by M. R. Kelly
“What?” she whispered.
“It’s like I thought... your memory cannot be erased.”
“Are you trying to screw with my brain? Trying to hypnotize me? Let me tell you, I have been to those shows, and no one can make me do something I don’t want, mister, so stop with the evil stare, okay?”
Nikolas moved farther back into the room and leaned casually against the front of an enormous desk, his head bent in contemplation. “I can keep you safe for now, but I need to get you as far away from this place as soon as possible.”
“If you haven’t noticed, I came here with a group. The tour will notice if I just disappear. You can’t just kidnap women, I’ve heard about men like you. You lure women into your car and next thing I know, I’m being sold into slavery. It makes no sense for you to spin this tall tale, trying to frighten me into leaving with you. I know this is all an illusion brought on by too much wine. Besides, if I don’t show up, the cruise line will notify the authorities and come looking for me. Ultimately, the cruise will lose their departure time, and I will get the bill and mister, I do not have that kind of money. So I am going out there to save my girlfriend, and we are leaving here, or I will spritz you with mace,” Charlie lied as she pulled a small yellow perfume cylinder out of her bag.
“Then you will return.” He smirked. “But I insist it cannot be with your group. I will ensure that you get back to the cruise in time, so I will take you.”
Charlie moved away, her jaw tightening. Speaking with as reasonable a voice as she could manage, Charlie asked a question that was lingering at the back of her mind. “How long have you people been doing this?”
Nikolas met her accusing eyes without flinching. Every hard plane of his body spoke defiance. “We only take what we need to survive. We have no cause to harm our alimento.”
“But you just said they would have killed me!”
“Because of what you are. Your blood is cherished. Feeding from you would be like taking a powerful drug.”
“What about you? Don’t you want to eat me... drain me?”
“I would love to eat you, Charlie just not the way you think.”
Chapter Three
Fuming, Charlie felt her face warm. How could he think of sex at a time like this?
“Because being around you, smelling you... feeling you... is how,” he answered, easily slipping into her thoughts as his deep, sensual voice sent a ripple of awareness through her.
Charlie cleared her throat, pretending that she was not affected by the hard outline of his body. She accepted that he could read her thoughts, but she wasn’t prepared for him pulling her into the circle of his arms and placing his hand on the small of her back.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. “Hmmm... vanilla, sweet, like your blood.”
Charlie gasped in delight as his lips seared a path down her neck and shoulders before moving against hers, devouring their softness. His dark hair tickled her shoulders, sending shivers along her skin. Oh God! This man is sooo hot! Nikolas tightened his hold on her, lifting her against the solid wall of his muscular chest.
Charlie wriggled in his embrace, trying to free herself. The message slowly seeped into Nikolas, and he carefully let her slide down his hardened body. His lips tilted in amusement. Nikolas leaned slightly away from her, his gaze never leaving her lips.
Remembering the feel and taste of him, Charlie’s tongue traced where his lips had just been. With a rumbling moan, Nikolas pulled her back into his arms. This kiss was a fulfillment of the previous promise. Claiming her lips, he crushed her to him, turning the kiss into a deep exchange of souls as he sought and found her tongue as if seeking to draw her into him. Charlie’s moan began in the back of her throat as her fingers tangled into the soft threads of his hair, pulling him closer, melting into him willingly.
She felt Nikolas slide his hand down the back of her soft organza sundress and over the swell of her butt, holding her in position. Her pelvis ground against the hard ridge of his erection as he swung her around and laid her across the desk. Charlie released a sharp cry of dismay as he slowly pushed her sundress up past her thighs and bared the pale roundness of her belly.
He lowered his head, his lips and teeth traced along her navel until she felt her entire body shiver. His finger moved up her thigh to catch the slim strip of her thong. With a snap the fabric fell away, leaving her exposed to his view.
“Look at you,” he groaned dropping to his knees in front of her. “Beautiful.” His fingers slid through her soft brown curls, seeking the wetness beyond as her body demonstrated her need for him. Grasping the back of her thighs, he positioned them over his shoulders, his thick fingers spreading her open to him. Charlie gasped for every breath in anticipation, forgetting those in the next room, forgetting what he was, forgetting who she was as he kissed her intimately.
Then his tongue slid down her wet crevice, and her body caught fire. Charlie feared she would combust in his arms if he didn’t hurry. Reaching down, she combed her fingers through his hair, trying but failing to draw him up to her to finish this. Nikolas resisted as he sucked on her sensitive clit. Drawing it between his lips, he nipped and swirled his tongue over the tiny bud, and Charlie felt her legs clench, and her insides spiral tightly as she was pushed over the edge into an explosive orgasm. She stifled a scream as his body moved over her, swallowing her moans of delight as Nikolas moved up her body and rubbed his wet cock in the hot cream. Shuddering, he entered her, his fullness completing what she hadn’t known she had missed in all these years. Charlie curved her hands over the back of his shoulders, holding him to her, to her soul, as she felt him begin to move within her.
“I want to see us,” she moaned into his ear. Moving back, Charlie lifted onto her elbows and watched his smooth, hardened cock slowly withdraw from her grasping wetness and plunge back in. Groaning loudly, he pushed deeper.
