Best Served Cold Read online

  Table of Contents

  Also By Sandy Lynn:

  Dedication:

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Epilogue

  Sandy Lynn

  Published by Mojocastle Press, LLC

  Haymarket, Virginia

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Best Served Cold

  ISBN: 978-1-60180-036-7

  Copyright @2014 Sandy Lynn

  Cover Art Copyright @2014 Morgan Hawke

  All rights reserved.

  Excluding legitimate review sites and review publications, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Copying, scanning, uploading, selling and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without permission from the publisher is illegal, punishable by law and will be prosecuted.

  Available online at:

  http://www.mojocastle.com/

  Also By Sandy Lynn:

  Leigh: Drama Queen in Training Series

  Beneath the Surface: Club Strigoi Book One

  Novel Experience: Club Strigoi Book Two

  Club Strigoi Shots: Phoenix

  Club Strigoi Shots: Chameleon

  Club Strigoi Shots: Chimera

  Everyday Masks

  Dedication:

  For my Dee, who has stood beside me no matter what.

  And for my editor and readers, for patiently waiting for this story to be finished.

  Chapter One

  Stacy stood outside the door and wondered if she could go inside. The door looked just like any other in the hallway, but for the writing on the milky surface, and the strange sense of foreboding that seemed to emanate from it.

  BSC

  By appointment only.

  Please ring the bell for service.

  Lifting her finger to press the small button to the right of the door, she froze. She didn’t even know what the initials stood for. She wasn’t sure if she should trust the strange woman she’d met at the bar a few nights before.

  She hadn’t known what to do when she found proof that her husband of nine years was cheating on her, but she knew that the underwear she’d found when doing his laundry certainly did not belong to her. Considering she never wore thongs, she was positive they weren’t supposed to have been a surprise gift.

  Though she may have had her head in the sand and allowed herself to be naïve about certain things, her eyes were now wide open. Like the way he’d been going to hang out with the guys more and more often lately. And the oddly frequent business trips that only used to happen once in a blue moon. After a very stressful visit to a divorce attorney, she couldn’t stand the thought of going home immediately, especially after learning she had no real options until she was able to move out on her own. Or at least, that’s all she could do without solid proof. So she’d gone to a random bar, ordered a drink and did the preverbal crying into it. Though instead of beer, she’d chosen to cry in her favorite drink: an Alabama Slammer.

  Three drinks later, some guy approached her. She couldn’t seem to help spilling the entire story while he was trying to hit on her. She hadn’t even cared when he walked away halfway through it. But the woman sitting next to her seemed interested, and she’d needed to tell someone, to get it all out. When her story was over and her tears had finally slowed down, the stranger nodded. Reaching into her bag, the woman pulled out a plain white business card with the initials ‘BSC’ and a phone number. All the woman would say was “Call that number when you’re ready to settle the score.”

  Stacy kept the card in her pocket. She told herself that she wouldn’t bother calling. Though she appreciated the woman listening to her sob story, she wasn’t sure what she meant. After a few days, curiosity had gotten the best of her, and she called. A pleasant voice answered the phone and set an appointment for her to come in to the office.

  Now it was almost time for her appointment, and she was seriously thinking about retreating. No one knew she was standing outside the door. She could walk away, and no one had to be the wiser.

  Her decision made, she had taken only a step away from the door when she heard it open behind her.

  “Stacy Jones?”

  Her eyes closed at the sound of the pleasant voice behind her. She almost groaned. Slowly turning to face the woman who had spoken, she plastered a smile on her face. “Hi.”

  “You’re right on time. Please come in. Ms. Pope will see you in a just a moment.”

  Feeling trapped, she entered the door that was being held open for her. She wasn’t sure what to expect once she was inside the office, but the chocolate covered walls and suede furniture were nowhere near the top of her list. On the opposite side of the office was a rather simplistic looking door. It looked like something she would find inside of someone’s home rather than a business.

  “Your office is so...” She wasn’t sure what to say. What could she say without sounding pompous?

  “We like to keep it homey. We want to take the stress off of anyone who has the courage to call.” The woman sat down behind a desk. There was a brass name plate that proudly told all that the secretary’s name was Tina Reynolds.

  “What does BSC stand for, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “It means—” Her answer was interrupted by a buzz. Tina picked up the phone. “Yes, Ms. Pope? I’ll send her straight in.” Hanging up, she gave a sad smile. “Ms. Pope will see you now. Just go straight through that door and it’s the second office on your left.”

  Stacy stood up and approached the suddenly formidable door, though nothing about it had changed.

  “Ms. Jones?”

  “Yes.” She paused.

  “Whatever you do, don’t enter any door but the second on your left.”

  With the warning ringing in her ears, she entered the doorway. A blast of cold pushed past her. But before she could wonder if that was a bad sign, she saw doorways to the right and left of her.

