Dark Desire: A Paranormal Romance Novella (The After Dark Series, Book #1) (3 page)

Uncomfortably, Juliet made her way
toward the secluded area.  She passed the first private room and heard noises.
She caught a glimpse around the edge of its curtain and peered inside.  Stacey
was arching her naked body between two men.  To Juliet, it didn’t look much
like dancing, more like something else that was against the rules.  But the
rules were only props themselves to make the club appear law-abiding. Gerald
pushed the girls to do things outside of their job description.

Juliet drew a disillusioned breath,
concerned that her customer would want more than she was willing to give.  She
walked past the other private rooms until she got to the last one and pulled
back the curtain.  Inside, a handsome man looked up at her as she entered.  He
was quite possibly the most handsome man she had ever seen, but what struck her
even more were his eyes.  They were the same beautifully frightening blue eyes
she had seen so often in her dreams.

He sat motionless as she entered the
tiny room, his eyes riveted to her every movement. She couldn’t decide whether
or not she was dreaming. The gorgeous man’s dark brown hair, swept casually
back, brushed the collar of his shirt. His complexion appeared light and
flawless, and his body showed a muscular tone evidenced by the shirt’s fabric
pulling slightly taut across his chest. It was all she could see under his
black jacket.  There was no other way to describe him but deadly gorgeous and
straight out of her fantasies.  Her breath caught in her throat as she took in
the full view of him, sitting casually before her.  Was he her dark stranger?

Music threaded through the club into
the private area, easing the tension and she began to dance. Juliet’s eyes
never left his as she swayed to the music. The man was so mind-numbingly
striking, she couldn’t help herself. 

“What is your name?” he asked.  His
voice rolled over her like water, a sensual, hypnotic sound.

“Delilah,” she said softly.

He scowled in response and watched
her a moment longer before speaking.

“Tell me your real name.”

And this time, unfiltered in her reply,
she gave her true name. “Juliet.”

His expression was difficult to read
and Juliet had to concentrate on continuing to dance.  His eyes were gorgeous,
yet menacing, but she couldn’t turn away.  She danced closer and closer, as he
sat motionless, watching her.  Juliet closed the gap between them by standing
in front of him. 

“Who are you?” she finally asked.

He smiled at her seductively as his
voice smoothly caressed her. “I am Damon.”

To know he was real and not a dream,
she reached out and touched his face.  To her surprise, he felt icy.  Her
breath hitched as she quickly withdrew her hand.  He countered by reaching for
her so quickly, she didn’t catch the movement.  His strong arms wrapped
possessively around her waist, holding her tightly and she gasped.  

“Why are you here? You’re not like
the others.”  Damon’s words echoed in her mind as he spoke. 

“I…I have to, but not for long.
Tomorrow is my last day.”

Damon listened to her as if weighing
her words.  He leaned in toward her and hesitated for a moment, looking into
her eyes. Then he pressed his lips against hers, urgently full of passion. She
melted into him and surrendered herself to the moment as desire burned within
her body to respond to his touch. After a few seconds, he released her, speaking
softly as he looked upon her longingly. “Tomorrow will not do; it must be
tonight.”

A strange yearning stirred within
Juliet, tugging at her heart. Somehow, she knew these feelings were not her
own, but his, and she fought to regain control of them.

“What do you…” Juliet began, but he
kissed her again, postponing her question.  His lips burned like fiery passion
upon her mouth and Juliet felt as though she were being swept up in a wave of
utter confusion.   

Damon gently released her again as
his eyes smoldered with sensuality—he brushed her hair aside from her face and
neck, gently caressing the side of Juliet’s face, and leaned in, kissing her
slowly all the way down her neck.

A sharp, stabbing pain momentarily
interrupted her fantasy, but quickly subsided as she became enveloped with
ecstasy and pleasure. Damon’s mouth pressed firmly against her neck as he drank
her sweet blood.  Desire swelled within her body and she shuddered.  Overcome
by his passionate embrace, she gave in to her desire and felt as though she’d
been cast from her body.

****

Strange sounds and an incessant
ringing greeted Juliet as she awoke. Blackness surrounded her and she felt as
though she were in a great chasm, void of light. Swallowed in darkness, an
unholy power blanketed her body, reaching down into her soul.

Damn it…Oh, my head is killing me.

Coldness nipped at her body as if icy
fingers grasped her bones, making her ache.  She tried to sit up, but couldn’t,
for her body refused to respond. 

What’s happening?  Where am I?

An urgent need to move tugged at her,
but since her body seemed unable, a swelling panic began to rise.

“Shh, Juliet. Calm yourself. You
cannot be harmed anymore.”

Juliet recognized his voice through
the blackness, it was Damon. 

I know your voice, but why can’t I
see you? 
She found
it odd the way she longed to see him, to look into his deep blue eyes.

“My name is Damon Vale, of the
Draconian Order.  You may think of me, if you wish, as your dark angel.”  He
laughed lightly with sinister sensuality.  “I have been looking for you for a
long time, across countless years, but I want you to willingly join me.  Before
you is a choice: continue as you are, unhappy in your mortal life, or reawaken
as a child of the night… as my bride.” 

 
As your bride? A child of the
night?

“Your time is slipping away, Juliet,
you must choose.”

His body held hers close as he gently
stroked the side of her face.  His touch felt comforting to her, a connection
to him through the darkness.  An image came to Juliet’s mind of Damon standing
before her with his hand outstretched.

“Continue as a mortal, or live as a
goddess with me forever…”

Damon was standing before her, his
fine essence exuding power through his eyes that pierced her soul.  Juliet
reached for him and when they touched, she felt something cool run across her
lips.  The image faded from her mind and again she was plunged into darkness. 
The wet coolness rolled into her mouth and down her throat.  A burning
sensation began to radiate inside of her that grew stronger with each second. 

