Dark Dreams

by Kristie K. Shafer

“Who were your friends?” asked Faye as we stepped out of the V.I.P. lounge.

  “Just a couple of fans,” I replied quickly. I was still stunned that Chelsey had been at our table when I’d stepped out of the bathroom. Then, when I’d sat down next to her and inhaled her human scent, it had almost been too much to handle. I was attracted to everything about her, which was unsettling for me and potentially lethal for her.

  Faye raised an eyebrow. “Just a fan… well, she obviously thinks you’re the cat’s meow.”

  I played it off. “Of course she does. All of my female fans do.”

  “Yes, I’m sure they do,” she agreed, chuckling.

  I wondered what Faye wanted with me. Not many people made me nervous, especially a woman, but there were rumors about this one that were disturbing, even for me. Rumors that included pleasure, pain, and unimaginable horror for those who crossed her. If she hadn’t agreed to pay such a high price for our band to perform at the club, I would have never gotten within ten feet of her. The only reason we were still in Shore Lake was to sing her the Birthday song, which she’d also set up and paid for.

  “In there,” she said, waving a hand toward her private office.

  “Okay,” I replied, a little relieved she wasn’t taking me into the basement. Liam had been told that there were some freaky things going on down there, including BDSM and orgies. I wasn’t into either and had no interest in seeing it live and in person.

  “Close the door,” she replied, walking around her white and black marbled desk.

  I obeyed and then sat across from her in a black leather chair.

  She took out a pack of cigarettes from the top drawer of her desk. “Your performance last night was incredible,” she said, lighting the end of one.

  “Thank you,” I replied, leaning back in the chair as she blew out a stream of smoke. “I thought we played pretty well myself.”

  She rested her chin on her hand and smiled. “So, tell me, Slade, what do you think of Shore Lake?”

  I shrugged. “It’s very… wildernessy.”

  She nodded. “Yes. Well, you get used to it. I’m originally from Vegas.”

  It wasn’t a secret. “Oh, is that right?” I asked, feigning surprise.

  She took another drag of her smoke and blew out a ring. “”Yes that is right. I have a feeling you already knew that, however.”

  I grinned sheepishly. “Not a very good poker-face?”

  “Not this time, but something tells me that you could lie through your teeth and most wouldn’t be the wiser.”

  “You’ve got me all figured out, huh?” I asked, not liking how this conversation was going. She obviously wanted something more from me. Something more than just a song.

  “Slade, dear, I know what you are,” she said in a low, amused voice.

  I tapped my fingers against the arms of the chair. “Is that right? You know what I am?”

  “Oh, yes… definitely. It’s why I brought you here.”

  I grinned. “I’m lost… could you enlighten me as to what you’re talking about?”

  “You’re a Roamer.”

  I chuckled. “A Roamer? What in the hell is that?”

  She leaned forward. “In Romania, I believe you go by ‘Vampire’. Some of the vampires here, however, prefer the term ‘Roamer’.”

  I grunted. “You’re kidding, right?”

  She blew out another stream of smoke. “I’m dead serious, Slade.”

  I leaned back in my chair. “What am I supposed to say to all of this? I mean, a vampire? Really? You believe in that shit?”

  She looked amused. “Come on now. Just admit it.”

  “There’s nothing to admit,” I replied evenly. “I’m a singer in a band. Nothing more and nothing less.”

  “Fine,” she said, standing up. “If you’re not going to do it freely, then I’m going to have to play dirty, which I rather enjoy anyway.”

  I rubbed my forehead and sighed. “Faye, you’re wasting both of our times. We need to get on the road soon.”

  She walked over to a door on the other side of the office and opened it. “Bring in the girl.”

  A security guard with long, brown hair stepped out of the other room holding the arm of a disheveled-looking young woman. One that I recognized from the night before. Today, she looked like she’d just rolled out of bed and hadn’t showered or changed her clothing.

  “Hi, Slade,” she said, staring over at me with pleasure.

  Frowning, I stood up. “What’s happening here?”

  “Don’t you remember her?” asked Faye, now standing next to the blonde. She put her arm around the girl’s shoulder and smiled darkly. “She certainly remembers you.”

  For the life of me, I had no idea what Faye was trying to pull. The girl didn’t mean anything to me other than she was another fan who had tried to catch my eye.

  “Slade?” said the girl in a breathless voice. “Where have you been? I waited for you all morning and afternoon, but you never returned to the room.”

  I stared at her in shock. “Excuse me?”

  Her face fell. “You seriously don’t remember last night? The after-party… and then the hotel?”

  What I remembered was seeing her in the club, dancing in front of the stage, but that was it. I had gone to the after-party for only a short time, but then I’d left and gone to my hotel room. Alone.

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake,” snapped Faye. She grabbed the girl’s hair, baring her neck.

  “Ouch!” she hollered, trying to get out of Faye’s grasp. “Let me go!”

  My mouth went dry as I stared at the vein in her soft, fragile neck. I imagined my tongue licking the salty flesh right before I buried my teeth into her supple skin. It was then that I realized I hadn’t fed for a few days and it was now catching up with me. “Faye,” I growled in a raspy voice. “Enough.”

  With her long, red nail, she traced along the girl’s neck, enticing me further. “Lovely, isn’t it? I bet you’d love to sink your teeth into this little morsel.”

  “Screw this shit,” I snarled, heading towards the doorway. “I’m outta here.”

  “Are you sure about that?” asked Faye.

  The girl screeched in protest and the scent of her succulent blood filled the air, awakening the beast inside. Unable to resist my own damning urges, I soon found myself straddling the human on the carpet as she stared up at me with terror.

  “Slade?” she whispered, her lip trembling as I stared down at her, my own body quivering with need.

  “Go on,” urged Faye.