“God, yes!” she coaxed, rotating her hips in a silent plea to quicken his pace as she reached for another peak. Nicholas answered with strong thrusts of his hips. Staring into the cool gray of his eyes, she could see her ecstasy reflected in his stare. Suddenly he snatched her up against him and positioned her slightly on her side. Hitting her G-spot, he caught her answering scream in his mouth. She sensed his testicles as they drew up against her bottom before he swore, ejaculating so forcefully she felt as if he would totally deflate.
Chapter Four
Charlie came down to earth with a crash. What was she doing here, sprawled against a desk being screwed by a stranger? Pushing against Nikolas’s chest, she scrambled from under him, adjusting her dress as she looked around for her undies. Nikolas gasped for breath, allowing her to push past him.
“Why are you so angry?” he asked, his strong hand catching her arm, pulling her back toward him. “Did you not enjoy making love with me?”
“This was not making love,” Charlie snapped, pointing at the two of them. “It was a quick lay, and I’m a slut.” Turning away, she gazed at the door. All she wanted was to get her friend and get the hell out of Dodge. Her eyes filled with tears.
“My friend is on the other side of that door, in peril... and here I am being screwed by some vampire.”
“Excuse me, not vampire,” Nikolas corrected. “My people have a condition that causes them to bleed internally. Our bodies cannot produce what they need to sustain us, so we need the factors in human blood to help us in this process. Over the years, we have had many names, but we have carried the Hebrews name, Aluka for centuries. We have adapted to make the process easier, hence the teeth, which allow us to feed efficiently with no stress on our alimento, our food. Unfortunately, we have to resort to this...” He waved his hand toward the door. “In order to survive.”
Charlie felt her face flush from embarrassment.
Nikolas smiled, pulling her close against him. “I did not mean... this... as in what we did. I mean, the tourists who come looking for excitement,
and the little blood we get from them causes no harm. They leave with the impression of having a grand time. No one gets hurt,” he declared at her doubtful stare.
“Except for me,” she whispered, feeling the unnatural pull of the man before her. Turning away from the desk and the scene of her decadence, Charlie headed back toward the closed door. She had barely turned the doorknob before Nikolas was there, his hand covering hers.
“I meant what I said, Charlie. You are mine.”
Charlie didn’t answer. What could she say to an overconfident ass who thought he could claim a woman just like that? Well, he had another think coming if he thought he could just waltz into her life and take over. Charlie would let him believe what he wanted, then at the first opportunity, she was getting her friend, and they were leaving this psycho ward. She waited beside Nikolas as he eased the door open. A few minutes later he nodded for Charlie to follow him.
When she reentered the room, the scene was surreal. The flamenco dancers were finishing up another performance with a different guitarist. Tami was sitting at their table, finishing a glass of sangria as if nothing had happened. Charlie approached the table warily, peeking over the tier to the floor below. The patrons below were draped casually over their chairs, nonchalantly talking as if they had not been feasting on the tourists less than an hour before. Tami glanced up to acknowledge her friend’s appearance. In a lowered voice she asked, “Where have you been? The tour guide has been beside himself looking for you.”
Nikolas took this moment to cut in. “It was my fault. I met Charlie on her way from the ladies’ room and waylaid her a bit.”
Tami’s gaze traveled up the length of the man beside her before her eyes came to rest on Nikolas’s handsome, smiling face. A surprised squeak escaped her as she looked back and forth between the two of them before clambering to her feet. “Oh... my God... Do you know—I never... thought—who you are again?” Tami stammered.
Nikolas threw his head back and let out a deep chuckle. “Indeed, I know who I am.” Holding out his hand, he took Tami’s in his, bringing her fingers to his lips. “Now ladies, if I may... Seeing that your friend is a fan, I will introduce you to my bandmates.”
Charlie thought Tami was going to faint as color flooded her face. Nikolas slid his fingers sensuously against Charlie’s arm and grasp her hand, leading both women toward a door at the end of the hall, whispering something to the tour guide as they passed.
Charlie blushed as the three passed the door to the room they had recently occupied. A small set of stairs led to the floor below and the side of the stage. Nikolas was a perfect gentleman as he introduced each member of the band. Charlie noticed out of the corner of her eye one of the dancers turned her back to them as they entered the room, muttering something under her breath before disappearing in the opposite direction. Nikolas gave one of the other women a warning glance before turning back to one of the musicians.
Itzac, whom he introduced as his best friend, gave each a casual, polite nod, a total lack of interest on his face. He probably felt they were no more than McDonald’s takeout. But then his head jerked up, and he looked up at Nikolas, then Charlie, his eyebrows shooting up in amazement.
Charlie noted the subtle flaring of the man’s nostrils as he inclined his silver-white head over her hand. “You are indeed lucky, my friend. The Goddess has smiled upon you.”
Nikolas gave Itzac a stern look that silenced the man and led Charlie and Tami back to the main room and their previous seats. Leaving them, he headed back in the direction of the tour guide. Charlie felt uncomfortable as the two got into what appeared to be a silent but heated conversation, the woman occasionally looking over her shoulder toward Charlie before nodding her head in resignation.
