Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set
Page 121
“We can’t afford him to be depressed.”
“It will only be temporary. A week, maybe two, and he’ll be back to normal ... emotionally, as long as I’m not around.”
“We don’t have that kind of time,” Chad said matter-of-factly. “Our next show is in a few days.”
“Can you postpone or reschedule any of your dates?”
“No.” Chad ran a hand across the top of his bald head and let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m sorry, but we’re on a tight schedule for the next month. We can’t afford to miss any of our gigs.”
“That’s going to pose a bit of a problem.” Kendra twisted her hands in her lap. “Try getting him drunk,” she suggested. “That might keep him happy.”
“He’s our singer. His voice is his instrument,” Chad said.
“Yeah,” Mike chimed in. “We need him to sound perfect, not like some drunk doing karaoke. Do you want us to get laughed off of the stage?”
“Think of our fans, too. They’ve paid good money to see us. We need to do our best for them,” Chad added, with a sideways glance to Mike.
Kendra wished she could offer up something, some suggestion to make things better, but she knew there was no way to negate the effects of their newly created bond. Without her around, Marcus would feel the loss and emptiness. “Maybe he’s strong enough to overcome the depression.”
Troy shook his head. “Or he might just wallow in self-pity and refuse to go on stage.”
The rest of the band collectively murmured in agreement.
“We’ve dealt with his moodiness in the past,” Chad said calmly. “We missed some really important gigs in the early days because he got depressed over some girl. That really hurt our image and set us back as a band.”
“Look, I don’t like what I’m about to say,” Troy sighed, “but if you leaving is going to cause us to miss gigs, then you have to stick with us. You have to keep him happy. At least till the end of the tour.”
“No way, man!” Mike waved his hands wildly in front of his face as he shook his head. “You’re not seriously considering this? She’s a fucking vampire!”
“I know it sounds crazy—”
Mike jumped up. “You guys are fucking nuts.” He stormed toward one of the bedroom doors. “We aren’t having a vamp with us on tour. Discussion over.” He slammed the door behind him.
Chad shook his head and glanced over to Troy. “Mikey’s got a point, you know, this is a bit crazy.”
“We’ve just got to make it through the end of this tour,” Troy said calmly. “We’ll be on a break after that. Let Marcus recover in peace.”
Chad shrugged. “I guess… if it’s our only choice, I can deal with it.”
Touring with the band was an intriguing idea. It would certainly play into Kendra’s need to keep moving and avoid Hector, but she wondered what might happen if he caught up to her. Would she be risking their safety by traveling with them?
“Really, he’ll be fine. The depression will only be temporary,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
“Look, he’s our front man.” Troy leaned back into the couch cushion. “He’s the face of the band. If he isn’t smiling, singing, and being happy, we might as well not go on.”
“That’s not true, you’re all equally important. It’s not all about Marcus.”
“Yes, we all play our part,” Troy pointed a finger at Marcus. “But he is the face people see. He’s the voice they hear. He’s the one they scream for.” He leaned forward and locked his deep brown eyes on Kendra. She could almost feel his desperation. “Please just keep him happy until the end of the tour. It’s the least you can do, since you started this mess—”
“No, he started it when he hit me with that car.” His accusation angered her a little. “I had no intention of—”
“It doesn’t matter at this point,” Chad cut her off before she could finish. “We need him to perform. Do us this one favor. If not for the band, then for Marcus. You know what he’s going to go through. Make it easy on him.”
“And what am I supposed to do? Drop my life here and follow you around like a lackey? If you haven’t noticed, I’m a vampire.”
“So what?” Troy said sharply. “You’re not a very scary one.”
Her anger began to boil over, threatening to turn into rage. Kendra’s face flushed. Admittedly, she wasn’t a killer as most people expected, nor was she cruel and ruthless like her master, but she was still a vampire and that demanded some level of respect! “Do you really want to provoke me and find out what I am capable of?” Locking eyes with Troy she sent out a wave of her power, just enough for him to get a taste of what she could do.
Troy gulped and held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry… I didn’t mean it like that.” He leaned backwards into the cushions of the couch as if to put as much distance between them as he could. “I just meant we don’t have a reason to fear you. You said you wouldn’t hurt us, right? We’re trusting you on that.”
Kendra took a moment to calm herself. She broke the mental connection, blinking and shaking her head. After a cleansing breath she said, “No, I won’t hurt you. But being a vampire does put some limitations on what I can do.”
“I’m sure we can work with that,” Chad said.
“I don’t deal well with sunlight. I’ll have to be inside all day.”
The bedroom door opened and Mike popped his head out. “Oh, so that’s true? Good to know.”
“To some extent, yes.” She didn’t feel like explaining the finer points just yet, especially since Mike was clearly eavesdropping for clues to get rid of her. She quickly moved on to the next problem. “And I require blood daily.”
“You said no more than a pint right? You don’t kill?” Troy asked, his voice wavering a little.
“No, I don’t kill, but I doubt any of you would be willing donors.”
“I would!” Marcus shot up from his seat and arched his neck in offering.
“Lie back down,” she said in a commanding tone that brooked no argument. “You need your strength.
