“Deal.”
He led her out to the dance floor. Five young men had surrounded Jezebel, their bodies pumping with the music. She shot daggers at Cate as the strobe light hit her face, making for a terrifying picture. Joy and Prince Leo were having a grand time next to them, pulling out some vintage dance moves like the running man and the sprinkler.
Just then, the music changed. A much slower song began to spill from the speakers. The dancers around them groaned and began to partner off. Joy was swept into a dance by a large gentleman with a sweet smile and Leo found himself a pretty partner with giant hoop earrings. Jezebel disappeared into the crowd, no doubt headed to the bar.
“I guess we should...” Viktor motioned awkwardly and held out his hands to her.
“Yeah.” She took his left hand and placed a hand on his shoulder. She hadn’t realized how broad he was. Under his cotton shirt, she could feel his strong muscles tense.
They swayed with the music, lights swirling above. Cate couldn’t breathe standing this close to him. Every time she inhaled, she got a whiff of clean soap with a hint of a sexy musk. She didn’t know someone could smell so good. At the same time, his warm breath on her neck was making her knees go weak.
This wasn’t good. Slow dancing had never led to anything productive in her life.
❖
Viktor resisted the urge to deeply inhale the spicy scent of Cate’s hair. He didn’t know what insanity had led him to search her out for a dance. But when she’d whispered in his ear earlier, he’d felt electricity spread throughout his entire body. He supposed part of him wanted to feel her closer, to know if it was all just a fluke or if she really had that kind of effect on him.
The verdict was in. And he was in big trouble.
“Leo always said I was a terrible dancer,” he said, pulling back the slightest to look at her face. She had her eyes closed, her dark lashes spread out on her cheeks. “That I could kill the undead with my moves.”
Her eyelids fluttered open and pierced him with an intense gaze. “You’re not half bad.”
“Thanks.” He chuckled and worked his jaw. “My mother tried her best to teach me. Luckily for me, she didn’t consider me a lost cause. But that was a long time ago. She and my father have been gone many years.”
It wasn’t often that he thought about those early dancing lessons these days. His father had become a vampire when Viktor was only five and changed him when he was ready on his thirtieth birthday. Same with Leo. Their whole family had changed. Except for his mother.
She’d refused to let go of her mortality. His father’s grief had nearly killed him as he watched his wife grow older and frail, until one day she just faded away. Viktor still carried that pain, deep down in his undead heart. He never wanted to relive those last days. He still didn’t understand why his father had let his mother die. It never should’ve happened. He should’ve fought harder.
“My parents are gone, too.” Cate tucked her chin and he thought he felt a small sob go through her body. “It’s nice that you still have family to take care of you. The only person I have is my friend, Miranda.”
“The woman you were searching for yesterday?”
He wanted so badly to hold her closer and make the heartache go away. But the cameras were closing in from Stasia’s crew and that would only spawn a national rumor. He was still bent on escaping this fiasco with his pride intact.
“Yep.” She looked up at him, her eyes wet. “Still MIA, I’m afraid. I lost my phone at the airport and I’m not sure what her number is, so I couldn’t even call her if I had access to a phone. Talk about a first-world tragedy.”
“I’ll find her for you.” He wasn’t sure what made him say it, but the words were already out of his mouth. “It won’t be that difficult. I’m sure she’s worried about you.”
A dazzling smile formed on Cate’s face that made him want to lean down and kiss her. Thankfully, he was not a vampire prone to letting his impulses get the better of him.
“That would be wonderful. I can’t thank you enough.”
The music faded and the song ended. He let his hands drop and took a big step backwards. They stared at each other for a long moment, before he cleared his throat and looked away.
“I’d better go hide in one of those corners. Duchess Jezebel is relentless.”
She stifled a laugh with her hand. “Good luck. I’m sure you’ll need it.”
And with that, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving her standing on the dance floor.
