Slade (Venom Series) Book Two

by Kristen Middleton

  “Well, thank goodness for Slade and Melody rescuing me,” I said, surprising even myself. But, I couldn’t deny the fact that if it wasn’t for Slade, I’d probably be dead, too.

  Surprised, Slade looked back at me in the rearview mirror.

  I laughed nervously. “Uh, by the way, thanks, Slade. I don’t know if I’ve actually said the words…”

  “It’s not a problem,” he answered, his eyes smiling.

  Liam reached over and patted Slade on the shoulder. “Slade lives to rescue damsels in distress. He’s always trying to protect them from monsters and lecherous dogs like me. Right, Slade?”

  Slade chuckled. “But you still manage to get your paws on them.”

  “What can I say – they can’t seem to refuse my biscuits. And I do have the largest bone on the block.”

  I rolled my eyes but laughed in spite of myself.

  “How long have you two known each other?” asked Melody, also smiling.

  We learned that they’d been friends for the last decade, although Slade had only joined their band three years ago.

  “Were you always a singer?” I asked him.

  “Me? No,” replied Slade. He explained that he he’d been visiting Liam’s castle, where they’d been practicing, when the previous singer, Alto, had gotten upset about one of the songs and had stormed out. Liam, on a whim, talked Slade into rehearsing the same song with them. He’d been good. Really good. Better than Alto.

  “Wow, it was that easy?” I asked.

  “There wasn’t anything easy about it, actually. He certainly didn’t want to get on stage and perform in front of anyone,” said Liam. “Not at first, anyway.”

  “Why?” I asked. “Where you afraid of being in front of a crowd?”

  “That wasn’t it. I guess back then I thought it was pointless and a little… immoral,” said Slade. “A group of immortals throwing concerts and touring.”

  “Why?” asked Melody. “Why would you think it was immoral?”

  “Because of our powers. We could charm our audience if we wanted to. Take anything we wanted from them.”

  “But I explained that it wasn’t what we were about. It was about the music,” said Liam. “Sharing it with others and fitting in. I mean, hell, we’re a good band. It just took Slade some time to figure things out. Especially how therapeutic being on stage could be.”

  “It’s therapeutic? How so?” I asked.

  “On stage, we’re just a group of guys doing what we enjoy and sharing it with others,” said Slade quietly. “Not… monsters.”

  We were all silent for a minute, and then I asked, “Do you enjoy singing?”

  His eyes met mine. “What do you think?”

  Remembering the way he’d performed on stage, it was obvious. Nobody could put that much heart and emotion into the lyrics without truly enjoying it.

  “I think Slade just does it for the chicks,” joked Liam.

  Slade frowned. “You of all people know that’s a crock of shit.”

  Liam laughed and winked at me. “He hates it when I goad him about it. To be honest, Slade is probably the only sex-deprived musician in the world who would kick a fan out of his bed, no matter what they offered.”

  Sex deprived?

  Slade?

  It seemed ludicrous. Sure, he was a vampire, but he was also handsome and sexy as hell. Girls had to be throwing themselves at him constantly. Even vampire girls.

  “Enough about my sex life,” said Slade firmly. “In fact, enough about sex. Isn’t there anything else you like talking about, Liam?”

  Liam grinned. “You really do need to get laid. You’re all wound up.”

  “And you need to be a little more wound up,” he answered. “Your mind is always in the gutter.”

  “I have a question,” said Melody. “I’m just curious, were you born a lycan, Liam?”

  “Yes,” replied Liam. “Most of us are.”

  “But not all of you?” she asked.

  “I’ve heard mention that there are ways to make a mortal a lycan. I’ve never seen it done, however. But… I’ve heard the rumors.”

  “Huh… interesting. Um, could you impregnate a mortal with a lycan baby?” asked Melody.

  Slade’s eyebrow arched and he glanced over at Liam.

  Liam smiled wickedly. “Why, I’m not sure, darlin’. Would you like to put it to the test?”

