When she peered back at him on her way to the ladies’ room, his heart pounded hard against his ribs, and quite possibly his soul was lost as well. Both stood no chance when the edge of her mouth turned up and she smiled at him from across the room. A split second in time, a life-time altered forever.
He was spellbound, time suspended.
Walking back to the club from the parking lot, slowly, he wanted to take in the evening sounds and smells, to feel what he had hungered for and missed for a long time. Alexandra, in the short period of knowing her, gave hope back to him, a reason to continue his existence one more night.
Nodding to the bouncer, he stepped back into the club, and weaved through seated customers, heading back toward the bar. The band played another session and a couple gyrated in tandem on the dance floor to the rhythm. He motioned to Derek to bring him a Cognac Paradis.
Stefan turned in his seat to check out the other patrons—vamps and humans. For a weekday, the tourists generated a steady business. Weekends usually brought more humans, especially the young women. They were always searching for a fix, sex or blood, or both. His thoughts slipped to Alexandra, wishing she’d stayed longer. The taste of her lingered on his lips and he wanted more of her, be it sex or blood. Why did she panic and run away? Why the fast exodus? Is there a secret I’m not seeing, perhaps?
A hard pat on his shoulder jerked Stefan out of his thoughts. “Gregori, I thought you were at the Transfixed club tonight?” Stefan’s eyebrows wrinkled as he turned to face the Master and Commander.
Dressed in black jeans and a short-sleeved black T-shirt, he appeared dark and sinister as he did every night, exuding a swagger of confidence. His hair was slicked back, and several chains hung about his neck, he seemed more the bouncer than the owner of the club.
“Nothing was happening, so I thought I’d come play here tonight, but I see not much action is going on here either.”
“No, it is quiet. Do you think those virus rumors are true and keeping the regulars away?”
“Stefan, they are rumors, nothing more. I’ve contacted the other Masters and the only confirmed death can be attributed to a bounty kill, not a virus. We need to ride out this gossip story like the ones in the past. I’m not worried and you shouldn’t be either.”
“If you say so. I don’t know, this one sounds different to me. I can’t shake it, there’s something too familiar about it. Like the Black Plague. I lived through those horrors and this one could end up the same way.”
“You are Mister Doom and Gloom these days my friend. What are you drinking?”
“My usual.”
“I don’t know how you indulge in the harsh liquor, and for your information no one orders the House Special anymore.”
“Someone did tonight sir,” Derek said, obviously overhearing the conversation.
“Really? Some unsuspecting tourist?” He laughed.
“A rather fine young woman Mister Marin took a fancy to.”
Gregori leaned in closer to Stefan, flaring his nostrils. “Really, was it good for you?”
Stefan turned toward Derek, glaring at him. Derek grinned and walked away. “I don’t know. I didn’t get a chance to taste her.” He did, but not in the way Gregori implied.
“Stefan? You? Hmm, this woman must be different. I’ve never known a woman who could resist your charms. And she escaped without you having her? Interesting. I do smell her on you, though. You must have been close for her to leave a scent, and brand you with lipstick, but you didn’t take her blood?”
“I only kissed her.” He brushed his fingertips over his lips in fond remembrance. “She’ll be back tomorrow night. I have no doubt. The game isn’t over yet.”
“Keep telling yourself that. Sounds to me you have a contest on your hands with this one. I haven’t even met her yet to know this fact.”
“You may be right. There’s something different about her I can’t figure out. There’s more to her than meets the eye and I’m going to find out what it is.”
“Ah, a challenge and a mystery. Just what you like. Don’t get so involved you forget your duties to me.”
“Gregori, are you questioning my loyalty?”
“No, as your boss, I want your full attention with your brain and brawn when it comes to business matters. As your friend, I say your dick can make any decisions it wants just don’t involve your personal quests in my affairs. Keep the two separate.”
“I’ve always kept my dick out and this time is no different. The woman will not come between us. Humans are good for only two things, blood and sex, and not necessarily in any particular order.”
Gregori patted Stefan on the back and smiled. “Good, exactly what I want to hear.”
Stefan wanted Gregori to hear exactly what he told him, his undying loyalty. However, he felt more for Alexandra, more than her blood and sex. For the first time in a long time, he wanted more than nameless bodies for pleasure. This fiery vixen’s life essence had a vibrancy he wanted to be a part of. To bask in her light, her life, and her brightness could balance his darkness. He felt alive and needed more of her.
Tomorrow night, he would have Alexandra Carlton.
Chapter 3
The next morning, Alex slept in late. She had driven back in a daze from the vamp club. If not with the aid of the GPS, taking it slow and sure, she may have still been driving in the unfamiliar city.
Right now, her memory was fuzzy, remembering only a hot kiss with Stefan. Ugh! The thought made her shiver. Randy told her the vamp was dangerous and be careful. Last night he proved the fact out. While needing Stefan’s help, she still had to watch her back. Rule Number Three applied here. Damn, he sure can kiss though!
