"He's not a stalker, is he?"
"Naww…" Nathan snickered as he caught Ashleigh's suspicious expression. "He's a just a big fan."
"So, all he wants to do is meet me? Nothing else?"
"Here's the deal." Spencer spoke, taking over the conversation. "Our Master is offering you twenty-five K for a private interview. All expenses paid, round trip to the beautiful, historic city of Vice. Natalie can go along, too."
"Ooo…so, it'd be like a vacation?" Natalie giggled. "Do we get shopping money?"
"Sure." Spencer gaze was still focused on Ashleigh.
"Well…" Ashleigh paused, her eyes going from Natalie to Nathan, and then to Spencer. "I don't know."
"He only wants to meet you." Nathan playfully nudged her shoulder with his. "We'll make sure you get home safe and sound after the interview. No worries."
"We could use the money to put in a pool out back," Natalie spoke, excitedly. "Come on, Ash."
"One night with our Master in exchange for a vacation to Vice and twenty-five K. It's a good deal." Spencer's voice grew more upbeat, his hands crossing over his chest casually.
"One night." Ashleigh sighed, her eyes gazing down at the bottle in her hand. "And then we can go home?"
"Yeah." Spencer nodded. "Just one night."
"Okay." She sent him a small smile, but inside she was very nervous. She didn't want to go, but yet she was curious.
Chapter Three
At her new friends’ urging and a cash bribe from Spencer, Ashleigh decided to take a week vacation to Vice, one of the biggest and oldest cities in the world. She promised to meet their master and boarded a first class plane that would take them half way around the world.
She was nervous, but the vampires were easy to get along with. This wasn't like a kidnapping. The mood was laid back and friendly. On the plane, Ashleigh was working at her laptop with head phones on that drowned out her surroundings. Natalie was reading, but was also wearing headphones to counteract Ashleigh’s loud rock music.
When they reached Vice, the girls left their things at the hotel and went sight-seeing. The vampires left them alone, trusting them enough not to run away. It was still cold in Vice, and the girls wore heavy coats, their necks covered up by thick scarves.
They had promised to meet Spencer’s friend at the hotel, but when they returned, they couldn’t get near the place. It was very upscale, and apparently, a few celebrities were staying there as well. Armageddon, one of the girls’ favorite bands was there, something that made them giddy with joy. Ashleigh had all their music on her computer and found it inspirational to listen to while writing.
After the crowd died down, the girls were able to enter, both of them giggling and talking about how great it would be to meet up with the band by accident. They were about an hour late for their meeting. Security had detained everyone because of a fight that had broken out between some fans. She had texted Spencer, and he had set up another time.
Natalie left Ashleigh at the elevator and decided to look around to see if she could find out where the band was staying. Ashleigh was going to drop off her bags, including a nice cocktail dress to wear to the meeting.
Now, she was dressed in flared jeans that were ripped on the bottom, from stepping on them numerous times, and covered her comfy tennis shoes. She was wearing a green army jacket that clashed with her, now chipping, pink fingernails and pink purse.
Because it was an exclusive hotel, a key card was required to use the elevator. Ashleigh quickly put hers in and waited for the car to climb the thirty stories up to her room. She texted Spencer.
This guy is rich rt?
Stepping in and pushing the button for her floor, she slipped her small earphones in and listened to music from the player in her coat pocket.
Very.
Ashleigh laughed at his response, her gaze jumping upward when the elevator stopped. She typed back.
Can he get Nat & I tickets to Armageddon’s concert?
There were some men poised at the staircase. They were very large, dressed in suits, and wearing almost invisible headsets. This made her slightly nervous, but she just avoided eye contact with them and dropped off her bags.
When she came out of her room, her head was down as she texted Natalie, asking about band member sightings. The elevator was open, so she just got on and started checking her email. She pushed the button she needed, and when she saw feet enter the elevator, she moved backward without glancing up.
Her finger tapped on the side of her phone as she read a message from Spencer.
