by Vivian Lane
He took her hand. “Well, let’s give ‘em something to talk about. Dance with me.”
“Oh, no…” But he was already dragging her over to the band to request a song. The bandleader nodded and counted off a Latin mambo beat. “A Dean Martin song?”
“I know it’s not a rhythm you’re used to, but follow my lead, hmm?”
“Will—” She didn’t get a chance to say more before he twirled her into his arms and started dancing.
When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway…
The crowd parted naturally for them, forming a circle to watch.
Okay, so he was brilliant at this, somehow managing to make her look good in the process. She lost awareness of everything but looking into his eyes and obeying the commands of his body. She hadn’t even stepped on her dress yet.
…Only you have the magic technique
When we sway I go weak
Others were joining them on the floor, now, not to be outdone, but they were on the edge of awareness. For a cold body, he was giving off a lot of heat, and she knew his hands would be wandering right now if they were somewhere else, or if she’d been wearing less.
…Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
The chorus and refrain repeated as the song came to a close. He dipped her quickly, pulling her back up against him. She was breathing heavily. Exertion, or lust? “I think I need a drink,” she said breathlessly.
He turned for the bar. “Can’t have you wilting, can we?” he purred.
She could still feel eyes on her back, only now they were daggers of envy. There was a saying about men who could dance…
“Here you are, kitten.” He handed her a glass of clear liquid.
“What is it?” she asked suspiciously.
He chuckled. “Spring water. Afraid I’ll get you drunk?”
She sipped the water. “The thought had occurred.”
He leaned in to say, “Sweetheart, if I wanted to, I could seduce you stone cold sober, and you know it.”
Her jaw dropped at his audacity. “As if!”
He shrugged, unperturbed by her refusal. “Protest all you like… I’m going to go grab a smoke.”
Ha! Definitely won’t be kissing you now! she thought as he walked away.
At least she could nibble while he was gone.
Sitting alone, the party was pretty boring. She checked her lipstick and made sure she didn’t have food in her teeth.
She people-watched. The few couples that looked happy together made her nostalgic for her family, the days when her parents and grandfather were still alive, and every holiday meant a gathering for feasting and love. Grandma was stuck in the past most of the time, now, thinking it was ten years ago, or more.
That pang for home hit again.
She smiled as soon as she saw him walking back.
“Miss me?” he quipped.
“A little. I don’t know anyone here, so I got bored.”
“We could dance some more, if you like?”
“Okay.”
The band’s repertoire was mainly songs you could sway to, so they casually joined the rest on the dance floor.
Her chin on his shoulder, their bodies gently swaying to the music, she could almost pretend they were two normal people on a normal date.
“You’ve gone quiet,” he said.
“Being in the moment. Only two weeks left. This night has been a bit different than I expected.”
“Hm. How so?”
“I expected more testing, I guess. Minding my P’s and Q’s like Mrs. Crumb taught me.”
“Ah. Not really my kind of scene anymore. I don’t typically run my business like a tyrant, hard as that may be to believe.”
“Could’ve fooled me with that whole drill sergeant routine. So, what…you’re normally a girl’s friend?” she teased.
“Depends on the girl. That bint that bit you, for instance—she had her certain charms, but I couldn’t stand her bloody voice for more than two minutes. Plenty of the demons are only attractive to their own species. And then, there was you—little slip of a human with a fire in her eye. No whining or crying for Mum…spirit of a fighter, despite being more than a bit bookish.” He waggled his brows and smiled rakishly. “Then you turned out gorgeous.”
She shook her head. “Can’t take the man out of the demon,” she sighed.
“’Sum of all our parts’. Isn’t that what you said?”
“Close enough. What is your demon like?”
“’S not like that. It’s not a voice in my head. Being a vampire heightens feelings, instincts…your cravings change, but it’s still your head doing the thinkin’…only as a newbie, not so much with the cerebral. You have to get past the hunger most of the time. A vampire is just as unique and complicated as the human they were before. It’s what makes turning so unpredictable. You get a pansy, or you get Tallis. Roll of the soddin’ dice.”
“Have you ever turned someone?”
“Minions, you know, easy labor…mostly just found ‘em, though, picked up the new ones. They’re easily controlled, but dumb as blocks. Usually, I had to do practically everything myself if I wanted it done right. There’s a lesson in that.”
“Self-reliance. Got it,” she said, nodding.
“You’re completely bored, aren’t you?”
“No! Well, not with talking to you…”
“But the energy left this dive half an hour ago. Come on, kitten.”
He grabbed her hand and led her toward the exit. The doors shut, cutting off the music, and she found herself backed to a pole and being kissed.
“Better?” he asked, once he finally released her to breathe.
“Uh-huh.” Holy mama…
He smiled knowingly and took her hand again. “Let’s get out of here.”
The trek back to the entrance took considerably longer than it should have, with him stopping every couple minutes to kiss her senseless again. They stopped at the coatroom to get her cloak. She bundled up while he called their driver. The door was opened for her once the limo pulled up, though he stopped to talk to the driver before getting in next to her.
