by Jacey Ward
He shook his head, knowing that, yet again, he would have to meet with Vincent Veldassare.
**
Ava hadn’t been able to get Chase out of her head ever since that electric, yet awkward kiss she’d shared with him the other night. A part of her was upset with him for running out on her at the bar, but the other part of her was actually hoping that he would be there when she and her dad arrived at the Veldassare residence.
Ava hadn’t mentioned her encounter with Chase at the bar last week to her father. She also wondered why her father seemed to think that the city council was convinced someone from the Mountain Crest community was committing these atrocious murders. What kind of maniac would drain all of the blood from someone’s body? And what kind of crazy suction contraption was this man using to suck all of the blood from these women? It was almost as if this deranged pervert thought he was some kind of vampire.
And was he storing the blood? Drinking it? Saving it, somewhere? These thoughts played over and over in Ava’s mind as she sat quietly in the passenger seat with her father. She glanced over at him and saw that he, too, seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. It hadn’t been easy to get her father to agree with letting her join him on this second excursion up the mountain to speak with the Lexus leader. Ava had had to imply that she could get the lead on the murder stories if she could just prove that she had an “in” about some of the pertinent details. However, she was starting to think that her dad was keeping something from her. She just had a feeling. She planned to find out what it was about these weird, yet fascinating Lexus dwellers that made her father so sure that they had something to do with the murders.
Inside the Veldassare residence, Ava and her father sat across from Evangeline and Vincent at a rectangular cherry wood table. Whoever these people were, they seemed to be pretty well-off moneywise. Everything in their large, dimly-lit home was expensive-looking and reminded Ava of artifacts and decor she’d seen in museums.
“I held a meeting with the residents here in Lexus,” Vincent explained. “I assure you that no one here had anything to do with these unfortunate, gruesome murders. We would never dream of harming anyone from Mountain Crest. Not in a million years.”
He sounded quite sincere and his dark, magnetic eyes exuded candor and truthfulness. Ava felt as if she’d believe anything that came out of the enigmatic older man’s mouth.
Just then, Chase entered the room. Immediately, Ava felt a shiver deep within her core. Once again, her body reacted to his presence in a way she could not control. Her pulse began to race and she immediately felt her cheeks growing warm. All of the anger and frustration she’d felt toward him was smothered by feelings of attraction – as if something was actually joining the two.
The moment he saw Ava, his eyes softened and he looked directly at her. Ava wanted to glare at him—to show him how insulted she’d felt by his abrupt exit at the bar the other night, but try as she might, she couldn’t force a scowl or a frown to form upon her face—not while his eyes were locked onto her own.
“Ms. Hartzman, so nice to see you again. Please, may I speak with you in the other room?” he asked calmly.
Ava felt as if she was in a trance. Almost as if hypnotized, she rose from her seat and followed him into the next room, never even noticing the look of concern on her father’s face.
As Chase shut the door behind them, he turned to face Ava and saw her standing with her arms folded across her breasts.
“Listen, Ava, I, uh…wanted to apologize for my abrupt departure the other night,” he explained. “It’s just that I—I’ve never felt such a strong attraction to someone as I feel with you and it—it took me by surprise when you kissed me like that.”
“What do you mean?” Ava snapped back at him, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes. As long as she didn’t look him directly in the face, she seemed somehow able to keep her mind focused on her anger.
In spite of himself, Chase found her irritated scowl extremely sexy. What was it about this passionate, entrancing human woman that drew him like no other woman he’d ever met before? Why did he feel so unable to control himself whenever she was around?
“I, um…,” he sighed, looking directly into her eyes as he spoke. “I shouldn’t have run out like that. I’m sorry.”
Passion sparked within his deep blue eyes as he stared at her and Ava’s irate attitude softened almost instantaneously. She no longer felt the need to be angry with him.
He moved in closer to her and reached out to touch her face. As his right hand caressed the side of her cheek, a sensation that began at her face travelled all the way to her core in an instant. He lifted her chin with his fingers and locked his eyes with hers.
“Let me make it up to you,” he said softly, his voice barely more a deep whisper. “The Mountain Crest Summer Fair begins this coming weekend. Be my date on Friday night.”
It was more of a command than it was a request, but for some reason beyond her comprehension, the assertiveness of his demand actually turned her on. There was no way she could have said no even if she’d wanted to.
At that moment, the door behind them opened, surprising them both.
“Come on, Ava. I’ve got to get back to the precinct,” William said sternly. He was speaking to his daughter, but his stare was focused intently on Chase.
Ava followed her father out of the room, glancing back at Chase one more time before walking out of the front door.
**
“I know you’re hiding something from me about the residents of the Lexus community. There has to be some reason why the members of the city council suspect that one of them has something to do with these murders. Apparently the Veldassares have money. What do they do for a living?”
Her father remained silent.
