Because the Night (The Night Songs Collection) (13 page)

Chapter Twenty Seven

I sat on a ledge outside of Santa Fe Station and enjoyed the cool air as much as possible while I waited for Janelle, who took her sweet time getting there. It didn’t matter who saw me anymore. They could take all the pictures they wanted and do what they liked with them. I had nothing left to hide.

I resisted the urge to leave another scathing voicemail for Blade. I’d already left three.

-Blade, I can’t find you anywhere. You’re gone, your car is gone. Where are you?

-You left? Are you serious? How do you expect me to get home?

-You’re really that mad at me? Come on. I didn’t do anything. Who is acting selfish now?

A half an hour later, Janelle finally pulled up to the curb. I jumped in the car almost before she came to a full stop. I never wanted to see this place again.

“What happened? I couldn’t hear everything you said, it was loud where I was.” I felt bad for pulling her away from whatever she was doing, but there was no way her night had been ruined to the extent my had been.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now. Just get me the hell out of here.”

“Okay.” She said defensively.

“Sorry. Listen, it’s just been a night from hell. Thanks for coming to get me. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“That’s alright. I was going to wrap it up soon anyway.”

I looked at my phone. No messages. Ugh. It was 12:45. I probably still had some time to pull off my new scheme if I could get Janelle to cooperate. Traffic headed back towards the city wasn’t heavy, but still I waited until we were close to the Strip before I put the plan into action.

“Drop me off at the Alta Vista.”

“What?!” She slammed on the brakes, practically stopping in the middle of the highway.

“Oh my God! Don’t kill us. Just drop me at the Alta Vista.”

“Callie! You can’t do that. What happened tonight with Blade?”

“I told you I didn’t want to talk about it. Please, just don’t judge me and drop me off at the hotel.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” she asked guardedly, yet a little too hopefully.

“No, thank you. I don’t need a chaperone.”

“Hmmph.”

I didn’t acknowledge her reaction. I’d been judged enough in the last few months that I could just let it roll off my back at this point.

“Go the back way to avoid traffic please. I can get in from there,” I said sweetly, like anyone thought this was a good idea but me.

Janelle did what I asked and delivered me to the employee entrance of the hotel without asking any more questions. She hesitated before she drove off, as if she was watching to make sure I’d get in. Or to take a picture, knowing her.

I maneuvered through the throngs of black clad girls, with their dyed, fake looking hair and overly made up faces. Speculation swirled around me as I passed pockets of fans. A few of them wore peasanty looking skirts and blouses, in black of course. At least, if nothing else, it looked like I’d had some influence on good taste around here.

Two security guards that I wasn’t familiar with flanked the backstage door.

“I’d like to speak to Tony, please.”

“Sure, you and the rest of the women in the building who subscribe to cable TV, miss.” The older, more jaded guard decided to try to deter me.

“He’ll know who I am.”

“Of course he does, sweetheart. No can do.”

“I don’t know, I think she might be telling the truth,” the other guard said. “I think she’s Tristan’s girlfriend.”

“Well, what the hell would she being doing out here?”

I didn’t have time to correct him over the particulars, but I smiled politely at him. “If Tony comes and doesn’t know me, then you’re right. If he does know me, then no harm done, right?”

The older guard sighed and mumbled something in code into his walky. Minutes later, Tony arrived.

“Hi Callie.”

“Hi Tony. Can you take me to see Tristan, please?”

“Is he expecting you?”

“Not that I know of.” I shimmied past the two guards. The older one looked disgusted.

“Shall I announce you?”

“No,” I smiled. “I’ll do it when I see him.” Please let this plan work.

“Can I have a 10-4 on the boss, please?” he called into the walky. He nodded his head in acknowledgement when he got a reply and lead me though the maze of hallways behind the scenes at The Sin City Vampire Club.

Tony paused at a closed door with a good amount of volume leaking out from behind it. “Have a good night, Callie.” He seemed almost apologetic. Then he opened it and stepped out of the way for me to enter.

A party haze clouded the room. Each of the band members seemed to be holding court in a separate area of the room. Tristan was no exception, half laying on a couch, bottle in hand, head tipped back, laughing, surrounded by women, some of whom were very close to naked.

I moved towards the couch without saying a word to anyone. The din quieted a bit as people realized the party had a crasher.

I stopped tentatively at the edge of the couch, waiting for Tristan to notice me. He blinked several times and sat up straighter, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he saw. My heart pounded while I waited for his reaction. I couldn’t stand a second rejection tonight.