I’ll ask him. He’s coming to meet u. Meet me in lobby. Now.
Ashleigh laughed at the text, sticking her tongue out at it as she typed a reply.
I’m not in the Hotel. I’ll be late.
She briefly looked up, one of the security guys eyeing her suspiciously. Then, a crowd of people entered, Ashleigh moving further toward the back so they could fit in.
Her phone started to ring. She let out a small laugh as she pushed the “deny” button. But Spencer kept trying, again and again.
She glanced up at the crowd, her gaze settling on the familiar face of Armageddon’s drummer. She quickly turned away when their eyes met. She couldn’t see the other band members, but her gaze did try and seek out Caleb, the lead singer.
Spencer tried texting.
Answer your phone.
Getting annoyed with Spencer's persistence, Ashleigh took out her head phones and finally answered her phone. "What?"
"Where are you?"
Ashleigh briefly studied the crowd around the band members, a small smile on her face as she heard the voice of the lead singer. "Eating dinner."
Spencer sounded angry. "Get your ass back to the hotel, or I’ll come hunt you down."
"Oh my God, you act like I’m a runaway or something. I’ll go back." Some of the people heard her speaking, their ears perking up a little because she wasn't speaking the native language. "You said he was late anyways, so what’s the difference?"
"Get your ass to the lobby."
"No, I’m not even at the hotel, so I can't."
"Where are you, then?"
"Umm…" She looked toward the lobby where she could see Spencer waiting, her eyes wandering over to the band members that were walking out behind her. "That one place with the…umm…" If she were braver, she would’ve said hello like every other love struck girl, but instead she just walked ahead of them, trying to blend in with their group.
"Get back here now, or I will do more than bite you. Your little friend, Natalie, looks pretty tasty right now."
"If you—" Someone tapped her on the shoulder, and Ashleigh quickly turned, hanging up on Spencer.
"You’re staying on our floor?" Caleb sent her a perfect smile, and Ashleigh tried not to stare at him.
Ashleigh smiled awkwardly, the nervousness apparent in her voice, her hands fidgeting with the thick strap of her purse. "I don’t think so."
"What floor are you staying on?" Caleb started walking with her, dark makeup around his baby blue eyes, which intensified them and directed all focus on his face there.
His hair was a dark black, most of it swept toward the middle of his head, the small Mohawk forming a high peak near his forehead. He was gorgeous, especially his devilish grin that made millions of girls swoon.
Ashleigh was such a big fan of his good looks and music that she had based one of the main characters in the Nightwalkers series on him. Seeing him in the flesh had quickly turned her into a babbling idiot, which she normally wasn’t.
"Thirty-nine, I think." Ashleigh glanced back toward the way they came and then again at Caleb. She knew her face was bright red, but Caleb wasn’t looking at her strangely, so she thought it must be just her imagination.
"I guess not, then." Caleb’s smile faded a little as he looked down at his phone and typed a quick message, but it quickly returned when his gaze reconnected with hers. But it seemed forced. He stopped near the doors to the entrance of the h
otel, still texting.
"Yeah." The other people in his group started walking outside, and Ashleigh began to panic because her time with him was running out. "I just want to say that I’m a really huge fan, and it was wonderful to meet you in person. Like a dream."
"Thanks." Caleb laughed as he briefly scanned the faces of his other band members. "I'm always happy to meet my fans." Though he seemed genuinely happy to meet her, his mind seemed to be caught up in his text conversation.
"Can I…" Ashleigh bit her lip as she opened her purse and searched through it for a piece of paper and a pen. "Have your autograph?"
"Sure." Caleb held out his hand but didn’t look up from his phone.
She pulled a book from her purse, a nervous laugh escaping her lips as she bent back the cover. It was a proof of her new novel that she was reading over for errors. The title—Love Bites—stuck out in bold, black print. A thin-lined marker was inside, marking a page near the end.
She had other pieces of paper, but having his autograph on this book would make it extra special because of his role in helping her create her Master Vampire, Lord Drake.
