by Anna Santos
Sakura was pretty, so beautiful that it was impossible not to like her when she was being friendly.
“Stevie, do you want to watch cartoons with me?” Sakura began. “Jade and Daniel need to go back downstairs to the party.”
Stevie raised his head and nodded. It amazed Jade when he left her arms and ran into Sakura’s. There weren’t a lot of people he liked to hug. He was special, different, and too smart for his own good at that age. Trusting for him was an issue. Well, for the both of them, actually.
“Could you please read him a story before he goes to bed? It’s past his bedtime, but he can’t sleep without someone reading to him,” Jade requested.
Sakura nodded, and Daniel placed his warm hands on Jade’s naked shoulders, rubbing them softly.
“He will be fine. Sakura is talented with children. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to talk and be with him.” He leaned in, gently massaging her tense muscles. “No crying.”
Jade was too emotional to speak. She nodded and bit her lip, staring at Stevie disappearing with Sakura into another room. Suddenly, her entire body melted as she felt Daniel’s hands running up and down her arms and his chest against her back. Jade’s breath hitched, her heartbeat increased, and his scent clouded her senses with hot thoughts of kisses and gripping hands. She was feeling so vulnerable that it was even ridiculous to try keeping her eyes opened. Jade closed them and sighed when his lips touched the crook of her neck and his hands pulled her closer to him by snaking around her waist.
“I wish it was already dawn, so I could be left alone with you,” he whispered against her skin, making her want to turn around and kiss him.
“Who said I would accept going with you to your bedroom?” Jade tried to fight him back, to make him doubt his power over her.
“Who said you had a choice?”
Jade’s eyes flew open. His arrogance and the disrespect he had for her feelings and desires had her body trembling with exasperation. “I don’t like it when you say that.”
“And I don’t like when you deny me things.” He softly kissed her neck which caused shivers to run down her spine.
Jade wanted to groan at his words, but she was completely weak against his mouth on her skin. Already, her arms reached up, seeking to play with his soft hair. “We need to go back to the party.”
“Fuck the damn party.” Daniel turned her around to face him and cupped her cheeks. In a raspy voice, he said, “I believe I deserve a reward.”
Jade pursed her lips and tried to appease her fluttering heart.
Daniel’s eyes were flickering between blue and black. His hands were securing her as he leaned down. He waited for a moment before asking, “Do you still fear me?”
Jade shook her head and closed her eyes as she raised her lips to meet his.
“Be careful not to cut your tongue then,” he warned with husky voice before his lips softly brushed hers.
Seconds later, Jade moaned when their tongues entwined. She touched his fangs, exploring and teasing him. Their bodies melted into each other, and she could feel his arousal against her stomach. That was unexpected. She had no idea that he was so turned on by her. However, his kiss was slow and enticing. It was making her want to beg for more. Everything seemed perfect. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart while experiencing the blissful sensation of peace and pleasure. He was a great kisser. Years of practice, she assumed.
He broke the kiss, staring at her intently. “Jade, stay away from Seth. He wants everything that is mine, and I don’t want you to fall for his lies. He is jealous.”
She nodded, barely keeping her eyes open or registering his request. “Jenna is with him.”
“He doesn’t care about her. He knows that you are mine, so he will do anything to ruin what we have.”
“There’s nothing between us.”
“Do I have to kiss you again to make you stop saying nonsense?” he asked, trying not to look annoyed, but she knew he was.
Jade bobbed her head, and he chuckled.
“Clever girl.” He kissed her again, his tongue offering tormenting pleasure as her hands gripped his shoulders. When he moved her head to deepen their kiss, she was lost.
Things got intense when he sucked gently on the pulse throbbing at the base of her throat. Fear and lust coiled around her body. She dared to place her hands on his chest, perceiving the movements of his breathing. His pulse vibrated under her palms. Her lips parted to suck on air. Then, she felt the tip of his tongue tracing her bottom lip. Another heart stopping kiss, and she was helpless in his arms. Moments later, she felt the taste of iron in her mouth and her lower lip tingled as Daniel’s teeth were sucking on it. Heat spread to her cheeks and panic took over her. She pushed the vampire away.
“Why did you do that?” She touched her bloody lip.
“Don’t,” he begged in a hoarse voice. His eyes had gone dark. “Don’t touch it, Jade. I’ll fix it. I promise.”
Jade hesitated, but, eventually, moved forward with parted lips while the blood dripped down her chin.
“You taste like heaven. Have you been bitten before?”
“No,” she whispered. She should be freaking out because he was engulfing her lip and tasting her blood, drinking from her.
“I won’t do it again without your permission. I just…needed to have you in my bloodstream to calm down. You smell better than anyone else, and your blood is…enticing,” he said against her lips before leaning back and sucking in a breath.
“Should I be worried?”
The vampire shook his head as he licked his own lips.
Jade felt her cheeks blush. Her eyes followed every movement of his tongue. She realized that she was barely breathing.
