I'm looking for that special human male to turn into one of our kind. Sure we could change any human we wanted, but I have forbid the others to do so. I have set a strict standard for our future soldiers. They need to be leaders; strong, disciplined, and devoted to protecting our coven.
The club had opened up over an hour ago and I still hadn't finished the inventory. It shouldn't have taken so long, but I was distracted. The fate of our very existence rested on my shoulders alone. I piled the paperwork in the middle of the desk to finish later.
My office phone rang. I picked up the receiver and heard Keira's voice on the other end. "Caressa, the delivery guy is around back. We're too busy up here. Can you let him in?"
"Why is there a delivery being made this late at night?"
"The only time they were able to deliver was either tonight or in three days, and we couldn't wait that long for supplies."
"Fine. I'll be right up."
I grabbed my keys from the desk drawer and locked the office door behind me. I slowly made my way up the basement stairs, unlocked and opened the back door of the club.
A small truck was parked a few feet away from the entryway. A light breeze blew across my face. I caught a faint scent of the most irresistible blood I have ever smelled in my immortal life. My stomach ached for a taste of the sweet red liquid.
A very tall, gorgeous hunk of a human male specimen opened the door and jumped down from the driver's seat. It was him. He was the one who smelled so heavenly. He was intoxicating. I closed my eyes and inhaled his glorious scent. He walked passed me and smiled before he headed to the back of the truck. He unlocked the doors. As he pulled the boxes out, his muscular arms strained against the fabric of his tight gray t-shirt. This guy oozed sex appeal.
He looked back at me and smiled again. My cold heart seemed to warm from that small gesture. Without thinking the corners of my mouth perked up. My heart beat faster as he walked toward me carrying a box of red wine.
He stopped in front of me; muscles rippled and his sparkling white teeth made another appearance. "Where would you like this miss?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words would come out. My mouth was as dry as the Sahara Desert. I couldn't talk. I couldn't think. I could barely breathe when all I heard was his heart beating in my ears. It was beating as hard and fast as mine was. I instantly sensed he was attracted to me. I felt the same for him. It was more than mere chemistry. I felt a longing that I had never experienced before. Not even with other vampire males. I wanted him. I needed him in a way no other had never come close to.
The magnetic pull to him wasn't only because he was human. I've fed from humans for the last few hundred years. There was something about him, something so very different. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on. One thing I knew for sure, I had to get him out of my presence, and soon. The irresistible force pulling me towards him was dangerous. Not only for him, but for me as well. I knew if I should drink from him I wouldn't be able to stop. If he tasted as good as he smelled I knew I would never have the strength to pull myself away from him. Thinking of sinking my teeth into his taught skin had my fangs itching to descend, it took every bit of my power to keep them from doing so. I quickly turned my head.
"Miss?"
"Uh, yes, come in. You can follow me to the basement and put them in the storage room."
He gave me a mischievous smile as his chestnut colored eyes sparkled in the lighting above the door. "Lead away."
With each step I took I could hear his heart beat. A steady rhythm in which my feet were now moving to. He followed close behind me until we reached the basement. I unlocked the storage room door and instructed him to put the box on the floor in the corner. He put it down and bent over it. After opening the box, he pulled out a bottle to show me he had delivered the correct product. I nodded my head in agreement as he attempted to place the bottle on the shelf. A nod was all I was able to give him. I was having a hard time focusing on anything at the moment. My breathing had become more labored as his magnificent scent encompassed me.
I closed the distance between us and grabbed the bottle, but he didn't let go. "Thanks, I think I've got it from here." I tried to get rid of him as quickly as I could.
Instead he insisted on helping me. "I don't mind helping you, really." He flashed another sexy smile in my direction.
I pulled even harder, but he had a death grip on the neck of the bottle. I could have easily torn the bottle from his grasp if I wanted to, but I couldn't allow him to see my true strength. "No, really I can do it. I don't need any help." I insisted.
As we yanked the bottle back and forth between us, my hand slipped and he swung it against the other bottles on the shelf and broke a few. Red wine splashed all over his light gray shirt and faded blue jeans that hugged his ass. Yes, I definitely noticed his fine ass.
I scrambled around the room looking for a clean rag to give him so he could clean himself off before the stains set in. I found one, but instead of handing it to him I instinctively start wiping him off myself. "I'm so sorry. I'm such a spaz." I roughly wiped his hard, well defined chest, then lowered my hand to his jeans.
He stood there with his hands up and allowed me to rub the towel along his now very large hard cock. The sight of his erection as it strained against the zipper of his pants had me aching between my legs. He spoke with a playful smile splayed across his lips. "That’s just fine with me. This is the most fun I've had all week."
Did he just waggle his eyebrow at me? He did didn't he. What an arrogant ass. I was uncomfortable, embarrassed, and a little annoyed that he was enjoying my discomfort. I was usually calm and poised; nothing wavered my demeanor. But, being in his presence took a toll on my already heightened senses. I suddenly had no control of the muscles in my body. My legs felt like gelatin. My well-spoken manner replaced with a bumbling idiot who didn't know what to say to the sexy creature in front of me. "I'm...I'm so sorry." I bent down to the floor to clean up the sticky mess.
