“Diane, who’s that dark-headed man?”
“Where?” Diane squinted to see where she pointed. She looked for a second, and then turned wary eyes to Copper. “What do you mean who’s that? Are you joking around?”
Uh-oh. “Oh, you know me. Always joking. Ha ha.”
“I’m surprised you aren’t over there on his lap. You and Bastian are always messing around.”
Copper’s hands shook as she poured a glass of water for her table. That man was her sister’s boyfriend.
Oh Cop, you are evil for having those thoughts about him.
She watched him get up and follow Jake to the back of the bar. His eyes captured hers. And singed her. Burned her all over as if he’d taken a match and lighted her with it. Then he walked out, following Jake. The brown-haired man glared at her from behind Bastian.
Oh yes, this is burn in hell stuff. Coveting thy sister’s boyfriend.
Wait a minute, if he was Crimson’s boyfriend, and they were usually all over each other, why hadn’t he come over to see her? Obviously, he’d spotted her. She shivered, remembering that gaze. If he could do that with his eyes, what would he do with his hands?
Copper had already been puzzling why her boss hadn’t let more go on between her and her client. Mr. Pig Man, Leroy, had said the boss wouldn’t let anything more happen. If Crimson was doing more than that normally ... why had he limited it?
Did they suspect? No reason for them to. Unless boyfriend knew more about her than she did about him.
* * * * *
Bastian sat down in the straight-backed chair, his erection straining against the wool of his pants. Tad, who noticed everything, looked down and arched a brow.
“So even if she’s had you in knots worried about her, you still got it bad for the bitch, huh?”
Tad always said what was on his mind. Unlike Lucy, who relied on Bastian’s abilities to know what she wanted.
Jake popped in the tape, so Bastian settled back in the chair, ignoring Tad’s question. Tad frowned but didn’t repeat it.
“OK, here it is.”
“It’s too dark to see anything,” Tad muttered.
“That’s because the light’s not on, dickhead.”
Tad opened his mouth to say something, and Bastian held up his hand. “Don’t, Tad.”
Jake was a strict heterosexual, uncomfortable with the idea of men with men. Tad loved to bait and make the man react by questioning his sexuality.
Tad stuck his lip out. “Spoil my fun.”
They saw the door open on the screen. Light spilled into the room, bathing the goddess in the doorway golden. Gods, she was lovely. Bastian swallowed, shifting in his seat.
“There she is.” Jake sat down in the chair by Bastian.
The door closed, and the light flipped on. He caught her frantic look like a rabbit who’d been caught in the garden. It only graced her lovely face a second. Damn, he wanted to jump into the tape and stop her pain. What was coming over him?
She shimmied around, dancing.
“What the hell did she do there? He paid for a lap dance. Crimson never dances like that. And she’s usually a helluva lot better at it.” Jake smoothed down the lines of his suit, nervousness apparent in the habitual motion.
She flipped her hair back and approached the man staring with beady piglet eyes, starting the lap dance.
Two strong emotions flooded Bastian’s psyche. He wanted to run and tear the man’s arm off, especially when he reached to Copper, grasping her hips. At the same time, he wanted to be that man. Wanted to be the one she’d gone to, doing these things for. His cock pushed against the seam of his pants, wanting freedom. Wanting to feel the woman against it.
She dropped her outfit.
Bastian sucked in a breath, causing Tad to jerk his head to look at him. The grainy tape didn’t do her justice. But that milk-white skin had to feel like silk. He wanted to pull the clips out her hair and have her run that hair up and down his body. Then kiss between those full hips and thighs.
“Does she ... take it all off?” Bastian’s voice came out hoarse, like he spoke through a foghorn.
“No, she doesn’t. Yet another odd thing. You know how Crimson likes to strip. This is as far as she goes.”
Too far in front of the other man for Bastian’s tastes. Licking his lips, he wanted her to turn and face the camera so he could get a full frontal again, like he’d gotten when she’d stripped, instead of this sideways view. He wanted to unsnap that bra and release her full breasts, but for his eyes alone. Wanted to see them without any bindings. He wanted to kiss her right on the kiss mark he’d seen at the apex of her thighs as she’d dropped the rest of her clothing.