  Her face turned scarlet, which surprised me. “Ha, funny. No, I was just curious. I mean, if it was possible, would they even survive in the womb?”

  “It’s a good question,” I said, and then added. “From a medical standpoint, that is.”

  “Well, I’d be happy to volunteer myself for that kind of experimentation, as long as I’m the one doing the poking,” said Liam.

  Melody and I both laughed. I had to admit, even though he was a major flirt and cocky, there was something about him that put me at ease, which was odd since I knew what he really was and what he was capable of. But, I didn’t care. Liam was a breath of fresh air.

  “SO, ENOUGH ABOUT me… are either of you in college?” he asked. We’d just pulled up to a small mini-mall in Shorewood, Montana.

  “Yes,” I replied, as Slade parked in front of a sporting goods-slash-dollar store. “I mean, I was going to U.M.T.”

  “As in the University of Montana?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “For what?” asked Liam, watching an attractive blond stroll by as she talked on her cell phone. She was dressed in a white blouse, beige skirt, and pumps. He blew her a kiss and she waved at him.

  “I’d planned on becoming a Forensic Investigator one day,” I said, also staring after the woman as she entered a coffee shop at the end of the mall.

  “Forensic Investigator. Huh. I’m sure that takes a while. Probably spend a decade in school, huh?” he asked.

  “Something like that,” I answered.

  “And you don’t mind? You mortals have a limited supply of years. I can’t imagine spending that many of them in school,” he replied.

  I smiled. “I know. But, in the end, it would have been worth it.”

  “Why do you say ‘would have’?” asked Slade.

  “Obviously, you know why,” I replied.

  “Don’t give up your dreams because of all of this,” he said, meeting my eyes in the mirror. “I mean, it may seem like nothing else matters at the moment, but things will get better.”

  I looked away. “It’s a little late for that. My dreams included my parents. Their support and… hell… just them being in my life.”

  “They wouldn’t want you to give up. You said so yourself,” said Slade.

  I shrugged. “I know.”

  “What about you, Melody?” asked Liam.

  She sighed. “I was planning on enrolling in Beauty School next spring.”

  “I’m sure there are quite a few Beauty Schools in Ireland,” said Liam. “You could always enroll there.”

  “Yeah, maybe,” she answered as we got out of the car and headed toward the store. “I guess it’s something to think about.”

  Liam reached the door first and opened it for us. “Just like Slade said, it’s not the end of the world. It probably seems that way now, but don’t give up,” he said in a low voice. “Everything happens for a reason.”

  “The reason was a bitch named Faye Dunbar,” I mumbled as I walked past him.

  “Don’t worry,” he answered. “She’ll get hers someday.”

  “I hope so,” I said.

  We began looking around the store, which was lacking customers but not ‘dollar deals’. Unfortunately, most of the discounted items were things we didn’t need, like pot-holders and acrylic figurines.

  “Grandma would love this place,” said Melody, picking up a bracelet with little birds painted on it.

  I smiled sadly and nodded, too choked up to answer.

  “Can I help you?” asked a clerk, walking by.

  “We’re looking for your clothing department,”
said Slade.

  The girl’s face lit up as she noticed him. “Are you… that singer?”

  “Good God, you don’t want to hear him sing,” joked Liam. “He’s definitely not who you think he is.”

  She looked disappointed. “Oh. Okay. Well, check back there,” she said, pointing toward the other side of the store.

  We walked over and started looking around. Most of the items consisted of fishing, hunting, and camping gear.

  “Here we go,” said Melody, locating a smaller section offering female apparel.

  “Get what you need,” reminded Slade, picking up a pair of binoculars.

  “Okay,” we replied in unison.

  Both of us selected a variety of T-shirts, cotton pants, boxers, and sports bras.

  “Check it out, camouflage panties,” said Melody, holding up a pair of green and pink ones. “You definitely need these.”

  I flipped her off but grabbed them anyway and kept looking around. “Do you think Slade will mind that we’re getting all of this?” I said out loud, my back to Melody.

  “Not at all,” replied a masculine voice near my ear.

