Embraced by Blood Read online

  His fingers in her hair sent shock waves echoing through her system. “What the heck are you doing?”

  “Just finishing the job.”

  Before she could stop him, he pulled out her hair band and plunked the hat on her head. He turned her to face him again, smoothing her hair behind her shoulders with what seemed to be a little more care than was necessary, an odd, unreadable expression creasing his face. She caught his eye and, in an instant, the look was gone, replaced by icy determination.

  “You’re going to make me wear this getup while you get to waltz in looking normal?”

  “Fine.” He grabbed a blond afro wig still sporting a price tag and pulled it over his head. “Happy?”

  She laughed, holding her cowboy hat in place to keep it from falling off. “You can’t be serious. You’re going to attract attention looking that way, not deflect it.”

  He shrugged. “You’ll see.”

  “Well, you look ridiculous.”

  “Thank you,” he said as he tucked his hair inside.

  He paid the shopkeeper and within minutes they were standing outside, the club a few blocks away. Its giant neon sign, a flashing arrow and caricature of a bikini-clad woman, lit up Alfonso’s wig as if it were rainbow-colored.

  “You’d better be right about this.” She flicked the length of the vest behind her hips to have easy access to her weapons, and tucked her fingers into the front pockets of her field-ops fatigues to avoid touching the matted fur too much. “Halloween is over,” she grumbled, feeling like a weird version of a cowboy with the hat and duster. Either that, or a female pimp minus the gaudy jewelry.

  “Trust me. We’ll fit right in.”

  Sure enough, a group of young human men dressed in psychedelic seventies attire piled out of a car and got in line. Three of them wore afro wigs and at least half the people waiting were in costume.

  Two vampire bouncers—drug-addict skinny with so many visible piercings that they probably had hidden body parts pierced as well—flanked either side of the door. They smelled like fresh blood and Lily stiffened. Reverts, definitely, but probably not DBs. Their pores didn’t exude the same stench, although it didn’t make them any less dangerous. If these losers decided to frisk them, all their weapons would be discovered and the DBs who had Kip would be alerted. Mind manips only worked on humans.

  For a moment she wondered if maybe they should wait till Jackson’s team got here. They could storm the place then. Kip’s scent was strong, but, damn, she couldn’t tell if he was on the premises or not.

  Alfonso laced his fingers between hers, stroking his thumb along the side of her forefinger while they waited in line. A warm current of energy traveled up from her hand, along her arm, lodging deep in her core and making the tender skin inside her thighs tingle, despite her wishes to the contrary. Energy sharing wasn’t unheard of between two vampires, but it wasn’t all that common either. Her traitorous body seemed to have a mind of its own whenever he touched her.

  When they got to the front of the line, the two guys took a half step back and cranked their heads up at Alfonso. He was an imposing presence, even to fellow vampires. When he touched his first two fingers to his lips, they relaxed slightly and nodded an unspoken acknowledgment. His hand moved so quickly that, if she hadn’t been paying attention, she’d have missed that he slipped a bill to the closest guy. The bouncer stepped aside, the chain in his nose swinging against his upper lip, and she found herself wondering if it got in the way when he fed from a human host. Probably, she decided.

  “Okay, follow my lead,” Alfonso whispered as they entered the club, his breath hot in her ear, the synthetic strands of his wig tickling her cheek. “We’re just part of the crowd here. You concentrate on tracking the scent and let me know when you detect something. Come on, let’s get drinks and we’ll canvass the place.”

  Although it was early by party-going standards, the place writhed with activity. Mainly humans, Lily noted, but a few vampires were scattered throughout the crowd, probably trolling for someone who suited their tastes. Techno-noise, called music by some, blared out from all corners of the black-ceilinged room, while flashes of seizure-inducing lights made everyone’s movements robotic. It’d be a miracle if she didn’t vomit tonight.

  Given the tracking problems she’d been having, how would she ever be able to detect Kip with all these different stimuli? She held on to Alfonso’s hand, inhaling deeply, and his thumb continued to absently stroke hers. Unimportant details began to fade into the background, his touch, his energy somehow helping her focus and center herself amidst the chaos and stress.

