Eden's Charms

by Jaclyn Tracey

Savanah glanced to Ethan out of the corner of her eye, flashing him a warning sign. The moment the man placed his hand on her shoulder goose bumps formed and just as quickly ducked for cover. Sweat seeped from her pores and her mouth went bone-dry. A quick glance at Ethan proved he didn’t appear any better. Savanah watched a blond beard sprout quicker than a child’s dough machine could push one out. Keep it together, Eth.

  I’m fine. My five o’clock shadow came five hours early, that’s all.

  “Do I know you?” she asked the doorman her tone guarded.

  “No, Miss St. James, my name is Jacob. I’m one of the bouncers.” Jacob shied away from the direct sunlight coming through the door. “The boss said you’d be coming and to look out for a gorgeous tall woman. He even showed me your license photo so I’d know who to look for.”

  Vanity struck, Savanah let down her guard. “Oh jeesh, not that old photo. It’s a mug shot really. Doesn’t even look like me. Feels like it was taken a century ago.” She glanced at Ethan and winked. “Pathetic really,” she rambled.

  “No, Miss, you’re much prettier in person.”

  Savanah took an instant liking to Jacob. “So, if you’ll just get me my wallet, we’ve much to do today.”

  “Lunch is on the house today. Boss said so himself.”

  “Eth? You hungry?” Savanah rubbed her tummy. “The food is excellent.”

  “I love your appetite, woman.”

  “Have a seat and your waiter will be over with menus and drinks.” Jacob started to walk off.

  “Jacob, excuse me. You didn’t happen to see the woman I was with yesterday come in did you? Her car’s in the lot.”

  “The other pretty woman with jet-black hair? Yes, she’s with the owners doing some business.”

  “Would you show her to our table when she’s done?”

  “Yes, Miss.”

  “Wonder what type of business? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.”

  Savanah bit her cheeks and dug into the breadbasket. “Dear God, don’t tell me. Another Eric Idle fan?”

  Ethan answered her with another wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

  ****

  Three hours later relaxed in their chairs with an empty wine bottle and a full stomach, Savanah watched people file in to the club, each dressed to the nines in short skirts, skimpy tops, spiked heels, spiked hair, spiked jewels, pretty much spiked everything. The men looked like models from Play Girl, all pretty toy boys. Ethan could’ve been the cover to that magazine a hundred times over. Savanah took one good look at her wardrobe and cringed.

  “Eth, we gotta go. Look at them and us.”

  “You’re beautiful. Who cares if you have the same holier than thou jeans on that I first saw you in? Your toenails are pretty. Your hair’s done and if you were to take off the outer shell you threw on over your tank top you’d be good to go.” Ethan bent down to her feet, and slowly skimmed the length of her leg to her shoe. “And what’s this? No flip-flops? You wore grown-up, spiked, ankle-breakers making yourself at least three inches taller than me. Yeah, baby, I noticed.” Ethan kissed her ankle. “Let’s go dance and work off a few of our drinks.” Ethan stood and extended his hand.

  “Lead the way.” Her other hand on the handrail for balance just as her aunt had the previous night. The music shimmied its way through her feet, up her legs, down her arm and resonated in her chest. It was one of the things she loved about rock music, the intensity and pounding, the way it made her feel alive—part of the music itself. She watched people sardined onto the small dance floor grinding, swaying, tangoing, some really out there, dancing to the beat of a different drum altogether. With that she could identify.

  Ethan pulled Savanah to him, her back against his chest and he wrapped her in his arms. He had to have her touching him. He couldn’t explain the need, but the moment she touched him, everything in his universe became symbiotic. His chin on her shoulder, he thought back to their first night together at the House of the Blues. He yelled in her ear, “Not quite the same is it?”

  She yelled back, “Why? Just because I haven’t passed out yet or vomited on you? The night is young, my love.” She turned, angled her face to his lips then puckered up and made kiss-kiss noises.

  Ethan laughed and squeezed her tighter. “Oh, my little nymph, I want to make love to you right here. Right now.”

  “Who’s the nymph?” Savanah yelled a second after the song ended. All eyes on the dance floor momentarily focused on them. Some bowed, others cheered, “Just do it.”

