“The blue and brown is real, an inherited trait,” Aiden said, answering her unasked question about his eyes. “What type of mystery are you looking for, my darling Kate?”
He leaned in closer, his thumb stroking the palm of her hand he held. His hard thigh pressed into her bare flesh where her dress had slid to an almost indecent height. A part of her wanted to back away, yet she swayed closer to him, closing her eyes. White-hot desire flooded her veins. Closing her eyes intensified the effects of his scent, a potent drug that caused her muscles to relax even as her nerves strummed with awakening lust.
Aiden drew even closer as he brushed her hair back with his free hand. The rough pad of his thumb still traced never-ending circles on her palm. His lips touched the outer curve of her earlobe, and his breath was rich with that overpowering, spicy aroma. Just as she was robbed of all conscience thought, she heard his whispered words.
“Perhaps, my darling Kate, we should continue this at my place.”
Chapter 3
Aiden hadn’t used his vampiric attraction on a human woman in a very long time, yet it flowed from him as easily and naturally as breathing. Vampires used a human’s sex drive against their prey, drawing them in and rendering them paralyzed. Their aroma acted as a powerful narcotic, and they had the ability to intensify their scent.
Kate lay upon the chaise lounge in his quarters, her curvy, toned physique outlined by the cut of the dress and the thin, clingy gray silk draping her form. Aiden’s predatory instincts thrilled at the sight of his victim so close and available.
He paced back and forth across the room as he tried to force his feeding drive into control. The hunt had aroused his senses and stimulated him in a way he hadn’t expected. Donor blood kept him alive, but fresh, living blood straight from the source had no comparison. It was what the virus within him craved; why it had evolved so perfectly and efficiently to get the blood that was needed to survive.
Kate’s beating heart rang in his ears, and her human odor filled his nostrils, until he thought his heart would explode beneath his restraint. Aiden ran his tongue over his sharp canines which had extended with his desire.
Slowly, he reined himself into control. Walking amongst humans on a daily basis was an easy experience, but once vampires stalked a human, instinct took over. Aiden walked to where Kate was lying, and his gaze traveled the length of her still body. Something inside him began to replace the feeding drive, something he hadn’t felt for a human woman in centuries.
She had the tight, muscular legs of a runner. He let his gaze travel up to the curve of her hips, the clingy fabric outlining her hip bones and the subtle convex curve of her lower stomach. Farther up the low dip of the dress had fallen open to expose the inside of one full breast; the beige shadow of a nipple was just showing.
Aiden sucked in a breath. Fire flared within his loins, and his cock hardened to a painful level. Shocked at the intensity of the desire, he stepped back from the woman. Deidre amused him, attracted and distracted him. But neither she nor any woman or vampiress had affected him so strongly.
Kate muttered, shifting her legs up and over. Her dress pooled around her hips and exposed the tiny lace undergarment she wore. His gaze froze upon the scrap of sheer black fabric, and he could just make out a thatch of dark hair beneath.
Her scent changed from the potent human odor to something subtle yet unbelievably more tantalizing. It was a delicate, feminine fragrance that he could taste on the back of his tongue, causing his whole body to spasm. His body quivered uncontrollably, and Aiden did the only thing he could as carnal male lust consumed his senses.
He fled from the room.
* * * *
Kate’s head swam and her thoughts grappled for solid ground.
Where am I? She lay on a soft cushion, and as she opened her eyes her hazy vision focused on a room illuminated by natural light from a large window. She propped herself up on her elbows and gazed around the dusky room. Antique-looking furniture artfully filled the space, and one wall was dominated by a huge, gilded mirror. Kate closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to clear her muddied thoughts.
She had gone to Sang Rouge in the evening, but judging by the muted orange glow of light that streamed through the window the sun was rising. Or was it setting? She pushed up to a sitting position and rubbed her hands over her eyes. Kate felt a little motion sick with the movement, but she forced her legs to support her as she stood. She swayed and grabbed the back of the upholstered chaise lounge, blinking rapidly as its purple and green floral pattern blurred.
