Fresh Blood (11 page)

He looked at the kitchen clock. He still had
an hour until sunset.

“Come with me,” he said as he rose from his
chair. He took Erica’s hand in his and tugged her toward the
bedroom. “I want to show you something.”

She raised one perfect eyebrow. “Is it
something I’ve seen before?” Her half smile ignited him and he
growled as he dragged her into his arms.

“You’ve seen it before, but not up close.” He
punctuated his words by cupping her rear and pulling her tight
against him. The look in her eyes told him she understood exactly
how much he wanted her.

She reached for the buttons of her blouse but
he grabbed her hands and held them. “No. Everything stays on until
I tell you to take it off.”

She sighed happily and her breathing grew
shallow. “Do we have time...?”

“We have as long as it takes. I’m not leaving
here until I’m done with you.”

The sound she made drove him over the edge
and he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.

It was well after six when he left.

Erica felt Max around her and inside her. She
tasted him and she ached for him long after he left her
apartment.

Because the memories of their lovemaking were
so fresh, guilt gnawed at her as she stood before her closet
looking for an outfit that would help get her into The
Underside.

She hadn’t mentioned anything about Elena’s
phone call knowing he’d insist on being involved. Erica had no
illusions that her task would be easy, but she wouldn’t do anything
to jeopardize her sister’s life. Her trips to After Dark and Club
Dead had taught her more about the vampire world and what they
expected of her feeders. She could do this.

A little on-line research told her The
Underside was more of a Goth club, which she might have found
amusing under other circumstances. What could be more Goth than
vampires after all?

That thought brought her back to Max. The
line between human and vampire was blurred in him. As blurred as
his image had been each time she’d looked in the mirror. She hadn’t
asked him about it, but as they made love again that afternoon,
she’d stolen glances across the room and marveled at the fact that
his reflection was no more than a waxy smudge. She wondered if it
was simply her own perception, clouded by the delirium of sexual
fulfillment or if there was some truth at least to that bit of
vampire lore.

Beyond that, she felt him and remembered him
as human. Everything in the way he touched her today was different
than last night. Though he’d looked at her with the same dark
longing in his eyes, that dangerous look that turned her insides to
liquid, he’d been gentle and slow with her. He’d kissed her
senseless and caressed her body until her nerves caught fire, but
he hadn’t delayed her pleasure like last night. He hadn’t forced
her to promise him things, or tortured her with words that made her
want what she couldn’t have.

He’d loved her thoroughly and left her
wondering once again what she’d gotten herself into.

With a ragged sigh, she thumbed through the
clothes in her closet until she found a long straight skirt and a
black tank top. She appraised the outfit in the mirror and tossed
the top aside. A leather bustier would work better but she didn’t
have one.

She wished she’d insisted on going with Max
to Elena’s apartment. There, she’d have found a suitable
outfit.

Maybe in the back of the closet with the
stuff she didn’t wear anymore? She dug deep, tossing things aside
as she went until she came upon the item she remembered. It had
been Elena’s but Erica had borrowed it years ago. She laughed at
the memory. A Halloween party at work was rare, but one year her
manager had decided to get everyone in the spirit. Erica had
dressed in an eclectic mix of beachwear and black rags, a long
black wig, a broom and a bottle of suntan lotion and called herself
the “Sand-Witch.” The getup won a prize and garnered her a few
months of teasing from her co-workers. She thought of them now and
wondered if any of them would believe how she’d spent her weekend
so far. She wasn’t sure she believed it herself.

She found the black top she’d worn as part of
the costume and pulled it out of the closet. The sleeves were laced
up the sides and the front sported rips and tears held together
with silver safety pins and jump rings. It would have to do.

She mussed her hair, slathered on her darkest
lipstick and ringed her eyes with black liner. The look reminded
her of the girl who hadn’t gotten into After Dark. If she adopted
the same attitude, they’d probably welcome her at The
Underside.

She left her apartment at ten and drove
herself across town to the address listed on the Web site. This
time she didn’t care who saw her.