  The muddy, dusty smell which had been so familiar began to dissipate, as if the veil covering her abilities was lifting. She was finally starting to get a read on the scents. Cigarettes, stale sweat, and blood. Lots of it. Maybe all she’d needed was a little energy boost.

  “What can I get you?” Alfonso asked her, the curls of his crazy wig sticking out everywhere.

  She tried not to smile. Under any other circumstances, she’d be laughing her ass off. But tonight, not so much.

  “Your usual? Hefeweizen with a straw?”

  “Just ice water.” She tapped her nose. “Gotta keep things clear.”

  As he sipped on his microbeer, she readjusted her cowboy hat and crunched on a piece of ice. Did he know he still hadn’t let go of her hand? Probably not. Because it felt so natural, she’d just noticed it herself.

  On the center of the stage, a dancer wrapped her leg around the pole and arched her body backward just as a drunk human sat down on the barstool next to Lily. She scooted away from him but as she did, he tried to catch a glimpse down her shirt. His buddy took the opportunity to push him. The guy would’ve planted his nose in her cleavage if Alfonso’s hand hadn’t shot out and clamped around his neck.

  “Get the fuck away from her.”

  “Buzz off. It’s a free country.” The smell of stale alcohol and fresh weed lingered on the guy’s breath.

  “Not when it comes to acting like an asshole.”

  “I don’t see her complainin’.”

  “Well, I am, so get lost.”

  When his buddy got a good look at Alfonso, his eyeballs bulged and he staggered backward. Although he couldn’t know what Alfonso was capable of, humans instinctively sensed danger when they saw it wrapped in such a menacing package.

  The drunk started to say something else, but before Lily knew what Alfonso was doing, he’d yanked her over onto his lap, her legs straddling his heavy thighs, and he kissed her. Hard.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” she said against the crush of his lips, her hands pressed against his shoulders trying to keep some semblance of distance between them. She had to remain detached and try to—

  God, he tasted good. Just like he smelled. Minty, with a hint of warm leather. Like he always had. She wasn’t sure why she expected him to taste different—maybe she’d hoped he would be less enticing, but he was exactly as she remembered.

  “They need to know you’re unavailable,” he said against her lips. “But—”

  “Shut up and kiss me back.” He grabbed a handful of hair at the back of her head, almost knocking off her hat which she grabbed just in time.

  She was about to protest again when he pushed his tongue inside, making heat pool deliciously low in her belly.

  She was virtually immobilized, pinned against his body as his other hand slid possessively up her thigh. A snap of energy sizzled her nerve endings, weakening her resolve, and she almost moaned before her brain thankfully kicked into gear.

  Okay. I can do this. It’s just an assignment.

  They were playing a role, complete with costumes.

  But his scent, his touch, his taste intoxicated her senses and numbed her reluctance until she found herself wrapping her arms around his neck. In response, he gripped her hips and pulled her bottom closer. As she slid across his thick, powerful thighs, the seam of her pants rubbed into her now highly sensitive core. />
  Oh dear Lord, help me.

  No. She couldn’t do this, feel him like this as if their past had never happened, and keep her heart out of it. Maybe he could—but she couldn’t.

  She pushed against his shoulders, but it was like bench-pressing a house.

  Without loosening his hold, he broke the kiss and for a moment, she thought he was going to pull her hair back, expose her neck and slide his lips to her throat.

  But he didn’t.

  He kissed her again quickly then dropped his hands.

  Keeping her eyes averted so that he wouldn’t see her dilated pupils, an obvious sign she was still so damned physically attracted to him, she climbed awkwardly off his lap.

  She was pissed. If only her body would listen to her mind and acknowledge that it was just madness to succumb to him again.

  “What the hell was that for?” she asked, settling onto her barstool again.

  “The guy left, didn’t he?” Alfonso took a long drink from his beer, probably to wipe the taste of her from his lips.

