Since Kara was still staring at the manuscript, she couldn’t help but notice that those exact words were right there on page seven. She blinked and read them again, just to be sure. Yep. Melessa said that exact speech to her best friend, Christine. Christine, who was supposed to come looking for her and talk her into staying.
Kara looked over her shoulder, back towards the door.
No Christine.
Right.
“Uh…” Melessa was still staring at her. Not knowing what else to do, Kara took a chance and read Christine’s line. “But, what of your father, Melessa dear?”
“Father doesn’t understand!” Melessa threw her hands up like the film star she should have been. “Eugene isn’t the man for me. He can never fulfill this aching passion in my blood for something more. For a man who can master my very soul.” She turned pleading eyes on Kara. “Promise me you won’t tell them that I’ve gone.”
“Sure.” Christine’s next line was something about money and position and Melessa’s sainted, dying mother. Personally though, Kara could see Mel’s point. Who would want an arranged marriage to a guy named Eugene? Why not run off and join Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, instead? It was all just a dumb story, after all. Mel might as well enjoy herself.
Besides, Kara supported any idea that got Melessa out of the barn so she could concentrate. “I’ll keep your secret. Absolutely. I don’t care where you go.” Karalynn went back to reading.
Melessa was silent for a beat. “Really?” She finally squeaked. “You’re just going to let me… leave?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Because, I’m really going to go, then.”
Kara ignored that and turned the page. She swore. More crap with Christine. In fact, the chapter ended with Christine going back to the house and Melessa still in the barn. Wait… Kara frowned. Was Christine the name of the girl she’d knocked down outside? That must be why Christine wasn’t in the barn lecturing Melessa. Kara had interrupted her back on page five.
That probably… wasn’t good.
Melessa got a horse from one of the stables, already rigged out with its saddle, and climbed up onto his back. Tanya St. Clair’s sloppy writing leaking into the story, no doubt. No one put their horse away still wearing a saddle, right? At least, they didn’t on TV. Kara had never been within ten feet of a horse herself, but it just made sense.
Great. That must have been what happened with Damien’s cane, too. Tanya St. Clair forgot to actually write it into the scene for long stretches of time, so it just kind of popped up out of nowhere. What other ridiculous errors could Eternal Passion at Sunset come up with? What if they started affecting her?
Come to think of it, should she really be altering the plot, at all, no matter how crappy it was? Maybe she should have kept reading Christine’s dialogue and told Melessa to stay put.
Reconsidering, Kara got to her feet. “Listen, Mel…”
Melessa cut her off. “Thank you, my drunken friend, for showing me my freedom. I shall never forget you!” She kicked the sides of the horse and charged out of the barn, into the night.
Kara stared after her for a long moment. “Uh-oh.” She had a terrible feeling she’d just screwed up.
And that was before a rough hand grabbed her arm and pulled her around. “I am Slade.” He whispered. “At last, I’ve found you my Eternal-One.” Then, he kissed her.
Passionately.
Chapter Three
Damien and Slade faced each other, consumed with a centuries old hatred that had fermented into a thick and bitter wine. Like a cheap merlot. Terrified by the violence charging the air between the two powerful males, Melessa hurried to Slade’s side for protection.
He swept her behind his massive body with one huge hand. “Fear not, Eternal-One. I shall protect you from this monster.”
Eternal Passion at Sunset- Chapter Three
Kara froze in shock as Slade the Vampire slammed his lips against hers.
Oh yeah. This was definitely even weirder than the bird. Her wide-open eyes stared straight ahead in panic as he bent her backwards over his Paul Bunyon-y arm. Undead or not, he was certainly the best looking man who’d ever kissed her. Ever. And he was actually pretty good at it, even with the fangs. Given the fact that none of this was even real and Slade was hotter than hell, you’d think she could get into the passion of the moment just a teeny bit.
So, why did she just want to slug him?
Kara didn’t like this guy. He wasn’t… right. He didn’t look right. Didn’t feel right. He didn’t cause the warm jittery feeling in her stomach she’d gotten when Damien watched her take off her coat. Not that Damien, the bad-guy psycho-stalker, was friggin’ Sir Lancelot or anything, but that wasn’t the point.
