Selene leaned in and whispered beside my ear. “Mind if I put my hands on you? There’s a cutie who has been checking me out for the past thirty minutes, and I want her to know I like women.”
“Sure, go for it,” I said.
I wanted Selene to have a life outside the agency. Even better if she could have one entirely away from Melcher and his missions. Maybe if she met a nice girl Selene could start a new life—one better than what she’d shared with Randall.
And Dante would get a bit of a show. He deserved a break. Since moving on base, he spent his time either training recruits or off in the wilderness with Tommy. I never would have thought Dante would need help with his sex life. The tables had turned, and it was about time he got back in the game.
Selene’s hands rested on my hips. We danced close, but eye contact was minimal. Like Noel, Selene seemed to have come along for more than drinking and dancing. One of her hands slipped over my backside.
A skinny brunette in cutoff jeans and a tank top started dancing beside us. Whatever method she used for tanning was working because it looked real, or maybe she wasn’t from around here or had just returned from a Hawaiian vacation.
The brunette was beautiful, but in a casual, surfer girl kind of way. She lifted her arms and moved her hips, glancing at Selene with a shy smile.
I imagined Selene returning the smile with a sultry one of her own. Now that her quarry had taken the bait, Selene’s hands slipped free of me.
“Hi, I’m Jesse,” the brunette said. “None of my friends want to dance. Mind if I join you?”
I glanced at Selene, whose eyes had turned luminescent as she stared at Jesse.
“We’d be delighted. I’m Selene and this is Aurora.”
“Hey,” I said, taking a step back. “I’m actually thirsty. How about I check on you in a little bit?”
“Take your time,” Selene practically purred.
I walked away, taking a quick peek over my shoulder. Selene already had her arms wrapped around Jesse. They looked like they were slow dancing to their own tune, as though the jerking and gyrating bodies around them didn’t exist.
As I headed back to our table, I smiled. I made an excellent wingman. Maybe I could help Dante before the night was out. Noel, well, she didn’t need my help. I caught her sidling up beside a guy drinking bottled water at the bar. He wore nondescript blue jeans and a T-shirt, and he was built. I wouldn’t put it past Noel to sniff out Fane’s undercover bodyguards. Noel had plenty of undercover experience. It took one to know one. Whether or not she’d get lucky even if she did smoke them out was another matter, though she might earn some extra cash depending on how much Dante was offering for their bet.
With Noel flirting with the guy at the bar and Selene dancing with Jesse, that left me alone with the guys. Normally that would rock, but given that the guys were Fane, Joss, and Dante, I’d probably need another drink.
Dante grinned wolfishly at me as I took my seat. He set down his beer bottle.
“You just going to let that chick steal your dance partner without a fight?” he teased.
“I’m on matchmaker duty tonight,” I said. “See anyone you’d like to meet?”
Dante grunted and grabbed his beer. “In this cesspit? Doubtful.”
My head jerked. Cesspit? Since when was Dante particular about who he hooked up with? I guess Noel was right. It seemed Dante had some issues to work through.
“I quite agree,” Joss said. “How much longer are we staying at this . . . establishment?”
Of course Joss would agree.
“What did I say about coming out with us?” Fane asked.
Joss wrinkled his nose. “I wasn’t complaining. I was asking a question.”
Fane stood up. “We’re not leaving anytime soon. Not until Aurora and I dance.”
“Or one of us gets kicked out for bad behavior,” I said with a cheeky grin.
Fane chuckled. Dante surprised me by doing the same.
“That sounds like another bet to me,” he said. He leaned over the table. “Who do you think is the most likely to get thrown out, Josslyn?”
Joss scowled.
“Yeah, I’m not sure either,” Dante said conversationally. He took a quick swig of beer then pointed the bottle neck in Noel’s direction. “Could be Minnie Mouse. She’s had the most to drink, but she holds her liquor better than someone with twice her body mass. And she’s good at staying under the radar.” Dante took another sip and swallowed. “No, the odds are always in favor of Aurora. She makes trouble wherever she goes.” Dante winked at me.
