Fireworks for July: A Holiday Bites Vampire Paranormal Holiday Romances (4 page)

She quaked around him, riding him. What she lacked in skill, she made up for with enthusiasm. He let go of her hips, but she was too far gone. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she fucked him with selfish abandon as she reached for that golden peak.

Carter played with her breasts, tugging on her nipples, which were so hard her areolas were crinkled.

She gasped and her eyes flew open. “Do it again,” she whispered.

He did. He twisted and tugged until she fell into her bliss. Her orgasm so strong, it forced his cock out of her.

Dazed, she rolled off him.

“Hands and knees, July.” She did as he asked instantly. He got behind her and worked his length inside her again. Holding her hips, he thrust hard and fast, and she, that sweet innocent, reared back to meet his frantic movements.

He fucked her until he trembled on the edge of release. Then he pulled out, and stroked his shaft into a shattering orgasm. His come splattered against her ass and back. It was beautiful, painting her flesh like that.

Carter placed a kiss on her shoulder after she collapsed to the bed. Her satiated panted breaths warmed him. “You were wonderful,” he said, knowing on some level she needed the reassurance.

When he stood from the bed, she murmured, “Where are you going?”

“Shh,” he told her. “I’ll be right back for you.” Carter went into the bathroom. He took a quick shower, and then ran a hot bath for July.

She drowsed on the bed, her smile sleepy when he came to scoop up her up and carry her into the bathroom. Steam rose off the water, fogging the mirrors. Gently, he lowered her into the tub. Soaping a washcloth, he rubbed it across every inch of her skin. He relished every moment spent touching her, cleaning her, and…loving her. The truth of his feelings for her surprised him.

After he finished, he helped July out and dried her thoroughly with a towel. He carried her back into the bedroom and placed her on the bed then crawled next to her. Her beauty, her tenderness, and her innocence awoke a fierce emotion in Carter. Yes, he wanted to possess her, but even more, he wanted to protect her.

“July.” He stroked her cheek. “I need to tell you something about myself.”

She blinked at him, her gaze firming his resolve as he gathered his courage to share his truth. He moved onto his side and brushed her hair away from her face. She needed to know. Her necklace bore the mark of his maker, Chance, and even worse, it was the key that had stolen his freedom. And if Chance was aware of July and the key’s presence in Vegas, she was in real danger.

“Don’t be afraid of me.”

She smiled at him. “Why would I be afraid?”

“Because,” Carter said. “I’m a vampire.”

J
uly blinked
. “Vampire.”

“I want you to know the truth.” He took her balled fist and uncurled her fingers. Then he flattened it against his chest. “No heartbeat, July. No breath.”

July pressed her fingers against his cold, firm flesh. Why hadn’t she noticed before? And his chest wasn’t rising and falling. There was no beat of a heart beneath his solid, muscled chest.

Was this a trick? Could Carter be dead?

Or rather, undead.

How was it even possible?

“How are you making your body like this? It wasn’t like this when we were making love.” She felt strangled by her own words. They’d made love. It hadn’t been just sex. Right? But he hadn’t been cold or dead. He’d been very hot and very much alive.

His confused expression must have mirrored her own. “You must know about vampires, right? You have that necklace.”

“I’ve read about vampires,” corrected July, “in fictional novels. Like Adora LaFortune’s
Swelter
. That’s not real.”

“The story is based on something that really happened,” said Carter. “And Adora LaFortune is the pen name for a vampire.”

“Either you’re taking a practical joke way too far,” said July, her fingers pressing harder into his skin, “or you really are a—” She looked at his face and gasped. His blue eyes were tinged red now, and his smile showed off a shiny pair of white, sharp fangs.

In the blink of an eye, Carter’s face returned to its human form. She saw pain in his eyes along with a sliver of hope.
Okay. So, he’s a vampire.
She should have been afraid, but she wasn’t. If he’d wanted to harm her or kill her, he’d had plenty of opportunity during their evening together, and he hadn’t done anything other than bring her the greatest pleasure she’d ever experienced. But what did Aunt Grace’s gift have to do with vampires?

“What do you know about my necklace? Why do you think it means I know anything about vampires?” she asked.

“With one vampire,” Carter corrected. “His name these days is Chance. You see, I was a young man in the 1950s, falling for a gal who was pretty and smart. But I was rube. Grace didn’t want me. She wanted the vampire.”

“Grace,” said July. Her stomach knotted with anxiety. “Grace who?”