  Moans came from her right. She wasn’t sure if they were from pleasure or pain, and was suddenly reminded of a horror movie she’d seen as a teenager. Had she made a deal with the devil? Or was she on her way to do so?

  Positioning her hand to knock on the required door, she took a deep breath. She’d simply explain that it had all been a horrible mistake.

  Straightening her shoulders, she knocked with what she felt was purpose.

  The door opened and she could see a beautiful woman with mahogany hair sitting in front of a large desk. “Welcome, Stacy. I’ve been expecting your call. I wasn’t sure if you would give in to the temptation or not. But, you did, just before the deadline.”

  Deadline? What deadline? I heard nothing about a deadline. And besides, I’m not staying. This is a mistake, and I won’t go through with it. Especially when I don’t know what it is...

  “Oh, it’s not a strict deadline. We’ve simply noticed that if a person has not contacted us within five days of receiving our card, they probably will not do so.”

  Stacy’s mouth dropped open in shock. What the hell? She was positive she hadn’t spoken out loud.

  “Now, do you really want to stand there and ask me for answers you can figure out yourself, or do you want to ask what’s really on your mind?” The woman’s ruby red lips tilted in a
patient smile.

  “What does BSC stand for?” Her voice came out soft. She couldn’t believe she was going along with this craziness.

  “Not the question I thought you’d start with. I’m impressed. Not many people can fool me.” Placing her elbows on the desk, the mysterious Ms. Pope leaned forward. “BSC stands for Best Served Cold.”

  Questions littered her mind. What did that mean? Was it some obscure reference that she should have known? Shouldn’t a place called Best Served Cold be in the ice cream business? What was going on?

  “One question at a time, please,” Ms. Pope lifted a hand to her temple. “You know why you’re here. Even if you haven’t quite admitted it to yourself. Yet.”

  “Thomas,” she whispered, an image of her husband floating inside her mind.

  “Exactly. Now, how can we at BSC help you?”

  Growing up, whenever she became overly nervous, she would babble. She hadn’t lost the habit as an adult. “Help me? Help me do what? I mean, I’ve already spoken to a lawyer and she said there really isn’t a lot that can be done at the present. The first step is to get separate places to live and see where we can go from there. And um, well, just because I found panties in his pocket doesn’t mean they came from another woman. He could’ve bought them. He could be a closet crossdresser. Maybe he thought he could talk me into wearing them...”

  “Slow down. You are giving me a migraine. Are you always so...busy? Take some deep breaths.” Ms. Pope stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of her. The mysterious woman was wearing a crimson top with a rather daring cut that Stacy wouldn’t have expected to see in an office setting. The black miniskirt seemed to lengthen her legs, and the heels served to emphasize both her legs and the skirt, but not make her appear cheap or tawdry. Her eyes looked so dark they practically appeared black, and they seemed to beckon to her, to tempt her to look deeper into them.

  With her first good look at the woman, Stacy decided that Ms. Pope would never be the type of woman who would bury her head in the sand and try to convince herself she was happy. She was beautiful, and it seemed to permeate her every pore.

  “You’re right. I wouldn’t. And thank you for the compliment.”

  Without stopping to wonder why the woman was thanking her for something she hadn’t said, her thoughts rushed forward. Ever since she’d found the black dental floss in her husband’s pocket, she’d felt about as attractive as a cow.

  “Oh no, my dear. You are much, much more beautiful than that. You only need someone to help point you in the right direction. We can give you that help, if that is what you wish. But tell me the truth. Look deep into your heart, and tell me what it is that you truly desire.”

  An image of the woman that Stacy had seen hugging her husband the previous month appeared in her mind. The hug itself had not been a telltale event. It was the length of the embrace and the miniscule tilting of hips that gave the couple away. Well, that, and the erection bulging in her husband’s pants when he’d pulled away from the secretary.

  She thought about all the years she’d worked her ass off to make him happy. To make him as happy as she possibly could. She’d worked hard doing a job she hated in retail for years because she was able to get him a discount on his hunting supplies and other sports items. She kept their house clean and made sure supper was always ready for him, no matter how horrible her day had been. She’d given up everything that made her an individual to make him happy. If he hadn’t approved of something, she’d given it up without a second thought because she always considered him to be more important. Worth a few minor sacrifices.

  And now he was going to leave her—to divorce her—because some whore twitched her ass at him! She knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted revenge.

  “And that is what brought you here to us,” Ms. Pope’s voice whispered into her ear. The sound was sultry, and a shiver coursed down her spine. “We can give you all of that and more. Just imagine all the different ways you can pay him back.”

