Blood of the Son (Book #1 in the Skye Morrison Vampire Series) (Skye Morrison Series) (17 page)

I quickly got up and decided to get dressed.  I grabbed the clothes that Jameson had set aside for me at the end of the bed.  “Well, fellas, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go change,” I said and made my way to the bathroom. 

I shut the door and did my morning routine, minus a toothbrush.  My finger and gobs of toothpaste would have to suffice until I got home.  I washed my face and brushed my hair out.  It was nice and wavy, full of body.  The outfit that Jameson had let me borrow was too big, but I made due.  I rolled the waist on the jeans down a few times and knotted the sides of his Flogging Molly’s t-shirt.  I threw on the pair of socks and gathered up the clothes I had just taken off. 

I stepped into the living room and froze.  Archer was completely naked, his magnificent backside to me, and he was rummaging through his closet. 
Dear
Lord, have mercy!
I prayed.
  How much more can a girl take?
 
Oh, wow!  You could bounce a quarter off that thing…yum!
 I heard him laugh.  I quickly turned around and apologized. 
Dammit!  I keep forgetting he hear me. 
I worked hard to keep my mind blank.

“No need to apologize,” he said, still laughing.  “My, my.  Well, aren’t we shy?  Nudity is nothing for us vampires, Skye.”

My face was hot from the blush I felt spreading.  “Um, well, I’m not really used to it,” I said, trying to calm my racing heart and raging hormones.

Archer laughed again and I felt him walk up behind me.  “If you’ll take a few steps to your right, I’ll just go take a quick shower and put some clothes on for you.” 

“Th…thanks,” I managed and sidestepped a few times, keeping my eyes firmly closed.  I knew he was able to hear my heartbeat and that was bad enough.  I didn’t want him to hear my thoughts if I saw his magnificent body again.  I couldn’t handle that kind of embarrassment. 

I heard the bathroom door shut, so I opened my eyes and turned around.  Jameson was already dressed for the day in a black Ramones t-shirt and blue jeans.  He looked at me and grinned.  “My clothes look really good on you,” he said with an appraising smile.  “Are you ready to go, love?”

I nodded and smiled back, thanking him for the use of his clothes and handing him back the set that he leant me last night.  I retrieved my old clothes from the floor, as he set the ones I just handed him down on the bed.  Jameson then put his hand on the small of my back and escorted me out of the room. 

Once in the office, I stuffed the dress in my bag and rolled up my boots to also put in there.  I grabbed my jacket off the chair and followed Jameson down the stairs to the first floor.  Gunnar was doing something behind the bar and Jameson went over and spoke quietly to him for a few seconds before returning to me and walking me outside to his awaiting car.

The drive a few blocks over to Dan’s was quiet.  Jameson had the radio on and was singing along with The Cure.  He pulled into the employee parking lot and let me out.  “So,” he said a little shyly.  “I’ll have band practice the rest of the day with the guys, but maybe I’ll see you tonight?”

I smiled and nodded.  “I hope so.  Have a good practice,” I said as I closed the door.  I watched him drive off and then fished my keys out of my bag and got into my car.  I put on a CD and mellowed out to some Type O Negative on the drive home.

When I walked into the door, Styvi Nix went crazy.  She was so happy to see me, and I her.  I cuddled up to her for a few minutes and then set her down and went into the kitchen to give her a treat.  As I was passing the kitchen table, I saw a note written for me.

“Cupcake- Styvi was a good girl last night.  We ate popcorn and watched cartoons until 4am.  Did you know she loves Robot Chicken?  So cute!  I brought her home around noon because I had some errands to run before work.  Call me later…I miss you, girl!  Xoxo, Nik”

I looked at the time and it was just now one o’clock in the afternoon.  I was so grateful to Nikki for watching Styvi Nix last night for me.  I wanted to do something nice for her, so I got out the stuff to make oatmeal-raisin cookies and whipped her up a quick batch to bake while I went upstairs to brushed my teeth and put my makeup on.  When they were cooled, I sealed them up in a Tupperware container and put them on her porch with a little note for her to find when she came back from her errands. 

