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LIPSTICK AND LIES AND DEADLY GOODBYES

Page 14

by Jodi Vaughn


  I took a deep breath and blew it out.

  “Excuse me,” I said quietly.

  The man looked up.

  “Oh my God. That’s my neighbor, Cal.” I knelt on the ground in front of him. “Hey, are you okay?”

  Cal stared at me, unblinking. He looked like he was in some kind of daze or that he’d been drinking a little too much.

  “He’s fine,” Khalan said.

  I stood up and spun around to face Khalan. “What the hell are you doing, bringing my neighbors here? He could tell everyone in the neighborhood about this.”

  “He won’t,” Khalan stated.

  I stepped back from Khalan. “Oh my God. Was it his blood you gave me in the cup the other night? You’re going to kill him, aren’t you?”

  Khalan pinched the bridge of his nose and screwed up his face.

  “No. It wasn’t his blood you had the other night, and no, I hadn’t planned on killing him.” He looked at me.

  “So, how do you know he’s not going to spill the beans? What if I really do take his blood? He could go running back to his wife, Carla, and it will be all over the neighborhood that I’m trying to steal someone’s husband.”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you’re paranoid as fuck?”

  “No.” I glared. Actually, Miles had said I was a bit overprotective. But not paranoid. Never that.

  “The sooner you get this done, the sooner we can both get back home.” He crossed his arms and waited.

  “Fine,” I growled. “What do I do?”

  “Tell him to stand up.”

  I took a deep breath and looked back at Cal. My entire body was trembling, but it wasn’t fear I felt. It was anticipation.

  “Cal, stand up.” My voice was a little above a whisper, but it sounded so much louder in the dark. I felt like the entire woods was watching and judging me.

  Cal’s brown hair dipped upward, and his brown gaze locked on mine. His mouth was slightly ajar, and he had a dazed look.

  “Tell him again. This time, louder,” Khalan commanded.

  My gut flared in irritation. I didn’t like being ordered around.

  “Cal, stand up.” This time, my voice was more authoritative.

  Cal didn’t say a word, just stretched his legs out in front of him and got to his feet, all while keeping his eyes on me.

  Cal wasn’t a very tall guy, so we were pretty much at eye level.

  “Now what? It’s not like I have fangs,” I spoke out of the corner of my mouth.

  “You don’t need fangs. Not yet. Now, tell him to give you his neck.”

  I jerked my head to Khalan. “I just want you to know that I’m very uncomfortable with all of this. I have never so much as kissed another man since I got married, and to do all this seems very inappropriate. Not to mention the whole blood thing.”

  “You are so weak.” Khalan sighed.

  His words caused a flare in my chest, and the irritation morphed straight to rage.

  “I’m not weak, you asshole.” My tone darkened with my current mood.

  Khalan snorted, obviously not believing me.

  I turned back to Cal, who was staring at me. He had a little bit of drool coming out of the side of his mouth.

  It was now or never.

  “Cal, give me your neck.”

  Cal said nothing but bent his head to the side, exposing his jugular.

  I’d never really noticed people’s necks before. I mean, I saw their eyes, mouths, and even their hairstyles. They were prominent features of a person’s appearance and part of what made them so unique. Cal was a middle-aged man of average build with light brown hair and eyes. He’d never really stood out to me. And if I had to be honest, he was a person who just…blended in. He was neither great-looking nor ugly. Just average.

  But in this moment under the dim light of the moon, Cal’s thick neck beckoned me. I could see his pulse throbbing. I squinted my eyes as the skin seemed to tick with his blood, pulsing with each heartbeat.

  My mouth watered, and I couldn’t help myself. I took a step closer, fascinated by Cal’s neck.

  I took a deep breath, and that’s when it hit me. The scent. The sweet smell of his blood filled my nose and made my mouth water. I let out a growl.

  “Your first time is going to be rough,” Khalan said behind me.

  I must have been too intent on Cal’s neck to notice that Khalan had walked up behind me. I could feel his breath on my neck, and I shivered.

