by Laura Lee
“Fine, I can wait as long as you want.” He pulled off his t-shirt and reclined in the chair.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I said.
“Afraid not.” He replied.
“Fine, whatever. Stay there as long as you’d like.” I put my ear buds back in place and put my head down.
We laid there in silence for about an hour. I was sick of playing this game so I stood up to go inside. Vance did the same. “Where do you think you’re going?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Where are we going?” He replied.
“Ugh! You’re impossible!” I yelled as I started stomping down the sidewalk towards my building.
“I can be just as stubborn as you can.” He shouted.
I unlocked the back door to my building and tried closing it behind me. To my dismay, Vance caught it and was hot on my trail. I ran up two flights of stairs and down the hall to my apartment door. When I stuck my key in the door I said, “You can’t possibly think I’m going to let you inside? You can’t just walk into someone’s house uninvited you know.”
“Watch me.” He said, throwing my words back in my face.
I turned the doorknob and he pushed it wide open, forcing his way in. “You can’t do this! I’ll call the cops.” I cried.
“I am the cops, sweetheart.” He said. “I’m just here trying to get some more information for the investigation.”
“You are such a liar!” I screamed. “This has nothing to do with that and you know it. Why do you insist on pressing the issue?”
“Why do you insist on fighting me?”
“I’m taking a shower!” I yelled. I locked myself in the bathroom and turned on the shower. I took off my bikini, stepped under the spray and stayed in there until the water started to run cold. While drying off, I realized that I didn’t have any clothes in here. Goddammit! Wrapping the towel around my body, I crept out of the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of Vance in my kitchen, helping himself to my last Corona. Bastard!
I shook my head in frustration and walked into my bedroom slamming the door. I threw on a blue tank top with some denim shorts, flopped onto my bed, and screamed into a pillow. “I can stay in here all day you know!” I yelled through the door.
“So can I!” He replied. “At least I have plenty of food and entertainment out here to keep me busy.”
I sat there, contemplating whether or not I could safely drop from my bedroom window. I’m guessing probably not since I was on the top floor. I thought about calling Erica to come to my rescue but I remembered that my phone was in the kitchen. Damn him!
I tossed and turned on my bed until I fell asleep at some point. I was awaken by the sound of the buzzer. I looked at my alarm clock and saw that it was a quarter before nine. What the hell? I moved over to the door and listened.
“Who’s there?” Vance called.
“Gino’s Pizza.” A man replied.
He ordered pizza? Who does this guy think he is? My stomach growled, reminding me that I haven’t eaten all day. I heard Vance buzz the guy in. This might be my only opportunity to grab the phone! As soon as I heard him open the door to let the delivery guy in, I ran to the kitchen. I grabbed my phone off the counter and ran back down the hall, locking myself back in the bedroom.
“You want some pizza?” He asked through the door. “You can have some if you come out and talk to me. It looks really good.”
I sat on my bed ready to call Erica. Shit! How would she get in? There’s no way that Vance would buzz her in. It’s not like she’s strong enough physically or magically to force her way through. Suddenly the proverbial light bulb went off over my head. Oh this is too good! You wanna play dirty Vance? I’ll show you dirty….
I called Pixie Dust and Roxy answered the phone. I asked her to connect me with Leo. “Hello my sweet. This must be my lucky day. I was just thinking about you.” He said in a husky voice.
“Hi Leo. I need your help.” Nothing like getting straight to the point.
“Anything. What can I do for you?”
“Well, to make a really long story short, I’ve been locked in my apartment all day with Vance because he insists on having a conversation that I really don’t want to have. He refuses to leave so I’ve barricaded myself in my bedroom. I haven’t eaten all day and I really need to get out of here. You’re the only person I could think of who could help.”
“Oh my dearest Karli, I would not miss this opportunity for the world. I’ll be right there.” Wow, I could practically see his shit eating grin through the phone.
“Wait Leo, there’s one more thing. I’m not sure how you’re going to get past the locks. There’s one on the exterior door to my building and a deadbolt on my front door. My keys are out in my living room with Vance so I wouldn’t be able to toss them down to you. Do you have any ideas?”
“The locks will not be a problem.” He said confidently. “I’ll be there as soon as I can get someone to cover for me here.”
“Thank you Leo.” I said before hanging up. I packed an overnight bag while I was waiting, just in case. I think I was just starting to wear a hole in my carpet from pacing when I heard a scuffle in the living room.
“What the hell? What the fuck are you doing here asshole?” Vance shouted. I listened carefully waiting for confirmation of Leo’s arrival.
“Karli called me. Do you really think such obscenities are necessary Vance?”
Yes! There it is! I walked out of my bedroom with my overnight bag on my shoulder. I grabbed my purse and keys from the living room and stood next to Leo. “I asked him to come get me.” I said in my most surly tone. “I told him I was being illegally imprisoned in my own home.” Ha! Take that jerkface!
