Before he could do anything further, a hand reached out to grasp his forearm in a bone crushing hold. The vampire let out a yelp, and Lyric looked up to see the man that had come to her rescue. He was another vampire, one that she’d never seen before.
“Jade Kenyan is a dear friend of mine, Dexter, a brother if you will. If the girl says she is with him, then I’d advise you to move along before he finds out. I assure you that no man who dares to lay a hand on Jade’s woman will live to tell the story.” The promise of trouble was heavy in the smooth voice of Lyric’s rescuer. She stared up at him, taking in the black hair that curled ever so slightly and the deep gold eyes that were fixed on the blonde vampire harassing her. Could it be that this vampire really knew Jade?
Dexter flashed a hateful look at her before turning his black gaze to the one who held him. Getting up from his stool, he jerked his arm away from the dark-haired vampire with a snarl. “Get your hands off of me. I didn’t even touch her.”
“Let’s keep it that way. If you’re so hard up for a bite, head over to Cry. Stay out of here, or I won’t be so nice next time.” After giving Dexter a forceful shove, he released the other vampire and turned to Lyric, taking note of Storm as he did so. The blonde vampire scowled but slunk away into the crowd.
Fighting to calm down, Lyric took a sip of her lemon water. She couldn’t help but wonder what Cry was. It didn’t sound like any place that she wanted to be. Her anxiety waned but didn’t disappear when her rescuer sat in Dexter’s vacated seat.
“Are you alright?” When she didn’t answer right away, he held out a hand. “I should introduce myself. My name is Griffin. I really do know Jade. Are you expecting him?”
She accepted his hand gratefully, believing he told the truth. He greeted Storm as well, who flushed several shades of red when he gently took her hand. Lyric sensed no animosity in him at all, merely curiosity.
“Thank you, Griffin,” she said. “It was getting ugly there. I appreciate your help. And no, I’m not expecting Jade. I’m actually looking for him. I don’t suppose you’d know where to find him.”
He studied her until she felt uneasy and exposed. Those deep gold eyes seemed to stare into her soul. “You aren’t really involved with Jade, are you?”
“No,” she admitted with a shy smile. “But, I do know him. And, it’s important that I find him. He saved my life the other night, and I need to speak to him.”
Griffin gazed at her intensely, and she got the feeling he was searching her for dishonesty. Lyric smiled tentatively at him, hoping that he would be her link to Jade Kenyan. Coincidence? Not likely.
* * * *
Jade would never have guessed that his dear friend had just helped the very woman that he himself could not get off his mind. The image of those perfectly ruby red lips continued to haunt him. More than once since he’d put Lyric in the taxi, he had imagined kissing those lips, running his tongue over and between them. With a sigh, he glanced down at his sleeping victim and the two tiny puncture wounds in her throat.
He hadn’t been able to bring himself to bed this one. He often did, satisfying all urges at once. His body had refused to co-operate, and he’d had to settle for feasting on the lively human blood while visions of Lyric standing at the bus stop flashed behind his eyes. God help him, but the woman was absolutely divine.
Climbing from the sprawling, king-size bed, Jade was relieved that his victim slept. Now he could simply leave in silence and be on his way. As he gathered his jacket and keys, he cursed himself for such weakness. No woman had dominated his thoughts like this in years, centuries!
The brunette on the bed moaned and stirred, reaching as if searching for him. His steps quickened, and he fled the room with stealth and silence. The last thing Jade needed now was to explain to her why he had little desire to touch her any further. He wanted nothing more than to be out, beneath the city sky.
If the night air held a chill, Jade did not feel it. With a beep, the door to his sleek black Mustang Shelby Cobra unlocked, and he slid onto the leather seat with a sigh. When he turned the key and the radio blared to life, Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” made him shake his head in wonder. It had to be a coincidence.
