My favorite song by Bruno Mars came on and I couldn't help but dance. The Jager began to hit me a little and I lost myself in the music.
The room spun before my eyes and I realized that I was the one spinning. I had forgotten about the broken-down house and my parents' death. A smile appeared on my face and felt weird. I hadn't remembered the last time I let loose like that. It had to of been before that phone call that changed everything.
I noticed Fiona and her friends stopped dancing around me. They were all looking in the same direction, with a dumb look on their faces. I turned around to see a tall man wade his way through the sea of people. He was nicely dressed in black pants and a dark red button-up shirt.
I was mesmerized by his face and dark short hair. He was so attractive. Almost too attractive. I tried to run through movies in my head to see if he maybe was a famous actor. I came up with nothing but still suspected that he must be from something.
When he asked me if I wanted a drink, I didn't know how to reply. My brain wanted to say yes but nothing came out of my mouth.
The man grabbed my hand and I felt a spark shoot through me. He pulled me through the pit of people and away from Fiona. I could see them whispering in each other's ears as I left them. I don't know why this guy singled me out but Fiona was definitely jealous.
We arrived at the bar and he had no difficulty getting the bartender's attention. He ordered us two drinks and I was excited to finally get some real alcohol. It also helped that I didn't have to pay for it.
I asked him what is name was but he just ignored me. I thought that maybe he didn't hear me and I went to ask him again but was interrupted by the bartender arriving with the drinks.
I hesitated before I took a sip and sniffed the glass. I didn't want anymore Jager. The drink smelled like whiskey and I tipped it back into my mouth.
The liquid warmed my throat. I could feel myself getting more relaxed which was hard to do in front of this perfect specimen of a man.
I asked him again what his name was and this time I knew he heard me. He ignored the question on purpose. That was a big red flag to me.
Any guy that wouldn't give his name out was likely to be a rapist or a serial killer.
It wasn't hard to say no when he asked me if I wanted to go somewhere quieter.
I could tell by his shock that he wasn't used to being rejected like that. But I didn't care. Being safe was more important than going home with a possibly famous model or actor.
I thanked him for the drink and downed the last of it.
I walked back to Fiona who had been watching from the edge of the dance floor the entire time. I giggled when I had to pick her jaw off the ground and put it back in place.
“Who was that guy?” she asked, looking over my shoulder at the mystery man.
“I have no idea, but he bought me a drink,” I replied.
“And what are you doing back here?”
“I think he's a serial killer or something.”
Fiona bit her bottom lip. “That's hot.”
I playfully shoved her and Fiona bumped into one of her bimbo friends. “I don't care how good looking he is. I'm not going to end up buried in the dirt tonight.”
“Might be worth it.”
I rolled my eyes and pulled Fiona back onto the dance floor. “There will be plenty more hot guys in my life. I don't need to take risks.”
Fiona shook her head. “Honey, you're not going to find a guy like that again. Trust me.”
Maybe she was right but I didn't care. My life was too messed up right now to introduce a fresh relationship.
Nikki Minaj came on and we danced hard. The whiskey had gone straight to my head. My limbs felt loose and my body numb.
I could definitely get used to doing this every night.
Chapter Five
Spencer
There was definitely something different about this guy. He was the first to resist me.
I watched him dance with him friends and sipped my whiskey slowly. He never looked back over even though his friends kept checking me out again and again.
Did I do something wrong? I never had to analyze an encounter like that before.
But I wasn't going to let one little setback get in the way of hunting my prey.
I had to have him and I was willing to do anything to get what I wanted.
I finished my whiskey and left a large tip for the bartender. I picked up my long black coat at the entrance and exited the club. The night air outside was cold but it didn't affect me. I flicked up the collar of the coat and buttoned it up anyways.
It was past midnight and Club Titan would be yelling out last call at any moment now. I stood across the street in the shadows of a gray building and waited.
Waited for what seemed like an eternity.
I kept doubting myself. Doubting that it was all worth it. There were plenty of men to choose from. In fact, there were a few guys who showed interest in me. It wouldn't be too difficult getting two of them to go home with me.
But that's not what I wanted. This man had a hold on me.
I watched as crowds of people left the club. My head kept telling to go after any of the other drunk men leaving but I couldn't.
Finally he came out of the club. I almost lost my breath at the sight of him. A giant smile was plastered on his face as he laughed with his friends.
It only took me a second to cross the street and approach them.