Chapter Seven
TWO HOURS LATER AND after a phone call made to his assistant back at the castle, Viktor was ready to go home. The club scene bored him. He’d only been able to avoid Jezebel for so long before she dug her talons into him and forced him into an overly sensual dance with far too much physical contact. But that had been as far as he would go. As soon as the song ended, he crept away into one of the private vampire rooms in the back.
As Murdo was a tourist city, supernaturals had to keep their identities a secret. Places like the club accomplished this by creating VIP rooms for their patrons with special affinities. Viktor didn’t exactly agree with the activities that went on in these rooms, but it was a safe haven to hide from the cameras and Jezebel. At least, that was, until they found him.
“There you are, brother!” Leo clapped his hands together, his cheeks shiny and red. He had his arm draped around a giggling blonde woman in a black corset — obviously one of the club staff members. Beside him, Joy and Jezebel trotted into the VIP room.
“Leo...” Viktor greeted him with a less-than-enthusiastic nod. He was sitting on a round padded bench with a knee-high glass table. Empty cocktail glasses littered the surface.
His brother plopped down beside him, pulling the giggling woman with him. “I’ve got a special surprise for you. Meet Laurie. She’s a blood-letter.”
His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw. “Not interested.”
“Come on, bro.” Leo prodded him in the side. “Lighten up. You’re on vacation. And the ladies want a special treat. I picked Laurie especially for you. Isn’t she pretty?”
Laurie giggled, hiding her mouth with a gloved hand.
“Not happening.” Viktor crossed his arms and looked away.
At that moment, Stasia came through the door, ushering a displeased looking Cate with her. A camera crew followed them and they all lit up when they spotted the party sitting in the darkness.
“I want to do a few shots of you all together,” Stasia explained, practically pushing Cate down on the bench next to Viktor.
He scooted over to give her room and avoid physical contact. Any closer, and he was afraid he’d become a teenaged boy again, losing his head to other physical urges. Why did she have that effect on him?
“Can I talk to you first?” Cate asked, looking at Stasia with desperation in her eyes.
She bent forward, her soft blouse brushing against Viktor’s hand. The other women had changed into club attire for the evening. Cate was the only one still wearing the casual outfit from earlier in the day. It made him appreciate her all the more. She didn’t seem as bent on impressing him or the public, unlike his other suitors.
“In a minute.” Stasia motioned with her hands. “Scoot in closer to Vik. I want to get you all.”
He didn’t miss her quiet groan of frustration. Still, she conceded and moved in just the tiniest bit.
Stasia looked through the camera and smiled at them, her curly hair bouncing on her head. “You guys look great together. I can’t wait to air this episode. This is going to make my career.”
Viktor rolled his eyes. It might make her career, but she definitely owed him. Big time.
❖
Cate wasn’t sure how to get Stasia to give her a moment of her time. She’d finally found her on the crowded dance floor, getting candid shots of the dancers. The music had been too loud to speak, so she’d followed her into a side room where they’d found the rest of the party.
; “Oh, good, a vamps room,” Stasia had breathed, motioning for her crew to follow her. “That’ll make for some good shots to end the night. Let’s wrap up in here.”
She wasn’t sure what a vamps room meant. Maybe it was the new trend of smoking, like vaping, only more hardcore. Or, a place that served a mean exotic cup of coffee. She could only hope.
There had been a large burly man guarding the entrance. It didn’t seem like he was even going to let her come in until Stasia grabbed Cate’s hand and told him she was okay, she had a ring. Maybe this simple piece of jewelry was much more than Cate knew. Like an all-access VIP backstage ticket. It only added to the mystery of the woman from the airport bathroom.
Cate had allowed herself to be shoved onto the bench beside the sulking Prince Viktor. She’d even moved in a little closer to him for Stasia’s shot. But she had just about had it with this mess. It was spiraling out of control. She needed to talk to Stasia and set her straight. No more miss nice guy.
A woman with dazzling white teeth carried a tray overloaded with blood-red cocktails to the table. Leo shoved a drink into everyone’s hands. He wore a smile so big that it looked like it was going to crack his cheeks. Someone had obviously already had too much to drink. She took her cocktail and held it on her lap as the others took sips and moaned in pleasure.
