“Sure,” she nodded, inclining her head and giving him a once over. “That’s what they all say, at first.”
Of course, she would assume he was there to play. It was, after all, the only reason humans came here. Though this wasn’t Taylor’s first time at Cry, he hadn’t planned to stay long. However, she was here and offering…
“No, really.” He shook his head and swigged from his beer, hoping it seemed natural and not forced. “I’m engaged. I should be getting back to my fiancée.”
The redhead fixed him with a drowning blue stare, drawing him in. Taylor gave his head a shake but couldn’t free himself of the sensation that he was falling into her eyes. Try as he might, he was unable to look away.
“She wouldn’t have to know. If you want to stay, that is.” Offering him a dainty hand with long, red nails, she said, “I’m Sadie. And, I would love to play with you tonight. If you change your mind.” With a wink, she made as if to leave.
“Wait,” Taylor heard himself say, and he winced inwardly. His pulse pounded but in anticipation rather than fear. “Can we make it quick? I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
Sadie’s smile grew wider, as if she knew that she had him. Crooking her finger, she indicated for him to follow her as she sauntered away.
Taylor watched her, admiring her tight curves in the leather pants she wore. He knew he was a fool if he didn’t head for the door. Nevertheless, he’d been here enough times to know that staying was worth his while. Slamming back the last of his beer, he set the bottle on the bar with a clatter and followed the gorgeous vampiress with the crimson colored locks.
Chapter Six
The sound of grinding gears reached Lyric, and she cursed. What had she been thinking when she’d agreed to a rental car with a manual transmission? The rental agency in her neighborhood only had manuals left, but she could have gone elsewhere. She regretted the many years that it had been since she’d driven a stick. At least the little silver Honda was a cute car.
Tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the song on the radio, Lyric’s mind wandered. A certain dark-haired vampire had not been far from her thoughts in the past four days. She’d given her card to Griffin though, and now all she could do was wait to see if Jade came to her.
She couldn’t help but fear for him after the vision she’d had. If something happened to him, she might never even know.
Giving her head a shake, she forced her thoughts elsewhere. She had a performance to concentrate on; in little more than an hour, she’d be onstage. The Scarlet Ladies were the headlining act at a local nightclub for their “Tribute to Burlesque” night. She had been anticipating it since they’d booked the gig.
As she drove to the venue, Lyric grew excited. The costumes she and the girls had designed for this event were beyond sensational. The glorious combination of feathers and velvet made her feel like the epitome of sexuality. She hoped the audience would enjoy it just as much as she did.
Pulling into the parking lot of the nightclub, she was glad to see that a few of the other girls had already arrived. The anticipation swept her, and she giggled to herself. She had the best job ever.
Lyric entered through the back staff door into a narrow white hallway. She had performed here once before so she knew the way to the dressing room. Pushing the door open, she smiled at Storm who looked up from her place in front of the mirror.
“Hey Lyric, honey. How are you today?” Storm greeted her with a beaming smile. “Ready for the show tonight?”
“You know it. I’ve been waiting for this one since we booked it.” Lyric tossed her duffel bag down and shrugged out of her light sweater. Sitting heavily in the seat next to Storm, she pawed through the bag for her makeup and hair accessories.
“So, I assume you haven’t heard anything yet. Have you?” Storm glanced over at Lyric, pausing mid-motion with her mascara wand in hand.
Lyric sighed and rolled her dark blue eyes at her friend. “I wish. Still waiting, impatiently.”
With a toss of her long blonde waves, Storm fixed Lyric with a pointed look. “Well … I want to know the moment that you hear from him. And, you will, I’m sure of it.”
Lyric smiled to herself but chose not to directly address Storm’s comment. When she knew that she would see him again, then she would deal with Storm. For now, she was just hoping for some kind of sign that her vision was wrong.