I stood up. “Yep, life likes screwing with me, that’s for sure, but I’m taking the night off, boys. Fate can go fuck itself.”
Dante tapped his finger against his bottle. “Careful, Sky. Karma’s a bitch.”
Yeah, yeah. He didn’t need to tell me twice. Karma and I went way back.
I didn’t quite make it to the dance floor before Fane took my hand and gave me a tug in the opposite direction.
“What—?” I began to ask over the noise.
Fane brought his mouth to my ear. “Let’s check out what the DJ’s playing in the next room,” he said.
“As long as there’s dancing,” I said back.
“Don’t worry about that.”
The club was so crowded by now that there was no walking through the masses without brushing shoulders. I kept hold of Fane’s hand as we weaved our way through the bar by the entrance and entered the DJ dance room.
The music was pumping, possibly louder than the room with the band. Fane led me up several stairs to a raised platform and claimed a spot for us beside a wall of warped mirrors. Although we were surrounded, the volume and inebriation of everyone in our vicinity gave us a sense of privacy among the crush.
Fane’s hands glided along my sides. He said something I couldn’t make out over the music.
“What was that?” I yelled.
Fane’s eyes shown as lights flashed from overhead.
“You’re all mine now, Aurora Sky,” he yelled back.
Fane pulled me to him. I caught his shoulders and wound my arms around his neck. I mimed his undulating movements, matching my rhythm to Fane’s rather than the music. He nudged his leg between mine. I rocked and rubbed against him. I felt a wicked urge to find a dark corner of the club and do something that really could get us kicked out.
The wanton part of me wanted to hurry home while the carefree part of me wanted to stay at the club. Never mind yoga or meditation, sometimes blaring music and crashing bodies was the best way to unwind.
Fane could make up for this slow torture soon enough. We had dancing to do. The music blasted all worries and thoughts from my brain. The flash of the club lights blurred my vision. My sense of touch heightened, and I reveled in the feel of Fane against me into the early hours of the following day.
For a few hours, I got to experience what it felt like to be young and free.
7
Forever Eighteen
Thirst eventually drove us from the dance floor in search of our group. Even in the crowd, they were easy to spot getting up from our table, especially Miss Pink. Noel saw us first and lifted her hand up high.
When we were close enough, she said, “The three of us are going to skedaddle.”
Fane looked over her shoulder at the crowd in front of the live band.
“Where’s Selene?” he asked.
“She went home with that chick from earlier,” Noel answered.
Dante huffed. “At least someone got lucky.”
Um, speak for yourself. The moment Fane and I returned home, I planned on getting lucky all night long. Well, more like all morning at this hour.
I turned to Fane, concern in my voice. “Is it safe for Selene to go off on her own?”
Fane shrugged. “She knows the risk. She can take care of herself.”
“What about us?” Noel asked. “Will one of your bodyguards see us safely out?”
A grin spread a
cross Fane’s face. He looked beyond Noel’s shoulder and nodded to someone in the crowd. Noel turned and searched for the source. The guy she’d been flirting with at the bar earlier acknowledged Fane’s nod with one of his own.
Noel spun around, face lighting up. “I knew it!” She squealed. She turned to Dante and held out her hand. “Pay up.”
“Fine,” he said, reaching for his wallet in his back pocket, “but I don’t need a bodyguard to see me home safely. I’m my own bodyguard.”
Dante handed a twenty-dollar bill to Noel, who snatched it up eagerly.
“In that case, maybe Vaughn can drive me home.”
“Vaughn?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Noel shook her hair back. “That’s the name he gave me. I don’t care if it’s real or not.”
Dante snorted. “You all do what you need to do, but I’m heading home. The sun’s supposed to come out tomorrow, and Tommy and I plan to make the most of it.” Dante leaned toward me and lowered his voice. “Want to join us, Sky? Breathe in the fresh mountain air for old time’s sake?”
