Night Train to New Orleans

by Caroline Valdez

  “What in Hades… What do you mean dancing and why is Malcolm here?”

  “I assumed you would like a witness to my proposition.”

  A sly smile crossed the count’s features. “You’re propositioning me, Alexandros?”

  Alex’s gut tightened, but he managed to look pleasant as he gave a little bow from the waist down. “I am, my count.”

  After he’d explained, and the count had agreed, Alex said, “Malcolm, the papers, please.”

  “What is this?”

  “I assumed you would request we make this agreement officially binding. We do not want any memory problems later on, do we?”

  The count read the paper, and his voice dropped low and husky. “What if once is not enough, Alexandros?”

  “That is not the agreement, and I know you to be a leader who keeps his word. Actually, that is why we are here, is it not?”

  Malcolm laid the two pieces of paper side-by-side on the marble top of a table near a velvet-covered side chair. He singled out a line, which Alex signed and dated. He guided him to the same line on the other paper, and Alex signed again. Then Alex extended the pen to Jean. “Sign and date beside my signature on both papers.”

  Jean’s mouth curved up on one side, but he signed. Then Malcolm affixed his signatures as a witness.

  Alex left one of the papers on the table and folded the other and put it in his pocket. “Ten o’clock at the Bourbon Street Rainbow just outside the French Quarter?”

  Now de Bienville’s grin was almost ear-to-ear. “Yes. So I’m going to get a piece of ass, am I? My pleasure, Monsieur Nicolaides.”

  Outside, Malcolm said, “Good God, Alex, how will you stand that?”

  Alex’s face felt frozen. “You think a final death is preferable for any of us?”

  “Did Dante agree to this?”

  “Dante doesn’t know. I will tell him when the time is right.”

  “You think Jean will renege on the agreement once it’s over?”

  “No. There are too many other conquests he can make.”

  Malcolm shuddered as he entered his car. “Good luck tonight.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate your presence. I am not sure I could have done this alone.”

  Safely back in his own house, Alex opened his mouth to say something to Dante, but found he couldn’t. Later. I’ll tell him at the club.

  Alex dressed in mushroom-colored cargo pants and a white T-shirt with long sleeves that fit tight. When he came downstairs, he found Dante dressed in blue jeans and a muscle shirt that did what it was supposed to do—highlighted his muscles. He was in the kitchen getting a drink of water when Alex came to him with a small box.

  “What’s this?”

  “A gift for you.”

  He waited for Dante’s reaction when he opened it. A man’s ring lay nestled on faded burgundy velvet. The main stone was a diamond surrounded by small emeralds and set in old gold.

  Relief threaded through him when Dante said, “It’s breathtaking, Alex.”

  “Read the inscription.”

  Dante read aloud, “To my only love. A.N.”

  Alex took it from him and slid it on his left-hand ring finger and kissed him. “I wish it could go here when we’re in public, but since I am not human that can never be.” He removed it and slipped it onto the third finger on Dante’s right hand. Now, vamps would understand with clarity that Dante belonged to him.

  Dante wrapped his arms around him, and Alex sensed he wanted to have sex, so he removed his arms. “It is dinner and dancing night, my love. This will come later.” He hoped it would.

  The Rainbow Club was jumping when they arrived. From the porch, they could see an arc of colored lights flash repeatedly from floor to ceiling on the wall behind the DJ. When they reached it, the dance floor was crowded, and the air was filled with the mingling smells of aftershave, perfume and sweat. Cigarette smoking was banned, so at least it was smoke-free. A waiter seated them on the edge of the dance floor and they ordered. After Dante had eaten, Alex checked his watch and asked him to dance.

  As he responded to Dante’s sultry moves toward him, his breathing increased and he drank in the sight of him. He returned by shimmying and turning as he did some bumping and grinding. He checked his watch again and knew it was time to tell Dante. From the corner of his eye, he saw the count arrive.

  A slow dance began, and he pulled Dante into his arms.

  “Why do you keep checking your watch?”

  “I have been waiting for the count to arrive to tell you something. Something neither of us will like.” Cheek to cheek, he whispered the agreement into Dante’s ear and hugged him hard when he tried to pull away in protest. “We must do this. I will hate every minute he joins with me because that is your special place, yours only. You know I cannot refuse an order of the count any more than I could refuse one from Massimo. He wanted you, and this is the compromise I suggested. We agreed that since he had to ‘go through’ me to get to you, he would accept this instead of a duel.”

  Bitterness rang in Dante’s muffled voice. “What if it isn’t enough and he comes after me anyway? Or he wants to have sex with you again?”

  He told him of the agreement. “I made him sign an agreement. He will honor it. When the time comes, keep your mind focused only on me and I will think only of my body in you.”

  “My friends,” Jean de Bienville said, his eyes gleaming, “I have a room reserved, if you will.”

  Alex freed Dante from their dance hold and gripped his hand. He could see a bulge in Jean’s crotch. He was already anticipating their encounter. Alex hoped they could both go through with this.

