Night Moves (The Night Songs Collection) (22 page)

“I know.” She reached out and put her hand on my blanketed leg. “Drake Bonham is a nobody. Don’t let him intimidate you.”

I sat there wide-eyed, sipping my tea.

“You have bigger things to worry about than pleasing him. These musicians, with their huge egos. It’s a joke. It’s about time someone starts saying no to them.”

S
taying with Taryn and Joy was not how I expected to spend my time in Vegas. But it was a refreshing reset, and I felt like I was in an oasis spending time with two gainfully employed adults who wanted as little as possible to do with vampires or rock n’ roll. .

Joy worked as an overnight security manager at the Alta Vista Hotel, where Immortal Dilemma played, Tristan lived, and Talis’ business was headquartered. A relatively new hotel, it sat half completed until Talis funded its completion and gave Immortal Dilemma a residency there before they exploded in popularity. Taryn had a salon in the Alta Vista, thanks to her dad, who co-invested with Talis. If I was still a financial advisor, I would have chased them down to work with them.

Like a new kitten, I braved coming out to the common area a little more each day. The girls invited me to eat dinner with them, or watch movies. I didn’t want to crowd them. They weren’t looking for new friends, they were just doing Erin a favor. Erin had booked more work while in Los Angeles and extended her stay. I guess she didn’t feel like she had to hurry back for me. I felt like a mooch. I couldn’t pay for food, I couldn’t go anywhere. I couldn’t even clean the house because someone else came and did it once a week. I guess I shouldn’t have worried about replacing a couple of bagels for someone who could afford a cleaning lady.

Drake’s plan seemed more ridiculous the longer I’d stayed. I missed Ryder more than I ever expected to. He couldn’t call me either. We were worried that the police might have bugged his phone. I felt so lonely without him.

He said he’d take care of everything, and I just had to trust him.

“How did your brother, um, adjust to being a vampire?” I finally worked up the courage to ask Taryn one night. She offered to fix my DIY hair do, so I kind of had a captive audience.

“He’s always so screwed up. Sometimes I wonder if he even notices.” She sighed. “Think about it, he’s nineteen forever, looks like that, and has a never ending supply of drugs and girls. Every day is Christmas.”

“So if there are no women vampires, he must have a human girlfriend, if he’s in a relationship.”

“His old girlfriend has suddenly reappeared. I’m worried about her. She’s way too naïve for this world. It’s a lot to deal with. Vampires aren’t monogamous, Melanie. I don’t know if Ryder ever mentioned that to you. But you have to accept you won’t be the only one.”

My chin was down on my chest, hair in my face as she worked. It hid the shock. No, Ryder had never said anything about that to me. My mind reeled. Drake had Erin as well as his wife, and the other guys shacked up with whatever girl came to the party. I had no idea if they had wives or girlfriends back home. What exactly was Ryder doing in my absence? He certainly didn’t seem to miss variety. When we came to each other, he seemed lonely. Of course, I knew better than to think being with someone instantly erased loneliness.

Just ask me and Jamie.

Taryn seemed to take my silence for the shock that it was. “You need to know what you’re getting yourself into. Are you willing to give up your life for these guys who aren’t going to give you the same respect? That will cheat on you? That will literally suck you dry?” She ran her fingers through my hair to see how my new cut fell. “Do you want to kill for people who are going to treat you that way?”

Tears burned in my eyes. I didn’t want to do anything to Rachel. And I didn’t want to think of Ryder as someone who was just going to use me up and spit me out when he was done.

How was it different than any other relationship? You never knew how it was going to end when it began. You just had to have faith.

“Has your relationship with Tristan changed?” I tried not to let my voice shake.

“Of course. But he’s my brother and I love him. I just don’t agree with the choices he’s made. But that was the case long before this happened.” Taryn moved in front of me, to check the evenness of my new layers framing my face. “I just want you to have your eyes open. You’re lucky, in a way. You know what you’re getting yourself into. Tristan and I didn’t have that luxury.”

“Neither did Ryder. Drake tricked the whole band into becoming vampires.”

“He always was a bastard. I remember he did some political thing my dad poured a bunch of money in to, years ago. One of my friends and I wanted to meet him, and he didn’t have the time of day for us.”

I smiled, always pleased when anyone agreed with me that Drake was a dick. But my heart still hurt.

“I’ve never been happier than I am with Ryder. I don’t care what he is. I know that it might not last forever, but I want to enjoy it while it lasts.” I felt sheepish pouring my heart out. Hairdressers had a way of bringing that out in people.

“Melanie, I know you got yourself into a bad situation, but I can tell you’re a smart girl. Just don’t let your emotions get the best of you this time.”

I
hugged Erin so tightly when she came to Taryn’s apartment; I thought I might break her in half. The break from my new life had lasted too long. It was where I belonged now. I missed everyone. Well, not Drake. Asshole.

“I have so much to tell you about, Mellie.” Even her enthusiasm was refreshing. Taryn was nice, but enthusiastic was not a word I’d use to describe her. “Do you think the coast is clear for her to come back with me?” She asked the room.

Joy made an unsure face. “There’s been surveillance here every day. I don’t know if I would risk it.” She dealt with this type of stuff all the time at the hotel, so her word was probably the one we should go on.

“Crap. I stayed out of town for a few days extra, thinking they’d get bored and give up. What are we going to do?” Erin pouted.

