Putting her hair up in a way Crimson wore it, she practiced deepening her voice. Crim’s voice rasped more than hers naturally did. She applied her sister’s makeup the way Crimson had always worn it.
Pulling out the phone book, she found it. An address for Lucky’s Bar.
Telling herself to think Crimson thoughts, she headed to work to see what she could find out.
* * * * *
Bastian turned over, reaching out to an empty bed. Putting his arm over his eyes, he shut out what little light shone into the room. He’d reached for Crimson. Damn. A habit he didn’t need. He’d always been alone.
Reaching his hand up, he tightly clenched the headboard. The wood bit into his fingers. He stretched.
“You’re awake.” Lucy’s voice trilled from the darkness.
“I am.”
She approached the bed. Even in the darkness, he could see her brown eyes shining. Waiting for anything. Any sign from him that he’d do more, take more from her than he had last night. He closed his eyes. Her eyes always wanted. Wanted things he could never give her. It might be time Lucy moved on. She’d been ready a long time ago but had held onto him, and he’d let her.
“I need to head out at darkfall.”
Her bottom lip quivered and poked out. “You aren’t going to feed? And why are you going out?” She stepped closer, her blue wrap falling open, displaying her matching lace teddy. Her long blonde hair fell down around it, artfully striking against the blue. She’d always had a flair for offering herself to him.
“No, Lucy. Last night, I needed the blood. Tonight, I’m fine. And you know why. I have to look for her.”
“You haven’t found any trace of her. Except for last night. And it was only ...”
“She was there. I smelled her blood. I know her scent and taste. I have a bad feeling she didn’t leave that phone of her own will.”
Lucy’s eyes narrowed so much she squinted. “She never should have left you to begin with.”
“It makes no difference. I have to find her.”
With a harrumph, she stalked out of his room.
Bastian laid his head back on the body pillow, stretching out his frame in the huge bed, a California king. Big enough for a king and his entourage. Not that he’d ever had an entourage. Occasionally, since he’d been with Crimson, he’d had others share his bed, but it had mostly been her.
The headboard had been hand-carved from solid oak. It sported a few drawers and cubbies to store things. Crim had fallen in love with it the instant she’d seen it. A couple of silk black sheets, and they’d been at each other for hours. He smiled, thinking about it.
Lucy thought he loved Crimson. And it bothered her.
He didn’t need his abilities to read Lucy most of the time, but they helped because she never told him what was bothering her. Only sniped at him and Crimson. With two words, he could alleviate her worries. He liked Crimson. He loved her in a way. But he wasn’t in love with her. Never had been. She didn’t love him, either. But they got along well, they had great sex, and the biting suited both their needs.
Not a monogamous relationship.
It had never been Lucy for him sexually, though. The rest of his band understood what he had to give and took it. She always wanted more. Damn, he never should have fallen asleep with her last night. That indicated an intimacy that didn’t exist.
What should he do about Lucy? She’d been with him three years, ever since he’d rescued her from her pimp. All of his band came from the streets. He wasn’t in love with Lucy either, nor anyone else; he wasn’t sure he knew what true love was. He tacked the questions about Lucy in the back of his mind. Right now, his focus needed to be Crimson. He’d deal with one situation at a time.
Tad peeked his head into the room. “Bastian?”
“Yes, T?”
“Jake called.”
Bastian sat up, the sheet falling around his middle. Tad’s eyes followed the movement, and he swallowed, licking his lips. Bastian ignored the heating of his blood at the simple movement. Tad couldn’t see his rising erection under the sheet. Good thing, because Tad would act on it. Not that that was a bad thing. But not a good time right now. “What did he want?”
“Ten minutes ago, Crimson showed up for work.”
“What the hell?”
Chapter Three
Copper smiled as she set the drinks down in front of the pot-bellied pig who’d made a game of trying to rub her boobs at every opportunity with whatever he had available. “Can I get you anything else, sir?” She made her voice syrupy sweet.
“Oh darling, the things you could get me.” He slid his forearm against a nipple. “Oh, sorry. Didn’t realize you were so close.”
