Dark Melody: A Vampire Romance (Immortal Legacy Book 1)
Read Dark Melody: A Vampire Romance (Immortal Legacy Book 1) Online
Authors: Lorraine Kennedy
Immortal Legacy
Lorraine Kennedy
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2016 Lorraine Kennedy
All Rights Reserved
Lavine Press 2016
This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.
Contents
Immortal Legacy is a retelling of the Immortal’s story in the words of the characters themselves and includes story details and character insights not available in the original series. This story will be released as a series of novellas.
To learn more about Immortal Legacy or its spin-off series, The Light Seekers, visit,
www.lorrainekennedy.com
Nicole
How far would you go?
How far would you go to be with the one man you live and breathe for – the one that completes you? What if you had to die for him?
Death isn’t usually the first thing you think of when you meet a hot guy that takes your breath away. I know it was the last thing on my mind.
But it shouldn’t have been.
This is the story of my journey into darkness.
* * *
The Dark Wind is one of those clubs that I wouldn’t think about going to without a good reason. Although I did have a good reason to be there, that didn’t make me feel any better about it.
It didn’t look like much from the outside but I’d heard the Dark Wind was one of the hottest clubs in New Orleans. As I made my way through the crowd, I couldn’t, for the life of me, understand what the big attraction was.
The place was kind of small and cramped, especially when there was a full house, and it was definitely packed tonight.
Most of the people in the crowd had to be into the Goth scene. In any case, it sure looked that way. Many of them were wearing black leather and had more piercings than I had earrings.
I was beginning to wish that I’d stayed home and watched some TV. But no, I’d decided to be nice and run an errand for my boss. If I’d known that meant I’d have to go to the Dark Wind and talk to some guy that I didn’t know, I might have thought twice about it before volunteering.
And I wasn’t there to see just any guy. I’d come to see Alec Norwood, who just happened to be one of the most popular rock musicians in New Orleans. His band was really making waves in the world of music. It wouldn’t have surprised me one bit if they eventually made the big time.
Scanning the room, I searched for a place to sit. There was an empty table near the stage but I wasn’t sure if I should take it. I’d been to enough bars to know that sometimes the band reserved tables for their friends.
But since I couldn’t find an open table, I decided to take my chances. The most they could do was ask me to move.
A blond waitress dressed in a tight leather skirt stopped by my table with the drink that I’d ordered on my way in. “Did you ask for a margarita?”
Nodding, I handed her some money. “You can keep the change.”
When the waitress was gone, I settled back to wait for the show to start. I wasn’t one to drink much, but I was nervous as hell. I was a total introvert and I’d never been great at talking to guys.
I knew what Alec Norwood looked like, but that was only because his image was plastered all over the city. Whoever did his PR was doing a good job.
Now all I had to do is wait until I could catch him alone. Ethan had been very specific about this. I should only deliver the message when he was alone.
As soon as I delivered the message, I was out of here.
The lights dimmed and the stage filled with fog. I could barely hear the opening licks from the guitar over the cheers from the crowd.
When the fog finally cleared, I could feel the air being sucked right out of my lungs. He was only a few feet away, and he was even better looking in person.
Beneath the red and blue stage lights, he appeared ethereal, almost dreamlike. His fingers played across the strings of the guitar so fast that I couldn’t even see them moving.
The way the music vibrated through the room it seemed to take on a life of its own. Almost immediately, I could feel myself getting lost in the rhythm. To listen to him play was to be pulled into a world of enchantment, where reality blended with fantasy.
I seemed to be losing control of my thoughts and even my own body. As his music filled the small nightclub, my heart went into overdrive, beating dangerously fast.
As he played, his eyes were focused on his hands, but suddenly he lifted his head to peer out at the crowd. When his gaze came to rest on me, and his icy-blue eyes locked with mine, it was like all the air in the room was gone. I couldn’t breathe.
Even if I’d wanted to, there was no way I could have pulled my eyes away. He seemed to be looking right into my soul.
The dark hair that fell around Alec’s shoulders was glistening beneath the glow of the stage lights. The black leather he was wearing hugged his body like a second skin, leaving almost nothing to the imagination.
But I had no intention of letting my imagination take my thoughts in that direction. In fact, I was going to totally ignore the tingling sensation that was running rampant over my body.
This is business. That’s all.
The little voice in my head was doing it’s best to break through the strange hold he had on my eyes, but I still couldn’t look away. That voice was reminding me of what Ethan had told me before I’d come to Dark Winds.
Whatever you do, don’t look into his eyes.
Those were his exact words. At least, I thought that’s what he’d said. At the moment, I was no longer sure. I could barely think. There was an odd pain behind my eyes that hadn’t been there a few minutes ago.
Alec Norwood stepped up to the microphone. While still holding my eyes captive, he started to sing. His smooth voice seemed to pulsate right through my skull until it was burrowing into my brain.
His words of unfulfilled passion, darkness touched something deep inside of me.
My mouth went dry and I started to shake.