  “I don’t want to hurt him,” I admitted.

  “Once you start, you’re not going to be able to stop. I need you to listen to my voice and follow my instructions. When you start, you need to pay attention to your body so you’ll know when to stop. Otherwise, you’ll rip his throat out.”

  I heard Khalan’s words and wanted to be frightened, but I couldn’t. I was too mesmerized by Cal’s throbbing vein.

  I stepped closer and wrapped my hand around Cal’s neck. His skin was warm under my fingers, I knew his blood would taste good.

  I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the scent of his blood wash over me.

  My breathing quickened. I bent my head to Cal’s neck and opened my mouth.

  I bit down.

  Cal groaned but didn’t fight. He stayed perfectly still while my teeth sank into his flesh. There was a pop. The edge of one of my teeth broke his skin, and the coppery taste of blood seeped into my mouth.

  I tightened my grip on his neck and sucked hard.

  Cal didn’t fight or flinch, just stood where he was and let out a low moan. As I drank from his neck, my body began to tremble, and I craved more.

  I lost track of time.

  “Rachel, you need to stop,” Khalan said.

  I heard him, but my body would not obey. I didn’t want to listen. I wanted to drink every last drop of Cal’s blood until he was dry. Oddly enough, I didn’t feel any guilt over that thought.

  Khalan rested his hand on my shoulder, and I shrugged him off, tightening my hold on Cal. I cut my eyes to the side and growled like a dog with a bone.

  “You will kill him if you don’t stop.” Khalan made no move to stop me or pull me away from my feast. Instead, he stepped to the side and studied me, waiting to see if I would pass the test.

  I closed my eyes, struggling with myself. I craved more of Cal’s blood. It was like a fine wine, and I was a starving alcoholic.

  With trembling hands, I released my hold on Cal and shoved him away from me. He stumbled backward into the tree. Blood trickled down his neck to his white shirt. He turned his gaze back to me.

  I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and studied the ground, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes.

  “Is he going to be okay?” I cut my eyes to Cal, worried about how weak and pale he appeared. I didn’t trust myself to go near him.

  “You need to finish him,” Khalan demanded.

  “Finish him?” I gave Khalan a wide-eyed look and pointed my finger at his chest. “You said I didn’t have to kill him.”

  Khalan blew out a breath. “I don’t mean kill him. I mean make him forget what just happened.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “Glamour him. Look him in the eyes and tell him the story of an event, something other than what happened here.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Give him a new memory.”

  “Like what? I mean, we live in a gated subdivision, there’s no reason for us to be out in the woods this late at night?”

  “Oh my God. You are the most ridiculous person I have ever met. I should have left you in the road.” Khalan glared at me. I could feel his disdain like hot wind.

  “Right back at you,” I shouted.

  I turned my attention back to Cal and held his gaze. “Cal, you won’t remember this. You will remember hearing something outside, and going to check it out. You thought you saw someone running away from your house and you chased them into the woods.” I peered at the wound on his neck. The bleeding had st
opped, but it still looked bad.

  “You ran past a tree, and a low-lying branch scratched your neck. That’s why you have blood on your shirt. When you go home, you’ll change your clothes, wash up, and go to bed. If Carla asks about your neck, tell her about the limb.”

  “That’s very detailed. You should have just said, ‘you won’t remember this night, and you won’t remember me.’” Khalan scrubbed his hand down his face.

  “I guess you should have been more specific.” I glared. I turned my attention back to Cal. If this really worked, then now was my time to cover my tracks. “Cal, you won’t remember anything about the night of the snowstorm.”

  I looked back at Khalan. “How do I know he isn’t going to tell his wife I was the one who bit him?” My gut twisted, and suddenly I had a whole lot of self-loathing to deal with.

  “He won’t. He’s glamoured. He’ll do whatever you tell him to do.”

  “Anything?” I arched my brow.

  “Yeah, anything.”

  “So, I could tell him to bark like a dog, and he’d do it?”