"Here." Ashleigh’s face was filled with a very big grin that looked very painful to produce. She pulled out the black marker and bent back the cover even more before handing it over to Caleb. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. Thanks for supporting my music.” He scribbled his name on the cover, his tanned fingers squishing the pages together as Ashleigh watched him intensely. He handed it back to her and forced a smile.
"Thank you." She held the book open as she admired his signature.
"No problem." He briefly glanced in her direction. His gaze caught a glimpse of the cover and the name Victoria Allure near the bottom of the design. "Hey." He held out his hand, motioning for her to give the book back to him. "You want my band mates to sign it, too?" He motioned them over.
"I’d love that!" Ashleigh nodded. “Thank you so much!”
“Of course.” He handed the book and pen to his band mates, both of them signing it and then giving it back to Caleb. He read the title aloud. "Nightwalkers?" Letting out a small laugh, Caleb sent a very sexy smile Ashleigh’s way. "I love this series. I’ve never seen this one before. Where’d you get it?"
"It’s new." Ashleigh returned his smile with a very nervous one of her own, staring at the book as she held out her hand for him to give it back.
"How new?" Caleb opened the cover and looked at something her publisher had written on the title page, opposite of where he had signed.
Here it is! Number 3! Enjoy it! Hannah.
"Super new."
"This is Victoria’s new book. How'd you get this? This book isn't releasing until next month." Caleb continued to flip through the pages quickly. He was very interested, his eyes widening as he skimmed a few passages. "This is awesome."
"Yeah…it….umm…" She swallowed hard, her breath quick as she kept her eyes on the cover rather than meeting with the eyes of her idol. She stumbled to get out her words. "Is a proof, so…it's not really the final version or anything. It—"
"Can I have this?" Caleb’s face was filled with an excited smile as he looked up at her, his hand gripping the tattered cover tightly. "I can pay you for it. How much? Like two hundred?" He took out his wallet, his slender fingers parting the leather. "I'll send you an official, autographed CD and photo, if you want."
Ashleigh wanted to just scream, “Yes! Caleb likes my books!”, and give it to him, but she wasn’t supposed to let anyone read it yet. "I can’t." There was a very stressed expression on her face as she held her hand out to him to give it back.
"Can I borrow it then?" He glanced at the security guards with him that were motioning for him to hurry up. "I’ll give it back, just tell me your room number, and I’ll return it later. I promise."
"Well…" Fidgeting with the strap of her purse, Ashleigh looked down at the cover, her gaze settling on the sticker of a cartoon cat she had put on the man’s face. "It’s really messy, and it’ll be hard to read." She couldn’t say no to his handsome face. "But if you want to take a peek, I guess that’s all right. Just don’t show it to anyone, because it’s not available to the public for a few more weeks."
"Thanks. This means a lot to me."
"You’re welcome." She smiled nervously, her face burning.
"I'll see you later then." Caleb waved goodbye to her with hand that was holding the book and turned from her.
As he left, Ashleigh tried to catch up with him but was stopped by his security. She yelled in his direction, "Don’t forget to return it! My room number is three-hundred eighty-eight!"
Caleb spun sharply, his smile fading and a hint of fear reflected in his gorgeous eyes as he walked backward so he could see her. He was being ushered out the door by the guards. When he turned around, a small frown set into his features, his hand on the book tightening and denting the cover.
As she watched him disappear, a deep frown settled on her face. She made her way over to Spencer. Her high of meeting one of her idols had deflated, and now she had to redirect her thoughts back to the real vampires, instead of the made up ones in her books.
"Hey." Ashleigh walked up to Spencer, guilt lining her sweet tone.
Spencer was leaning up against the wall, a very sour expression on his face. "You got me in trouble.”
"Why?" Readjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder, Ashleigh stood next to him.
"You were supposed to have dinner with my friend, and you’re not even ready."
"I can still get ready."
"It’s too late. And for getting my ass reamed for you being gone, you’re not going to the concert."
