*****
Nicole was in awe as they walked into Club La Vela. There was so much to do and so many places to see, it seemed like it was its own little city. Dancers crowded them and filled the dance floor and bar as Kat tugged Nicole’s hand, leading her forward.
“Come on, we’re meeting hunky Porsche guy in the PussyKat lounge.”
“Wow, I’m intrigued to find out what kind of guy hangs out in a lounge called PussyKat. I’m sure he’s super classy,” laughed Nicole.
“Come on Nicole, don’t start with your comments. Please, let’s just have a good time tonight. This is our last night in paradise and then it’s back to the boring backwoods grind again,” Kat pleaded with a pitiful expression.
“Okay, you’re right. I’ll be good. I promise no more snide remarks will cross these lips tonight.”
“Great, because I plan on landing you some super-hot eye candy tonight to keep those lips busy.” Kat winked as she pulled Nicole towards a roped-off room with a bouncer standing in front of two large oak doors.
Nicole was once again mesmerized by the décor as they entered the room. Large crystal chandeliers hung from the slanted ceiling, each one emitting a blue glow, and leather sofas lined the insides of nooks along the wall, giving the illusion of privacy. The walls featured large paintings of nude women, seductively posed while a gold pole stood in the center of a small platform near the furthest wall.
“Wow,” said Nicole as they took their seats at the dimly lit bar on plush, brown leather stools. “This place is impressive.”
“I know! I wouldn’t be surprised if we ran into some celebrities tonight,” beamed Kat as she looked around at the faces in the highbrow setting. “Wanna go try out the pole?” Kat grinned as she wiggled her eyebrows. “I always wanted to see what it felt like to be a stripper, minus the nudity.”
“I think I’ll start with a drink first.” Nicole laughed, as she turned to order herself a drink from the bartender.
“Anything these two beautiful ladies want is on me, Bill,” said a man to the bartender from behind Nicole.
She turned around to see Nick, the surfer-guy from the restaurant, standing beside her. He was dressed much more differently than the previous day. A white dress shirt contrasted nicely against his deeply tanned skin and his freshly pressed khaki pants gave him a much more polished look than the t-shirt and swim shorts she remembered.
One side of his mouth turned up into a sly grin, forming a dimple in an otherwise smooth cheek. “Nick Read,” he stuck his hand out, “I’m sure we met yesterday but I’m afraid we must’ve missed each other on the beach today.”
“Yes, I think I remember you,” said Nicole playfully. “Didn’t you have a hideous growth attached to you yesterday?” She glanced behind him, seeing his friend, Matt, approaching them. “Oh yes, there it is,” she giggled as she watched Nick’s smile stretch larger as he joined her laughter.
“Nicole, that counts as a snide remark,” warned Kat as Matt drew closer to the group, causing Nicole and Nick to laugh louder.
“How about you and I move to one of the booths and leave these two alone?” said Nick, offering Nicole a bended arm.
Nicole nodded, wrapping her hand in the crook of his arm and following him to a black leather couch nestled against the wall.
“How long are you and your friend here?” asked Nick as he placed her drink on the table in front of them.
“We’ll be going home tomorrow.”
“Oh, and where’s home?” he asked.
“Small town, ‘Nowhere’ Alabama,” she groaned. “How ‘bout you? Are you from PC or just visiting?”
“I have a house here and in California, but I was raised in Mississippi, in a town that I’m sure would make your hometown look huge.”
Nicole laughed as she reached for her drink, “I doubt that. We practically had a parade the day our only red light was installed.”
“Wow, that is terrible.” Nick said, feigning extreme pity with a smirk.
Nicole rolled her eyes as she bit her lip trying to hold back the embarrassingly large smile that was fighting to escape. “Okay Mr. GQ, tell me a bit about yourself. Yesterday I decided you were some beach bum, surfing guru and today I find you in the VIP section of the trendiest night club in Florida.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t ignore your first impression so quickly. Maybe I am a surfing guru,” he winked. “I consider myself a jack of all trades, I guess. I have a successful web design business and I dabble in a bit of real estate from time to time but my real love is the wind off the surf.” He raised his head, jutting out his chin in a proud and exaggerated way. “Therefore, I am a self-proclaimed surfing guru, with many hard-earned, polished trophies to show for it.”
Nicole giggled at his speech as she placed her empty glass on the mahogany table, careful to keep her napkin underneath the condensation beaded container. Nick quickly signaled the bartender for another round as he returned his attention to Nicole.
He studied her intently, as if he were trying to figure out a difficult problem, “Have you ever been to this club before?”
Nicole shook her head as she thanked the waitress who was placing fresh drinks in front of them. “This is my first time here.”
