“Oh, my God.” Lyric dropped the container of food that she’d been holding onto the table. “You are the sweetest thing ever.” Standing on her tiptoes, she pulled him close for a spine tingling kiss. How she got so lucky, she would never know. Jade was thoughtful, putting her first in everything they did. She was grateful for him.
Things had been amazing over the past several days, since they’d had their talk outside Cry. Jade seemed to be much more relaxed. Lyric was just happy to live in the moment, refusing to allow insecurities to get the better of her.
His hand came to brush the hair gently back from her face, the simplest gesture that seemed to speak to her soul. Lyric was suddenly very relieved that she’d been able to get Storm to leave before Jade arrived. She’d had a vision earlier, of Storm, one that she wasn’t ready to share with her friend. She wanted to consider the meaning of it further first.
The vision had frightened her a little. It had been Griffin, holding Storm’s limp form in his arms as lightning lit up the night around them. Lyric was never able to get a sense of the time in her visions. She just saw one moment, a picture in a time yet to occur. Even though her visions didn’t always happen, the failure rate was low. Really low.
Pushing the thought aside, Lyric began to put some of the food away in the refrigerator. She had to laugh again at the amount he’d brought. To think, Jade believed himself to be a no good monster. She doubted he could play the villain even if he tried.
“I wish I could take you out for a romantic dinner,” Jade spoke suddenly, and she let the fridge door slam shut. “I mean, really take you out.”
“You can take me out, Jade. It doesn’t have to be dinner to be romantic.” Lyric moved around the kitchen, fetching a fork before diving into the delicious looking salad. “The most romance I’ve ever experienced comes just from being with you. Even if we were to just sit here all night and watch cable TV.”
“You have cable?”
“Of course. I live alone with a cat.” Lyric made a face, as if that explained everything.
Jade grinned and nodded in the direction of the living room. “Mind if I catch the rest of the hockey game?”
She rolled her eyes and gave him a playful shove. “And, you try to make it seem like you’re not like other guys.” She found it endearing when Jade turned on the television and soon began to shout at the game like every human male she’d ever known. He wasn’t so different. He just needed to cut himself some slack.
Lyric dished some chicken fried rice onto her salad plate before joining him in the living room. He cast a derogatory look at her dish and asked, “That’s not all you’re going to eat, is it?”
“Hey, I have to squeeze myself into some pretty tight clothing in a few hours. I can’t enjoy the luxury of stuffing myself on all of the goodies you brought me until after the show. Which I am greatly looking forward to doing.”
Lyric would have given almost anything to remain in her comfy track pants on the couch with Jade. Duty called though, and The Scarlet Ladies had to answer. Tonight’s show was in one of the more ritzy areas of town, a change from the downtown clubs where they often performed. A small theater was hosting the event, and Lyric couldn’t wait to perform somewhere with such class. It would be a nice change from the venues where they were usually booked.
“I have something else entirely for after the show.” Jade winked and reached to tickle her side.
She squirmed and giggled, upsetting her plate in the process, dumping rice on the couch. “Jade!” Lyric protested, pretending to stab him with her fork. “I can just imagine what is running around inside your mind. Care to share?”
“Nope. You’ll have to wait and see.”
“That’s not fair.” She dodged another of his playful attacks, miraculously getting a fork full of rice into her mouth before it could fall. When he didn’t let up, she squealed and set her dish onto the coffee table to free her hands.
They wrestled playfully on the couch, spilling onto the floor when Lyric took an unexpected tumble. Laughter pealed from her as she pulled Jade down with her. Their lips met, and their playful nature took a turn.
She had never dared to dream that a man like this could exist. Yet, here he was, in her arms. As Jade pressed against her, Lyric squirmed beneath him until she felt him grow hard. A satisfied smile danced over her lips when he groaned low in her ear.
“You make a weak man of me, scarlet lady. How much time do we have before you have to leave for the theater?”