“Alright, people,” Stasia yelled over the buzz of the room. She pressed her lips together, not able to hide her own excitement. “Let’s end this first date on a bang, shall we? One more shot, and it’s a wrap.”
Cate shifted in her seat. She felt more like punching out one of the cameras than smiling for it. Still, she didn’t want to ruin Stasia’s show. She’d been so nice to her.
“Don’t feel like drinking?” Viktor asked, absentmindedly swirling the contents of his own drink in his right hand.
“Not tonight.” She placed hers back on the table and turned to him. If she couldn’t get Stasia to listen to her, she’d settle for Viktor. Maybe he would understand the whole debacle. He had seemed so open during their turn around the dance floor. “This has all been one big mistake. I don’t think I even know how to explain...”
All of a sudden, her eyes grew to the size of sand dollars. She’d caught sight of their three companions at the other end of the bench. A young blonde woman sat between them, lazying back, the skin of her neck exposed. She wore a dreamy smile on her painted face, fire-engine red lipstick on her mouth.
Joy held one of the woman’s wrists, while Leo held the other. Jezebel hovered near her head, as if trying to sniff her hair. Cate watched them grow closer, despite the little flit of innate terror that flared up inside her gut. Something about this just didn’t feel right. Her feet twitched, ready to propel her away. A true fight or flight kind of moment.
Jezebel opened her mouth wide and fangs that Cate had never noticed before glistened in the neon lights of the room. She lowered her head and chomped firmly into the blonde’s neck, clamping on tight. Leo and Joy followed suit, sinking their fangs into her wrists. Trails of blood dribbled down the woman’s pale skin as she wriggled in pleasure.
Cate found herself squeezing Viktor’s arm, her knuckles white. Her whole body shook. “Are you seeing this?”
They continued to drink from the woman as the cameras rolled. Waitresses passes by with their trays, clubbers spoke in hushed tones in the nearby booths. No one seemed to notice. No one cared. It was as if the world had gone mad.
He followed her gaze and gave a disgusted groan. Tearing his eyes away, he sipped at his drink and growled. “It’s barbaric. Vampires haven’t had to drink from a human supplier in half a century. There are blood banks for this kind of thing. I’m not sure why anyone would want to go back to the medieval times. I lived through them. They weren’t all that great.”
Her heart raced as she fixed him with a stare. “Medieval times?”
“Yes, well, it was easier to hide back then. No cameras, no Internet conspiracies, no handy instructions on how to kill a vampire. Just a man and his sword. I’ll admit that part was nice.”
Blood began to gather in splotches across her chest. She hid her shaking hands in her lap and took a shuddering breath. “You’re an ancient...vampire?”
He grimaced and ran a hand through his black hair. “I’m not a fan of the word ancient. Makes me sound like I should be falling apart. I turned seven hundred and three last year. It wasn’t much to celebrate.”
Her eyes flitted to the trio again. They’d released their victim and were in the process of daintily wiping up the spilled blood off her skin. A scream caught in Cate’s throat.
This wasn’t possible. She was surrounded by blood-thirsty monsters. If she didn’t get out of here soon, they’d eat her alive. Maybe even turn her into a vampire.
That’s what these creatures did in the movies, wasn’t it? Savagely kill and take whoever they wanted. It wouldn’t happen to her. She wouldn’t allow it.
“Ex...excuse me,” she muttered, jumping to her feet.
In the process, her knee knocked over a drink on the table. Its red contents splashed on the clear surface and she realized for the first time what everyone had been drinking — blood. The sight made her feel faint.
“I’ve just got to...” Glancing out the door, she bit the side of her cheek and tasted her own metallic blood. It was a harsh reminder of her current danger. “I’ve got to go freshen up. I’ll be right back.”
No one had ever moved so fast to be away from the prince. He sipped at his drink and watched her go, until she disappeared from sight.
