Damek's Redemption l(-6

by N. J. Walters

  She gave a contented murmur and he risked a quick glance. Her naked body gleamed in the dim light and he memorized every sensual dip, every lush contour. Her breathing was still ragged and his wasn’t much better. He ached in a way he hadn’t for decades, maybe centuries. He wanted so much more from her.

  But those kinds of thoughts would only lead to madness.

  She reached for him and he stared at her open palm. He wanted to reach out for her, to let her touch him.

  He caught the disturbance in the hallway, gave a sharp hiss and withdrew from her dream. Damek surged from the chair, his entire body one large exposed nerve ending. He sank behind the curtain, letting the shadows surround him as the knock came on the door. He masked his presence and watched.

  Sonia bolted up in bed, a cry of disappointment on her lips. Her lover had disappeared suddenly, leaving her bereft and alone. She looked down at herself, shocked to see she was totally dressed. Her T-shirt and pajama bottoms were still in place.

  The knock came again and she surged off the bed, stumbling slightly. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep after her shower, had decided to rest for a few minutes while she was waiting for her room service. Obviously, she’d fallen asleep.

  “What a dream.” She grabbed the robe she’d left at the end of the bed and dragged it on, hissing when her hands accidentally grazed her breasts. They were swollen and sensitive.

  The knock came again and she called out. “I’m coming.” She checked the peephole before she unlocked the door. The hotel employee wheeled the meal into the room, unloading it on the table beside the window. Sonia waited by the door and signed for the meal when the waiter was on his way out, adding a generous tip to the bill.

  Alone again, she locked the door and padded to the table. It wasn’t only her breasts that were tender, her entire body felt sensitive. She was damp between her thighs, her sex pulsing as though she’d had an orgasm.

  “You did have one,” she muttered. “Even if it was only a dream.” But what a vivid dream. Sonia had never experienced anything like it in her life. Maybe it was being in a strange hotel in an unfamiliar city. Maybe it was because she was hungry. Or maybe it was because of why she was here, searching for a man who may or may not be a vampire.

  “Stop it.” There was no point in speculating why she’d had the dream. She’d had it. End of story. “There’s nothing wrong with an erotic dream,” she assured herself.

  Sonia took the lid off the tray and studied her dinner. The BLT looked delicious and the brownie was large and thick and very chocolaty. On impulse, she picked up the brownie and took a bite. She chewed the gooey treat, letting it roll over her taste buds before swallowing. “Ohmygod,” she moaned. “This is amazing.”

  There was something to be said for eating dessert first, although, her orgasm could technically be classified as a dessert. Sonia giggled, suddenly ravenous. Her stomach growled and she sat at the table, pulling the tray closer. She set the rest of the brownie aside, not wanting to eat it all at once.

  In the shadows, Damek watched her taste the sweet treat, all the while cursing whatever impulse had sent him after her. This was the worst torture he’d ever endured. Watching Sonia nibbled the chocolate brownie, to see her lick a crumb from her lip, to hear her moan—a moan very much like the one she’d given when she was having an orgasm—was almost unbearable.

  Yet, it made him feel alive. He’d experienced more emotions in the past few hours than he had in the past few years. That wasn’t good for a vampire of his age. He survived by keeping his emotions level and having a daily routine. It was all too easy to give into ennui, and that was when a vampire slid down the slippery slope of debauchery and bloodlust. That only ended badly for whatever humans were around the vampire and ultimately for the vampire itself.

  He licked his lips when she did, his tongue flicking over one of his sharp, lethal fangs. His fingernails had grown into claws and were in danger of shredding the curtains he was hiding behind.

  He, Damek the immortal vampire, was hiding behind a pair of curtains like some stalker, because he simply couldn’t make himself leave. He wanted to watch her eat, to know she was fed and safe. It calmed some of the rage burning within him.

  The minutes ticked by and Sonia finished her meal, her enjoyment evident in every bite. She set the tray outside her bedroom door, used the bathroom and settled back in bed. Within minutes, her breathing deepened and he knew she was asleep.

  The urge to remain until she began to dream again was great, but he ignored it. Dawn was only hours away and he had a business empire to run. He flowed from the shadows and stopped by the side of the bed to stare down at her. He reached out to touch her but pulled his hand back. Better to leave while he still could.

  Damek silently left the room and shut the door, careful not to make any noise. He used the power of his mind to move the lock back into position so she would be safe. The hallway was empty and so was the elevator. He kept to the shadows until he was outside.

  The night was crisp, the city still very much alive. He pulled out his cell phone and checked to make certain there were no messages. Not that he expected any. Byron could and would handle anything that came up.

  Damek headed home rather than return to the club. He had much to think about, not the least of which was the fact that there were vampire hunters in his city. Oh, he’d seen them before. They came and went without bothering him, occasionally killing a young vampire who went on a killing spree, but Damek stayed out of their business and they continued to be oblivious to his existence.

  But this was different. They had their sights set of Sonia, and he didn’t trust them not to hurt her in order to ascertain if she had information they might need. They were a ruthless bunch, killing almost as many humans as they did vampires in their zealous search to wipe out an entire paranormal race.