“Grace Canton.”

Her Great Aunt Grace? No way. July swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. “That’s my...aunt. She raised me after my parents died in a car accident.” Aunt Grace couldn’t have been the woman he’d fallen in love with. She hadn’t had an adventurous bone in her body. She’d been the epitome of no frills, no thrills, and certainly no fun. “But how? She was a spinster...a scholar.”

“Medieval history?” asked Carter, but he already knew the answer. “Yeah.” He tapped his temple. “Like I said, she was smart. She found him, you know, and he played with her—a cat with a little mouse. He gave her a binding necklace. It’s a necklace with two parts. You have one half—he has the other.”

“What does it do?”

“Grace made a deal with Chance,” said Carter. “He made me. It was bad enough to be a vampire, but then I lost my freedom, thanks to Grace. I can’t escape.”

“She betrayed you.” July couldn’t believe the secret Aunt Grace had kept from her. She’d said,
Maybe he’ll find you.
But July knew that she hadn’t been talking about the man she handed over as a sacrifice, she’d been talking about the vampire.

How could her aunt have done such a thing? And then used her expertise and scholarly pursuits to cover up her true obsession: finding this Chance. As cold and distant as Aunt Grace had been, July never she’d been capable of malice. Until now.

“Yeah. She hung me out to dry. Then Chance betrayed
her
. Gave her the key to my lock, and then messed with her head. No matter how hard she searched, she would never find him again. And I would never be able to find her to take my revenge.” Carter smoothed the frown lines on her brow. “That’s how he fucks with people. It’s torture knowing freedom is out there, but no way for me to get it.”

“How do we free you?”

Carter shook his head. “You don’t. I can’t touch the necklace. Part of its magic. And it would do me no good if I could. Grace’s half may be the key, but Chance wears the lock, and going up against him would mean instant death. The minute Chance knows you have that key, July, he’ll kill you. He probably never thought about Grace giving that necklace to anyone. He figured she’d probably die and be buried with it rather than part with the damned thing.”

July cupped his face. “But Carter, don’t you think it’s some kind of fate? I ended up here and meeting you. What are the odds?”

Carter stared at her. “You’re right.” He sat up. “What made you come to Vegas?”

“I won a contest.”

Carter went white, which was a feat considering how pale his skin already looked. She hadn’t noticed that before.

“You’re so pale now.”

“I’m a vampire.”

It dawned on her, from the books she’d read, that he might be hungry. She reached out and touched his shoulder. “Do you need … er, breakfast?”

He encircled her wrist. “We don’t have time for that, July. You need to leave.”

“Oh.”

He kissed her, urgency in his action. “I’m not trying to be a jerk. I don’t think you’re here by accident. Chance must’ve arranged for you to come here.”

“And for you to meet me?”

Carter snorted. “I doubt if he meant that to happen. Get dressed, doll. We need to get you outta here.”

July hurried to get dressed and threw everything into her suitcase. Carter dressed quickly, and then led her out of the hotel room. “I’ve gotten you on a six a.m. flight. By the time you get through security, you shouldn’t have to wait long to get on the plane. Don’t come back here, July.”

July’s stomach squeezed, and she thought her heart would explode. She cared about Carter, and the strong feelings made her hate Aunt Grace. How could her own flesh and blood given up such a strong, noble man? After all, he was risking his own life to get her safely out of town.

When they got into the elevator, she turned to clutch Carter’s arm. “Surely I can do something to free you. I’ll give you necklace.”

She grabbed the chain secured around her neck, but he shook his head. “I told you, I can’t touch it. It’s part of the curse.”

“Carter—”

“It’s okay, doll. One day I’ll get free, and when I do, I’ll look you up.”

July wanted more than that. She wanted him. To explore all that they could have together. Okay, so he was a vampire. There were worse things, right? They’d figure it out.

The elevator doors dinged open. Carter grabbed her hand, and they hurried onto the casino floor. Then her lover stopped. “Shit.”

July craned her neck, but she didn’t spot whatever had him agitated. He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “It’s some of Chance’s boys. I’ll deal with them. Go straight out the front. Get a cab. Go to McCarran. Do not talk to anybody.”

“Carter.”

She saw the regret, the longing in those blue, blue eyes, and her heart turned over in her chest.

“I know,” he said. “Me, too.”

A
s July threaded
her way through the banks of slot machines, she nearly rammed into a lady standing stock still in the middle of the narrow aisle. She looked over the woman’s shoulder to see what was going on.

