Nocturnal Surrender (The Nocturnal Surrender Series)

by Pearl, Lorraine

  She needed to find a way out of this without hurting him, or making him angry. “Isn’t it closed by now?”

  His grin showed off the square line of his jaw, shadowed with stubble. “It’s a vampire club, it doesn’t close until dawn.”

  Great, that didn’t work. “I thought you guys preferred to be called sanguinarians.”

  “Depends on who you ask.” Running his fingers through his golden hair, he could have passed for a Greek god as his muscles flexed and the light above the door cast an ethereal glow around him.

  The last of the girls exited Delacroix, and of course, Ginger was the one to speak. “Hey, Nikki, come on. Let’s get going. We all leave together, remember. I can’t believe you came out here alone.” Her gaze swept over Bastian, appearing to size him up.

  Instinctively, Nicole jumped to his defense. “It’s okay. This is Donovan Evanko’s brother, Bastian. He’s safe.” I think.

  The four women swarmed Bastian, ogling him. There were giggles and soft touches, hair tossed back or twirled around long slender fingers, and eyelashes batted.

  She tightened her fists and bit her lip. How pitiful. They practically threw themselves at him just because of his name. If they didn’t stop, she might lose her supper.

  Most of the girls made no secret that they frequented Nocturnal Surrender, and a chance to have Donovan Evanko drink their blood was the ultimate prize. Apparently they were willing to settle for any Evanko.

  Nicole suspected her own boss drank from some of the strippers, too. There were hints and innuendos, but nobody came right out and admitted to anything—probably because of the possibility of a sexual harassment claim. No matter the reason, she’d wanted nothing to do with that.

  Freaks pretending to be vampires. Sanguinarians. Whatever they call themselves.

  But…with Bastian, she did want it. She hadn’t realized it until jealousy sprang from nowhere, and now those tramps needed to get their paws off him.

  She pushed her way through the women and seized Bastian’s hand. “Sorry girls, we have to head over to Nocturnal Surrender. I’ll see you later.”

  A wide smile lit up Bastian’s face. “She’s right ladies. We’re late for our date.”

  Oversized breasts seemed to immediately deflate, and the dancers said their goodbyes. Unintelligible whispers filled the air as they sulked to their cars, most likely wondering how the new and inexperienced girl got the man.

  Nicole held her head high. She’d received the prize the others had coveted. Bastian wanted her. Maybe she was crazy to do this, but if he came from such a respected family, he had to be safe.

  Still, her gut tightened when he walked her to her car, though she did her best to ignore it. After all, what harm would there be in going with him to a public place?

  She situated herself in the seat of her silver Focus.

  “I’ll see you at Surrender.” He winked and closed the door for her.

  She stared at his muscular back and thighs as he strutted to the side lot where Donovan waited by a black Escalade.

  Nocturnal Surrender was only a few neon and bright-light-laden blocks away on the Lansford Strip, but the decreased traffic made the drive seem even shorter.

  She pulled into a parking spot in front of the Gothic club but barely had a chance to turn off the engine before Bastian stood at her door, offering an arm to escort her in.

  Chivalry wasn’t dead, it just liked to think it was undead.

  Inside, Nicole tried not to stare at the vampires drinking blood from the necks and wrists of enthusiastic donors. Since moving to town she had heard stories of what happened at the club but never dreamt they were true.

  Raising her hand to the sore spots on her throat, she cringed at the thought of all she’d done tonight.

  This really was another Sin City. Her parents had warned her, begged her not to move to Lansford because places like that have a way of infecting you with their filth.

  But she knew better, and swore that wouldn’t happen to her. Now she sat in a crimson booth, next to a black pleather-covered wall, in a large room illuminated only by low wattage sconces and flickering candles—in The Nightclub with a Bite.

  She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  The waitress came to take their orders. Nicole looked up into her silvery gaze and another wave of apprehension hit, that strange self-preservation instinct kicking in again. She tensed. Even the hairs on her neck stood up.