My heart sank into my chest. What were we going to do? Was I going to be stuck here forever? I wanted to live my life with what little freedom I had left. How was I going to see Ryder? Bringing me here hadn’t been a great idea. I probably should have hid somewhere away from Erin’s house. I couldn’t complain that much, I couldn’t have pulled this off on my own. And someone must have thought it was a good idea.

Unless they wanted me to get caught.

“Your hair looks great!” Erin smiled, noticing my despair. It did. Taryn had stripped away the cheap black dye. Now I had a chic dark chocolate shag with caramel chunks streaked throughout.

I’d lost quite a bit of weight in the last few weeks and my clothes fell off of me. I knew Erin well enough to know she was thinking the same thing I was when she looked at me. The four of us sat in the living room and discussed Plan B.

I
LEFT
the apartment on my own, and headed out to the pool area. I borrowed shorts and a top from Joy, a skimpy outfit that looked like pre-investment banker Melanie. We considered a straw hat, but it was dark out already and it was almost too obvious. I dunked my feet in the pool, ignoring a couple of late swimmers. I tried to look as relaxed as possible, with my nose in the romance paperback I still hadn’t finished, while I waited for Joy’s white car to come up to the gate.

As casually as possible, I got up and dried my legs off, and joined her in the car. She pulled out of the complex and plugged in her GPS. “I’m going to drive around town aimlessly for a little while until I’m sure no one is following us. Is there anything you want to see?”

“Anything! I’ve never been here before.” I was actually just as excited about the journey tonight as I was the destination. Both of us obsessively checked the mirrors, but it didn’t seem like anyone was tailing us. My heart pounded over the radio. I hoped someday I’d actually get to explore the city, but I didn’t fool myself into thinking that it was any more than a pipe dream.

Joy weaved in and out of the side roads of the strip, trying to avoid getting caught in traffic. I marveled at the huge hotels, flanked by palm trees, water, and millions of lights. God, I just wished I could get lost in all of it, blend in with the thousands of tourists that milled around. I couldn’t be the only fugitive among that crowd. Vegas seemed like a city easy to get lost in, if that’s what you wanted to do.

After driving in circles, Joy started to head away from the pomp and circumstance of the strip back into suburbia. She wove a jagged path until she reached a part of town that had hills and curvy roads. We must have been near the edge of the valley, judging from the landscape and the amount of time it took us to get there. I couldn’t see if there were mountains nearby in the dark.

I practically floated off my seat from excitement when Joy pulled into a driveway and tapped a code that opened the security gate. We drove down a long driveway to a front lit stucco house with lots of windows and palm trees. I unbuckled my seatbelt and jumped out of the car almost before she brought it to a complete stop. I ran down the walkway like an idiot, and opened the door to a house I’d never seen without knocking.

“Ryder!” I called out, not knowing where to go once I got into the house. The ceilings were high and my voice bounced off the walls.

“Baby.” He came out from around the corner, looking tired and gray again but still beautiful. I jumped into his arms and let him swing me around. “I missed you so much.”

“I never thought I’d get here. They were watching the apartment.” I felt a river of tears brimming in my eyes. I didn’t want to cry right now, not even happy tears.

“I know. We worked it out.” He pressed his lips against my cheek as he spoke.

“Where are the keys, Ryder?” I never even heard Joy come in behind me. She placed a set of keys down on the table near the door.

“Oh, right here. Someone will be by tomorrow to pick it up.” He let me go so he could dig another set of keys out of his jeans.

“Thanks. One of us will be home. Just have someone let us know when.” Joy said. I looked back and forth between the two of them, not sure what was going on. “I’m gonna head back.”

“Thanks. For everything.” It sounded more like a question, since I was still a little confused.

Joy shut the door without saying anything else.

“What was that all about?” I asked.

“We had someone bring that car there today so we could get you here without someone tailing you.” Ryder explained. “Joy took another car home.”

“Have you ever met her before?”

“Nope.” Ryder smiled.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “She’s Erin’s neighbor, and her girlfriend is Tristan Trevosier’s twin sister.” I explained.

“I know. I’m sure it was arranged as a favor to The Mistress.”

“You think? I thought it was because they lived next door to Erin.”

“Nothing is an accident around here, babe.” Ryder smiled. “I’m just glad you’re here. If that was what eternity was like without you, I don’t want to be without you.”

I thought my heart was going to explode. I fought the urge to push him down on the plush couch in the open living area that we appeared to be alone in, until I told him my news.

“Taryn thinks the Rachel thing will take care of itself. I wouldn’t have to do anything. Talis won’t let her survive.”

Ryder shook his head sadly. “Drake hasn’t forgotten. There have been a lot of arrangements made to get you here safe. He’s been hanging it over my head.”

“What a bastard.” I hissed. Now I wanted to hit something. How could he spoil the night when he wasn’t even here? “Taryn thinks Talis’ thugs will take care of her.”

“That’s where you come in.” Ryder smiled sadly. “Listen, babe, we’ll figure it out. I’ve missed you too much to stand here talking about Drake and some chick we don’t even know.”

“Are we actually alone?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Welcome home.” He smiled and drew me back in closer.

“How can you have a house with so many windows? Won’t that hurt you?”

He shook his head, leaning down towards me, his hair grazing mine with the movement. “Look at the windows.”

I turned my head slightly, not breaking contact with his body. His cool chest and arms wrapped around me like a blanket. I couldn’t see out the windows, because they were blacked out.