“Can I take your bag for you?” Leo asked with a big smile.
“Sure, that’d be great. Thank you Leo.” He took my bag and put his arm over my shoulder.
Vance took a step back and just stared at me in shock. He looked at Leo, then back to me, and back to Leo one more time. “Karli wait, you don’t know what you’re doing. Please, just stay here.” He pleaded.
“Hey buddy, you brought this on yourself.” I snapped.
Turning to Leo I said, “Ready?”
Still smiling he replied, “Of course. After you, beautiful.”
I stepped out the door and looked back at Vance. I may have felt a pang of guilt when I saw the look on his face. Oh well, too late to turn back now. I continued down the hall to the stairs that would lead us out of the building.
We got to the parking lot and Leo stopped in front of a brand new, silver Porsche 911 Turbo. Of course this would be his car! This car was my wet dream! There’s nothing sexier than a vehicle that can handle its power effortlessly with composure. At 500 horsepower, this baby can get you from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds flat! I could only dream of getting behind the wheel of one of these!
He opened the door for me and I sank into the buttery soft red leather seats. I almost lost it when I traced my finger over the six-speed gear shifter, impatiently anticipating the vibrations from the powerful engine. The plush two toned interior had every gadget imaginable, perfectly complimenting the exterior. Yeah, vampires definitely had a taste for the finer things in life and right now I was incredibly grateful for that.
“Wow,” my cheeks flushed. “Nice ride you have here.”
“Buckle up.” He said with a wink.
As soon as my seatbelt was fastened, he shifted the car into gear and took off. I was glued to the seat from the second we left. We were driving at a speed well over the legal limit. I don’t know how he did it with Vegas traffic but we were at the hotel in half the time it would normally take me to get there. He pulled into the garage and drove up to the valet. The attendant opened my door and offered his hand, helping me out. Leo grabbed my bag and tossed him the keys.
“You ready to go upstairs love?” He asked.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Chapter 11
*****************
We rode the elevator up
to the penthouse and stepped inside. Leo walked into the bedroom as I followed. The master suite was decorated using the same color scheme as the main living area, eggplant and gold. The large windows continued into the bedroom. Off to the left were two huge marble bathrooms. His and Hers. One had a walk in shower for two and the other had a large jetted tub. A girl could get used to living like this, that’s for sure.
Leo set my bag on the king sized bed.“Please, make yourself at home. Order anything from room service that you’d like.”
Still feeling a little guilty about Vance, I felt the need to set the record straight. “Um, look Leo. I really appreciate you helping me out. I just didn’t want you to get the wrong impression so I thought it’d be best if we cleared the air right now.”
He walked up to me and kissed the top of my head. “Relax dear one,” he said. “I have no expectations. I will be down at the bar until closing and upon my return I shall sleep on the couch if I feel the need. I meant what I said earlier. Make yourself at home. Order a nice dinner, take a long bath, do whatever you need to do to relax.”
“Thank you, again. I really don’t feel right about taking your bed though.”
“There’s nothing to feel guilty about. I only require a few hours of sleep per night and I usually do not retire until after sunrise. It’s not going to kill me to spend a few hours on the couch.” He kissed my hand and turned to walk out the door.
Starving, I perused the room service menu and decided to order a burger and fries. I also added some strawberries and champagne on a whim. I figured, why the hell not? How often would I have this opportunity? I wandered around for a bit before settling in on the couch. I flipped through the channels on TV but didn’t find anything worth watching. Before too long, there was a knock on the door.
The server wheeled the food cart over to the table and began setting a place for my meal. He then popped the cork to my champagne and placed it in a bucket of ice. I signed the receipt, adding a generous tip, and then handed the book back to him as he was leaving.
I devoured my burger and most of my fries while I was watching the fountains below. The water danced in a hypnotic symphony of lights. I know that they are a tourist attraction, but I don’t think I could ever tire of watching them. They were always so comforting whenever something was troubling me.
After dinner, I decided to take a bath. I turned on the faucet while I set the strawberries and champagne next to the tub. I looked around the room and found some bubble bath under the sink. I poured it in and inhaled the peaches and cream aroma. When the water was full, I undressed and carefully stepped in.
I sank back into the tub and enjoyed the way the jets felt pulsating against my body. I ate a strawberry and took a sip from my glass of bubbly. Wow, this is really good champagne! I closed my eyes and thought about everything that has happened over the past few days, tracing my steps to this very place. I’m in the freaking penthouse master bathroom currently waiting for its registered guest, someone who both terrifies me and fascinates me. And all because I had to get away from someone who drives me to the brink of insanity every time I see him. Ironically, I found myself wanting so desperately to be back in my apartment with said man because for some reason, I feel drawn to him like gravity. Despite my inability to turn off my thoughts, I got out of the bath about an hour later feeling much more relaxed, and possibly a little tipsy. I picked up the bottle to pour another glass and realized it was empty. Did I really drink that whole thing?
