Dark Melody: A Vampire Romance (Immortal Legacy Book 1) (5 page)

Nicole

Alec opened the passenger side door of the Mustang and motioned to the leather seat. “For you, My Lady.”

Hesitating, I glanced back at the club’s entrance. There was no one around. He could just toss me in the car and be gone. No one would even realize I was missing until tomorrow.

“Are you coming?” he asked, lifting one dark brow.

Exhaling loudly, I slid into the leather seat and he shut the door. I couldn’t get over the feeling that I’d just stepped over the threshold into some murky unknown that I might never come back from.

The scent of expensive leather filled the air. Alec drove a nice car and an expensive one. I hadn’t realized musicians made so much money unless they were superstars.

Alec got in the driver’s seat. When he leaned over to grab my seatbelt, his arm brushed against my breast and a rush of heat surged through my veins.

My body was such a betrayer. How could I ache to feel him touch me when I really didn’t want anything to do with him that way?

The laughter in his eyes seemed to be mocking me.
Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that.

“You should always wear your seatbelt,” he said as he clicked it into place.

“You’re not wearing one,” I pointed out.

Alec laughed. “It’s not like I’m going to die.”

The engine came to life. As soon as he pulled onto the road, the car surged forward and I almost lost my stomach. The lights of the city rushed past us.

Alec had to be one of those
fast cars and fast women
kind of guys. When I glanced over at him, my suspicions were confirmed. He wore an expression of such intensity that it bordered on euphoric.

In spite of his apparent addiction to speed and danger, he seemed so normal. No doubt he was probably the most charismatic and gorgeous guy I’d ever met, but he still appeared to be just a man.

The more I was around him, the more I found myself wishing he was just a regular guy. But he wasn’t. Deep down I knew Ethan was telling the truth.

“Where are we going?” I asked, breaking the silence that had settled over us.

Shifting the Mustang into high gear, he gave me a sideward glance. “My place.”

I wasn’t sure going to his place was such a good idea. “Oh, do you live alone?” I asked.

“Mostly, but sometimes the guys in Necro will stay with me.”

His words hit my panic button. Being with Alec was risky enough. No way did I want to deal with an entire nest of vampires. “Are they, um … are they like you?”

Alec nodded. “But you don’t have to worry. They’re not there right now.”

Taking his eyes off the road, he turned and smiled at me. “They’re hunting. We’ll have the place to ourselves.”

By hunting, I assumed he meant hunting people. Troubled by the thought, I unconsciously brought my hand up to my throat.

Chuckling, Alec took his hand from the shifter and placed it over my arm. “Don’t worry. I would never do anything to upset Ethan.”

He was toying with me again and it was irritating the hell out of me. I was tempted to come back with some kind of cutting remark, but just then he slowed the car and took the freeway exit.

Peering out the window, I noticed that we seemed to be headed to the Garden District. I was right. Before long, the streets were lined with old mansions. I’d always loved the Garden District, though I didn’t get a chance to visit it often. It was one of those places that were way out of my price range. When I did get to this area of the city, I enjoyed walking the tree-lined streets. It was so peaceful, and the houses were beautiful.

Alec turned on Jackson Avenue and pulled through the open gate of one of those houses.

I let out an involuntary gasp. The circular driveway was at the side of an extra large house that had to be original to the neighborhood. The pale tan house wasn’t a mansion, but it was close. I knew a house like this would cost a fortune to build today. Actually, it would probably cost a fortune to buy.

The lighted garden at the front of the house was crowded with palms and oaks, not to mention tropical flowers that added splashes of color.

Alec stopped the car and got out. Before I had a chance to open the car door, he’d already done it for me. A cool breeze drifted into the car and it carried with it the scent of jasmine and roses.

That same breeze was playing havoc with Alec’s locks of dark hair. With his blue eyes shimmering in the dark and the way his hair dancing on the wind, he looked too exotic to be real.

“Are you coming?” he asked, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

I placed my hand in his and let him help me from the car. What few dates I’d been on had never included the guy opening doors and helping me from the car. The whole experience was kind of refreshing.

There were stairs leading to a covered porch that was surrounded by an intricate railing, much the same as the balcony above the porch. Near the front of the house, I noticed a large cherub water fountain that poured sparkling water into a pond that was illuminated by blue light.