Someone had won a jackpot.

July slipped through the gawkers. She stepped outside into the warm night and looked at the traffic whizzing by the street. There was a cab lane just on the other side of valet parking. She went to step off the curb and felt a sudden, strong urge to walk down the street.

Come to me, sweetling.

July pivoted, heading toward the alley to her left. She couldn’t resist the voice inside her mind. She knew, vaguely, that this was the wrong thing to do.

That’s right, my little darling. Walk down the alley. I’m waiting for you.

She quickened her pace, though deep inside her mind, she screamed at her cooperating limbs to stop.

He waited for her in the shadows, his arms opened. She stepped right into his awful embrace.

He held her tightly, leaning down to sniff her neck. “Ah. Grace’s little protégé. How delicious you are.” He lifted his head and touched the circle of gold nestled in her cleavage. “I’m surprised she gave it to you.”

July was mesmerized by the man’s deep red eyes.

“Leave her alone, Chance.” The familiar voice helped July to climb through the fog in her mind.
Carter
.

“You’ve had your taste,” said the elder vampire, not even glancing up. “I gave you first dibs. A gift. Was revenge not sweet?”

July blinked. Chance’s hold on her was weakening. “Revenge?”

“He never got Grace, you see. She didn’t want him. She wanted me.”

“I didn’t use her,” Carter said. “July...”

But before he had to explain, she already understood. Chance was trying to manipulate her. To manipulate them both. July pushed away and broke free of Chance. “My aunt was stupid and weak-minded,” she said. “Otherwise, why would she choose you over Carter?”

The barb hit his ego—and he grabbed her again and yanked her roughly against him. He leaned back, revealing his fangs. “What do you know? You’re nothing. No one.”

“Yeah, she is,” said Carter. “She’s my girl.”

His words filled her with more strength and determination. July reached out and grabbed at the vampire’s throat. Her fingernail scraped his skin and snared the chain around his neck.

“Bitch!” He swatted at her, and July went flying sideways. She hit a Dumpster, and fell down onto her side. Agony ripped through her as she banged hard against the concrete.

Scuffling noises drew her attention. July’s heart pounded in dread. Carter! He was fighting Chance, and she knew he wouldn’t win. . Chance was a much older vampire, and no doubt stronger. After all, Carter had never been able to get free of his cruel undead master.

Her entire right side throbbed, but she didn’t think anything was broken. She wobbled to her feet, and watched, heart in her throat, as the two vampires fought.

Her hand hurt, but she ignored the pain.

She looked down and saw the gold chain dangling on her fingers—and the medallion hanging from it. It was a gold circle with writing inscribed around it. Chance’s half. The Lock. She must have ripped it off him when she grabbed for his throat.

And she had the key.

She yanked her necklace off. With shaking hands, she put the gold disc with its strange emblem into the circle.

Light flared and heat shot through her hand as the two objects melded.

Chance screamed.

The light and heat disappeared, and July looked down at her palm. The pieces burst into a shower of gold sparks and disappeared.

“I’m free, you bastard,” she heard Carter cry. The declaration gave July hope. And when he punched through the Chance’s chest, right where the creature’s heart should be, she rejoiced in their victory.

Chance looked down, utterly shocked, and then he burst into dust.

Carter stumbled away, coughing and patting vampire bits off his clothes.

“Are you all right?” He walked to her and cupped her face.

“I’m fine.”

“You freed me. Thank you, July. Thank you.” He kissed her. Her heart nearly beat out of her chest as she slipped her hands around his neck. July shivered as her body went hot and tingly.

“Of course, I did.” She put all her emotions into her next words. “I’m your girl, after all.”

“You certainly are, doll.” Carter practically growled as he gathered her into his arms and kissed her again.

A series of popping sounds startled her, and she pulled away, breathless. “What’s that?”

“Fireworks,” said Carter. He took her hand and walked with her down the end of the alleyway. He pointed toward downtown Vegas. “One of the older casinos off Fremont Street does it every night.”

July watched the glittery colors exploded in the black sky. Carter held her tight. She turned into his embrace and kissed him. “Where should we go?”

“Go?” He smiled. “I can’t really ride on airplanes.”

“That’s okay. We’ll rent a car and drive at night.”

He gave her a crooked grin. “I really should eat something first.”

July brushed back her hair and bared her neck for him without hesitation.

“You sure, doll?”

“Yes,” she said, leaning in for his vampire kiss, “definitely.”