“I’ll just bet he did,” Luke put in.
Charlie threw him a dirty look. “Are you jealous?” he asked.
Before Luke could answer, my uncle turned back to me. “How much did they get?”
“I don’t know, but I started blacking out, and would have probably died, if Marcus hadn’t given me his blood.”
Luke looked up sharply. “You let him give you his blood?”
“Well yeah! I might have died if he didn’t. I was just lucky he heard me scream, or it would be my body they’d have found next.”
“That’s bad luck for you. Now he has a connection with you that will always be there,” Luke told me, shaking his head. “Not good at all. He’ll always be able to feel your emotions, and now he’ll know where you are … no matter how far away.”
The idea of having that type of connection with Marcus was a little scary, but it could be okay at other times, like if those blood drainers decided to pay me another visit.
“I guess worse things can happen,” I threw the words over my shoulder as I made my way to the kitchen. The counter was cluttered with empty beer bottles, the physical evidence of one of Charlie’s vices.
“Hey Charlie! Do you think you might be able to toss your bottles in the trash when you’re done with them?”
Before I could get the last word out, Uncle Charlie was already picking up the bottles. “Sorry. Too used to being a bachelor I guess.”
I opened my mouth to voice my opinion about his perpetual bachelorhood, but was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. I heard Uncle Basile grumbling long before I made it back into the living room.
“Charlie! You no good rascal! Get your dumb ass in here and explain yourself.” Basile hollered.
Charlie sauntered into the living room, demonstrating about as much concern as he would have if he were preparing to take a Sunday stroll. “Since when do I have to explain myself to you, old man?”
“Since it be my duty to look after Star. You know your brother didn’t want her involved in all this nonsense.”
“I don’t either, but we all know that Star has been involved in this nonsense, as you call it, since the day she was born.” Charlie finished with a sigh.
Basile’s frown deepened. “Makes no difference! If you weren’t bringing the trouble here … she could have lived out her days without ever knowing any better. But you have more rocks than brains in your head. Always have.”
After flopping down on my couch, Charlie waved away Basile’s words. “Trouble came here without my help. I’m just here taking care of it … and to keep Star safe.”
Basile grunted, showing his disbelief. “And how are ya doing that exactly? By leaving a vampire in charge of her … by letting her keep company with vampires?”
I decided it was time to throw in my two cents. “Uncle Basile … I know what I’m doing, and I want to help. Too many people have been hurt … including Max. I want it to stop.”
Basile’s eyes cut right through Charlie. “You need to tell her why her pa sent you away … and you be getting it done soon.”
Uncle Basile turned to me and said, “You be watching yourself Star.”
Without another word, he turned to leave.
“Okay Uncle Basile … but why you leaving so soon?”
“Can’t tolerate your visitors,” he shot back, before disappearing out the door.
Turning to Charlie, I asked. “What’s he talking about? What happened between you and Dad?”
Charlie shook his head. “Another time maybe. Right now Luke and I have a plane to catch. We need to report to the SCC. They’ll want to know what we have discovered so far.”
Now Luke spoke up. “Mate … do you really think it’s a good idea to leave Star alone? Now they know she is a witch … they won’t stop until they get her.”
Charlie shrugged. “She can take care of herself, if she’ll take the time to learn how to use her powers. Besides, I’m sure her new protector will look after her just fine.”
There was no missing the scowl on Luke’s face.
Charlie laughed. “If I didn’t know better … I’d think you’ve taken a fancy to my niece.”
I felt my face grow hot. “It’s okay. I need some rest anyway. It will be easier with the house empty.”
My uncle gave me a quick hug and was out the door, but Luke hesitated.
“Just speak up darling, and I’ll stay here with you,” he offered.
“I’ll be fine,” I said, shaking my head. “Go do what you have to do.”
It seems that even when you are sure nothing else can surprise you, something manages to do just that. That’s what happened next.
Pulling me into his arms, Luke brushed his lips against mine. “Maybe when I return … we can talk some more about our shared experience the other night.”
A fire erupted in the pit of my stomach. What I’d experienced with Luke came about as close to an orgasm as I’d ever gotten, without actually having sex. There was no denying the eroticism of the experience, or how addictive it might become.
Was I ready to become his feeder?
The look on my face must have been a dead giveaway. He leaned down and kissed my forehead.
“Just a suggestion,” he remarked with a smile.
It wasn’t long after Charlie and Luke were gone that I began to wish I’d taken Luke up on his offer to stay with me. The house was too quiet, and suddenly I realized that I felt alone. It had been so long since I’d felt like this, I wasn’t sure how to react.
My feelings of loneliness had to be due to my close call at Crimson. There was no way it could be because I was missing Luke, and I certainly wasn’t missing Marcus.
Since I was no longer comfortable with the silence I’d been craving, I turned on my stereo and cranked the volume up just a little.
At the moment, the couch seemed much more inviting than my bed. Lying down, I grabbed the teddy bear throw pillow from the end of the couch, and clutched it to my chest.
