Charleston Past Midnight

by Christine Edwards

  What the hell?

  My legs can’t carry me fast enough down the long hallway. I throw open her door and nearly stumble inside from the force of my own forward momentum.

  His wide back is blocking her from my view but I can see the fabric of her gown splayed out across the settee.

  “Get away from her. Now.” My voice is nearly unrecognizable, the rage mounting inside me is venomous.

  I watch the man slowly push back and see his right hand unlatch from Sabine’s mouth.

  She gasps for air and cries out, “Severin! Oh, thank God!”

  The assailant turns to face me. I blink and can’t believe my eyes. Sterling Anson. I struggle not to attack the man on the spot.

  He smiles at me coldly while straightening his ruby red cravat. In an arrogant voice he addresses my sister, “Well then, another time Sabine.” He swiftly brushes past me and departs as if nothing at all occurred. Sabine’s begins to sob uncontrollably.

  I shake with anger so fierce that I think my heart will explode within my chest. The only thing that keeps me from sprinting after him is concern for my sister. I have to know exactly what happened in this room before I mete out the unavoidable punishment.

  “Tell me, Sabine, tell me what occurred.”

  She’s pale and wide-eyed, tears streaking her flawless cheeks as she stumbles toward me. “H-he followed me upstairs. I came up to fetch my wrap and when I turned around he was inside my room. He closed the door and I couldn’t fight him. He is too strong. He pushed me down beneath him on the settee. Oh, Severin, if you had not come when you did …!”

  “Enough!”

  I turn and sprint down the staircase, knowing exactly what must be done to avenge this violation of my sister’s honor. Taking the steps three at a time, I quickly reach the foyer. I round the corner into the boisterous ballroom and spot the offender. My deep, booming voice cuts straight through the revelry.

  “Sterling Anson, I challenge you to a duel on this very lawn!” The music halts and I continue, “You violated my sister’s honor and I will have vengeance. I will await you outside just before dawn. Should you refuse, I will stop at nothing to seek you out. You will suffer unbearable shame until you acquiesce.”

  The large room is vibrating with tension and our eyes lock. He downs what remains of his mint julep in one long swig, slams the silver cup down on the wooden table beside him and sneers, “Done, Beauvais. And you’d best hope that you’re a damn fine swordsman.”

  I am. Yet in this case it doesn’t matter, because he’s not leaving these grounds alive. I’m set on dealing him a thrust with my rapier that will make certain of this. I say nothing as I turn on my boot heel and stride away. The next time we meet, he’ll be taking his final breaths.

  Chapter Two

  Present Day, 2:03 a.m.

  24 Miles South of Charleston, SC

  It feels as if every cell in my body has been taken apart and reassembled. Even my teeth and eyeballs are in total agony. My sole focus is dragging air into my desperate lungs without feeling additional pain. It’s a daunting task.

  “Open your eyes.”

  My thoughts seize up at the incredibly deep, silky voice. I know that voice … from earlier. Those men … the danger … he helped me.

  Strong arms are wrapped around my upper body as I slowly pry my eyes open. I can do nothing but stare up at him in stunned wonder.

  Deadly grace. That is the best term to describe him as he stares down at me with not a foot of space separating us.

  “How are you feeling?”

  I’m incapable of answering the towering stranger’s simple question. In fact, it barely registers because I’m so consumed with his beauty. Not even in a painting or a men’s magazine have I ever seen such undiluted, striking masculinity. I didn’t believe it actually existed.

  Mysterious eyes the color of the deepest oceans stare intently down at me. Greedy for more, mine roam around to focus on the rest of his features. Sensual, deep pink lips rest below a sleek, perfectly linear nose. The lower half of his jaw is shadowed with the darkness of a few days’ growth. Glancing farther up I admire his arched brows that match his ebony hair. The glossy locks are longer in the front, just grazing his cheekbones. I drag my eyes back to connect once again with his and see that a small grin has formed on those lush lips.

  “You’re okay. Good.”