  Dante whispered in his ear, “I’ve never dreaded sex so much in my life.”

  “I know the feeling,” Alex whispered back.

  The room had a large bed, a couch, and chairs. To Alex’s relief, a bowl of condoms rested on a small table, and he handed one to the count, who laughed. The lights were low and soft dinner music played in the background from somewhere. The count called the shots, and they began by dancing to a slow song, the three of them with their arms around each other’s waists in a circle.

  “Kiss him, Alex,” the count said as he let go of them.

  Alex obliged, kissing Dante only to find his lips were as cold and unresponsive as Alex’s. He brushed Dante’s hair out of his eyes and Dante loosened his braid. His hair fell like a curtain around them, blocking their faces from the count’s sight. It was easy for Alex to slip his hands around to the firm butt and the soft skin he loved to squeeze when Dante was naked.

  “Yes, go on, Alex. Make him ready for love.”

  Dante froze, and Alex said, “Look into my eyes. Remember focus?”

  Gradually, Dante relaxed under Alex’s kisses and caressing hands. In turn, Alex forgot their watcher and enjoyed this man who returned his love. The time came when he realized he was hearing sounds of de Bienville playing with his cock. At first, Alex thought he was going to jerk off and not fuck him, but then the count said, “Strip.” That done, he said, “On the bed.”

  Dante lay on his back and Alex closed his mouth over Dante’s and wrapped his hand around his cock and rubbed. Usually they rode bareback, but he didn’t want the feel of the count’s bare skin in his own ass, so he set the example of condom use. When he stopped to sheath himself as Dante rolled over and presented himself, he thankfully heard the rip of a foil cover by the count. Alex spread lubricant over Dante’s pucker and entered him slow and easy, concentrating on the flare of feeling igniting in his cock as the tight muscles closed around him, and Dante groaned in pleasure.

  He shut out the hands sliding over his butt cheeks and the fingers slipping inside to stretch him. Knew only that a strange, sheathed cock had entered him and someone was huffing and pumping into him.

  As the tingling excitement began deep in his spine and he knew he was going to come, he reached and grasped Dante’s cock hard as his fangs sank into Dante’s shoulder and bit. The sweet, pure taste
of Dante’s blood made him heady, and he barely felt the man behind him climax and cry out.

  Dante arched into him and exhaled deeply as Alex felt his release come.

  The count pulled out and slipped into the toilette. Alex withdrew, dressed in his shirt and stepped into his pants, leaving them partly unzipped so he could hold onto the condom inside his briefs. He didn’t want it slipping off until the bathroom was free. He wasn’t interested in Jean seeing him naked any longer than he had. Dante had left the bed and was dressing for the same reason.

  de Bienville waited until they were all fully dressed. His smile was full of goodwill and cheer as he said, “Thank you, messieurs. Shall we go?”

  All personal matters having been attended to, Alex and Dante retrieved their jackets at the coat check, and the two of them exited the club behind the count.

  Alex was immediately hit with the foulest sickness and darkness he’d ever experienced. Before he could react, the count cried out.

  “My bodyguards. Who killed my bodyguards?” The bodies of the two vamps lay near the entrance to the club, throats ripped open and bleeding black blood.

  “Alex! Over there!” Dante cried as he withdrew the server and a stake from his jacket.

  Alex spotted the crazed vampire at the same time. Grabbing the count, he shoved him toward the door. “Get back inside, both of you! This is my battle to settle.”

  The sword in Giacomo’s hand dripped with blood and was longer than the one Alex withdrew from his jacket. With a wild look, his face and clothes covered in torn flesh and brain matter, Giacomo leaped forward to engage Alex, his mouth spewing filthy words of betrayal, rejection and hatred.

  Alex felt rage turn his eyes red. This vampire didn’t deserve to walk the earth. As they circled and parried, Alex saw a glint of silver in the moonlight. “Dante, get inside!”

  “Oh, no, this is my fight, too.” Dante crouched and circled, arms wide, waiting for a chance to use his weapons as he dodged periodic thrusts of the insane vampire’s sword.

  Alex and Giacomo continued to move around each other. In one quick slash, Alex cut Giacomo’s arm, but it wasn’t his sword arm. Having dropped his guard for a split second, Alex felt his opponent’s sword drive into his side and yank free. Pain arced through him, and they both struggled not to slip in the wet blood of the bodyguards while continuing to fight. Despite their wounds, Alex saw no signs either of them were tiring. Rage fueled his strength. Insanity fueled Giacomo’s.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw Dante inch in on their enemy, waiting for a moment of distraction in which to use his weapons. When he saw Dante fall in the blood and Giacomo’s ghoulish grin as he raised his sword with both hands to split Dante’s head in two, fear drove Alex as he leaped into the air and flipped upside down as he spun like rotor blades, sword arm stiff and extended.

  Just as Giacomo’s sword would have connected with Dante’s head, Dante rose to one knee and thrust his silver fish server into his balls and crotch while driving the stake into his attacker’s belly. The surprise of the strikes caused Giacomo to hesitate. And Alex’s spinning sword sliced off his head. It went flying. The sword dropped from Giacomo’s hand.