Marcus’s eyes drooped, and his bottom lip protruded in an exaggerated pout. He huffed and leaned backwards, propping himself on the couch cushions with his elbows.
“Blood is your department,” Troy said, regaining the former strength in his voice. “As long as you aren’t taking it from us, I don’t want to know about it.”
“Y’all are crazy, asking a vampire to ride with us,” Mike said, still lurking in the doorway.
Chad nodded. “Relax, buddy.”
“She’s a friggin’ vampire. She drinks human blood, and you’re telling me to relax? What the hell, man?”
“If she was going to kill us, she’d have done it already.” Chad said. “My concern is with finishing this tour. If that means we have a vamp riding shotgun for a few weeks…” He shrugged his shoulders. “So be it.”
“Lemme just say, even though none of you is really listening, I don’t like this shit one bit,” Mike said then turned and shut himself in the bedroom again.
“We heard you the first time,” Troy said with an exasperated sigh. “He’ll get over it.”
“You sure about that?” Kendra asked.
“He huffs and puffs about a lot of things,” Chad added. “Just let him sleep on it.”
Troy nodded. “I know none of us really want this, but let’s just make the best of it for now. We can all part ways when we get to Phoenix.”
Kendra gulped at the mention of Phoenix. Hector kept a large estate in Phoenix. She couldn’t go back there. She needed to stay far away from places he could be.
“I’m sorry, we didn’t get your name. What is it?” Chad asked.
“Kendra.”
“Well, Kendra, do we have a deal?” Chad offered his hand to shake.
She knew she was making a mistake. Going with them was a bad idea, but she couldn’t resist the temptation of traveling with this, her favorite band, or being close to Marcus. She was playing with fire,
giving into her desire like this. The blood bond worked both ways, and the more time they spent together the closer they would get, and eventually neither would be able to let go, and that would mean she would have to turn him.
She looked down at Marcus’s serene face. His golden hair hung in waves to his shoulders, and there was a sparkle to his hazel eyes that called out to her. Even though ten years had passed since she had been this close to him, he still looked just as good as the first time she’d laid eyes on him.
Kendra shook Chad’s outstretched hand. “When are you guys taking off?”
Troy pulled out his phone and tapped a few buttons on its face. “Last message I got from Gary says the bus won’t be ready till tomorrow afternoon.”
“You know I can’t leave until sunset, right? You know… the whole sunlight thing. Will that hold you up?”
“Naw, we can wait.” Troy said, slipping the phone back in his pocket. “We’re normally late to leave anyway. Drives Gary crazy.” He laughed. “He always has to over-book our hotel stay because of it.”
“He’s our manager,” Chad supplied seeing the confused look on Kendra’s face.
“I guess I have no choice. I won’t promise to go all the way to Phoenix, but I’ll hang around for a little bit, just to make sure Marcus is okay.”
Chapter Four
KENDRA’S MISTAKE
Faint rays of morning light streamed in through the window. Kendra rose from her seat on the ottoman and glided over to pull the curtains closed.
The band members, though congenial in conversation, had watched her like a hawk until each one succumbed to their need for sleep. Their snores and heavy breathing filled the room.
Kendra silently chided herself for getting into such a sticky situation. She had bonded herself and Marcus out of pure instinct, without thinking of the repercussions. She was no better than Hector.
Her memory flashed back to the night she’d met Hector, her master. He had seemed so charming at first.
Appearing almost out of thin air, he had showed up at her table, against the back wall of Café Enigma.
“Mind if I join you, darlin’?” he said with a casual smile. His voice was deep with just a hint of southern drawl.
There was something magnetic about his presence. She’d noticed his eyes first. In the dim twilight of early evening, they had an eerie and captivating glow to them. Strange and pale, they stood out, shadowed by black brows and dark shoulder-length hair.
She couldn’t speak; his mere presence mesmerized her. After a second’s pause, she held out her hand, indicating the seat was free.
He smiled again and took it. “This is a good band.”
“Uh-huh.” Kendra felt awkward and suddenly very shy. She tried to avoid looking directly at him, choosing to suck down her ice tea with record speed.
“I heard your poetry earlier. You’re quite good with words. I could feel emotion in them as you spoke.”
“Thanks.” She blushed at the compliment. “I just write what comes to mind, you know?”
“Talented and humble. Oh, you are a special girl, aren’t you? I know we’ve just met, but I’d love to hear more of your poetry sometime.”
“Are you some kind of talent scout, an agent, or something?” she asked with a chuckle.
“Or ‘something,’ ” he replied. “I have an ear for unique talent, and a weakness for beautiful women.”
Heat suffused Kendra’s face. She glanced away nervously. He really was laying it on thick, and she admitted to herself that she enjoyed it. She drummed her fingers on the journal sitting in front of her: a small green cloth-bound book secured with a rubber band. After a moment, she finally worked up a little courage to look up, allowing her eyes to take in Hector’s handsome, angular face. “I read here every Friday night,” she said.
“Maybe you could read me some privately.” He leaned in close. “I would hate to wait so long to hear more.”