  I drag in another deep breath, and still encircled in his hold, I look around trying to determine where I am and how the hell I arrived here. Wherever it is, it’s nowhere near the city because the only sounds around us are the never-ending melody of cicadas and bullfrogs.

  The wet scent of humidity, floral-laced vegetation and something distinctly male washes over me. His scent is divine, like the first time you smell the ocean, so crisp and utterly addictive. I want to lean in closer, to familiarize myself with it, but I stand still, not wanting to embarrass myself in front of this magnetic stranger who undoubtedly has a merry go round of constant attention from adoring women.

  Turning to the right, I strain to view my surroundings in the sliver of moonlight that provides the only source of light. Enormous, moss-draped oak trees cover a long shadowed avenue that leads to some kind of large structure or home. It’s nothing more than a dark shape off in the distance. Behind him is a dense forest.

  This person saved me earlier, but could my fate with him be even worse? He crushed that guy’s arm earlier like he was breaking a twig. Why am I way out here in the sticks? Did he drug me to get me here? Maybe he’s a wack-job serial killer? With his looks he could just sit back, relax, and gather his prey. Maybe he’s another Ted Bundy. Oh, hell! I begin to panic and try to break away from his powerful hold.

  “Calm yourself,” that impossibly low voice instructs me. His hint of an accent make the words sound incredibly sensual.

  Did he just tell me to calm myself? He’ll regret that one soon enough. “Take your hands off me. I don’t know how you got me here or what game you think you’re playin’, but it ends now.” I do my best to steady my voice, to sound brave.

  Those intense eyes track my every movement before he says too calmly, “Ask me nicely and I might.”

  He chose the wrong girl to mess with tonight! “Look, just because you saved me from some assholes earlier doesn’t give you the right to touch me or to tell me how to behave, got it? Now, I’ll ask one more time, then you’re gonna regret it. Get your hands off me. Right now.”

  I’m pissed, but mostly at myself. I never should’ve stayed so late at that birthday party. But how was I supposed to know that those two jerks who harassed me during my shift the other night at Poco Loco’s would show up at the pub where the party was being thrown? It was my mistake that I didn’t ask the doorman to walk me the two blocks to my car—not like he could have. The place was heaving when I left. Never again.

  He seems amused as he lands me with, “You are a fiery one, aren’t you, ma belle fleur?”

  Damn! Why does his sexy voice have to match his jaw-dropping looks? I can’t think straight. I squirm harder, desperate to escape, knowing that deep down this guy is danger personified. Despite my best efforts, I get nowhere in his vice-like grip, not even a fraction of an inch. Damn, this guy is super fit. I’ll have to really focus if I want to get out of this hot mess.

  He surprises me by saying, “Tell me your name, then, and I’ll release you.”

  I huff out a breath and look off into the inky shadows. In an annoyed tone I say quietly, “Fine, it’s Calla. There, now make good on your word.”

  My eyes flick back to his and he’s watching me closely as he says in that lush voice, “Calla. Mmm … I was right. “

  His arms open wide and I’m free. I hate the fact that I miss his comforting hold. It’s been years since a man has held me in his arms, and even then it was never someone nearly as astounding as this guy.

  I take a step back and ask curiously, “You were right about what?”

  “You, your name. It suits you perfect
ly.”

  I look away quickly, not wanting this stranger to see the embarrassment on my face from his compliment. I casually toss out, “Yeah, whatever, just tell me how I get to a road and I’ll be on my way.”

  “Not. Just. Yet.” The words fall slowly from his lips.

  A shiver of something dark and alluring runs through me. I need to get the hell outta here before I’m a willing participant in whatever this stunning guy has planned. No, no damn it!

  I lift my chin, level him with a hot glare and ask, “You got some reason you saved me besides being polite? ’Cause if that’s the case we can sort it out right here.” I point a stiff finger to the grass and continue, “Right now. Nobody tells me what to do.”

  Yeah, show him that he might want to rethink whatever plan is going on in that brain of his.

  Out of nowhere, loud male laughter breaks out behind me. I spin around to see who could’ve possibly snuck up on us in total silence. My eyes open wide at the site of another gorgeous specimen of a man.