He lowered himself to my level and met my gaze, his expression intense. He placed his hand over mine to take the rag from me and chuckled. "I was only kidding, it's fine, really."
I looked down at our hands touching. His bronzed sun kissed skin so much darker than mine. My skin was so pale because it had never seen the light of day since I became a vampire. The two of us so different, yet when he touched me, we were the same. Two hearts beating as one. One heart, one soul, one breath breathing life into two people who were always meant to be together. His light touch sent tingles throughout my body and I burned for more than just his hand on mine.
He looked at me intently. I was mesmerized by the hungry gaze he gave me. "You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen."
I didn't know how to respond. If he only knew the reason behind why they were so beautiful, he would surely run for his life. I was often told this, but I knew it was only because guys thought it was what I wanted to hear. As if saying I had beautiful eyes was reason enough for me to let them in my pants. But, this guy was different. He actually looked like he meant it. I had never been given a compliment before, at least not one that was made with sincerity. I had no idea how to reply to him. I merely offered a polite nod and turned my face away from his smoldering stare.
"Well, I better get the rest of the boxes off the truck. I have another delivery to make."
We stood and he exited the room. I followed him up the stairs focusing on his tight ass as it moved in his fitted jeans. I bit my lip and imagined sinking my fangs into the toned flesh of his round bottom. I quickly shook the thought out of my head. Picturing him with his clothes off wasn't helping my situation in the slightest.
I stood and watched him carry each box down the stairs in his strong arms. I knew then he would be perfect for our coven. Okay, I was lying to myself. I wanted him all to myself. But, I couldn't turn him. Male vampires had an insatiable appetite for sex and often took more than one female to fill their needs. I didn't think, no, I knew I would
n't be able to handle sharing him. I definitely wouldn't share him, but if he were turned I would have no choice in the matter. If he chose to be the with others, then I would have to sit idly by. No, it would be in my best interest not to make him a vampire.
When he finished unloading all the supplies he handed me a receipt to sign. He looked at it briefly and smiled. "Thank you Caressa. I hope to see you again sometime."
Again I smiled at him. I couldn't help myself. His smile was infectious and melted my cold dead heart.
"I'd like that...I'm sorry I didn't get your name."
"Noah."
"I'm sorry about your clothes Noah. Please let me pay for new ones."
As I reached into my pocket to give him some money, he quickly got into the truck and waved me off. "There's no need for that. I'll just chalk it up to an occupational hazard. It comes with the territory."
I laughed as he drove away. Did I just giggle? I caught myself acting like a love-struck teenage girl and quickly straightened myself. I couldn't allow the others to see me so flustered. Especially over a mere human.
Chapter Four
I found myself completely occupied with thoughts about Noah over the last few weeks. I even ordered extra liquor from the same supplier in hopes that I would see him again. Pathetic right?
The other girls must have noticed my strange behavior because Gia pulled me over to the side before she opened the club. "Caressa, what is going on with you lately?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. You're distracted all the time. You've ordered more supplies despite not finishing the inventory and you never listen to our concerns anymore."
"You know what Gia, maybe I have a lot on my mind. Maybe I'm distracted because every decision I make affects the survival of this coven. Maybe if everyone pitched in more often I wouldn't have such a burden to carry."
Gia, who was as old as I used her perceptive senses and saw right through me. "No, there's something else, something you're hiding from us."
"What could I possibly be hiding from you Gia? I'm stuck down here with the rest of you. I don't go anywhere or talk to anyone. All I do is plan for the future of our kind and this club. I don't have the time or energy to hide anything from you."
Keira walked passed us to open the club doors. "Can you guys take your bickering somewhere else please? I have to open up now."
I rounded Gia and sat at the bar to finish my drink. I threw my head back and allowed the shot of Tequila to warm my chest. Why I bothered drinking at all, I don't know. I couldn't get drunk. I only enjoyed the warm sensation it gave me inside. It reminded me of how it felt to be human. That was so long ago. I could barely remember what it was like to feel the hot sun against my tanned skin; how it felt to be loved. Love was the one thing I missed the most.
Everyone I had ever loved was long gone. When the plague hit our town I was approached by my maker. He gave me the choice to die or live forever. Of course I chose to live forever because I was afraid of dying. A choice I now regret having made every single day. I didn't know the severity and finality of my decision. How I wished I could go back in time and change my decision. But, it was too late for that now. I had to live with the way things were. I had to live with the consequences of my decision.
Keira opened the doors to the club. Patience was the first person to enter. She had been staying a few hours a night to help behind the bar and stock it when needed. She seemed to bring in more and more customers each day. Her beauty and outgoing personality seemed to attract the opposite sex, which was good for us. We had plenty of food now with all the humans coming into the club. We got stronger every day and would soon start to seek out humans to turn in order to help us win the war against the Hunters.
As the customers filed in and crowded the bar, I closed my eyes and inhaled that very recognizable scent. A scent that was forever imprinted on my senses. Noah, he was here. I began to panic and rushed toward the back door of the club that led to the basement before he saw me. I hurriedly unlocked the door to my office and slammed it shut behind me.