The point was, Kara didn’t want Slade. At all. And he needed to stop touching her.
Now.
She wrenched free of his clutches, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand. “Are you nuts?”
He hadn’t been expecting that. Kara registered the total shock on his handsome face as she backed away from him. “Eternal-One, what’s wrong?”
He thought she was his vampire bride. Shit. “Look, Pal. I’m really sorry to have to tell you this, but I’m not the girl you want.” Kara looked towards the door, scanning for any trace of Melessa. She and the horse were probably halfway to Jackson Park by now. “The girl you want –Your real Eternal-One-- just left. Seriously, you can probably catch-up to her with your Vampire speed or whatever, if you hurry.”
Slade squinted at her. He had on a stupid looking, open-throated, pirate-style shirt and tight fitting ‘getta load of this’ pants. Had he been wearing that get-up before? Surely, she would have noticed. Tanya St. Clair must’ve switched Slade’s costume between the dance floor and the barn.
“You are the only woman in this stable?” He said, as if asking for clarification. His not-so-perfect blue eyes scanned around, suspiciously.
“Yeah. Well, right now, I am. But see…”
“My Eternal-One is in this stable.” He interrupted, importantly. He tossed back his long blond hair like a barbarian god out for some pillaging. “I know this with my Vampiric instincts. Honed through generations of my people and utterly infallible, they guide my noble path. Therefore, my Eternal-One must be you.”
Dear Lord, he’d really just said ‘Vampiric instincts’ without even a hint of a smile. “Right. But, see Melessa left a second ago, so…” Kara trailed off with a yelp as Slade caught hold of her, again. Men in this book loved grabbing her. First Damien and now the Terminator.
Damien’s hand hadn’t hurt, though. Vlad had pressed her up against the building, but Kara hadn’t been intimidated by him. He’d threatened all kind of badness, but when she’d been having her breakdown, he’d said her name softly in that rusty sounding voice and tried to calm her down.
Slade’s grip was too hard. He probably didn’t mean it, but he was so gigantic that he couldn’t help his strength. His tanned fingers bit into her arm, as if he was getting impatient with her. “My darling.” He sounded like he was reading cue-cards, now. “I have searched for you beyond time itself. Can’t you feel that we are meant to be?”
“Back off.” Kara snarled, she wrenched free of his hold. “Now, listen and try to understand this in your caveman-ish brain. I am not your Eternal-One. I am Karalynn Donnelly. I’m a book editor. You want Melessa Fairmont or Fairfield or however Tanya’s spelling it this chapter. She is a debutant, beauty queen, rodeo rider. Alright? Trust me, you’re gonna like Mel better than me, anyway.”
Slade’s eyebrows slammed together in bewilderment.
What a dunce.
Kara rolled her eyes. Damien had also caught on a lot faster than Slade. Sure she’d confused him, but when Kara went off-script, Damien had followed along. He’d tried to figure out who she was and what she was saying.
Slade seemed utterly lost.
And why did she keep thinking of Damien?
Kara shook her head. She d
idn’t have time for any of this. Especially not Damien’s questions or Slade’s ‘Me Tarzan’ act. She scooped up the manuscript, again. “Oh my God!” To her delight, she quickly saw that chapter two was back! Somehow the next eight pages of the book were all present and accounted for. How had that happened? Who cared how it happened? At least, it was more good news.
Forgetting about Slade, she began flipping through the new blocks of text. Crap. Was it all Slade and Melessa almost having sex? No wonder he was pissed that she’d changed things around. How much did these characters know about what should be happening, anyway? They all seemed thrown when she began messing with their plot points.
Slade clenched his jaw. “My Eternal-One, you must be wondering what I am. What sort of creature would seek you out for his own, even knowing you are engaged to another.”
“You’re a Vampire. I know. Also, I’m not engaged to another and I’m not your damn Eternal-One.”