He panted. Jake didn’t comment on his obvious state of arousal. No such luck with Tad.
“I’ve never seen you react to Crimson this way.” Tad’s frown had come back.
“Jake, no more clients. And I want her watched.”
“Bastian, she’s the most popular girl I have. I can’t stop. It will cost me money.”
“I’ll make sure you don’t lose any.” Bastian leaned back. “No more clients.”
Jake shrugged. “Whatever you want. Remember, you aren’t my boss. I do things for you for mutual favors.”
Bastian nodded. “I know. And I want the tape.”
Jake handed it over.
“What if she asks questions?” Jake scratched his chin.
“Tell her no one has asked for her.”
Jake let them out through the back entrance. Bastian didn’t want to chance seeing the woman again and not being able to fight his primal side. Last thing he needed was to take her in the middle of a bar. He had enough problems.
“Bast?” Tad fell into step with him.
“Yes?”
“What’s going on? You’ve never reacted like this to anyone. Even Crimson before today. Like you want to screw her so badly you can’t control it. I saw everything that happened to you.”
“I ... don’t know, Tad. I don’t know.”
“What was Crimson feeling? Thinking?”
Bastian froze. Stood still. “I don’t know.” He heard the surprise tingeing his voice.
“You didn’t read her?”
It hadn’t hit him until now. “I couldn’t read her. I didn’t pick up on anything.”
“Didn’t read her? Or couldn’t read her?”
Bastian ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not sure I was trying.”
“Do you still read me?” Tad took a step to face him, frowning.
Bastian pushed out with his mind. “Yes. Yes, I can. I don’t read you all the time, Tad. You know that.”
“Then why couldn’t you read Crimson? You always have before.”
He wasn’t sure why he wanted to keep Crimson’s sister a secret. Perhaps it was how she affected him. But keep it a secret he did. “I don’t know, Tad.”
He’d never been unable to read anyone before. His maker, Henri, had told him his psyche had strength most vampires didn’t have. He read without trying, unlike most vampires. Did it like breathing. People he was around all the time -- he tried not to, but even when he wasn’t trying, he did. He’d gotten nothing from this girl. Why would a human be blocked from him?
Chapter Four
Copper yawned as she walked down the dusty hallway to Crimson’s apartment. They needed to change burned out light bulbs once in a while. And clean up the dead bugs. Fatigue weighed down her limbs like she’d swum for hours. Been a long time since she waitressed.
She rounded the corner. A man stood at the door to the apartment. Or rather, as she got closer, a kid. He looked barely legal, with close-cut brown hair and a lanky body.
“Hello, Crimson.” Not the lazy southern drawl of the deep South. And not the voice of an adolescent with breaks and high pitches either.
“Hi.” She took a deep breath. The less she said the better.
“Bastian sent me to fetch you. Why the hell he wants me to, I don’t know.”
> The boyfriend. He’d sent for Crimson. She let out a nervous breath. Bastian believed she was Crimson. A good thing. He probably didn’t know Crimson had a twin. But now he wanted to see her. Not sure if that was bad or good. “Let’s not keep him waiting.”
He glared at her. “After you.”
They headed back toward the stairs. She quelled the shaking in her legs. Impersonating her sister at work was one thing. This was something different. She’d waited for him to approach her in the bar. But he’d disappeared, and she hadn’t seen him again. Why hadn’t he confronted her there?
The guy took her down to a Jaguar. Climbing in, he started it, gunning the motor. “So why aren’t you babbling about how you didn’t mean to frighten anyone? You usually have more excuses than a whore has dick.”
Copper narrowed her eyes. “I do not.” Crimson didn’t make excuses for her behavior. She did what she wanted to.
He snorted. His raggedy hair framed his face. Looked like he’d been trimmed with a hedge trimmer. He had full, sensual lips and almond eyes, in shape and color. “Tell it to Bastian. He’s the only one who believes that.”