I leaned against the door as if the barrier could block the scent of him from reaching my nose. Great. What the fuck was he doing here? Obviously the visit wasn't work related. I hadn't ordered anything new. Not in the last few days at least.
I ran over to my desk and tried to occupy my mind. Not a minute after I sat in the plush leather chair behind my desk did the phone ring. "Hello?"
Keira was on the other end of the line. "Caressa, there's a guy here to see you. He said he had an appointment to see you.
"I don't have any scheduled appointments today. I don't have time to see anyone right now. Besides, I'm really busy with the inventory."
"Too late. He's already on his way downstairs."
"What?! Why didn't you ask me first? Damn it Keira!" I knew it was Noah who she allowed to come down to my office. I could smell him a mile away.
"You need to feed and he's really hot. What's the big deal?"
Yes, I was hungry and needed blood, but how was I going to explain to Keira that I couldn't drink from him. One sip from his delectable body and I would lose my self-control completely.
I hung up the phone without answering her. There was a light knock on the door. I pretended not to hear it. Maybe if I ignored him he would go away. Another louder knock followed. I couldn't hide from him. Keira had already told him I was here. What was I going to do?
I gathered some papers in front of me. I hoped I looked busy. "Come in."
When the door swung open a rush of air blew across my face. I closed my eyes and inhaled his irresistible scent. I quickly managed to regain my composure and pushed my chair backwards against the wall to get as far away from him as possible. There was no way in Hell I would be able to be close to him again.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. The woman behind the bar said she was going to let you know I was coming down. "
Scare me? I scoffed under my breath. I could break him in half if I wanted to. "It's okay. How can I help you Noah? We didn't have a delivery today, did we?" I pretended to look through the papers on my desk for an order I knew I hadn't made.
"No, I just thought I would stop by and see you, if that's okay. Maybe go out for a late dinner?" He sauntered over to the desk. His cologne filled the stuffy windowless room, crowding me to the point where I could barely breathe. He pushed some of the papers I was fiddling through aside and sat down.
Between the smell of his leather jacket and his freshly showered scent, I was already beginning to ache with desire. A desire I was sure I wouldn't be able to quell much longer. "I really don't think that's a good idea Noah. As you can see I have too much work to do."
"That's okay. I can wait around upstairs until you finish."
Before I had a chance to protest he had risen off the desk and left the office. I'm sure, no I was absolutely positive he did that on purpose so I wouldn't have a chance to refuse his offer. There was no way I could leave the protection of the club. The Hunters were everywhere. If I got killed the girls would have no leader to take care of them; no one to guide them through the hard times to come. Hopefully, Noah would get tired of waiting for me and leave.
After hours of looking at the computer screen I'd had enough. All the inventory had been completed. I was ready to just go to sleep. The light of dawn in the sky would soon be upon us. I wanted some much needed rest. The club closed about an hour ago so I decided to check on the girls to see if they wanted some help cleaning up.
As I slowly walked up the stairs to the club I caught the faint scent of leather and pure sunshine. A scent I was sure I would never forget. Noah's scent. No way he was still here. Surely he got tired of waiting for me and decided to leave. No one had that much patience.
As I got closer to the club entrance the smell got more intense. I peered through the small diamond shaped glass in the door of the kitchen and saw Noah. His head rested on his arms which he had placed on the table. His eyes we
re closed and his lips slightly parted. His breathing was slow and steady. He was asleep. He looked so peaceful, so innocent. His features the epitome of serenity. Free of hurt, free of pain, free of all sadness.
I stared at him for a long moment before Keira walked up behind me, bringing me out of my own tranquil thoughts. "He's hot right?"
Startled I turned to face her. "What?"
Keira nodded in Noah's direction. "I said he's hot right?"
Hot was an understatement. Tall, tanned skin, intense brown eyes, and a rock hard body that oozed sex. A few weeks ago when I spilled the bottle of wine on him came to mind. Heat flooded my face with the thought of his hard erection under my shaky hand. If vampires were able to blush this guy would be the one who could cause such a reaction. "I guess he's okay."
Keira looked at me, scrutinizing me with her black eyes. "You're not fooling anyone. I can smell your desire. Now, go feed from him while he's sleeping."
I closed my eyes and reveled in the thought. I hoped that option might be plausible. That was until I felt my fangs elongate on their own. Why was it I couldn't control myself around him? I tried to deny my wanting him. "No, I've had my fill for tonight."
Keira stepped in front of me and placed her hand on the swinging door. "Well, if you don't want him then I sure as Hell won't let that fine specimen go to waste."
Before I had a chance to think my arm reached out and grabbed Keira's. "No!"
"That's what I thought." A smile splayed across her peach colored lips before she turned and sauntered away from me.
Noah began to stir, but only turned his head. He rested it back on his arms as I quietly padded over to him. I gently sat next him. I held my hand out to his face, feeling the warmth of his breath and the heat of his skin so close to mine. What if I drank from him just once? I could erase his memory and he wouldn't know the difference. Before I did something I regretted I placed my hand on his shoulder and nudged him gently. I whispered his name softly in his ear. "Noah."
Bitten (A Club Blood Erotic Short #1) Page 2