Wicked Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 4) (2 page)

Kat tightened her grip on my hand to refocus my attention. “There’s still time to cancel if you don’t feel up to it,” she said. “You have a lingering concussion, after all.”

My concussion was the
lovely
parting gift I’d acquired back in Slovenia in the act of saving the lives of people, and a number of vampires, who I cared deeply about—including the woman beside me.

Kat’s the love of my life. How could I have done any less?

“I feel fine,” I replied.

“You look more than fine to me,” she said.

Her intense gaze pierced through me, seizing me where I stood, and I felt the electric charge of desire permeating the space between us. Since the first moment I’d set eyes on her, she’d affected me in a chemical, almost feral, manner.

I felt inexorably drawn to her.

My pulse quickened as a carnal appetite grew inside me. The edges of her mouth edged upward in that I-read-your-body-and-know-what-you’re-feeling manner. It was yet another of her innate vampire-related abilities that made me feel nearly naked, like some open book for her to consume.

I’m hers to consume; utterly and without reservation.

For as many times as she’d partaken in my blood, it felt as though she’d likewise injected her very essence into my bloodstream.

Kat was my only true craving.

She was all I wanted in life.

She guided us alongside the nearest building and towered before me. Grasping my chin between her fingertips, she titled my head upward and pressed her soft lips against mine in a passionate kiss.

And just like that, it felt as if the world around me ceased to exist. All that mattered was Kat and me.

“I want—”

She kissed me again.

“You want what?” she muttered against my lips, eliciting a tickling sensation.

I grinned. “You.”

“I can arrange that,” she whispered.

She kissed me deeply and I felt my breath practically being drawn from my lungs.

Heaven on Earth.

Then a fleeting pang of guilt washed over me.

“Paige and Ethan,” I said. “They’re waiting.”

“I could text them to go ahead without us. Then it would be just you and me at home for the entire night.”

Honestly, at that moment, I was half-tempted to give in to that idea.

“That’d be rude, given how Paige has been going on about Angelical Tears since she heard their tour was stopping here,” I said. “Heck, it’s like she’s a part-time promoter for them or something.”

Angelical Tears was a modern Goth-metal-alternative rock group that my dear friend, almost a sister, Paige Turner, had brought to my attention.

After listening to some sample tracks, I had to admit the group had a unique sound. They’d recently come into their own and had begun a nationwide tour, and I was looking forward to hearing them.

Kat nodded her head. “Paige has been rather insistent lately, hasn’t she?”

“So, how about a rain check on some quality kissing until post-concert?” I asked.

“I’ll seriously consider it,” she said coquettishly.

She kissed me.

“Maybe just one for the road,” she said.

“Hey, you lip-lockers!” called a familiar voice from across the street. “Hurry up or we’ll miss the warm-up group!”

“Speak of the devil,” Kat said.

We proceeded to the Philips Arena, and the building was at near-capacity level.

Angelical Tears sounded great, and the audience loved them. Their songs varied from pounding hard rock and visceral lyrics to sweeping romantic tracks that spoke of heartfelt passion, and on occasion, lamenting.

The lead singer was a beautiful young woman who had a powerful angelic-sounding voice. Additionally, her inclusion of Russian lyrics in some of the songs was exotic and visceral sounding.

The band played guitars and drums like extensions of their own bodies, pouring raw, heated emotion into their performance. Combined with synthesizers, their sound was both unique and enthralling.

It was no wonder they attracted such a large fan base.

They seemed liked an epic band that was destined for greatness.

During the concert, something odd caught my attention. Despite their obvious Goth elements, the lead singer and the bass player had other familiar qualities.

I wrapped my arm around Kat’s waist and spoke into her ear. “Hey, two of them look kind of like vampires, don’t you think?”

She merely nodded, but Paige tapped me on the shoulder and gave me an exaggerated wink.

“No wonder you love them,” I said.

She merely smiled, swaying in time to the music.

After the concert, which included two curtain calls, Paige led us past a group of fans along a rope barricade to the area leading back stage.

“Paige Turner and company,” she said to a muscular man holding an electronic tablet.

He motioned with a nod for us to proceed.

“You know the band?” I asked.

“Hey, I know people,” she said.

“And I bet they usually end up a pint shy of blood for that,” I said.

“Oh, hush, snark-face,” she said.

Soon, we were standing backstage talking with the band. Paige introduced us to Julia, the vampire lead singer, and her vampire mate, Glenn, the bass player.

“Great concert,” I said. “Julia, your voice is amazing, and Glenn, you rocked that bass.”

They were both very kind and gracious. I quickly felt comfortable around them, so it made asking my next question so much easier.

“Aren’t you afraid of all the attention?” I asked. “I mean, people are going to notice your lack of aging eventually.”

“No problem,” Glenn said. “It’ll take a long time before those things became an issue. Lots of bands like ours wear makeup, which helps.”

“That’s all it takes, a little makeup?” I asked.

“Dude, look at KISS,” he said.

Julia frowned at him. “Really, Glenn,
KISS
? That’s who came to mind first?”

He shrugged. “It is what it is. Hey, how about a beer?”

“Don’t forget, honey, we’re signing for fans in twenty minutes,” Julia said.

He grinned. “Just one. Maybe two, tops.”

I chuckled and followed him to a nearby cooler where we drank beers and talked about their nationwide tour.

I had a blast, and even Katrina seemed to enjoy herself. Without a doubt, Julia and Glenn had earned my vampire stamp of approval.

And they even signed our concert T-shirts.

* * *

By the time we’d finished visiting with Glenn and Julia, the crowd had thinned out significantly. Kat and I held hands while Ethan and Paige walked arm and arm behind us during the walk to the parking garage.