They spent the rest of the ride in strained silence.
When they turned into the driveway, Copper gaped. She shouldn’t be gaping; she acted like herself with that action and not Crimson, but she couldn’t help it. The house loomed; no other word could describe it. Multi-colored stone and dark wood led to an intricate system of roofs that had the appearance of being thatched. It had a rounded tower like something out of Rapunzel. Massive windows probably bigger than she was. She’d never seen anything like it.
After parking, the boy watched her. “What are you looking at?”
Copper leaned forward, moistening her lips with a flick of tongue. “Nothing. Just looking.”
“Don’t try the tongue trick on me. Save it for Bastian.”
“You know, you really don’t like me, do you?” Would he notice she’d never called his name? She crossed her fingers where they were shoved under her thigh on the seat.
“Boy, someone gave you IQ pills while you were gone. Maybe that was a good thing.”
“I’m not stupid. I’ve known you don’t like me. I want to know why.”
His entire face lengthened as he laughed. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re asking why? Like you care.”
“I do.”
“Because you will hurt Bastian. And he doesn’t deserve it. Like you don’t deserve him. Come on. Let’s find Bastian and end this heart-to-heart that you’ll forget about in two seconds.”
Ouch. After exiting the car, Copper fell into step behind him. Damn, not knowing names was difficult. Crimson had never exactly been known for her people skills. But she’d never been that much of a bitch. They walked up the massive, curling steps to the heavy, wooden front door. Copper stopped mid-step as a thought hit her. Crimson had only been a bitch when she’d gone without her daily dose of S&M. People could do S&M responsibly. Not her sister. She had an addiction like people did to drugs, alcohol, food. Moderation -- not something Crimson practiced.
The door banged shut behind them.
“Tad. You know you’re not supposed to slam that ... Oh.”
Copper took in the petite blonde bombshell in a body-hugging halter-top and jeans. Her brown eyes seemed so big in her slender face. Hungry eyes. Like a wolf.
“Lucy, where’s Bastian?”
“He said he’d be in his room when you got back. He didn’t tell me you’d found her.”
“As Bastian tells me constantly, he doesn’t have to tell us everything.” Tad swiveled his head to glare at Copper. “Come on, Crim. Let’s go.”
“You’re going to escort me up there?” She waited until he moved, tagging along behind him. Copper ascended the cool marble staircase. One glance back told her Lucy glared, watching them. At the top of the steps, another glance back revealed more glaring. Great. Another Crimson fan.
They walked down a long hallway. Tad pushed open the door, and they went into a bedroom. Bastian’s. A small, Tiffany-style lamp was the only light breaking the darkness. Heavy, full-length curtains covered the huge windows she’d seen from outside. Crimson’s place had been darkened, too. An obscenely huge bed was the centerpiece of the room. It had dark wooden posts and dark linens. It would have dwarfed a smaller room but fit this one well.
“I brought her.”
“Leave us.” She’d missed the figure sitting in a wingback chair. His voice, deep. Familiar. It sent a shiver along her body. His eyes narrowed. He hadn’t missed it.
“Bastian ...”
“Do it, Tad.”
Tad frowned one more time, glaring at her, then stalked out of the room, slamming the door.
“I think he’s angry at me.”
Bastian leaned back. “You think? You know Tad. Does what he wants and trusts he’ll get away with it.”
“Oh, yeah.” The voice. The one on the phone. He’d been there the night Crimson had called her. She clenched her hands, nails biting into the palms. Don’t give this up too soon.
“Are you going to have a seat, Crimson? Or stand there wringing your hands together? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do that. Everything all right?”
“I’m fine.” She shook her hair back and stalked over to him. You’re Crimson. She straddled his lap. His breath caught in his chest. “I’m more than fine now that I’m here with you.”
Bastian swallowed, his head shooting off rockets at her nearness. His cock twisted to full attention in the wrong place, a seam biting into it. Her scent intoxicated him. He kept his eyes from her breasts, so full, begging for his touch. His hands bit into the chair arms to keep from wrapping around her, dragging her against him and having her ride him in the chair. A strangled sound rumbled up from his chest.
