Crimson Rush A Vampire Romance (Crimson Book 1) (6 page)

I shook my head. “That’s okay. I’ll just be on my way.”

“I’m sorry if you misunderstood me, but it wasn’t a request.” He smiled, but without humor.

As I stared into his eyes, I felt a cold knot of fear form in my stomach. He could sense my fear. I was sure of it. Luke had told me vampires could sense fear.

If I had any hope of making it out of Club Crimson alive, I knew I’d better mask that fear.

“Okay,” I said with a slight nod of my head.

“Shall we then?”

I followed him into the room, flinching a little when he reached behind me to close the door.

“Now you can tell me the real reason you are here. What are you up to?”

Like many members of the male gender, my father had been an avid football fan. He’d always told me that the best defense is a good offense. Taking that advice to heart, I put my hands on my hips and glared at Mr. Rock Star Vampire, Marcus Savoy.

“I told you why I was here. I came here to ask about a job … because of what happened at my work yesterday morning.”

He took slow - purposeful steps toward me, until he had me backed against the door. “And what makes you think you would be any safer working here? How do you know I wasn’t the one who did the killing?”

He was too close. When I was this near him, it was like my brain shut right off. All I could think about was getting closer. There was no way I was going to accomplish anything, if I became faint whenever he was anywhere near me.

I drew on my determination not to let him intimidate me, or seduce me. “I know it wasn’t you. It wasn’t even a vampire.”

He backed away, giving me a little breathing room.

“How do you know this?” he asked.

“Because I saw the thing that killed Johnny. It wasn’t a vampire, at least I don’t think it was.”

“Really? What do you think it was?” It was evident that I’d piqued his curiosity.

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “It was my friend Jaycee … but it wasn’t her. It was like she was a zombie or something,

His eyes grew openly amused. “A zombie?”

“Well I don’t know if she was really a zombie, but she looked like one … and she was eating his stomach,” I explained.

“That is interesting,” he muttered, but I got the feeling he was talking more to himself than to me.

“Can I go now?”

“Why would you want to do that? I thought you were here to get a job?” he asked, in a casual - almost teasing way.

“Yeah but …”

“You’re hired,” he said, cutting off my words. “I don’t need another waitress, but I could use someone who can take care of things for me during the day.”

Now that the opportunity was right there in front of me, I was fairly sure I no longer wanted it. It had been a foolish idea. Working for Marcus Savoy was just plain crazy.

“Well do you still want the job or not?” he asked.

I swallowed hard, trying to find a way to tell him that I’d changed my mind, but he didn’t give me the chance.

“You can start by seeing what you can find out about your missing friend … and don’t forget to leave your address and phone number with Grace on your way out.”

Well that seemed harmless enough, and I’d planned to look into it anyway. “Okay,” I said before turning to the door.

Stopping, I looked back at him. “Can I ask you a question?”

He didn’t say anything, so I continued. “Why haven’t you killed me? I mean … since I know you’re a vampire.”

A hint of a smile touched his mouth. “I think you should be asking yourself why you are risking your life to be here … of your own free will?”

I left without giving him an answer. I didn’t have an answer that wouldn’t give away my true motive.

But was helping Charlie my only motive, or did I harbor some strange fascination for these creatures of the night? Even I wasn’t completely sure of my motive.

* * *

I was surprised to see Luke sitting on my front steps when I drove up. Before I had a chance to get out, he was already standing next to the car and opening the door for me.

Again I was amazed by how swiftly they could move. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to it.

“Where have you been?” he inquired. “I was starting to get a bit worried.”

“I was at Club Crimson. Where’s Charlie?” I asked when it dawned on me that Luke was alone.

“He got busy, so it’s just me.”

“Oh, thanks for the flowers,” I told him.

“You’re welcome, darling.”

I unlocked the door and stepped inside, expecting Luke to follow, but when I turned back I saw that he was still standing in the doorway.

“I didn’t think vampires needed an invitation each time they came.”

His eyes flashed with good humor. “They don’t … but it’s only right and proper that I wait to be invited.”

I could feel a smile creeping up on me. Luke’s gentlemanly manner was a major contrast to how I pictured a vampire.

“I understand if you don’t feel comfortable being alone with me,” he said, and started to turn away.

“Of course you can come in … just no biting!”

He chuckled. “No worries. I’ve already had my meal for the night.”

If that was supposed to reassure me, it didn’t work so well. I found the image of Luke sinking his fangs into someone’s neck a little unsettling.

“So what were you up to at Club Crimson?” he asked.

“Getting a job there … like we talked about.”

He seemed surprised. “Really? And how did that work out?”

“He gave me a job.”

His left brow shot up. “That was easy … too easy.”

“It was because of the murder at my work yesterday. I think he was interested in that,” I explained.

“Yes, I heard about that.”

“What I reckon you didn’t hear was that Jaycee didn’t really go missing. She was the one who killed Johnny. She was crazed out of her head … kind of like a zombie.”

Luke grew silent, and almost seemed to be brooding. “That’s interesting.”

“That’s what Marcus said.”

“So you are on a first name basis with him now?” he asked, his mouth twisting wryly.

“It’s not like that,” I said, purposely putting a frown on my face.

“You’ll want to be careful Star. He’ll chew you up and spit you out, and that’s if you’re lucky enough he lets you live through it. I’ve seen him toss aside queens,” he warned.

