Not wanting to give him hope for something that couldn’t ever happen between us, I spun to face the wall of liquor behind me and did as he mentioned, cutting the conversation off. Ben switched the song to something that went along with my moment perfectly. Sage laughed while singing the lyrics.
“Okay, I think you’ve got this under control.” Landon walked away. He probably thought we were both crazy, but if he knew how much the lyrics to the song playing went with what I was and what he wanted from me…
Damn, Katy Perry had nailed that song. It was like a theme song to my life.
Too bad auras didn’t show up on TV because I would love to know if any celebrities or singers were supernaturals. I’d often wondered about a few.Katy Perry was one of them. She would make a kick ass succubus.
Once I finished rearranging the shelf, I found the sheet of paper Landon had jotted the specials down on. After grabbing a piece of colored chalk, I moved to the board above the sink to write them. My body swayed to the music as I wrote the specials out in the prettiest handwriting I could manage.
Fifteen minutes after the club opened, my good mood came to a halt when the redheaded vampire I’d seen Randal arguing with in Mystic took a seat in front of me. Dressed in another jaw-dropping royal blue dress that showed an extensive amount of her creamy skin, she stared at me while drumming her long nails against the bar top.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Maybe I should have asked when I first noticed her sit, but then again, normally people weren’t shy to tell me what they wanted the second they realized they had caught my attention.
“I’ll take a cranberry vodka on the rocks.” Her voice was tight and had a slight edge to it, as if she wanted nothing more than to maul me with her fingernails.
“Coming right up.” A smile pulled and tugged at my lips, but I refused to let it show. I wasn’t about to be overly nice to her.
I dropped my stare to my hands as I made her drink, but her gaze never left me. I could feel her eyes boring into me as though she wished she could melt portions of my face off with her stare. It wasn’t that I hadn’t ever been confronted by an ex or even a current girlfriend before; it was that I’d never had to deal with them of the supernatural type before.
“Here you go.” I placed the glass on a napkin and pushed it toward her. “That’s seven even.” I left off the ‘please’ I normally added. She didn’t deserve it. Not with the way she was eyeballing me.
Sage shifted to my side just then. “Hey, Natalia. How’s it going? Coming to scope out your replacement?”
A satisfied smile found its way to my lips. Sage had said exactly what I’d been thinking but hadn’t gathered the nerve to say.
“She’s no one’s replacement, least of all mine.” Natalia picked up her drink and took a sip before slapping a ten done on the bar, her irritation apparent. “Keep the change.” She slipped off her stool with such ease it almost looked like a fluid dance move and walked through the crowd to disappear.
“I hope she doesn’t know something you don’t.” Sage leaned in to me. “I know you said he hasn’t called in a couple days. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but he might have already patched things up with her. They do have a history.”
I opened my mouth to mention I’d talked to him last night and finally tell her we had a date scheduled, but never got the chance because someone down the bar shouted for her. She was gone, giving him her full attention, before I could speak.
My eyes searched the area Natalia had disappeared to. The dance floor thinned as the song switched to something a little slower, and I spotted her, sitting at one of the tables across the way alone. Her hand was wrapped around her drink, her legs were crossed, and her eyes were trained on me.
What the hell was she doing here? Was this a form of intimidation?
A girl waved a twenty in my face, breaking my stare. “Shots! I need four shots of your special tequila!”
“Coming right up.” I flashed a smile and shifted my gaze back to Natalia, only she was no longer there.
As I reached for a bottle of the discounted tequila, I searched for her. Chill bumps prickled along my skin. I couldn’t see her, but I knew she was here still. Her cold stare lingered on me from somewhere. It was then that I wondered if she was the person who’d been following me. The female dark shadow lurking in alleyways always watching Randal and me.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Natalia was a little intense tonight. Either she’s really staking her claim to Randal hardcore, or you’ve managed to royally piss—” Sage’s words cut off and she came to a dead halt. I wasn’t sure why until I followed her stare.
Randal was leaning against the hood of my car with his hands crammed into the front pockets of his dark jeans, and one leg propped up on my bumper.
“I thought you said the two of you weren’t talking. You told me yesterday he had pretty much dropped you like a fly.” There wasn’t any harshness to her words, which surprised me, just confusion.
Randal waved and tipped his head. A smile twisted my lips at the sight of him. If he was here to see me, then it meant he and Natalia hadn’t gotten back together. Right? This made me happier than I could put into words. “I know, but then he called last night.”
“And you didn’t think to mention anything to me about it, especially after the whole Natalia thing tonight?”
“I was going to, but then we got busy.” Was this something I should apologize for? I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want her thinking I was keeping things from her about us, but I wasn’t about to tell her every little detail either. “Natalia being there surprised me. I had no clue what to say to her.” She was intimidating as hell, but I wouldn’t admit it out loud.
My legs itched to move closer to Randal, but Sage hadn’t moved, so I remained where I was.
