Drop Dead Single (Monstrana Paranormal Romance 1)

“Yeah.” She took his left hand and placed a hand on his shoulder. She hadn’t realized how broad he was. Under his cotton shirt, she could feel his strong muscles tense.

They swayed with the music, lights swirling above. Cate couldn’t breathe standing this close to him. Every time she inhaled, she got a whiff of clean soap with a hint of a sexy musk. She didn’t know someone could smell so good. At the same time, his warm breath on her neck was making her knees go weak.

This wasn’t good. Slow dancing had never led to anything productive in her life.

?

Viktor resisted the urge to deeply inhale the spicy scent of Cate’s hair. He didn’t know what insanity had led him to search her out for a dance. But when she’d whispered in his ear earlier, he’d felt electricity spread throughout his entire body. He supposed part of him wanted to feel her closer, to know if it was all just a fluke or if she really had that kind of effect on him.

The verdict was in. And he was in big trouble.

“Leo always said I was a terrible dancer,” he said, pulling back the slightest to look at her face. She had her eyes closed, her dark lashes spread out on her cheeks. “That I could kill the undead with my moves.”

Her eyelids fluttered open and pierced him with an intense gaze. “You’re not half bad.”

“Thanks.” He chuckled and worked his jaw. “My mother tried her best to teach me. Luckily for me, she didn’t consider me a lost cause. But that was a long time ago. She and my father have been gone many years.”

It wasn’t often that he thought about those early dancing lessons these days. His father had become a vampire when Viktor was only five and changed him when he was ready on his thirtieth birthday. Same with Leo. Their whole family had changed. Except for his mother.

She’d refused to let go of her mortality. His father’s grief had nearly killed him as he watched his wife grow older and frail, until one day she just faded away. Viktor still carried that pain, deep down in his undead heart. He never wanted to relive those last days. He still didn’t understand why his father had let his mother die. It never should’ve happened. He should’ve fought harder.

“My parents are gone, too.” Cate tucked her chin and he thought he felt a small sob go through her body. “It’s nice that you still have family to take care of you. The only person I have is my friend, Miranda.”

“The woman you were searching for yesterday?”

He wanted so badly to hold her closer and make the heartache go away. But the cameras were closing in from Stasia’s crew and that would only spawn a national rumor. He was still bent on escaping this fiasco with his pride intact.

“Yep.” She looked up at him, her eyes wet. “Still MIA, I’m afraid. I lost my phone at the airport and I’m not sure what her number is, so I couldn’t even call her if I had access to a phone. Talk about a first-world tragedy.”

“I’ll find her for you.” He wasn’t sure what made him say it, but the words were already out of his mouth. “It won’t be that difficult. I’m sure she’s worried about you.”

A dazzling smile formed on Cate’s face that made him want to lean down and kiss her. Thankfully, he was not a vampire prone to letting his impulses get the better of him.

“That would be wonderful. I can’t thank you enough.”

The music faded and the song ended. He let his hands drop and took a big step backwards. They stared at each other for a long moment, before he cleared his throat and looked away.

“I’d better go hide in one of those corners. Duchess Jezebel is relentless.”

She stifled a laugh with her hand. “Good luck. I’m sure you’ll need it.”

And with that, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving her standing on the dance floor.

Chapter Seven

TWO HOURS LATER AND after a phone call made to his assistant back at the castle, Viktor was ready to go home. The club scene bored him. He’d only been able to avoid Jezebel for so long before she dug her talons into him and forced him into an overly sensual dance with far too much physical contact. But that had been as far as he would go. As soon as the song ended, he crept away into one of the private vampire rooms in the back.

As Murdo was a tourist city, supernaturals had to keep their identities a secret. Places like the club accomplished this by creating VIP rooms for their patrons with special affinities. Viktor didn’t exactly agree with the activities that went on in these rooms, but it was a safe haven to hide from the cameras and Jezebel. At least, that was, until they found him.

“There you are, brother!” Leo clapped his hands together, his cheeks shiny and red. He had his arm draped around a giggling blonde woman in a black corset — obviously one of the club staff members. Beside him, Joy and Jezebel trotted into the VIP room.

“Leo...” Viktor greeted him with a less-than-enthusiastic nod. He was sitting on a round padded bench with a knee-high glass table. Empty cocktail glasses littered the surface.

His brother plopped down beside him, pulling the giggling woman with him. “I’ve got a special surprise for you. Meet Laurie. She’s a blood-letter.”

His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw. “Not interested.”

“Come on, bro.” Leo prodded him in the side. “Lighten up. You’re on vacation. And the ladies want a special treat. I picked Laurie especially for you. Isn’t she pretty?”