Dark Rapture (45 page)

“I am not demented! If I was—” He stopped abruptly, turned and shoved his hands in his pockets. A slick-haired black alley cat had joined the two and sat ten paces away, eyeing them curiously with its golden stare. “If I was…I could never fall in love.”

“Love?” Scarlet started after him. “And who is it? Some groupie who serviced your needs for five minutes after one of your shows?”

Vince shrugged and let out a short laugh that was more a snort. “Living with Sebastian has blinded you.”

She barely heard his voice. “What?”

“I’m in love with a girl whose name is Scarlet Rose.” He turned around and for a moment Scarlet thought she saw the lost innocence flicker in his brilliant blue eyes. “But my heart pumps in vain for she is the captive of a droll, boring vampire who never lets her out to feed and to enjoy the vampire experience.”

“Shut up, Vince, you’re just—”

“Making it up?” He lunged into her aura and she could taste the bar smoke mixed with the tempting smell of his own body scent. “You think I don’t have feelings for you, Scarlet? You know I had the chance to interfere—to jump in before Sebastian ever met you—but I didn’t. Shit, I could kick myself for that now. I should have never let him go out with you.” He clenched a fist near his face, releasing it with a sigh. “Not that it really matters any more. You’ve become his little puppy dog. Anything for a bone, eh?”

Scarlet was stunned to hear such an outpour from Vince. She’d always known of his attraction to her but she had never thought it more than a crush.

“You think I’m some deranged lunatic, don’t you?” He swung around. “But you can’t tell me you’re not curious.”

“What?”

He leaned against his Monte Carlo, crossing his arms over his chest. The sweat had dried around his face and his hair was fluffed from the wind. “Come on, Scarlet. You say there’s something missing? Well I’ve got the answer for you.”

She shook her head but he ignored her disinterest.

“You can’t imagine what it’s like when the victim’s heart bursts beneath my hands. And the tremendous rush you get, its like…” He searched the air before him, his hands caressing the sky, “…it’s like the rapture the Christian’s describe when they become one with God. Scarlet…this…is my
unholy
rapture.”

“Please, Vince.” She turned away, finding his sparkling stare almost as unnerving as Sebastian’s. “It can’t be that fabulous. Why should I even be curious about this supposed rapture? The blood rush is the ultimate and I know I’ve had orgasms as earth shattering as I could ever imagine—”

“With Sebastian?”

She knew he was staring at her, waiting for her to show some sign of doubt or curiosity.

“Yes, with Sebastian.” She turned around and boldly met his stare. “Sex between two vampires is the ultimate, you know.”

His eyes never left hers as Scarlet struggled to remain in control. Flashes of him in his bedroom, wrapping a towel around his waist, threatened to break down the barrier she fought to maintain.

“No, I don’t know. I’ve never fucked another vampire.”

“And aren’t
you
curious?”

His brow arced and Scarlet wished she had never said that. She was the only female vampire around that either of them knew about.

“Of course I am.” His gaze traveled her body, clad in a thigh length cotton dress and flat-soled black boots. “And unlike you I’m not afraid to admit my curiosity.”

“I’m not even interested,” she said and thought to end the conversation by walking to the passenger door, but was promptly halted by Vince.

“I promise you, it’s the most amazing thing.”

She looked down at his fingers, clutching her arm, and back up to his eyes, which pleaded so innocently.

Vince glanced down the alleyway across the street from the parking lot where the echoes of a woman’s high heels bounced off the brick walls of the three-story buildings.

He nodded her direction. “Come on.”

Scarlet spied the girl and immediately knew what Vince had in mind. She pulled from his grasp and shook her head, though she was unsure herself what she wanted to do.
You wanted to learn more. This is your chance.

Vince gestured with two fingers as he started across the parking lot. “I dare you.”

Chapter Five

Spain, 13
^th
century

The rushes had been strewn with sweet smelling herbs. During the day a narrow window slit in the curve of the tower room provided the only light. The coverlet lay motionless and dead across the bed. It was of red velvet studded in sparkling rubies, trimmed in thick gray wolves’ fur. There were no other furnishings in the small chamber, save for the chest at the end of the bed, of which Paquita had placed Esmarelda’s few personal possessions.

There were no signs of Adriano having ever lain on the massive bed. Nor were there any personal possessions of his own set about.

Esmarelda pressed her fingers deep into a tuft of fur. She tried to convince herself the shiver trickling down her spine was because of the cool gray bristles, but had little success.

Paquita had spoken nary a word as she’d helped her from her black wedding clothes and into the thin gauze night shift she now wore. The chatelaine had quickly combed out her hair and then with a strangely sad look, she left.

Esmarelda recalled Adriano’s brazen show of fangs after the ceremony and his trick of light with a flick of his hand. They must know what their master is. But how? Did he drink from them? Were they prisoners of this castle? Zombies of the dark vampyre lord who ruled over them?

Esmarelda touched her upper lip, sliding her finger in to scrape across the longer teeth that curved to a gentle and nonviolent point. Vampyre. The word twisted around her thoughts like a viper squeezing its prey. She felt the prey, choked and gasping, unable to utter a word against it.