I tried hard not to grimace. “Yeah, I’m gonna pass, but give Tommy a pet for me.”
Dante’s face fell. A second later he cleared his throat and puffed his chest out with an air of nonchalance. “Suit yourself,” he said.
“Are you staying much longer?” Joss asked Fane.
“Until closing,” Fane answered.
Joss’s forehead wrinkled. He looked at Dante. “Would you mind if I shared a ride home with you?”
“Yeah, whatever,” Dante said with a shrug. “I’m leaving now.”
“I’m ready,” Joss said.
Noel sidled up to Dante. “If Vaughn’s not taking me home, I’m going to need a ride, too.”
“You don’t want to party until closing with these two?” Dante said, inclining his head in my direction.
Noel snorted. “Third wheel isn’t really my style.”
“Want to go hiking with Tommy and me tomorrow?”
“Sunshine isn’t really my thing either,” Noel said, followed by a little laugh.
Dante shook his head. “I need to make some new friends,” he muttered under his breath.
Noel gave me a quick hug. Dante tossed his hand in the air in goodbye and headed out first, shortly followed by Noel. Joss lingered a moment longer as though he might wait it out, after all. Luckily, he turned and walked out after Dante and Noel. Vaughn, if that’s what his name truly was, made his way through the crowd, bringing up the rear.
I whipped around and grinned. “You’re all mine now, Fane Donado,” I said playfully.
Fane tilted his head back and smiled. “Good, now let’s get out of here.”
My forehead wrinkled. What happened to staying until closing? Don’t get me wrong, I was eager to get back home and lose the clothes, but it was also a treat to have a night out.
“You want to return to base?” I asked, tugging my ear.
Fane rocked forward, eyes hooded. “Who said anything about going home? Come on.”
I squinted at him in the dank light. Fane flashed me one more smile before taking my hand. We made our way slowly to the outside of the club. I had to admit, the cold air felt good on my balmy skin.
Once inside the car, Fane reached inside the console and handed me a flask. I unscrewed the top and inhaled through the opening. My head jerked back.
“Blood,” I said, surprised.
Fane grinned. “It’s your party.” He started up the car.
I took a sip of blood and passed the flask. Fane’s fingers brushed mine as he took it. My eyes drifted over his neck as he lifted his head to take a sip. Fane’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He lowered his head, smacked his lips, and handed the flask over to me.
“The rest is yours,” he said.
“Sure?” I asked.
He nodded.
I tilted the flask back and drank down the rest. There wasn’t a lot, but it gave me an immediate buzz of energy. I screwed the cap back on and returned the flask to the console. Fane pulled out of our spot, which was taken by an incoming truck.
Fane took a left onto Spenard then a right onto Northern Lights Boulevard.
“Where are we going?” I asked as Fane headed toward Cook Inlet.
“Point Woronzof,” he said, eyes on the road. “I thought we could . . . park.”
A flutter went through my heart.
“Park,” I repeated. “We haven’t done that in a while.” And now that I was on my own, I didn’t have to worry about rushing home to make curfew. Having my mom all the way down in Florida had many advantages.
I glanced in the side mirror.
“Is your other bodyguard following us?”
“Yeah, but he’ll keep his distance,” Fane said.
We crossed the edge of midtown, passing neighborhoods. At Earthquake Park, Northern Lights Boulevard turned into Point Woronzof Drive and the road narrowed and darkened as we skirted Cook Inlet. Memories of the year before flooded me. Fane and I had parked out this way a couple times, both had led to heavy make-out sessions. I swallowed in anticipation.
Soon we were passing along the outer chain-linked fence at the end of the Ted Steven’s International Airport’s runway. The road curved and Fane put on his blinker, slowing the car to turn into a parking lot. I glanced in the rearview mirror, but there were no headlights.
“Are you sure your guy is still with us?” I asked.
Fane looped around the parking lot and pulled into a spot facing the ocean.
“Like I said, he’s good at keeping his distance.”
“Good,” I said.