Almost as soon as I closed my eyes, I felt his presence. His essence was everywhere, in every nook and cranny of the room, but it didn’t stop there. I could feel him seeping into the very pores of my body, until it seemed we had become one soul.
My eyes flew open to find him standing next to the couch, gazing down at me. Locks of blond hair fell across his wide shoulders to cascade down his chest and back. I was overcome with the urge to reach out and touch those silky strands of spun gold, and this time I didn’t fight it. It seemed so natural to run my fingers through that thick - long hair, and still it felt natural when my fingers fell from his hair to his chest. There was no way I could keep myself from caressing the hard contours of his muscles.
The corners of his mouth lifted - his sensuous lips spreading into an approving smile.
“Now admit it sweetheart. You’ve wanted to do this from the moment you saw me.” His deep voice was soft, but had a teasing quality to it that set my heart racing.
I wanted to shake my head in denial, but I couldn’t think of anything but feeling his lips on mine - his tongue in my mouth. I even wanted to feel his fangs sinking into my neck.
Just the thought of my lover feeding on me, while he brought me to a mind-numbing orgasm, was too powerful to resist.
Then I felt his lips on mine - his tongue demanding access to my mouth. As he tasted me, a whirlwind of ecstasy surged through me with so much force that I couldn’t breathe.
The dream was shattered by the sound of rapid pounding. After opening my eyes, it took a few minutes for me to realize that I was no longer dreaming, but the residue of the dream still had me paralyzed.
There was more pounding before it began to dawn on me that if the person at my front door knocked any harder, the wood would splinter.
Jumping up from the couch, I stumbled to the front door and peered out the peephole. The early morning sun was just barely spilling onto the front porch, but it was light enough that I could see Daya standing at the door. She was still weari
ng her pajamas and slippers.
Before I had a chance to unlatch the screen door for her, Daya practically yanked it off the hinges trying to get it open.
“There’s something wrong with Max. Brian was driving by the Parker’s house a while ago and saw the ambulance taking someone away. I just know its Max!” Daya’s eyes were bright with fear.
“I tried calling you but you wouldn’t pick up,” she added, still fighting for breath.
“I was asleep,” I told her. Really I wasn’t too sure that I wasn’t still sleeping.
It wasn’t until I heard Brian rev the engine of his truck that I realized he was parked out front.
“If you’re going to the hospital, I’ll meet you there,” I told her. “I just have to get my purse and lockup.”
“Okay,” Daya said, as she was running back to Brian’s truck.
I briefly thought about calling Mrs. Parker, but decided against it. If something was wrong with Max, answering calls was probably the last thing Max’s mom would feel like doing.
* * *
The sliding glass doors opened automatically when I approached the Emergency Room entrance at Cookson Regional Hospital.
Daya was already there and pacing the floor. “I never got the chance to go see him. I meant to, but …” Her words faded away.
I knew Daya well enough to know that right now she was beating herself up, and realizing how hollow her excuses might sound.
“Is he …?” I couldn’t even bring myself to finish the sentence.
Daya shook her head. “He has gone into a coma again. His mom is with him now.”
A coma wasn’t good, but at least he was still alive. Something would have to be done, and soon. The way it was looking, I might be Max’s only hope.
If I couldn’t find a way to reverse the damage caused by the Rush, Max might be lost to me forever. That was a possibility I didn’t even want to consider. Losing my parents was bad enough. No way did I want to lose my best friend too.
I stuck around the hospital for another hour, waiting for Mrs. Parker to give us an update on Max’s condition.
When Dora Parker finally made an appearance, I was shocked at how worn she appeared. Although her face had always been a little thin and pale, it was twice as bad now. The dark circles beneath her eyes made her look more like the walking dead, than Max’s mom.
“You girls might as well go home. They’ve stabilized him … but he’s in bad shape,” Dora finished with a loud sob. Bringing her thin - shaking hands up to cover her face, she began weeping.
I put an arm around her shoulders. “If there’s anything I can do to help, just call. Day or night … it doesn’t matter.”
“Thank you,” she said, pulling her hands away from her tear-swollen eyes. “And thank you for being such a good friend to Max all these years.”
I shook my head. “It is I that should thank Max. No one could ever ask for a better friend.”
Before leaving, I gave Mrs. Parker and Daya a hug. Never again would I take my friends for granted. You just never knew when or if you’d ever see them again.
Chapter Ten
I had to help Max, but the question was how?
How could I help him without coming right out and asking Mrs. Parker if her son was human, or something else. That just didn’t seem like a good idea at the moment.
I could not help but ponder how that conversation might go.
First she’d probably be shocked I was even asking such a thing; then she might go into hysterics. If I were lucky, security would throw me out without going through the trouble of having me arrested for harassing a grieving mother.
I believed the only way to help Max was to go to the source. If anyone would know about Rush, it would probably be those who produced it.
But who was that?
Since vampires were the intended consumer, it seemed only logical that vampires would know where to get it.
Getting this information from Luke wasn’t an option. Even if he knew where to find these people, it was doubtful he’d tell me. The same was true for Marcus and Grace. I had a feeling if Marcus knew who was behind the Rush market, he’d take care of the problem himself.