Her father had taught her to love all humans.

Adriano’s words echoed in her head.
I am not human
.

Then…what?

A beast? Would he transform into a wicked creature with hooves and pointed tail with the light of the moon? Would he come raging and foaming at the mouth into her chamber? Would he be blood-starved and crazed, his eyes glowing red and his actions not his own?

Esmarelda stepped over to the narrow window. The moon was a half disc in the deep purple-gray sky.

I will not kill you
.

But what would he do?

Drink her blood like a blood thirsty beast?

Or perhaps, it wasn’t that way. He looked human. And he seemed quite well mannered and of reasonable mind. Esmarelda recalled the torches that had lit without touch of human hands. He possessed some power not of this earth.

Knowing her husband would come to her tonight and most likely drink her blood Esmarelda tried desperately to calm herself.

But he will also come to consummate the marriage.

Yes. She had dreamed of this night for years. The anticipation of her husband’s touch, his hands upon her body, his mouth pressed to her lips, come to bind the two in eternal love.

A firm rap at her bedroom door made Esmarelda spin around. It was as if she could almost see through the thick wooden door. See his tall, thin outline, the feathery hair that brushed past his elbows, the narrow line of his legs.

“I’ve come for you.”

His voice set her heart racing. So deep and cold it was, as if a massive stone block were being pushed to seal up the darkened hollows of a tomb. Yet oddly...passionate.

Another rap. “Esmarelda?”

“The door is open, my lord,” she struggled to keep reasonable calm to her voice.

The door opened and Adriano stepped into the weak glow spanning from the single candle set into the iron wall sconce. He carried no torch, nor had a candle lit his way up the spiraling stairs. His face was so pale he seemed a shadow of a discarded soul. Black shrouded him from his raven tresses to the pounded leather that circled his arms and covered his feet.

Immediately aware of her lack of clothing, Esmarelda pressed crossed arms to her chest and took a step back toward the bed.

Be brave, her conscious whispered. You are this man’s wife. It is your duty to please him and take him to your bed.

“My lord.” She offered a nervous bow and respectfully lowered her eyes to the floor.

A cool chill captured her breath. He held a twist of her hair in his hand. She hadn’t even seen him move to cross the room. It was almost as if he had floated.

He tilted her chin up so their eyes met. “Is the sky truly so lovely?”

“M-my lord?”

“Your eyes,” he whispered deeply. “Is this the color of the sky when the sun shines?”

Esmarelda recalled with a slight twitch of her fingers the stories she had heard of vampyres. Of course, they could not come out during the day for fear of burning. Had he never seen the light of day?

“Truly the sky is more brilliant, my lord. Perhaps if you held a pale sapphire up to the flame you would see the color you search for.”

He tilted his head, his brows rising slightly as she tried desperately not to look away from his discerning gaze.

“It has been a very long time,” he offered, with a rueful glance toward the midnight sky. “I shall have to be satisfied with what I have.” He released her hair and strode past her, looking over the red coverlet. “You have never lain with a man before?”

“Nay, my lord.”

“Good.”

His sudden touch on the back of her arm, so gentle, startled her. The coolness of his flesh permeated the gauze and rippled another chill through her body and set her nipples up hard against the thin fabric.

He turned her about so Esmarelda stood toe to toe with him. “Remove my clothes, my lady.”

Staring into her husband’s dark gaze, Esmarelda saw no animalistic cruelty drooling for the prey’s weakness, no malicious rage burning fiercely. No. There was only curiosity and perhaps…a compassion of sorts.

So he was not going to throw her to the bed and rape her. Nor was he going to rip her throat out in a lustful frenzy for blood. Or perhaps…he was just prolonging it.

She bowed quickly and touched her fingers to the leather ties that pulled his doublet closed. It was hard to make her fingers do her bidding as Adriano’s dark, emotionless stare kept watch. Finally all ties were unknotted and his doublet slipped to the floor. Esmarelda pulled the tie near his throat loose to reveal pale flesh stretched over taut muscles. She tried fervently not to touch his cool skin but she could not help herself. An eagerness and curiosity to discover the pleasure a man could offer overwhelmed her. She pressed her palm to his chest just below the rosy circle of his nipple. His heart beat fast. Perhaps he was nervous, too.

He pressed a hand over hers. Never had such a simple gesture felt so intimate and possessive. Esmarelda drew in her breath and dared to look into his eyes again.

“Forgive me,” he said. “You are young and naive and should be afforded the luxury of time and exploration. But…” He drew a long breath through his teeth and when he did his heart beat was all the stronger against Esmarelda’s palm. “Your touch does not preach patience. I cannot bare this for a moment longer. Unlace my hose. Quickly.”

Esmarelda daintily tugged at the ties about her husband’s waist, releasing shirt from hose. Adriano kicked his boots to the wall and pulled the white gauze up to Esmarelda’s armpits.

“Raise your arms,” he demanded.

