Scent of a Vampire (2 page)

At first I told no one what happened, not even Janel. Not until it happened again. I went to a neighbor's birthday party and his favorite aunt from Ohio had come for the event. As I stepped
Scent of a Vampire – Jude Stephens

Page 6 of 172

forward to be introduced to the elderly woman, the dreaded musky scent filled my nostrils and I started shaking. I quickly told my neighbor that I wasn't feeling well and left the party as fast as I could. Two days later, coming home from work, I saw my neighbor just entering his house and he waved me over.

He asked me if I would be able to take in his mail for a few days because he had to go to Ohio to attend his aunt's funeral. He said she had passed away suddenly right after returning home the day before. I nodded, mumbled my condolences and knew I had to talk to someone. I decided I had to at least tell Janel about my curse and when I did, I didn't get the skeptical reaction I thought I would.

"Well, that is odd. But you know there are a lot of odder things in the world than this. Yesterday I read a story, while in line at the supermarket, about a never before seen pink lizard being found in the South American jungles. Imagine, a pink lizard! Hmmm, I wonder if there will ever be blue cows?

Imagine the gorgeous leather handbags we could have." She laughed.

As always, Janel made me crack a smile and forget my troubles for a minute.

"Why are you looking at this as a curse? What you need to do is find a way to make this into something positive. Maybe this isn't a bad thing. You have to look at this from another angle.

I'm sure you can find a way to make this into something good and maybe one day we can have blue leather handbags baby!"

I realized she was right. I can take this and figure out a way to do well with it. Damn me if I couldn't!

So, for the last few months, I'd been finding ways to turn a curse into a blessing. Whenever the musky scent assailed my senses, I investigated where it came from. Once I found an elderly woman lying in a bed. I didn't need my gift to see she was dying.

I went over to her and asked her name. She told me her name was Mae. She had no children and her husband had passed away five years ago.

As a girl, she lived by a lake and more than anything she liked to watch the sunset on the lake.

So, when the sky started turning a deep blue, I helped her turn in the bed toward the window so she could see the sunset. As I held her hand, she closed her eyes and died peacefully with a slight smile on her face. That was when I started to embrace what I had been given. I didn't question it anymore. My parents have always told me to every thing there is a reason. Turn.

Turn. Turn. My parents love old songs and I have a tendency to get music stuck in my head. And sometimes without being aware I am doing it, I tend to sing out loud. I hate it when that happens. People tend to look at you a little strange when you burst into song.

But Janel had been right, maybe this is a gift of some kind and I was given it for a purpose that I was unaware of as yet.

Scent of a Vampire – Jude Stephens

Page 7 of 172

While Janel and I stood in the ornate lobby of the Platza del la Viva hotel and casino, I was hoping I could pin point where the smell was coming from. I glanced back to the two hot guys who appeared to be arguing again and looking as if they might come to blows, but the gorgeous blond spun on his heel and walked away. Luck was on my side. He was heading our way, though I doubted the scent could be coming from him, he looked so virile and full of life. Janel gave me a little push to put me right in his path and with all the finesse of a two-ton elephant I ended up running right into the man.

He quickly reached out and grabbed my arm to steady me and the musky scent assailed my nose. The look on my face must have been something close to shock because he said,

"Hey, sorry are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm sorry I'm such a klutz" I looked over toward Janel and I knew she was aware this was our man.

For the first time, I really got a good look at him and was staggered at how handsome he was.

The only thought going through my head was "You are so beautiful to me." Damn lyrics.

I felt my face flame when I realized I was staring and singing out loud. He smiled at me. A very sexy lopsided grin was more like it.

He was tall, probably six foot or more with short blond hair and green eyes. I realized I was still holding his muscular arm and promptly let go. But he did not. I felt my pulse start to race. His eyes traveled from the top of my head slowly down the length of my body. I swear it felt like his hands instead of his eyes touching me.

"No problem you can bump into me anytime babe," he said with a wink. "I hope you don't think I say this to every woman who runs into me, but you have the most unusual eyes, they are mesmerizing."