  Hell, where do these guys come from? Maybe they’re foreign, into some illegal shit, coke dealers or something. That must be the reason I’ve never seen them downtown and also why they live out in the middle of nowhere. No, I definitely would not have forgotten looks like these. The huge man before me is allowing me to look my fill. His dark blond hair is pulled back into a low ponytail, and even in the moonlight his even, white smile is mesmerizing.

  His hypnotic, pale blue eyes sparkle with interest as he looks past me and says in a distinctly British accent, “Well Severin, I’ve got to hand it to you. This is certainly one to savor. Tell me, where did you find her and more importantly why is she here? You know our code.”

  I quickly take a large step back from the men, sensing that there is something animalistic and dangerous about the two I can’t really put my finger on. Run, Calla, something’s not right! The primal warning deep within me tells me that I need to get away, to haul ass, because beneath their smooth exteriors, these guys are lethal.

  “She won’t be staying long. Now leave us, Ambrose.”

  Seemingly ignoring the demand, the man asks, “Wait, how did she get here?”

  “I brought her.”

  “That’s not possible. I would have heard the SUV.”

  “I traced us here.”

  The blond guy looks shocked, and his lips part before he asks carefully, “And she made it?”

  “It appears so. Now, for the second time, leave us.”

  “Ahh, Severin, always so serious. Very well, but I have to say, it really would perk up this dull Saturday night if you decided to share your sexy treat.”

  That’s it. With those dangerous words I know I’ve landed in the lion’s den. I instantly break free from my frozen terror and whip around to flee toward the safety of the woods.

  I hear the blond man laughing loudly as I dash away. “I do love the spirited ones, don’t you?”

  Fuckers! They’re not getting anything from me without a fight!

  I’m only a few feet into the dense labyrinth of trees when he suddenly appears in front of me. What the …? I cry out and try to change direction when he lunges for me. His speed is inconceivable.

  As I twist to avoid his grasp, my bare arm connects with the sharp point of a branch and I feel my skin rip open. My teeth dig down into the inside of my bottom lip from the burning pain. No time to worry about it. Move, move! The blood dripping down my arm barely registers as I race blindly, trying to escape a horrific fate at the hands of these psychos.

  A low growl erupts behind me. It’s lethal in its violent intensity and reminds me of the sound a ferocious predator makes right before the kill. Shit!

  He’s on me in the blink of an eye. I’m face down in the blanket of leaves, and before I can even drag in a breath I’m flipped around to face my assailant. I stare up in total shock, not even able to scream. Irises that were once a deep, hypnotic blue are now as black as midnight and scary as fuck.

  His lips are parted and long white pointed canines are coming at me. I try with all my might to move, but his weight is tremendous. His hands have my shoulders pinned down against the damp earth. I grasp for his biceps in a feeble attempt to haul him off me, but all I connect with is thick, corded muscle.

  As he closes in, his head lowering down to mine, I hear his groans. It’s as if he’s fighting hard against some internal force that has taken hold of him.

  Just as his face disappears from view, pressing down into the crook of my neck, I feel the sensation of his warm breath against my sensitive skin as he whispers thickly, “Forgive me, Calla.”

  The initial pain of his bite is shocking. It’s as if two knitting needles have been thrust into my neck.

  “No! S-stop!”

  I scream loudly and suddenly, it all changes. Almost immediately the searing pain morphs into an overwhelming feeling of total ecstasy.

  “Oh! Ahh!” I cry out as the mind-bending pleasure washes through me, more potent than the rush of the strongest drug. My thoughts turn into a hazy wash of euphoria. Wetness floods my core and the only thing on my mind is rough, hard sex. Right now.

  He shifts his body to align perfectly with mine and I can’t resist parting my legs wider to accommodate him. His toned hips grind against my sex in a perfect, rhythmic motion that keep time with the delicious sucking pulls that have my already damp pussy throbbing for more.

