Midnight Sun, Inc. (Crimson Romance)

by Debbie Vaughan

  Turning a felon into a vampire was illegal and would land both parties in prison. Turning a child was punishable by death. A human must be of legal age of consent, which varied some from state to state. A license was required, followed by a twenty day cooling off period. There was no do-over after the deed was done. There were occasional exceptions for the terminally ill, but other than those, the laws were very rigorously upheld.

  I was stuck inside when my break came. Raf said he couldn’t chance me being hexed out and we were way too busy for him to run things alone. Tom had been on the phone all evening trying to find someone to lift the spell. Oh goody, more weirdness! When two A.M. came, Willy and I took a break and headed for the restroom.

  Willy rolled around in his cart while I took care of business. From under the stall door, I watched as Willy repeatedly planted his little back feet. Could he feel them?

  Something good was happening in Willy’s spine. Thankful for the improvement, I didn’t over think it. Exiting the stall, I washed my hands, fluffed my hair and swung the door back for Willy. He rolled through. I stepped out and directly into the arms of Randolph Anderson! The top of my head barely came to his chin. I looked directly into his chiseled chest until a finger under my chin brought my eyes up to meet his. Then his lips touched mine and I forgot everything else Tom had said.

  I’m pretty sure I’ve only kissed humans, so maybe my expectations were low. But Geeze Louise could Randy kiss! I like to kiss — not that I’ve done much lately — and I’ve known a few guys who did it very well. Randy was in a class all by himself. The thought of pulling away never entered my brain.

  My arms wrapped themselves around his neck and I kissed him back with everything I had. Just when I thought I’d swoon, he stepped it up a notch, fanning the flames. I let my tongue explore his mouth as his had mine. No fangs. He can’t be human. A shiver started in my mouth only to be echoed much lower, where tension grew.

  His embrace tightened, and his hand pressed the small of my back to bring that part of me even closer. I was gone. All the adages apply here — rockets, fireworks, and explosions. His kiss was orgasmic. Literally! I whimpered as I clung to him to keep from falling, positive my feet wouldn’t support me. When the world stopped spinning, I looked up to find his blue eyes black, but still no fang showing. Human then. How did he get past the hex?

  “You’ll give me your number?” His breath in my ear sent yet another shiver through me. I backed away with some effort and a hot blush burst across my skin. Where’s a fan when you need one?

  “I just moved. I don’t know the phone number.”

  I didn’t know my own name! I was still trying to get my head around the fact I virtually had sex with a total stranger, fully clothed, in public. How many girls can make such a claim?

  “You can ask Raf at the desk.” What am I doing? I’ve sworn off men. They only mean trouble!

  He smiled again and I thought my knees would buckle. His eyebrow arched, “And he would know this, why?”

  He had the slightest of accents. German? Swedish? How the hell would I know?

  “Oh gosh! He’s my roommate. I’m … Connie.” I offered my hand, which I will admit seemed absurd after what just transpired, but what’s a girl to do?

  He took the offered appendage, turned it palm up, and planted a kiss dead center. “I’m Randy.”

  I shivered as I felt his lips graze my flesh.

  He turned to go and made his way to the desk. I watched as he spoke to Raf. When he titled his head toward me, if possible, my blush grew hotter. I gave Raf the go-ahead nod. Randy slipped the paper in his jeans pocket and gave me a little wave before making his exit. So many emotions roiled inside me, I couldn’t throw a rope around any of them.

  Damn! What the hell got into me? Perhaps Dee’s right and I’ve been celibate too long.

  I managed to stay very busy the rest of the night and avoided Raf like the plague but I felt his eyes on me. I tried to make some sense of my actions and came up empty. I regretted giving Randy my number the moment he left the salon. Not that I didn’t enjoyed our little interlude. I did, immensely! Therein lay the problem. I didn’t have casual sex with strangers no matter how handsome and seductive. I didn’t have sex at all. I had issues. When those issues were resolved maybe sex would be back on my menu, assuming I found a guy I cared for. So when had my credo changed? I hadn’t a clue.

