He had been caught in limbo for far too long. Night after night, he hunted, and sometimes he killed, and for what? For her. He’d been waiting for her, and he hadn’t even known it. And, now that she was here, really here, he knew it as certainly as if it had been written in the sky.
“What about you, Lyric?” Jade carefully avoided her question, preferring to steer the conversation in another direction. “How does a young psychic girl grow up to become a burlesque performer? And, a damn good one at that.”
A blush colored her cheeks, and Jade grinned, loving it. He could sense the way her heart picked up speed, sending the blood crashing through her veins. His instincts instructed him to take her, to sink both his fangs and his cock deep inside her, to make her his in every way. Frustration quickly followed those sensations, washing them away in a waterfall of guilt and shame.
“Aw, you’re sweet.” Lyric swept a hand through her thick, glossy black mane. Her smile was shy, the timid side of her showing again. “I grew up doing ballet and jazz dancing. It just kind of, evolved over time. I turned eighteen and decided I wanted to explore a different side of dance, the art of the striptease really appealed to me. I was scared as hell the first time I danced burlesque, but it felt amazing. That was almost seven years ago.”
“You’re twenty-five?”
“Twenty-four actually, for a few more months.” She made a face when she said it, as if birthdays were the devil.
She was so young, so fragile still. Jade had no business getting involved with her, and he damn well knew it. Yet, here he was.
“And, your gifts?” He asked, curiosity getting the better of him. “Is that something you have always had?”
“My entire life.” She made an exasperated sound before laughing lightly. “It’s not so bad really, but it can get a little overwhelming when you have ghosts begging you for help or dreams about death and destruction.” She shrugged then and looked down at her plate. Jade didn’t miss the slight tremble of her lower lip.
He was dying to ask her what was wrong but feared crossing any personal boundaries. So, instead he said, “I imagine that must be hard. I’m afraid I can’t quite relate to that at all. My powers are very different.”
A fearful energy rolled off her, teasing and taunting Jade’s bloodlust. It was a hellish combination when paired with the physical desire he had for her. He was about to ask her if she would like another glass of wine when Lyric fixed her gaze on him. She was serious and solemn all of a sudden.
“I had a dream about you, a vision.” She didn’t pause to wait for his reaction. “It was very vague; they often are. But, you were in danger, you were hurt and … I can’t help but think that it was because of me.”
Jade was temporarily dumbstruck. The look on Lyric’s face was painful. She had this raw hurt in her eyes, as if tormented by her own words. She was dead serious; there was no doubting that.
“Are you sure?” Jade was wary. He didn’t know what to make of the dreams of a psychic, but he knew better than to dismiss them without thought.
She nodded, chewing her lower lip in a way that drew his attention and again had him aroused. “I don’t know any of the details, like where or when or anything else. I just know what I saw.” She repeated to him the short dream she’d had right after their first meeting. As she spoke, Jade was spellbound.
He pondered what she was saying. As far as he knew, he had little reason to fear any danger. Jade couldn’t even recall the last time he was truly afraid. Yet, he felt inclined to take her warning to heart, if only because it came from her.
“Don’t worry about me, Lyric. I trust your vision to be authentic, but many of those things can be altered before that time comes.” Lowering his voice, he boldly reached across the table to capture her hand in his. “If anything, I am the one that is a danger to you. You shouldn’t even be here with me.”
Her pie forgotten, Lyric glanced down at their joined hands. Jade had felt the tender flesh of many mortal women, yet none of them sent a shock through his system the way she did. It was confusing but, somehow, natural.
Lyric met his gaze, unflinching. “I feel safe with you, Jade. You may be a monster as far as definitions go, but you are not one without conscience.”
“I hunger for you.” The words spilled out of Jade’s mouth before he could think to censor them. Why was he telling her that? “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. It scares me because I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I don’t believe that you will.” She smiled at him with such trust and acceptance. If he’d been questioning the extent to which she felt their connection, he had just gotten an answer.