Jade’s mind replayed the moment that Lyric told him about her mother’s claim to have jammed with Jimi Hendrix. He could recall the way her full lips had lifted in a gentle but embarrassed smile. Staring at the radio, he shrugged heavily. What he wouldn’t do to see her again.
As he drove through the city streets, the song accompanied his thoughts. His existence was a lengthy series of events, many of which he would like to forget. Though Jade wasn’t one for self-indulgent melancholy, he couldn’t help but think about his wife. He still carried the guilt surrounding her death; it continued to haunt him.
Now that he couldn’t get Lyric out of his head, he felt a fresh wave of guilt, as if he shouldn’t dare to care for another woman after what he’d done. What was he thinking? He couldn’t allow himself to feel for a human woman. That would only endanger her. She might be gifted, but she wasn’t cut out for his world.
Sure, keep telling yourself that. The thought came unbidden, and Jade’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. He desperately wanted to listen to his conscience, but fear held him back, fear that he would destroy Lyric’s beautifully fragile life, corrupt it in ways she had yet to know. He’d left her with a brief image of himself that he didn’t want to tarnish.
How would he even begin to seek her out in a city this size if he wanted to?
Of course, she was a burlesque dancer. She had to be almost as nocturnal as he was, if only because her career demanded it. He knew enough about her with that tidbit of information alone that he might be able to find her. Would she think he was stalking her, or would she be glad to see him again? The question tormented Jade throughout his entire drive home.
When he finally sat on the edge of his own bed, clad only in silk pajama pants, he knew that Lyric had stirred something within him that no other woman had in all this time: the desire to be needed, to be loved, to have her look at him like he was her whole world.
Why her? And, why now? He didn’t know nor did he really care. Jade only knew that, undoubtedly, he had to see her again.
Chapter Five
The door swung open silently, and Jade peered out into the night. A grin spread across his face. “Griffin, you sneaky son of a bitch! How are you doing? I thought you were still in Europe.”
Jade stepped back to allow his old friend entry. Griffin gave the foyer a once over before turning to the other vampire. “I was. I just got back into town. What’s new with you, my friend?”
Ushering Griffin down the hall, Jade ran a hand through his long, loose locks. The truth was, he hadn’t been traveling the world and taking advantage of technology in all of its glory like Griffin had. Jade had been more than happy to hang around in the city he’d been haunting for decades.
“I can’t say I have been enjoying as much excitement as you have. I’ve been doing a lot of reading, writing … that kind of thing.”
Griffin nodded knowingly and smiled. “So you’ve been lurking around this city like the creepy old vampire that you are, when you could have the world in your hands? Why am I not surprised?”
“Very funny.” Jade rolled his eyes and grinned at his friend. “So, what brings you by? Don’t tell me you’re bored and looking for a partner in crime. I haven’t done that in years.”
The two of them had gone on some serious feeding-frenzies in their time. Their bloody sprees of violence, only a vampire could appreciate. The memory of some of the things they’d done almost shamed Jade now.
Griffin chuckled and nodded in remembrance. “We had some damn good times if I do say so myself. And, I do. But,” his expression quickly grew serious. “I’m here about something else. To say hello, of course, but there’s more. A particular raven-haired woman to be exact.”
“Raven-haired?” Jade stiffened, pausing in the doorway to the kitchen
. His mind immediately went to Lyric, but what could Griffin know about her?
“Oh yes,” Griffin smiled and nodded when he noticed Jade’s interest pique. “Lovely young thing with the most amazing blue eyes, a rack to die for and a blonde bombshell of a friend. I ran interference for her when one of the local whelps was harassing her. She told me that her name was Lyric. And, that she was looking for you.”
Jade felt as if someone had slapped him across the face. His pulse quickened at the very mention of her name. If Griffin had seen her, he needed to know everything.
“She was? Is she ok?” He struggled to prevent his concern from showing. Feigning nonchalance didn’t come naturally to him.
“Who is she, Jade?” Griffin asked, his curiosity obvious.