  I turned around and found Slade standing uncomfortably close. Close enough to smell that candy smell he generated. I took a step back and smiled. “Oh, good. Thank you. It feels weird having you buy all of these things for us, I have to admit.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Buy whatever you want,” he said, picking up a camouflaged tank top. He looked at my chest and the side of his lip curled up. “Get this, too. It will look good.”

  My cheeks turned pink. “That’s okay. I really don’t think that I’ll need it.”

  “Use it for pajamas. Here,” he picked up a pair of pink cotton shorts that were lying in a pile nearby. “These look comfortable and seem to be about your size. Wear them together.”

  “Good eye,” I replied, accepting them. “They are my size.” Our fingers touched and I pulled my hand back quickly. “Um, thanks again.”

  He grinned again. “It’s the least I can do.”

  “Could we get these too?” called Melody, rounding the corner of a nearby aisle. She was holding two backpacks. “We can carry our stuff inside.”

  “Sure. Anything else?” he asked, gazing around the store.

  “Well, I’m sure I speak for both of us when I say we should get bathroom supplies. Like toothpaste, brushes, deodorant. You know, the usual stuff?” replied Melody.

  “Yeah. Good idea. It looks like this place is more of a sporting goods store, though,” he said. “If you can’t find what you need, I’m sure we can stop at a drug store”.”

  “Cool. We’ll go look,” she said and turned to me. “Which backpack would you like?”

  “I don’t care,” I answered. They were identical except for the colors – one green and one blue.

  “Take the blue one,” she said, handing it to me.

  “Thanks.”

  “I’ll go and find Liam while you’re looking around,” said Slade, walking toward the hunting section.

  “So, what do you think of him?” asked Melody, as we walked through the store.

  “Slade? He’s okay,” I replied, following her. “I guess he’s growing on me.”

  “No, I mean Liam,” she answered, looking back at me.

  “He’s nice.”

  “Yeah, he’s very nice,” she replied. “Very sexy.”

  “I should have known. Mel, don’t forget, he is part animal,” I reminded her. “It would never work.”

  “All men are animals in one way or another,” she replied, grinning. “At least he can control it.”

  “So he says.” I smiled and shook my head. “I’d really not go there if I were you. Remember, he’s also a musician. Both are reasons to stay clear.”

  “I know… it’s just… he’s so funny and good looking.” She bit her lower lip. “Mm… I just want to eat him up.”

  “Watch it, Melody, he may feel the same way about you,” I teased.

  She snorted. “I know, right?”

  “I can’t even believe I’m actually having this conversation with you. Just yesterday you were telling me that you and Slade were soul-mates. Now, you’re drooling over Liam?”

  She looked over my head and then pulled me closer. “I know, but Slade is kind of creepy. He actually makes me nervous,” she replied in a low voice.

  “Well, he should. He’s a vampire. And Liam is a lycan. They’re both dangerous.”

  “I don’t know if they’re dangerous to us. And… Liam is different,” she insisted. “I can just feel it.”

  I also felt more comfortable around Liam, but I didn’t want to admit it to her. It would only encourage her feelings. “You’ve only known him for a couple of hours. Plus, he’s basically admitted that he is a man-whore.”

  “I know, but I really think it’s all an act.”

  I smirked. “An act?”

  “Yes. Most guys that are players don’t ever usually admit to it. Not around girls, that is.”

  “He’s not most guys.”

  “No, he’s not. In fact, he makes me feel… I don’t know… giddy? Nobody has ever had that effect on me before.”

  “Right, you’ve never had a crush on anyone?” I asked dryly. “Never felt giddy with any of those guys you dated in high school?”

  “Those were just boys.” She sighed dreamily. “Liam is a man.”

  “Yeah. A man who sometimes walks on all fours and barks at the moon.”

  She frowned. “I guess I expected that kind of reaction from you.”

  “I can’t believe you’re seriously considering what you’re considering,” I said, ignoring her comment.

  “Just forget about it,” mumbled Melody, walking away.