  Why the hell did she feel so vulnerable? If she was in a dark alley she would have understood, but in a semi-full nightclub it made no sense. This wasn’t some dive bar. It happened to be one of the most hyped establishments in Lansford. The must see place—if only to check out the freak show.

  Bastian’s deep voice pulled her from her thoughts. “Nicole, are you okay?”

  She turned to him and realized he’d moved closer, his arm resting on the back of her seat. “I’m fine. I’ve just never been here before.”

  After ordering, she focused on the gaudy sign behind the bar. “This place is very…um…unique.”

  “Yeah, I have to hand it to Donovan. He really did well for himself.” The waitress came back with their drinks, and Bastian took a quick swig of his beer. “And now I’m going to be working here. I guess this place needs another bartender. You’ll be seeing a lot of me, if you want to.”

  The statement sounded more like a question. How should I answer? She wiped her moist palms on her jeans as the blasting rock music grated on her nerves.

  He cocked his head to the side. “You do want to, don’t you? I know we were caught up in the moment, but we both said we didn’t want things to end in that room.”

  Had she changed her mind? For that matter, had she meant it when she’d said it? She was reeling from an incredible orgasm—and blood loss—at the time. The last thing she wanted was a relationship. She needed to focus on school. Her future came first.

  But when Bastian slipped his arm around her waist, every inch of her body tingled with desire. She licked her lips at the hunger in his eyes and allowed him to pull her closer.

  Maybe, just maybe, she could find time for him.

  Hell, who was she kidding? She definitely would.

  Pushing her fears aside, she smiled. “Yes, I do want to.”

  With that, his mouth enveloped hers. His tongue plunged in deep. He held her tight, and heat flooded her core. Her fingers slid into his thick hair, and she surrendered to him completely.

  She looked forward to getting to know him better, but for now, all she wanted was to find another private room.

  Nine

  Bastian kissed Nicole with all the passion he’d kept locked inside for the last two hundred years. He held her tighter, and she moaned. Their tongues plundered each other’s mouths, battling for dominance as if the intimacy were necessary to survive.

  When he finally released her lips, he realized why he’d allowed himself to have sex with her so quickly. It wasn’t that he hadn’t been with a woman since receiving his sentence, but part of the terms of his exile required he have no contact with people. He’d only taken the chance to rebel a handful of times—and had been lucky he wasn’t caught.

  But it had been over fifty years since the last time he’d known a woman well enough to have sex. Hiding his activities from the Elders and their Enforcers had grown difficult with increasing technology so he’d played it safe. What man could hold back after all those years? Donovan must not have thought it through before taking Bastian to a strip club, especially one that offered vampires special services.

  He watched the soft rise and fall of Nicole’s breasts as her breathing calmed. She reached for her iced tea with a trembling hand and took a long drink.

  The minute he had noticed her on stage, he’d felt the good in her. Sleeping with him so fast was definitely out of character. So why had she? Vampires didn’t have any powers of attraction like some books and movies portrayed—not unless they intentionally manipulated someone’s mind, at le
ast.

  When he ran his fingers through her long dark hair, she quickly put down her glass and looked at him.

  Was that longing in her eyes? No, longing wasn’t exactly the feeling he got from her. But what was it? Temptation gnawed at his brain. Listening to her thoughts would be so easy. For some reason, though, he fought the urge.

  Huh, that’s not like me. What is she doing to me? He sat quiet for a moment. Say something, idiot.

  He cleared his throat. “So what made you decide to go to law school?”

  “It’s a long story, and painful to talk about, but…” She frowned and furrowed her brows. “Wait a minute. I don’t remember telling you what I was going to college for.”

  Fuck. That’s what I get for invading her thoughts earlier.

  What the hell could he say? His pulse raced. He needed to come up with something quick. Then, from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Kade swaggering in.

  Perfect. Never thought I’d be glad to see that asshole.

  Luckily, another thing Bastian had picked from Nicole’s mind was the fact she’d told her boss what she studied at Lansford University.