I went back inside and up the stairs to my room.  I quickly hung up the clothes that I had purchased yesterday and put away the accessories.  I selected a corseted back, black tank top, a black zippered skirt, decayed and ripped plum purple tights, and a pair of platform boots to wear tonight for work at The Mausoleum.  I decided to keep it simple and twist my hair up into two buns on the top of my head. 

After I was ready, I took Styvi Nix out into the backyard for a few games of Frisbee.  She absolutely adored her Frisbee and would try hard to jump up and catch it in her little mouth.  She wasn’t very skilled at it, but that didn’t matter.  She was having a ball anyway. 

I heard my cell phone ringing and went back inside to my bag that was on the kitchen table.  I had 2 missed calls from Jesse.  I rolled my eyes and growled in frustration.  I didn’t want to have to change my mobile number, but it was starting to look like that would be my only option if I wanted this guy to leave me alone.  I put my phone back in my bag, put some fresh food and water down for Styvi, kissed her goodbye, and headed back out to Archer’s.

When I arrived, I let myself in the back door since it was unlocked.  It was about 2:30pm and I walked straight up the stairs to Archer’s office.  The door was closed, so I paused in front of it.  I heard voices coming from inside, so I knocked softly on the door.  Archer answered it after a few seconds and thrust the stack of applicants I had selected yesterday at me through the small open slit. 

“I am in a meeting, Miss Morrison.  Take these downstairs and use the bar phone to schedule interviews for tomorrow.  I will be conducting them from 11am until 7pm.  Make sure everyone schedules one and knows not to be late.  Tardiness will not be tolerated,” he said quickly, shielding me from the activity in his office.   With that, he shut the door, leaving me with a hand full of paper, wondering what the hell that was all about.

I made my way back downstairs and stood at the counter behind the bar making phone calls and appointments for the next two hours.  When I was done, I poured myself a diet cola and took a seat at the bar to rest my feet a moment. 

Just then a group of impeccably dressed men walked down the wide metal staircase and onto the first floor.   They walked over to the front entrance and stopped.  “If we do not get a handle on this soon, this creature will completely wipe out my
sliocht
,” the gray haired man said anxiously.

“Aye, and mine too,” the red haired man joined in.

Archer put his hand on each of their shoulders and tried to reassure them.  “Gentlemen, please,” he said, looking at me quickly out of the corner of his eye.  “We will figure this thing out.  Until then, let us follow the guidelines and wait to hear back from
An Dílis
.”

With that they exited the club and Archer stood there for a few moments with his back to me.  I turned around and went back to sipping my diet drink.  I heard him sigh and walk over to the bar.  “Were you able to schedule all the interviews for tomorrow?” he asked, sounding tired.

I played with my straw, not looking at him.  “Yes.  Your first one will be here at 11am,” I said and slid him the paper that contained the schedule of interviews. 

“Good,” he said, sighing and sitting down on the barstool next to me.  “Would you be a dear and fix me something strong to drink?”

“Of course,” I said automatically as I got up and walked around the bar.  I fixed him a stout Black Sunday, minus the cola, and placed it in front of him on a napkin.  He quickly downed half of it.  I came back around the bar and resumed my seat.  “I’m not going to ask you what that was about.  That’s your business.  But, I AM going to ask you if you’re okay?  You seem really preoccupied and a little worn out,” I said gently, stirring my cola with my straw.

He sighed and turned to me.  “I’ll be alright in a bit.  I just have some things on my mind.  Feeding would help too,” he said.

“Would you like me to get you a bag of blood?” I asked politely.

He chuckled tiredly and shook his head.  “I require a real meal today, Skye, but thank you anyway.”

I turned my attention back to my drink as he pulled out his cell phone and hit a few numbers.  “Vanessa, please,” he said, and my heart started to beat a little faster. 
Was he talking to another woman
?  After a few moment’s pause, he resumed talking.  “Hello, sexy.  Care to come over to the club?” he purred. 

My heart beat even faster and I felt a pang of jealousy.  He was inviting another woman over to the club…and he was calling her sexy.  I swallowed and pretend hard not to care about their conversation. 

