Crimson Rush A Vampire Romance (Crimson Book 1) (2 page)

And he was a vampire! Not just any old vampire either. He was a bad ass - ancient vampire lord.

No way was I going to go talk to a vampire that could cast spells like that.

Again I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk to him. He can’t make me, because I’m no vampire.”

The laughter I saw in Luke’s eyes made me feel as if he’d read my mind.

“Sweetheart, he can’t command you … but he can punish me for your refusal, and don’t forget why we are here to start with. He might have some valuable information.”

“Supposing he does. What makes you think he’s going to tell me a thing?” I asked, rolling my eyes. “I’m just food, remember?”

“Oh I think you’ll find that we have all sorts of powerful cravings.”

The meaning behind his words couldn’t have been any clearer. Then I remembered what I’d witnessed just moments before.

Who would have guessed that a human could have sex with a vampire? I wasn’t even sure how it was possible, but I didn’t really have the guts to bring up that kind of question to Luke.

I’d been so focused on the concept of vampire sex, I didn’t even notice that Luke had taken my arm, and was guiding me around the building to the front entrance. When I did realize what he was doing, I came to a sudden stop, forcing him to as well. “I done told you Luke … I am not talking to him.”

“Take my word for it Star. If Marcus doesn’t know what’s going on around here … having him on your side is going to make finding out what you want to know, that much easier.”

He had a point, but I still didn’t know how I was going to make myself talk to him.

“Don’t worry. Follow my lead and everything will be peachy,” he promised.

“Hmm.” I wasn’t as comforted by his words as I would like to have been.

Taking my hand in his, Luke led me through the crowd inside. The stage was now empty, except for the dancers. Behind the stage, a DJ was playing a metal song from the 80s. The song seemed appropriate to the club’s atmosphere.

Leaving the main area of the club, we entered a long - dark hall. At the end of the hall was a door with an odd paint job. The door was black, but there were also strange depictions of the moon in different phases.

Luke knocked, and a moment later the door swung open. The guy standing there was one of the band members, but I couldn’t remember which instrument he played. Truthfully, I couldn’t remember much of anything, other than Marcus.

He had long - frizzy auburn hair and a mustache. The sleeveless T-shirt he was wearing appeared to have been torn to shreds by a razor.

“JD,” Luke said, bowing his head.

JD smiled. “Well if it isn’t the Aussie … come to pay us a visit.”

Luke smiled, but there was an edge to that smile that made me to believe things weren’t really as kosher as he’d led me to believe. “Marcus wanted me to come pay him a visit after the show.”

“Oh no!” JD exclaimed in mock astonishment. “You must still be sucking up to those SCC trolls.”

“Let them in.” The deep - commanding voice came from somewhere behind the door.

Without further comment, JD swung the door open and stepped aside.

I’m not sure exactly what it was I was expecting to see behind that door, maybe a slew of coffins, or the entrance to the pits of hell. It was a possibility that I was even expecting to see the devil himself.

There were no coffins, and thankfully if the gates of hell were there, they were invisible. On the other hand, I wasn’t too far off about the devil.

The devil was there, and he was just as powerful as he’d been up on that stage. Marcus sat in a large - almost throne looking chair. He still had no shirt on, so it took some effort to keep my eyes off his smooth, but well-defined chest. In one hand, he held a wine glass filled with thick red liquid that I assumed was blood.

Looking away, I took note of the other members of the band. The pale blond guy in leather, I remembered as the drummer. Then there was a much darker guy, and not just dark in complexion. He was also wearing black leather, and he didn’t seem all that much different than the others, at first glance. The long black hair that fell to the middle of his back almost matched his clothes, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes that put me on guard. He’d been the guitarist playing rhythm.

Luke bowed slightly. “Savoy.”

Marcus fixed Luke with a flat - emotionless gaze. “Luke Thorne. Where have you been? No one has heard from you for quite some time. You still doing the dirty work for the SCC?” Though his tone was soft, his voice had an ominous quality to it that was unmistakable.

“Keeping busy … and yes, I’m still working with the SCC.” Luke told him, not entirely successful at hiding the aggravation that crept into his voice.

He needn’t have worried; Savoy’s attention had shifted to me. Again I felt the heat spreading through my body.

I was confused by the feeling, and possibly even a little frightened. Well maybe a lot frightened.

“Such poor manners Thorne. You haven’t yet introduced me to your friend.” He was speaking to Luke, but his icy Nordic eyes were on me.

Luke smiled, but it was cold - almost calculating. He obviously respected Savoy’s authority, but there sure didn’t seem to be any love lost between them.

“This is Starla Lavelle, and she was hoping she could talk with you about something.”

“Is that so? His voice was soft - almost mocking.

It felt as if my tongue had swollen to three times its original size. For a fraction of a moment, I was sure if I tried to say anything at all, I would choke.

“Is there something you’d like to say Miss Lavelle?” he urged, a spark of humor in his eyes.

When I’m nervous, I do stupid things. I always have. This time would be no exception. “I know what you are,” I blurted out. “That’s blood you’re drinking.”

The horror that shadowed Luke’s face would have been comical, if I hadn’t been so terrified myself.

I had just signed my own death warrant.

What I expected from him was anger, but instead he smiled. “This?” he said lifting the glass. “This is a health drink Miss Lavelle. But tell me … what it is you think I am.”

Swallowing hard, I answered truthfully. “You are a vampire. Luke has already told me.”

That did it. Now it was obvious I knew too much.

The ice in his eyes was swept away by furious blue fire. “Leave us! All of you.”