“Sure. Maybe after the band is done with their set. I need to discuss something with them about next week’s open mic night,” she lied. She’d been drumming up the courage all evening to finally talk to Marcus and didn’t want to miss the opportunity.
“Please, darlin’.” The way that word rolled off of his tongue sent a shiver down her spine. “Don’t make me wait.” She looked up to find his eyes, silently beckoning her as he spoke. “Why don’t we find somewhere quiet, and you can read for me.”
Kendra’s head filled with a gray haze. She felt a sudden need to give him whatever he asked for. He’d ensnared her with just a glance, and before she knew it, he was helping her into his car.
The haze cleared a little, leaving Kendra feeling as if she’d drunk too much, though she hadn’t had anything other than iced tea all night. Confusion and disorientation took center stage in her slowly clearing head. She didn’t know how she’d ended up in his car, but somehow she was there. Streetlights flew by her window in a blur as they raced down the road in Hector’s black Porsche.
His cold hand caressed her cheek, and then sank lower to her neck, sending a frightened shiver streaking down her spine. Intuition, a small whispering voice, tried to tell her that she was in danger, but the gray haze in her head wouldn’t allow the thought to form coherently.
“I like you. You’re a special treasure,” he said in his deep drawl. “I won’t lie, I had ulterior motives for leaving the café. I have a weakness for unique and beautiful women. And you fit both of those criteria.”
Anxiety churned in the pit of her stomach. Fear crept into her mind, clearing away the haze that had prevented her from thinking clearly. “Look, I’m not that kind of girl.” She suddenly felt trapped in the small car.
“Oh, I think you could be,” he said with a chuckle.
She didn’t know how to respond. Her nerves went on high alert. Kendra cursed herself for agreeing to get into the car, yet she couldn’t remember actually doing it. Everything was blank from the time he had asked her to read poetry to the time she had found herself in the passenger seat. Fidgeting nervously, she struggled to put the missing pieces together. No matter how far she reached into the back of her mind, she couldn’t bring up the memories of what had happened. How had he convinced her to leave when she was so adamant about waiting for the band? It was if he had magically transported her.
Blank memories or not, she knew this was a bad situation. She needed to escape. The cramped car felt like it was closing in on her. Kendra gasped for breath, imagining herself as another dead body being reported on the nightly news. “I need to go back to the café.” Her voice wavered, fear leached out with her words. “I can’t do this…Whatever it is you’re thinking I’m going to do with you… Stop the car. Let me out!”
His hand moved to the back of her neck. She flinched, but couldn’t escape him. Hector gently rubbed at her tense muscles. “Calm down, darlin’. I’m not going to do anything to you that you don’t want.” The cool of his skin, the pressure of his fingertips, and his deep, casual drawl had a strangely soothing effect, taking the edge off of her nerves. Against her will, she was falling into a trance.
They pulled into a gated neighborhood, and Hector released his hold on her to punch in a security code on a small number pad. Large iron gates parted, allowing them access to the high-class neighborhood filled with opulent mansions. She reached for the handle to open the door, but it was locked. Searching for the knob or button, Kendra pawed at the door.
“There’s no need to fight. I’m a man of my word,” he said casually. “Nothing will happen to you tonight that you don’t ask for.”
Kendra couldn’t make sense of his words. Why take her all the way out here if he didn’t intend to do anything to her? She still couldn’t piece together how she had gotten into the situation in the first place.
They pulled into a long driveway, and a garage door opened before them.
“Take me back to the café,” she pleaded as she looked for her purse or at least her cell phone. Neither were there.
Kendra knew she should say no. She should smash the window and jump out of the car. For a moment she wondered what her chances were of getting away. Could she run far enough or fast enough? Would Hector catch her? She didn’t want to end up as another rape statistic. She bit her lip so hard she drew blood.
Hector caught her in his mesmerizing stare. “Just a kiss, that’s all I ask.”
Again, even though her brain was screaming at her to run, caught in the pull of his stare Kendra felt a strange need to give him whatever he asked. “One kiss and that’s it? You’ll take me back to the café, right?”
He smiled wide and winked. “I am a man of my word, darlin’. If after one kiss, you wish to dismiss me, then I will acquiesce.” His smooth southern drawl sent another shiver snaking down her spine.
She wanted to say no, but the words wouldn’t come out of her mouth. Instead she whimpered, “Please, just let me go.”
The gray haze washed through her mind again, wiping away the fear and anxiety. He reached out, finding the back of her neck again with his hand. He pulled her close as he leaned in to meet her half way. She shuddered at the press of his cold lips, and then relaxed into the kiss. He gently massaged the back of her neck, pulling her closer as his tongue traced the edges of her lips in a silent request for entrance. Unable to resist, she parted her lips, moaning as his tongue captured hers.
A strange coppery taste mingled with their tongues. The sweet flavor—cool and smooth—tingled as it flowed down her throat.
Warmth built in the pit of her stomach. A wave of pleasure rushed through her, igniting her blood with flames of desire. Her sex pulsed with sudden demanding need. Warmth pooled between her thighs with each pulsing throb of her new desire. She moaned into Hector’s mouth as her body coiled tight with a pleasurable pressure. He released her, allowing her to fall back into her seat.