  “Savanah, you turned a delicate shade of red.” Grabbing her cheeks between his hands, Ethan cupped her face and met her lips with his in a soft kiss as they danced.

  Savanah tightened her arms around his back and ran her fingers under his shirt, exploring. That was all it took for him to wind up rock hard. He rubbed his fondness for her into her tummy.

  She broke away from his kiss and offered, “Shall we ditch this place?”

  “Not so fast, Pippy. Anticipation is a beautiful thing. Dance with me. Slowly.”

  Ethan nudged his way through people, Savanah’s hand in his as she trailed behind. He checked out his surroundings, watched other couples on the floor loving each other, some in the same fashion he loved Savanah, others in a most peculiar manner, body-slamming into one other, almost to the point of fighting. Others still, were concealed in darkened corners huddled together being sucked on and bitten…by vamps. Ethan wasn’t too worried. Being surrounded by vamps for the past few years he knew most weren’t killers, just thirsty.

  But just to be on the safe side he sashayed Savanah away from them. Once they had enough room to move he brought her close to him, wrapped one arm around her back and his other hand, he rested inside her back pocket. He bumped her purposefully during their dance to remind her they had unfinished business to attend to at some point.

  Sooner rather than later.

  With each bump and grind, Ethan grabbed her derriere a little harder, his fingers cupping her. He pressed his erection harder into her Venus and watched a mist glisten on her. Dirty dancing had its finer points. He wasn’t sure whether this was one step short of torture or one step closer to heaven, because all he could think about was taking her down on the floor, right here and doing it. Yeah, the idea of an audience intensified the fantasy. When Eiffel 65’s, Too Much of Heaven played, and she began to sing to him his fantasy almost blew the top off his hot air balloon.

  Her voice was that of an angel, soft, flowing, sexy as hell and doing things to him he had zero control over. He stopped dancing and watched her mesmerized, the graceful sway of her hips, the soft curve of her breasts slipping under her silk tank top, her nipples peeping through the material begging for his attention, and the radiance her blue-jeweled eyes dazzled him with. Before the song ended, Ethan hoisted Savanah in the air and had her legs wrapped around his waist headed for the first vacant room with a couch, desk, anything he could take her on. Never—ever had this much raw passion possessed him. This woman had turned his life upside down and fast. In less than one week he’d done two things he swore he’d never do. First comes loves, then comes marriage, then comes the baby…

  Topsy freaking turvy!

  Savanah’s head on Ethan’s shoulder, her legs securing her body to his, she slid back and forth in a seductive tease against him. Her nipples pressed across his chest and the fire he ignited in her made its way between her thighs. He definitely had the anticipation thing right.

  She closed her eyes as she moved with Ethan’s body, and continued to sing to him. Ethan’s touch caused an insatiable itch wherever she offered herself to him. She raised her arms above her head, her hands clasped together swaying with the music. She opened her deep blue eyes and smiled. So badly, she wanted to tell him she loved him, but he’d asked her to wait. So, instead, she continued to sing and put up with the aching in her heart.

  If she couldn’t tell him, she’d show him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Opening the door, Ethan found the room pitch
black. No windows, no light switch on the wall and no one home. Perfect! Ethan felt like a young boy with his first girlfriend sneaking off to cop a feel, only this was different. This wasn’t some cheap thrill; this was the luxury of love.

  “I’m going to make love to you now, Misses. No guarantees on how long I last. You’re killing me, baby.” Ethan had her pants undone and down around her ankles in the blink of an eye. His disappeared even faster.

  “Eth, where are we? Kinda spooky in here.”

  “You afraid of the dark, my beauty?”

  “No. It’s just eerie. Isn’t there a dungeon down here somewhere?”

  “A what?”

  “A dungeon, Mr. Kitt. Miss St. James, I suggest you pull your panties back up and then your pants. The same for you Mr. Kitt. The owner of this establishment isn’t very fond of people having conjugal visits in his office unless he’s the one being visited.”

  Savanah’s heart, she was certain beyond a reasonable doubt, stopped. She fumbled to get dressed. Ethan helped her, then dressed himself. Neither one said a word, both mortified.

  “Descent yet?” The tapping of a pencil or pen on a desk could be heard.

