I looked out at the crowd and said, “Who else wants a bite?” The response was a loud one, to say the least, but a few fans in the front row in particular stood out. I handed my mic to Jonas and took fresh forks, walking to the edge of the stage. Tytus met me in the space between the stage and the barrier, and I handed him the cake and hopped down. I fed a bite of cake to four or five girls in the front row, pausing in front of Aurora long enough to steal a birthday kiss, which, judging by the sound of the crowd, must have broadcast over the big screens for everyone to see. When I joined the rest of the guys on stage, I took my mic back and said, “Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me. Twenty-three feels amazing already, and I have all of you to thank for that.... The only thing that would make it better would be getting to play a few more songs for you tonight. What do you say?”
The rest of the show went by in a blurry rush. When it ended Aurora and I headed back up to our suite to get ready for the rest of our night in Vegas. That was when we found the note on the door to our room.
I hope this letter finds you both in good condition. I’m sure our paths will cross again in the very near future. I look forward to seeing you both.
-S
It was very similar to the one Nikki had shown up with the other day. We’d been trying to forget about that note, and now this.
“What on earth do you think he wants?” I said after Aurora finished reading the note a second time.
“No idea,” she answered, crumpling it up and tossing it across the room. “I don’t think I want to know.”
I had to agree with her on that, but I’d had about enough of the cryptic notes. Chase, Jonas and Kacie all slowly trickled in to our suite until O’Shea was the only one missing.
“I guess we’re still waiting on O’Shea. He really is high maintenance,” I said for Kacie’s benefit. “I bet he takes longer than you to get ready. It’s that crazy hair of his.”
“He can take as long as he wants,” she gushed. “I love his hair.” Right on cue, O’Shea opened the door and stepped in.
“She’s a keeper,” I told him, gesturing to Kacie. “Don’t let her get away.”
“I’ll remember that,” O’Shea said slowly, smiling as he bent to give Kacie a quick kiss. “Do I even want to know what you were saying about me?”
“Just that you take longer than a girl to get ready,” Chase stated. “Are we ready to go now? Some of us actually have to go out to meet women.”
“Speak for yourself,” Jonas said, earning a few laughs.
Aurora greeted me with a kiss and linked her arm in mine. She was wearing the studded heels Rolling Stone had let her keep from the photo shoot. She stood almost as tall as me in them, and the little black dress she wore really showcased her never-ending legs.
“Where’s Neon?” I asked.
“He said he’d meet us there,” Jonas answered.
“All right, then. Let’s head out.” I pulled my jacket hood up, and Aurora and I led the way. Tytus waited in the hallway, escorting us across the hotel as we made our way to the club.
The dance floor at Eye Candy was jam-packed when we arrived. An usher let us in and directed us to the VIP area they had roped off for us. Chase was flirting with girls and got lost somewhere in the club along the way.
“He’ll turn up eventually,” O’Shea said with a dismissive wave when Kacie looked concerned. “Always does.”
The DJ didn’t waste time in announcing that Catalyst was at the club for the night, celebrating Trey’s birthday after putting on their killer show. Almost instantly the little screens above the dance floor began flashing ‘Happy Birthday!’ messages to Trey from the club’s guests, showcasing comments like ‘Save a dance for me?’ and ‘How about a b-day kiss?’ It was actually cool the way everyone in the club was able to interact through the screens and touch-tables. We’d been there for half-an-hour, enjoying our VIP section, when the DJ played an original remix of ‘You Only Live Twice,’ making the crowd go nuts. It wasn’t every day I heard a remix of a Catalyst song, and the DJ had put a great spin on it and I was almost surprised at how well it worked as a dance track. Trey decided to make his way down to the DJ to thank everyone and say hello. Kacie and O’Shea were dancing behind me as I watched Trey and Jonas work their way through the dance floor until they reached the DJ.
“Give it up for Trey and Jonas!” The DJ said during a song’s transition. He handed them each a mic and Trey spoke first.