"Thank you." I stammered, sure he must have hit his head.

Janel swiftly walked over and extended her hand. "Please excuse my friend; she isn't normally so tongue tied or so clumsy. My name is Janel Atwood and this is my friend Olivia Sherman."

"It's great to meet you, my name is Alexander Sandstrom, but please just call me Alex."

Alex stared at me so intently, I began to feel a blush starting at my toes and work its way up my entire body. I swear I could read some very hot and dirty thoughts in his gorgeous green eyes.

Worse, I could feel my body reacting to his. In all my life I have never gotten sexually excited, just by looking at a man. It was weird, nice but still very weird. I became uncomfortable with his attention. I'm definitely not used to attention from mind-bogglingly handsome men. By the look
Scent of a Vampire – Jude Stephens

Page 8 of 172

on Janel's face she was a bit uncomfortable herself, as she wasn't used to not getting attention from handsome men.

"Are you in town for business or pleasure?" Janel all but purred at him.

Alexander finally looked in Janel's direction and said, "Both actually, it's my pleasure to own a hotel and casino here in town called The Scandinavian. Hey, would you ladies care to join me for a late dinner tonight? The hotel has a great restaurant called The West Harbor. It has a fantastic view of the Ocean, great food, and you'll have a very charming dinner companion." He laughed.

I gave him a small smile, liking the way his eyes lit up when he laughed. He seemed to be easygoing and lighthearted.

"I'm not sure of our plans." I began. But Janel cut me off with an, "Of course we will be there; we can't wait to have dinner with you."

"Good." Alex said, turning to look at me again and stared at my mouth with an intensity that made my knees feel like buckling.

"I'll send a car to pick you up at ten." When he walked away I turned to Janel and said, "Why did you do that?"

"He looks like the perfect guy for you to have hot monkey sex with," she quipped. I looked over my shoulder to watch the gorgeous man walk away when he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at me with a shocked expression on his face. There is no way he could have heard us, but I felt my face flush anyway. I tried to tell her she was crazy but she stopped me dead in my tracks with, "And by the look on your face when you ran into him, he has an unusual scent I'd say."

"Oh my God. How could I forget about that?" I couldn't believe I let a man in a pair of tight jeans with a killer butt make me forget I had a responsibility to help him in whatever way I could.

As we checked into the hotel, I couldn't help but feel like someone was watching us. When we stepped into the elevator, a chill went down my spine and I turned, and saw the dark haired man Alex had been arguing with staring at us with blazing eyes. He was handsome, but in a different way than Alexander is.

The dark haired man, though dressed in an expensive suit, reminded me of a predator. I have no idea why the thought came to my mind but it seemed right.

As the elevator doors closed, he ever so slightly nodded his head at me. For some reason I think he wanted me to be aware he had noticed me.

"How do I look? Alex didn't give us much time to get ready." Janel asked for the third time as
Scent of a Vampire – Jude Stephens

Page 9 of 172

we rode down the elevator at nine fifty five.

"You look beautiful, as always." And she did. In a little black dress cut low in both the front and back. Janel's body could pull that look off. I looked down at my pretty but plain dress. It was steel blue without ornament or low neckline. The only thing it had going for it was that it was clingy in all the right places.

"Well, I think we are both stunning, but I don't think I have much of a chance with Alex, not with the way he was looking at you."

"Nonsense, I think he only looked at me because I almost knocked him down. I bet once he gets a good look at you tonight, I'll be riding back here by myself." Janel said, "No, tonight is about you experiencing life for a change. I know you're not really going to have hot monkey sex with a stranger sweetie. But if you really wanted to, that would be totally up to you. The point is for you to open yourself up to new possibilities and live life to the fullest for a change."

"No. You go for it. You know I'm not good at hook ups like this. I need to get to know a man first, become friends before I can go out with them."

"What you need Olivia, is a wild night of hot sex without making a pro and con list first."