Could it really happen like this? Centuries had passed as the hole inside Jade continued to grow, and just like that, one day he finds her. He found the source of comfort that he hadn’t fully realized he’d been seeking. Was it too good to be true? Love often was.
As they talked further, Jade began to get the feeling that Lyric had been made for him. Presumptuous as it might be, he considered her to be his already. And, he would do whatever it took to keep it that way.
* * * *
As he ushered Charity through the doors of the small Italian restaurant, Taylor fanned himself with a hand. He’d been broken out in a cold sweat since they left their penthouse apartment. He shouldn’t have gone to Cry so soon after his last visit.
He couldn’t stop reliving the night in his head, though. It had been amazing. When Sadie had wanted to take blood from the inside of his thigh, he hadn’t said no. In fact, he’d gotten so turned on that he had exploded the moment she pierced his flesh with her teeth. The climax had been immediate, especially powerful considering she hadn’t even touched his cock. She hadn’t had to.
The rush of the experience was enough to tempt him back to Cry tonight. What lay downstairs, below the main floor, was an orgy to beat all others, a blood fest really. Beyond the heavy security doors was nothing but a sprawling room that invited one to lounge around.
Velvet and suede sofas provided ample space to enjoy oneself. Taylor couldn’t believe his luck when the vampiress had led him into the blood den. He’d been to Cry several times now but never down there. Both vampires and humans had been writhing like snakes all over one another, engaged in sex and bloodletting.
“Taylor?” Charity was studying him, her lips pursed in displeasure. He realized she was awaiting his response to a question. He’d merely followed her to a table and sat down. Taylor didn’t have a clue what she’d said.
“Yeah, baby? I’m sorry, I spaced out. What were you saying?” He smiled and glanced up at the waitress who hovered over them, a pen and notepad in hand.
Charity rolled her eyes and made little attempt to hide her look of disgust. “She’s waiting to take your order. What do you want?”
“Oh,” Taylor glanced at the menu that lay unopened before him. “Fettuccine Alfredo for me. And, a beer. Thanks.”
With a nod, the waitress turned on her heel and silently stalked away. Charity tapped out an annoying rhythm on the tabletop with her fingernails. He tried not to frown in response, knowing she’d notice immediately if he did. She’d been super bitchy all day, and he was tired of dealing with it. However, he knew he was partly to blame so he kept his mouth shut.
“So will you be staying home for the rest of the night?” She asked all of a sudden, and he knew that she was baiting him. “It’s been a while since we got cozy at home and watched movies. I miss it.” She put on her best pout, and Taylor’s eyes were drawn to her plum-colored lips.
“We can do whatever you want, baby.” Reaching to pat her hand, he stilled it beneath his own, silencing the noise her nails produced.
Charity seemed to consider him carefully, and he squirmed beneath the weight of her gaze. She looked suspicious. “Can we take a bubble bath with a bottle of wine like we used to?”
It was Taylor’s turn to take an analytical look at her. Her pale blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. Maybe he was imagining her su
spicion. She couldn’t possibly know anything about his little outings to the vampire bar.
“Of course.” Taylor’s mind raced. A bath was no good, not until his wound healed. It stung as he thought of it, bringing his mind back to Sadie. “We still have that fancy bubble bath I brought you from Paris.”
“I want to save that for a special occasion.”
Losing interest in the bath, she began to chatter on about their upcoming nuptials. He smiled and nodded as she went on about a trip to Italy for the honeymoon. His dick was hard, and in his mind, he saw the ginger-haired vampiress as she leaned in to kiss him, a chaste press of her cold lips to his. Oh Lord, how he had wanted to fuck her. If only she hadn’t given him an open invitation to keep coming back…
The waitress soon returned with their drinks and appetizer salads. Taylor encouraged Charity’s chatter by asking questions and making comments at the right moments. The cool sweat that had afflicted him got steadily worse, and he rubbed the back of his neck absently.