Her lip stung, but she wanted to kiss him again. So, she pressed her bloody lips against his and smiled when Daniel closed his eyes and replied with fierce passion.
“God, you taste like candy… I’ve never tasted anything like you before,” he said softly.
His words made her feel proud. She shouldn’t be. This type of conduct was highly grotesque by her standards, but her priorities started being rewritten since she met Daniel.
His mouth kept tempting her. Yearning for further contact, she lazily moved her tongue along his lower lip, shivering when his hands gripped her waist harder and his body fully pressed against hers. She moaned loudly when he tugged her lip into his mouth and began to suck on it. It was scary and sexy at the same time.
“I have to seal your wound,” he mumbled.
She opened her eyes and raised her chin as she parted her lips.
Daniel licked her wound and it stung. She released a moan of complaint, but it stopped hurting immediately. Her fingers touched her lip. The wound was gone.
“It’s healed now. We need to get back to the party, but we’ll resume the foreplay later,” he whispered into her ear and moved away before she could register the implied invitation in his words.
Chapter Eight: The Movie Star
The party was loud, and everybody seemed to be already intoxicated. Even the vampires had feasted on too much blood laced with whiskey or some other strong beverage. Jade was in a corner, watching the vampires making out with their pets and the crew members recording everything like their lives depended on it. Who in their right mind would make out in front of a camera while not being bothered by it?
Meanwhile, Daniel was talking with the director and the producer of the show. He didn’t look pleased, and she wished she had superhuman hearing, so she could find out why. To make matters worse, Jenna was nowhere to be found, and Jade was still trying to figure out if the hot movie star was going to join the party or not. The suspense was killing her.
Her question was answered when the actress walked in from the balcony wearing a rose gold, long sleeved, embroidered dress. The stunning cocktail look was completed with matching pumps and pink drop earrings. She looked like a goddess.
Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her—even
Daniel.
A girl immediately started to scream from excitement and ran towards the actress to tell her how much she loved her and that she had seen all of her movies. She finished by rambling about something else, but Jade chose not to hear it. She was busy evaluating Daniel’s reaction to the arrival of his ex. He soon resumed his speech and paid no more attention to the brunette. Jade smiled, pleased, as she stared at her glass while sucking the liquid through the straw.
“Take five, people,” the director shouted.
Immediately, all the cameras were put down, and the vampires got up and went inside the house while their pets relaxed on the couches or headed to the garden.
Jade stared at everything with curiosity, noticing how Emma was pretending to be friendly with the fangirls, but she was also stealing glances at Daniel out of the corner of her eye. He was talking with one of the seven vampires who starred in the reality show.
“I don’t want you harassing the star,” the director said, motioning the girls to move along and leave Emma alone. “I’m so glad you were able to come, Emma.” He softened his voice when he sat next to her.
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world,” she said with a smile.
“I have your script right here.” He showed her a digital tablet.
Jade frowned.
Why does she need a script in a reality show where things are supposed to happen naturally?
“Why isn’t Daniel choosing me today?” she asked, glaring at the screen. “You told me that you had this covered. I don’t want to lose my time. I need the publicity, and I need to have a key part in all of this. Besides, everybody is waiting anxiously for us to get back together. It will sell magazines and should be good for my upcoming movies.”
“He is being stubborn about it. There’s nothing I can do to fix this.”
Emma fumed. “Just call Dominic then. He will convince him.”
“Emma…” The director was going to say something else but noticed that Jade was staring at them. His green eyes shifted to golden, and Jade’s eyes widened in fear.
What the hell is he?
He wasn’t a vampire, but he wasn’t a human either. Maybe he was a werewolf.
“Jade, could you give us some privacy, please?”
“Sure,” she said, getting up and moving away.
“Is that his new toy?” Emma asked with a hint of amusement.
“Yes, he is being stubborn because of her.”
“What was Daniel thinking when he chose her last night? She clearly didn’t want to be here.” Emma continued, apparently not caring if Jade overheard them or not.
“She has cleaned up nicely,” the director said. His words made Jade pause before leaving for the balcony. He continued, “And people are dying to know if he can tame her or not. Some are sympathetic, others are simply curious about what will happen. It’s a money machine.”
“I’m not liking that she’s stealing my spotlight. This show should be about me getting back with Daniel, not about Daniel and her,” Emma grumbled, tossing the device onto the director’s lap. “I’ll call Dominic myself.” She took out her cell phone and moved away to make the call in private.
The director got up as Jade turned around and strolled toward the balcony. Once outside, Jade casually leaned against the balustrade. She pretended that she was looking at the garden and hadn’t heard their conversation. To her surprise, the director joined her.
“Jade, I didn’t have the opportunity to talk to you yet,” he said, trying to get her attention.
She stared back at him. He was a young man in his early thirties and had a nice smile, even if Jade wasn’t buying his friendly façade.
“I’m Jake, the director of this show. I’m going to spend some time with you in this house, telling you what to do and how to act. I would appreciate if you would come to me if you have any problems or concerns about the show. I’m here to address any issues you might have,” he explained, taking her hands between his and staring deeply into her eyes.
