NEVER FALL FOR THE FORBIDDEN (NEVER FALL SERIES) (10 page)

             
“Why don’t they just drain you?”

             
“One said he prefers me, wants to keep me around, he likes my taste. Plus, they say humans are getting scarce. All the bums, dead. Homeless gone. Regular middle class are disappearing too much, questions are being asked. High fluting society too noticeable to make a meal out of.” She said.

             
“And what we are doesn’t scare you?” he asked so intrigued.

             
“Listen, I have seen a lot of scary things in my line of work. I know if I keep my mouth shut, so to speak, I will make a hell of a lot of money. I want to move away and start my own hair salon, you see.” She said patting her tresses.

Triton
nodded, “Have you dealt with any others outside of the hotel?”

             
“No.”

             
“Tonight, did they all have a turn?” he asked.

             
“No, cheap bastards, they said they had filet minion waiting, and they didn’t want hot dog tonight. Treat me like cheap meat. So, I had a date with a Japanese business man who likes to be spanked.”

             
“I would like to, um…” he cleared his throat.

             
“You’re thirsty, I can tell. Go check in. I will wait for you by the elevators, I will come to your room, and we can…transact.” She said with a smile.

Triton
retrieved his duffel bag walked to the front of the hotel and masked his powers as he entered.

             
“Do you require a bell hop?” the clerk asked. “No.” Triton said firmly. The clerk handed him his room key as Triton checked his watch. It was just after 7a.m. The sun perked its rays over the horizon illuminating the white marbled lobby. Entering the elevator, he stood behind the hooker. As the doors shut, Triton’s heart bounded from his chest, Annasara stepped from the elevator car across from his, not noticing him there. Looking lovelier than ever, Annasara wore a pink cardigan with lipstick that matched and Triton love cemented in his heart. She looked rested, happy and Triton knew she was fine, for now.

Chapter Sixteen

              “Good morning Miss O’Fallon.” A very proper looking butler greeted her, opening the door as she approached the mansion. Sunshine flooded in behind her as he took her coat and laptop bag.

             
“Good morning Mr. Whitsby.” She replied looking around the stunning wood carved foyer. “It’s just more beautiful every time I walk in here.” She said in admiration.

             
“A fine house indeed. The movers will be here at twelve noon, so I arranged lunch at 11am, if that suits you. The master would like the second floor completed today.”

             
“Sure, I best get started right away.” Annasara said following him to the large wood staircase, her footsteps matching his, soft and rhythmic as the climbed up to the rooms filled with art. For three hours, she worked away at photographing, categorizing, and appraising the paintings. She went from room to room, access unrestricted until she came to the last room, which she found locked. She tried to knob again with no luck.
He said I was to categorize all the rooms, I will ask Mr. Whitsby to unlock it for me after lunch.
Lunch
, she looked at her watch and if on cue her stomach grumbled.

             
I was just about to call for you.” Mr. Whitsby said as he placed a plate down holding the chair out for her. Annasara sat down at the formal dining hall table and reviewing the soup and salad bowls before her.

             
“Looks delicious, won’t you join me?” she asked. Mr. Whitsby looked around nervously. “I should not, the new master would not be pleased.”

             
“I thought he is in London.”

             
“Yes, but he still, I have lot of preparations, will you excuse me?” he said and bolted towards the kitchen. “Mr. Whitsby?” she called. “Yes, my lady?” he answered.

             
“There’s a room, at the end of the hall, it’s locked.” Annasara watched the man stiffen tight as her responded. “There is nothing of interest in the particular room, please do not mention it again.”

             
Annasara’s eye widened. “Okay.” She could sense he suppressed an irritation, but let it go for the moment. “Enjoy the rest of your lunch.” Mr. Whitsby said reverently and left the room.

             
At a quarter till five Annasara peeked from the room, out the hall and down towards the locked door. Pressing on her all day the urge to explore and sneaking down the hall ate away at her. As not to alert Mr. Whitsby, Annasara tried the door handle to find it still locked. Bending down to peek through the keyhole, she stopped before getting a glance as hearing footsteps up the stairs; she turned back, her heart raced, pounding as fast as her feet were running. Making it into the room as he approached, Annasara acted her best to be nonchalant even though her heart thumped in her chest. The mystery room would have to wait until the next day.