I sighed. Maybe she was right. It might just be possible. I needed to stop being so conservative and let my hair down a little. Who was I kidding? I'm just not made that way. I began to think my ex was right about me. How freaking pathetic is that?

When we reached the lobby, I walked over to the concierge to ask him if a car was waiting for us from the Scandinavian Hotel. He asked if we could excuse him for a moment and picked up a phone and began talking in a low tone. After hanging up he said, "If you could please wait a few minutes Mr. Valente will be right down."

"Is he our driver?" I asked.

The man gave me a snarky little smirk. I gave Janel one of those this guy is a jerk looks.

I was getting impatient when I smelled the "scent" again. It wasn't as strong as earlier but it was still there. I turned around and to my great shock and consternation I was looking at the dark haired man from the lobby this afternoon. He was dressed a little more casually; if you could call dark dress trousers and a crisp white Calvin Klein shirt open exactly three buttons "casual."

He looked as if he just stepped out of an issue of GQ.

"Excuse me Signorinas." The dark haired man said. "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Roberto Valente. I own this hotel and Mr. Sandstrom has allowed me the great privilege of escorting you to The Scandinavian tonight." Hmmm. "Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste" Oops. I must have sung out loud by the frown Mr. Valente gave me.

I looked over at Janel standing there with her mouth hanging open. I had to admit this man was
Scent of a Vampire – Jude Stephens

Page 10 of 172

the finest male specimen I had ever seen, though there was something dangerous about him that made me nervous. He was tall, dark and utterly delicious. Broad shoulders I could see my head resting on. A narrow waist my legs could get a good lock on. Hair as black as coal, which was a bit long around his collar. It was perfect for running my fingers through. And the most gorgeous ice blue eyes. His chin looked like it was chiseled from a Roman god. There was a slight cleft in his chin that I wanted to trace with my tongue.

Somehow, his mouth looked hard and soft, at the same time. I shook my head to clear it. Okay, it's finally happened. I am for sure certifiable crazy now. I never act this way. And now twice in the same day I was drooling over men I would never have a shot with. Maybe I should get checked when I get back to the hospital. Have a complete metabolic work up done. Yeah, that's it. It must be a hormone imbalance.

I leaned over and gave Janel a little nudge. I noticed she was having the same reaction to this Roman god I was. Her reaction made me feel better. If there was some hormonal imbalance going on, it must be contagious. For the first time ever, I was able to speak before Janel.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Valente, my name is Olivia Sherman and this is my friend Janel Atwood."

"Please call me Roberto, and it's nice to meet two such lovely women. I hope you are enjoying your stay in my hotel."

"Oh yes we are. We just arrived today so we haven't seen too much of it before we ran into Mr.

Sandstrom this evening."

"Yes, I am beginning to regret he ran into you first." Roberto smiled, though I noticed the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

Janel finally snapped back into her usual self and grabbed a hold of Roberto's arm. "Are we ready to go? I am starving. I had hoped to eat in one of the restaurants in your hotel Roberto, but as Olivia's friend I felt it best to accompany her on her outing with Alexander, as she just met him."

I almost burst out laughing when I realized what Janel was doing. She was staking her claim on Roberto and throwing me to the blond haired, green-eyed wolf, so to speak. Well, to be honest I think I would rather take my chances with the lighthearted wolf rather than the dangerous panther walking with Janel in front of me. Just as I had the thought, the man in question turned around and looked at me so intensely I thought my heart would stop beating.

We rode in a long black limo the few miles to The Scandinavian. I looked across to the seat where Roberto and Janel sat rather close talking and laughing together and wondered why earlier today Roberto and Alexander had been arguing and now why we were all on our way to have dinner together. And what about the scent?

Was it a coincidence? Did I really smell death creeping up on someone? I felt it was my
Scent of a Vampire – Jude Stephens

Page 11 of 172

obligation to find out and help in any way I could.

While Janel was looking out the window at the city lights, I looked over to where Roberto sat and found him staring at me.