“What the hell is
she
doing here?” One of the underdressed groupies sneered.

“Yeah, isn’t a little past your bed time, little girl?” Her friend joined in.

I ignored them both. “Is it alright that I came?” I asked him softly.

“Yeah.” He set down his drink and stood up. “Come on.” He led me away from the couch and towards the door.

“Are you kidding me? Tristan! You’re going to miss a good time!” The first chick called out, sounding more nasal in her desperation.

“I think I’ll manage,” he said over his shoulder as I followed him in the hallway.

When we were far enough away from the party overflow I stopped unexpectedly, pushed Tristan against the wall and kissed him. He fell back against the wall more easily than I had expected. I came up on my tiptoes even in my platforms to reach his face. He tasted of that poisonous vanilla; and floral, patchouli, and smoke aromas drifted from his hair and clothes as I ran my hands up his arms. I worked carefully around his sharp teeth that still terrified me.

I guess some things were just meant to be.

“What got into you?” He pulled away, his eyebrows furrowed. I stared at his mouth as he licked the taste of me off his swollen lips. Who knows what I had pulled him away from.

“I can change my mind, can’t I?”

His face softened. “Take off that stupid jean jacket.” He smiled and then helped me shimmy out of it. “Jesus, that dress is amazing.”

“Thank you.”

He extended his free hand to me. “Let’s go upstairs,” he leaned in to me as I fell into stride beside him and whispered into my ear, “it’s past your bedtime.”

I closed my eyes and missed a step. I knew damn well what I was getting myself into when I asked Janelle to bring me here, and especially when I kissed Tristan, but hearing him say that made it real.

When I opened my eyes, Tristan had paused and was looking back at my reaction. I smiled, straightened my spine, and fell back into step with him.

Chapter Twenty Eight

Tristan’s apartment was only illuminated by the neon lights blinking in from the wall of windows. Otherwise, all was calm and quiet. I realized I’d never seen any other room in Tristan’s apartment besides his living room. Tristan still held my hand, but he walked slowly, like he had all the time in the world. The anticipation just about killed me.

“Do you want a drink?” he asked, moving towards the bar. Was he stalling?

“Not that kind,” I said breathlessly, and swung his body around to face me, pulling him down by his shirt collar to meet my lips. I wasn’t being careful anymore. It got me nowhere. I felt his teeth, and groaned against them. My blood sang in my veins. Fueled by my anger at Blade, my humiliation, a bit of booze, and the sheer need to feel Tristan all over me, I clenched his hair in my hands and held tight. He grabbed my arms hard, pulling me against him, and I pushed further, nipping his lip, surprising myself a little.

“Callie,” he murmured. He pulled back, looking astonished at the arrogant smile on my lips. Then he flashed that wicked smile of his that signaled he was up to no good. “So that’s how you want to play it?”

It was exactly how I wanted to play it, as much as it terrified me. I was surprising both of us with my actions, but there was no turning back now. I nodded.

He led me deeper into the apartment and opened a door at the end of the hallway and flipped on the light to his bedroom. Sleek, neat, and masculine: the floor to ceiling windows continued into this room inviting the whole city to watch us.

I set my wristlet down on the dresser almost on top of a delicate chain with a heart shaped pendant that definitely did not belong to Tristan.

“Whose is that?” I asked.

“What? I have no idea.”

“So you just bring whoever up here and do this?” My confidence shrank by the second.

“No, not
this,
” He corrected me as he turned me away from the dresser and the offensive necklace. “I wouldn’t waste something like
this
on the random trash I feed from. They only think what they experienced was Bloodlust. What I want to share with you,” he sounded almost a bit insulted, “is much different.”

“Is that so?” I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms.

Tristan snickered. “I don’t know why you insist on making this as hard on yourself as possible. But here you are, unannounced, and ready to play.”

He smoothly pulled my arms away from my body and turned me around so the back of my legs hit the bed. “My intention,” he played thoughtfully with the ruffle right in the middle of my neckline, being careful not to touch anything but the lace. I watched his fingers intently, but he moved them up to my chin and gently tipped my face up so my eyes met his. Flames practically swirled and danced around his pupils. “Is to send you out of here crawling on your hands and knees.”

I wanted to tear my eyes away from his but I couldn’t. I was locked in place and time. “I’m scared,” I whispered.

“There’s nothing to be scared of. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.” He leaned in close and cupped my face in his hands. “You think too much.” It was barely more than a breath. Our lips met again, slowly, gingerly. I barely touched him, fearing what came next. Now, with the bed against the back of my legs, I wasn’t feeling as sure of myself anymore.