The dressing room quickly filled up as the other dancers started to arrive. Lyric was grateful because it allowed her to avoid further conversation, which would only cause her anxiety. She needed to focus on getting ready to dance. Nearly an hour later, Storm was helping her to secure large red feathers in her highly pinned black hair. Yet, despite everything that she had to concentrate on, Jade was still at the forefront of her thoughts.
* * * *
Staring out onto the crowd, adrenaline coursed through Lyric’s body as she waited for the music to begin. They were more than halfway through their performance, and the audience was enthralled. Only one thing would have made her happier…
She gripped a large fan, half the size of her body. It was made up of the most beautiful red, purple and black feathers. The fan covered her scantily clad top half while allowing the crowd a peek at her fishnet covered legs. When the music began, she ever so slowly moved the fan to reveal a glimpse of the red velvet corset that pushed her breasts up for all the world to see.
As she danced, Lyric allowed the music to move her. The feeling of absolute freedom swept her up in a warm glow. A sensual atmosphere settled on the stage with her as she took the center for her solo dance.
The lights dimmed, casting the rest of the girls in darkness where they stood at the back of the stage. A lone spotlight illuminated her. Lyric’s glossy black hair shone with a blue hue in the light. The piano music began with a rich and moving dark melody. The silence was thick as the crowd watched with awed amazement as she moved with a tranquility and grace more akin to a creature with wings than a human.
When the tempo quickened, Lyric added some tease to her dance. She worked the large feather fan, swirling it around her body as she gyrated and glided along the floor. Ever so slowly, she worked one long, elbow length glove down her arm and threw it off without care. A small cheer went up from the audience when she proceeded to follow up with the other glove.
Lyric continued to dance, twirling and shimmying as she slowly reached up to pull the pins from her hair. A few whistles rang out, and she smiled to herself. As the last pin pulled free, the feathers in her hair gently cascaded to the floor. With a shake of her head, her long black locks fell all around her, cloaking her in darkness.
Looking out over the crowd, Lyric felt a slight shift in the atmosphere. Caught up in her performance, she couldn’t isolate what she sensed. It was completely impossible to tune in at a moment like this.
Tossing her ebony hair over a shoulder, she swung the fan to one side, allowing the audience a glimpse as she began to unfasten the tight corset that held her bound. A hush seemed to gather as everyone waited for the big reveal. But, this was all about the art of the tease, and Lyric knew how to work it to the max. Fixing her eyes on her audience, she slowly peeled the corset away from her flushed skin.
* * * *
If he didn’t want her before, he most certainly did now. As Jade watched Lyric dance from his place at the back of the building, a longing stirred within him. It seemed to touch him in every way. Not only did it cause an undeniable ache in his loins, it also created a hunger in his heart.
As Lyric stripped the red velvet corset from her body and cast it aside, his still heart jumped. She carefully used the fan to hide what lay behind it. Jade was beside himself waiting to see what she would reveal.
With only a look at her website, he’d known she would be here tonight. He couldn’t have stayed away if he’d tried. Common sense wasn’t having any part of his decision. Instinct called him, and he answered.
He wondered if she knew that he was th
ere. He couldn’t tear his eyes from her alabaster skin and midnight-colored locks. What he wouldn’t give to touch her!
Jade’s green and gold eyes widened, locked on Lyric as she swept the fan away from her body in a grand gesture. The bloodlust and his own personal desire rose up with a vengeance as he drank her in. Lord, she looked glorious, beyond all reason.
Her skin was creamy, like the whitest marble. Her full breasts were bare but for the star shaped pasties covering her nipples. They sparkled as the light hit them, and Jade leaned against the wall at his back, enamored by her entrancing beauty.
His cock grew hard watching her twirl and glide. He had been looking forward to seeing Lyric in action, but this was beyond his expectations. As she worked the crowd, Jade found that he was just as manipulated by her actions as anyone else. As Lyric shimmied and twirled, Jade began to feel as if his pants were just a little too tight in places. The woman was driving him mad!