He sucked gently on her neck, causing her pulse to leap. She sighed contentedly and tightened her grip on him. “Oh, we have more than enough.”
With a playful little growl, Lyric altered their position so that she straddled Jade. He lay beneath her, looking up at her with an eager grin. His admittance struck a chord within her, and the desire to please him was overwhelming. How many things could possibly cause a vampire weakness?
Jade’s hands slid down her back to the small triangle of cotton peeking out from her track pants. Staring down into his mysterious eyes, a burst of excitement filled her with a giddy rush. She wanted nothing more than to lavish him with her love, to show him what he really meant to her. Her feelings couldn’t be contained in words alone.
Starting with the softest kiss, Lyric closed her eyes and focused on only that moment. The sensation of Jade’s lips as she plunged her tongue between them ignited the fires. Deepening the kiss, she tasted him slowly but thoroughly, wanting to remember every second. The clean and intoxicating taste of him was enough to coax a small moan from her.
Kissing her way to his ear, she sucked his lobe into her mouth, loving his low groan. The feeling of control was empowering, and Lyric used it to her advantage, grinding her groin firmly against Jade’s rock hard manhood.
His fingers dug into her behind, and she laughed seductively. Licking and sucking at his heavenly flesh, Lyric made her way down his body, lifting his shirt so that she could lightly tongue his navel. Stripping it off him and tossing it on the couch, she quickly set about removing his pants. Her sure fingers were fast with his belt, and in no time, she held his throbbing shaft in her hands.
“Oh, Lyric.” Jade murmured her name, his fingers entwining in her hair.
Nobody had ever made Lyric feel so bold and confident. Jade made her feel like a woman in a way that was carnal and savage. She wanted to taste him, to feel him in every way. Stroking him with a slow and steady rhythm, she kissed his tight abs, following the thin trail of dark hair down.
Feeling liberated, she eyed the head of his erection, licking her lips hungrily. Jade’s eyes were riveted to her as she lowered her mouth, her tongue darting out to lick the length of him. A shudder rippled through Jade’s body, and she smiled with satisfaction.
Drawing him into her mouth, she swirled her tongue before sucking him in as deep as she could. Jade moaned, and his fingers tightened in her hair. Lyric varied between sucking him deep and teasing him with the tip of her tongue. She kept it up until he was begging to be inside her.
Shimmying out of her clothing, Lyric knelt over him so that she teased him with her wetness. The lust in Jade’s eyes caused him to appear drunk, and she loved it. He had a way of making her feel like she was the only woman in the world.
She was more than ready to slide her body down his cock, but she waited until he moaned her name again with a lusty desperation. When at last she took him into her, they both cried out in pleasure. Riding him, Lyric felt like a goddess. She moved with a perfect rhythm, tensing as the waves of ecstasy began to build deep inside her.
Jade’s hands were on her breasts, kneading and pinching her nipples. “Oh God, I love you.” He thrust up hard as she came down, hitting the entrance to her womb so that a tremor shook her.
Her body gripped him tighter, squeezing and holding him deep. Lyric loved the glorious feeling of having him buried inside her. She didn’t think that she’d ever get enough of Jade. He was like a spring of rushing water in the middle of the desert
, something unlikely to ever be found. Yet, he’d practically fallen into her lap. She kept expecting to wake up and find that it had all been a dream. It was a fairytale, really, and Jade, her prince.
The orgasm rocked her, causing her body to spasm on top of him uncontrollably. Collapsing against his chest, she pressed her lips to his in a breathless kiss. He twitched inside her, gripped by her strong inner muscles. He came hard, filling her with liquid heat.
They lay there for a long time, enjoying the aftershocks. Lyric was unwilling to move away, preferring to keep him within her. A sense of comfort settled over her, and she smiled to herself. Some dreams really did come true.
* * * *
The theater plunged into sudden darkness, and the audience seemed to hold its breath. That sense of anticipation always rose when the lights dimmed right before a big show. Jade waited anxiously along with everyone else, though he supposed that he was likely more eager than anything. He could watch Lyric dance every night for the rest of eternity, and he would never tire of it.