She gritted her teeth. The touch hadn’t been accidental. The things she’d like to get him. Lobotomy came to mind. At the very least, castration. “I’ll be back to check on you.”
“Hurry back now.”
Copper scurried for the waiting chicken wings to deliver to another table.
“Crimson, you are rocking tonight.” Barb slid two Jack Daniels across the bar top to her, his meaty hands making the glasses look tiny. “I’ve never seen you hustle like this. Especially lately. And you’re not looking so pale like you have been, either.”
“Thanks.” She grabbed the drinks, positioning them on the tray.
“I thought Jake would fire you for sure.”
Copper didn’t comment but moved to deliver the orders.
What she’d expected from Lucky’s Bar, she got. A dive. A smoke-filled bar with a small stage to the side and tables everywhere. Neon signs dotted the wall, barely showing in the murky air. She could see the smoke drifting as she delivered appetizers and drinks ordered by people well on their way to becoming drunk. And no sign of Lucky. Only Jake, a tight-mouthed, bald-headed guy in a suit, and Barb, the burly tattooed bartender. She bet no one made fun of Barb’s name. Or at least if they did, they did only once.
She’d waitressed before, so she caught on fast to Crimson’s duties.
She walked by the asshole pig table, and he flicked her skirt up.
Diane, the other waitress, gasped loudly from the table behind her. Great. She’d seen Copper’s underwear.
Back at the bar, Diane whispered, “I have some extra shorts.” She pressed them into Copper’s hand. “Here you go. I’ll cover your tables.”
Copper trekked off to the bathroom with them. Once in the brighter lighting of the dingy restroom, she looked at them. Short black shorts with “Get lucky at Lucky’s bar” and several kiss marks that would ride over her ass. “Crim, you have got to have the worst taste in jobs. And men.” She went into a stall and slid them on.
Coming out the door, she lifted her skirt. One lipstick mark sat right over her pubic bone. “Oh, now this is classy. Lipstick marks? Like some girl kissed my pussy?” She shook her head. “And, I showed my panties to the jerkoff for no reason. I bet you had a pair of these somewhere. What did I tell you about putting your job uniform all together?”
Her eyes flickered to the mirror. A woman had opened the stall door next to the one she’d been in and blinked at her in the reflection. She scurried out the door without a word. Probably to tell her friend about the nut in the bathroom talking to herself.
Copper rubbed her face. “I have gone off the deep end.” She’d better find out something about her sister here. Or she would get pissed off.
* * * * *
Diane slid by Copper at the bar. “Someone is asking for your time, Crimson.”
“My time?”
“Your time.” Diane nodded.
“Go take care of them,” Barb mouthed over the roaring sounds of the blender.
She’d gotten the impression from the security guard earlier that Crim’s duties might include more than serving a few drinks. Hoped it had been rumor, not fact. How much would she be expected to do?
“He’s in the back room. He already saw Jake.” Diane picked up a tray full of drinks meant for Co
pper’s tables.
Great. Now where the hell was the back room?
Copper took a deep breath as she headed in the direction of the back. A door past the bathroom held a sign, which read “Employees only.” The only other doors led outside and to the kitchen. She’d figured this was the storeroom, but it had to be what they had talked about as the “back room.”
She opened the door and stepped into the dark room. Pitch-black to her light-accustomed eyes. Even the dimly lit bar had more light than this. Her hand reached for the light switch she could make out with the illumination from the open door.
“Don’t turn on the light,” a deep voice murmured. “And shut the door.”
She let her hand fall. And shut the door behind her.
“Lock it.”
Swallowing, she pushed the button on the door knob. How far was she going to go? How far could she go? She’d never been into doing the same things Crimson did. She liked sex as much as the next person. But she’d never sold her body. Even when she had the chance. But pretending to be Crimson, she had to live in Crimson’s world.
She took a step forward.
“Now you can turn on the light.”