“What’s up Vegas?” he called out, earning a massive collective yell from the club-goers. “How about this guy?” Trey said, pointing at the DJ enthusiastically. “I didn’t know our song could sound like that,” he said, he and Jonas laughing. “Man, I love this place,” Trey added. “And thanks for all the birthday wishes. I can’t think of a better place to celebrate than this city.”
Just then Neon appeared at my side. “You made it,” I called out, hoping he’d be able to read my lips even if he couldn’t hear me over the insanely loud music. He grinned and nodded, moving his head with the music and watching the guys with me.
“I think it’s only fitting that Trey give you all a present on his birthday,” Jonas added, pausing to enjoy the enthusiastic response. Just then, a message flashed on the ceiling from Chase that said, “I didn’t know that was a rule! We get presents?”
Jonas noticed it just after I did and pointed it out to Trey, which made everyone look up and laugh. I still had no idea where Chase had ended up, but apparently he hadn’t gone far.
“I already shared my birthday cake with you tonight,” Trey said, looking off in the crowd a ways to his right. I followed his gaze and finally saw Chase standing with a large group of women, grinning and pointing at Trey. “What more do you want?” Trey teased.
“I think you should premiere our new single for all these lovely people at your birthday party here tonight,” Jonas said into his mic. Another round of screaming.
“Did you know they were going to do that?” I asked Neon.
He shook his head, but smiled like he wasn’t real surprised.
“I think that’s only fair,” Trey said. “Especially since we just filmed the video for it right here in Vegas!” He nodded to the DJ who began playing another original mix, this time of ‘Mirage,’ which – as it turns out – is also a great dance song when mixed right. The people in the club seemed to enjoy it, too. Trey and Jonas stayed with the DJ for the song and then slowly made their way back toward the VIP section throughout the duration of the next song, stopping to take selfies with fans and their phones.
Trey approached Neon and I, an innocent look on his face. He held his fist out to Neon, waiting. “C’mon,” Trey urged. “You know leaking the song will only do good things.”
Neon just shook his head and grinned before bumping Trey’s fist and laughing. “Why do I even bother with you guys?” he said.
“You can take that up with Jonas,” Trey added, holding his hands up. “He planned the whole thing with the DJ last night.” Then Trey grinned and pulled me into his arms, kissing the top of my head.
Having a good party? I projected to him.
He grinned. Absolutely. I’ve got everyone I care about in one room. What could be better?
Chapter 36
Aurora
I WAS STILL IN shock, having just hung up the phone as Trey walked into the suite and found Kacie hugging me and jumping up and down. Kacie was practically squealing with excitement, but managed to contain herself long enough for me to talk to Trey first.
“What’s going on with you guys?” he said, his blue eyes glinting with curiosity. “Did someone just win the lottery?”
I nodded and smiled at him. “Sort of,” I said slowly, turning to face him. “I ... I actually just got off the phone with a woman from New York.”
“New York?”
“She works for some big wig art collector in the city, and she was calling to see if I might be willing to commission some pieces for him. She wants me to fly out and me
et with her as soon as possible.”
Trey blinked at me, but took my shoulders in his hands and emphatically said, “You told her yes, right?” I nodded, feeling a grin stretch across my face.
“Of course she did,” Kacie blurted out.
Trey’s face beamed as he wrapped his arms around me. He lifted me up, spinning me and making me laugh out loud. When he finally set me down I gazed up into his bright blue eyes, feeling lighter every second. “This is huge,” he said, making it clear that he understand the gravity of this moment.
I’d been waiting for something like this, for an opportunity to take my career to the next level. It was hard to believe it might actually be happening. “I think it could be,” I admitted, smiling and biting my lip.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Kacie asked. “You have a plane ticket to buy.”
We crossed into the other end of the suite where we sat down in front of the laptop and I booked a flight out the next morning. “You know I wish I could go with you,” Trey said, a hint of regret behind his eyes.