I didn’t want an up-close audience.
Two vehicles idled at the end of the parking lot. They probably didn’t want an audience either. Although part of me felt nostalgic to take this trip down memory lane in Fane’s old Pontiac Catalina, a stronger part of me appreciated the tinted windows on his upgraded SUV.
Fane put the car into park and kept it running, heat wafting on low through the vents. I’d been overheated enough from the club to skip the heated seat. I reached forward and turned off the heat. I had a feeling we’d be generating our own soon enough. Fane turned off the ignition and silence filled the vehicle’s interior.
I looked out the windshield and gave a delighted gasp when I noticed the northern lights were out in dazzling colors weaving above the ocean. The brightest green arched over a purple sky. Light reflected in a wave on top of the water. It streaked from above and below, mirroring both sides like a midnight rainbow.
I sucked in a breath.
“Incredible,” I said, shaking my head slowly. “Did you plan this?”
“The northern lights?” Fane asked. “Nah, I just got lucky. Or maybe it’s a sign.” He cleared his throat. “Open the glovebox.”
“Why?” I asked suspiciously, dragging my eyes away from the brilliance outside to study Fane’s expression.
He leaned back in his seat, eyes half lidded, giving nothing away.
“Just open it.”
I was so used to grabbing guns and knives from gloveboxes that it was difficult to imagine anything else inside.
With trepidation, I pulled it open. Inside, on top of the car’s manual, there was a small square box wrapped in shimmery silver paper and tied in blue ribbon with tight, bouncy curls.
“Uhhh—” I said. Uh-oh. Was Fane seriously proposing to me inside a car? If so, it was taking car rehabilitation to a level I never imagined in my wildest dreams.
Fane laughed as though reading my thoughts. “Before jumping to any conclusions, open it.”
I glanced sideways at him, feeling air return to my lungs. I grabbed the box, shut the glovebox, and yanked off the ribbon. No sense staring at the box any longer. I ripped the paper off, uncovering a black velvet hinged box.
Hmm, perhaps it wasn’t what I first thought, but I’d be willing to bet there was jewelry inside.
I cradled the velvety box in my hand. “What’s this?”<
br />
“Open it and find out,” Fane said.
I pried the box open. Hanging from a delicate gold chain was a coin-like pendant with a long, slender star stamped in the middle.
“The North Star,” Fane said softly. “Happy forever eighteen, Aurora.”
I ran my thumb over the embossed star. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
I unfastened the clasp.
“Here, allow me,” Fane said, reaching for the pendant. I handed him the two ends of the chain and swept my hair up for him to thread the pendant around my neck and fasten it behind. A light weight landed in the valley above my chest.
“I suppose it will remind me where I came from,” I said.
Fane stared at me without blinking. His lips parted gently. “It symbolizes all that you are to me: my heart, my soul, my star. You are my everything.”
My stomach fluttered on raven wings. I felt as though I might float off my seat. My entire body felt weightless.
Fane leaned across the armrest, his face inches from mine. He reached for the pendant at my chest and pressed his thumb and forefinger over the two sides. Part of his hand brushed my collarbone and sent a new wave of shivers through me.
“People and circumstances have tried to keep us apart. There have been times when you’ve been lost to me. I hope never to experience those bleak days again, but should darkness creep back into our lives, I will always find you.”
My heart did a series of backflips that would have put a gymnast to shame. Fane was close enough to kiss but, at that moment, I wanted only to throw my arms around him and give him a tight hug.
Fane released the pendant. It landed against my chest with a soft pat. Fane laced his fingers around mine. The mood had changed since the club. Suddenly I felt faint and tongue-tied, overwhelmed by the magnitude of Fane’s feelings. I felt the same way about him, but I didn’t know how to put it into words.
I loved him, but out loud the words sounded too conventional. Fane, being Fane, knew how to make a statement. You are my everything.
I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back. Rather than speak, we held hands and watched the light show, in all its brilliance, radiate across the ocean and sky.
True North (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 6) Page 9