“I know.” She glanced at Randal, and gave him a small smile and a wave, before leaning into me. “I’m glad the two of you are talking again. I’ll talk to you later.” She started toward her car.
“Okay.” My insides buzzed to life the second I started forward.
Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a cable knit sweater the color of his eyes, Randal looked incredible. I could see a trend though; he enjoyed wearing dark colors. I wondered if it was because he knew what looked good on him and stuck with it, or if he was afraid of a little color.
“Hey.” I paused once I reached him, leaving a decent amount of distance between us because being too close seemed intimate, and I wasn’t ready for that yet. No matter what my libido wanted to do to this guy every time I saw him, I had to force myself to take things slow.
“Hey.” He ran a hand along his smooth chin and a crooked grin sprang free.
“How long have you been waiting?” I asked when he didn’t say anything else.
“Not long.” Something strange passed over his face, an emotion I couldn’t name. “I overheard the two of you talking about Natalia stopping by. Did she say anything to you?”
Skepticism slashed through me. “No, not really. Was there something specific you’re worried she might have said?” I narrowed my eyes at him, willing him to tell me what was up between the two of them without me flat-out asking.
“No.” He shook his head. “She didn’t handle our breakup well, and I just wanted to make sure she wasn’t harassing you.”
“Nope.” I decided to keep my mouth shut about the suspicions I had that she was practically stalking me.
A slight breeze swept across my face and ruffled Randal’s hair as a heavy silence built between us. I wrapped my arms around myself and rocked on my heels. This was not how I had envisioned this date beginning.
“I should have called you, but I’ve been busy. There were a few minor issues at Red River I needed to handle.” His tone was rich and low. “It won’t happen again.”
He said all of this as though he were apologizing to me for the chunk of space I’d so obviously noticed. It made me feel small and stupid, immature even.
“It’s okay, but thanks for letting me know.”
“I should have said something sooner. I apologize.”
“You didn’t have to explain, and you don’t have to apologize.” It was the truth. I wasn’t the type of girl who expected to hear little truths here and there, or who needed an explanation for everything. Yes, I was skeptical about Natalia coming in to stare at me all creepy-like, but that was different. Sometimes shit just happened. I understood that better than anyone. “It’s fine, really.”
“Thank you for understanding, but I wanted to.” He stepped away from my car, enough for me to be a few inches closer to him. My nose filled with the masculine scent of his cologne, and I fought against the desire to lean in closer. What was this guy doing to me? “I felt as though I owed you an explanation because I really do like you, Kenna, and I want to keep the option of getting to know you better valid.”
My heart kick-started at his admittance, and my lips spread into a wide smile. “I think I like you too.”
He lifted a single brow. “You think you like me too?” His tone was playful. It took the awkwardness out of the moment and made my grin grow.
“Yeah.”A giddy sensation blossomed through my chest, one I hadn’t felt in so long.
“I guess I can take that as a compliment then.”
“Good, because it was meant to be one.” Flirting with someone you actually wanted to flirt with felt incredible.
“Are you ready for dinner, or would you prefer to swing by your apartment and change first?”
I had dressed casual, in my second-best pair of jeans, sneakers, and a sea-green T-shirt.
“I guess that depends on where we’re going.” My eyes trailed over Randal once more, matching his attire to mine. He was dressed to impress as always. I didn’t ever think I would see him in a pair of holy jeans and a faded graphic T-shirt with flip-flips on. It just wasn’t him. “Am I over or underdressed?”
“I think you look perfectly fine.” His pupils dilated as he appraised me. “I only wanted to be sure I gave you the option. I didn’t want to assume you were ready.”
“Thanks.” I dug in my purse for my keys. “Actually I think I might have you follow me to my place, if that’s all right. I’d like to freshen up a bit and drop my car off there before dinner.”
“That’s perfectly all right.” He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “I’ll follow you there.”
My mind bounced back to the insane dream I’d had of him. The sticky sensations of heated passion I had vividly felt during the dream rushed along my skin. I swallowed hard, hoping to gain control over myself. Thank goodness I had the drive home to calm my desperate libido because I was going to need it.
* * * *
I pulled in beside Randal’s car and cut my engine. When I stepped out, he was already walking to the front of my car.
“Do you mind if I come up and wait?”
I shook my head. This solved my problem of whether I should invite him up while I got ready. “No, it’s fine.”
We started along the concrete sidewalk, heading toward the breezeway. The girl from 8C stepped out of her apartment with her two-year-old daughter on her hip. She paused the second she spotted Randal, and I couldn’t help but smile. When we had made it past them, far enough that I knew she couldn’t hear our conversation, I turned to him.
“Does it ever get old?” I should have clarified what I was asking, but I had a suspicion Randal would understand exactly what I meant.
“I could ask you the same, couldn’t I?” There was a teasing tone to his voice, one that I probably enjoyed more than I should.
I chuckled as I started up the stairs. “I guess so, but you’re older than me. You should have had time to form a definite answer by now.”
“Ouch.” He laughed. It was rich and filled with a surprising warmth. “You’re playing the age card.”
