The Darker Side of Me (Ravana Moon Book 1)

by S. L. Perrine

  While Red watched Kelly struggle with the teenagers, I watched Red. Every move of her body excited me, and I would have drunk the Keeper dry myself if she’d insisted on Ravana changing out of her red-bottomed heels I’d come to love. Maybe after Red got even with her new nemesis, I’d be able to finally get those heels over my shoulders.

  Before long we were in front of Demolition. If Nunzio had any sense he’d be elsewhere tonight. As I eyeballed the dance floor, I knew right away he hadn’t.

  “I’ll meet you at the bar. You might ask the barkeep if he’s seen Kyron. I’m going to ask one of my contacts.” I gave Red a wink and hoped she knew what I was talking about. With any luck, she’d keep the stuffed shirt at the bar, so I could get Nunzio to leave.

  When I sidled up to him, he was dancing particularly close to a tall red-headed man. It was only when I got closer, I could see his hand down the back of the man’s pants. His tongue circled the man’s ear while his other hand lay casually hooked in the waistband of the man’s jeans, above his noticeable erection.

  I feigned a cough as the music cut, just before it picked back up. I looked back at the bar making sure Red had our guest occupied. Nunzio eyeballed me and then followed my gaze.

  “So, I see you’ve changed her stripes,” he smirked, not releasing his prey. “Or has she changed yours?”

  “Could you maybe take your party elsewhere?”

  “Now, mate why would I do that? Jefferey likes it here.”

  “Jefferey? Isn’t Jefferey a blonde?” I pointed to the dazed red-haired man in Nunzio’s clutches.

  “No, this is a maggot bag. Jeffery is working on a lolly.” He nodded over to the blond who appeared to be making out with a familiar face. I didn’t have time to figure it out though because when I looked back at the bar, Red and Kelly were gone.

  “Listen, I signed up with the Order. The woman with Ravana is a Keeper. If she knows we’re friends, she’ll make me kill you.”

  “So, what, lad? You looking to get rid of her? I’m sure we could lend a hand, so you can get back to your lady.”

  “No, we have a plan. I just need you to leave. Take Jefferey, the meat pie, dessert and go.”

  “Sorry. No can do. If she wants to kill me, I’ll just have to get to her first,” he said looking for Red and my Keeper.

  “Then you’ll be hunted by the Order. No, I have a better idea for this woman. I don’t want her dead, just gone.”

  He moved his hands to his prey’s shoulders and turned him toward the entrance. “Fine, but you owe me. This one has taken communion five times. He’s coming with me.”

  “Yes, fine. Just go.” I turned to see Red moving toward me with Kelly quick on her heels. I placed a hand around her waist to slow her stride and spoke in her ear, “He’s at the door.”

  She nodded looking over at the exit spotting both, Nunzio and Jeffery leaving the club with two men following closely behind. She let me rest my hand on the top of her hip and guide her back toward the rear exit of the club. Kelly looked as if she were going to go toward the front door but turned and followed us to the back of the club. Red, gave a great performance, sashaying her bottom as she went. Dancing to the beat of the music with each step she took. My hand keeping the beat as she went. I could practically feel the animosity radiating from the Keeper.

  Ravana took the lead and pushed through the bodies in the club. A tall brooding vampire stepped in front of us and smiled at Red. She stopped long enough to place a hand on his chest and lean in to whisper something in his ear. The silver on her ring nicking the underside of his earlobe caused blood to pool on the shoulder of his black leather jacket. She smiled and licked the sword on her finger clean in a slow seductive motion that made my pants twitch. She gave him a wink and grabbed my hand.

  Once we pushed out into the night, the air in cool contrast from that in the club, I could hear the clicking of Ravana’s heels against the pavement once more. Kelly pushed out a moment later after Red inadvertently let the heavy door slam shut in the Keeper’s face.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  Red turned; one delicate hand rested on the hip I had a tight hold on before the Keeper showed up to the apartment that morning. I could still taste her when I licked my lips.