“I am a Vampire.” Slade continued gravely, as if he hadn’t heard any of that. Only he had heard it. She could tell by the fisting of his left hand. He just didn’t care what she had to say. He was stubbornly sticking to the script. “Be not afraid, my love. I will not hurt you. The Vampires are a noble race.”
“Humble, too.” Moron.
“Since the birth of the world, we have protected you weaker beings from the creatures who haunt the darkness. The Wizard Warlocks, who are the enemies of everyone. They twist magicks to their own ends and seek to enslave us all.”
“Wow. That’s really… incredible news, alright.” Kara flipped the page in Eternal Passion at Sunset. More heaving chests and taunt bodies, straining for release. Yeah, it totally wasn’t going to happen between her and Slade. No way. He’d just have to wait for Melessa to get back.
“The Wizard Warlocks are unimaginably dangerous. Sorcerers. Not Vampire or man, they exist between them. The worst parts of both races, they forsook the codes of The Good People and surrendered to the darkness.”
“Wait.” That had the potential to be interesting. “Wizard Warlocks are part Vampires and part humans?”
“No!” Slade was appalled. “They are abominations. They are nothing like the Vampires! Their ancestors and ours were the same, but they broke our laws and now we are different species. They are half-breeds.”
That just didn’t make any sense. “Okay, so if a Vampire and a human had a kid together, would it be a Wizard Warlock?”
“Of course not. It would be a Vampire. The superior race.”
“Right.” Tanya St. Clair had really put a lot of thought into the details of this mythology. Whatever. Kara went back to reading about Slade’s huge, throbbing male member and Melessa quivering flesh.
Yikes.
Slade resumed his lecture. “The Wizard Warlocks are unnatural. Primitive creatures, without humanity or morals. Living by elemental, animal instincts. Yet, they have so many powers. They can read thoughts. Travel instantly from place to place. Their skills are constantly shifting.”
“Probably, because Tanya can’t keep track of what they’re able to do from chapter to chapter.”
Slade ignored that, too. “My people have long sought to eradicate their black souls from the earth. The Vampire Wars we fought killed nearly all of them. Yet one remains. The darkest and most powerful of all the Wizard Warlocks. My greatest enemy. Damien.” He spat out the name.
“Yeah, we met.”
That actually broke through Slade’s rock-hard head. “You… What? You’ve met?” He echoed, dumbly. “You and Damien? Where?”
“Outside. He’s not so bad. Except, for the theatrical speechifying. But, you really can’t be throwing stones about that, now can you?” Kara blew out a ‘yada, yada, yada’ sort of breath as Melessa, overcome by maidenly reticence, reluctantly broke free of Slade’s manly hold on page fourteen. In the next paragraph, he began the Vampire back-story spiel he’d just given Kara. Melessa was shocked and appalled. Kara was just bored with him. The guy was like watching paint admire itself in the mirror as it dried.
“You saw Damien here? Outside? Tonight?”
Damn, Slade was quick, wasn’t he?
Kara shot him a frown as he stalked closer. “I told you, yeah. He doesn’t like you much either, so I got quite an earful about his side of the story.”
“He has no side of the story!” Slade was angry, now. Possibly the first real emotion he’d shown. The guy was going through the motions, but he wasn’t dying of love for her no matter what the text said. Somewhere inside, he had to realize she wasn’t his destined bride. “Damien is a creature. Twisted and evil in ways your innocent mind can’t imagine.”
Kara actually smirked at that. “Try me.”
“He is already stalking you.” Slade continued, dramatically. “We must consummate our Eternal Bond, my love. We must bind our energies together, so I can always find you.”
“Consummate our Eternal what?” Whatever it was, Kara didn’t like the sound of it. “I don’t think so.”
This time Slade grabbed both of her arms and gave her a shake. “You must trust me, Eternal One.” He pulled her into a sheltering, suffocating embrace. “I have never lost a fight. Never failed at a task. I am the greatest solider and leader of my race. I must have your blood and we must enjoy the sexual bond of my people, if you are to be safe from…”
“Oh, hell no!” Kara slapped the manuscript against his midsection. God, the guy was like hugging a brick wall. A girl could smother in the rippling pectorals. “We’re not sexually bonding anything, buddy. And there’s no way you’re gonna suck my blood.”