“Dad?! Talk to me! I’m not a little girl anymore! This investigation is just as important to me as it is to you! I am writing a story on this case for the Mountain Crest Journal. Don’t you think I deserve to know the details?” Ava knew she was stretching the truth a bit by telling him she was already writing the article, but she felt she had the right to know what was going on up at Lexus.
Her father sighed as he pulled up in front of his daughter’s small, one-story brick house and turned to face her with an expression of timidity.
“Ava, there are things that I shielded you from while you were growing up here in Mountain Crest—things that I felt I was protecting you from. But, you’re right. You’re not a little girl anymore and you do deserve to know all of details about this case. I’ve got to get back down to the station right now, but I promise we’ll finish this conversation later, okay?”
Ava was not happy with his reply, knowing that “later” would likely never come. She let out an angry huff and left the car, walking stiffly up the narrow cement walkway to her front door.
Chapter Seven: A Night at the Fair
Ava spent the rest of the week trying to piece together the details of the murder cases. Her father had postponed their “talk” numerous times over the past several days, and Ava was just about fed up with him. She was determined to find out what she wanted to know on her own.
People were already starting to talk and rumors were beginning to spread across the city. Many of the local news channels were calling the murders the: Mountain Crest Vampire Slayings. A lot of the newscasters believed that the killer was trying to impersonate a real-life “vampire.”
The latest rantings of a male Channel Five news reporter played in the background as Jocelyn helped Ava get ready for her date with Chase. He’d called her earlier that day, after having looked her number up online, to confirm their date and get her address.
Ava felt like a giddy teenage girl as Jocelyn added the finishing touches to her friend’s hair and makeup. She hadn’t been out on an actual date since her last boyfriend back in college. He had graduated a year before her and had called it quits before he left to accept a job on the other side of the country. Afterward, Ava had spent
her final year of school focusing solely on her studies and ended up graduating with honors.
It was about thirty minutes after sunset when a shiny black Mercedes pulled up in front of her house.
“Wow, he’s got a nice car!” Jocelyn exclaimed excitedly, peering out of the front room window. “What does he do for a living?”
“Actually, I don’t even know,” Ava replied. “But I damned sure plan to find out!”
“Well let me know if you get lucky later tonight. You absolutely need to get laid, girl. It’s been way too long!”
“I’ve got to agree with you on that.” The two women shared a laugh.
“Thanks for your help, Joc,” Ava said, hugging her friend before heading out of the front door.
“Bye Ava, I’ll catch up with you guys at the fair.”
**
Chase was dressed in a tight, dark short-sleeved shirt that showed off the definition of his muscular chest, upper arms and six-pack abs. His thick black hair blew in the breeze, looking perfectly styled and haphazard at the same time, and his bright blue eyes lit up at the sight of Ava as she made her way toward the car. He was standing beside the passenger side door, holding it open for her. Once again, Ava felt the familiar stirring within her core as she approached the vehicle. God, he looks like a model, Ava thought to herself as she climbed into the front seat.
Chase was so deeply mesmerized by Ava’s appearance that he felt his mouth literally start to water. She was wearing a scarlet-colored spaghetti-strapped sundress that hugged her slender figure with utter perfection. The top of her dress dipped down into a V-shape, exposing just enough cleavage to make the observer want to see more. Her dress ended mid thigh, revealing a few inches of creamy, smooth-looking thighs that begged to be caressed. Scarlet stiletto sandals completed her outfit, adding an extra dash of sexiness to her look.
She greeted him with a welcoming smile.
“You look fantastic!” he told her as he helped her into the car, closing the door behind her.
She thanked him and complimented him in return, while trying to keep the erotic thoughts she was having about him to herself.
**
The Mountain Crest Fair was crowded and lively, abuzz with residents and visitors of all ages that were walking, skipping and running back and forth. The lights of the rides lit up the night and the smell of popcorn, fast food and cotton candy filled Ava’s senses as she and Chase walked hand-in-hand through the festivities.
They’d shared an amazing night at the fair and had even run into some of Ava’s old friends. When she had introduced Chase to any of them, they also seemed completely oblivious to the fact that there was an entire community up in Lexus. This happened with almost everyone they ran into—except for Mr. Rankin.
Mr. George Rankin eyed Chase suspiciously when Ava introduced him. George was a member of the city council and he was at the fair with his wife, Ellie, and his grandson, Wyatt. Chase seemed to recognize him immediately, and Ava noticed a determined look come into his eyes. He refused to back down while Mr. Rankin glared at him. She quickly pulled him away in another direction after realizing the awkwardness of the situation.
Other than the run-in with Mr. Rankin, the couple had a magical evening together: riding rides, playing games and enjoying each other’s company. Ava found herself completely infatuated with her handsome, mysterious date and even though she still couldn’t explain why, just being in his presence made her entire body come to life in ways she’d never felt before. It made her imagine what it would be like to experience his dominance in the bedroom, to feel his body covering hers.
Just before midnight, the fair began to shut down and the couple made their way back to Chase’s car.
“So what is it you do for a living?” she inquired as they headed back toward her house.
