A Night at Club Vampire 2 (7 page)

Trinity leaned forward in her seat, started to say something, seemingly decided against it, and then flopped back against the leather. Her eyes stayed glued to Franny as the blonde continued to speak.

"When we met Travis and my William, they gave up their travelling lifestyles to settle down with us."

"You mentioned they lived at the club. You mean like in a room, or apartment? Where are those located?"

"Yes. Well..."

"Hey, Andrea. Looks like we're at your stop," Trinity interrupted as she shot Franny a hostile stare.

Looking confused, Franny's head jerked back from Trinity to Lacey then back again.

Seemingly agitated, Trinity leaned over and whispered something in her ear. The remainder of the trip continued in silence. Lacey had decided that Terry-Ann would be going home with her. She didn't want her friend to be going home alone, just in case.

Besides, when Terry-Ann sobered up in the morning and was feeling better, Lacey was intent on getting some answers about the VIP room mystery.

Nigel sat, elbows on his desk, while his fingers massaged his temples as a knock rapped at his office door. He ignored it, hoping they'd go away. He needed time alone to think. It felt as though someone was trying to ruin his club. He had been giving it careful thought for the past half hour and was starting to think that all the random instances of disappearances and murders at the club maybe weren't random after all. But who would want to destroy it? Humans loved the place and the vampires - both of the Queen s bloodline and the King s all reaped the benefits of his nightclub.

It made no sense, unless it was a rival club, jealous of his success and wanting to put him out of business.
No
, he decided. It was a vampire doing the killings. A vampire he knew personally. That was the only way they could have been in the VIP section of the club to begin with.

The knock came a second time followed by a female voice, "I know you're in there Nigel, open up." It was Trinity.

With a groan, Nigel rose from his high back, leather swivel chair and strode over to the door to unlock it. Flipping the lock, he didn't bother to open it but simply made his way back to his chair, flopping back down into it. Trinity let herself in and sat across from him.

"Travis asked me to let you know that the situation has been contained, but so far there are no suspects," she stated.

He didn't expect there would be."What about Lacey's friend? Was she taken care of before she was taken to the limo?"

Trinity nodded. "Evan made sure that the girl wouldn't remember a thing about the VIP

room, or her experience here for that matter."

Nigel nodded. "Good. Good." He really hated that they had to glamour Lacey's friend, but he didn't want to take any chances with her remembering something and exposing them. She should never have been in that back room to begin with.

Silence crept over the room as Nigel and Trinity sat across from each other both waiting for the other to say something. Finally Nigel broke the spell. "Is there anything else you need?"

A wide grin broke out on her face. "She's certainly a hot little thing; seems like she's got some smarts in that head of hers, as well."

"I enjoyed her company, if that's the information you re fishing for," Nigel allowed a smirk to cross his lips.

"When she was getting out of the car she mentioned she would be coming to the club tomorrow night."

Nigel's spirits lifted. He had been somewhat worried that she wouldn't be back.

Especially if she realized she had been locked in the limo.

Standing, Trinity made her way back to the door, then turned round to him again.

"Nigel?"

"Yes."

Trinity took in a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "When I said she's smart I meant it.

She was asking a
lot
of questions."

"Like what?" Nigel raised a curious eyebrow at her.

"Nothing specific, but I got the distinct impression she was fishing for something."

Trinity gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure it's nothing, but in case it's not and with the Queen arriving in a couple weeks - Travis just wanted me to tell you to be careful of what you do and say around her. For now." Without another word she slipped out of the door, closing it behind her.

Nigel sank back into his chair, swivelling back and forth mindlessly. What sort of information would she be fishing for? Nigel laughed at himself. Travis and Trinity's paranoia was getting to him now. He was sure she was just making small talk. Trinity simply read too much into things. Getting up from his chair Nigel walked over to his window and watched as the staff cleaned up the mess from a night s worth of partying.

His eyes darted over to Franny and William as they cleaned the balcony floor bar.

William appeared to say something Franny found amusing. She in turn swatted his shoulder with the dishrag she had been wiping the top of the bar with. A pang of jealousy shot through him. It was mixed with a heavy dose of loneliness.

His mind switched to thoughts of Lacey: so beautiful, with her flaming red hair cascading in loose ringlets down her back; the sound of her moans as his lips tasted and teased her moist center. As he thought of her whispering his name as she exploded in his mouth he felt himself getting hard and groaned in frustration. Tomorrow night couldn't come fast enough for his liking.

****

With a groan, Terry-Ann pulled the yellow, floral print comforter up over her head in an attempt to block out any sound.

Chuckling softly, Lacey pulled the comforter down. "I ve brought you aspirin,
and
coffee."

Terry-Ann opened one eye slowly, then the other to peer at Lacey kneeling in front of her a steaming cup of coffee in hand. "Okay." Frowning, she finally gave in. "You win."

Slowly she sat up and accepted the beverage.

"We had one crazy night," Lacey commented passing her friend the aspirin.

"Yeah," Terry-Ann agreed popping the aspirin in her mouth then swallowing a mouthful of coffee. She sat silent for a moment and then her brow creased. She looked directly into Lacey's eyes. "Did we do something last night?"

Lacey slid onto the sofa next to Terry-Ann. "We went to Club Vampire."

"We did?"

Lacey frowned at her friend. Terry-Ann had been completely sober when they had left for the club. She must remember going to the club at least? "Come on now Terry, surely you remember going and standing in line outside the club? You must remember that much?"

Terry-Ann shook her head.

"You have to remember. You didn't even take a drink until we got into the club."

Again, she shook her head.

Reaching out, Lacey pressed the back of her hand to Terry-Ann's forehead. She didn't feel warm, so didn't have a fever. How could she not remember at least going there?