“You’re being difficult.” Slade scowled down at her. “Did you not hear what I said? You should be pressing your body against mine, unable to resist our mutual attraction, and asking for my unsurpassed protection. You are an innocent flower caught in a storm.”
Kara hissed out an oath. “You’re the one who’s going to need help, if you don’t let me go. I’ve had it with being manhandled. I’m warning you.”
“Lean against my mighty shoulder and cry, Eternal-One. You are overwrought.”
“No, I’m pissed off because you won’t listen to a damn thing I say. You’re just a macho nut, who wants to bite me!” She jerked against his hold. “Let me go!”
Slade didn’t listen to that. Big surprise. “There, there, my dearest love.” He bent over her as if to kiss her, again. He wasn’t going to stop. Clearly he thought her traitorous body would melt in the onslaught of his passion and she’d submit to the Eternal-Bond-bloodletting thing. Well, maybe in Tanya St. Clair’s world, but not with Kara running the show.
No meant no.
She slammed the heel of her shoe into the top of his foot and twisted down with all her weight.
Slade gave a roar of pain and released her, shoving her away from him. Kara tumbled to the floor, belatedly realizing she’d just pissed off a really big Vampire. Not smart. She scrambled backwards as he jumped around on one foot, swearing in some other language.
…And that’s when she felt that ridiculous dark aura, again.
The creepy vibe that she’d gotten near Damien back in the garden. The unmistakable miasma of evil intentions and lost dreams. Kara’s head whirled around to see Dr. Horrible himself looming in the doorway of the barn.
Damien. Dressed in black and still carrying the raven.
He looked even better in the light. The angles of his face should have belonged to some jaded aristocrat, dissipating on his private yacht. His scar had somehow moved to his forehead, though, probably more of Tanya’s brilliant continuality in action. Still, it wasn’t impacting his overall gorgeousness. Elegant and alluring, Damien’s presence quieted some of Kara’s anxiety. A calm feeling of authority clung to him. No matter how out-of-control things were getting, Damien wasn’t going to panic. That made her feel… better.
Glowing black eyes took in the scene before him with something like astonishment. His gaze went from Kara to Slade and then back, again. “Kara Lynn, are you hu
rt?”
He looked as surprised to ask the question as she was to hear it.
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m okay.” Relatively speaking.
“Stay away from her, you Wizard Warlock bastard!” Slade recovered from his hobbling and focused on his mortal enemy. Or maybe his immortal enemy. Kara wasn’t too clear on that part of the mythos, yet. “Fear not, Eternal-One. I shall protect you from this monster.”
Damien scowled down at Kara. “You’re his Eternal-One?”
“No! Of course not. He’s just an idiot.”
Damien blinked. He glanced around the barn, like he was expecting something to happen. Expecting Melessa, maybe. Damien seemed to be the brightest monkey in this cage. He had to know that something was wrong with this plot twist.
“She is my darling, little woman.” Slade vowed, passionately. “I will die before I let you harm her!”
Kara gaped at him. “Your little woman?” Jesus. This guy was the hero of the book?
“You and the Vampires have killed countless woman of my race. The Wizard Warlocks are all but extinct. Why should I care for a Vampire’s mate?”
“I’m not his mate.”
Damien and Slade both frowned at her as if she’d interrupted their scripted pissing contest.
Slade looked furious.
Damien still looked baffled. “Then why does he believe otherwise? Vampires rarely make mistakes about such things.”
“Exactly!” Slade nodded, siding with his nemesis over Kara. “The girl is overwrought. She doesn’t know what she’s saying. Ignore her hysterical prattle. She is just a human. This is between us, Damien.”
She really could grow to detest that guy
Damien arched a brow. “The woman seems like more than just a human to me.” His strange black eyes found her, again. “She is… different. I can feel it.”
Not Another Vampire Book Page 4