William immediately slid her closer. “Mmm, where were we?” he murmured, zeroing in on her lips again.
She dodged the kiss. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere more private,” he said, kissing her neck instead.
“Not the house?”
“Not yet…”
“William…”
He sighed and pulled back to look at her.
“The contract says—”
“I don’t care about the bleedin’ contract—”
“Well, they’re my consequences!” Sure, she didn’t plan on being here in the morning, but she still needed to know where his motives fell. If he planned to use her and lose her, this wasn’t going any further than making out.
“Catherine, I already said I don’t want to turn you over—”
“That isn’t the same as ‘won’t’. He’ll figure it out, and then it’ll be worse on me because he can’t take it out on you. Tell me I’m wrong.”
He glanced away. “You’re not.”
“Betray my trust, and you’re the first one I’m coming after when I’m dead,” she promised.
“Bossy thing, aren’t you?”
“I’m serious, William! God, you can be such a jerk.” She moved to the far side of interior.
He grabbed her by the hips and yanked her back. “Now, hold on!” He grabbed her wrists and held them to her lap so she’d stop fighting him. “If you’d let me finish… I don’t want to see you with Tallis, and I won’t force you to go. I like you.”
“You like me.”
“Like being challenged by you, dancing with you, snogging…yeah, I like you.”
“Well, that’s something.”
He let go of her wrist and cupped her cheek. “It really is…”
The kiss wa
s its own dance. She had enough of an answer to relax and meet him halfway.
What naturally happened after this would come in its own time tonight.
[“Sway” is the English version of “¿Quién será?”, a 1953 mambo song by Mexican composer and bandleader Pablo Beltrán Ruiz. In 1954 the English lyrics were written by Norman Gimbel and recorded by Dean Martin.]
Chapter Six
Halloween night continued…
It was a surprise when the limousine came to a stop. Catherine broke away from the kiss and looked out the windows. “Where are we?” she asked.
The chauffeur opened the door. “Sir?”
William sighed and slid out. A bellhop was already on his way out to retrieve any luggage. When she didn’t immediately follow William out, he bent down to see what was delaying her. “It’s just going to come off again,” he said, referring to the lipstick she was reapplying.
“It’ll last as long as we’re in public.” She dropped the tube and her compact in her purse and extended a free hand to the vampire. “Geeze, your hand is already freezing!”
“It is a touch chilly out here,” he mused. “Shall we?”
Wow.
It was a magnificent hotel. Her satchel and a garment bag were loaded onto a trolley. They hurried inside out of the cold. She tried not to gawk, and glanced around while William signed something at the front desk and got the key.
“You have the Royal Suite, Mr. Holbrook. Enjoy your stay.”
Holbrook? “Is that your real name?” she whispered.
He wiggled his brows. “Could be. Come on. The lift is this way.”
“You’ve been here before?”
“Several times. My maker and I had supper here quite often during the early ‘20s. Still looks good.”
“By ‘supper’, you mean…?”
“We ate here, love. Interpret that as you will.”
The elevator finally reached their floor. She got another surprise.
He smiled smugly. “The very best. We’re lucky it was empty.”
The attendant unlocked the room and opened the door for them. He carried the bags somewhere inside.
William strolled in like he owned the place. She was stunned. The entrance hall had elegant columns and antique furniture. That was only the beginning, of course. There was an enormous drawing room, with cream walls, sofas the color of holly berries, and a grand piano. The rug and other upholstery had hints of gold to complement the red and rich wood tones. Big windows with red velvet drapes looked out onto the city. A crystal chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling. There were houses smaller than this, and this was just a sitting room! It even had a fireplace.
He tipped the young man and closed the door, then watched her explore.
“Good Lord, there’s even a dining room. William, this is too much! I can’t even fathom how much this place costs for one night.”
“It’s not the most expensive room in the world. Just enjoy it. There’s even butler service. Come, you haven’t seen the rest, yet.” He took her hand and led her into the bedroom.
A king-size canopy bed had a red coverlet to continue the theme. It was another large room, with sumptuously plush carpeting and more elegant wood furniture. The bathroom had two sinks, a huge tub, and separate shower. The fixtures were all in gold. The rest was marble.
“I’m afraid to touch anything,” she muttered.
He came up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Bath big enough for two. Bet they even included bubbles,” he murmured, his breath tickling her ear.
She broke free and strode back to the drawing room, stopping at one of the windows. London glittered below, the lights like jewels.
“Are you hungry? We can order room service, put our feet up…get cozy…”
“You didn’t need to do all…this.”
He sighed and walked over to her. “If it makes you feel better, I cashed in a favor. We’re not breaking the bank.” He reached around from behind and unclasped her cloak, his fingertips trailing along her skin as he drew it away. “There’s a beautiful room with a beautiful view and excellent company waiting right here to be enjoyed, love. Relax.” He dropped the cloak on the floor. His hands slowly trailed up her arms. “Live in the moment.”