  CHAPTER 9

  “Okay Doll, spill!” Raf ordered the moment our car left the parking lot. “Don’t pretend you haven’t been avoiding me.” He paused to yawn.

  It was very close to dawn.

  I could pretend not to understand, but he wouldn’t buy it. We didn’t have time to start this conversation, much less finish it, before he had to bed down for the day, so I hedged. “Raf, honey, I’m not sure where to start and we’re both so tired. Could we put this discussion on hold until this evening?” I waited while he finished another yawn.

  “Fine, but you’re not getting out of this. Wake me early. We’re going to talk this through before the boss rises.” He arched an eyebrow at me. “Come to my room around noon and close the door behind you.”

  “Ah — okay. Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

  Raf nodded, stifling another yawn.

  I had some trouble with the whole vampires awake during the day thing, after a lifetime of being told otherwise. Of course I had also been told vampires didn’t exist — or any other preternatural creatures, entities, whatever — so I guess it’s better to accept what comes from the horse’s — I mean vampire’s — mouth.

  We pulled into the drive and Raf stopped. “You need to tend to Willy before we go up.”

  Unfastening my seatbelt, I took Willy out to the curb and watched in amazement as he wobbled over to sniff the hydrant. I was flabbergasted! Even Raf stopped mid-yawn to stare. His rear did more of a bunny hop, but he moved unaided. Speechless, my eyes welled and I dropped to my knees on the sidewalk.

  “I have a theory,” Raf said slowly as yet another yawn overtook him. “But honey it will have to wait till later. I’m beat. Get that hound and come along before I fall asleep at the wheel.”

  Tears streamed down my face as I scooped Willy up into my lap. “Good boy! What a brave boy you are!” I told him repeatedly, my kisses raining down on his head. His tail thumped my leg and I cried harder. I was just one raw ball of emotion tonight.

  “You gonna’ be okay?” Raf asked in the elevator. “I could stay awake a while longer.

  His offer meant the world to me but he’d never make it. He was deader on his feet than usual.

  “I’ll be fine sweetie, run on. I plan a long hot bath before hitting the hay. Goodnight.”

  As I closed my bedroom door, I heard the soft hum of the elevator announcing Tom’s arrival. Waiting a few minutes after Tom’s door clicked — vamps don’t make a lot of noise — I put Willy in his fuzzy bed, got my P.Js and slipped into the bathroom. Bathwater started, I added the Raf’s wonderful rose scented oil. Barefoot, I slipped down the stairway. My destination was the bottle of red wine in the fridge. With a half filled bottle under my arm and a glass in my hand, I ascended the stairs.

  The bathroom smelled like a rose garden, foam rose high over the tub rim. I reached to turn off the faucet, dampening my shirt, before turning to slide the dimmer until the antique chandelier glowed faintly. After pulling the t-shirt over my head, I unzipped my shorts and let them fall to the floor followed quickly by my bra and panties.

  I poured a glass of wine then set the glass and the bottle on the little side table for easy access. The fragrance engulfed me as I sank chin deep into the warmth of the water. I reached for the glass and downed it in a couple of swallows, probably a bad idea. I had only eaten some peanut butter crackers from the vending machine with my Dr. Pepper on break. I poured another glass and sipped it more slowly as I tried to form my thoughts into a cohesive thread. Throughout my life I had only a few close friends like Dee and Jimmy. I’d known Jimmy since grad
e school, Dee since high school. They knew my rep and didn’t give a crap! They were true blue friends who’d stick up for you no matter what. I always thought of them as the family I was supposed to have. I felt the same about Raf. I wanted to tell him my troubles, my joys — when I had some — to share. It just felt right.

  Now Randy, oh God! I submerged and thought about staying there. Gasping and sputtering to the surface, I wiped the foam from my face, tipped the wine bottle to my lips downing the remainder. What was I thinking?

  I started to doze. Counting your sins must be like counting sheep.