“It’s just a meeting,” I assured him. “It’ll be boring. Your show will be much more entertaining than a night at what’s sure to be a stuffy restaurant, anyway.”
“Stuffy means fancy,” Kacie said, raising an eyebrow at me like I wasn’t fully appreciating the situation.
Trey rested a hand on my knee. “I’m proud of you,” he said.
“I haven’t done anything yet,” I said, but the lighthearted reprimand in his next glance was enough to make me change my tune. I grinned and bumped his shoulder with my own. “I mean, thanks.”
He grinned in satisfaction and kissed my forehead as his phone buzzed and lit up with Jonas’s face on the Caller ID. “Be right back,” he promised as he walked back across the suite to talk.
“O’Shea’s going to be here any minute to take me to the airport,” Kacie said as she triple-checked her bag.
“Tytus is going with you, too” I told her. “You never know what kind of paparazzi you’ll meet there. It’s just easier with some security.”
She nodded resolutely. “Right.”
“As much as O’Shea likes to pretend it’s only Trey that draws that kind of attention, that hair of his works like a neon sign,” I added.
Kacie laughed and turned to face me. “Thanks again for bringing me back with you,” she said. “This has easily been some of the most amazing days of my life. Being able to spend some time with O’Shea on the road sure makes it easier to understand what this life is like for him, for all of them.”
“I know what you mean,” I told her.
“I’m going to miss you guys,” Kacie said, and I saw that she was fighting back tears.
I opened my arms and she hugged me tight. “We’ll miss you, too, but you’ll be back out soon,” I promised. She released me, nodding, and took a deep breath in an attempt to pull herself together. Trey chose that exact moment to approach us and Kacie responded by throwing her arms around his neck, too.
Trey grinned and hugged her back, lifting her several inches off the ground before he set her back down on her feet again. “Have a good flight,” he told her. “I’m counting on you to make sure The Waking Moon stays in one piece. I wrote more than half of the record inside those walls. Someone has to make sure it’s still standing so I can do that again.”
She laughed and gave him a funny salute. “Got it,” she promised, biting her lip.
A knock sounded on the door and Trey opened it, letting O’Shea inside. Kacie wasted no time filling O’Shea in on my momentous phone call. He congratulated me with his signature O’Shea hug and said, “Just don’t forget about us little guys when you make it big and rich.”
“Said the rock star,” I quipped, laughing.
“Ready to go?” he asked Kacie, though he seemed hesitant to bring it up.
She took a deep breath and exhaled. “I think so.” O’Shea grabbed her bag for her, and Trey and I waved goodbye as the two of them disappeared into the hallway.
“Text me when your plane lands,” I called out.
“Will do!” Kacie’s voice returned before the door closed. A smile pulled at the corner of Trey’s mouth as he watched me.
“What?” I asked.
“Look at you,” he said, full-on grinning now, “Being all motherly.”
I laughed, rolling my eyes. “Apparently someone has to. Do you see what you’re doing to me?”
“Oh, it’s my fault, is it?”
“Yes. Completely.”
“I guess I’m okay with that,” he said slowly, taking my hands in his. “As long as I get credit for the rest of the night, too.”
I arched an eyebrow and waited for him to explain, but he just smiled. “Do we have plans?”
“Sort of.”
I shrugged. “You’re going to have to do better than that,” I said, grinning.
“First, you have to promise you’re not going to break into the vault,” he said as he tapped his left temple with a finger. “No spoiling the surprise.” I frowned and sighed. “Promise,” he insisted again.
“I promise,” I said, finger-drawing an X over my heart.
Trey and the other guys had filmed the desert scenes for the “Mirage” video today. It had been a long, hot day, to put it mildly. The drive to the Valley of Fire, which is very appropriately named, was about an hour from Vegas. The director had shot footage of Trey, Jonas, Chase and O’Shea driving along on a dirt road in a cool old car I knew nothing about, but that made Chase drool. The idea was that the car broke down out in the middle of nowhere, and after messing around under the hood unsuccessfully, the guys have to make a call for help. They start walking, for lack of anything else to do, and the desert inevitably heat starts to get them. The hallucinations that ensue are of the alternate lives the guys had filmed a few days back.