  Savanah,” Ethan whispered, “Run, baby, and don’t turn back.”

  Savanah shouted, “Like hell! Not without you.”

  “Neither of you are going anywhere so if you’re both dressed there are few people dying to see you.”

  When the door to the room reopened Ethan shoved Savanah through it so hard she fell on her hands and knees. Not by any means what he’d intended, but with adrenaline flowing and werewolf strength, he wanted her safe.

  Standing on the other side of the door a man waited. Well, not exactly one hundred percent man, more like ninety-nine percent mutant… Savanah strained to focus as the giant’s tentacle-like hands gripped her and brought her to her feet. She opened her mouth to scream yet nothing came out. Oh, how she hated when shit like this happened.

  The ogre resembled a Redwood tree, solid. And yes, she decided, if he fell alone in a forest, someone would hear him. The earth would shake. Savanah’s first thought was the baseball leagues were spending way too much time worrying over their players using steroids. This thing was probably bottle-fed the life-altering drugs.

  Savanah looked into his red snake eyes and could not look away. She’d never encountered anything like it. He appeared part reptilian. Taking in the spiked gray teeth, yeah they fit right in here. Probably venomous, as well. And getting a whiff of his breath, she gagged. The fumes, she swore smelled like a neglected cat’s litter box. Ethan yanked her back to him. Mr. Redwood followed, his hands suctioned on her.

  “You’re like a fucking leach.”

  “Savage? Get your filthy paws off her,” Ethan yelled over the loud music.

  From behind them the strange voice ordered, “Release her, Angus. She is to be untouched…for now.”

  “She’s to be untouched, period,” Ethan interjected.

  “Mr. Kitt, please silence your lips or I’ll have them sewn shut. Thank you.”

  “Who are you?” Savanah yelled.

  “Miss St. James, follow me please. I believe your aunt would welcome your company right about now.”

  Savanah turned in Ethan’s arms. “Eth?” Her eyes filled with tears.

  “Come on, Jeanie, don’t do that. Blink your fears away.” Ethan kissed her forehead hard, his lips glued to her praying she could read his mind now.

  Behind Ethan stood the man who found them in the office. He too had snake eyes, red. Reddish-brown dreadlocks with purple highlights fell from under a skull and cross-bone’s bandana. No shirt to speak of revealed six pack abs, biceps that put every gym junkie to shame. His jeans clung low on his hips showing off a tattoo or birthmark on his left hip.

  Savanah tried getting a better peek at the tattoo, but the man saw her and with a subtle change in his stance made the tattoo disappear.

  “Done devouring your eye candy, Miss St. James?”

  “I am so on a diet! Besides, I’ve got my breakfast, lunch and dinner right in front of me.” Savanah ran her hands purposefully down Ethan’s body.

  “Well then, he’s going to be busy, because I do believe he’s already on someone else’s menu. You’ll get left-overs, although I doubt there will be any other than gristle.”

  Done with this line of BS, Savanah called her powers and unleashed them on the man with a vengeance. A brilliant white heat pulsated from her eyes and slammed the half-naked man in the face.

  He stumbled back off balance. After a deep breath he snarled. “You pack a rather good wallop. You’re good, but it won’t work on me. Or Angus. That’s what the contacts are all about. Save it for someone else.”

  Instincts taking over and years’ worth of self-defense classes, Savanah kicked her leg back behind her, the heel of her spiked shoe sinking through his pants into his flesh and popping Angus’ private jewels. The sound twisted her stomach into a nasty knot.

  Having become all-too familiar with the look on his fiancé’s face before she vomited, Ethan stepped back.

  Gone was her lunch as it covered the Red Oak. She didn’t apologize. Savanah tugged to get her heel out of Angus’ loins. “Embedded, Eth! EWH!!!” After two tries her foot came out of her shoe. Ethan reached around Savanah and ripped the shoe from the man’s crotch, and handed it back to her. Shaking her head frantically, she prattled, “This is why I wear freakin’ flip-flops.”

  It was as if having a three-inch spike driven into his genitals never phased him. Angus’ wide grin displayed his gray, pointy, cusps.

  The man calling all the shots casually explained, “Mutant.”