His friends went silent when they saw me. I ignored them and stared deep into his eyes. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”
He looked around desperately for help. “I'm sorry but I have to leave with my friends.”
His friend spoke up, “Don't worry about us, Henry. We'll take another cab. Have a good night!” She winked at her and Henry look visibly frustrated.
His name was Henry. It fit him so well. I couldn't have dreamed up a better name.
“I only want to talk for a few minutes, Henry,” I said.
Henry ground his teeth at his friend and looked up to me. “Fine. We can go talk.”
I led him around to the alleyway next to Club Titan. It was lit well enough and I stayed closed to the sidewalk so he wouldn't feel threatened.
“I'm glad you agreed to talk.”
He leaned against the red brick wall and folded his arms. “Okay first of all, you need to tell me your name since you know mine.”
I knew he wouldn't let that go. He was hung up on the name thing and it wasn't going away no matter how much I deflected it.
“My name's Spencer.” I put my hand out and he grasped it. I could feel his finally began to relax.
“So what do you want to talk about?” he asked.
Henry caught me by surprise. I didn't know what to say. I had never had that problem before with men. I just always knew what to do or say.
I searched my mind for something to say. Anything that would break the awkward silence. “You caught my attention in the club.”
Henry nodded with raised eyebrows. “Yeah I kind of got that already.”
Things were going downhill fast in a blaze of glory. And I had no idea how to save it.
Henry tapped his foot. He was getting impatient. “So Spencer, what do you do for a living?”
That was a question I couldn't answer either. If I did, it would make him run for the hills. The only thing I could do was lie and hope it worked. I quickly scrolled through my head for a suitable profession. One that would be believable.
“I work in the banking industry.” I never had to come up with things on the fly before. I never really got to the talking phase with the men I'd been with.
Henry furrowed her brow. “Oh come on. Really?”
A bead of sweat appeared on my forehead. She wasn't buying it. “It's all very boring. I'm afraid you would fall asleep if I went on. What do you do?”
My question finally raised the light of suspicion off me for a second. Henry let out a laugh. “I don't know if I want to get into that s
tory with you right now.” He looked out at the alleyway and scratched his arm.
I was losing her attention. I needed to do something drastic. Something to make him mine.
I put my hand on him chin and forced him to look into my eyes. I glanced down at his lips and they were parted and ready for me. I leaned in and pressed my mouth against his. He returned the kiss, melting in my embrace.
Adrenaline surged through me. My brain was on fire with pleasure. This wasn't something that I'd really felt before. I'd been with so many men and most of it was just going through the motions.
I pulled him closer and kissed him harder. My tongue sneaked into his mouth and Henry let out a muffled moan.
Then he pulled away. His blue eyes stared into mine, searching for something. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand.
“I'm sorry I have to go.” Henry turned and walked away.
I reached out my hand to stop him but it was too late. He was gone.
The night was a mess of confusion. I'd never experienced any of this with a man before. Henry was unique.
All I knew was that I would go hungry tonight.
Chapter Six
Henry
I woke up the next morning on the floor in my freshly painted bedroom. I still wore the same clothes from the night before. I winced and rubbed the bridge of my nose. A tiny hangover was banging inside my head. During college I never really went crazy at parties. I knew I was a lightweight and one drink was usually my maximum. I didn't have that much more at the club but it was enough to feel sick.
The one bathroom in the house was barely serviceable. About the only thing my parents had done to it was a new mirror. Which didn't help because all it did was show me how messed up I was. There wasn't a shower but a bathtub. I couldn't remember the last time I ever took a bath. Must've been when I was a kid.
I turned the knob for the warm water and the tub faucet choked out some brown water. I let it run for awhile until it finally came out clear. The bathroom slowly filled with steam and fogged up the mirror.
I undressed and slipped into the tub. The warm water instantly relaxed me. The small hammer in my ears began to quiet down. I rested my head on the edge of the tub and closed my eyes.
The kiss from Spencer popped into my head.
My eyes shot open and I leaned forward in the tub. I ran two fingers along my lips. What the hell happened last night?
There was something about Spencer that was so different from the men I'd been with before. A secret he couldn't tell me.
That kiss was magical. I'd had never felt like that before.
And it scared me.
Spencer had cast a spell on me and I was all to ready to go home with him. But there were too many red flags and somewhere deep in my brain told me to run away.
I was surprised I was able to walk away like that. But now I was afraid that I might not see him again. I didn't get his phone number and I only had his first name to go off of. I'd have to figure out a way to find him again.