“Mmm…I’ve been craving you all day,” he said seductively, playing absentmindedly with his straw.  “Come over now.  I’ll see you in a few,” he said and then hung up. 

I quickly downed the rest of my drink and got up to go to the ladies restroom before he had a chance to speak to me. 
The nerve of this guy!  Talking that way in front of me, knowing full well we were all over each other last night.  Boy did he move quickly! 
I took a few deep breaths, hoping that they would help, but they didn’t. 

I knew I had no right to be jealous.  After all, Archer was not my boyfriend and I DID decide last night that I wasn’t going to get into anything with neither him nor Jameson.  But still, he could have been more tactful about the whole situation.  Seeing him act that way toward another woman hurt a little. 

After about five minutes, I walked back out, a little calmer, but my mind wasn’t.  I tried my best to shield my thoughts from Archer, but I didn’t know how good of a job I was doing.  He never said anything, just sipped his drink and read the schedule sheet that I had written up for him. 

I saw that his drink was low and asked him if he wanted another.  He replied yes, and asked if I would also make a Cosmopolitan.  I thought his drink choice was a little feminine for him, but who am I to judge?  So, I spent the few minutes pouring and mixing. 

I set the two drinks in front of him just as a red haired girl walked in through the front door.  She had long, bottled red hair, green eyes, and was wearing a short black mini-dress and high heels.  She was very pretty and young, about twenty.  Archer’s eyes lit up and he stood up to greet her.

“You look gorgeous, Vanessa,” he said, pulling her in for a hug.

“You too, sexy,” she said with a big smile on her face.  “I’ve missed you.”

Archer laughed and took a step back, admiring her outfit. “Did you wear this just for me?” he purred.

Vanessa giggled and then took a step closer, running her finger down his chest to his pants line.  “You know I did,” she said tantalizingly.  “How come you haven’t called me since last week?”

“I’ve been busy,” he replied.  “But you’re here now and I intend to make up for lost time.  Shall we go upstairs?” he asked, leading her back to the bar.

“Oh, yes, let’s,” she said, eyes glazing over in anticipation.

Archer walked over to me and picked up the two drinks, handing one to Vanessa.  He winked at me and turned around, put his arm around her, and lead her upstairs and to his office.

I was pissed at his nerve!  How dare he do something like that in front of me, as if last night meant absolutely nothing to him?  I didn’t know what hurt worse…seeing him move on so quickly, or knowing that what we did meant that little to him.  I felt the sting of tears and fought hard to push them back.  I WAS NOT going to cry over Archer Rhys!  I was just glad that I got to see the real him before I did anything I would have come to regret later. 

I poured myself another diet cola and went into the stockroom to grab supplies to restock the bar shelves.  I ran into Gunnar back there.  He was opening up boxes containing liquor bottles and lining them up on the stockroom shelves.  “Hello, Gunnar,” I said politely.

Gunnar looked up from his box. “Miss Morrison,” he relied, with a very slight smile.  I guess this was an improvement from the last time I talked to him. 

I smiled and grabbed a few liquor bottles and some more napkins.  I made my way back to the bar and restocked the shelves, cleaned the glasses and wiped down the bar.  I was going to restock and clean the second floor bar, but I didn’t want to be up there whenever they finally came out. 

An hour had passed when Archer and Vanessa finally made their way back downstairs.  Archer was fully dressed but that didn’t mean much.  Vanessa had a look of pure ecstasy on her face.  Her eyes were glazed over and she had a silly grin.  I turned back around to the bar and rolled my eyes, trying to keep my mind blank.  I really hated the fact that Archer could read my every thought. I definitely did not want him to know how I felt right now. 

I heard him walk her to the door and kiss her goodbye.  “That was so good,” I heard him say to her and she giggled.  I heard her ask him to call her soon and she left. 

I turned around just in time to see him saunter back up to the bar and take a seat beside me.  He smiled irritatingly and was just about to say something to me when I cut him off.   “Is there anything else that you would like for me to do? I already restocked the bar and cleaned it,” I said, a little impatiently.