  He walked back to the Fulton River District and around to the back of a building that had been converted to condos a decade ago. The building was his and one of many he owned in the city. He unlocked a door that only he used and stepped inside. It shut with a metallic clang, like a prison door shutting.

  Damek shook off his sense of unease and strode to the elevator that went only to his penthouse. He stepped inside and rode to the top, sighing with relief when it opened and he stepped out into the foyer of his home. Another lock, this one an electronic keypad, and he was inside.

  He ignored the opulent surroundings that usually soothed him and headed straight to the refrigerator behind the bar. Bags of blood were chilling, ready for him to consume. He dragged out two and drained them into a crystal goblet. Usually, he warmed the blood in the microwave, but not tonight. He needed sustenance and he needed it now.

  He tipped up the glass and let the thick blood flow down his throat. There was no pleasure to be found. He felt cheated, still hungry even though his physical needs were being met. He wanted warm blood, Sonia’s blood.

  Damek flung the glass against the far wall and it shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. Glass and flecks of blood littered the floor. “Fuck.” He dragged his hands through his hair and pulled. He had to gain control. He took a deep breath and then another and another until he felt as though he wasn’t going to fly into a million pieces like the crystal.

  His bed waited down the hallway, the windows fitted with special metal shutters that came down at sunrise and went up at sunset, but he knew he wouldn’t rest. Not tonight. Young vampires couldn’t resist the weight of the sun and fell into a deep trance-like sleep as soon as the sun rose, but he’d passed beyond that many years ago. Now, he was aware of everything around him when at rest and was able to be up and around when the sun was up. Not that he’d run around outside in the sunshine, but he could be inside easily. He could even go outside on a dull or rainy day, which was something he’d come to relish.

  There would be no rest tonight. Now that he’d taken the edge off his ravenous hunger and it was safe for him to be around people once again, it would be better f
or him to head back to Inhibitions. The club would be closing soon, but there was always work to be done. He could take the time to deal with other business matters as well. If he needed to sleep, he could lock his office door and use his chair. He’d waken if anyone dared to disturb him.

  Damek inhaled and caught Sonia’s scent. He cursed even as he drew in another deep breath. She was a danger to him and all he’d built. He knew the sensible thing would be to walk away from her. As he headed to the door, he knew he would let fate decide. If she came back to the club again, he would see her. If she stayed away, he would leave her alone.

  Fate would decide.

  Luther Kostas frowned as John gave his report. “She went to dinner and back to her hotel. Nothing out of the ordinary.” It wasn’t so much what John said but how he said it, as though it was a recitation rather than an actual memory.

  “Did she talk to anyone?”

  John hesitated for a moment. “No.”

  “Not even the waiter or waitress at the restaurant?” Luther prompted.

  “Shit, I don’t know. I’ve got some kind of stomach virus and have a splitting headache too.”

  Luther pushed up from his chair and strode to the window, looking out over the New York skyline, the reports on his desk forgotten. “None of this sounds right. I think you ran into a vampire.”

  “No, that’s impossible,” John protested. “I’m too strong for one of those bloodsuckers to get into my mind.”

  “Maybe not.” The possibilities were exciting. “What if we’re dealing with a very old vampire? Maybe the sire of the last one we executed didn’t go back to Europe. Maybe he’s still in Chicago. And maybe our Ms. Agostino knows more than we thought.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  Luther turned away from the city lights and began pacing back and forth in his office. “I want her kept her under surveillance and I want you wearing a wire. I want to know what’s being said and where you are at all times. We can’t afford to take any chances.”

  “I’ll take care of it.” Luther could hear the caution and the excitement in John’s voice. An older vampire was a challenge and the hunt was on.

  “I’m going to call in Aaron from North Carolina and have him meet you. I’ll join you as soon as I can get away. In the meantime, stay sharp.”

  “Always.”

  Luther ended the call and stared at the clock. It was too late to do anything tonight. Tomorrow he’d tie up some business here in the city and then head to Chicago. He strode over to the wall covered in swords and pulled down a short, sharp one that came from the Roman era. It was well made and strong, but he put it back. He was in the mood for something more modern. He plucked a crossbow from the wall and added a machete and Bowie knife for good measure. He’d take his Glock as well. Good thing he was driving as he’d never make it past airport security.

  The thrill of the hunt was upon him. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe it was nothing more than John being slightly ill, but Luther didn’t think so. Years of hunting the creatures of the night had honed his intuition and it was screaming that there was a vampire living in Chicago, and somehow Sonia Agostino was connected to him.

  He drew the blade of the machete over his thumb and watched a bead of blood swell from the shallow cut. He brought his thumb to his mouth, sucked the warm blood and smiled.

  Chapter Four

  It was the sun shining through her window that woke her. Sonia yawned and stretched, amazed she’d slept at all. For most of the night, she’d tossed and turned, her body filled with a sexual ache that wasn’t going to be fulfilled. The sun was rising by the time she’d finally drifted off, total exhaustion pushing her over the edge into sleep.