Jade tugged nervously on his sleeve, straightening it despite the fact that it already was straight. He’d worn a fine black suit, one that he didn’t drag out of the closet often. With a black shirt and matching shoes, he felt pretty good. Hopefully, Lyric would find him as irresistible as he always found her. With his hair tied back at his nape, he couldn’t hide behind it the way he liked to, but he found it more presentable.
He had to give his head a shake. Since when had he been concerned with his public presentation? What others thought had never mattered much to him until he met Lyric. She was too perfect; he couldn’t stand the thought of failing her.
The music started, and one spotlight shone on the center of the stage. Jade tensed, waiting for the moment when he would see her. A blonde stepped onto the stage first, followed by a redhead. He was impatient, waiting for the explosion that would rock him when he feasted his eyes upon his woman.
When at last she made her entrance, it was better than anything his imagination could have conjured up. Lyric’s long hair was wound up on her head in an elaborately concocted design, pinned with sparkling silver hairpieces that reflected the light. The dress she wore had a corset-style, leopard-print bodice that ended just above her thighs in the front. The back was a large tail of feathers that sat high atop her pretty ass, moving with her body as she sashayed around.
Jade leaned back against the wall, glad that he had chosen to stand off to the side rather than cram into a seat between humans. He had a great view of the stage. Unfortunately, he was close to the aisle and was continuously jostled by people who couldn’t just sit down and enjoy the show. It was annoying but watching Lyric dance with grace and power made it all worth it.
The spark she’d ignited within him was sure to burn eternal. Not only was she ravishing, everything that he could want in a woman, but she had also given meaning to every night that he walked this earth.
He was easily caught up in the enchanting movements of the ladies that graced the stage with their enormous presence. The entire crowd seemed to be held in thrall, caught under the spell of the magical moment before them. Jade didn’t even realize how much time had passed until the curtain closed and the lights slowly grew brighter, signaling the ten-minute break for intermission.
As if waking from a deep sleep, people began to move in their seats and walk about. A swarm began to steadily make their way past him, on their way to the lobby for snacks or outside for a cigarette. As hundreds of people pushed by, the scent of their blood seemed to grow and pulse. It slapped at Jade like a swarm of buzzing insects.
Deciding that taking a walk might not be a bad idea, he grimaced and did his best to blend in with the moving crowd. When he broke through the lobby and made it out into the night, he wasted no time putting distance between himself and the humans that loitered about everywhere.
The bloodlust was always there, lingering beneath the surface. Surrounded as he was by so many heartbeats, they had begun to reverberate through his head. It would drive him crazy if he didn’t get a handle on it.
A short walk down the street couldn’t hurt. He’d be back before the second half of the show began. He wouldn’t miss a moment of Lyric’s performance for the world. Once he’d made his way down the block, the overwhelming sensations began to dissipate, and the hunger subsided. It curled up in his core like a sleeping beast, to wait for the next opportunity to feed.
The man seemed to come out of nowhere. He slammed into Jade so hard that he fell to the ground while Jade stood, staring dumbfounded down at him. The young man scrambled to his feet, his eyes so wide that the whites looked unnaturally huge. He brushed at his clothing but never took his eyes off Jade.
“Sorry,” he muttered, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Before Jade could reply, the guy had shoved by and resumed his previous pace.
Jade turned to watch him disappear into the crowd outside the theater. The man’s energy had been frazzled and anxious. Something about him struck Jade as odd. Whatever it was, he couldn’t put his finger on it. Dismissing it, he continued to stroll until he felt balanced and serene.
Upon returning to the theater, he discovered that most of the audience members were back in their seats, waiting for the lights to dim. He’d barely made it through the lobby when Lyric’s friend Storm barreled into him at an alarming speed. He caught her by the arms so she wouldn’t fall as she began to talk a mile a minute. The panic in her voice made sense to him before her words did.