The warning was completely unnecessary. I wasn’t planning on getting that close to him, but there was something I did want to know.

“Can vampires really have sex?”

Luke burst out laughing. “Sure we can. What a drab existence it would be if feeding was our only physical experience, though we do feed from our lovers most of the time. For us … feeding is like an aphrodisiac to the ultimate joining.”

Strangely enough, I found the thought of sex with a vampire erotic, but no way was I willing to entertain the thought for too long, so I changed the subject.

“Have you ever killed anyone by accident?” I asked.

Charlie had already told me that Luke was skilled at feeding without killing his prey, and that most of the time he fed from blood bags. I still couldn’t help but wonder.

Luke’s eyes grew distant and he turned away. “Time to talk about something else.”

“Would you like something to drink … a beer or a cup of coffee?” I added quickly. I didn’t want there to be any kind of a misunderstanding.

Luke shook his head. “But if you don’t mind?” he asked, motioning toward the couch.

“Of course,” I nodded.

I took the chair opposite the couch. “You said you’d tell me more about vampires.”

“What would you like to know?”

“If you’re dead, how can you eat or drink anything … even blood? How can you digest it?”

Out of all the things I could have asked about vampires, asking about this seemed a little dumb, but it was the one detail about the vampire myths that had always puzzled me.

“There are only a few differences between humans and vampires. Yeah I admit … they are whoppers, but still.”

“Okay … tell me about them.”

“Like there is some sort of mystical power that gives human’s life … there is a similar power that allows the vampire to cheat death. When we are made into vampires, we are reanimated with the same soul and body functions as we had when we were human … well almost. We do need to feed to stay alive, and we must always remain in darkness. That’s our curse.”

I shook my head. “It can’t be the same power that gives humans life. It’s too evil.”

“Why do you say that? Is it because we kill?”

I nodded.

“Don’t humans kill to stay alive?”

“Yes, but we don’t kill and feed on other humans.” I pointed out.

“We don’t feed on other vampires. Understand darling … we are something more than human once turned. But you are right about one thing … it is not the same power that gives us life.”

“Is it an evil power?” I asked with a shudder.

“I guess that would depend on how you look at it, but to get back to what you want to know. A vampire does have some limitations. We are allergic to vervain and the sun. Silver will burn our flesh.”

“What about holy water and garlic?”

“There’s heaps of vampire misinformation out there, which in a lot of ways is good for us.”

“How do you kill a vampire?” I asked.

Laughing, Luke gave me a wink. “Wouldn’t it be foolish for me to tell you that?”

“Not if I’m going to be working with Marcus.”

Smiling, he cocked his head to one side. “Since you put it that way, I suppose you’re right. The sun and fire will kill vampires, as well as beheading … and yes, even the old stake through the heart tactic.”

“That’s something else I don’t understand. If a vampire heals quickly, how can staking them in the heart do anything?”

“It interrupts whatever magic it is that gives us life … but I wouldn’t go trying to stake Marcus … if that’s why you’re so interested.”

I frowned, but said nothing. There was no doubt I wanted to be able to protect myself from Marcus, but it wasn’t like I had a hankering to kill him.

“I doubt a human could kill him,” he told me. “Truth is, even for vampires it would probably require more than one to take him down. He’s too old.”

The more I heard about Marcus, the more fascinated I was. I wanted to know more. “How old is he? Who was he before he became a vampire?”

Luke shrugged. “Couldn’t tell you. Him and I have never been real close mates, but rumor has it that he’s over a thousand years old.”

I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to live for a thousand years.

“What about you?” I asked.

Though he masked it quickly, I didn’t miss the anguish that fell over his face.

“I’m sorry,” I spoke up promptly. “I shouldn’t be getting into your business.”

“No, it’s all right,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s only that it is not something I like talking about.”

“Don’t then. It’s okay,” I said, jumping up from the chair. “I’m starving. Care for some frozen pizza?”

Luke shook his head. “But you go ahead.”

I didn’t really understand it myself, but Luke chatting with me at the kitchen table while I was eating supper, seemed completely natural. It was like I’d been visiting with vampires my whole life.

I couldn’t keep from giggling out loud.

“What’s so amusing?” he asked.

“It’s just so bizarre. Here I am … sitting at my kitchen table … with a vampire. Who would believe it?”

He gave me a lopsided smile. “It’s really not as odd as you think. Lots of people socialize with vampires and don’t even know it. Haven’t you ever known anyone you never saw during the day?”

I shook my head, swallowing a bite of pizza before answering. “No, but I’ve hardly ever been out of Cookson Springs.”

“It happens all the time. Some people even become feeders without realizing it.”

“Really?” I asked, my eyes widening. “How’s that work?”

“It’s done by compelling them with the eyes. They never remember what happened to them, and since we can heal their wounds with our blood … all they know is that they’re weak for a few days.”

“Wow! That’s kind of spooky.”

Luke nodded and gave me a smooth smile. “Would you like to be my feeder?”

I realized he was flirting with me. Maybe he’d been doing it all night, but on account of me being so inexperienced, I just didn’t pick up on it.

“I said no biting,” I reminded him.

He gave me a sheepish smile. “It was worth a try.”

“How does this compelling thing work? Try it on me.”

“No,” he shook his head. “It wouldn’t be right, especially with you being Charlie’s niece.”

“If I wasn’t … would you?”

He smiled. “You wouldn’t be safe at all with me. For certain your innocence would be in peril.”