Damek's Redemption: Legacy, Book 6 (6 page)

But she’d never climbed out of bed with any of those men looking quite like this. She patted her rosy cheeks and sighed. Her dream lover might have spoiled her for anyone else.

And where the heck had she conjured him from? He was male perfection, strong without being muscle-bound, tall, but not too tall, his eyes black and compelling. She sighed and turned away from the mirror, determined to put the dream behind her. After all, it wasn’t like she was ever going to meet him. He was a figment of her rather vivid imagination.

Sonia stepped up to the shower, turned on the water and adjusted it to slightly on the cool side. She needed to rid herself of the remnants of last night’s dream and get back down to business. Then she peeled off her pajamas and stepped beneath the spray, cringing as the water hit her bare skin. “Crap, that’s cold.” She quickly adjusted the water so it was slightly warmer, grabbed the bar of soap off the ledge and began to lather it between her hands. Usually she enjoyed her morning shower. This morning she didn’t linger.

She stepped out, grabbed one of the thick, fluffy towels the hotel provided and quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around her. She hadn’t washed her hair and it was only damp on the ends, so she dragged her brush through the thick mass and pulled it back, clipping it at her nape with a hammered silver barrette.

Moisturizer, a light brush of mascara and a swipe of lipstick and she was done with her morning routine. Sonia never bothered with much makeup, had never really gotten the knack for it, much to the chagrin of her mother, who was the most stylish person Sonia knew. Obviously, she’d been born without that particular gene, but it no longer bothered her. She’d long ago come to accept who she was, a regular
-
looking woman with a good brain and a healthy body.

According to her mother, her best features were her smoky-gray eyes and her rather ample chest, which Sonia did her best to downplay. But she did love beautiful lingerie and spent more money than she should on her one vice. She reached into her suitcase and pulled out a bra and panty set in a lovely shade of lavender. She dropped the towel and put them on, loving the sensual slide of the silky fabric and lace against her skin. The textures seemed more intense this morning and she shivered, her nipples pebbling against the cups of the bra.

Comfort was the key for today and she pulled on well-worn jeans and paired them with a charcoal-gray turtleneck. The color of the top brought out her eyes and she knew it looked good on her. She topped it with a black blazer, making her appear casual, but professional. She strapped on her watch and added small silver hoops to her ears, deciding that was good enough.

Her phone rang and she checked to see who it was before she answered it, not surprised in the least to discover it was her eldest brother. She thought about not answering, but he’d only call back. She thumbed the talk button. “Good morning, Stefano.” She wandered to the window and peered out over the city, wishing she had a cup of coffee.

“Mama is worried about you.” His voice was smooth, but there was no disguising his impatience.

“Mama has no need to worry,” she countered. Beneath her, traffic flowed up and down the street in an unending ribbon of vehicles. “I’m an adult and I’m here to do research. This is not my first time away from home.” The last was said with a wry tone. She’d been traveling her entire life and had been to the far corners of the earth with her family and by herself.

“Mama is worried,” he repeated. They all knew when their mother was worried they needed to pay attention. Her intuition for such things was unmatched.

“I’m being careful, Stefano.” She softened her tone, knowing her brother called because he was worried about her too. “I promise I’m fine. I’m staying at a reputable hotel and keeping to busy places. This is a city like any other, with its crime and problems. I understand that and will take every precaution.”

Stefano sighed and she could almost see him running his hand through his thick black hair, making it stand on end. “I can be there in a matter of hours.”

Her heart squeezed and she knew he would do just that, drop everything and come to her side if she needed him. That was what family did. “You’re busy with your law practice and, as much as I love you, I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Promise me you’ll be careful. And call Mama tonight. She won’t sleep until she knows you’re safe in your hotel.”

“I’ll call her when I get in for the night. I promise.” Sonia turned away from the window. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he gruffly replied. “You’re the only sister I have and it’s my job to take care of you.”

“Love you too,” she cooed.

“Brat,” he retorted. “Be safe.” He hung up and she ended the call, tucking her phone into her purse. She slung the large leather bag over her shoulder, snagged her keycard from the bedside table and shoved it into her back pocket.

The first order of business was to get a cup of coffee and grab a bite to eat. After that, she was heading to the library to do some more research before trying to corner Damek at his club. Since club owners worked late, he most likely wouldn’t be there until late afternoon, or after dark, if he really was a vampire.

She shivered again as she shut her room door and hurried down the hallway. Was Damek a vampire, or was her trip here nothing more than a wild-goose chase? She stepped inside the elevator when it opened and pressed the button for the lobby.

All members of The Keepers knew that vampires were the most dangerous of the paranormal creatures, especially when they were young. Most of them ended up dead, executed by modern-day vampire hunters, and Sonia found it hard to condemn the hunters for all their actions. Many young vampires killed indiscriminately, leaving a trail of dead bodies in their wake, which also made them easier to track.

But not all vampires were killers. And that’s where The Keepers and the vampire hunters differed in their philosophies. The hunters tended to slaughter every vampire they found and even many humans who were pretending to be vampires. They even murdered humans who helped vampires in any way, making them an enemy of The Keepers. They were worse than the creatures they hunted, and Sonia knew if they ever discovered her helping a paranormal creature of any kind they would kill her without hesitation.

If there was an ancient vampire living in this city, one who’d survived without slaying humans for all these years, then he deserved whatever help they could give him.

Of course, it was presumptuous of her even to think he would need or welcome their help. Her father and especially her grandfather would not approve of what she was doing, which was why they didn’t know the real reason for her trip. They believed an ancient vampire would know of their secret society and approach it if help was required. Otherwise, they were to be left alone.