             
Ordering an early dinner, Annasara sat at the desk in the room finishing some of the work on the art she could not complete at the mansion. Fingers clicked away at the laptop, until a knock at the door interrupted the work.

Room service a
lready? I just ordered two minutes ago. S
he thought and opened the door. Gasp! She breathed as she laid eyes upon the man, “Oh my god! What are you doing here?” She said.

             
“I missed you. I could not go another minute without your kiss.” Triton said.

Pulling him into the room
, Annasara became overjoyed with emotion, so happy to find him there. She pressed her lips to his with intense passion. He moved from her lips down her cheek, his kisses soft down to her neck and ear. They could not deny the fire that burned between them. It consumed them together, hot heat, raw energy, hands slid over fabrics, tugging. “You shouldn’t have come here. I have work to do.” She said eyes closed as he pressed his trapped hard erection against her. “I’ll make this quick then.” He said pulling off his shirt. “No you won’t.” she said playfully tugging his belt from his pants leading him seductively to the bedroom.

             
“Then we have all night.” Triton picked her up as a knock came on the door. Setting her down, he pushed her back behind him with his strong bare forearm. “Get back!”

             
“It’s room service.” She said but he did not listen.

             
“Shhh!” Triton quieted her and shooed her around the corner. Annasara went to retrieve a robe as a voice called out. “Room Service.”

             
Triton dropped to knees pulling the nine millimeter from his jacket. Slowly opening the door, a slight Hispanic man stood behind a cart filled with sliver stainless steel covered trays
. Human, not vampire
, he deducted by scent.

             
“Triton really!” she said pushed past him. Handing the small man a tip and taking the cart in. The waiter left as Triton put his gun away before she saw it.

             
“You act he was going to steal me.” She said nibbling from the plate.

             
“Well, I worry, a single woman, alone in a strange city. You said yourself the bar tender was a creep.” She put her arms around his neck. “Well, I am not alone now.”

             
They made love all night long, reaffirming their love many times over. Overjoyed at having Triton in her bed in the morning, she left the curtains drawn as left for the mansion. Sleeping all day long, Triton awoke as his cellular chirped out the special ring tone he programmed for her calls.

             
“Hi, I am just finishing up.” Annasara said into the cell phone from outside the locked room in the mansion. Rolling over onto his back, Triton looked at the empty spot in the bed where she had slept next to him. Triton’s ears perked up.               “Why are you whispering?”

             
“Because I don’t want the butler to hear me. I found a locked room; I am trying to get in it with an old skeleton key I found in another door.”

             
“It is locked for a reason.” He told her concernedly.

             
“I know but what if this room holds the most amazing painting in the whole house? Hang on, I am almost in.”

             
“Sara, wait.”

             
“I’m in---oh my god.” She blurted out. Triton’s chest constricted as his guard flew up. “What?” he said.

             
“It’s a, a nursery. A Victorian nursery. I was right; there is a painting in here. A gilded Madonna and child, I think it is 17
th
century.”

Triton
started to see red. The room the cabbie had described. His human lover there, in Januar’s house. He lowered his voice. “Get out of that room, now! Get out of that house.”

             
“I think it is an original DeScalia. Oh, I have to go I hear someone coming.”

             
“Sara, listen to me!” He ordered but she hung up before he could make her pay attention. He redialed her number getting the voicemail, “Damn it.” he cursed. The sun was still high in the afternoon sky. He had to get to her.
But how?
Then it dawned on him; there was one person who could help him.

Chapter Seventeen

             
Pulling the car up to the service door in the rear of the hotel, the hooker got out and threw a blanket over Triton as he exited the building. Crouching down in the back seat, the vampire tried to shield out the sun.

             
“How did get a car so quick?” Triton asked her.

             
“Louie, the cook, owed me a favor. He stiffed me one night; well so to speak, he didn’t have enough to pay me. So voila! I have a car.”

             
“Drive faster, my girlfriend is in great danger.” Triton said.