When I finally managed to pull my gaze from his, I lifted my drink to my lips. My mouth and throat were so dry that the alcohol actually burned.
I now understood how the infamous Alec Norwood could make women lose their minds. Most anyone who’d been in New Orleans longer than a few days had heard the rumors.
Alec Norwood was Casanova reborn.
It wasn’t just that he was off the charts gorgeous. His dark music drew women like moths to a flame. His melodies were like nectar to a troubled soul.
But I wasn’t one of his groupies. I was there for one reason and one reason only. Other women might lose their minds for Mr. Alec Norwood, but I refused to be put under his spell.
The other members of Necro were just as dark. Their music was perfect. Not one of them missed a note or a beat. When the song ended, they started into a slow haunting melody and the music settled over me like a warm blanket.
All of the sudden, I was struggling to keep my eyes open. It was almost like I’d been drugged. If I listened to the music much longer, I would be out. I had no idea how much tequila had been in my drink, but it must have been some powerful stuff, especially since I’d barely touched it.
What I needed was a break. Maybe if I splashed some cold water on my face I’d feel better.
Sliding my chair away from the table, I stood up and that’s when the room started to spin.
I was such a lightweight that even a little tequila was too much to handle. When the dizzy spell passed, I made my way through the crowd, toward the ladies room.
Alec
When the pretty girl with the dark hair rushed from her table, I was tempted to stop the show and go after her. But if I did that, the rest of the band would be left hanging and that wasn’t fair to them.
Who was she?
I’d noticed her almost as soon as I stepped on the stage. There was something about the way she’d looked at me that put me on edge.
And then I looked into her eyes and felt something stir within me, something that I hadn’t felt in centuries.
But what was it about her that brought up those feelings?
She was stunning, but there was more to it than that. I was accustomed to beautiful women. Not a night went by that I didn’t have at least one woman following me around. Those women were beautiful and exotic, but their spirits were tarnished.
It took a minute, but it finally dawned on me what it was about her that was bothering me. When I looked into those beautiful dark eyes, I saw an innocence tainted by darkness.
The blemishes on her soul were different than most. Her darkness was something that had grown out of despair.
Unlike the rest of the crowd, the woman was dressed plainly. She wore her hair in a simple, down to earth style. Although her clothing consisted of jeans and a white blouse, they looked great on her. She was dressed nice, but it was obvious she hadn’t come to Dark Wind to impress anyone.
Her curves were definitely in all the right places, but it was her eyes that I found most attractive. They were warm, like sunshine. It was as if she’d captured the sun in her eyes, and now its rays followed her wherever she went.
The warmth of the sun was something I hadn’t experienced for a very long time. To look up and see the essence of that light in her was as stimulating as the scent of the blood that ran through her veins.
She’d come specifically to see me, though not for the same reason as the other women in the crowd. I’d sensed a physical reaction in her but her intent wasn’t to seduce me.
So why would a girl like that risk coming to a place as dangerous as Dark Wind?
I was certain her reason had nothing to do with seeing Necro perform.
Finally, the set ended and I placed my guitar on a stand next to one of the amps.
“I’m going to take a break,” I told the others.
Crag, the bass player rolled his eyes. “Yeah, like you really need to take a break. Do you forget what you are?”
How could I forget what I was?
Even if I tried, I’d never be able to forget. I am everything you should be afraid of. I am the very essence of darkness.
Nicole
Cupping my hands beneath the faucet, I let them fill with cold water before splashing it on my face. I was so flushed and hot that the sudden change of temperature sent my senses reeling. Suddenly the room was spinning and my chest heaved as I struggled to draw oxygen into my lungs.
Gradually, the feeling subsided and I began to feel a little better. Now the only problem I had was that I couldn’t stop my hands from trembling.
After splashing some more water on my face, I gazed at my reflection in the tiny mirror above the sink. The eyes of a stranger stared back at me. My skin was way too pale to be healthy.
There was no doubt about it. I had to get more sun. If my face got any paler, I’d pass for a reaper.
What happened out there?
Alec Norwood had somehow tapped into the pain that I worked so hard to keep buried. Sometimes I even managed to bury it deep enough that I could forget, but only for a while. Maybe it was the anguish I’d sensed in his music that brought it all to the surface?
Strange as it sounds, it was as if his music had actually reached inside of me to stir those dormant emotions.
It had been such a long time since I’d felt the pain quite so intensely. When it did jump out at me like that, it always kicked my ass.
But I’d felt more than grief. Beneath the fresh wave of pain, I felt something else.
The entire experience had my head spinning. I didn’t want to think about it anymore. All I wanted was to do my job so I could go home.
Pulling the last paper towel from the dispenser, I dried my face. As an afterthought, I took the brush from my purse and ran it through my hair. Once I was satisfied that I looked somewhat normal again, I slipped it back in my purse and left the restroom.