She’d read accounts of several unnamed vampires living across Europe and Asia, as well as one in Alaska. Their identities were carefully guarded, but Sonia had always longed to speak with one of them. They’d seen so much in their long years on this earth, done so much. The information they possessed about the world was enormous. Plus, she simply wanted to meet one, had been obsessed with the idea since she was a child.

The elevator door opened and she stepped out, walked briskly through the lobby and out the front door of the hotel. The air was crisp, but the sun was out, making it the perfect spring day. She turned left, her strides long and determined. Food, research and then it would be time to try to corner the elusive Damek. Her plan solidly in place, Sonia picked up her pace.

Damek stared at the computer screen in front of him, seeing nothing but a blur of numbers. He’d been working nonstop since early this morning and had managed only a meager three-hour nap in his desk chair earlier in the afternoon.

He might be an immortal, but even he needed to recharge, and working all through the day had drained him. He’d felt the sun reach its peak and start its descent hours ago. Without even looking at a clock, Damek knew it was half past five. The bar wouldn’t open for a while yet, but the staff was already in and working hard to get ready for what would be another busy night.

He was also hungry. Again. Usually he had no problem going for a day or more after he fed well, but he’d been on edge lately, needing sustenance more and more often to keep the hunger at bay.

He swiveled around and found a secret lever in the wall with his fingers. He pressed it and the wood panel swung open, revealing a small refrigerator. Damek plucked the last remaining bag of blood from the cooler and dug his teeth straight into the bag. It was cold and lifeless as it rolled down his throat and he wanted to spit it out and go in search of the real thing—thick, hot and pulsing with life. Instead, he forced himself to drain the bag and folded it carefully, sticking it in his jacket pocket for disposal later.

The blood coursed through his veins, reviving him enough to work through the night if need be. It would have to do.

He carefully closed the panel, disguising the refrigerator, even though he wanted to slam the door. Dangerous, volatile emotions were pushing at him. Not good. He needed to remain on an even keel to keep himself and those around him safe.

A knock came on the door. His staff knew better than to interrupt him when he informed them he wanted to be alone, and he knew Bryon had a good reason for disturbing him.

“Come.”

Byron opened the door and stuck his head inside the office. “She’s back, boss. The woman from last night. What do you want me to do?”

Fate. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath even though he didn’t need oxygen to survive. The blood he’d just consumed raced through his veins and anticipation thrummed through his body. She’d come.

“Boss?” He could hear the concern in Byron’s voice and took a moment to steady himself. It seems fate had made her choice.

He pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. “I’ll see her.” He glided out from behind his rather large, antique desk, already anticipating seeing Sonia again.

Byron rubbed a hand over his bald head. “Uh, boss, do you think that’s a good idea.”

Damek smiled at his friend. “Probably not, but I’m going to do it anyway.”

“You’re the boss.”

“Yes, I am,” he said softly as he walked down the short hallway and into the heart of the club.

Sonia surveyed her surroundings with interest, noting how different the place looked when it was almost empty. The music speakers were silent and only the muted sounds of the staff preparing for the night disturbed the quiet. Inhibitions was really quite a large, cavernous room without all the people filling it. Tables and booths were polished to a gleam and the floor was free of any debris. A female employee with a clipboard checked liquor bottles, all the while casting inquisitive glances in Sonia’s direction.

Smoke and mirrors. The club would seem so intimate, so captivating with the music pumping and the myriad lights shining on the patrons, spotlighting them on the dance floor and giving them privacy in the darker corners. The whole thing was an illusion. Right now, the club resembled the warehouse it was, later on it would be alive with people who wanted to party and dance and delve into the dark sides of their fantasies.

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, suddenly chilled. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what went on here, which was surprising considering some of the places she’d been in her lifetime. A cemetery at midnight didn’t bother her half as much as Inhibitions did. Of course, all the inhabitants of the cemetery she’d visited had been quite dead and she couldn’t say that about the inhabitants of the club.

She was actually quite surprised she’d been allowed inside Inhibitions, which didn’t open for another half hour yet. She checked her watch. Make that twenty-eight minutes. She’d learned that they opened promptly at six, but knew the place wouldn’t really be hopping until much later. This would be her best time to talk to Damek, if he was here.

The rather large, intimidating bouncer who’d escorted her from the premises last night had let her in his evening, telling her to wait while he checked to see if the boss was in. Either Damek was here or he wasn’t. Shouldn’t the bouncer know for sure?

He probably did. The question really was would Damek be in for her or would he send her away again?

She was determined to meet him one way or another. Sonia chewed on her bottom lip, knowing she was bordering on obsession with her need to meet this guy. She’d done a lot of research today, but could find nothing on the man himself, nothing but a very poor picture that really didn’t show much at all.

It was as if he were a ghost, living in the shadows. That piqued her interest and made her believe she was on the right track. No paranormal creature wanted the general public to be able to find out anything about him.

The research on the event last fall had intrigued her as well. Several men had been murdered and the police had decided it was gang related and the men killed had been mauled by pit bulls. Sonia wondered about that and knew she was going to check out Wicker Park and the surrounding area for any signs of werewolves actually living in the city. That would be rare. They tended to stick to rural, wooded areas where there was less human occupation and more open spaces in which to run.

A stirring in the air made the hair at her nape stand on end. Her gaze was drawn to the dark hallway beyond the bar, the one down which the giant, leather-clad bouncer had disappeared. She swallowed hard as a man appeared.