Sliding her hand back, she did. Mister Pig leered at her, sitting on an empty shallow wooden shelf that ran the length of the room on one cinder-blocked wall. His rear overflowed it and it creaked as he moved. How long would that rickety thing hold his weight? She was surprised it hadn’t broken already. Unless that was where the sex happened. Maybe they were reinforced? A shudder escaped her. Had Crimson fucked men on that shelf?
She’d been right, it was partially a storeroom. Boxes were piled along both sides of the small room, stuffed full of peanut cans and liquor bottles.
“I paid for a dance from you. Do me right, and I’ll spend even more.”
A dance? That wasn’t so bad.
She moved like music played, shimmying her hips.
“A lap dance.” He snickered. “Are you messing with me?”
Copper squared her shoulders like she marched into war. She’d never done a lap dance before. Tried to recall scenes from movies where she’d seen it done.
She sauntered over, swinging her hips with an exaggerated slide. Catching his eyes with her own, she lowered her face with a sexy grin. Or at least an attempt at one, under the circumstances. As she leaned her body in, she arched back, sliding up and down, straddling his lap. He became her pole as she shifted up and down, barely touching his body with her curves. She thrust her chest out, and the V neckline from two unbuttoned buttons dipped into the valley between. He lifted his head, peering down her shirt as much as he could.
“You are stacked. I bet your tits look so pretty.” His greasy blond hair shook out, brushing her chin.
Copper tried not to roll her eyes. Please let this be over soon.
He put his hands out, grasping her hips.
“Ah, ah. No touching.” She had no idea if that was a rule for lap dancing or not. She gyrated her pelvis against him. He moaned and squeezed her hipbones harder before releasing them.
“Aren’t you supposed to be nekkid for this?” His accent twanged.
Good question. She didn’t know the answer but figured she probably should be. Or close to it. As close to it as she would get, that is.
She undid her outfit button by button. Slowly twisting each one, letting skin show as cloth fell away. As she stepped back and turned to the side, the black garment fell to her feet with a swish. She’d worn a black lace bra. That and the short shorts covered everything amply. She’d worn bathing suits that covered less skin than this.
He made a noise sounding like “uhhhhh,” sending out breath reeking of sour alcohol. She came closer, facing him again. His erection brushed her leg. She fought back the bile as she wound up and down, thrusting her hips in tempo to a rhythm only she could hear.
Seems like they would have music for this. Her quick glance around spotted a portable CD player. Oh. Too late now.
“You’re still not nekkid. Aren’t you supposed to be?” His beady eyes glittered with lust. His hips jerked.
“House rule. No nakedness.” She’d bet this was his first time because he asked about the nakedness instead of stating it, so she could get away with stating house rules like she knew them. Yes, she could bullshit with the best of them.
Copper slowly ran her hands down every inch of her body, tweaking a nipple through her bra. Her hands caressed. He balled his up, probably itching to touch her the way she did. If he touched her, she might lose it. Hardly believing she was doing this, she wanted to smack him between his desire-filled eyes and kick him in his engorged cock. She’d never be able to sell her body. Even for this cause.
“Honey, I’m paying for the rest of it. I heard tell you give the best blow in the house. Go on and blow me. I’ll square with your boss after the job.”
Oh, god.
A knock at the door had both their heads turning.
“Time’s up, Leroy.” Jake stood outside the door he’d slightly opened, key in hand.
“Damn.” Leroy slumped.
“And come on out, Crimson. All he paid for was the dance. I hope Diane told you that.” Jack folded his arms over his chest.
Hallelujah for small favors. Copper grabbed her outfit and slid it back up. No wonder it was one piece. Easy to put on and take off. And didn’t muss the hair.
“One day, honey, I’ll have money and pay for a suck and fuck. Your bastard boss wouldn’t let me. Said I had to do only this, you weren’t putting out tonight.” He adjusted his pants, grabbing his cock. “Damn, I’m going to have to jack off before I leave. I can’t even walk straight.”
Jake muttered for her ears as she passed. “I’m surprised he finally had the money for this. He’s been bugging me for ages. You know how family is.”