Chapter Eight
CATE MADE IT EXACTLY ten steps from the room when someone grabbed her from behind. Remembering the self-defense classes she’d taken in college, she spun and chopped the offender on the neck, right on a pressure point. With a warrior cry, she struck out with her left arm, only to punch something soft and squishy.
“Ouch, my boob!” Her friend Miranda stood in front of her, rubbing a hand over her chest with a resentful frown on her face. She hadn’t changed much in the last few months. Still wore her dark hair in a shoulder-length cut and sported a blazer with a pencil skirt. Her tawny skin appeared even darker in the shadows of the club and her purple lipstick glowed. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Thank the stars, it’s you.” Cate grabbed her by the shirt and dragged her into the female restroom just down the hall. Once inside, she clicked the lock behind them and pressed herself against the door. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
“You’re telling me.” Miranda cocked her hip and scowled. “What are you doing here? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” She held up a finger. “First, you leave me a voice mail that you’ve arrived in Monstrana. Then, you go completely off the grid. Don’t return my calls. I thought you were dead! Next thing I know, I’m turning on the evening news and I see your face blaring across my screen. And that you’re dating the Crown Prince. I wouldn’t have believed it until I got a call from his assistant this evening, telling me you were here.”
Cate shook her head. None of that was important now. She needed to find them an escape.
“It’s all been a mistake,” she said, looking around the room for exits. No windows, no ceiling vents. They were trapped. “But you’ll never believe what happened to me tonight. This is the stuff of nightmares, Miranda. The prince and the others, they’re all vampires! Real life vampires. They were draining a poor girl in there. We’ve got to get out of here. They’ll kill us.”
The fury melted from Miranda’s face. She tilted her head and patted Cate’s shoulder. “Oh, honey...”
“I’m not crazy!” She started looking for a weapon. Anything made of wood. That’s what Buffy used, right? But unfortunately, the entire club seemed to be made of cement and steel. No wood in sight. They must’ve been paranoid vampires.
“No one said you were crazy.” Miranda licked her lips and made a grimace. “But you’re not wrong about the vampires. Or the werewolves. They run this country.”
<
br /> Freezing in place, Cate blinked hard and tried to understand the words coming out of her best friend’s mouth. “Did you say werewolves?”
“Yeah.” Miranda shrugged and turned to check her hair in the mirror. “Ever since I went through my change last year, I’ve been struggling. Moving to Monstrana was the best decision I ever made. No more hiding. Every full moon and I’m out there with the pack, running through the night. It’s exhilarating. I wish you could experience it.” Something sparkled in her blue eyes. “Oh, and I met someone. I can’t wait to introduce you two.”
Her eyes narrowed at her friend. Surely, she could tell this wasn’t the time for joking. A real life monster was out there. Four, to be exact.
“I can see this is coming as a shock.” Miranda placed a hand on each of her shoulders and took a deep breath. “Take a moment. Let it sink in. What I’m telling you is real. Vampires exist. Werewolves exist. And a whole load of other supernatural creatures you thought were just fairy tales.”
Cate dropped to the floor and squeezed her eyes shut. This was all a dream. Just a dream. She’d wake up any second now, back at home in Nebraska. Her favorite fluffy pink slipper sitting next to the bed. Her unicorn mug waiting by the coffee pot. She’d have a cup and then she’d call Miranda and they’d laugh about it. That was all.
But when she opened her eyes again, they were still in the club bathroom and her ex-roommate was kneeled in front of her. She clasped her hands to her cheeks and tried to focus, feeling over-whelming panic on the edge of her consciousness.
“How?” she asked, eyeing her friend. “And, when?”
They’d grown up together. Shared every detail of their love lives and dreams. She was like a sister. Cate couldn’t imagine that Miranda simply forgot to share a tiny little detail like oh, hey, I’m a werewolf.
“Remember that dog bite I got when I went out for a late night walk last summer?” Miranda sighed and shrugged. “Wasn’t a dog. I turned during the next full moon. Freaked me out. It wasn’t until I found a local pack of werewolves that I figured it all out.”
Drop Dead Single: Vampire Romance (A Monstrana Paranormal Romance Book 1) Page 5