That is what he’d told me anyway.
The only other vampire I’d met was Jonas, and he practically reeked of danger. I was aware of the risks, but at the same time, I was convinced he’d be someone who might know something about the Rush trade.
Although I had no clue where to find Jonas, Aaron might know. Talking with Aaron about this was best done during the day, when Grace and Marcus would have taken to their coffins, or whatever it was they slept in.
It was barely nine in the morning, so I figured it was still too early to pay Aaron a visit. On the bright side, it would give me some time to go home and get cleaned up. Not to mention, I still had two funerals to attend.
I sure did hate dealing with funerals. Of course no one liked them, but in Cookson Springs you didn’t miss someone’s funeral, even if they were just a passing acquaintance. You might not be invited to anything for a decade or more if you didn’t at least pay your respects to the deceased, in one fashion or another.
The threat of becoming an outcast wasn’t the reason I was going. I liked both Johnny and Jaycee, but dealing with a gloomy funeral was the last thing I wanted to do at the moment, especially with Max being so close to death.
* * *
I found the door to Club Crimson locked, but I let myself in with the key Aaron had given me. The interior of the club was dark, even a little creepy. All the chairs were turned upside down and placed on top of the tables. The only light in the room came from the emergency backup lighting, and that wasn’t much.
It was difficult to believe that a place that felt so empty and abandoned, would be completely transformed in just a few hours. Once the crowds started pouring in, there would be lots of loud music and strippers would take to the stage to heat the clientele. If they could get the crowd buzzing, that meant selling more drinks, and bigger tips.
Marcus knew how to run this type of business for sure.
Club Crimson was certainly not the type of establishment that should be popular in this part of the country, but they seemed to be doing very well.
“Aaron … where are you?” I called out, but not too loudly.
“Back here.”
His voice seemed to be coming from the room where he kept his game system. Sure enough, I found him sitting crossed legged on the floor in front of the TV. He barely gave me a glance.
Apparently, looking away from the screen was too risky when one was driving at well over a hundred miles an hour.
“Hey. How’s it going?” I asked.
“Same old thing. Marcus won’t be around for a while,” he informed me.
“Yeah I know, but I didn’t come here to see Marcus. Truth is, I wanted to talk to you.”
That seemed to catch his attention, spurring him to look away from his game briefly. “Oh yeah? What about?”
“Where can I find Jonas?” I asked, fully expecting the reaction I received.
Aaron laid the game paddle down and looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “Well that was random. Why would you want to find him? He’s trouble, even worse than Marcus. Jonas won’t respect that you belong to someone else, and he isn’t known for being gentle … if you know what I mean,” he added.
“No, I get that,” I replied with a smile. “That’s not what I want him for. I wanted to talk to him about something.”
“Jonas isn’t the talking type,” Aaron snorted.
It didn’t appear as if I would be getting a lot of cooperation out of Aaron, unless I gave him more information. I told him what I knew about the Rush, hoping he would be on my side.
“Well you could be onto something with Jonas,” he told me. “I’ve always suspected he might be pushing.”
“And if he is … he has to know who is manufacturing the Rush.”
“That’s a good bet, but you won’t get
anything out of him. But you can be sure he’ll be taking what he wants from you,” he warned.
“I have to try,” I said with a shrug. “Maybe you can help me? Where does he sleep?”
“There’s a safe house in Stilwell. I heard that’s where he spends his days. You don’t want to go there though. A lot of those bloodsuckers might be Rush addicts, and they’re nesters. Those type are a little rough around the edges … and dangerous,” he warned.
“You could go with me,” I suggested. “Grace won’t miss you, if you’re only gone for a spell.”
Giving me a sideward glance, he shook his head. “I have to get ready to open tonight.”
“Oh come on! Doesn’t anyone else work here?”
“Well yeah, but they don’t know what to do to prepare for Marcus and Grace’s waking. They’ll be grouchy if they don’t have something to feed on.”
Putting my hands on my hips, I stared him down. “Don’t be such a wimp Aaron. You need to assert your independence. It is no wonder Grace treats you like a blood bag. I’m sure a couple of very old vampires like Marcus and Grace, can manage a blood bag and the microwave.”
He still looked unsure, which told me I needed to do some more talking. “Come on. We’ll get there before dark, talk to him, and get right back here.”
Sighing, he got to his feet. “You know this is a really stupid idea, don’t you?”
“More than likely, but I wasn’t exactly a straight A student in school … so I have an excuse for messing up here and there.”
He grumbled something I couldn’t understand, though he was making his way around the couch.
“Well you have a bit of fire in you yet.” I smiled.
He gave me an ornery scowl. “I’m guessing we are taking your car?”
* * *
When I saw the so-called safe house, I couldn’t help but wonder just how safe it was, at least for humans. There were definitely some doubts running through my head, but I’d come prepared.
Aaron brought along some vervain water he kept stashed in one of the back rooms at Crimson. It was meant to control any problem vamps. Useful if Marcus and Grace happened to be absent.
Crimson Rush A Vampire Romance (Crimson Book 1) Page 10