  “I’m sorry, did you need to change your tampon? The bathroom is in there.” Red pointed back to the door to the club.

  “What? How…? No, why did you leave the club with all those vampires in there? Hundreds of humans are at risk.”

  “Sweetheart, millions are at risk every day. I’m no savior. I’m here to do a job, find Emerick, and that’s all. Also, you reek of blood. You might not want to stand too close to that guy.”

  The Keeper turned around and saw the big man standing behind her guarding the door. His shoulders were each twice the size of my head, making his arms no more than a medium sized barbell. His shaved head had more tattoos than he had teeth. His fangs were prominently showing over his bottom lip as well. He apparently cared little about anyone seeing what he was. When he leaned forward and started to sniff the air around Kelly, she immediately moved behind me. I turned and scowled at her showing my own fangs, for fear that she forgets who she was working with.

  “Not so smart insisting on following us into vamp infested waters while you’re on your cycle, lady,” Red smirked then looked down at the end of the alley. “To answer your question, I’ve informed several people that I’m here, and now we wait for Kyron to find us.”

  “Who? I didn’t see you speak with anyone.”

  “Everyone, the moment I walked in the door. You don’t think my reputation is as stellar as it is without attracting both sides of the coin, do ya? Think of every reason why you dislike me, because I know you do.” She turned her back to the Keeper as if she couldn’t care less. “Then amplify it by a thousand, and that’s how much I’m disliked out here.”

  “They all want you dead.”

  “You can’t kill what you don’t know.”

  “What does that even mean?”

  Red didn’t answer the Keeper, instead, she focused on what she and I could hear, but because of human limitations, Kelly didn’t know was coming. Kelly made an aggravated noise and Ravana held up a hand.

  “Shh.”

  “Don’t—.”

  “Shh!” Red and I both commanded and Kelly crossed her arms over her chest in protest. She quite literally stomped her foot on the pavement like a child.

  When the first attack came, it was aimed at Red. I ran to her side as a foot fell from the fire escape above us. Red took one step back and reached out slashing her pointed nails against exposed skin. The leg belonged to a slender brunette. She wore a short Catholic school girl outfit, complete with a white blouse and sweater vest.

  The girl screamed out, tucked her body and rolled to the ground holding her shin. Blood poured out until the cuts started to heal themselves. I quickly realized if it weren’t for my aversion to iron, the girl would be half dead by now. Instead, Red had kept her nails free of iron shaving, thus allowing the girl the ability to heal the shallow cuts completely by the time she stood.

  Another came out of the dark. A man dressed in a black turtleneck and long black pants. His work boots hit the ground hard as he stomped over to me. Before I could react, I had a fist to the face and was eating the pavement. I felt Red roll over my back and saw one heel embed itself into the vampire’s neck. Thankfully those heels were still laced. He began to decay from the point of impact and turned to a pile of dust at my feet.

  Red grabbed me by the forearm and lifted me to my feet, only cementing that she was much stronger. She took two steps over to Kelly who was cowering near the guard of the building who refused to leave his post.

  Ravana’s pointed nail was inches from the Keeper’s face as she yelled at the woman. “One, that is why I wear the heels. Two, human’s do not get to go out on the town with the vampires, anymore…understood?”

  When the woman nodded silently, Ravana got her
last point across.

  “You are my employee, not the other way around. You do what I say. Not the other way around. If I want to fuck his brains out in my own living room, I will. Got it?”

  The woman just looked on past Red as more vampires headed in our general direction.

  “Red, where’s the girl?”

  She whipped around, her hair wrapping around her waist. “I took care of her while you were eating asphalt.”

  “Well, it…thanks.”

  She raised her brows and smiled as she took off down the alley. I leaned up against the neighboring building and took one look at Kelly. The woman looked like she was about to piss herself if she hadn’t already. I crossed my legs at the ankle and watched as Red moved in between a group of four vampires. I could smell Kyron close by and opted to allow Kelly the ability to watch our girl in action.