There was no time for modesty. She would not be allowed to slip under the coverlet before removing her gown as she had hoped. Her body prickled with thousands of shivering bumps as her gown slipped over her head and landed on the floor near Adriano’s crumpled boots.

She hadn’t time to cower back against the bed, nor to even give a curious glance her husband’s way. Adriano spun Esmarelda around and pressed himself tight against her thighs and her back, pulling her hair away from her neck with his fingers. Hot, rampant breaths kissed her ear. Losing balance, Esmarelda caught herself against the soft gray fur. Her fingers crushed the velvet as her husband pushed her forward and slid his hand down her naked thigh.

He buried his face in the waves of hair that flowed down her back. “Mmm, so precious.” His hand roved up her leg and curled over her belly.

Closing her eyes, Esmarelda squeezed up a wodge of velvet in her fist as she bared the embarrassment of a man’s hands on her breast. But embarrassment gave way to a surprising reaction. The firm pressure of his fingers squeezing her nipple caused a sensation of want to race to her loins. The mysterious hardness that pressed against the back of her thigh made her want to reach back to touch it.

But wasn’t he supposed to kiss her? And the gentle touch of a man. Where was that? He was in such a rush. In all her dreams...

He is a beast. You can expect no more.

“Pull back the coverlet,” he commanded.

Adriano pressed his hands to the bed just beside her head. His features were shadowed and his hair fell to her shoulders. As if by instinct, she parted her legs. And then a red pain stabbed at her loins and Esmarelda cried out.

“Only once,” he whispered into her ear as he entered her and his rhythms increased. “But with my kiss, you will not cry out.”

His body convulsed and at that same moment, another pain shot through Esmarelda’s body. Adriano’s daggers pierced her flesh and his lips began their own lewd rhythms against her neck. But she did not cry out as he’d commanded. Instead, a dizzying swoon pulled across her senses as quickly and smoothly as the blood being siphoned from her vein.

***

He stood, gathered his clothes into his hands and quickly dressed.

Esmarelda lay silent behind him. Shivering and unsure, but—curiously—not afraid. This new girl’s brave silence threw Adriano. The others had never stood his violence so well. Most had shrieked and set up such a display of theatrics every time he crossed the threshold to this very bed he was glad by the time they perished.

Ah, this one was different.

Adriano licked his lips clean of the delicious concoction that prolonged his life and sustained hers. I will not turn around, he thought. I do not want to feel. It is bad to feel the emotions that were once there. She is only a living supply of food that soon will be vanquished as all the others.

He walked to the door and opened it. “You shall adjust yourself to my schedule,” he muttered. “Sleep during the day and then be ready for my nightly visits. Good eve, my lady.”

***

Los Angeles, present

Vince was halfway across the parking lot when Scarlet realized he was not going to give her a ride until he had fed on the woman. Like it or not she was stuck. He had invited her along but she had no desire to engage in his kind of fun.

She startled when something tickled across her ankle. “Oh, kitty, don’t scare me like that.”

The stray purred sweetly and eyed her with two golden orbs set deep into thick black fur.

“Hey.” She reached to pet it, but the cat dashed away. “Don’t leave.”

Seeming to understand, the cat stopped and glanced back. It was satisfied to wait, as long as she didn’t try to touch it. Or at least, that was the feeling Scarlet got. Strange. It was as if she could understand the little beast.

“First I’m some paranormal being, and now I’m picking up mental messages from cats. What a nut you’ve become, Scarlet.”

She checked her watch. Midnight. Anthony wouldn’t be back for another hour, unless he arrived early, which he usually did.

The new diaries still lie on the trunk. Scarlet looked back down the alley. Vince had crossed the street, his long strides moving him quickly until he reached the facade of the brick building where he stopped, turned toward her, and leaned against the wall to casually wait.

I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to just watch
. But if Sebastian ever found out…

It could be interesting.
I might even discover what makes Vince tick.

She wasn’t sure, but there was something, some forceful pull, that made her want to discover more about Vince.

Maybe it’s lust,
an inner voice whispered.
You couldn’t drag your eyes away when you saw him standing naked in his room
.

“No,” she whispered.
He’s a friend; I want to see that he’s all right. He’s not as crazy as Gary thinks. And maybe, just maybe, he has the answers
.

There was only one way to find out.

Scarlet grabbed up the diaries so no one could walk by and take them, and crossed the street, followed curiously by the stray cat. Seeing she was coming, Vince started ahead, turning down the narrow dark passageway that the woman had slipped into.

She stayed about twenty feet behind him, not eager to get too close lest he should think she was really gung ho about this whole idea. She wasn’t. But she became more relaxed as she watched him go through the motions.

“Hey!”

The girl spun around, prepared to scream, but when she saw the blonde man smiling at her she stepped forward, not noticing Scarlet who hung back in the cool shadows.

“Oh my God!” she gushed and her vibrant red fingernails flew to her matching red lips. “You’re…the guy…who was just singing. Oh, this is so cool. What are you doing here? Oh, it doesn’t matter. Oh my God, this is so incredible! Could you sign an autograph?” She shuffled through her purse, producing a black marker. “Shit, I don’t have any paper.”