I’d filmed a small scene where I pulled up to rescue them in the end, but I end up just being another hallucination of Trey’s. When he hears a man’s voice when I call out for them to get in the car, Trey blinks and his vision finally comes into focus, revealing that it’s actually Neon behind the wheel of the rescue vehicle. The whole treatment of the video was just a cool idea, and we were all anxious to see it put together. It already seemed like a lot longer than two days ago that I’d had Trey all to myself in the Shark Reef. Just the prospect of having a night alone with him was enough of a reason for me to keep my promise to let him surprise me.
“Come on,” Trey said, pulling me toward the door. “I didn’t know we’d have an actual reason to celebrate, but the timing is kind of perfect now.”
A moment later we were about to step out of the elevator on the ground level when I sensed a vampire in the lobby.
“Do you-”
“I feel him, too,” I answered before Trey could finish.
We stepped out together and began moving toward the rotating doors when we saw him relaxing in an oversized chair, watching our every move. I made a beeline for him and he quickly got to his feet as I approached.
“Who are you and what do you want?” I demanded, grabbing the collar of his suit jacket forcefully. Trey looked taken aback by my approach, but he stood at my side and waited for the vampire’s response. The vampire gave me a cocky grin, to which I responded by grabbing his expensive tie and yanking until his face was only inches from my own. “Who are you?”
Chapter 37
Aurora
“I AM NO ONE of consequence,” the vampire said, forcing the words out with great effort since I was basically choking him.
We’re not alone in here, Trey reminded me silently.
I realized he was right and released the vampire against my better judgment. “I don’t know what you want, or what your boss wants, but I want no part in it.” I said as the vampire straightened and adjusted his shirt collar and tie.
“That goes for both of us,” Trey added, leaning close and speaking in hushed tones. His voice was low and gravelly.
“The ne
xt time I see your face, you’re going to regret it,” I promised. I turned on my heel, and Trey and I exited the hotel, climbing into the waiting car.
“I’m sick of being followed,” I said in frustration as we pulled away from the curb. “Maybe we should call O’Shea and Kacie. See if they’re okay,” I suggested, but Trey shook his head.
“I’m sure they’re fine,” he assured me. “Tytus is with them. Full vampire or not, Tytus could have shredded this guy into pieces. He would have warned us if that vamp had been in the lobby when they left. He must have come in right after.”
“Good point,” I admitted. “What do we do about it?”
Trey sighed. “Tonight? Nothing.” I narrowed my eyes at him, but realized he was right. “We’ll talk to Tytus in the morning, but I don’t want you to let this ruin our night.”
“I don’t want that either,” I told him.
“Okay, so we put this out of our minds for the rest of the evening, then?” Trey asked.
I nodded. “It’s a deal.”
“It’s a date,” Trey said, smiling at me and brushing a strand of hair out of my face.
It wasn’t easy, but I was determined to enjoy whatever Trey had planned for the two of us, so I did my best to stop thinking about the mystery vampire from the hotel. Besides, we were celebrating. I just hoped that celebrating so soon wouldn’t jinx it. I had waited too long for an opportunity like this. New York just seemed full of potential, and I was torn between my desire to get there now and find out what could happen next and my deep desire to enjoy the evening with Trey. That thought alone put things into perspective for me. Trey would not be going with me tomorrow, and as that realization sank in I knew just then how much I needed him tonight. In an effort to take both our minds off of it all, I tried several times to get a hint out of Trey about our plans as we drove through the city, but Trey was just too good at the whole surprise thing.
“Just be glad I didn’t blindfold you,” Trey responded to one of my many attempts at prying. “It’s not too late for that, I suppose.”
Fangs And Fame Page 19