She nodded, scurried away from Jake, and then blew out a breath. Please let her be gone by the time Leroy came back. And please let him be her only customer tonight.
* * * * *
Tad leaned back in his chair. “Crimson’s going to shit bricks when she sees you.” His short brown hair looked raggedy. He probably had Lucy cut it. Tad didn’t like people messing with his hair.
Bastian took a swig of his vodka. “Maybe.” He tucked his dark glasses into his pocket. Scratched at his arms. He hated the sun. Granted, it was good he didn’t burst into flames like vampires were supposed to. But still it aggravated him when he had to be in it.
They saw the red-headed beauty come from the back. She shook her head as the other waitress spoke to her.
“Hell, she’s fine and dandy. All the worrying ...”
Bastian held up a hand. “Shut up, Tad.”
He watched her take a tray and head for a table.
If he didn’t know Crimson’s twin was identical, he’d think like Tad, who had no idea. What was her name again? He’d gotten accustomed to thinking of her as the sister. Something red ... Copper, yes, that was it. The sameness was overwhelming. The differences were almost imperceptible. Especially to humans who didn’t have the eyesight he did. Her breasts looked bigger, fuller. Crim’s build was leaner. Probably because unless someone made her, she forgot to eat. Nothing existed that would tip anyone off that Copper wasn’t who she claimed to be. Over the alcohol and smoke, he could smell her. Lavender and coconut. And something that was uniquely her and different than Crimson. He could get lost in that scent, exult in it for hours.
Desire, pure and unfettered, slammed him as his cock hardened. A part of him looked at this woman and wanted to claim her on the tables in front of every man there. He swallowed, clenching the edge of his table to keep from getting up. Never had he reacted to anyone like this. Her eyes met his briefly, but quickly ducked down.
Jake approached. “She did it. The dance. How come you didn’t want her to do anything else? Crimson’s never minded it, and you haven’t minded sharing.”
“Did you tape it?” Bastian’s breathing wouldn’t come back under control.
Lust choked his airway.
“I always do. I don’t understand why you’re controlling what she does. You never have before.” Jake’s face contorted in puzzlement. He wiped his hands on his black suit, which he always wore. He’d probably play tennis in one. Bastian had never seen him in anything else.
“I want to see the tape.” Bastian wanted to see what Copper had done. He’d had his people follow her from the airport. But he’d never expected her to pretend to be Crimson. How had she known to come in? “Jake, have you still been harassing Crimson about work?” He’d gone in and erased Crimson’s messages after listening to them.
He smiled. “I knew I’d get her to come in. Come on, Bastian. The tape is in the security room.”
Bastian got up and peered through his lashes at her. She’d gone back to the bar to pick up another order. He passed within a few feet, her green eyes lifting to meet his. Searing him. His body reacted, pulsing with need, with want. The sweet scent of her arousal drove him wilder. He wanted to slam her against the wall and drive himself home. Instead, he followed Jake on shaky legs with Tad trailing behind him.
* * * * *
Copper was being watched. The hairs on the back of her next prickled, tickling in their anxiety. She looked down but scanned the room as unobtrusively as she could.
Finding the eyes that stared at her, she lifted her head. Heat started low in the base of her pelvis and radiated up and out. His eyes bored into hers like he could X-ray in and see to her core. Her breathing shallowed, panting in and out as she dropped her gaze but continued to peek.
Even in the murky cigarette-smoked light, he was gorgeous. Short, ebony hair, which looked thick and made her want to thread her fingers through it and feel the silky strands. His blue eyes reminded her of a summer pool in the town where she grew up. Almost as if she could dive off and swim in them. His tongue shot out to lick his lips, and it felt like a tug on her clit. Moisture drenched her sex. White teeth parted those full, luscious lips, and she ached to feel them nipping at her skin.
She blew out a breath. Boy, oh boy.
Diane stood beside her, and she hadn’t realized Diane had walked up. Jake approached the table where the object of her attraction sat.
Blood Lines: Conduit Page 3