He could focus only on was the way her body moved. It seemed to beckon to him, calling for his attention. He was dying to touch her. He couldn’t recall feeling this urgency for any woman. It was both confusing and welcome.
A part of him wished that he could hide her nudity from the men in the crowd, keep it all for himself alone. Yet, another piece of Jade was proud of the looks they gave her, and he realized with shock that he already considered her to be his. There was no going back now. He ached for her, and he would be damned if he couldn’t have her.
Towards the end of her solo number, she began searching the crowd, looking for something or someone. Jade tensed when her dark blue eyes landed on him. The glow of the lights made it hard for her to see each member of the audience clearly, but the look on her face was priceless. No doubt about it, she had easily identified him. If he’d been tempted to slip out before she knew he was there, it was too late now. Not that he wanted to, of course.
Lyric appeared momentarily confused as the other dancers moved up beside her. The music changed, and she recovered, tearing her eyes from him. Jade couldn’t help the grin that stole over his chiseled features. As he watched her dance, that smile never left his face. The hard on in his pants also refused to vacate. It was killing him to have to wait until she finished to approach her. But, that wait would be well worth it.
* * * *
Back in the dressing room after the show, Lyric hastily pulled a brush through her long hair. Her heart had refused to slow down since she’d spotted Jade Kenyan in the crowd. He came … he really came! She couldn’t believe it.
She dug through her bag, wishing she had brought something nicer to change into than gray sweatpants and a tank top. She’d been planning to leave through the back staff door, but now that idea was shot. After a moment of panicked consideration, she opted to wear some of her dance gear. There was no way in hell she’d let Jade catch her in sweats after what he’d just seen her in.
Choosing the most comfortable outfit in her repertoire, she slipped into black leggings, a tank top and a long, dressy velvet robe. Not all of the deep breaths in the world would have slowed her racing heart. Careful not to leave Jade waiting too long, she avoided conversation with Storm and ducked out of the dressing room. She didn’t want to tell Storm that he was here until she’d spoken to him herself.
No sooner had she stepped through the door than he was just there, before her. Her breath caught, and for a moment, she was speechless. Jade’s presence dominated her focus so that everything else around them seemed to fall away. He gazed down at her with eyes that peered into her soul. A slow grin spread across his face as he drank in the sight of her. It had only been a few days, but it had felt like forever.
“Lyric,” he said her name as if it was the sweetest honey on his tongue. “How are you? I’ll kill the stupid bastard that thought he could lay a hand on you.”
Lyric laughed despite the gravity of his words. So, he knew about Dexter. She was filled with a combination of relief and gratitude towards Griffin. She owed him one. And, she wouldn’t forget it.
“I’m fine, thank you,” she smiled, secretly pleased with his concern. “I hope you enjoyed the show.”
“I most certainly did. You’re absolutely enamoring.” He grinned then, and her stomach dropped. “I don’t want to sound lecherous, but I’d be lying if I said otherwise. You were heart stopping.”
Blushing profusely, Lyric cast her eyes towards the floor. “Then it’s a good thing that’s something you don’t need to worry about.” She immediately felt ridiculous over cracking such a bad joke. Was a lack of heartbeat a laughing matter? She missed the way Jade’s gaze roamed over her, a strange light in his eyes. Meeting his entrancing stare again, she murmured, “I mean thanks.”
“Oh,” she said suddenly as a thought struck her. Digging in her purse, she produced a small wad of bills. “Here’s your money. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you did for me the other night.”
Surprise crossed Jade’s face, and he held both hands up in refusal. “You’ve got to be kidding.” He chuckled, and the low sound sent a tickle down Lyric’s spine. “I never expected the money back. It’s nothing to me. It meant more that you got home safely.”