  Someone produced a chain and wrapped it around her neck from behind. Red kicked an oncoming bulldozer of a vampire, using his body to elevate herself over her head, twist and free herself from the chain. Now both she and her attacker had hands on the chain, as the one behind her was disintegrating.

  “Majestic, isn’t it?” I said watching on.

  Kelly glanced away from the scene at the end of the alley briefly. “What is?”

  “That. Watching her kick ass. It’s why he wants her. It’s why he made her. You and your organization can use her, but she’s using you more than the other way around. She’ll get what she wants, and more than anything I wish that wasn’t the case.”

  “Why? What does she want?”

  “To fix me. Make me what she is.”

  “What’s wrong with that? You’ll be stronger, faster, and you won’t have to rely on blood to sustain you.”

  I lifted away from the wall and started a slow descent down the alley. “Yes, but I’ll still be a monster.”

  It wasn’t the first time a new Keeper waltzed into my home thinking she knew everything. They always sent the uptight ones, the ones who thought they were going to be able to take on the big, bad Ravana. Like that was going to happen. I’d never been so close to taking a life as I was with this new one. We don’t even need another Keeper. Delia would have been enough. The Order’s stupid policy came into play more often then I wanted it to. One soldier per Keeper. Like we were all genetically modified soldiers of the American army. Even Trump couldn’t have thought up this type of experiment.

  I made quick work of the vampires in the alley, then decided I didn’t want to scare the woman more than I had, so instead of letting Kyron find us, we took the woman back to the Tower. She was nestled calmly in her room when I left her. Massimo had gone to his apartment, so I went back out to prowl. I couldn’t let the new Keeper keep me from my objective.

  I saw the blond hair before I realized who I was looking at. Nunzio and his new beau were oddly placed, sitting on a park bench. Instead of engaging, I left them there and headed toward Trinity. Chances were, I’d find a bit more action and maybe get a few answers from Kyron as I’d planned. Without bloodshed…hopefully.

  What I didn’t plan for was Sebastián. He was sitting in a corner booth at the back of the third room. The lights were dimmed down to nothing, neon strobes went off at alternating intervals. The dance floors were all full. If I weren’t me, I’d have had a hard time getting through the masses. When I felt a hand on my shoulder I was about to twist and break it until I smelt the sweet scent of my assailant’s blood. Not copper like every other being I’d come across, but sweet like my own.

  I was too frightened to turn around, and the hand on my shoulder was strong, as strong as myself. I didn’t know if I would be able to break free of his grip to turn. I felt the heat of his body pressed against me. His member hard against my backside and his breath hot and pungent as he spoke into my ear.

  “I hear you’re looking for me.”

  “I might be. Who are you?”

  “You know me as the Ancient One. Others call me …”

  “Emerick?” I felt the room slow. The music was barely audible. The lights came to a stop. Even the bodies around me on the dance floor were moving in slow motion.

  “Yes, Ravana. I’ve come to take you home.”

  “Home? Take me?” I felt powerless. His glamour over the crowd must have shielded us from them, because as I saw myself walking toward Sebastián’s table. I also felt my body being moved through the crowd and back to the entrance of the club. “No. I don’t want to.”

  He released me. It was like a free fall through the crowd. One minute I was being pulled along, the next I was free to move on my own.

  “I won’t take you until you decide for yourself. You must come with me willingly. You were to be mine before all of this.”

  “Before all of what?”

  “Ask your Massimo.”

  The glamour ended, and I was left standing in the middle of the club. The music returned to its normal rhythm and when I looked at the floor, I saw a single arrow laying at my feet. White feathers stuck out of the end. If I picked it up to study it, I would find the tip dipped in an iron and silver mixture.

  I had two vampires and a lycan of all things standing around me on the dance floor before I had a chance to hightail it out of the building and run after Emerick. A tall blonde wearing my brand of heels stepped up in front of me. She sniffed the air around my face then grabbed it and licked me from chin to cheekbone. She evened her face with mine, realizing our height matched perfectly.