She relaxed into his chest as he lips trailed kisses down the side of her neck, her eyes fluttering shut when his arms wrapped around her waist. He could bite and drain her right now and she’d be helpless to stop him. She almost wished he would, instead of whispering complements against her skin in that hypnotic voice of his.
“Trying to seduce me?” she whispered.
“Is it working?”
She could hear the grin in his voice, and smiled, still facing the window. “Little bit.”
His teeth grazed the tendon on the side of her neck. “Hmm…what else can I do to convince you?”
She turned in his arms and kissed him. He hummed in pleasure and pressed her against the window. The corset was making it hard to take deep breaths, adding to the dizzying effect of making out with someone who didn’t need air. She took in great gulps of oxygen as he kissed her neck again. His hands were roaming up and down her sides and back, mapping her curves. Each time they slid back up, his thumbs skimmed the underside of her breasts.
Her hands roamed under his tuxedo jacket and loosened the tie around his neck. She knew what he looked like, of course, from walking in on him that day fresh from the shower, but her fingers itched to feel his skin. Learn if he was soft or coarse. She grabbed his face and brought his mouth back to hers for an intense kiss, then broke away to take his hand. His brow furrowed in confusion until he figured out she was leading him to the bedroom.
“Whatever are you going to do with me, Miss Mitchell?” he asked playfully.
She winked. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
She stopped by the side of the bed and slipped her hands under his jacket, sliding it off his shoulders. It was tossed toward a chair. Her hands went to his belt buckle next as she leaned forward to kiss him. He tried to pull her closer but she slapped his hands away. He moaned at suddenly feeling her warm hand on his erection, then whimpered when she let go.
She grinned as she pushed him backward. “Sit,” she commanded.
He arched a brow. “Now, what? Oh god… You devious…little…minx!”
She chuckled around him.
Feeling his prominent erection against her belly in the other room, she’d suddenly remembered her dream, the one about sucking him off. And just as suddenly as she remembered, she realized she really wanted to make that dream reality. So, she’d unzipped his pants, pushed him onto the bed, dropped to her knees, and taken him into her mouth as far as he’d go.
He was panting and moaning almost instantly. “God, pet…just like…you…fuck! Where did you learn that?”
She massaged the spot behind his testicles, earning a growl and the thrust of his hips. “Magazine,” she said, then dropped her head again. By the way his hands were gripping and twisting the bedding, it wouldn’t be long.
“Kitten…gonna…don’t have to…” He shouted unintelligibly as he came, briefly choking her.
She stayed in place, swallowing down all he had to give. It coated her throat, and she was really going to need a glass of water after this. Giving his dick a parting kiss, she sat back and daintily wiped at the corners of her mouth. He was breathing heavily; half slumped on the bed, staring at her with a look of…awe?
She blushed. “What?” she asked self-consciously.
“I never…get up here.” He grabbed her shoulders and hauled her up for a kiss, plunging his tongue in her mouth. “You’re amazing.”
“I dreamed about it once,” she confessed, blushing further.
“Did you now? On who?” The way she ducked her head told him the answer. “And when was this, naughty girl?”
“Umm…last week?”
He chuckled and brushed his nose against hers. “Before, or after you got a peek at my bits?
”
“I didn’t peek!”
“You noticed the towel was gone.”
“I didn’t have to look there to see that,” she argued.
“Ah, so it was before…and does reality measure up?” He punctuated the last word with a thrust of his hips into her belly, showing off he was hard again.
“I wasn’t taking notes.” She flicked his ear with her tongue. “It was more about making you scream my name,” she added huskily. In a blink, she found herself on her back, their positions reversed.
“Oh, I think it’s you who’ll be screamin’ before the night’s over, love.”
“I’m not a screamer. Didn’t make a peep when you scared me at the theater.”
“No one to mind your decorum for, here, baby. We’re the only ones on this floor. And I’m a man of many talents.”
“I’m sure you are, but what makes you think I’ll be taking advantage of them?”
He grinned wolfishly. “Because, Catherine, I know exactly how hot I make you. I can practically taste you on the air right now. Gonna lick your sweetness. All. Up.”
Okay, vampires senses? Eww. William promising to make her come? Guh! He was right, of course. She was all worked up. But getting naked and groin-y was a point of no return. Even now, she wasn’t sure she was ready for the main event.
Something of what she was thinking must have shown upon her face, for his expression softened into kindness and understanding. “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to, Catherine. You have my word.”
She nodded, unconsciously relaxing. “Yeah…breathing’s becoming an issue.”
“Oh!” He rolled up onto his feet. “Sorry. Forgot.”
“It’s okay.” She squirmed uncomfortably. “Corsets are kinda evil.”
“I’m surely not going to stop you if you want out of that dress.”
His tie and cuff links were left on the dresser, his shoes and socks coming off next. She watched him undress with a combination of trepidation and hunger. She chewed on her lip while weighing the decision. Finally, she asked, “Could you help me?”
He paused and looked at her, his shirt unbuttoned. “Tell me what to do.”
She stood and turned around. “Just, um, loosen the laces in the back, here.”