“How would you like a tour?”
“Sounds like fun.”
The next half hour was spent touring room after room, each one more amazing than the last, laughing and chatting happily along the way. They eventually reached the back pool area, complete with a large waterfall and, of course, another large bar.
“This place doesn’t have a shortage of bars, that’s for sure.” Nicole said as they made their way around the pool.
Nick smiled, “They are abundant and ever flowing…. So,” he grabbed her hand, stopping her at the edge of a glowing, blue waterfall, while lacing his fingers with hers. “Do you want to escape the crowd for a while and take a walk with me on the beach?”
Nicole nodded her head in agreement, as a genuine smile brightened her face and the tingle of pleasure coursed through her body from his simple touch. She was really enjoying Nick’s company; he was charming and intellectual, not to mention hot as hell. She could honestly see relationship potential in his dark brown eyes.
Unlike Kat, she sought a deeper relationship−not a one night stand, when dating. She had dreams of settling down with Mr. Right and having the house and two and a half kids along with the man with whom she would spend a generation or more. She wanted the deep love her parents shared and for her children to grow up in a nurturing home. Maybe Nick was her knight in shining armor.
Nicole shook her head to chase away her wondering thoughts as they reached the edge of the beach. She stopped, pulling off her heels, so she could walk in the deep sand. Nick took the shoes from her and carried them as they started down the beach.
The ocean breeze kissed her cheeks softly as they ambled down the quiet stretch of beach. The moonlight glistened off each crest of the incoming tide, lapping against the sands in a relaxing rhythm. In this ideal moment, everything felt perfect in Nicole’s life. She was finally ready to look ahead instead of dwelling on the past and everything felt right in her life again. Suddenly, she was ready to move forward and retrieve her heart from the dark closet where she had hidden it away.
Nick nudged her gently on the hip with their intertwined hands, “Why are you in such deep thought?”
She shrugged, “I don’t know. Guess now I’m not really looking forward to going home tomorrow.”
“Oh really, and I’m sure it must be because of the abundance of alcohol available to you in one location, that would make anyone want to stay forever,” he said with a wink.
She laughed, “Yep, that’s it. It has always been my dream to become a raging alcoholic and spend my nights passed out on a random beach.”
“Hmmm,” Nick feigned being in deep thought, placing his hand under his chin. “Maybe you are surfer guru material after all,” he laughed.
They sat together
on a large driftwood log, perfect for two people who wanted to snuggle. Nick promptly did the fake yawn bit and slid his arm around Nicole pulling her tightly to his side as she giggled. “So what would it take for you to let me visit you, back in your hometown?”
“Would you?” Nicole asked feeling a twinge of hope growing.
“If you want me to.” He leaned in closer, until their lips were barely inches apart, “I would love to see more of you.”
“I would like that,” Nicole whispered as Nick filled the distance between their lips, wrapping his fingers into her hair and pulling her closer so he could kiss her softly.
Nicole felt herself melting into Nick. Joy filled her heart as she pushed against him, returning his passionate kiss and wrapping her arms around his neck. She wanted this to work; although she had only known Nick for a little while, she felt like he might be the one. The one man who could make her happy and fill the gaping void that was thrust upon her when she lost her mother.
She withdrew from his kiss, panting for breath as she gazed into Nick’s passion-filled eyes. But, before their lips could find each other again, Nicole’s heart beat started to pound in her ears and a cold chill dance down her spine. Over Nick’s shoulder, her eyes locked onto the dark man from the restaurant….as well as her nightmare.
She stood up, turning to confront the shadowy man. Nick stared at her, his brows knitted together in confusion as he turned to meet the glaring, dark-pooled eyes of the strange interloper. Instantly, Nick’s hands shot up to cover his ears as he dropped to his knees, gritting his teeth in pain to keep from screaming.
“Stop it!” demanded Nicole. “You’re hurting him!”
The man didn’t stop, nor make any effort to come closer. He just stood in the shadows, watching, unblinking as Nick’s body’ sunk into the powdered sand and he passed out.
“What the hell are you?!” Nicole shrieked as she fell to her knees, rubbing Nick’s pain contorted face with her shaking hands. Tears trailed down her cheeks as she lifted her head to face the man again.
His eyes went from dark pools to bright red flames in an instant, the power radiating off him in electric waves, pummeling her body over and over again in tremendous jolts. Nicole covered her ears as a loud ringing began to echo inside of her head, crippling her and causing her body to go limp. As the world started to black out Nicole heard a voice in her mind and someone say, “I have awakened you and one day, I will come back to take you and all the power you hold. When the time is right, I will find you again.”
Blood Awakening (Blood Burden Series Prelude) Page 5