A large teddy bear and big bag of cotton candy, prizes that Chase had won for her, sat in the backseat, though she’d noticed that Chase himself hadn’t eaten anything at all while at the fair.
“My family has investments in different big money stocks and corporations. Honestly, I don’t even completely understand it myself,” he replied coolly, “but the money keeps coming in month after month, year after year.”
“Interesting,” Ava said aloud.
Soon, they pulled up in front of her house and Chase turned off the engine.
“I had a really nice time with you, tonight,” Ava said softly, gazing into Chase’s eyes as she spoke.
“I’m glad. I really just wanted to make up for taking off on you at the bar last week, you know.”
“Would you like to come inside for a drink or two?” she offered, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. Or perhaps a romp or two? she thought silently.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” he asked with a crooked grin.
Ava leaned in closer to him and her smile widened. “I think it’s a great idea.”
**
Ava handed Chase a glass of wine and sat down next to him on her navy blue sofa. So far, Chase had been a complete and perfect gentleman and it was only making her want him that much more.
“Can I ask you something?” she said after taking a sip of wine.
“Sure,” Chase replied.
“Why did you really run out like that at the bar?”
Chase sighed, feeling defeated. He knew that he’d have to tell her the truth sooner or later—besides, he’d already realized that there was no way he was going to be able to stay away from her. He gulped down the rest of his wine and set the empty glass on Ava’s coffee table.
“Listen, Ava, there’s something you don’t know about me and my family—something that the residents of Mountain Crest have tried to keep a secret for many, many years. It’s the reason your dad told you to stay away from me and the reason that George Rankin looked at me like he wanted to kill me.”
Ava looked at him intently. She, too, finished her wine and placed the glass down on the table, suddenly feeling a little apprehensive.
“Ava, my family and I—all of us who live in Lexus, actually—we’re…. not…human.”
Ava’s expression showed her confusion.
“We’re immortals, Ava, a clan of what you would call “vampires” who have lived among humans for many years.” He quickly explained his history and the truce that had been developed by his ancestors. Ava listened quietly as the depth of what he’d said began to set in.
“Vampires?” she asked slowly. “But—they’re not real, right? I mean—you don’t really...”
Chase took her hand and placed it on his chest. At first, she didn’t know what he wanted her to do, but then she realized that she felt no heartbeat whatsoever.
Ava’s mouth dropped open in shock. She quickly snatched her hand away from his chest in disbelief – not able to understand what was going on.
“Oh my God!” she uttered in a voice barely louder than a whisper. “Th-th-that’s impossible!”
“Please, Ava, I wanted to tell you sooner. That’s why I left the bar when you kissed me. It turned me on so much that I wasn’t prepared for it.”
Ava scurried away from him while he was still talking. She felt panic rise swiftly but she wasn’t sure what to do. Her back bumped up against the other side of the sofa, stopping her retreat. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, could barely hear the words he was saying. All she kept hearing was “vampire”.
“…. and it caused my eyes to turn red and my fangs to start growing out of my control. I wasn’t ready for you to see me that way. I didn’t want you to perceive me as some kind of fucking monster.”
Chase stopped talking, looking miserable as he shook his head. “Don’t look at me like that, Ava,” he pleaded as he glanced at her stricken expression, “I promise I’m still the same person. I won’t ever hurt you.”
After a moment of silence, Chase fell back on the sofa, exhaling heavily in defeat. “Yeah, okay…that’s fine. I get it. I’m going to leave now.”
As he went to
rise, he felt Ava place her hand back on his chest and push lightly. He sat back down and sucked in his breath at her touch. He placed his hand on top of hers and she shuddered slightly.
“This is incredible,” she uttered.
“Ava, please don’t think of me as a monster,” he whispered softly. “I think I’m falling for you.”
Chapter Eight: All the Walls Come Down
Their eyes locked and Ava fell victim to his spellbinding gaze. His hand tightened around hers as he uttered the words and Ava could no longer control the building passion that had been burning inside of her since the first time she’d laid eyes on him. She leaned forward into him and kissed his lips.
Her body lit up like fireworks on the Fourth of July when their lips met and the stirring within her core heightened. Chase cupped her face with his free hand and deepened their kiss, penetrating her sweet mouth with his hungry tongue. He languished in the taste of her and she moaned softly as their tongues intertwined.
Breathing hard, Ava moved in even closer and grabbed his head with both of her hands. She pulled him onto her, pressing her soft breasts against his firm chest as she spread her legs, pushing his body against her own. Feeling him so close to her ignited a fire deep inside of her, making her breasts swell and a small moan escaped her.
“Chase,” she breathed between kisses, “I want you.”
That was all he needed to hear. Chase reached behind her and unzipped the back of her dress, pulling it down around her shoulders. He leaned down and kissed the side of her neck, inhaling her fragrance. He forced her dress and the straps of her bra down to her waist. Her luscious breasts exposed, Chase looked his fill, and then traced the rise of one breast with his finger. “Beautiful. So fucking beautiful.”