  The garden was lush with terraced stonewalls cascaded in roses of every color imaginable. Their incredible fragrance perfumed the air. A cool dark pool with a little waterfall graced the corner of the garden. I sat on its edge letting my hand drift in the water, watching as he approached, admiring his golden hair blowing in the slight breeze and the strong chin below the full lips smiling so sensually at me. I shivered. The need to run my hand down his broad chest and across the tight abdomen and — lower — was nearly overpowering.

  He took my hand and pulled me to him and I found as our skin touched that I too was naked. His lips claimed mine in a blinding kiss. Thought ceased, replaced by want, as he laid me on the ground, murmuring into my ear words in a language I didn’t know. I arched against him with a yearning so strong I felt I might die from it and when he entered me — thought I had. I cried out …

  I woke to a headache and cold bath water. Wine on an empty stomach, BAD! Blood dripped into the water when I stood. I drew the curtain and pulled the plug, before turning on the shower to rinse myself and the tub. Throwing a towel around me, I rummaged for tampons and the Tylenol.

  Toweling my hair dry, I wondered if the noise of a blow dryer would disturb them. Who knew? Donning my pajamas I went to my room with the niggling feeling I had forgotten something. It bothered me, but not enough to keep me awake. I set the clock for noon and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

  I woke to Toby Keith’s baritone. Flinging an arm in the general direction of the snooze button, I missed, but managed to knock the clock off the nightstand and frighten Willy half to death. Groggily I rose.

  “Sorry baby!” I whispered. “You stay put while I visit Raf.” A quick glance in the mirror showed my hair dried badly. Hopefully Raf wouldn’t think less of me. I shrugged the silly notion off and quickly crossed the hall, opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind me.

  Shit! I should have brought a flashlight. The room was pitch-black, like every light particle had been sucked out. I felt along the wall for a switch, a lamp, anything to keep from stumbling around in the dark. I moved my hand over the wall until it made contact. The switch had a tiny dimmer slide, on the side. Excellent! Sliding it down, so as not to blind him, I flicked the switch. Nothing was as expected.

  The walls were painted navy — I would have sworn black a moment ago — and the furniture cherry with clean modern lines. The king-sized bed was dressed in a grey flannel comforter, very men’s wear. In the center of that humongous bed laid Raf. His paleness and the dimness of the room, made his hair appear blue-black. A pearl grey sheet was pulled to his waist, leaving his chest bare except where his arms crossed over his heart, the way Egyptian mummies are posed. He seemed very peaceful and very, very, dead. I brushed a stray tear from my cheek. I knew he was dead, but didn’t want him to be. Hormones.

  I took a deep breath, reached out and stroked his arm. “Raf, honey, wake up.”

  The scream hung in my throat as he seized my arm so tightly I thought it might break! Unseeing obsidian eyes popped open and fangs grazed his lower lip. I held perfectly still, waiting, teeth clenched to keep from crying out. Seconds, stretched into eternity.

  His eyes returned to their normal brown and his fangs retracted some, though not fully. “Connie? What time is it?”

  “After twelve, I think. Can I have my arm back?” I asked cautiously. He let go immediately. Rubbing my wrist to restore circulation proved a bad idea as blood flow brought sharp stinging. In the aftermath of a major adrenaline surge, suddenly I was so tired I could hardly stay on my feet.

  “Fix your face and scooch over.” It sounded a little too harsh even to my ears. “Sorry, but your fangs are still out.”

  “I can’t help it, hon. Your time of the month?”

  I was going down in flames. “Oh God, will they all know?” I was mortified.

  He patted my hand. “Uh huh, we all pick up on that.”

  “Good segue. What else is out there?”

  “Oh, there’re all manner of beasties! But for now we’re going to discuss only one.” He tossed the covers back.

  I was relieved to see he wore black silk sleep pants. His fangy state was a little un-nerving but I crawled in next to him and lay my head on his arm.

  “What beastie would that be?”

  “A very sexy, tall, blond, incubus named Randy and I gather — a hungry one.”

  Just when a girl thinks her face can’t get any hotter, she proves herself wrong again!

  “I wanted to talk to you about him. But … ” I remembered the term from my senior theme on witchcraft. “An incubus is a demon that takes on the form of a human male in order to have sex with a woman. They feed off sexual energy?”

