people will end up dead because of him this way.

Me neither. But that doesn't mean we can't be friends, I assure him.

Do you have any friends? he gets out.

A light laugh leaves me. I'm friends with anyone, for a price.

He grimaces, clearly uncomfortable with what I do.

I sigh. None of my girls are being held unwillingly and made to work for me, I explain to him. I'm not sure why I bother. My position in the City isn't up for debate. I don't have to defend what I do to people like him. And they keep eighty percent of their wages to do as they see fit.

Do they ever leave? he asks, looking a little reassured. Good.

The brothel? All the time. Some get tired of the life and move on. Others meet someone and fall in love. A few have disappeared without a trace. I don't add more to the last one. Even if Mills is the Mayor's new second in command, he'll have heard the rumours about what she's like. More than that, he probably knows more about it than I do. People disappear all the time in the City, and none of us ever do or say anything about it.

Do you ever think about getting out of the game yourself? Mills asks.

I shake my head. Any reason for me to stop ended long ago. I push thoughts of my past away. I've spent too much of my life heartbroken over what happened with the only man I ever loved.

Perhaps it'll all change, he says.

I flash him a coy smile. I doubt it. And even if it does, I still have a business to run and other people to care for. My wants come second to those I'm responsible for. And I try to make a habit of always making sure my