* * * *

“Carlisle’s not there tonight?” Max adjusted
the volume on his cell phone headset as he turned into the parking
lot of Elena Talbot’s building. His partner’s voice reached him
over the patchy connection. With deliberate patience, Lucas Vitale
repeated what he’d just said.

“I don’t see him anywhere. I know he spends
most evenings here, but maybe he got tired of the place.”

Max worked with Lucas regularly and the other
vampire investigator was the closest thing Max had to a friend. He
tried to keep the frustration out of his voice when he
answered.

“I don’t like that Erica is alone. I’ve got
to finish this now, but maybe you can swing by her apartment, just
to see if she’s all right.”

“You want me to go in, or just lurk around?”
Lucas’ deep voice held amusement. He was a bit of a rebel and he
liked his job, perhaps too much.

“Lurk. It’s what you’re best at. Call me if
you see anything suspicious.”

“All right. I’ve got to take Kyra home
first.”

Halfway out of his car, Max paused. “Kyra is
with you?”

“Of course. I needed to bring a feeder with
me. You know she can handle anything.”

Max shook his head. He should have expected
that. Kyra knew them all and she fed them all. It was her job. And
her pleasure from what Max understood. A few days ago, he might
have felt a pang of jealousy, but now, just annoyance that she
couldn’t get home by herself. “Do me a favor and don’t waste any
time at Kyra’s, all right? I want to know that Erica is safe.”

Lucas’ voice took on a curious tone. “Why so
worried about a feeder?”

“She’s not a feeder. She’s just.…” Just what?
he asked himself as he rounded Building A and headed for the fire
stairs at the back that would lead him to Apartment 5.

“Just what? Just a human? Just a good
lay?”

“Shut up, Luke.”

“Ooh. Did I strike a live nerve there? I
didn’t know you had any left.”

“Just do what I ask, Lucas ... and keep Kyra
out of it. I don’t want her to know about Erica.”

“Why not? Do you think she’ll be jealous that
her favorite biter has a new toy?”

Max hung up. Lucas was a prick sometimes, but
he’d never let Max down yet. He jammed the cell phone into his
pocket and cased the building. Getting in wouldn’t be a problem.
The fire stairs at the back of the building gave access to all the
bedroom windows. Elena Talbot’s was bare, no curtains, not even a
shade. He wondered as he began to climb, if the landlord had
already cleaned the place out.

Max pried the screen off the window and set
it on the stairs, then hoisted the old sash, glad that he wouldn’t
have to break the window to get in. Once inside he lowered the sash
again and moved out of the line of sight.

Two steps in, it hit him. The scent he’d been
looking for. It permeated the place. A smoky mixture of musky
perfume, heather and clove. He didn’t need to take anything that
belonged to Elena to remember it and he didn’t need to give the
scent to anyone else.

What he needed was to figure out how to tell
Erica that he knew exactly what had happened to her sister.

* * * *

Déjà vu struck Erica as she took her place in
line outside of The Underside. The back entrance was another
unpainted steel fire door manned by a bouncer who could have been
the twin brother to Frank from After Dark. This one looked less
friendly, though. He scowled at the women and men lined up outside
and rather than gesturing the unacceptable candidates out of line,
he waited until they approached him and literally shoved them
aside.

He seemed to get off on it. The smirk on his
doughy face grew wider each time he refused someone entry.

Erica’s fear and annoyance peaked as she
neared her turn. If he threw her aside, how would she get in? She
thought about calling Max and telling him about Elena’s phone call
but she knew he’d make her leave. Worse than considering that he’d
leave her out of the rescue mission, was the thought of admitting
she lied to him. She lied in the throes of passion and made a
promise to him that she didn’t intend to keep. What did that make
her? Certainly not worthy of the adoration he’d shown her this
afternoon. Certainly not worthy of his trust.

She shook the doubts aside and moved up to
close the gap that had opened between her and the person ahead of
her in line. She still had time to walk away and call Max for help.
What if he needed time to formulate a plan? She couldn’t let Elena
down by not being here.