“Have you seen Lyric? She went to the ladies room at intermission, and she hasn’t come back. We can’t find her anywhere.” Storm’s eyes were wild with fear, and it quickly affected Jade. He gently pushed her back a foot or two so she wouldn’t tempt his blood hunger.
“What do you mean? She’s just gone?” The sensation that swept Jade instantly made him ill. The world seemed to crash down around him in response to Storm’s words.
She nodded, tears welling in her eyes. “It looks like there may have been a struggle in the dressing room. But, it’s hard to say for sure.”
For a moment, Jade couldn’t focus on anything but the fact that Lyric was in trouble. It was because of him. He was sure of it. Terror filled him, and he knew he had to act now.
“Listen to me. I need you to go to the address I’m going to give you and find Griffin McKay. Tell him that I may need his help. If anyone messes with you, tell them that you’re under the protection of Jade Kenyan. Got it?”
Storm nodded but didn’t speak. Her hands trembled, and for a moment Jade second-guessed his decision to send her for Griffin. She felt like power, though, a witch. Then she took a deep, shaky breath and nodded again. “I’ll do anything for Lyric. She’s like a sister to me. Please, find her.”
“Do you have a vehicle? Don’t get in a cab dressed like that.” She nodded despondently in response to his question. Jade motioned to her burlesque costume and shrugged out of his jacket. “Take this. And, I promise, nobody is going to touch Lyric and live to face another day.” Jade slipped her a card with his cell phone number as he told her where to find Griffin. “If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me.”
In a flash of blonde hair, Storm was gone. Jade rushed back into the theater where the crowd waited impatiently. Making his way down the center aisle, he headed straight for the stage side door that led to the dressing room. As he went, the lights dimmed, and the rest of The Scarlet Ladies, minus Lyric and Storm, returned to the stage as if nothing were amiss.
Bursting through the dressing room door, he took in the state of the room. Makeup and clothes littered every tabletop and mirror space. The scent of perfume and hairspray was thick enough to overwhelm the scent of any individual person. He would get nothing here. Maybe if he managed to pick up their trail outside, he would have a chance in catching up to them. Whoever had Lyric had just earned a death sentence.
The nearest exit was the back door, which had to be the way that they went since Jade himself had
been outside the front entry. The back of the building was empty of people. Other than an overflowing dumpster, it was just an empty lot.
Rounding a corner, Jade entered a small parking lot for the business next door to the theater. A silver BMW sat there with the engine running. The windows were tinted such a deep black that, in the dark, he couldn’t see through them. As he approached, the car was thrust into gear, squealing out of the lot with enough force to make the tires smoke.
Jade bolted for his car. He knew that he was playing right into the hands of someone who knew exactly who they were dealing with. The entire situation lacked supernatural energy, which only left a human. Every second of delay might allow Lyric’s captor to get away. He couldn’t allow that to happen.
When he reached his car, the stark white envelope trapped beneath the windshield wiper immediately caught his eye. It said one word on the outside: Vampire. Tearing it open, Jade was surprised to find an address written inside, nothing more.
As Jade tore through the city streets, he searched for the silver car. The address lay on the passenger seat, and he continued to glance tensely at it despite having it already committed to memory. He wasn’t sure what to expect so he was a little surprised when he pulled up to an apartment building in a quiet, east-side neighborhood. There was still no sign of the BMW.
Jade swore softly, wanting to leap out of the Shelby like a man on fire, knowing how stupid that would be if someone were lying in wait for him. Every moment that he wasn’t rushing to her side was killing him. He couldn’t take the chance of having something happen to stop him from getting to Lyric. So, he forced himself to take a moment to tune in to his senses and focus on his surroundings.
When he was sure that he was truly alone, he slowly got out of the car and took stock of the entire building. Someone might be setting him up for something big, but without question, he was going in there. Lyric’s safety was worth more than his own. He would willingly walk into hell itself to save her.
Lyric's Gift Page 10