She’d met Remann’s twin brother, Aiden, and had joined him for a drink, though she couldn’t remember anything beyond sitting next to him on a small sofa.
“God, what did they slip into my drink?” she asked the empty room.
She held the side of her head and walked to the window. What had happened to her last night? Obviously she wasn’t in the club anymore. She pushed away the worry; she would follow any direction her search took her to find Melanie.
Outside, she realized the sun was rising over the waters of Lake Michigan after recognizing some landmarks far to the east. Reds and oranges filled the eastern sky, smearing the surface of the water with their vibrancy. She lost herself in the serenity of the moment before a knock on the door brought her abruptly around. She teetered as the gentle knock sounded again.
“Yes,” she said, then licked her dry lips.
The door opened and a tall figure entered through the shadows of the room. As he drew closer her gaze fixed on his odd-colored eyes. Even from a distance somehow she knew who the man was.
“Remann,” she said.
“Was that a guess or can you tell us apart so easily?” he asked, a broad smile crossing his face.
Kate hugged her arms against the chill of the room and wariness of the man in front of her. She shrugged.
“I have a fully stocked kitchen, and a pot of tea is brewing. I’ve never taken to coffee,” he said as he extended a hand to her.
She shrank back from it, and he dropped his arm to his side.
“I’m afraid my brother keeps his quarters a little too chilly for a young woman,” Remann said, his deep voice slightly accented exactly as Aiden’s.
Kate didn’t feel that same drunkenness as she had with Remann’s twin, and her confidence began returning. She squared her shoulders as Remann walked to a bureau sitting against a far wall. He pulled out a delicately knit shawl and returned to drape it over her shoulders.
“I apologize for Aiden’s rudeness at leaving you like this,” Remann said as she hugged the soft, silvery yarn against her cool flesh. His gaze lingered on her face. “The color matches your eyes beautifully.”
“Is he here?” she asked, frowning at the unexpected hopeful tone in her voice.
Remann chuckled, breaking his eyes away from her own. “Isn’t it enough that we look alike? We’re basically clones of one another.”
Kate didn’t answer. Raising his hands in defeat, he led her through the house.
She tried to look casual as she searched every nook and cranny for signs of Melanie. Remann’s scent filled her nostrils, a potent musk mixed with a curious, spicy fragrance that tickled her senses. Not exactly the same as Aiden’s, yet heady in its own way. She remained focused as she glanced into each room they passed.
The home was positively huge with tall, arched doorways framed with dark, polished wood. Rooms stood with doors opened, each filled with priceless-looking pieces of furniture and paintings. Kate didn’t know much about old things, but she recognized real quality.
They emerged from the long hallway into a spacious, open area with an impossibly high ceiling. Her jaw dropped as she craned her head back to study the gleaming, golden tiles covering the ceiling. She twirled a lock of hair around her fingers as she studied the etchings decorating each tile. Kate could just make out cherubs and strange carved creatures.
A massive crystal chandelier, at least fifteen feet across, hung from the
ceiling in the middle of the room. Its sparkle caught the golden glow of the tiles, mixing it with the reds and oranges of the sunlight streaming through the large windows that made up one wall. Millions of mystical lights filled the room, dancing across the walls, ceiling, and floors of polished, dark cherry.
“It’s incredible,” she whispered.
“Yes,” Remann said as his eyes studied her awestruck face. “Sometimes I forget what true beauty is…” His voice trailed off.
Kate spun in place as her eyes devoured all the magical details of the foyer.
* * * *
After leaving Kate, Aiden had received a phone call from Deidre. He drove to her home. As always, she was happy to see him and made her usual advances. He pushed the vampiress away, much to her confusion.
“What’s the matter, gorgeous?” she asked, her pale brows knitting together. She placed her fingers on her hips, waiting for an explanation.
He waved a hand dismissively. “It’s nothing. What was the message you wanted to give me?”
“Hmm, okay. Well, I’ve heard through the grapevine that we may have a Dissenter in our midst,” she said as she took a seat on the white sectional sofa in her living room.