             
“Girlfriend? She must be something special for you some out in the day time.”

             
“Special? She’s incredible.”

             
“Your lucky to find someone like that, hold on to her.” She said.

Triton
smiled half heartedly, “I intend to.”

             
All Triton wanted to do was hold Annasara now, if he got to her in time. The ride took less time than anticipated, not enough to formulate any kind of worthwhile plan at least. Throwing off the blanket, he exited the car fortunate the sun’s rays were blocked from the mansion’s three-story frame. Set close to the street but lined around by a stone and wrought iron wall. He opened the gate, cautiously approached, uncertain and unprepared for what or who lie behind this fortress’s walls. Pulling out his cell phone dialed Annasara’s number, which went directly to voicemail. Returning to the car, he leaned over the window and spoke the hired hooker, “Go back to the hotel, stay in the room, and don’t open the door to anyone but me.” Doing as told, the woman drove away leaving Triton to his devices. Slipping around to the rear of the building, Triton found the kitchen empty. Butting his elbow in the small window, the shattered glass fell to the floor as he reached in and unlocked the door. Entering he felt no vibrations, or smelt any vampires. One thing he did sense, Annasara’s worry. He took stairs two at a time, softly as his boots would allow. Closer to her the more he worried; now he could hear her distress.

             
“What are you doing? Please stop!” she said. Triton nearly burst into the room when he peeked through the crack in the door. Annasara took a painting out of one the mover’s hand gently placing it into a shipping crate. “Just make sure the edges don’t knock against the side.” The mover nodded in agreement and apologized. Triton slipped his gun back into the shoulder holster under his jacket leaned against the wall and rested his head back in relief. Bring his head forward he brushed his dark hair from his forehead, looked straight down the hall to the locked room. He decided he would not let her know he was in the house. She would never forgive him for the intrusion, how could he explain his presence in the house? Triton moved so swiftly to the door, the air caught up to him bringing the strongest effervescence. The presence that resided within grew strong enough to give off vibrations so strong, the house shook as if the wind from a gale storm hit it. Rushing from the room, the two movers, Mr. Whitsby and Annasara raced out into the hallway to investigate the noise. They all stared at each other with confused glares.

             
“Must have be a gale rolling in. It’s best you all leave now.” Mr. Whitsby said in a cracking voice. The butler knew it was a storm of immense proportion, he had seen it many times over and wanted them all out now. Looking up, the butler’s face went sheet white as he stared at Triton who had positioned himself in the corner on the ceiling like a spider, out of the view of Annasara and the two movers.

             
“Yes, we can finish in the morning. I must lock up for the night.” Mr. Whitsby said gathering them hurriedly out the room and then down the staircase.

Annasara
took the coat he shoved into her arms. “Mr. Whitsby, what’s going on?”

              “There’s a storm brewing and the electricity can be most temperamental.” Mr. Whitsby said as he opened the front door practically shoving her out onto the porch.

As he heard the front door slam
, Triton fell to his feet onto the hardwood hallway floor. Slowly the door to the nursery opened, as if inviting him in. Stunned at the elegant furnishings, the room filled with antique toys, baby goods, and English ponies. Noticing the painting Annasara described to him, he ran straight to it, lifted off his nail, and placed it onto the floor. Studying the safe, Triton whipped his head around as the house groaned again, louder, harder. He worked furiously fast to open the safe. He was in no way prepared to deal with what was making the house moan. Only moments to spare, he listen with supersonic hearing to the clicks of the internal tumblers as they spun around to fall into place for the combination code. With a tug of the handle, the cold steel safe opened to reveal blackness. His heart sank the nothingness dark before his eyes. Reaching in, he felt around the walls bare metal until the bottom held a single book. The cracked leather cover felt withered and dry. Pulling out the book his fingers traced the embossed N that graced its centuries old jacket.  Nala’s diary was now in his hands.
What revelations, secrets, and knowledge it must possess.
Flipping the pages, he jerked up his head as the most powerful overwhelming sensation blew into the room. The diary fell from his trembling hands; Triton looked up, his words loud and self-deprecating, “Oh Shit!”