“Are you feeling alright, hun?” Charity paused, her fork held aloft. “You’re looking kind of pale.”
“Really?” Taylor slid his chair back and got to his feet. “I find it a tad hot in here. I’m just going to use the washroom. I’m fine; I’ll be quick.” He grinned to reassure her, but he wasn’t so sure himself.
When he reached the men’s room, he went straight for the sink. Splashing cold water on his face and neck did little to help. Staring at his reflection, Taylor noted that he did indeed look incredibly pale. His short, chocolate brown hair and brown eyes made his skin look all the whiter.
The bite on his leg itched and tingled so he went into a stall to take a look at it. It looked fine. In fact, it looked as if it was healing a lot faster than any other puncture would. When he grazed his fingertips over the wound, a jolt of pleasure shot to his groin. He half considered jacking off to ease the sudden need but dismissed the idea. Knowing Charity, she would come looking for him if he stayed away too long.
After washing his hands and running his fingers through his hair, he turned to exit the washroom. Taylor hadn’t really taken in his surroundings upon entering the restaurant. He’d been too caught up in the memory of being with the redheaded vampiress. As he headed toward his table, he casually glanced around, admiring the décor and the delicious looking meals on some of the tables he passed.
The strangest chill slipped down his spine, as if someone had just danced on his grave. Turning slightly to look behind him, Taylor tried to assess what was giving him the eerie sensation. The fine hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he bit back a small cry when his eyes landed on the couple seated on the far side of the room.
Taylor was almost beside himself as he took in the dark-haired man and his raven-tressed companion. He didn’t recognize the woman at all. But, the man! Those golden-rimmed eyes sparkled across the distance, and Taylor’s gut clenched. It was him. It had to be.
He stood dumbstruck, staring at the vampire he’d watched kill Lisa all those years ago. Here was the very creature that had changed everything for him, every belief, hope and dream. Taylor was stricken with as much horror and fear as he had been that night as he ran in terror through the darkened streets.
It made no sense, as the man he watched sat casually with a woman, leaning in with interest to hear what she had to say. Was she one of them, too, or just another meal to be had?
The blood drained from his face, and he felt faint. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Wishful thinking? No. That was him. There was no doubt in Taylor’s mind that he was the same vampire, the one Taylor had thought he would never see again.
When the people at the table closest to Taylor gave him a questioning look, he forced his feet into action and returned to his seat. His heart was pounding, and his hands were shaking. He couldn’t be mistaken. He would never forget that face.
The waitress had brought their food in his absence. Charity looked up from her plate and raised an eyebrow as she took in his appearance. “Taylor, I think you need to lay off the vampire hunting and start getting some sleep. You’re not looking so hot.”
A partition separated their side of the restaurant from the side where the vampire was. Taylor was dying to lay eyes on him again, but he managed to remain in his seat. “Yeah, I just need to get a night of good sleep,” he replied absently, his eyes staring at the partition as if willing it to disappear. “I told you. I’m fine.”
Charity eyed him but shrugged. “If you say so.”
She would never understand. Taylor knew that. He had told her about what had happened to his former flame, and for the most part, she seemed to believe him. However, something prevented him from mentioning it to her now. Fear that she would laugh at him or maybe that she would want to approach the vampire at his table to see for herself. All of the possible scenarios that played in Taylor’s mind had to be avoided.
Taylor began to eat despite his lack of appetite. All he could think about was being this close to the monster that he had been consumed by for years and being unable to do a damn thing about it.
His eyes continued to flick towards the restaurant exit. It was the only door so Taylor would see the vampire and his woman when they left. Then what would he do? Chase them out into the street? Ludicrous. If only Charity wasn’t here, then he could tail them. He felt bad for having the thought, but it was true. This might be the only chance that he would ever receive to get close to this vampire.