She watched curiously as Aiden paced the floor, his hands laced together behind his back. As Aiden’s Contact, Deidre’s job in Terminus was to keep up with Dissenter activity and pass it on to her Hunters. Aiden, of course, was her favorite.
She smoothed her blonde bob before she continued. “A body was found mauled pretty badly. A fellow vampire found the man, and he told the authorities he’d seen a large dog do the damage.”
Aiden stood in the middle of the living room, stroking the rough stubble of beard growth on his face. The home had the familiar smell of vanilla and sandalwood, and outside in the city a horn blared loudly.
“What did he see?” Aiden asked.
She pulled a ottoman over to her and placed her bare feet and long legs upon it. Dressed only in a short, pale pink, silk caftan she was the image of lounging sexuality. Behind the sectional was a blown-up photo of the Playboy shot of Marilyn Monroe lying naked in bed.
Deidre straightened the hem of the sheer robe as she answered, “A tall, thin, young woman with dark hair, he thought in her late teens or early twenties. He didn’t get to the scene in time to help the victim.”
“Okay, can I get to the body?”
“Sure, John just left. He’s the coroner on duty today.” She gave him a sweet smile, and Aiden nodded.
Deidre had a collection of lovers, both vampires and vampiresses, John included, which didn’t create any ill feelings within Aiden. Having been trained in the seductive arts as a teenager, she’d spent several years as a favored courtesan before being changed. Puritan ideas and restraints of sex were strange concepts to her, which Aiden appreciated.
Aiden left Deidre’s home and drove his Mercedes to the morgue where the body was located. A short, portly, balding man greeted him warmly when he walked through the door.
“I hear you have a body for me,” Aiden said as he shook the vampire’s hand.
“Yes, come in, come in,” John said in his usual cheerful, open manner as he led him into the next room.
John’s sunny disposition was a harsh juxtaposition to the stark, white walls and gleaming, silver slab tables that filled the autopsy room. They walked to a row of coolers, and he opened a small, low door. The rollers of the table squeaked then made a loud hiss as he pulled the body out.
“Quite a shame, yes, quite a shame,” John said, shaking his head. “He was a vagrant, but certainly didn’t deserve to go like this. We’re searching for family now.”
Aiden stared at the body dispassionately, having viewed this scene many times before. He searched for clues beyond the jagged tears in the man’s throat where greedy, unpracticed canines had torn into the flesh.
Closing his eyes, he focused on the odor coming off the body. Disinfectant hung heavily in the air, with the smell of death and bodily fluids nearly as strong. The victim hadn’t bathed in some time, and Aiden searched through the thick, soured fragrance of bad personal hygiene. It was there, the slight piquant scent he was looking for, and he committed it to memory.
“Thank you, John,” Aiden said.
John gave him a hard pat on the back. “No problem. I’ll let you know if anything turns up in autopsy.”
* * * *
Kate sat on a tall stool in the gourmet kitchen, nursing a tepid cup of Earl Grey tea. The pungent flavor of the tea mixed with the sweet taste of the honey she’d used to sweeten the drink.
Where are you, Melanie? She looked around the well-equipped kitchen. Not a soul had stirred since Remann had served her tea before leaving. He’d told Kate to make herself at home, and to stay or leave at her choosing. An attractive, perfect gentleman and host, he was too good to be true. And there are two of him.
Kate placed her forehead in the hand propped against the granite island top in the middle of the kitchen. She clutched the shawl around her shoulders. Shining, stainless steel appliances filled the state-of-the-art kitchen. The scent of fresh baked bread filled the air, though she didn’t see any around. Kate had yet to see any blood drinking, much to her relief. She could only imagine the orgy Remann had had with his entourage.
“What did you get yourself into, Melly?” she said to her now cold cup of tea.
She studied the sediments that had settled at the bottom of the china cup as she formed her next plan of action. She decided to do a little exploring through the old mansion. Perhaps her sister had left something behind Kate would recognize. Her stomach growled loudly, echoing in the empty kitchen. Despite her lack of appetite, she eyed a platter of pastries sitting at the end of the island.
