Everlasting Kiss (Everlasting 1)

"Why didn't you take him to the nearest hospital?" her father asked.

"I don't know. I guess I panicked. Anyway, Erik gave him first aid and--"

"You didn't tell him Alex had been attacked by a vampire, did you?"

"No, of course not," Daisy said, thinking quickly. "I said he'd been beat up by a man who was stalking me. Anyway, I decided we should get out of town and Erik offered to bring us home."

"I see. And where is he now?"

"He went to find a hotel."

"Why didn't you invite him to stay here?" Noah asked. "After all, we owe him a favor."

Daisy shot a withering glance at her brother. "He didn't want to stay under the same roof as Alex."

"Well, you're both home, safe and sound, and that's what matters most. Why don't you both go get some sleep. We'll talk more about this in the morning."

Daisy nodded, glad for a chance to escape the room and any further interrogation by her brother or her father. "Good night, Dad."

"Good night, daughter."

With a last look at Alex, Daisy went upstairs. The house seemed empty without her mom bustling around, offering cookies and hot chocolate, acting as a buffer between Daisy and Alex. In spite of her affection for her brother, they had butted heads since they were kids.

Going home was like going back in time, Daisy thought as she stepped into her bedroom. It looked exactly the same as it had when she first moved out. Beneath assorted rock-star posters, the walls were pink with white woodwork. Pink polka-dot curtains hung at the windows; a bright pink quilt covered the bed. A dozen stuffed penguins of varying sizes fought for space on the shelf over her desk.

With a sigh, Daisy changed into her pajamas, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. After turning out the light, she climbed into bed and closed her eyes, asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Erik stood in the shadows outside Daisy's house, watching as the lights inside went out, one by one. He listened as she snuggled into her bed, waited until the soft, even sound of her breathing told him she was asleep before he got into his car and drove away.

With no destination in mind, he drove through the city until he found what he was looking for. The Vampire Vault was a private club similar to La Morte Rouge, a hangout for vampires and those who served them. One had to be a vampire, or be invited by a vampire, to gain entrance. Like La Morte Rouge, the Vault wasn't listed in the phone book or online.

Erik parked his car in the lot, then knocked on the back door. The vampire who opened it looked like he had just stepped off the set of an old Dracula movie. He wore a black suit, white tie, and a long black cloak.

The doorman murmured, "Good evening," in a remarkable impression of a young Bela Lugosi as he gestured for Erik to enter.

A narrow hallway opened onto the club's main floor. A quick glance revealed a long bar at the far end of the room. A trio of waiters served the fifteen or twenty people seated there. High-backed booths lined one wall. Small tables adorned with black cloths were located at intervals around the room. Each table was decorated with a black vase and a blood-red rose. The lighting was dim, the air filled with the scent of beating hearts and the smell of fresh blood.

A young female vampire sat at the grand piano located on a raised platform. Clad in a long white gown, her skin pale, she looked almost ghostlike. It seemed her fingers barely touched the keys as she played. Erik listened a moment, trying to place the song, then shrugged. Perhaps it was a composition of her own making.

He had barely stepped into the room when a leggy blonde clad in a low-cut, skintight emerald green gown and silver high heels slithered up to him. He couldn't help noticing that her figure went in and out in all the right places.

"I've never seen you in here before," she said, her voice a throaty purr.

"I haven't been here in quite some time."

"I hope you'll come back often."

"I might." He couldn't help staring at her. It was obvious that she wasn't wearing anything under the gown. Her skin was smooth and unblemished save for a half-healed bite mark on the inside of her left elbow.

She smiled up at him. "I'm Jade."

Erik nodded. "What are you offering?" Some mortals offered only blood. Some blood and sex.

"Anything you want." She scraped her nails lightly down his cheek. "Are you interested?"

He nodded again. What male in his right mind would be able to refuse such an offer?

Her smile widened as she took his hand and led him up a narrow, winding staircase, then down a long, carpeted hallway. Most of the doors had DO NOT DISTURB signs on them.

Jade bypassed the first empty room, then entered the last room on the right.

Erik followed her inside. It was a large room. The walls were white. Red curtains hung at the window. A round bed covered with a red quilt took up most of the room. A half-open door revealed a bathroom.

Jade sat on the bed. A hidden slit in her skirt parted to expose one long, creamy white thigh. "What's your pleasure?"

"Just a drink."

"Nothing more?"

He shook his head. There was a time when he would have taken everything Jade was offering, he thought with some regret. But that was before a certain sexy Blood Thief entered his life.

Jade pouted prettily. "Are you sure?" She sounded disappointed.

"Yeah." He sat on the bed beside her, his nostrils flaring at the scent of musk and perfume. And warm, fresh blood.

He heard the sudden increase in her heartbeat as she arched her neck, then turned her head to the side, giving him access to her throat. He ran his tongue over his fangs as the hunger rose up within him.

With a low growl, Erik cupped his hands over her shoulders and sank his fangs into the soft skin of her neck. He closed his eyes as her blood flowed over his tongue and down his throat.

It satisfied his hunger, but that was all.

Only Daisy could satisfy his need.

Chapter 23

Frowning, Rhys tossed his cell phone on the dining room table. He'd been calling Erik for the last three nights with no luck. So where the devil was Delacourt, and why wasn't he answering his phone? He considered the possibility that the Blood Thief or a hunter had found him, but dismissed it out of hand. Delacourt was one of the smartest, strongest vampires he had ever met. It was more likely that he'd left town. But where would he have gone? And why?

Rhys muttered an oath as he walked down the hallway to his bedroom. He was the Master of the City. As such, he demanded loyalty from those he allowed to dwell in his territory. To defy him was to court destruction.