  “Uh, I think Kade must have mentioned something about it. And speak of the devil.” Bastian nodded toward Kade as he rounded the bar, probably headed for Donovan’s office.

  Nicole glanced at Kade, seemingly shaken from seeing him. “You know…I have to admit I’m not comfortable here yet. Heck, I grew up in the country. I’ve never even been to Philadelphia, and it’s a lot closer to home than this.” She looked down at her glass and thumbed it nervously. “Everything here freaks me out. Probably sounds crazy to you.”

  Not crazy, but different from his experience. Bastian had travelled extensively in Europe before his exile and he’d been all over the United States in the last two centuries. Immortality had many advantages and time to see the world was one of them. Those years would have been even more torturous if not for his exploration of this new land where he’d been banished.

  The country was harsh in the beginning but offered stunning scenery. And since he had only been allowed to feed on animals, he bonded with nature’s brutality and reveled in its savage beauty. Although he hadn’t fed on people, he’d felt more in touch with his inner vampire over those years.

  As the population grew and large cities sprang up, he had been driven farther into the wilderness like the animals he depended on for nourishment. He’d isolated himself more, unsure how to hide his true nature if he came in contact with a large source of the sustenance he truly craved. It had been a long road back to civilization over the last few months, and he hadn’t shown up in Lansford until he was sure he could control the bloodlust. He was thankful to find human blood so easy to come by in this new era. Otherwise, a trail of bodies would have lain in his wake.

  Nicole’s soft voice pulled him back to the present. “Bastian, are you okay?”

  He took a drink of beer and stroked her hair again. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just lost in thought for a minute.”

  If she knew what he was thinking, she’d run screaming bloody murder.

  A brewing argument at the next booth caught his attention before one of the bouncers swooped in and took control of the situation. Nicole apparently hadn’t noticed—probably due to the loud music—but since the spat was so close, Bastian picked it up with his heightened hearing.

  He shifted his focus back to her. “And it isn’t crazy to have not had the opportunity to travel. But I can see how a city like this would be hard to get used to if you’ve lived in the country all your life.” In truth, it wasn’t easy for Bastian, either. “The way I see it, you’re lucky.”

  She stared at him, looking puzzled. “How so?”

  “You haven’t been exposed to the atrocities of the world—other than on TV, of course. Hopefully your town was quiet and peaceful, with great neighbors and cookouts and pool parties.” He’d seen towns like that on his way from his last haven in the wilds of Montana. Nothing bad ever happened in those places.

  Her eyes sparkled before welling with tears. “It was, for the most part.”

  Pain radiated from her again, and Bastian remembered what she’d said when he asked why she wanted to be a lawyer.

  Might be best not to ask what went wrong. “Tell me about the good parts…if you want to.”

  She sipped her drink again then breathed deep. “Well, what can I say? It was all those things you mentioned. I loved to go for walks and see the wildlife. The deer were my favorite. I could get pretty close to them if I went out on a regular basis so they knew I wasn’t a threat. Sometimes I would lay on the ground by the neighbor’s pond and watch the clouds roll by while the ducks swam. I loved the feel of the earth under me, the soft grass under my fingers.”

  Joy radiated from her. She paused for a moment, took a sip of her drink, and then looked back to Bastian. Her smile was enchanting.

  “My family was close, so we did have big pool parties, especially for the Fourth of July. All the neighbors were involved, and everyone pitched in to buy fireworks. They even had lookouts sitting at the ends of the roads to call over if the police showed up. The displays were huge, but there was always enough warning to cover everything so the police couldn’t see who’d been setting them off.”

  Bastian chuckled. It sounded like she’d had a good childhood. Damn, he really wanted to know where it went bad, but he would wait. “See, there’s already something we have in common. I love being out in nature, too.” She didn’t need to know the part about him feeding on animal blood.

  “Really? I just pegged you for a city guy. I can’t picture you out in the woods.”

  She rested her hand on his atop the table.