Spencer was too mysterious and I wasn't ready to leave that thread open.
But first I had a lot of work to do around the house. The second bedroom was painted and I have no idea why I thought that must've been the priority. I took the advice from the cute guy from the hardware store but he didn't understand how bad of shape this home was.
The place was a complete disaster zone. It needed to be cleaned from top to bottom. I couldn't believe that my parents had lived here for a few months in such terrible conditions.
I took out a pad of paper and began a things-to-do list. At the very top: sweeping the wood floors.
I went to the garage and turned on the light. My mom's white VW bug was still parked on the right side. The left side of the garage was empty. My father's black Ford F-150 would be there if they hadn't been in that accident.
I quickly grabbed the broom next to the door and got out of there. I didn't want to think about things too much. Now I knew why I went to the hardware store without checking out what tools my dad had. The garage was too much of a reminder that they were gone.
The downstairs floor was the dirtiest and that's where I needed to start. My mom had a record player in the hallway with her collection of vinyls and I picked out a George Harrison album. He was always my favorite Beatle.
I opened up the front door and began sweeping the dust out, moving my body to that sweet voice. I couldn't believe the amount of dirt that had been caked onto the wood floors. Clouds of dust followed me where ever I went. I got lost in the music and before I knew it, I had finished the downstairs and the upstairs.
My cellphone ringing broke me out of my daze. The name on the screen: Fiona. I didn't hesitate to answer this time.
“Hi Fiona,” I said, setting the broom against the kitchen counter.
“So how was he?” Her voice was soft and slow.
“What are you talking about?” I knew exactly what she was talking about but I didn't want to give it away that I'd been thinking about him all day.
“That guy from last night,” Fiona said. “The one who couldn't keep his eyes off you.”
“Oh, that guy? He was nice but nothing happened.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? You didn't go home with him?” Fiona was dead serious.
“I don't usually make it a point of going home with random guys I meet at a club.”
“Don't bullshit me, Henry. We both know this wasn't just some random guy at a club.”
Fiona was right on the money. Spencer wasn't just a random guy. But what was I supposed to do about that now? I had let him go without really giving him a chance.
“There will be plenty of other men, Fiona. Don't worry about me.” I really needed to convince myself of that and not Fiona.
“Well I was thinking about going back to Titan tomorrow night. You in?”
The thought of more alcohol made me nauseous. But then Spencer popped into my head. What if he was there? I needed to make up for being such an idiot.
“I'm not sure, Fiona.”
“Didn't you have fun last night, Henry?”
I cracked my knuckles. “Of course I did. I just don't know if I need to go back so soon.”
“Don't make me twist your arm again,” Fiona said.
“Fine. I'll be there. You know Fiona, you're going to be the death of me.”
I could feel her grin through the phone. “That's exactly what I wanted to hear,” she replied.
Chapter Seven
Spencer
The hunger...
I couldn't focus on anything else. The blood pulsed in my head. My eyes were so sensitive to light that I had to close all the blinds in my loft.
It had been at least three days since I fed last. Last night at Club Titan should've been a buffet. But that damn Henry changed everything.
I was tempted to take him right there in the alleyway but I'd be risking my entire life. And there was something else.
Something about him that calmed me. The hunger was gone when I was around him. That's probably why I was able to control myself.
But that didn't give me any solace for today. I wouldn't be able to move around much longer if I didn't feed.
There was no time to hunt. It was too risky in the daylight anyways. I only had one option in emergencies like this and I hated it so much.
I put on the sunglasses with the darkest tint and walked outside. The burning sun warmed my cold skin but it was way too bright. Even with my sunglasses, I still needed to shade my face with my hand. By tomorrow I wouldn't even be able to walk outside without my eyes melting in their sockets.
I jumped into my black Dodge Charger and drove off. It was hard to concentrate on the road when my stomach was a bottomless pit. Nothing could ever fill it.
A blaring horn behind me snapped me out of a daze. The red light in front of me had turned green without me noticing. My foot pounded the gas pedal and the engine groaned as I was pushed into the seat.
I parked in front of a
blood bank with a neon red cross. I had to resort to this a lot when I was younger. It was a time when I didn't quite know how to hunt.
I checked myself in the rear-view mirror. Beads of sweat covered my forehead. If I went in there looking like a junkie the receptionist would turn me away immediately. I wiped my face off and took a few deep breaths.
Royal Blood Complete Series Box Set Page 43