As Jade recounted the night that he had met Lyric, he found himself going back in his mind. The scent of her was something he would never forget. Griffin listened as he spoke, nodding here and there knowingly. Jade knew he sounded like an enamored fool, but he didn’t care.
Griffin waited until Jade had reached the end of his tale before slipping the business card from his pocket. Pressing it into the other man’s hand, he said, “Here. She gave me this, for you.”
As Jade turned the bright red card over, he read her name, number and website information. Relief rippled through him, and he sighed. What could he do with this? Go to her? Was that really the best idea?
“I can’t thank you enough for stepping in for her,” Jade said, choosing his words carefully. “It sickens me to think of anyone laying a hand on her.”
“And?” Griffin eyed Jade expectantly. “You are going to go to her, right?”
“Should I?” His friend’s watchful eye was enough to make Jade want to turn away. He sounded like such a coward. “I mean, I don’t want to hurt her.”
“Are you kidding? You’re her knight in shining armor right now, pal. Why wouldn’t you want to look her up? If nothing else, you should take advantage of the sexual aspects. She’s bound to be grateful and willing.” Griffin inclined his head to the side and studied Jade.
Jade shook his head vigorously. “No. It’s not like that. She is more to me than that.” He was fully aware that Griffin would read the shadowed look in his eyes and know he was smitten with a human woman.
“After one short encounter?” Griffin was skeptical, but then again, he wasn’t too familiar with the magical rush of love.
“Surprisingly … yeah.” Jade pondered it himself, wondering what he was thinking. “There’s just something about her, Griff; she’s special. It’s not just that she’s psychic and knows about vampires; there’s something else.”
“Well, then do what you have to do my friend, and don’t let her get away,” Griffin said after a long contemplative pause. “Make sure that you hunt first. If your energy is any indication, you haven’t been feeding well.”
Jade fixed Griffin with a warning look. “I’ve been feeding.” He was ashamed to admit to his friend that he hadn’t killed since the night he met Lyric, as if he thought that by abstaining he would somehow become more worthy of her.
“Don’t be delusional Jade. You can’t let this mortal girl cow you into acting like a neutered animal. I don’t have to tell you that it’s likely to work against you.”
Jade frowned, annoyed but aware that Griffin spoke the truth. The kill wasn’t necessary for survival but denying it would risk his control. Vampires were nothing if not killers. Yet, Jade couldn’t help but feel that he wanted to be the white knight for once. For her.
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry about me, Griff. I’m not going to drive myself into a frenzy.”
Griffin raised a dark brow in question. “Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that it will benefit her in any way. Staying sane will work far more in your favor.”
Jade nodded, his eyes downcast as he studied the pattern on the kitchen floor. The bloodlust ruled him, and if he denied it, he risked losing all control. The thought of that happening with Lyric chilled him to the bone. He was a fool to think avoiding the kill would do anything but put her in danger. Frustrated, Jade swore. The urge to hurt something was strong.
“Look,” Griffin spoke, disrupting Jade’s moment of personal torment. “You and I are going to go on a little excursion. And, when we’re done, you’re going to feel like the powerful vampire that you are. The man that you are.” Griffin flashed Jade a warning look, expecting him to protest. “Then, you are going to go find this lovely young lady that has been looking for you.”
* * * *
Taylor knew that Charity would be pissed that he was late again. He had purposely failed to mention his plans to her; she would never understand his fascination with the vampire bar. Taylor had been visiting the club regularly in recent weeks without her knowledge, and he did not intend to let her ruin it for him.
Since discovering the existence of the strange club known only as Cry, Taylor had been anxious to scope out the place. His fiancée’s feelings definitely mattered to him but so did the agony of the last several years. Ever since the night he watched the woman he loved die at the hands of a vampire, Taylor had been virtually obsessed with getting closer to the creatures of the night. He could hardly think about anything else.