  Her soft touch sent shockwaves straight to his groin. It has been far too long. Once sure as hell wasn’t enough.

  Focus. Don’t screw this up.

  “Oh, trust me,” he said. “I’ve spent more time in the woods than in the city. I just moved here from Montana.”

  She gently stroked his forearm. “You know, they say it only takes one major thing in common for people to make a connection and friendship. I guess we just found ours.”

  “Where did you hear that?”

  Nicole giggled. “On a talk show… But a licensed psychologist said it. I think.”

  Bastian caught a whiff of fresh blood and snapped his gaze back to the booth with the arguing couple. Apparently they had worked out their differences. A female vamp now fed on the male tourist while his girlfriend sat mute and dazed. The mortals were clearly under the vampire’s control to keep the situation from getting out of hand again. The man’s thoughts moved in slow motion, but that didn’t stop his arousal. If his girlfriend only knew what he wanted to do to the sanguinarian, she’d never speak to him again.

  Hunger spiking—not from lack of blood, but from the bloodlust—Bastian turned his attention back to Nicole and her delicious neck.

  What the hell were the Elders thinking depriving a vamp of human blood? Did they even stop to think what kind of hunger he’d experience when thrown back into humanity? And there was no rhyme or reason for when his appetite hit. He’d had no problem earlier, but suddenly the need for blood punched him in the gut.

  “Are you okay?” Nicole’s voice cracked with obvious—and understandable—concern.

  Bastian was certain he had a predatory look in his eyes. He blinked a few times and chugged the rest of his beer just as the waitress came by with refills. Nodding his thanks, he drank, wishing alcohol affected immortals like it did humans. No such luck. A quick buzz was all he’d end up with. His body processed the alcohol too fast. To get drunk, he would need a truckload of booze.

  He smiled at Nicole, hoping he didn’t look as if he wanted to tear into her throat. “I’m fine. Like I said, this is all new to me, too, and sometimes I feel out of sorts.” It was mostly true.

  Nicole must have bought his excuse. “Okay, so now that’s two major things we have in common. We’re on a role here.”

/>   Her enthusiasm was infectious, and he took it in to ease his hunger. She soothed him like nobody else ever had, but he had no idea why. Maybe it was her inner strength pushing her through whatever pain she hid. Normally, the women he fell for depended on him. But Nicole would make her way through life fine without him. Her ability to adapt to Lansford proved that.

  Yes, part of her wanted someone to lean on, but she didn’t need it to survive.

  She didn’t need him.

  With her, there was no pressure. He could relax and be himself—partially.

  Hopefully the rest will come in time.

  Ten

  A few days had passed since Nicole met Bastian, and apparently Ginger couldn’t wait any longer to hear the details. Nicole sat in the employee lounge, rubbing her feet while her new friend bombarded her with questions.

  “So, tell me about him. What’s he like? Is he rich like his brother? Did you like it when he bit you?” Ginger winked then sipped her blue cocktail. “Are you two dating?”

  Nicole nearly cringed. She had no interest in sharing any information about Bastian. After taking a quick drink of her iced tea, she rested her aching feet on the coffee table and sank into the oversized sectional. Unfortunately, the soft cushions weren’t enough to take the edge off her nerves.

  Why on earth did Ginger have to be so nosy?

  “What’s with the inquisition? He’s just a guy.” Was she trying to convince herself, or was she trying to keep Ginger from salivating over Bastian?

  Ginger pulled her thick red locks into a ponytail. “Come on. Don’t hold out on me. I want details—all of them.”

  No way would Nicole tell her all the details. How could she admit to sleeping with the man the first time she’d met him, and while at work? Hell, she had no idea how she’d allowed that herself. In some ways she felt cheap and slutty, but in others… Well, she hoped it wasn’t just some one-night-stand-type hookup. If it turned out to be, she couldn’t face herself in the mirror again.

  Surely their tryst meant something. Bastian had been so tender and compassionate. He’d waited for her after work and wanted to get to know her better. Why would he make the effort if it was only sex to him?