Turning away from the woman, he sauntered back to their table, pulled a chair from an adjoining table and sat down, leaning against the balcony.
“I have made arrangements to take you back to the cruise ship,” he said to Charlie. She felt her cheeks burn as she glared back at this stranger who was trying to take over her life.
“As I mentioned before, I will be leaving with my group,” she said, trying to hide her agitation from her friend. “There is no way I am going anywhere with a complete stranger. I will be on that bus, and if you try to stop me, I will contact the local authorities. I’m sure they would like to know about this little scam you’ve got going on here.”
Lifting one hand, he fingered a loose tendril of light brown curls that had fallen on her cheek. “It is done, little one. There will be no arguments. Many things can happen on your way back to the cruise ship. Buses break down. People get lost. No! It is decided.”
Charlie sighed, resigned. “Fine, I’ll go, but Tami gets to go with us. I will not leave her behind.”
“Fine,” Nikolas growled. Pushing away from the table and taking her hand in his, he pulled Charlie after him, with a startled Tami trailing them.
Chapter Five
Nikolas Sartini could not believe his good luck, or bad luck depending on how one viewed the situation. He’d had no idea when he agreed to stand in for Rowan for that night’s performance he would meet his soul mate. The shock of her scent had almost stolen his breath as he finished the intro for the dancers. Scanning the room, he had allowed her scent to wash over him until he knew exactly where she sat. His breath stopped in his chest when he found her and looked into eyes as green as the forest of Kandël.
The woman was of average height and graceful with up-tilted breasts and curved hips. She was shaped the way women should be. Not some frail, winsome female. He’d shuddered as his gaze met hers. The next she knew, he was near her sweeping her away. Slowly he entered her mind, filtering through unnecessary information until he found her source, the blue light within her that mirrored his.
He saw her thoughts as she would his with a little training. But he knew he had to save this gift for himself. What happened next was beyond his control. He couldn’t seem to stop himself.
He’d never made love with a female like this before or been this out of control. The intimate, romantic experience he’d always imagined he would share with his mate had instead been accomplished on a desk in a room as big as a closet. Now he had to ensure her safety before the others detected what she was. His only ally and friend, Itzac, was at the back of the stage, lounging casually against a wall. Nikolas had been with Itzac over the centuries, rescuing him from villagers who thought of his kind as demons, unholy, and other such nonsense. They had traveled this world together, watching each other’s backs, and waiting for their fated mates who were destined to make them stronger and day-walkers. Nikolas had seen the moment Itzac had picked up the mixture of Nikolas’s and Charlie’s scents. He would have to explain later, much later. First, he had to get the women back to their ship safely.
This part of Spain was not safe for unsuspecting mortals after dark. Many of the things that went bump in the night were wandering around looking for hapless lost tourists. Nikolas led the ladies back to the main floor and left to speak with the tour guide. This woman had worked for the Aluka for many years, planning these tours for their survival.
Now he had to get his mate and her friend back safely on the ship. But he would find her again. Her scent was a part of him now, and he would find her no matter where she was in the world.
When Charlie and her friend exited the building, Nikolas was leaning casually against a sleek silver Fisker Karma sports car, his gaze immediately locking on her. Her springy curls floated about her face as a cool breeze wafted through the narrow streets, pressing the clingy sundress against her curvy figure.
Although he tried to appear relaxed, he was tense inside remembering the feel and taste of that body. Reality surfaced, and he was cautious, thinking of those who would scent her now that she had had sex with him. They would know she was special and want to take her, seeking revenge.
The parking lot was all but empty and dark. The bus had left a few minutes aft
er the last performance, and both women had decided to make a detour to the ladies’ room. Nikolas didn’t mind the wait in the darkness. After all, he could see where others were blind. But what he felt caused him no small amount of worry as he scanned the surrounding alleys. He felt something dark and old... evil... but before he could home in on it, the sensation was gone. When Charlie and Tami returned, Nikolas opened the door and helped Tami into the back seat, and Charlie took the front seat. Folding his six-foot-plus frame into the driver’s seat, Nikolas waited for them to buckle their belts before he threw the car into gear and sped along the narrow street, barely missing a cyclist. From the corner of his eye, he could see Charlie’s death grip on the door handle.
“Do you have to go so fast?” she groaned through clenched teeth as he sped around another corner before merging onto the highway.
“Seventy kilometers an hour is not so fast,” Nikolas answered in an offhand tone as he shifted into another gear and the scenery blurred, becoming a prism of reds, greens, and browns.
Nikolas took in the way the silky dress slid up Charlie’s thighs with every nervous movement. With one hand on the steering wheel, his control almost gone, he reached again and again to touch her, but each time, he withdrew, trying to gain control of himself. He grasped the steering wheel so hard he thought it would shatter.
On the other side of the car, Charlie leaned against the cool glass, staring out and saying nothing as they sped toward the seaport. Before long, they’d pulled up to the dock where the various cruise ships lined up, gates open, waiting for returning passengers. Charlie lifted the small silver latch of the seatbelt and opened the door. Bending, she pressed the button to move the front seat forward, and Tami pushed out of the back seat.