“Well, you need to eat something, Kate,” she said as she chose a light pastry with a gooey red center.
She sank her teeth into the sweet treat, marveling at the way it melted over her tongue.
“Wow,” she said over the mouthful. It could have been baked by a skilled French chef that very morning.
“I see you enjoy my brother’s cooking,” a deep male voice said from behind her.
Startled, she turned around as the morsel in her mouth went down the wrong pipe. Kate choked as she tried to suck a breath around the lodged pastry.
In a blur of movement, Aiden was at her side and slapped her hard on the back. Kate gagged and gripped at her throat as muscular arms encircled her waist to apply the Heimlich maneuver. She coughed and sucked down grateful gulps of air as the food dislodged. Ragged, hoarse coughs wracked her body, and tears filled her eyes.
“Here, drink this.”
Kate accepted the offered glass of water, and she sipped it to soothe her raw throat.
“Thank you, Aiden,” she said as she peered into his concerned gaze through her watering eyes. A dark eyebrow rose in surprise as she relaxed back into the counter, clutching the shawl around her once more.
“You can tell us apart rather easily.” A slight smile tugged the corners of his lips.
Kate shrugged. “You’re two different people.”
Aiden regarded her for several seconds. “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?”
“No, I’m fine,” she said before she sipped the water again.
“I’ll have to let Remann know his cooking nearly killed someone,” Aiden said, still grinning.
She met his odd eyes, which crinkled at the corners. Aiden’s heady scent filled her head, and the same sensations she’d experienced the night before began. Her flesh tingled and her thoughts began to swirl.
Kate stepped away, trying to focus on the scent of baked bread. He handed her a dampened dish towel, and she swiped it over her face, suddenly self-conscience about her appearance.
“I know I’m a mess,” she said as she looked at her reflection in the stainless steel doors on the refrigerator. She could see mascara and eyeliner smeared down her cheeks. Her hair was a ratty, tangled mess.
“I’ve seen worse i
n the mornings,” he said, his eyes losing some of their humor.
Kate scrubbed harder at the makeup darkening her cheeks.
A trendy rock song filled the kitchen, and Kate’s gaze darted around as she recognized the ringtone on her cellphone.
“Here.” Aiden held out her clutch. “You left it behind last night.”
She took the purse and snatched out her cellphone. “Hello.”
Kate’s heart constricted and she was caught between horror and disbelief as she listened to the caller. Nausea welled up within her and she covered her mouth with her hand.
“Oh my God, was anyone hurt?” she asked, her gaze flying up to Aiden’s.
His brows knit together.
“I’m glad everyone is okay.” She ended the call, and her shoulders slumped.
How is this possible? How much bad luck can one woman take?
“There was a fire in my apartment building. I lost everything,” she said numbly, pinching the bridge of her nose. She felt woozy and wondered how she was going to handle this on top of everything else.
“I am so sorry, Kate. Really, I am truly sorry. Your insurance should cover your losses,” Aiden said as he took a step in her direction.
“I was stupid and didn’t take any out. I’m homeless.”
The stress of the last few days came crashing down over her. Melanie’s disappearance followed by this apparent dead-end lead. Add the strange way Aiden made her feel just being in the same room with her, and it was all too much. Her legs began to shake, and she sank to the floor as sobs tore from her raw throat.
“They’re just replaceable possessions, my darling,” Aiden said, coming to her side.
He sat on the stone-tiled floor next to her. After hesitating for a moment, he pulled her into his lap. She cried harder; her whole body convulsed with the effort. Aiden hugged her tightly and rocked her gently from side to side.
“My darling, lovely Kate, it’ll be all right.” He stroked the tangled hair from her face, then used the end of the shawl to dry her tear-stained cheeks. She sniffed loudly, and he picked the damp dishcloth up off the floor and stroked it down her cheeks.
Order of Terminus Page 6