  Panting, I battled against the hunger burning inside of me, but with every breath, I felt my resistance weakening. It had been decades since I’d tasted anything this sweet and fresh. Normally, my meals were collected from plasma centers, which quelled my hunger to a point, but it still wasn’t nearly as glorifying as warm blood. Nothing was.

  “Feed. Do it,” demanded Faye, kneeling down next to us. “Rip her throat out and take what’s yours.” She gently ran a hand over the girl’s hair, smoothing it away from her face. “You do want to please Slade, don’t you Princess?”

  The girl swallowed hard and nodded.

  I looked at Faye, who I could tell was only doing this for some kind of twisted pleasure. Her evil malice gave me the strength that I needed to resist

  “Enough,” I growled, releasing my hold on the girl. I stood up and offered her my hand.

  “What in the hell are you doing?” snapped Faye, looking furious.

  I pulled the girl to her feet and glared at Faye. “The real question is, what are you doing and why?”

  Ignoring the question, she turned to her security guard. “Lucas, take the girl out of here. Bring her downstairs and give her to the Roamers.”

  I pulled the girl back, away from Faye and Lucas. “You’ve already done enough to her. I’m getting her out of here.”

  “Oh, what a gallant gesture,” sneered Faye. “You do realize that she knows too much now
, don’t you?”

  “She doesn’t have to remember anything,” I answered. “I can make her forget all of this.”

  Faye stared at me and I could see the wheels turning in her head. I wasn’t sure why she’d wanted me to confess something she’d already known. “What exactly do you want from me?” I asked, positioning the terrified girl behind me. “Because you’re really pissing me off, Faye.”

  Her face softened. “You know, I believe that we started this conversation on the wrong foot.”

  I waited for her to go on.

  She licked her lips and smiled. “I want you to fire your manager, move to Shore Lake, and let me take care of your career from this day forward.”

  I grunted. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “Not at all. As you already know, I’m a very wealthy and successful woman. I have connections all over the world with people who can take your career to an entirely new level of success. Slade, I can make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.”

  “I’m already rich.” I’d accumulated a lot over the last three hundred years and our band did well. Money wasn’t even a motivator for me. Never had been. I only performed and sang, because it made me feel almost human.

  “Maybe, but you haven’t reached superstardom yet, Slade.” Her eyes glittered. “I can help you get there.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks. We don’t need you.”

  She smirked. “Is that right? Well, the rest of your band has already agreed to this. They want me to be your new financial advisor and manager.”

  I stared at her in disbelief. “What? Bullshit.”

  She went back around to her desk and turned on the laptop. “They even picked out a cabin already. Slade, moving here is the best decision for everyone. Vampires do need to stick together.”

  “Are you saying that you’re a vampire?”

  She snorted. “Hell no. I’m a Shifter.”

  Fuck, now that was bad news. Shapeshifters were dangerous, and most of them were known to have violent tempers when they didn’t get their way. Something told me that things were about to get uglier.

  “It would never work. We don’t like to stay in one spot too long,” I replied. “I’d suffocate here.”

  “You wouldn’t have to live here permanently,” she replied. “Hell, the Roamers have already proven to me that they are unable to settle anywhere for too long. But, when we move, you’d move. Eight months tops in Shore Lake and then we’ll move on to the next town. Together.”

  I folded my arms across my chest. There was no way in hell I’d live near this psychotic bitch. “What do you get from all of this, besides more money and fame?”

  “To be honest, I like to be in control. You’re relatively new to the U.S. and obviously don’t understand how things are done here.”

  “What exactly does that mean?”

  Her face darkened. “Fine, I’ll tell you the truth - I run this part of the country. Me. Nothing happens without my knowledge or approval. There are those immortals who would challenge my authority and like more than anything to take away all of the power I’ve acquired. Of course, they always fail because I have an army to back me up. An army of your kind.”

  “Then why do you need us if you’re so damn powerful?”

  She smiled. “Let’s just say that I like you, Slade. I want you on the team.”

  What she really wants is to control me and the band, I thought. Along with anyone else that poses a threat. There was no way I’d let that happen. “I need to speak to the band about this. Quite frankly, it would be inconvenient for us to settle here. Really inconvenient.”

  Her eyes gleamed a purplish hue. “It would also be dangerous if you didn’t. Really dangerous.”

  “I don’t take intimidation well,” I replied sternly. I’d survived a century in Romania, where vampires were hunted and crucified by both humans and other immortals. I’d been beaten and tortured by more than the likes of Faye Dunbar and there was no way that I’d allow her to push me around.

  “Then I suggest that you don’t do anything that will provoke any further threats,” she replied icily.

  “You don’t frighten me,” I said. “So if I were you, I’d forget all about me and the other members of Venom. There is no way in hell that we are going to take orders from you.”

  “You’re making a big mistake,” she said, standing up.

  “Doubtful. I think we’re done here,” I said, preparing to leave.

  “Oh, you’re done, all right. Lucas, take the girl,” she ordered.

  I turned to face Lucas. “Keep your hands to yourself, Roamer.”

  Lucas hesitated for a moment, but then took a step toward us.

  “Stand down,” I hissed, baring my fangs. “Or you’ll all regret it.”

  “Slade, seriously, reconsider what we’ve talked about,” said Faye. “You’re risking the lives of your entire band if you cross me, you know.”

  “You’d better stop with the threats, Faye,” I said, backing away with the girl. “Before it’s too late.”

  “Dammit, your defiance is infuriating!” she snapped, pushing a button on the side of her desk.

  The door in the back swung open again, and this time, three men dressed in club uniforms entered the office.

  “Escort Slade and this human to the basement,” said Faye. “And make sure they don’t escape.”

  They nodded and advanced toward me.

  Swearing, I met them halfway.

   

  Chapter Twelve

  Chelsey