  “Gimme a break. He was on his way out of here the moment you let go of his neck.” Was this just a game to him now, was that it? “I’ll take a Hefeweizen after all,” she called to the bartender. “Two lemons. One straw.”

  Alfonso chuckled and draped his arm over her shoulder, like it was a habit or something. Her heart continued to race, her body’s intuitive reaction to this powerful, possessive male.

  She took a few quick drinks and soon acclimated herself to the wide variety of smells in the club, in spite of the added distraction. The muddy odor wasn’t quite as prominent now and she filtered out each scent, eliminating them one by one. Several couples heading to the dance floor brushed past them, the waft of air from their passing tickled at her nose. She inhaled again and—

  Kip!

  She jerked her head in the direction from which the group had come, searching the crowds. “He’s here. Somewhere.” Not seeing Kip, she took another deep breath. “Or at least he was recently. I can’t quite tell. I think it’s coming from back there.”

  “I knew you could do it, babe.” Alfonso squeezed her shoulder and helped her off the barstool.

  Leaving their drinks at the bar, they threaded their way through the crowd and stopped at the opening of a long, dimly lit hallway. There weren’t many people hanging out here; the bathrooms must be on the other side of the place.

  “Doing okay?” he asked, dipping his head around her hat brim to whisper in her ear.

  She nodded. With Alfonso’s arm positioned tightly around her waist, forcing her shoulder into his chest, it was easier to just put her arm around him as well. He cast a quick glance behind them, then ushered her past the velvet rope and into the hallway beyond.

  In the first door well, a human female dressed as a cat—complete with ears, spike heels and a long wire-wrapped tail—knelt in front of a young vampire male. Her face was buried in his crotch, her tail bobbing up and down with every movement of her head. The guy couldn’t have been more than a few years past his Time of Change, when a vampire’s cravings got stronger and the aversion to sunlight set in. No longer was a diet of food sufficient—human blood and energy were also needed. The youthling flashed them a fanged smile, shaking the ice in his glass in a wordless greeting.

  Alfonso led her quickly past the happy couple.

  She approached the next door and sniffed. Shaking her head, they continued.

  A Do Not Disturb placard hung redundantly on the next door marked private. The pungent scent of blood—human blood—emanated from inside. And it wasn’t just a drop or two. From what she could tell, it was a killing amount. Either that, or someone had just developed a serious case of anemia. She cursed herself for not being able to discern the difference.

  She started to whisper to Alfonso when voices boomed out from the other side of the door. The handle twisted and the sign dangled back and forth.

  In a flash, her back slammed against the opposite wall and Alfonso covered her body with his. She gasped, and his lips came down over hers, capturing the sound in his mouth.

  For a split second, she was completely shocked again, all her senses overpowered by him. But then she realized it was all for show, just like at the bar. They didn’t belong in this section of the club and Alfonso was just playing a part.

  And so could she.

  Her hands slid down over his tight ass and she brought her leg up to graze his hip. He grabbed her knee, hitched it higher. When he kissed her hard, her body responded as if this were for real and heat trickled between her legs. If they had been naked, with her open to him like this, all he’d need to do was lift her a little higher and she could have settled herself down over him, her body eagerly taking in every inch of his thick girth.

  They’d done it this way many times before. Never knowing how much time they’d have together whenever they met, they’d become experts at quickies. It was just an act now, but God, how she’d missed this.

  The door opened behind them, and the heavy stench of blood permeated the hallway. Not sweetblood, but it was one of the rarer blood types that would command a fairly high street price.

  “Hey, you can’t be down here,” a male voice said. “This area is strictly off-limits to club-goers.”

  Alfonso was kissing her throat now and his hand slid up her shirt. Every nerve ending tingled with delight as his thumb brushed over her lace-covered nipple.