Erica jerked her head up when the bouncer
called, “Next! You in black!” He laughed at his own joke. Everyone
in line wore black and each outfit was darker than the last.

Erica stood out because she was the only
blonde in sight and that worried her. Inside, she wouldn’t be able
to melt into the crowd, and she wouldn’t be able to avoid a body
search tonight.

Just like After Dark, the man checked her for
needle marks, asked if she smoked or snorted and he also squeezed
her ass. She forced a smile as she shoved her inside and pretended
it didn’t make her want to rip his head off.

The gauntlet tonight was worse than at After
Dark, but at least the music was better. Four men lined the back
room and each one of them searched everyone who came through, male
and female alike. Erica noted that quite a few men had been
admitted and none of them seemed to be bothered by the intimate
body search. Of course they had fewer places to hide contraband
than women did.

Erica bit her lip and held her breath as each
of the four security guards took his turn. The first one lifted her
skirt and patted down her legs from crotch to ankle. He actually
ran his fingers inside the leg of her panties and leered at her
before he motioned her to move on. The second one looked down the
front of her blouse but nothing she had made an impression on him.
He motioned her on to the third who also lifted her skirt. This one
sniffed her hair and she shuddered. That was almost as bad as
having the first guard’s fingers in her underwear.

The fourth one patted her hips and her
breasts. He pushed her collar open and stamped a fluorescent
butterfly on her chest, then let her pass into the club. She
figured the brand meant no one would chase her down later and
insist she hadn’t been properly felt up ... searched. She had proof
that she’d passed the security inspection.

The Underside had an odd vibe to it, and a
strange smell. It took Erica a few minutes to place the sharp,
smoky scent. Cloves. Small plates of incense burned everywhere,
making the air heavy with the spicy aroma.

Drinks flowed freely and here she didn’t have
to order at the bar. A waitress pressed a glass of sweet wine into
her hand moments after she arrived. She resisted the urge to take a
sip. It smelled so good, but she didn’t dare take any chances.

She made a quick circuit of the place to get
her bearings and then found an empty corner table where she would
be able to watch everything. As soon as she saw Elena, she’d make
her move.

Her nerves thrummed with anticipation. She’d
find Elena tonight and this half-life would end. No more rescues
after this. No more sleepless nights.

No more Maxwell Hart.

A flash of white caught her attention and she
zeroed in on a figure across the room that stood out even more than
she did.

A tall woman with long black hair and a
flowing white dress floated across the room like a runway model.
Vera Nighe. Her almond eyes lit on Erica and she smiled.

“What are you doing here, little one? Where’s
Max?” Vera asked when she arrived at Erica’s table. She looked
angelic and full of life, unlike last night at Gregori’s when she’d
appeared sunken and tired.

“I came alone tonight.” Erica wanted to lie
but she thought of Elena’s plea to leave Max out of it.

The other woman looked around, scanning the
room with her curious gaze. “Wonderful. Then you can have a drink
with me.”

Erica smiled and pushed her glass toward Vera
as the tall woman sat down. “Here, it’s all yours.”

“Come on, Max isn’t around. One sip won’t
hurt.”

“I wonder what would have happened if I’d
drank the wine last night. Apparently just a whiff was enough to
affect me. I barely remember anything that happened.”

Vera’s smile became a pretty pout. “Then you
forgot all the fun we had dancing together?”

Erica shrugged.

“What a shame. We’ll have to make some more
memories tonight, since you’re on your own.”

“Where’s Mr. Carlisle?” Erica asked. She
wanted to sound conversational but a hint of suspicion crept into
her voice. If Carlisle was responsible for hurting Elena, she
wanted to make him pay.

“He’ll join us soon, pretty one. Very
soon.”

Vera sidled closer to Erica and put her arm
around her shoulders. Erica pulled away but the woman resisted and
dipped her face toward Erica’s for a light kiss.

Erica pushed her away. “Vera, I’m flattered,
but I belong to Max and he doesn’t like anyone else touching me,
even other women.”