"What was the last thing you remember about last night?"

"I don't know. Yesterday I remember getting off work and driving here."

"And then?"

Terry-Ann shrugged. "I don't know."

She didn't know? What the hell kind of drug did she take for it to have wiped almost a day s worth of memories from her? Lacey's hopes sank. She had been certain her friend would be able to give her some answers, even if they were just the groggy images of an intoxicated person remembering the previous night's events. But nothing? A sweet load of fuck all was what she got.

"Well how about you lie back down and rest up. We have free passes to Club Vampire for tonight."

Terry-Ann shook her head. "I'm not going there."

"You don't feel up to it," Lacey shrugged, "I can understand I..."

"No, it s not that," Terry-Ann interrupted. "I can't go there. Something is telling me I can't. Never. I'll never go near that place."

Lacey crinkled her nose up bewildered. Terry-Ann was the one who had suggested it in the first place. She brushed a stray dark brown lock of hair out from over Terry-Ann's eye and tucked it behind her ear. "That s alright sweetie. If you don't want to go it's not a biggie."

Standing, she watched as Terry-Ann stretched out along the sofa once more and closed her eyes. Seconds later she was sound asleep again. Nigel had more than his fair share of secrets, she knew this now without a doubt. Tonight, she would find out what some of those secrets were, and perhaps she'd run into the man who had come out of the club that previous night.

****

Lacey passed the ticket Trinity had given her the previous night to the doorman of Club Vampire and waited to be allowed in. She glanced briefly at the long line of people waiting to gain admittance into the club. All seemed to be glaring at her.

Despite having tickets for herself and her five friends Lacey had decided to come back tonight alone. She'd never be able to live with herself if something happened to one of them because she wanted to get a story to fast-track her career. Andrea and Virginia had protested, claiming they should be there to offer their support, just in case. But Lacey declined. She had a feeling she'd be with Nigel throughout the majority of the evening, unless of course, he was called away like he had been the previous night.

The doorman, nodded at her and allowed her past him and into the club. Once she entered the club, her eyes went directly to the VIP room door. Keeping her eyes more or less glued to the door, watching for people coming and going from that room, she walked over to the bar closest to it and ordered a drink. Coca-Cola, straight and on the rocks. She needed to have her wits about her tonight if she was to get the story she was after.

She took her drink and made her way to the tables closest to the VIP door. She was able to get roughly twenty-five feet away. Close enough. Pretending to watch the dancers, both on the floor and those masquerading as vampires dancing nude in cages suspended from the ceiling, she kept a diligent eye on everyone who came and went from that room.

"I know this line may be a tad trite; however, I happened to see you from across the room and just knew I needed to meet you."

Is he talking to me?
Lacey made a half-turn towards her left, in the direction of the male voice to see if indeed its owner was speaking to her. He was. Smiling down at her was a dark-haired man, who looked oddly familiar. He looked good, decked out in a simple grey t-shirt which hugged his lean torso and chest, and blue jeans. Despite her main objective to watch the VIP room door in an attempt to get a few clues about the goings on of that room, she found herself drawn to him. She didn't particularly
want
to be, she had gotten over her agitation about Nigel through the course of the day and was looking forward to seeing him again. However, she couldn't seem to help herself from wanting to touch him. To be with him. His dark eyes seemed hypnotic, drawing her into them.

"Do you mind?" he asked motioning towards the chair across from her at the tiny table at which she was seated.

Lacey shook her head, "No, of course not."

"I'm Joseph," he extended his hand to her.

"Lacey," she said, taking his hand and giving it a quick shake.

"You're here alone?" He inquired arching one eyebrow at her as he sat.

Lacey hesitated before answering. Common sense told her to keep her mouth shut.

Deny she was alone. She knew nothing about this man, it wouldn't be safe to divulge that information straight away. Again, she couldn't seem to help herself, replying to him earnestly. "Yes, I'm here to find out what goes on behind that door." She immediately chastised herself for saying that. What was wrong with her? She needed to get away from him before she told him everything.

A grin touched his lips as he leaned forward in his chair, closing the distance between them. "I could take you in there, so you could experience it for yourself."

Something about the gleam in his dark eyes made Lacey wary. She looked at the VIP

door then back at him.

"Well, Joseph, good to see you've made it here
again
tonight."

Lacey looked to the left of her to see Nigel standing beside her. He reached a hand down and grasped her shoulder, as if to claim her or make a statement that she was his. In other circumstances Lacey might have corrected his gesture informing him that she wasn't his property. His macho routine was not exactly appreciated, but in this instance, she was grateful to be saved. There was something unsettling about the man sitting across from her.

Joseph straightened up in his chair, glaring at Nigel for a brief instant. Just as quickly, his attitude changed and a smile swept across his lips. "Well I do love this little club of yours Nigel."

Was there a little touch of irony in his voice?

Lacey watched Nigel closely. She saw his jaw clench as if he were holding himself back from doing or saying something he'd later regret.

"I'm glad you like it." Taking hold of her upper arm, Nigel urged Lacey to her feet.

"Now if you'll excuse us, my girl here and I would like to spend some quiet time together."

"I apologize. I didn't realize she was taken already."

"She is. Just so you know, for future reference." Nigel slid his hand around her waist and pulled her close to him. He planted a light kiss on the top of her head as if to prove his point.

What the hell!
Since when was she taken? Just because they had a little fun last night certainly didn't make her
his
girl. She looked up at him slightly confused and indignant.

He chose to not meet her gaze, instead his eyes remained glued to Joseph and he ushered her away from the table and towards the door marked
private
, which led to his office.

"Don't say a word. Just keep moving, Lacey," he whispered in her ear.

She nodded, allowing herself to be pushed across the dance floor, in through the private door, and up the stairwell which led to his office.