  She glanced at the clock and gasped at the time. It was eleven in the morning. She hadn’t slept that late since…well, ever. She was usually up at the crack of dawn and hard at work. She definitely wasn’t a night person, but considering her restless night, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that she’d slept the morning away.

  She shoved the covers off and eased her legs over the side of the bed, taking a moment to just sit as her memory drifted back to the night before. That was some dream she’d had, especially since she’d only been asleep for such a short time.

  Heat flushed her face and she knew she was blushing without having to look in the mirror. Even now, her breasts ached and she felt empty inside. What would have happened next in her dream if room service hadn’t arrived? As it was, she wasn’t sure if she should be grateful to them for being late, or not. She shook her head and smiled. It certainly would have been interesting.

  She’d never had a dream so vivid, so very real. Her body was still humming with a low-grade arousal and that simply wouldn’t do. She had a lot on her to-do list today. First of which, was getting another shower, this one on the cool side to wash away the remnants of her fantasy lover.

  Sonia stood and padded to the bathroom. The mirror reflected a woman she almost didn’t recognize. Her curly hair was tousled and looked more sexy than unkempt. Her lips appeared almost swollen and her eyes were still slumberous. She looked as though she’d just rolled out of bed after a night with a lover.

  Not that such an event had happened often in her lifetime. She was circumspect and choosy when it came to letting a man into her bed. She was more intellectual than sexy, and she’d had only three lovers in her life, all of them long-term commitments that had fizzled out over time. They were all great guys, but as dedicated to their work as she was to hers, leaving little time for their relationship.

  But she’d never climbed out of bed with any of those men looking quite like this. She patted her rosy cheeks and sighed. Her dream lover might have spoiled her for anyone else.

  And where the heck had she conjured him from? He was male perfection, strong without being muscle-bound, tall, but not too tall, his eyes black and compelling. She sighed and turned away from the mirror, determined to put the dream behind her. After all, it wasn’t like she was ever going to meet him. He was a figment of her rather vivid imagination.

  Sonia stepped up to the shower, turned on the water and adjusted it to slightly on the cool side. She needed to rid herself of the remnants of last night’s dream and get back down to business. Then she peeled off her pajamas and stepped beneath the spray, cringing as the water hit her bare skin. “Crap, that’s cold.” She quickly adjusted the water so it was slightly warmer, grabbed the bar of soap off the ledge and began to lather it between her hands. Usually she enjoyed her morning shower. This morning she didn’t linger.

  She stepped out, grabbed one of the thick, fluffy towels the hotel provided and quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around her. She hadn’t washed her hair and it was only damp on the ends, so she dragged her brush through the thick mass and pulled it back, clipping it at her nape with a hammered silver barrette.

  Moisturizer, a light brush of mascara and a swipe of lipstick and she was done with her morning routine. Sonia never bothered with much makeup, had never really gotten the knack for it, much to the chagrin of her mother, who was the most stylish person Sonia knew. Obviously, she’d been born without that particular gene, but it no longer bothered her. She’d long ago come to accept who she was, a regular-looking woman with a good brain and a healthy body.

  According to her mother, her best features were her smoky-gray eyes and her rather ample chest, which Sonia did her best to downplay. But she did love beautiful lingerie and spent more money than she should on her one vice. She reached into her suitcase and pulled out a bra and panty set in a lovely shade of lavender. She dropped the towel and put them on, loving the sensual slide of the silky fabric and lace against her skin. The textures seemed more intense this morning and she shivered, her nipples pebbling against the cups of the bra.

  Comfort was the key for today and she pulled on well-worn jeans and paired them with a charcoal-gray turtleneck. The color of the top brought out her eyes and she knew it looked good on her. She topped it with a black blazer, making
her appear casual, but professional. She strapped on her watch and added small silver hoops to her ears, deciding that was good enough.

  Her phone rang and she checked to see who it was before she answered it, not surprised in the least to discover it was her eldest brother. She thought about not answering, but he’d only call back. She thumbed the talk button. “Good morning, Stefano.” She wandered to the window and peered out over the city, wishing she had a cup of coffee.

  “Mama is worried about you.” His voice was smooth, but there was no disguising his impatience.

  “Mama has no need to worry,” she countered. Beneath her, traffic flowed up and down the street in an unending ribbon of vehicles. “I’m an adult and I’m here to do research. This is not my first time away from home.” The last was said with a wry tone. She’d been traveling her entire life and had been to the far corners of the earth with her family and by herself.

  “Mama is worried,” he repeated. They all knew when their mother was worried they needed to pay attention. Her intuition for such things was unmatched.

  “I’m being careful, Stefano.” She softened her tone, knowing her brother called because he was worried about her too. “I promise I’m fine. I’m staying at a reputable hotel and keeping to busy places. This is a city like any other, with its crime and problems. I understand that and will take every precaution.”

  Stefano sighed and she could almost see him running his hand through his thick black hair, making it stand on end. “I can be there in a matter of hours.”

  Her heart squeezed and she knew he would do just that, drop everything and come to her side if she needed him. That was what family did. “You’re busy with your law practice and, as much as I love you, I don’t need a babysitter.”