I surrendered and finally just took his advice. He removed the flower barrette from my hair and slid my ponytail free from its elastic.

“I don’t want any part of you to be restrained.” He closed his eyes in a slow blink and breathed deep. “I’ve waited for this a long time.”

“Me too.” I was surprised I could still form words. He practically had me on my knees already. All the bravado, the rock star ego, the sarcasm had fallen away. This was the Tristan I had come here for.

He slid his hands down my waist to the hem of my dress and pulled it up over my head in one swift move and tossed it aside. I’d barely had time to recover from the shock of standing there with him in just my thong and my shoes before he put his hands on my shoulders and pushed me so I sat on the edge of the bed. Fully clothed, he sank to his knees in front of me, pushing my legs apart. I squeezed my eyes closed. He wove his hands through my hair, pulling my face to his and kissed me again. I pushed my body against his, as if I could gain any modesty by closeness.

He pulled away from me and looked down the length of my body. I shivered, even though he wasn’t cold to the touch anymore. “So beautiful,” he said softly, and I felt myself breathe again. His gaze stopped on my breasts and he leaned in and began kissing, nipping, slowly, confidently. I raked my fingers through his hair, not sure whether to pull him away or push him closer. He sank lower, working down towards my belly button.

I watched him, not sure what he was going to do next. He looked up at me and smiled. He stood up, still standing between my thighs, and unbuttoned his shirt. Along with his jeans, it joined my dress on the floor. I gasped at the sight of his body, all of it as muscled and taut as his chest. He slid his knee on to the edge of the bed, careful not to make any contact with me, and put one hand on my shoulder, the other behind me to guide me down on to my back.

I pulled him down close to me, so again he kissed me. I felt much more confident now, my tongue working its way around his sharp teeth, teasing the points. He ran his hand from my thigh up to my breast, caressing it, then pulled away and pushed himself up on his arms.

He looked nowhere but my eyes, and smiled slowly. He lifted his right arm, the one that had no tattoos, and put his wrist up to his mouth, never taking his eyes off of me. He bit down on his wrist, hard enough to draw blood. I gasped.

“Trust me, Callie.” His voice was raspy and uneven. He lifted his wrist to my mouth. “Suck.”

I closed my eyes as I took his arm in my hands. I opened my mouth slowly, barely touching the small trail of blood that had escaped his skin with my tongue. It tasted sweet, like warm syrup. I worked my tongue more confidently around the wounds, finally pressed my lips against his skin and did as he instructed.

Suddenly the warm syrup flavor exploded into hundreds of different flavors, spicier, and it seemed to flood every part of me. It felt like everything good I had ever felt, all at once. I closed my eyes against it, it was too much for a second, but when I opened them again the room around me was some other world. Colors assaulted every sense. I could
smell
them and Tristan — he was just magnificent. He gleamed with energy, and I sucked harder. He let out a small cry, so unlike him. I smiled; feeling more excited than I ever had, and I wanted to feel
more
, could not feel enough of him. His eyes opened, and I moaned at how intent he was on my face, searching my eyes to feel me as much as I could feel him. Groaning, I let up ever so slightly, not wanting to stop, but so eager to move and feel him that I couldn’t wait any longer.

Tristan grunted hard, and grabbed the back of my neck to pull me up fast. He moaned my name as he melted his lips onto mine, the blood taste still present and now more potent with the taste of Tristan on my lips. When he pulled away it felt like I had lost something I needed desperately, but I understood why when he raised his dripping wrist to his lips, and drank. His eyes bore into mine as he did, and I never wanted anything so much in my life as I wanted him at that moment.

“Tristan,” I moaned, when I couldn’t take any more waiting.

He threw me back down on the bed, and every fiber of the linens absorbed me. I felt each singular bead of sweat on my back, every pulse in my legs and everywhere else, like I never imagined possible. Tristan’s hands set my skin blazing, almost painfully, but I whispered “more” to him, unable to speak through all of this feeling. Tears coursed over my cheeks every time his beautiful face came close to mine. It was pure white light, the silhouette of angels must look like, but with the impassioned voice of the man I wasn’t sure I could ever be without now.

“Callie,” he panted, and I knew what was coming next. I couldn’t pull him close enough, we were two magnets that had finally found each other, and the draw was too much. We both cried out deafeningly, until there was no strength left in either of us. Colors blinded me all around, pulsing bright and hot. I couldn’t breathe until Tristan moved away from me, but I couldn’t let him go far. My fingers entwined in his, currents passing between us as the world became real again.