"Spencer!" Ashleigh whined and stomped one of her feet. "Come on."
Spencer crossed his arms over his chest as he looked her way. "My friend will meet you in his hotel room at midnight instead."
"I don’t like the sound of that." Ashleigh laid her head back against the wall, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Shrugging her shoulders, a more excited tone crept into her voice as she playfully pushed on Spencer’s shoulder. "But guess what?"
"What?" Spencer’s angry face turned up into a smile as she moved closer to him. He eyed her lovingly, something she was trying to ignore.
"Guess who I just saw?"
"Who?" His smile quickly faded, staring down at his black dress shoes.
"Armageddon!" Clapping her hands, she spoke louder than she meant too and let out an excited giggle. "I got to meet Caleb! Like the Caleb Mason! The best singer ever! Oh my God! It was so awesome! He's amazing in person!"
"How can you like that guy?" Letting out an annoyed huff, Spencer turned from her and glared at the wall ahead of him. "He’s an arrogant, spoiled asshole."
"He is not," Ashleigh laughed. "He gives to charity."
"I heard he’s gay anyway."
"Sure, Spencer." Shaking her head, Ashleigh walked toward the elevator doors as they opened. "You’re just jealous. Caleb's not gay…he likes women and…" She grinned cheekily. "My books.”
"At least I don’t have childish crushes on rock stars." Spencer shoved past her, purposely hitting her hard in the shoulder. "And make them into characters in my books."
Covering her mouth, Ashleigh stopped walking for a few seconds. She watched him storm off with a dropped jaw.
"What are you doing?" Turning around, Spencer motioned for her to follow him. "Come on."
"I’m coming." Ashleigh jogged a little to catch up to him. She forced a smile as she walked side by side with him, playfully nudging his shoulder. "If you think Caleb makes a good vampire, wait till you see how I added you into my new book."
"Huh?" Spencer turned to her, a very confused look in his eyes as he scanned her smiling face.
Ashleigh laughed and walked faster, so she could get ahead. "Is this guy paying for room service? Because I think I deserve a big juicy steak for supper."
Chapter Four
Ashleigh was in her room getting r
eady for her meeting with Spencer’s friend. She was told she had to dress up. Spencer didn’t approve of the conservative black dress, sweater set, and Mary Janes that Ashleigh had picked out, and he made her go out and buy something different. Even though she was very uncomfortable in a cocktail dress, the high heels bothered her even more.
Spencer wouldn’t give up the concert tickets he had gotten, and she was growing tired of his instructions. He wanted to change everything about her—the way she walked, how she spoke, and even did her hair. This infuriated her, and if she wasn’t terrified of him, she would tell him where he could go.
"Hot mama." Natalie wolf whistled when Ashleigh came out of the bathroom in a tight, red dress that showed off her large breasts, something Ashleigh didn’t like exposed.
Spencer was staring at her, his jaw dropping a little as she walked over to them. His eyes were glued on her hefty assets, a wicked grin on his lips.
Ashleigh ignored Spencer’s reaction and sat down next to Natalie.
"It’s eleven." Spencer tried not to look at Ashleigh’s breasts and chose to look at the bed near her instead. "I’ll take you to his room, and you can wait there for him to arrive." Ashleigh grabbed her army jacket. "And don’t you dare wear that." He pointed to the door. "Let’s go."
Ashleigh put on her heels and switched her jacket for a black sweater. She followed Spencer down the hallway, pulling on the sweater because it was still very cold, despite the heat that was on. Natalie followed, dressed up as well.
"Go in there." Spencer pointed to an open door at the end of the hallway. "I’ll meet up with you there in a few minutes."
The girls entered and looked around at the grand presidential suite, which seemed more like an apartment than a hotel room. There were a few people in there already and drinks were being given out at the bar. They each grabbed a drink and climbed the stairs to the second floor, where it wasn’t so crowded.
Blood Kisses (Nightwalkers Book 1) Page 5