After driving for two days and staying out late last night, her body needed more sleep than she expected. A horrible headache now pounded like hell inside her head.
“Must have been that concoction. House Special, my granny’s eye. I think Stefan set me up with that drink,” she said out loud. “Warts and scars, warts and scars.” The sharp pain made her hold her head. Ooww! Damn migraine headache.
Stumbling into the bathroom in search of medication, she stared at her reflection in the mirror then stripped down to take a shower. The hot water felt refreshing and helped relieve the pounding headache. Her thoughts drifted to Stefan and no matter how hard she tried, the scent of his cologne lingered with her, imprinting on her brain. The touch of his hand on hers, his lips, the sound of his heartbeat, they were indelibly marked on her memory. It would take a stronger impression to rid her of his influence.
Finishing her shower, she toweled off, brushed teeth, blow dried hair, and dressed. Donning a favorite pair of blue jeans with a white T-shirt, she sat down on the edge of the bed. An old well-worn pair of cowboy boots tucked in under the jeans. A large buckle belt completed the outfit. The belt slimmed her waist and the heavy oval metal medallion buckle with a horse motif crafted in silver made a good weapon.
The clock on the nightstand read eleven-thirty, closer to lunch than breakfast. Hunger pangs wrenched her insides, needing to eat. Although wretchedly nauseous from drinking the concoction the night before as well as the slowly fading headache, she decided to cruise down to the beach strip and check out any action. If no leads popped up, at least she could grab a bite to eat on the way.
For a lovely early summer day, cloudless, bright, and low-80’s, having the top down on the red Mustang, letting the wind blow through her long dark auburn hair, and the sun shine on her face was the perfect antidote to forgetting problems. What a glorious day to be alive and on the hunt for a rogue vamp. She cranked up the volume on the CD, played Born to be Wild, her favorite song. What a wild and crazy job! Heartbeats pounded all the way to the tip of her fingers. This would be the first hunt without any of her family tagging along for the ride. After participating in over two-hundred-fifty bounties with her two brothers, father, and her mother occasionally, surely someone with her experience could handle one rogue vamp on her own.
The hostess greeted her and showed her to a booth by a window facing the street; the perfect location to watch the people and traffic. Perusing the menu, she decided on the Steak and Eggs, a compromise between breakfast and lunch. A glass of orange juice, water, and lots of coffee rounded out her order. The waitress stared at her funny after placing the order, only smiled and didn’t question it.
“I know, I’m starving and couldn’t decide on breakfast or lunch. I have a long day ahead of me,” Alex told the young waitress. Feeling guilty and wanting to stick with something healthy, quickly added, “Okay, add some fruit to the order. I’ll be good.”
“I don’t question anyone’s tastes. You should be here when the crazies come out after dark. I hate to pull the shift. Those combinations are inherently strange. Yours is tame in comparison. Believe me.”
“Crazies you say. Crazy in what way?”
“I don’t know. They’re into the vampire, Goth, creepy blood stuff. They come here after they’ve been out partying with the creatures. They come in here and act…crazy. That’s the only way I can explain it. I always have to get my manager to escort me to my car after my shift. I don’t know if they are lurking out in the parking lot and might jump me. They are creepy.”
“Do you know where they go and party with these creatures, the vampires? Do you overhear them talking?”
“No, not really. But I know who does. Gwen works the night shift more than I do. I can ask her if she knows anything. You a cop or something?”
“Private investigator. I’m searching for a runaway. Her family thinks some vampire groupies might have gotten a hold of her. I’m trying to track her down.” Alex liked using that little white lie to get information. Nine times out of ten it was effective.
“Well, if you come back tonight, I’ll let her know and you can ask her then.”
“Great, thanks. I’ll do that.” Alex peered at the waitress’s name badge. “Thanks Joanie, you’ve been a great help.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll get your order in right away.”
Alex ate her meal like it was her last, eating every morsel on the plate. Her stomach ached before and now was sated. The coffee wasn’t bad either. She drank the entire carafe and its effects would keep her up the entire night. The caffeine was vital to stay awake to search for a rogue who didn’t come out to play until night. She’d tried those energy boost drinks, but preferred the good old-fashioned caffeine, with cream and sugar of course.
“Thanks for your help, Joanie,” Alex said leaving.
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll be back this evening to speak with Gwen.”
Hopping into the car, she buckled up. Where to now? The console clock indicated almost two o’clock and there were too many hours to wait around at the hotel until sunset. Maybe go shopping and find a new outfit more appropriate for The Black Rose tonight. Compared to the rest of the clientele, she felt overdressed. Heading back toward the hotel, she remembered passing a shopping mall on the way to Denny’s. Picking up a few things would kill some time.