  “Come to play, or crash the party?”

  I turned and crushed my lips to hers. My hand tugged at the back of her neck under the tail of hair. My tongue parted her lips and she moaned in my grasp before I released the kiss as tenderly as possible.

  “Just passing through,” I whispered against her mouth.

  “Oh, Daddy, can I keep her?” one of the men behind the blonde asked once Sebastián sidled up to us.

  “Ravana, please join us at my table.” It wasn’t a question, he was begging I wouldn’t cause a scene. Sebastián had become quite the businessman over the years. The only reason he let me this close was because of the very public setting. There was no way any of his goons were going to attack me in the middle of the club.

  I used my thumb to wipe the kiss from my lips and stuck it in my mouth letting it linger as I pulled it out, eyes locked with the blonde. “It would be my pleasure.” I averted my eyes on the last word and let Sebastián offer me his arm.

  We took seats at the table. Sebastián taking the one closest to the rear exit. The tall blonde was offered the seat between him and me. I guess he didn’t want me to get handsy.

  “So, what brings you to my establishment?”

  “You mean other than the usual?”

  “Usual?”

  “I like to dance. My body craves movement.” I eyeballed the blonde ignoring Sebastián because I knew it drove him mad not to be the center of everyone’s attention.

  “Ah.”

  “Listen, I’d love to sit and catch up, but I have things to do, vampires and demons to kill.”

  “Ravana, always so crass. You wound me.”

  “I try, but you keep running away. See, you don’t have the same contract as Kyron. If I ever get you alone in a dark alley…” I looked back over at the blonde, “well, you know. No reason for me to be graphic in front of pretty company.”

  “Indeed.”

  I moved from my chair and the lycan placed his hand on my shoulder. I reached for his hand and began to squeeze. “See, now I’m going to take this as an attack. Therefore,” I noticed the lycan trying not to bend to a knee from the pain, “I will definitely sniff this one out later and slit his throat.” When I finally stood, I removed my hand. The lycan grabbed it within his other one and grimaced.

  “Of course,” Sebastián said giving his man a stern look. “I’ll be sure he lives until you can make him suffer for his mistake.”

  “Well, then I shall leave you till the next time.”

  He gave a curt
nod of his head as I made my way back to the entrance of the club. The night air cooled my nerves, but Emerick was long gone by now. The most I could do was get back to the Tower before the sun rose.

  Massimo was still hidden away in his apartment. I didn’t think he’d willingly stay away after our encounter before Kelly arrived. I’d finally given in to him, and he was M.I.A. As the elevator began to rise toward his floor, I decided to hit the number and get off. Something Emerick said to me flashed back past the memory of the encounter with Sebastián and his blonde companion.

  I realized I didn’t have the key to his apartment when I got to the door. The handle had been changed from silver to brass. Even though Massimo couldn’t be killed by iron or silver, he did become extremely uncomfortable with it around. The silver lining the walls was a diversion to keep those employed by the Order in their rooms. They’d enter by way of a balcony and the silver insured they didn’t access the rest of the building or my tenants on the lower levels. Every hall in the entire building was decorated the same way. All of the doorknobs on the lower levels were lined with iron.

  I stood staring at the door, wondering how I’d get in when the door to the apartment across the hall opened. He stood there, his dark hair covering his eyes, which bore into me like he’d stripped me down to nothing with just a look. He put a hand on his hip, mimicking something I’d have done and tapped on the handle of the door he still held open.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I was looking for you.”

  “Oh, really now. And what pray tell would you need with me?”

  “Seems to me we have some unfinished business.”

  “Do we? What would give you that idea?”

  “What’s happened?”

  He moved a hand to comb his hair from his eye and shut the door. He pulled a small white plastic keychain from his front pocket and lifted a brow at me. I sidestepped, so he could unlock the door. When he stepped in and turned, I thought he would invite me in, but he just held his body against it.