“Are you now? Is that why you’ve been avoiding me? Running from me?” His breath came out rushed and forced.
She rubbed against his lap. His cock perked up even more at her touch.
“I’d never avoid you, baby. Thought you were avoiding me.” Copper poked her lips out in a sulk that looked like pure Crimson. “You didn’t come over to me tonight. Barely looked at me.” She slid down, sitting straddle-style on his lap, warming it like molten lava had been poured down him.
“I decided to leave you alone. Let you work. You haven’t exactly been available for me to see.” Bastian leaned back. “Where have you been, Crimson? I’ve been worried.”
“I’ve been around, baby. Needed a little bit of space; you know how I get sometimes.”
He gripped her arms tight in his hands. Squeezed them hard enough to leave marks. “Have you been in the scene again?”
“You’re hurting me,” she bit out between clenched teeth. “Scene?”
Bastian could smell her fear. Every pore oozed it. He still couldn’t read her mind. Couldn’t sense anything. He’d forgotten how much he depended on the ability. He did it like breathing, involuntarily. A lot of vamps had to continually concentrate to link to their kind or read humans. He didn’t. And never expected to encounter someone he couldn’t read. That was why, at first, he hadn’t realized it. “You know what I mean. Do I need to check you all over? Look for whip and handcuff marks?”
Her body slumped. Relaxed. She gave him a sultry smile. “No marks on me. But you can check me out anytime you like.”
He let his finger reduce their grip on her arm. “Let’s do it now.”
“Now?” she squeaked, her eyes widening.
“Now.” He brushed a hand across her face. Smooth and soft like cotton. He wanted to run his fingers all down her skin. How far would she take this?
Copper ran a hand through her hair and leaned back. Button by button, she unlooped them, exposing inch by inch of creamy flesh. He caught sight of a few freckles. He could take chocolate and have a rousing game of dot to dot. Arching his hips up, he caught her eye, rubbing his cock against her.
She shot up further, escalating the striptease. Her face flushed,
a lovely shade of red. She shimmied the one-piece outfit down her legs, losing contact with his lap. He missed her skin touching his.
She held out her arms. “See? No marks.”
“Turn around.”
She complied, swiveling slowly around like she stood on a turn plate. “Satisfied?”
Not hardly. Bastian wanted to sink his teeth into that firm ass, accentuated so clearly by the tight-hugging, black latex shorts. Wanted to cup it in both hands, see how well the cheeks fit. His mouth couldn’t get any drier nor could he get any harder.
She’d done a full turn and arched a brow at him. “Anywhere else you’d like to check?”
Hell, yeah. “I could check your breasts. You’ve always liked to be bitten there.”
He saw the tic beat for a second in her jaw and a swallow moved down that long, slender neck, bringing his attention to the pulse beats. She reached around her back, fumbling, and then the bra fell forward as she shrugged it off.
Heat slammed into his solar plexus. So beautiful. Two firm mounds with pale pink nipples. Unbitten. Rounded and curvy. So he could get drier and harder. And hornier.
He reached out, cupped under her breast. An electric pulse zinged him. She gasped, and he jumped. He’d never felt anything like it. Moaning, she leaned into his hands as his thumbs came up to caress her hardening nipples. He moved closer to suck them into his mouth.
She shook her head, panting, moving back.
She wasn’t Crimson. He dropped his hands. He couldn’t take her until she knew he knew who she was. And he wasn’t ready to give up the charade yet. He didn’t know where Crimson was. The easiest way to keep Copper out of trouble would be to keep her with him. He could look for Crimson at his leisure, and her sister would stay safe.
“I have to go out. I want you to stay here. Tad will escort you to and from work. Until I find out where you’ve been the last week or so.” Bastian bolted, retreating before he touched her more than he already had.
* * * * *
Evangeline sighed and tossed back her hair.
“Your locks are like gossamer silk. So luxurious.” The boy toy’s hand weaved a path on her thigh. They sat in an oversized black armchair together.
Blood Lines: Conduit Page 4