  “Oh, no kidding!” Savanah answered, tone dripping sarcasm.

  “As I was saying before I was interrupted yet again, Miss St. James, these men were designed without the need for extra baggage for just the reason you tried. He neither needs nor wants sex nor does he need to defecate or urinate in the same fashion humans do.”

  Although she thought she had a pretty damned good idea she knew the answer—Angus’ breath being a direct giveaway, she said “Do tell.”

  “He eats like humans. Everything moves through his digestive tract and then it’s rerouted back up the same way it went down.”

  “He pukes shit?” Ethan’s grimace gave away his disgust.

  The man gave a nod yes and then hastily nudged both Savanah and Ethan toward the stairs, but instead of going up, they headed down two flights. “He isn’t a vampire. His bite is designed like a cobras. He injects a poison into his victims.”

  André, get out to Sinsations on the lake. Now. Bring help.

  Papa? We’re in trouble. Help!

  I’m on my way, baby. Talk to me. Let me know what’s happening.

  ****

  André was up and moving to find Duncan and Kyle. He’d known in the back of his mind this would happen. He knew—hands down—this day would come. Ethan was his catch twenty-two. His daughter’s destiny came with baggage. Bad baggage.

  Jovan followed on her husband’s heels. “André, have you tried to contact Lucian? Tell him to abandon their ridiculous notions of splitting the two little spawns from hell apart.” Jovan gave André a vehement glare, mad at the world for her daughter being placed in danger. Just as she went to reach for his shoulder an unwelcome pain penetrated her abdomen like a knife only sharper. Jovan grabbed her belly and doubled over.

  André had her in his arms and on the couch before she knew what happened to her.

  “What is it?” he asked, worry mapped across his face.

  “I don’t know, but it hurts like a mother f… Please get Savanah safely home to me.”

  André ran and grabbed a glass of cool water for her.

  Lucian? You out there? Serina? Jonah? Grimmy? Come on guys. We need help. Now! André waited for a reply from Lucian and as he did, the sinking feeling he had in his heart smashed on the rock bottom abyss. For the first time in one hundred plus years he couldn’t reach his brother thro
ugh their mental channels.

  Savanah? Raven? Ethan? Anyone?

  Papa, What’s going on? Some people are taking Ethan and I to what appears to be the dungeon in this place. Ya know what? It’s looking pretty damn authentic from my point of view.

  Savvy, for whatever reason, I can’t reach your uncles or Serina. I’m beginning to fear the worst. You need to keep your temper intact. I know if you get upset, trouble follows.

  Papa—already in trouble. Can’t use the flash of light. Angus has contacts and so does bandana man.

  What? Who?

  Just get here before anything really bad happens.

  Baby, I think the really bad thing all ready did. Your mother’s getting sharp abdominal pains. I think she’s experiencing premature labor.

  Forget me and Ethan. Get her to the hospital. Now, Papa! You two have waited an eternity for these babies.

  And, my sweet child, I’ve spent the best years of my life loving you. I’ll not abandon you. Not now. Not ever.

  André’s heart fragmented. Torn between helping his daughter and his pregnant wife, if he helped his wife did he condemn his daughter and possibly risk her life? If he left Jovan was he putting her and their babies’ health at risk? Praying for the first time since his change of life, he asked for guidance and strength.

  Savanah, I love you. I will make it to the restaurant.

  Savanah’s head throbbed. Nothing he said made sense. He sounded like a radio that’s tuner dial got stuck between stations. Papa? Panic welled. “Papa!”

  Ethan shoved Savanah behind him and threw one punch into the giant’s nose and crushed his fist upwards. The mutant’s ethmoid bone crumbled easier than breadcrumbs. Angus staggered. The mutant went face first down like a ton of bricks. Triumphant, Ethan turned toward Savanah only to see bandana man with a knife to her throat.

  “Impressive paws, Mr. Kitty. Guess that’s one design flaw we overlooked. Thank you for pointing it out. Now as I said, proceed down the stairs or this will be your last good-bye. Miss St. James, screaming will do you no good. Your mind-to-mind channels have been disconnected. Granted it takes a few minutes to figure out the frequencies your family uses, but your signal has been dropped.”