  Her eyes closed as she wondered how she would like to hurt him. She licked her lips as she imagined him gagging because he had a dick being shoved too far down his throat, just the way he’d done to her on too many occasions. How would he like it if someone considered foreplay pinching his nipples twice, then ramming their cock into his body? Or perhaps he should simply have a chain and collar secured around his neck and fastened to her desk at home. Anytime she felt the need for inspiration, she could yank him over to her and keep him between her legs until she was satisfied for once.

  Ideas sprang across her mind, each one seeming better than the last until her body seemed more alive, more excited than it had been in years.

  “We can give you that, and more,” Ms. Pope breathed in her ear. Lips pressed against her neck as deft fingers tugged the shirt free from her trousers before rising to her breasts. “We can give you exactly what you desire, what you deserve...” Ms. Pope continued, her voice hypnotic as her fingers began to roll Stacy’s nipples.

  The feeling of teeth on her skin brought Stacy out of whatever it was that had relaxed her so completely. Gently removing the other woman’s hands from her body, she turned to look at the beautiful woman. “You can help me get revenge on Thomas?”

  “We can help you do anything,” Ms. Pope breathed. If Stacy didn’t know better, she’d say there was a look of pure hunger on the other woman’s face.

  “Well, you don’t get something for nothing. So what’s your price?”

  After a pause, a deep throaty laugh erupted into the room.

  “You are definitely special. Most people don’t ask that question until it’s too late. I’ll tell you what I can do. I’ll make you a deal.”

  “I don’t think I like the sound of this,” Stacy said, backing up.

  “It doesn’t hurt to listen, does it? What do you have to lose?” Ms. Pope returned to her position behind the desk and sat back down. The sultry seductress was gone, and an air of professionalism prevailed in the room.

  With a single nod, Stacy sat down in the only other chair in the room.

  “Typically, we seduce souls from mortals. But you seem to be special. So, I’m willing to allow you to keep your soul, and make a different kind of deal.”

  Her soul? This woman wanted her soul?

  “Calm down,” she sighed. “I said I’d be willing to offer a different kind of trade. Now, are you going to listen?”

  Something told Stacy that she didn’t have much of a choice. And from the toothy grin on Ms. Pope’s face, she was certain she was correct in that assumption. “I’m listening.”

  “Good. Our mortal’s time is almost up. I think you would be a good replacement for her. I’m sure you remember meeting Tina?”

  Confusion swarmed in Stacy’s mind. “I don’t think I understand...”

  “I’m offering you a job. We will help you achieve whatever revenge you desire against your husband, a generous salary and very long life, in exchange you pledge your services to us. And trust me, I do mean any revenge you desire.”

  “You mean I become your secretary?”

  “Oh, you’ll be much more than that. For the sake of efficiency, let us make certain that you understand. You will never be a mere secretary. In some cases, you will be expected to share your knowledge. In others, you will be expected to share your body and your blood with us.” Ms. Pope flashed a set of lethal looking fangs at her.

  “My—my body...You’re telling me...”

  “There are perks. I’m sure you would never guess that our little Tina is almost four hundred years old.”

  “If—if she’s worked for you for four hundred years, why would you want to replace her? I’m sure she knows her job very well. Why would you want to replace her?” She knew that she’d already asked that question, but, she couldn’t stop herself from babbling. She decided to overlook the fact that this conversation couldn’t actually take place in the very real and sane world.

  “Oh, she does. But unfortunat
ely, she’s no longer...fresh. She doesn’t satisfy some of our clients any longer. Some believe that she has been with us for too long.”

  “And you think...”

  “Oh, I don’t think, I know. Consider what happened a moment ago a test. Unlike many others, you passed. You stopped me. You have managed to surprise me. That is not something easily done. Yes, I’d say you passed with flying colors.”

  A lump formed in her throat until it was so large she wasn’t sure if she would be able to talk past it. “A—and if I’d failed?” She didn’t want to know the answer to this question, but had to ask.

  “Then I would be drinking from you now, taking your soul as you envisioned the nightmare that would become your husband’s life. Then, of course, his horrible existence would have begun.”

  Stacy tried to swallow the knot, and failed.

  “I will give you a day to think about it. If you do not call me back by midnight tomorrow night, you will not be allowed entrance into our offices again.”

  After accepting the new card with Ms. Pope’s number on it, Stacy stood up, knowing that she’d been dismissed.

  “How do I—”

  “Turn left outside of my office and just keep straight. That will take you back to the door you entered through.”

  Stacy wasn’t sure how that would work, but kept her mouth shut. With a single look back at the woman sitting behind the desk, she exited the office. She wanted to look inside another door, curious to find out what could be causing some of the inhuman sounds she heard coming from several of the rooms. But she heeded Tina’s warning and did not touch another door.

  Who knew what she would find? Especially if Ms. Pope thought she was a vampire, and their twenty-something secretary was four hundred.

  With another cold chill that attempted to keep her inside the hallway, she found herself walking through an open door. She was once again back inside of the warm chocolate sitting room.