  “Pretty much.” Khalan turned to leave.

  “Wait. We can’t just leave him here. How do we know he’ll get home okay? I don’t think his wife is going to believe him about the blood on his neck and shirt.”

  “Then, fix it,” Khalan said over his shoulder as he walked away from me.

  “You’re such an ass.” I hissed.

  “Back at you,” Khalan said.

  “Where are you going? You can’t just make me drink some guy’s blood and then leave me here alone.”

  “Actually, I can. I’ll be away for a few days, so I needed to show you how to glamour your victims before you drink their blood.” Khalan kept walking, not giving me a chance to speak.

  “Where are you going?” I took a few steps and stopped. I looked over my shoulder at Cal, who still seemed dazed.

  “Business. I’ll be back soon. In the meantime, stay out of trouble.” It was all he said before he disappeared into the night, leaving me alone with a bloody and dazed Cal.

  My heart raced, and I suddenly wished I were back in my home, safe and sound, where the life I knew existed. Instead, I was out in the dark, drinking my neighbor’s blood like a monster.

  “Go home, Cal,” I said. It was all I could say. He nodded once and then started walking in the direction of his house.

  I followed behind, watching from a distance as he shuffled out of the woods and through my backyard into the street. I kept to the shadows as I followed him. I couldn’t let him walk around in the dark alone, not in this state. I needed to make sure he got home before I went back to my house.

  He wandered around to the fence and disappeared into his backyard. I watched from my position under the shadow of a large tree. I didn’t see a light come on, but I could see him moving around in his house. I turned and headed back into my own home.

  I’d taken the blood of another human.

  I’d never so much as raised my hand to another person in my life. I didn’t even spank my own children. I shivered, thinking about what I could have done to poor Cal. If Khalan hadn’t been there, I likely would have lost control and could have really hurt him. My stomach turned.

  I could have killed Cal.

  I swallowed and wrapped my arms around my chest. I headed back inside my house through the back door. The house was still dark. I was sure that Miles hadn’t missed me, nor had he come looking for me.

  I walked to the living room window and looked out into the dark. Things appeared different now. I suddenly knew that dangerous things actually lived in the darkness. Things like Khalan. And now, things like me.

  I didn’t know Khalan at all, but I found myself curious about him. He’d said he was going away for a few days, but he didn’t tell me where he was going.

  All I knew was that I would be free of his interference, at least for a few nights.

  For that, I was grateful.

  Chapter 19

  “How long have you been up?” Miles walked into the kitchen and grabbed a coffee cup. “I never heard you come to bed last night.”

  I quickly shut my laptop. I stood from the kitchen island and glanced at the time.

  “I didn’t go to bed. I couldn’t sleep.” It was the truth. After drinking Cal’s blood, I’d been so energized that I couldn’t even think about going to bed. Instead, I’d reorganized the pantry and dusted the entire living room. After, I’d still had hours before dawn, so I decided to do a Google search on vampires.

  I’d learned that vampires were not supposed to go out in the daylight. But I knew that wasn’t true. I’d been out during the day to take the girls to school, and I hadn’t burst into flames.

  The internet also said that vampires were repelled by garlic. Again, something that wasn’t true. I’d touched the garlic when I was in the pantry, and nothing had happened.

  As much as I didn’t like Khalan, I knew I needed to talk to him. He had all the answers I needed. But he was gone, and I wasn’t sure when he would be back.

  I reached for the creamer out of habit and stopped. I preferred my coffee black now.

  “What’s wrong? Is the creamer bad?” Miles looked at me over his cup of coffee.

  “No, I just don’t feel like creamer and sugar this morning.” I put the creamer into the fridge and the sugar back in its place in the cabinet.

  Miles didn’t give me a second look, just picked up the newspaper he’d grabbed from the driveway and started reading.

  It rubbed me the wrong way that he could go about his daily routine without a problem. He seemed to have forgotten how he had wronged us. Did he even have a conscience?