Alex hated crowded shopping centers and this arcade of maniacs was no exception. The mall swarmed with people wandering aimlessly from store to store rummaging through the merchandise sold at discounted prices. Every store seemed to have some type of promotion to entice the shoppers to purchase their particular wares. The hordes were pawing through the shelves and racks, handling every item and putting their germs and lord knows what else on them. The smells, the touching, and the noise, grated on her nerves. As her least favorite activity in the world to do, except sucking blood perhaps, most of her shopping transpired on-line. It’s less messy, more impersonal, and no crowds—a perfect combination, suiting both her temperament and lifestyle.
A few cute outfits displayed in the showcase windows of a small boutique caught her eye and she entered. She asked the salesgirl for permission to take the outfits in her size to a changing room. Alex told her a ten or twelve would be ideal, whatever was available.
“Are you sure? You look more like a fourteen. I’ll pull one just in case.” The young girl could be no more than twenty, five foot two, blonde and probably a size zero, Alex observed. What a snobby little twit! Fourteen, my granny’s eye!
The sales clerk returned with a large selection of varied sizes and styles for Alex to try on. First, she tried the low-rise black dress slacks. They fit well and weren’t too low on her hips. They showed just a bit of taut, bronzed tummy. The new workout regimen shaved three inches from around her abdomen. A hundred sit-ups a day were paying off. Her navel barely showed above the waistband of the pants, just enough for the pierced ring to show. She needed to purchase a nice new piece to go with the outfit, something with a hint of bling.
The perfect top became the next problem. She needed sexy, but not too revealing. The top displayed with the trousers in the showcase didn’t work for Alex. It had to be something different. Stefan probably wouldn’t like it. Stefan wouldn’t like it? Why the hell do I care if Stefan doesn’t like it? I dress to please myself, not some man, and especially not a vamp.
Her only thoughts while combing through the blouse and top selection racks were of Stefan. What he would or would not like. Thinking about him drove her crazy, by consuming her every thought and had to stop. Even if Stefan were human, he wouldn’t be interested in a woman like her. Cute, maybe even pretty, Alex definitely didn’t cross into the category of a beautiful woman. The weight was a problem, and she worked diligently to remedy the situation. The pounds steadily melted off her small frame, but it would take more time to achieve her desired figure. As a vamp, any attention shown toward her was only because he wanted one thing—her blood.
Frustrated with the choices available in her size, she decided to pick the next emerald green shirt on the rack, right or wrong, and be done with it. After selecting accessories, she paid for the selections and left the store, pleased with the new purchases.
Sunset drew near and Alex readied for the evening’s events. A hunt for a bad boy—a rogue vamp bent on harming humans and others of his kind was her main objective. The entire afternoon her thoughts wandered to Stefan. This was not part of the Virginia Beach job. In her book, she was a hunter, he a vampire and never shall the two have anything in common. Randy had Stefan pegged. The blood family enforcer was an attractive vamp to say the least. An attribute he used to trap his prey, whether through an illusion or reality. He charmed the women right out of their pants, sucked their blood, and tossed them out with the trash when he finished with them, just like every vamp she’d encountered. A real nice set up vamps had—sex in exchange for blood. But not her. Get over it and take care of business girl—bounty hunting. Two hundred grand is on the line, don’t mess it up over a kiss with a vamp. There should be a rule written somewhere about not succumbing to the hypnotic kiss of a vamp and if not, maybe she would add one.
Alex stripped off her jeans, shirt, and boots and hopped in the shower. Standing under the water a long time, her head slowly cleared. Absolute focus had to be the highest priority tonight. Making a connection with the crazies, as Joanie at the Denny’s called them, would hopefully gain her access into the back rooms beyond the bar area at The Black Rose. A clear head for the entire night prevented vamp mind touches, a skill she was a bit weak on. Despite extensive practice, control of the images in her head to prevent vamp thoughts penetrating her barriers left room for improvement. So, no strange concoctions and no sweet talking vamps whispering in my ear, Rule Number Seven, for tonight.
The new outfit was neatly placed on the bed. The ensemble went well together. Pretty good for a non-Fashionista. After applying make-up, she tied her hair back in a ponytail and dressed. Next came packing the handbag, an elongated clutch accommodating the essentials—holy water and one small wooden stake. A backpack with extra equipment stayed in the car. Wi
th a last minute check in the mirror, and a spray of perfume, she ran out the door.
First stop of the night was Denny’s Restaurant. Ordering a small salad and diet Cherry Coke, a scintilla of something on her stomach, would suppress the hunger and keep it light. She really wanted a thick juicy steak and a baked potato with butter and sour cream to go with the salad, but she’d be good and not eat too much.
While waiting for Gwen to show for her shift, a group of vamp groupies walked in. They were loud, obnoxious, and gave a family at an adjacent table a hard time, making faces and rude comments to the children and mother. After about ten minutes of the bullying, Alex couldn’t take the rude behavior anymore and approached the groupies’ table with intent in her eye.
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