  Groaning, I caught up to her. “Hey… I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

  She was quiet for a few seconds. “Look, I think we’ve both realized that life is filled with a lot of pain. There’s no getting around it. But, I’m not going to put a wall between myself and a guy I’m attracted to, just because there’s a chance he might disappoint me.”

  “Yeah, but –”

  “I’m just saying he’s cute and I wouldn’t mind getting to know him. You’re acting like we’re going to run off into the sunset or something.”

  I smiled. “Or into the light of the moon.”

  Melody snorted. “Well, whatever. You know what I mean.”

  I sighed. “Just, be wary, okay? He may look and sound like a typical guy, but we both know that there’s a beast lurking somewhere deep within.”

  She laughed. “You sound like you’re narrating one of those movie trailers.”

  I looked past her and saw Slade and Liam walking toward us. I had to admit – human or not, both were definitely heart-stopping. Liam, with his muscles, chiseled face, and longish blond hair, and Slade, with his intense eyes, cat-like grace, and sensual smile. Both of them were… bait. Very strong bait.

  “You find everything you need?” asked Slade, stopping next to me.

  “I guess we didn’t,” I said, knowing that we hadn’t focused on the toiletries.

  “They were obviously talking about us,” said Liam with a smug grin. “And forgot about everything else. Who can blame them?”

  “Yep. You caught us,” I answered dryly. “We were lost without your manly presence. Now that you’re here, we can continue our search for tampons and hair remover gel.”

  Liam’s smile dropped. “I’ll meet you guys outside. Is that cool, Slade?”

  “I guess so,” he answered, shoving his hands into his jean pockets, looking less than enthused himself.

  I smiled. Even these guys were uncomfortable around women’s personal hygiene products.

  “Great. Hurry up, I’m so hungry, I might have to start digging through the dumpsters for leftover food,” he said, handing Slade a couple of T-shirts and a pair of jeans. “Can you buy these? I’ll pay you back. I lost my wallet at Club Nightshade.”

  “Y
ou call in your cards as lost?” asked Slade.

  He grunted. “Hell no. It’s not like I keep the phone numbers on hand. I’m sure some asshole is racking up charges as we speak,” he said, walking away. “I’ll just take care of it when we get back home.”

  “We’ll be out in a minute,” answered Slade.

  Melody cleared her throat. “Uh, can you take this stuff, Chelsey? I’m getting a little lightheaded in here. Not sure why. I’ll just wait outside with Liam.”

  Before I could protest, I was holding her pile of clothes and the other backpack. “But, I don’t know what you want me to get for you? Shampoo? Mousse?”

  “Get whatever you like,” she answered, chasing after Liam.

  “Here, let me take some of that,” said Slade, grabbing most of Melody’s clothes.

  “Thanks.”

  I began walking through the store, with him following closely behind. There was definitely an awkward silence between us. It made me move faster.

  “I don’t think they have anything else you’re looking for,” he said, as we rounded another aisle.

  “I think you’re right,” I said, now walking toward the check-out lanes. “So, you wouldn’t mind stopping at a drug store later?”

  “It’s not a problem.”

  When we got to a register, the cashier, a girl about my age, sucked in her breath. “Oh, my God, are you Slade? That singer from Venom?”

  He pulled out his wallet. “I wish. I get mistaken for him all the time.”

  Her shoulders slumped and she sighed. “I bet. You look just like him. I doubt you’d be in this town, though. If you were him.” She looked at me and I could tell from her expression, that she was also thinking – or with her…

  “Right,” he said as she began to ring us up. When she gave him the total, he handed her his credit card.

  She looked at it and her forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Slade Lazar? Isn’t that..?”

  “Yeah, I know,” he answered.

  “I don’t understand,” she said, looking at him.

  “You don’t need to,” he replied, locking eyes with her hers. “Charge the card and ignore the name on it. As far as you’re concerned, my name is Sam Adams.”

  “Sam Adams,” she answered in a breathy voice, her eyes dilated.

  “Sam Adams,” he repeated.