  “So sue me,” Alfonso told the guy without moving his lips from her neck. The tip of his fangs grazed the skin over her artery and she recalled the last time he’d taken her blood. He’d surprised her in the early-morning hours at the martial arts studio where she occasionally taught a class. They’d had sex against the wall during a water break while her students were right around the corner. That had been well over a year ago, but it seemed like only yesterday because everything about him was still so achingly familiar to her.

  “I don’t think you heard me. I said you can’t—”

  Alfonso turned his head away from her, but not before she saw his black pupils had completely overtaken his irises. Anger was hard to hide among their kind. She knew her pupils had expanded as well, but in her case, it was due to sexual desire.

  “Oh, hey. I didn’t recognize you.” It was the multi-pierced bouncer from outside. “Half the guys tonight are wearing wigs. We got a couple of rooms if you want, but unfortunately you can’t stay here.”

  How much had Alfonso tipped him? she wondered. His large hand was still at her breast, his thumb absently caressing her nipple, making it hard for her to concentrate on much else, the aching need between her legs almost painful now.

  “Where are they?”

  “Got one out front—more like a little alcove—or you can see if one of the viewing rooms is available. They’re usually not all taken until later in the evening, but I could be wrong. I haven’t been out front in a while to see if they’re all full or not.”

  “Viewing rooms?”

  “Yeah, they’re up the stairs and around the corner.” The guy nodded his head toward the dark end of the hallway, and that chain swung from his nose like a pendulum.

  Kip’s scent was strongest down there. “What’s a viewing room?” Lily asked, her curiosity piqued.

  “Didn’t you see them when you were out on the floor?” He pointed a thumb behind him. “This must be your first time here, right?”

  She nodded.

  “Depending on your luck,” he continued, “when you’re using one of the rooms, the curtain may open and people on the dance floor can look up and watch you. It’s like the ultimate rush, if you know what I mean. Well, other than a hit of Sweet.” He threw his head back and laughed, light catching on the stud in his tongue.

  “Is the curtain on a timer or something?” Alfonso’s brow pinched together as he was obviously considering the parameters of their track-and-grab mission.

  “No, the DJ monitors the video feed from the rooms. If something looks good, she hits the but
ton and the curtains open for our patrons’ viewing pleasure.”

  The fur vest was suddenly conducting her body heat like a furnace. She started to reach for her hat to fan her face, but Alfonso gave her a slight shake of his head. Oh yeah, she didn’t want to advertise her own scent. Who knew if Kip’s kidnappers were here and if they’d really been after her or not.

  “Don’t worry. Once the act is completed, we give you back your privacy. The curtains close and you can get dressed or whatever. Just knock on that door at the end of the hallway and tell Robert that Mo-Cash sent you. That’s me.”

  Lily pulled away from Alfonso and the reluctance in his face was as clear as if he’d verbalized it. This might be their only chance to figure out where Kip was unless they waited for Jackson to arrive.

  She pleaded to him with her eyes. It wasn’t as if they were reviving their relationship, but surely he could pretend in order to get past this loser. She had no intention of actually doing anything in one of those rooms; she just wanted to use it as a pretense to get access to that part of the club.

  “Wanna, baby? It might be fun.” Without thinking, she sidled up to him and was shocked when her hip grazed his erection. Holy crap, he was brick-hard. What happened to this being just for show?

  She could’ve sworn she heard a low growl in his throat before he dropped his hand from her breast.

  “The guy’s name is Robert?” Alfonso asked.

  “Yup. Second door on the right.”

  JESUS, HE HAD A BAD FEELING about this.

  Alfonso slid his hand around Lily, pulling her close as they stood before a man sitting in a metal folding chair.

  “…the rules,” the guy named Robert was saying. He ran a finger down a paper on his clipboard before he looked up at Alfonso with a bored expression. “If I assign you a room, you better be usin’ it. No drugs, no blood hits and no sitting around talking, if you know what I mean. You’re up there for a reason, and that reason is our patrons’ entertainment. If and when that curtain opens, there’d better be some action going on.” Stifling a yawn, he checked his list again. “Oh, and absolutely no jacking off. None of the males here want to see your johnson unless you’re using it on her. Got it?”