“Don’t seem so shocked.” I cut the corner at the top of the stairs, and continued toward my apartment. “You don’t look a day over twenty-five, so I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” I winked.
An amused smirk graced his lips. “This is true.”
The desire to press my lips against his crashed through me. My eyes trailed over him as I paused in front of my door and inserted my key. Why I felt such a strong pull toward him I wasn’t sure, but looking at him didn’t give me any answers. It only made my skin tingle more from the desire to have his hands on me.
I pushed the door to my place open and stepped inside, flipping on lights as I went. The door clicking closed echoed through my apartment, causing my heart to palpitate in my throat. Randal was in my apartment. I kicked off my sneakers and glanced at him.
“So, this is it.” I gestured around the living room. Awkwardness had set in and I wanted it gone. We’d shared such a fun moment on the walk up, but it had been crushed the second we stepped across my threshold.
Randal’s eyes met mine, pinning me where I stood. For a split-second, I wondered if he was having to fight away urges too; if he had noticed a telltale change in the rhythm of my heart.
“It’s nice.” He looked around. I felt a cold chill sweep through me from the loss of his stare. “Spacious, open, modern with a classic charm. Do you live here alone?”
“Yeah.” I dropped my purse on the table beside the door. “I’ll be right back. Make yourself comfortable.” I pointed to the couch as I headed toward my room.
While I riffled through my clothes for something to wear, I tried to listen for any movement in my living room, but heard nothing.
I settled on a brown and burgundy top that was a little more dressy and my brown boots, deciding to keep on the jeans I was already wearing. Keeping Randal waiting was the last thing I wanted to do. After running a brush through my hair and adding another layer of Chapstick to my lips, I sprayed myself with my favorite perfume and started toward the living room.
When I walked into the room, Randal was reading the description of the paperback I’d left on the coffee table. My cheeks heated as I remembered exactly what book it was—the newest erotic paranormal I’d purchased the other day from the discounted bin at the grocery store.
Randal lifted his gaze to me. His eyes locked with mine and he arched a single brow. “Sex slaves and vampires. Interesting.”
I couldn’t freaking breathe. “Uh-huh.”
“Is this your typical reading?” A spark of amusement entered his voice.
My heart thundered in my chest as my embarrassment turned to annoyance. “Just because I’m a supernatural now doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy reading about them still. And, yeah, it’s an erotic paranormal romance about sex slaves and vampires. So what? Not all of my needs and desires can be fulfilled when I feed. I don’t have that option like you do. So I deal with it in my own way.”
I walked to where he was standing, still holding the book in his hand, and snatched it from him. He didn’t move. Not until after I tossed it back onto the coffee table where it belonged and the thud of it echoed through the apartment.
“I never said there was anything wrong with the book or the genre. I only wanted to know if it was your typical read.” He took a step closer to me. His scent invaded my nose and tainted my lips. “It intrigued me to see that you’re interested in reading something that sounds incredibly titillating.”
His word choice wasn’t lost on me. I knew I should have been chuckling at it, but the way he’d said it, in such a shiver-inducing voice, had me captivated. It pulled me back to the dream of him and me, to the sparks of sensation that had showered through me during it.
“Why would that interest you at all?” The words were out of my mouth before I could block them.
“Because it lets me know you might not be entirely vanilla in bed.”
My brow lifted. Had I just heard him right?
“You seem so innocent and pure, unlike so many of the succubi I’ve come across in my time.” His hand reached out and skimmed across my cheek.
; “What have they been like?” I had yet to sit and talk with one.
“Greedy, hungry for power and corruption.” The pad of his thumb brushed against my bottom lip. “Not all of them are this way, but most are. They seem to let the seduction they feel empower them in ways you couldn’t imagine.”
“Aren’t vampires the same?” My words were nothing but a whisper through parted lips that barely moved—all because I didn’t want to move them. I wanted his touch to remain exactly where it was.
“Very much so.” He leaned in and I fought to keep my eyes open, wanting to see the expression on his face when he kissed me. “This is why I’ve been entirely captivated by you, Kenna Blake. You’re pure and uncorrupted. I can sense it in you. You’re everything I need to be reminded of, everything I’ve somehow managed to lose along the way.”
His words made shockwaves of heat crash through me. The pad of his thumb continued to brush against my bottom lip, teasing me in ways I’d never known possible. Inches, there were mere inches between our lips now. If I reached out and gripped the back of his head like I sometimes did when I was feeding, it would be enough to push his lips to mine.
I didn’t get the chance though because in a heartbeat, Randal had released me. In three heartbeats, he was across the room, standing at the door. And in six, I was breathless, wondering what the hell had happened.
“Are you ready?” His voice was devoid of the desire I assumed would be lingering within it from our moment.
I blinked, shocked at how quickly everything had seemed to dissipate between us. After clearing my throat so my voice wouldn’t tremble like a nervous little girl, I lifted my eyes to his. “Yeah, let me grab my purse and turn these lights off.”
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