Light in the club was basically non-existent. What light they did have was insufficient, especially in the little hallway where the restrooms were located. If they’d had lights like a normal nightclub, I might have noticed the figure lurking in the shadows.
By the time I realized he was there, it was too late. A hand came at me from the darkness.
What came out of my mouth was something between a scream and a sob. At first, I was too startled to think of running.
“Let’s take a walk,” he said in a voice that was as cold and smooth as steel. If I hadn’t recognized him, I would have run screaming for the police.
I let him lead me through the crowd, toward the exit. By the time I recovered, we were already outside. It was dark – too dark to feel comfortable with someone I didn’t know.
The moon was only half full, so that didn’t do a lot as far as providing light. There was a small neon light that hung above the main entrance, but the blue bat with outspread wings didn’t put off enough light to illuminate the parking lot.
“Who are you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes to slits.
So he’d noticed me watching him and now he wanted to know who I was.
“Someone sent me to give you a message,” I told him, avoiding any kind of eye contact.
When he’d been on that stage, I’d discovered just how hypnotic his eyes could be. I couldn’t let him get under my skin again. Not while we were alone, and not while I was still so vulnerable.
“Okay. You now have my undivided attention,” he said, a smile softening the hard line of his mouth. Taking a step closer, he grabbed my hand. “You’ve had my attention since the moment I set eyes on you.”
His sweet spicy scent was beyond distracting. Suddenly my head was filled with the image of tangled, slippery bodies, moving together in the most erotic of dances. Blood rushed to my cheeks.
Where had the thought come from?
I pulled my hand from his.
The laughter I saw in Alec’s eyes made me think he was completely aware of what I’d been thinking.
But he couldn’t be. That was impossible.
Clearing my throat, I said, “Ethan Lamont sent me. He needs to see you as soon as possible.” Although I was trying my hardest to sound confident, my voice still cracked.
The amusement disappeared from his eyes. Now those dazzling blue eyes were as cold as ice.
“I told him never to contact me.” Although he voice barely rose above a whisper, each word he spoke was laced with danger.
My survival instinct kicked in and I took a step back. “I’m just the messenger.”
His demeanor changed abruptly. Smiling, he said, “And a very attractive one.”
What the hell?
His mood changed so quickly it was like he’d flipped a switch.
How was I supposed to react to someone who could be angry one minute and coming onto me the next? I did the only thing I could think to do. I smiled, though it was a strained smile.
He could flirt all he wanted, but I was determined not to fall all over myself for him. I wasn’t going to be like some women and turn into mush just because some musician was giving me a little attention. That wasn’t me.
Alec closed the distance between us. Now he was so close that I was backed up against the white cinderblock wall. With his mouth only a few inches from my lips, I could actually feel his breath.
And there was something strange about it. The breath I felt against my face wasn’t moist and warm. It was cold.
“Who are you?” he asked again, his voice so soft – so seductive.
He was too close!
Fear ripped at me like invisible claws tearing at my flesh. Perhaps it was some kind of sixth sense kicking. Either way, I somehow knew I had to get away from him and I had to do it now.
My heart was beating so fast, I was sure it would burst through my ribcage at any minute. Part of me was terrified, while another part of me felt a strange kind of exhilaration at being so near him.
“My name is Nicole, and I work for Ethan.” I forced the words through trembling lips.
Alec leaned even closer until his lips were nearly touching mine. “Do you like being close to me, Nicole?”
Placing my hand against his chest, I pushed him away. “You’re too close.”
“But isn’t this what you want … what you have been thinking about since I walked onto that stage?”
My fear vanished. The amusement in his voice was like having ice water dumped on my head. “I think you like to flatter yourself.”
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” I scowled.
Although his eyes were completely unreadable, I sensed his retreat.
“Tell Ethan that I’ll meet him in our usual place, but I’ll need two days.” Giving me a mocking bow, Alec turned to leave.
Stopping abruptly, he turned back. “If I were you, I wouldn’t hang out here too long. It can be dangerous after dark.”
Then he was gone.
I stood there for a long time after he’d gone back inside.
What had he meant by dangerous? New Orleans could be dangerous at any time of the day, so what made this place any different?
True, Ethan had told me that the people Alec hung with weren’t the kind of people I’d want to get to know, but he didn’t exactly say they were dangerous either. Of course, he’d been pretty adamant about the fact that the Dark Wind could be a rough place. When I tried to get more information out of him, he’d changed the subject.
Something just wasn’t right with all of this.
In fact, there was something not right with Alec Norwood. I had to admit, he was probably the most magnetic and alluring man I’d ever met, but it was more than that. When we were alone, I’d felt like a 12-year-old schoolgirl, suddenly left alone with her first crush.
No, it wasn’t exactly like that either.
The feeling was similar to that, but a lot more powerful. You would have to multiply that by thousands to even come close to the way I’d felt when he was standing close to me.
Now that the incident was over and he was gone, I almost felt normal again. I wasn’t thrilled about having to walk through a dark parking lot, but it was probably better than being in the company of Mr. Norwood.