  “You get a gold star!”

  “At first I thought Randy was a vamp but he didn’t show fang, so I figured human. Guess I should have known no man could kiss like that! I’m confused on so many levels.”

  “Technically an incubus or a succubus is a vampire, but instead of blood they need sexual energy to survive. Not that they don’t bite.” He waggled his eyebrows. “While I don’t blame you one itty bit — he’s SO hot — you need to be careful. He can suck the life right out of you.”

  So that’s why I feel like shit. And I blamed the wine … “So, a demon means bad-ass right?”

  “Demon, schemon! One man’s demon is another man’s god. It’s all relative. You want to date him, go for it. Boss will be supremely pissed.” Raf grinned wickedly, “You need to know what you’d be getting into. He doesn’t require an invitation like we do. An idle thought is enough to summon him. Think of him, and there he is!”

  If he noticed my eyes getting very round, he never let on. Gold star for Raf!

  “You can tell him to stay away. He has to mind. Honey, it’s all about sex with an incubus. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing!”

  I tried to phrase the question tactfully to avoid embarrassing myself further. “So, if he visits in my dreams is it real? I mean can I get a — well — a — shit! Can I get pregnant?”

  “There’re a couple of different schools of thought on that. … So yes and no?”

  “You’re a big help.”

  “Well it is possible, but it wouldn’t really be by him. He would have to borrow the sperm. Remember what succubae are?”

  “His female counterpart.” Mythology claimed they could steal not only a man’s soul but his seed as well. “So what if I don’t want to see him anymore?”

  “You’re sure?”

  “No — yes — I don’t normally dry hump strangers in public.” As soon as I said it aloud panic set in. “Something’s off. That’s so not me. Did Tom have any luck finding a witch to break the spell?”

  “Yeah, but it was too late to do anything before dawn. Why?”

  “Do you think she could take a look at me too?”

  Raf sat up and stared at me, his nose rising slightly as he scented the air around me. He got a little toothier.

  Oops!

  He nodded slowly. “Couldn’t hurt.”

  I took comfort in those two words. “Tell me how to discourage Randy. What else is out there?”

  “Okay Doll, but first tell me what it was like! Dish!”

  I giggled at his enthusiasm. Was he in a dry spell? The sordid details weren’t enough. He asked questions. I shocked myself by answering them. I was tingling all over by the time the tale was told. “He was
amazing!”

  “Therein lies the rub!” Raf quoted. “They’re addictive. You keep calling them back until all your energy is gone. Then they just move on to the next victim.”

  “Drop dead sex? What should I do?”

  “If he comes into the salon tonight tell him tell him you’ve lost interest. Do not look into his eyes when you say it. For the most part eye contact should be avoided with any supernatural being.”

  I looked into his beautiful cow eyes and wondered why, but my growling stomach kept the questions at bay. “If you say so. Can we eat now? I’m starving!”

  “Okay.” He flipped back the covers and yanked my hand. I popped out of the bed so fast I staggered.

  “Oops! Don’t know my own strength.” Raf giggled.

  “Raf? What were you?”

  “What do you mean?” He smoothed the sheets.

  “Well, you said Tom had been many things. What were you?”

  He smiled brightly and tossed his hand,” Oh, honey! I was a god!”

  “I just bet you were!”

  “You don’t believe me? Honey, I’m telling you the truth! Wait, let me rephrase that. I was worshiped as a god. Remember what I said, one man’s demon, another man’s god?”

  “Where? When?” He must be teasing, but after last night I had to be sure, what with the new learning curve and all.

  “Babylon — way before Sodom and Gomorrah. I was a god of healing.”

  “So what happened?”

  Raf shrugged. “Times and beliefs change. One day you’re a god and adored by all, the next you’re a monster and everyone fears you and wants you dead.”

  “Raf honey, no one’s trying to kill you.” Well, at least no one I was aware of. “And I for one worship the ground you walk on!” That brought the smile I had hoped for.

  “Come on, Doll, let’s get Willy and have something to eat.”