“Got a big date or something?” Charity asked, a humorless smile on her pretty face.
“Huh?” Taylor’s cheeks grew warm as he realized she had caught him spacing out again.
“Why are you staring at the door? In a big hurry to leave?” She sipped from a pale pink cocktail and frowned. “Let me guess. You’re thinking about the vampire bar that you’ve been visiting lately.”
Taylor felt as if she’d slapped him across the face. “What?” How the hell could she know about that?
Charity looked absolutely insulted. “Give me a break, Taylor. I cracked the password on your computer a year ago. Do you really take me for that much of an idiot?”
“Of course not!” Heat flooded Taylor as he grew angry. So, she’d been snooping in his files. That meant there wasn’t really anything that she didn’t know by now.
“Then, why are you still hiding things from me? I thought this was about being a team.”
They had both abandoned their forks now, staring intently across the table at each other. Taylor was in agony, resisting the urge to look towards the exit every time he heard the door chimes.
“We are a team, Charity, but you don’t believe half the shit I tell you. And honestly, I don’t think you really give a damn about any of this.” His voice rose as he spoke, and he had to concentrate on keeping his cool. He didn’t want to fight about this in a public place. It was bad enough at home.
Her blue eyes welled up, but she didn’t cry. Instead, she picked up her purse and stalked out of the restaurant. Taylor watched her go, his mouth agape. What was it with women? Shit! You can’t hide anything from them, but you can’t share either. Not without paying for it with your balls.
Leaping to his feet, Taylor pulled enough cash out of his wallet to cover the bill before rushing out after her. She was just closing the door to a cab when he emerged onto the street. Dammit! He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, watching the taxi drive off. He would have to come home with his tail between his legs this time for sure.
Taylor and Charity had been together for five years, engaged for two of them. It was only in this past year that things had begun to break down. She thought that he was too self-involved and obsessed with the supernatural, and he found her to be a nag that showed little interest in anything but shopping and talk shows.
She had been a law student until her father died, leaving her a load of cash. Taylor had worked as a security guard for a private company, making a decent living. After the inheritance came, they each had more time fo
r doing what they truly desired. They also had more time for bickering and driving each other crazy.
He turned to go back to the restaurant, to the parking lot where his car sat. He had almost passed the restaurant entrance when the door swung open and the knockout with the long black hair exited, followed closely by him, the vampire. Taylor almost stumbled to a halt as they brushed past, neither of them taking much notice of him.
Suddenly, his airway constricted, and he felt as if his breath caught in his throat. A hurricane of emotions battered him, and Taylor found himself turning to watch them. The vampire reached out, tentatively taking the hand of the fox at his side, and Taylor realized that they were on a date. Certainly, a monster out for a feed wouldn’t go to all of this trouble first.
He didn’t know what to do. The curiously obsessed side of him wanted to follow them down the street, creeping along in the shadows so he could get a better look. The realist in him snapped into action, and he ran for his car, hoping he wouldn’t lose them completely.
Taylor all but dived into his silver BMW, peeling out of the parking lot like a mad man. They couldn’t have made it all that far. With the sound of his pounding heart in his ears, he ignored the middle fingers and horns that followed him as he raced through traffic.
Nothing. He couldn’t find them anywhere. How was it possible that he had lost them that fast? Taylor was so caught up in his panicked assessment of their disappearance that he never noticed the jet-black Mustang Shelby pass through the intersection ahead of him, traveling opposite his own direction.
Circling the block for the next ten minutes proved to be useless. Wherever they were now, he wasn’t going to find them. He’d lost his moment. The realization was numbing. A part of him wanted to weep and rage at his loss.
However, the fact remained that his vampire was here in the city. And, Taylor didn’t plan to forget about that. Every suspicion and dark secret he had lived with for almost ten years had been confirmed. There was no chance in hell that he would lay this pursuit of the past to rest. In fact, it was just getting started.
Lyric's Gift Page 5