“Thanks, but I’m okay.” She took her hand back, not liking the invasion of her personal space.
“Do you like being here?”
She answered with a shrug. “It’s nice.”
“Is Daniel treating you right? I know he can be…overwhelming.”
“I don’t understand what you mean by that. Everything is fine.” Jade grasped the balcony railing while staring at the lights illuminating the garden. She sipped on her cold drink, trying to clear her throat.
“I know Daniel is very fond of you. You need to understand that this is a show, and we need to entertain our audience. So, we are going to have some games that you and the other contestants need to play. The winner of those games will have the opportunity to spend extra time with Daniel.”
“Games?”
“Yes, it was our team’s idea to add an extra allure to the show and increase the competition. It is also a way to portray who is really interested in winning Daniel’s heart.”
“I see.”
“You are stunning. Have you ever considered modeling or a career on TV? I would love to work with you when this show is over. There will be a lot of opportunities for you after. Here.” He grinned as he handed her a business card that she reluctantly accepted. “That’s my personal number. Call me, and we can go out and discuss some career opportunities for you.”
Jade looked with little interest at his business card. “Thanks, Jake, and don’t get me wrong, but I don’t want to be famous. I didn’t even want to be here.”
“You simply need to make an effort to survive through this week. Be pleasant; be smart. Daniel always gets what he wants, and he is set on breaking you to his will because he thinks you are a good challenge. However, don’t mistake sexual yearning with love. You are a sweet girl, but you have no real chance with him. He will get what he wants and then he’ll leave you like he’s left the girls before you. Just enjoy the fame and try to use it to your advantage.”
“And why are you telling me all this?” Jade asked, finding it odd how he was so keen in warning her about Daniel’s womanizing reputation.
“Because in the end, Daniel and Emma will get back together, and you will be forgotten. They’ve been on and off for years. All this was a publicity stunt to get the viewer numbers to go up.”
“Daniel said…”
“Daniel says a lot of things. You and I know better than to trust a vampire, don’t we?” he asked darkly, and his eyes shifted again, making Jade tense.
“Are you a wolf?”
“That’s not important right now. Just keep my number in case something bad happens to you. Rest assured, I know everything that happened to you and your family. You have every right to feel trapped and to mistrust his kind.” He walked back to the living room where Emma was calling for him.
Jade stood there, unhappy with the fact that they went digging into her private life and could use it against her. She had no intentions of sharing it with the rest of the world and having people judging and looking at her differently. She wanted to be normal and leave the past behind.
In the living room, Emma was making her demands known to Jake.
Jade brushed their talk aside, deep in her own problems.
“You are out of your league, aren’t you?” a smooth and creepy voice whispered next to Jade, startling her.
“Seth, you need to stop doing that,” she complained, placing her hand on her chest.
“Why? It’s so much fun to be able to catch people when they’re distracted.”
“Where is Jenna?”
“I left her with the other girls in the pool. They’re drinking and partying.”
“What pool?”
He gestured with his hands as he said, “There’s a pool at the back of the house. They are serving drinks, and the girls decided to go swimming. You should join them. I bet there are a lot of nice curves beneath that dress.”
Jade glared at him.
“I’m not normally a jerk if t
hat’s what you’re thinking. I just like to tease. Anyway, I came back here to see how things were going with Daniel and Cleopatra.”
Jade frowned. “What are you talking about?”
He pointed to Emma, and she chuckled at his comparison.
Seth added, “She can be a drama queen and a diva. Scratch that, she is. They would get in the craziest and most heated discussions. Mom and I were glad when they broke up.”
“I think she wants him back.” Jade looked at her hands, pouting.
“Yes, she likes money and the attention that dating him brings.”
“Why are you defending him now?”
“I’m not. I’m only telling you what’s really going on. I didn’t want you to crucify Daniel because a crazy bitch thinks Daniel is her toy. Emma plays with other people’s feelings. So, don’t let her get to you.”
“Doesn’t Daniel think that all women are toys or pets? Don’t you have a lot of pets, Seth?”
He rubbed the back of his neck with a boyish grin. “It’s just a show, Jade. It’s a way to get me to another place in the showbiz industry. Being a vampire bachelor doesn’t define me as a person.”
“You are not a person.”
“Yes, I am. I was turned into a vampire, but I’m still a person. I still have dreams. My life changed when I became this, but now I have the opportunity to do what I was born to do.”
“And what is that?”
“To sing and act. I want to be a serious actor and keep singing.”
“Don’t you people want to do something else with your lives? There are plenty of other career options that can be fulfilling.”
“Like what, being a doctor?”
Jade rolled her eyes. “Yes, and so many other things.”
“Well, I would rather be a singer who cures hearts and souls than a doctor who fixes bodies.”
“That was deep, brother,” Daniel joked, coming in from the balcony with a glass of bourbon in his hand.