  His stone hard thickness teases me as it slides against the smoothness of my panties. I cry out, desperate for more. He snarls into the bite and releases one shoulder to reach down and palm my damp sex. Oh, God, yes! I’ve never been this aroused in my life. I hope he takes me soon ….

  It’s becoming harder to focus on the rapturous bliss because my thoughts are quickly becoming fragmented. The last thing I see before I pass out are the lustrous strands of his beautiful black hair as they tease lightly against my flushed cheeks.

  Chapter Three

  Present Day, 3:07 a.m.

  Willful Creature

  I stare down at the beauty named Calla. She’s still unconscious but is just beginning to stir. She looks so fragile laid out in the center of my bed. I took too much from her tonight, but I couldn’t resist. The instant I scented the sweetness of her blood, her fate was sealed. Never in my two hundred and fifty eight years as a vampire have I tasted anything even remotely close to the irresistible perfection of her blood. It is so rich and complex, like a fine cognac that was crafted exclusively for me. I craved it so badly that I didn’t even bother to take the time to glamour her before my fangs sank deep. I now regret causing her the undoubted initial pain of my bite.

  Her blood is notably stronger than what I’m used to and I wonder if she possesses some quality I’ve yet to discover. It’s a wonder that I was able to stop when I did. It’s a good thing that I’d fed not long before, because she could’ve easily been killed. Her pure taste is undeniably addictive.

  I straddle her, the weight of my knees pressing heavily into the softness of the charcoal gray sheets. A soft moan escapes her as she tosses her head back and forth. Her sexy lips are parted lightly, and I want nothing more than to run my tongue against the plump bottom one. My eyes roam her face, taking in her delicate, utterly feminine features.

  I shift restlessly because my cock is like an iron bar encased in my slacks. It has been hard ever since the first moment I got a good look at her after I traced her here, and now, seeing her wear my marks on her swan-like neck is putting me into the red zone.

  There is something about this girl that is so powerful and alluring. I’ve encountered exquisite beauty like hers numerous times in the past two centuries, but each and every time, the moment they opened their mouths to speak my interest evaporated. No, this one is different, so raw and wild.

  Who is this girl?

  I love problem solving, live for it actually … the more complex the better.

  I’ll uncover your secrets, ma belle fleur, and when I do, you’ll belong to me.


  I smooth a hand across the length of her flaxen hair and marvel at its softness. The color rivals spun gold. My fingers close around a segment and I imagine gripping it tightly in my clenched fist as I work her roughly from behind.

  As if she has sensed my wicked thoughts, her pale green eyes fly open and lock with mine. She’s completely terrified.

  I speak to her calmly, slowly. “Easy, Calla. Nice and easy. You’re fine.”

  She struggles and pants like a frightened rabbit. “Get off me, you, you whatever the hell you are!”

  I chuckle deeply, amused by both her innocence and fierce spirit. “In my home, ma belle fleur, I will do precisely as I wish. When I wish, and exactly how I wish.”

  She blinks at my arrogant statement but recovers swiftly, tossing out furiously, “Well, Severin, or whatever the fuck your name is, it was against my wish for you to use my blood as your fucking midnight snack. Now you’d best get off me or there’s gonna be trouble!”

  She is scared but trying her best to put on a brave front in light of her current circumstances. I grin down at her and whisper, “Do your best, Calla, but I’ll warn you only once, never speak to me like that again.”

  I lean back onto my calves, essentially giving her free range of motion. She breaks my impassive stare and glances quickly toward the closed door. The girl wastes no time pulling both knees back to sharply kick out between my spread legs. She is in survival mode.

  I saw her intent as her muscles tensed to pull up and back. I allow her the kick, and just before she lands the blow, I wrap my hands around each bare ankle, stopping her dead in her tracks, an inch from my throbbing sex. I do not bother to disguise my preternatural speed as we normally do around humans.

  The girl looks stunned but quickly tries to cover up her emotions by narrowing her eyes and asking me in a measured voice, “What are you?”

  Still clasping her slim ankles, I tilt my head and ask, “Do you trust your intuition, Calla?”