“Angelical Tears was great,” Ethan said. “I have a feeling they’re going places.”

“Yeah, the next city,” Paige piped up. “They
are
on a nationwide tour, after all.”

I heard a growl and a squeal, and glanced over my shoulder to see Ethan trapping Paige in his arms and wriggling his face against her neck.

She squealed again. “Hey, no fangs!”

“Glenn and Julia seem really wonderful,” Kat said.

“Yeah. And Julia’s voice has amazing range, not to mention she’s a beautiful woman,” I said. “And it was nice of them to sign our T-shirts.”

“Hey, vampires make great singers,” Paige said, as she and Ethan quickly fell into step behind us again. “And, kiddo, don’t forget that one of those shirts is mine.”

“You know, if they make it really big, they’re going to have to be careful being in the limelight,” Ethan said. “Entertainers receive a lot of scrutiny from the media.”

“Well, as vampires, at least they can devour the paparazzi,” Paige said wryly.

Kat and I both glanced over our shoulders at her.

“What? It’s only paparazzi; they’re not like real people, right? Who’d care, really?” she countered.

Kat and I looked at each other and simultaneously shrugged as Ethan chuckled.

Standing in the parking garage elevator, I regretted that the evening had passed so quickly.

Isn’t life just like that? The good times are so fleeting.

“Which floor?” I asked.

“We’re on three,” Paige said. “And it’s a level, not a floor.”

“It doesn’t matter. There’s a floor on each level,” I said. “You know, that stuff made of concrete.”

She gave me a look. “Whatever, college boy.”

“Paige, maybe you and Ethan would like to come over for drinks?” Kat asked.

“Nah, me and my old man are heading straight home for some hot sex-capades,” she said.

Ethan appeared quite pleased while Kat and I merely stared at her.

“What?” she asked. “We’re all adults here, right?”

“Uh, maybe a little TMI,” Kat said.

“I’m just sayin’,” Paige said. “Hey, it’s not like I said, ‘we’re heading home so he can bend me over and stuff me with his---”

“
Paige
,” Kat interrupted.

She stuck her tongue out at Kat.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

When the doors to the third level opened, only a sparse number of vehicles remained.

“Here you are,” I said. “Kat and I are on the next floor.”

“Level,” Paige corrected.

“Whatever,” I said.

Kat and I said our goodbyes to them and proceeded up to the next level.

Floor?

I looked at Kat.

“In a hotel or office building, it’s called a floor,” I said. “Why does a parking garage make it a level?”

“Please don’t start,” she said.

I shrugged.

“I had a blast tonight,” I said as the elevator doors opened.

There were only sporadic vehicles parked on our—
elevation
—so I easily spotted Kat’s Audi.

We scarcely walked twenty feet when the elevator doors opened behind us. We both turned to see Paige exiting.

“Hey, gimme’ my concert T-shirt,” she said.

As I reached into the bag I was carrying, strange popping noises sounded and two distinct holes appeared in the door of the car beside us.

“Wha—?” I said.

“Gun!” Kat yelled, pulling me down onto the concrete.

“Crap!” Paige yelled from behind us.

Chapter 2

Caleb

Two additional muted popping noises preceded more holes appearing in the side of the vehicle just above our heads.

Adrenaline surged through my body, awakening an acute sense of alertness that nearly overwhelmed my senses.

Kat jerked on my arm and literally pulled me across the concrete toward the opposite side of the vehicle.

“Stay down,” she ordered, bodily pressing me against the rough concrete.

Yeah, right; as if I was going to be able to get up with a six-foot tall vampire practically sitting atop me.

“Are you hurt?” she asked.

I tried in vain to determine where Paige was as I heard the sound of someone yelling and then what sounded like a windshield breaking.

“Dammit, are you
hurt
?” Kat demanded.

“What? No!” I snapped.

“One down!” Paige’s voice echoed from somewhere deeper in the parking garage.

“We’ve gotta’ help her, Kat,” I urged while trying to wriggle free from beneath her.

Her face loomed before mine, our noses almost touching.

“Stay!” she hissed in a tone that chilled my blood.

I could practically feel the harsh tone of her voice against my skin as her command reverberated through my body.

I lay stunned and immobile as my heartbeat raced, thundering in my ears.

She dialed her cell phone with one hand, and I noticed she was holding a small combat knife in her other.

“Gunmen on our level. Paige engaged. One down. Quantity unknown,” she said into the phone.

Moments later, a vehicle’s tires squealed, followed by the sound of a motor revving and accelerating.

“Go help Paige,” I said.

“Shush. Not yet,” she said.

What the hell was she waiting for?

“Clear!” Paige’s voice echoed in the distance. “One’s getting away!”

Kat moved in a blur and I felt the immediate absence of her weight from atop me.

Before I could begin to rise, she was already gone. All I heard was the muted sounds of rapid footsteps against pavement.

“You okay?” Ethan asked, seemingly from nowhere.

I thought my heart stopped as my head whipped around to stare at him. I was met with full-on nausea and the world seemed to spin for a moment.

“Whoa,” I said.

Firm hands grasped me by the upper arms, solidly supporting me in place.

“Slowly, Caleb. You’ve got a concussion,” he cautioned. “Remember?”

“Hey,
you
surprised
me
,” I said with no small degree of irritation.

“You okay?” he asked.

Ignoring the sense of nausea rolling through my stomach, I nodded while pensively scanning the area.

Horns blared loudly followed by the sounds of two vehicles crashing together from one of the lower levels.

Somebody screamed once in surprise off to our left, followed by the sounds of people conversing in urgent tones.