  It was over.

  Alex pulled up just before hitting the ground, reversed, and landed softly on his feet. Dante crawled to him to check his wound.

  It seemed the count had used his phone because a black Town Car arrived and new bodyguards poured out and raced into the club.

  A dark ambulance, running without siren or red lights, pulled to a stop and undead paramedics leaped out. A black hearse slid up behind them, and the bodies were quickly loaded. Dante located Giacomo’s disintegrating head. He refused to touch it, just waved his arm until he had a hearse attendant’s attention.

  The paramedics examined Alex and cleaned his wound. They made him drink a bottle of blood before they’d release him. Dante’s only injury was a knee bruised by his fall. They insisted he finish off a bottle of mountain spring water to ward off going into shock.

  They were just packing up to leave when a shaken and somber Jean de Bienville appeared. “I owe you my life,” he said. “Anything you need, just ask.”

  Alex, exhaustion hitting him, nodded without speaking.

  The blood had been cleaned off the porch, the bodies whisked away and soon there was no sign that a fight or murder had been committed outside the club.

  The count said, “Good. The club’s reputation is safe and the reputation of vampires is safe. We’ll be welcome here again and people won’t be locking their doors in fear or refusing to go out at night because one of us is ripping out throats and sucking blood.”

  Chapter Eight

  Dante drove Alex home. Despite his trembling hands, he avoided an accident. He also punched in the codes correctly on the alarm systems and reset them when at last they were inside the house.

  Alex wrapped his good arm around Dante and drew him close. “You were so courageous. I wish you could have seen the mean determination on your face when you killed him.”

  “He’d hurt you…again! I’ve never known such hatred or anger as I felt in that moment. Of course, I didn’t know I’d slip in the blood and become a target. I really enjoy that little aerial stunt of yours. It comes in handy, doesn’t it?”

  “Should have used it sooner. I put you in danger.”

  “It was because he stopped, intent on slicing my head in two, that you could hit him. Otherwise, he’d have been a moving target. He might’ve killed you instead.”

  Alex kissed the top of his lover’s head. “I am very tired, and too weary to stand in a shower. Will you get in the tub with me? My wound is only beginning to heal.”

  Alex relaxed in the warm water as Dante bathed him and shampooed his hair. He lacked the strength to return the favor, however, so he watched Dante bathe himself and shampoo his own hair while happiness seeped through him just as the heat from the water did.

  He ran a finger across Dante’s shoulder where he’d bitten him. “It has already healed.”

  “The last two times you haven’t bitten me, but I’m glad you did tonight. It helped shut my mind to what was happening to you.” He leaned in and kissed Alex. “Thank you for sacrificing your ass to save me from the count.”

  Alex reached for his right hand and kissed the ring. “I wonder if he noticed your ring.”

  “I doubt it. He was too involved with pleasing himself.” Dante dried both of them off and checked Alex’s wound. “It’s well on its way to being completely healed.”

  Once they’d blow-dried their hair, Dante dressed in pajama bottoms and slid under the sheets of Alex’s bed. He patted the bed beside him, and Alex surprised him by climbing under the covers with him instead of resting on top.

  They held hands and talked long into the night until Dante fell asleep.

  Alex lay awake, thinking how love for this man filled him up. How lucky he had been to find someone he could trust, a human with a good and faithful heart. Someone who didn’t run from a fight, he reminded himself with a smile. He tallied up how things stood: the count had been satisfied and would leave both of them alone, especially because he now owed Alex a debt.

  And the evil Giacomo was dead.

  At last, they could begin living their lives together, for however long that might be.

  As dawn broke in a flood of light, he fell asleep, overflowing with contentment and still holding Dante’s hand.

  To Be Continued: Night Train To Venice

  NIGHT TRAIN: TO VENICE

  BOOK 3

  BY

  CAROLINA VALDEZ

  Someone is robbing and killing diamond couriers in Europe. When his Italian lover, Dante, is assigned a delivery in Venice, Alexandros insists he and Malcolm, the other staff immortal on the Global Diamond Couriers staff, go as bodyguards.

  Traveling from Rome on the restored Oriental Express, Malcolm and his human train steward reignite an old romance. In Venice, lo Greco, doge of all the Venetian vampires, angers
Alex by making a pass at Dante. Dante assures him he only wanted him as a blood donor, and Alex calms down. But when Malcolm’s lover turns up at their secret hotel, all are plunged into a maelstrom of danger none may survive.

  About the Author

  Carolina Valdez is a multi-published, award-winning author who began her first novel because she thought everyone who was published should write a book. Only when someone in her writers group mentioned her “romance” did she realize love was the theme of her story. She has focused on romances ever since.

  Valdez is a member of Romance Writers of America (PAN) and its Orange County, California, chapter. She’s also a member of Sisters in Crime.

  She and her husband live in southern California.

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