That memory would never fade. It was always as crisp and clear as if it had happened just yesterday. Twenty-one year old Taylor had approached his girlfriend’s house late one night after work. Shocked, he’d discovered a strange man locked in an embrace with Lisa, the first woman Taylor had ever loved. He’d stopped dead in his tracks, watching as the man kissed her mouth, moving to her throat.
The jealous rage that filled Taylor had quickly died when the man peeled back his lips to reveal fangs. Taylor had been unable to tear his eyes away when those sharp fangs plunged through the tender flesh of Lisa’s neck. She hadn’t even screamed. Instead, she’d swooned and crumpled against her attacker.
When the vampire’s head had snapped up suddenly to scan his surroundings, Taylor’s instinct had taken over, and he’d ran. The nightmares had lasted for months, but the guilt had plagued him for years. He could never forgive himself for running and leaving her like that. Yet, Taylor couldn’t shake the fascination that had developed since that night.
He knew that he would never forget those eyes that seemed to glow with a deadly hunger. Even now, so many years later, a shudder rippled through him at the memory.
As Taylor crept along the empty street toward the dimly lit building, two young women stumbled out the front door and down a side street that led nowhere. He paused, watching them go. He considered them, deciding that they didn’t look so bad for just leaving the place. He had seen people fumble their way out of there at a crawl.
The building resembled a small warehouse. It was tall with numerous cracked and broken windows. If he didn’t know there were people inside, he would have assumed it to be abandoned.
Hoping that he blended in well enough, he approached the door casually, as if he belonged there. Dressed head-to-toe in black, he had worn attire that was dark without being overtly obvious. He was hoping to go unnoticed, for the most part.
Getting inside was always easy. Taylor kept expecting some beefy doorman to stop him in his tracks, but it never happened. Incense and cigarette smoke greeted him, along with the heavy industrial sound of some band he had never heard before. Though he was tempted to linger near the door in observation, he knew that would draw attention. His safest bet was to order a drink and feign casual.
It looked like a warehouse inside as well. It had likely been one before the vampires got their hands on it. There wasn’t much at all to the place. A handful of tables, a small area that looked like it was supposed to be a dance floor and a bar made up the entire establishment. But, Taylor knew there was much more below, in the building’s basement.
The place was dimly lit. The pale glow of lanterns, hung here and there, cast just enough light to show the way.
Taylor made his way towards the bar, taking
the opportunity to look over his fellow patrons. He’d learned enough to know that if he allowed the anxiety to rule him, it would draw them like moths to a flame. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his short brown locks out of his eyes and ordered a beer. The man behind the bar was no vampire. Taylor could tell immediately, not that he was an expert. The lack of obvious fangs was one indicator.
The bartender didn’t give him more than a cursory glance. Spinning around on his stool, he pretended interest in the dance floor and its female occupants. He didn’t want it to be too obvious to any vampires that he was looking for some action. Taylor wasn’t an overly picky guy, but when it came to being a vampire’s willing feast, he had to have standards.
As far as he was concerned, the possibilities in this place were endless. More than anything right now, he just wanted to see them in action, to confirm what he saw all those years ago as a kid.
The cool hand that grasped his shoulder had his heart pounding like a jackhammer in his chest. He spun around to find himself face to face with a smoking hot redhead that grinned at him as if he were a new play toy. Taylor couldn’t help but stare in wide-eyed wonder at the two razor sharp fangs she flashed him. He must look like such a newbie, though he considered himself almost a regular.
“Sorry about the instant take down, honey, but if you don’t nab ‘em when they walk in the door, someone else will.” The vampiress batted long lashes and eased onto the stool next to him. “They don’t stay fresh for long. And, you are about as fresh as they come.”
Taylor swallowed hard and forced himself to look into her eerie blue eyes. “Oh, I just stopped in for a drink.” Oh shit, he thought. Could that have come out any lamer?
Lyric's Gift Page 3