I wrapped a giant bath towel around my body and went through my bag to find my nightgown. Okay, so it was more of a short, red satin and lace chemise instead of an actual gown. I was obviously still angry with Vance when I packed it. I pulled it over my head and combed my hair.
I still felt a little restless so I checked my phone. No missed calls. Hmmm. I would’ve thought for sure Vance would call by now. Feeling curious, I started looking through the walk in closet. Leo had at least two dozen outfits in here, all designer labels. There were several pairs of black slacks with matching blazers, some jeans, light sweaters, button up shirts, and t-shirts. Funny, I can’t really imagine him as being a t-shirt and jeans kind of guy. I looked down to find a pair of lace up boots, Italian loafers, and running shoes lining the shelf below.
I pulled out the built in drawers and found some undershirts and several pairs of socks. There was also a single pair of dark blue silk boxers. What the heck? Oh my, Leo must almost always go commando! Filing that delicious image away for later, I tried the TV again. I really needed a distraction right now. I flipped through the channels until I settled on some Discovery channel documentary.
Around midnight my phone rang. Thinking it was Vance, I ran to the bedroom to grab it. Nope, it was Leo’s cell. I pressed the talk button as I put the phone up to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Karli, something came up and I will be a little later than expected.”
“Um, okay. Is everything alright?” I asked.
“Don’t worry about a thing.” He replied. “I will be back in the room as soon as possible. Will you please close the drapes before you retire just in case I do not return before sunrise? I need to go now. Sweet dreams dearest.” Click.
Okay, that was weird. I wonder what he’s up to……
Knowing myself too well, I decided to brush my teeth and go to bed, rather than letting my imagination get the best of me. I closed the curtains as Leo had requested and crawled into the big pillow top bed. Oh my, these sheets were heavenly! They must have at least a one thousand thread count! And the pillows were like giant marshmallows! I snuggled under the covers and had to stifle a moan from inhaling Leo’s manly scent. No bed should ever feel or smell this good; you’d never want to leave! I took a deep breath and let myself be consumed by ecstasy. It may have been the alcohol, but my body was so at ease that I fell asleep almost immediately.
I woke up in a dark room, feeling very disoriented. I started to panic, but then I remembered where I was and calmed down….until I realized that Leo was spooning me! Omigod, I could feel his erection on my back. Oh… his very large erection. Wait, no…snap out of it Karli. I have to get out of this bed!
I tried slipping out of his arms undetected, but he just tightened his grip! Crap, I just felt his penis jerk to attention. He nestled in closer, cupping my left breast as he started lazily kissing the back of my neck. Oh God, that feels good! No, no, no. I need to stop this! I can’t do this! Oh my, that feels really good! He started kissing my shoulder as he was pressing himself against me. His hot breath was sending shivers down my spine, making my body soften towards his. When his fangs grazed my skin, I almost came right then and there. My body wanted this so bad, but my mind was telling me to get away fast! In the end, my mind won as I jerked my body out of his grasp, rolling to the edge of the bed.
With a little chuckle, he rolled over and switched on the bedside lamp. “Good morning angel.” He grinned.
Trying not to point out the fact that he’s not on the couch, since this is his bed and all, I said, “Good morning. Um, what time did you get in?”
“A little after three.” He stretched as he got out of bed. He was wearing nothing but the pair of blue silk boxers I found, making no attempt whatsoever to cover his glorious body. Including the part that was currently about to escape his shorts. Oh yeah, he definitely knew how good he looked and he wanted me to see what I was missing. Look away Karli! Look away!
What time is it anyway? I searched for the alarm clock, trying to divert my eyes. Just after eight. Ugh, I never get up this early!
“So what happened last night?” I asked, desperate for a distraction.
“All in due time my dear. I’m going to take a shower. Why don’t you order some breakfast?”
“Okay….can I get you anything? Wait, do vampires eat real food?”
Laughing he said, “You really haven’t spent much time around vampires, have you?” Nope, I’ve tried to avoid them at all cost until recently.
&nb
sp; “Is it that obvious?” I asked. I sat up in bed, desperately hoping my hair didn’t look as bad as it felt.
“It’s cute.” He replied. “Let’s see, how can I sum this up for you? You already know we need blood for sustenance, and that we have a very low tolerance to UV exposure. Yes, we can consume human food and drink, but we do not require it. Personally, I tend to prefer foods with a sweet taste, like fruits or fine chocolate. I really don’t care for the rest of it. I enjoy a good scotch, as you are aware, or some nice champagne, like the kind you enjoyed last night.”
I blushed, feeling a little embarrassed about polishing off the entire bottle. Why didn’t I hide the evidence?
“How often do you need to um…..drink blood? Where do you get it from? Can you just get some from a blood bank or butcher shop?”