What’s happening to me? Damon where
are you?

“I am here, my love.”

But before he could comfort her, the
darkness had overpowered Juliet, lulling her into its depths.

****

Juliet awoke to find herself upon a
large bed in an unfamiliar bedroom.  The room was beautifully decorated in an
old Victorian style.  A dresser held fresh red roses and sat on the other side
of the room.  She tried to sit up and ease her aching body to the edge of the
bed.  At that moment, Juliet realized she was wearing a white, silky
nightgown.  She wondered who had brought her here and changed her clothes.  The
answer came to her as the bedroom door flew open and Damon stood in the
entrance.

 “Good evening.” 

Juliet rose quickly and backed away
against the wall, but she had moved too hastily and became unbalanced, so she
used the bedpost to steady herself. 

Damon considered her reaction.  “Do
not fear me.  I will not harm you.”

“But, you already have.  You did
something to me and now you’re keeping me here, wherever here is.  Let me go!”

Damon approached her slowly so as not
to alarm her further.  “I did nothing to you that you didn’t desire,” he said,
smiling mischievously.

“Stop smiling like that!”

He raised his eyebrow and grinned.
“Like what?”  He continued toward her until he was almost upon her.  His eyes
burned into her as she nervously inched away.

Damon reached for her, touching her
gently. His gentle caress sent feelings of longing into Juliet.  For a second,
she could feel her resolve melting away.

“Like what you’re doing right now.”

He began to lightly massage her neck,
moving down her shoulders.

“Stop,” Juliet whispered, barely able
to speak.

Damon leaned in toward her slowly and
kissed her lightly.  He stopped for a moment as his lips gently brushed her
mouth.  “You ask the impossible, Juliet.”

Passion grew inside her as his lips
hovered less than an inch from hers.  She wanted him, but refused to
acknowledge it.

“Please,” she pleaded.

Damon stepped backed from her
reluctantly.  “You want me. Why do you resist?”

Juliet scowled at him, feeling that
she must thwart his advances. 

“No, I don’t.  Please let me go.  I
can’t stay here.”

Damon’s countenance became stone and
looked immovable as he spoke, “This is your new home…here with me.  Don’t even
try to leave.”

Juliet looked at him in disbelief. 
Although he was gorgeous, she couldn’t allow him to control her.  He had been
in her mind for months, but why, she didn’t know.  Again, she pushed her
feelings for him aside, despite their growing intensity. She knew she couldn’t
let her desire take control of her.

“You can‘t keep me here.”

Damon shook his head, “Juliet, you
don’t understand… You cannot return to your previous life.  Your mortal
existence has expired and you have been reborn a
vampire
.”

Juliet tried to push past him, but he
was like an immovable wall.  She felt the strength in his arms as he reached
for her.

“I’m not a vampire!  You’re crazy!
Let me go!”   She tried for the door again, but it was no use.  Damon held her
as she struggled.

“I speak the truth.  You are a child
of the night, just as I am.  We belong together and mustn’t ever separate.”

Tears began to well in Juliet’s eyes
as she listened to Damon, trying to understand how she ended up in this strange
situation
. 

“You may not believe it right now,
but we are meant to be together.  I knew it as soon as I saw you.”  He paused,
looking agitated, “But, I should have gotten to you sooner.  For that, I am
sorry.”

Juliet looked at him in surprise. 
“What are you talking about?”

“Never mind that for right now.  You
need to feed and I must teach you the ways of our kind. There is clothing here
for you and I’ll get you anything you like.  You only need to ask it of me and
it will be done.  You’ll never want for anything again.”

She shook her head in frustration.
“You speak of this all very casually as if it happens every day.  Well, it
doesn’t happen for
me
every day! I don’t want to be a vampire…I need to
leave. I must…”

His touch sent waves of longing
throughout her body like magic.  She had never wanted anyone the way she wanted
him.  Confusion and desire filled her to an almost overwhelming climax. 

“Please trust me, Juliet,” Damon said
softly. 

His words moved through her, and into
her soul; and she knew he spoke the truth, despite her denial.  With this
understanding, a slow hunger began to rise within her. It was like a storm in
the distance that was gathering force the closer it approached.  Crashes, like
thunder, echoed in the distance as the rush of hot thirst and desire washed
over Juliet like waves of the sea.  With each crest, the tide of desire grew
inside her, pulling at her like twisted fire.

“You’re feeling the desire for
blood.  The first symptoms of hunger are upon you.  I refuse to wait any longer—you
must feed.”

Feeling certain there were no other
options before her, Juliet accepted Damon’s advice, despite her uncertainty of
the outcome.  After changing into some clothes that were hung in the closet,
she joined Damon. They walked through the hallways of the large home—it was the
largest house she had ever been in.  The ceilings were high, which gave the
home an even more spacious feeling.  She began to wonder if he lived alone in
the large house.  Hunger gnawed at her insides
again
and she stopped admiring the style of the home.  Damon took her hand as they
stepped outside and walked toward a black sedan.  Juliet looked at him in
surprise.

“I thought vampires turned into bats
and flew or something.  Instead, you drive a car?”

She laughed lightly, almost drunk
with hunger.  Damon assessed her countenance and hurried his step.  He opened
the door for her and waited until she was seated, before starting the car.

“Those are tales that mortals have
come up with.  But, there is a grain of truth in some of the legends.  For
instance, we can change our form.  When I hunt, I do not drive a car, but I
move through shadow.”

“Move through shadow?”