The rest of Marcus’s band retreated, but Luke didn’t move.

“You too Thorne,” he commanded, his eyes never leaving me.

“She is here under my protection!” Luke said, his voice as sharp as razors.

“Leave,” Marcus told him again, with a note of quiet warning.

Luke gave me a look of regret before strolling to the door. As soon as he was gone, I turned back to Marcus, expecting to see some kind of ferocious monster. To my surprise, the anger had fled his eyes to be replaced by cold humor.

“So tell me Miss Lavelle … what else do you know about me?” he asked.

Damn was it hard to think when he was looking into my eyes. It was like he was reaching into my head and plucking out every thought I’d had since the day I was born.

It was impossible to look away, so I closed my eyes, hoping to break the spell. When I again opened them, I felt a little calmer.

“I know you’re a vampire,” I told him, refusing to let the trembling I felt inside make it into my voice. “And that you are very old.”

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Your boyfriend is a little too free with information.”

I thought it was probably in my best interest to let him think Lucas was my boyfriend, so I said nothing.

“I doubt Luke brought you here for the sake of satisfying your curiosity. Why are you here?” he asked.

“I want to know what happened to my friend. His name is Max Parker. When they found him, he was nearly dead. I know he came here that night.”

“I’m sorry about your friend, but I fail to see what it has to do with me.” He was smiling, but it was a cold - dark smile.

Figuring I was pretty much dead anyway, I decided to speak my mind. “I think it has everything to do with you.”

He shrugged his broad shoulders. “You have an overactive imagination.”

Since I wasn’t dead yet, I pushed a little harder. “What about Melissa Johnson? She was also here the night she was found dead … drained of blood. What would the authorities conclude about that murder … if they knew you were a vampire?”

The laughter in his eyes was almost as unnerving as his anger. “Tell whomever you’d like Miss Lavelle … but you know they’ll never believe you.”

He was right about that. If I went to Jud, claiming the people at Club Crimson were vampires, he’d give me a one-way ticket to a hospital.

“That doesn’t change the fact that someone was killed after being in your club.”

“We are vampires,” he said, a wicked - taunting smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Wouldn’t you say we are the essence of death?”

“So you killed her?” I gasped.

“I did not, but it doesn’t surprise me that it happened.”

Before I could respond, he asked, “Do you like music Miss Lavelle?”

I nodded, a little confused by the sudden change of subject.

“I find music soothes the soul … reflects our joys, miseries, and our darkness so precisely. This is one of my favorite pieces,” he told me, before reaching over to hit the power button on the stereo that set on the table beside his chair.

Suddenly the room seemed to fill with a dark - almost haunting melody. It was so different than the music I’d heard him sing, I was actually a little taken aback.

“I don’t know it,” I confessed, “but it’s nice.”

“It’s Chopin … Nocturne,” he told me.

Slowly and seductively, his gaze slid over my body. When his blue - shimmering eyes locked with mine, I felt my knees begin to shake.

What was wrong with me?

Savoy stood and held out his hand. “Will you dance with me Miss Lavelle?”

Startled, I shook my head. “I really don’t have much time.”

I knew if I got anywhere near him, he’d be able to melt me like butter on a hot July afternoon. That would certainly put me at a disadvantage.

“Just one dance,” he prodded. “We’ll talk while we dance.”

Well since he’d promise to talk while we dance, I couldn’t refuse. Come to think of it, there were probably thousands of women out there that would think I’d totally lost my mind to refuse in the first place. Of course those women had no idea that the hot rock star known as Marcus Savoy, was actually a vampire.

Taking my hand in his, he pulled me firmly to his chest. As we danced around the room, he stared down at me with those beautiful - hypnotic eyes. I had to keep looking away, or I’d have been completely under his spell within seconds.

Not looking him directly in the eyes helped, but not much.

Marcus leaned down, placing his lips close to my ear. “You remind me of moonlight … enchantingly beautiful … but so so elusive. I want you Starla Lavelle. I want to show you how delightful sex can be with a vampire.”

My heart was racing so fast, I was sure it would burst from my chest at any moment. “I belong to Luke,” I told him, my voice so hoarse I couldn’t help but wonder if he even understood what I’d said.

His laughter was as smooth as silk, but sinister. “So you do … for now.”

I had to change the subject and fast.

Clearing my throat, I asked, “What is Crimson Rush?”

Since gaining consciousness, Max had been uttering those same two words over and over, but that was it. Nothing else.

A stone mask slid over his face and he came to a sudden halt. “Now you are walking on dangerous ground. Leave it alone Star,” he said. His voice had taken a quick turn from seductive to ominous.

“I could just go to the police, or maybe the newspaper,” I threatened.

“And I could just eat you,” he shot back.

“Luke won’t let you,” I told him, though I had no idea what Luke could do about it.

His menacing laughter chilled me to the bone. Before I knew what was happening, he was squeezing me so tightly I could barely breathe.

I caught only a brief glimpse of his fangs, but the bloodlust in his eyes was unmistakable.

“Please don’t!” This time my fear came right through to my voice, which was trembling almost as much as my body.

“You look so much like someone I knew a very long time ago, but that’s impossible right? You are not a vampire. Who are you?” he asked.

All I could do was stare at him.

“Answer me,” he insisted.

I thought it would be a good idea to answer his question, before he really did bite me.

“My name is Starla. You already know that.” I told him, trying hard to swallow the lump of fear in my throat.

“Who are you
really?”

“My friends call me Star, and I’m a cashier at Westlands,” I answered, not really sure what it was he was fishing for.