Could he be any more amazing? Lyric wanted to pinch herself to see if she was dreaming. Of all the men she’d met, none of them had elicited this response in her. She was drawn to him, to the warmth she sensed in him despite his cold nature. Vampire or not, he had a worldly charm that Lyric couldn’t help but respond to.
“Please.” With a shy smile, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and chewed her lower lip nervously. “I want to pay you back. It’s the least that I can do after what you did for me.” Lyric wasn’t usually one to play the shy type, but something in his expression caused her stomach to knot up and her heart to pound in her ears.
With a slight shake of his head, Jade gently pushed her hand back towards her purse. She could see it in his eyes that he wouldn’t be swayed. The money had been a necessity at the time, and it had been something that helped to draw them together yet again. Beyond that, it wasn’t important.
“Let me take you out.” Jade insisted. “It would be worth so much more to me than any dollar figure.”
Was he nervous? Lyric couldn’t tell for certain, but by the way he suddenly fidgeted with his car keys, she thought so. Nothing else betrayed his nerves. Jade’s gaze was steady as he looked into her eyes. She studied him as closely as she dared to without being obvious. His aura felt strong and dark. Everything about him oozed cool, calm and collected.
“Right now? Where would we go?”
“Wherever you like.”
Lyric had only to think about it for a moment. Was she crazy to run off with a vampire in the middle of the night? Oh yeah. It could get her killed, but she trusted him. More than that, she undeniably wanted him. Without a care, Lyric embraced the strange mix of desire and intrigue roiling about inside her.
With a beaming smile that touched Jade in ways unknown to her, Lyric nodded. “Alright. Let’s go.”
Chapter Seven
The candlelight glinted off Lyric’s glass, creating dancing beams of fire in the blood red wine. Jade watched as she swirled the fine liquid before raising the glass to her tantalizing crimson lips. The bloodlust stirred deep inside him with his fascination for this delicate creature. Watching her drink the scarlet fluid had him beside himself with a wanton lust he could only describe as carnal.
They had come to this restaurant at her suggestion. He’d insisted on treating her to wine and dessert, if nothing else. Though reluctantly, Lyric had relented and told him about the quaint little restaurant hidden in amongst some big name food chains. Mario’s was a nice place, one that Jade enjoyed despite his inability to sample the delicious menu items. With Lyric seated across the small table from him, nibbling at a slice of cherry pie, he had no need of anything else.
Try as he might, Jade couldn’t shake the image of her on the stage from his mind. It was scorched into his memory. This woman
was mesmerizing. She didn’t seem to be aware of what she was doing to him, and that only enhanced his attraction to her.
“So, what’s your story?” Lyric asked, startling him out of his thoughts. Scooping another bite of pie onto her fork, she grinned. “You’ve gotta have a good one.”
Jade watched her slide the fork between her lips and lick the crumbs sensually from the corner of her mouth. A throb began between his legs. “I only wish that I did. Unfortunately, Griffin is the one with all of the exciting stories. I’ve spent the better part of the last five decades in this city. I spent several years visiting the places I longed to go, and soon after, travel lost its appeal.”
She gave him a look that said he was clearly crazy. “Fifty years in this hell hole? I can’t wait to get out. What the heck do you do to pass the time?”
“A lot of reading and writing, people watching.” And killing, he added silently. “You’d be amazed at the observations you can make when you have all of the time in the world to watch.” He cast a glance around the room, taking note of their fellow patrons. “Actually, it’s not all that wonderful a thing, being unable to pass on to the next plane of existence, whatever that is.”
She studied him with eyes the color of the sea during a tropical storm. Jade could have stared into those eyes all night. “Yeah, but it’s not like you couldn’t escape it, if you really wanted to. Right?”
How many times had Jade contemplated walking out into the morning sun as dawn broke over the horizon? Too many to even count. He’d never done it, of course. Whether it was the fear of dying or the fear of what lay on the other side, Jade didn’t know. He knew only that he could never bring himself to do it. The unknown was one thing that even vampires dread.
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