  “What are you doing today?” I poured the black coffee into my cup and lifted it to my lips. I took a sip, letting the bitter brew settle on my tongue. I sighed softly, very much liking the way it tasted.

  “One surgery this morning and the office this afternoon.” He spoke without looking up from his paper.

  I set down my coffee cup and slid my hands down the legs of my yoga pants. Unease raced through my veins, and I wasn’t sure if I believed what he was telling me. I studied his face until he finally looked up.

  “What?” His brows drew together, and he held my gaze.

  “Just one surgery?” I asked.

  “Yeah. It’s going to be a long one, though. It should run about six hours if everything goes well. Eight, if I run into trouble.” He went back to his paper.

  I curled my fingers into my palms. I wanted to snatch that damn paper out of Miles’ hands and force him to look at me. I narrowed my eyes, wondering if I could glamour him into telling the truth. The glamour had seemed to work on Cal. He’d let me have his blood without a peep. I would bet I could get Miles to tell me the truth so I would know if he’d really meant that he wasn’t going to see Nikki anymore.

  “Miles.” I stepped closer to him. My heart was pounding like a rabbit thumping its foot. Whatever he said, I would have to accept.

  “Yes?” He looked up and gave me his full attention.

  I opened my mouth to ask the question I knew I didn’t want the answer to.

  Do you love Nikki?

  “Don’t forget, the girls have a soccer game on Saturday. It would be great if you could make it.” I looked away. Despite needing to know, I couldn’t bring myself to ask. Once the question was out and answered, I knew there would be no going back. If I was honest, I was afraid of what Miles would say.

  “I’m going to do my best to make it,” he said as his gaze dropped once again to the newspaper.

  “Good.” It was all I could say. He hadn’t made a single soccer game this year. He always had to work, or was on call.

  Now, I doubted everything. Maybe Miles had actually been with Nikki all those weekends he was supposed to be working. My anger flared, and I knew if I stayed in the kitchen with him, I’d likely do something unforgivable. Like drain him. So, instead of homicide, I grabbed my coffee and headed to the bedroom.
/>   I glared at the unmade bed. Miles never lifted a finger. He’d been like that since we got married. Maybe even before. I’d never really given it a second thought before, but now it bothered me. I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. I still had plenty of time to grab a shower and dress before the girls got up. I turned on the water and stripped off my clothes. I stood in front of the mirror and examined my reflection.

  My stomach was flatter than ever, and I even had a six-pack. I’d never had a six-pack, even in my twenties. My legs were lean and toned, and all my cellulite was completely gone. My ass looked better than ever, and my skin practically glowed.

  I stepped closer to study my face. The tiny lines around my eyes were gone, as were the lines in my forehead. My lips looked fuller, and my eyes were shining despite the sadness in their depths.

  The sorrow that had settled in my soul now reflected in my eyes.

  I shook off the morose feelings and stepped into the shower. The splash of hot water shocked me, and I turned the temperature down. Usually, I loved hot showers—the hotter, the better—but today it seemed too much.

  When I stepped out, I wrapped the extra towel around my wet hair and let the warmth of the terrycloth robe soak up the excess water.

  I dressed quickly in some jeans and a long-sleeve, white T-shirt. I slipped on my ballet flats and quickly dried my hair. I didn’t bother with makeup but curled my hair until waves hung down my back. I slicked on some lip gloss and walked out of the bedroom.

  “Wow, you look…great.” Miles’ gaze roamed up and down my body before coming to rest on my face.

  “Thanks.” I’d never been particularly vain, nor did I fish for compliments. I had taught my girls that beauty was on the inside and it didn’t matter what you looked like on the outside. But, with everything that had happened, I needed to hear my husband tell me I was pretty, to tell me I mattered.

  “How much weight have you lost?” He cocked his head, his gaze still on me.

  “I don’t know. I haven’t weighed myself.”

  “Just be careful. You could gain it all back and then some.” He set his coffee cup in the sink and walked toward the bedroom to get ready for work.

 

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