“Your house is very nice,” I commented.

“I like it.” He shrugged. “The place just says, New Orleans, doesn’t it? There’s really no other city quite so interesting or colorful.”

As I followed him up the stairs to the door, my nervousness returned. There was an annoying little voice in my head that kept whispering warnings of doom.

What if the others returned while I was still here?

What if he lost control and actually did kill me?

I couldn’t imagine the death of a human woman would be that much of a problem, even for Ethan.

The thought was startling. Again, I realized that I really didn’t know my friend at all.

In spite of that bothersome voice that kept urging me to turn and run, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Alec, let alone my thoughts.

If nothing else, he was captivating. I couldn’t help but think he was weaving some kind of spell on me and there wasn’t a single thing I could do to stop it.

When he switched on the light, a crystal chandelier glittered on the ceiling, casting prisms of light over the entire room.

The inside of the house was even more stunning than the outside. It was furnished in 19th-century pieces that were absolutely dazzling. The couches were covered with red and black velvet.

Alec made his way to a dark mahogany bar. “Would you like something to drink? Maybe some brandy?”

“Sure,” I told him.

A drink would probably help calm my nerves. Besides, he didn’t really have to get me drunk to render me defenseless. His eyes did a good job of that.

“Please sit,” he said, handing me a small glass full of brandy.

“Thanks.” I smiled but it was a guarded smile.

Sitting on the edge of the plush couch, I was ready to flee at the first sign of aggression or fangs.

“You should relax, he said as he sat beside me. “I already told you that you’re safe with me.”

He was too close for comfort so I put a couple more inches between us. “I’m fine.”

“Are you?” There was a trace of laughter in his voice. “You know, I was planning to scare you so that you wouldn’t come looking for me again, but I find you intriguing.”

That was nice to know.

“Well, I suppose I’m fortunate then,” I said, lacing my words with sarcasm. “Now can we talk about Ethan?”

Alec’s dark eyes glittered with mischief. “We’ll get to that soon enough. But first, I’d like to get to know you. Tell me about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?” I asked, setting my half empty drink on the dark wood coffee table.

“Have you ever had sex with a vampire?” he asked, as casually as if he were asking if I’d ever walked in the rain.

The thought brought on a delightful tingling sensation that sent heat rushing to my cheeks. Clearing my throat, I said, “Um, no. I couldn’t and wouldn’t do that.”

“What a shame. I could show you such wicked delights,” he said, his voice low and sensuous.

Slowly and seductively, his eyes moved from my face to the contour of my neck, before coming to rest on the cleavage visible above the neckline of my dress. The heat in his gaze sent ripples of desire over my entire body.

Damn! I knew I shouldn’t have worn this dress. I was just asking for trouble.

Ethan had asked me to choose something that would catch Alec’s eye. Maybe that hadn’t been such a good idea.

A lump formed in my throat. What the hell was wrong with me?

It wasn’t like I was a virgin. I was acting like a teenage girl on my first date. He must really think I’m naive.

“What about this Omar?” I asked, changing the subject.

It worked, at least for the time being. Alec’s entire demeanor changed.

“Even if what Ethan says is true, Omar is not someone to go up against.” Alec scowled.

“But wouldn’t it be worth it if you could find this secret?” I asked before retrieving my glass and downing the rest of my drink.

Alec grew silent and again his eyes raked over me like I was a piece of meat. His scrutiny made me feel even more uncomfortable.

“Let’s dance.” Picking up a remote from the coffee table, he switched on the stereo and a slow melody drifted into the room.

“Oh I don’t think so,” I said, shaking my head.

It was time to admit to myself that I was very attracted to him, and if I let him get too close, I’d lose control. Knowing my weakness would help to keep that from happening.

Getting closer wasn’t a good idea. By now, I could barely keep my eyes off his broad chest and sensuous lips.

I already knew his hands could make magic come out of a guitar, and I couldn’t help but wonder what they would feel like if they were caressing my skin. Most of all, I was drawn to his eyes - his vampire eyes.

No matter how hot he was I had to remember Ethan’s warning. There was no way I was going to become Alec’s feeder.

“Please, I insist,” he said, holding out his hand.

Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his. His touch was cool, but the sensation of his skin touching mine was wildly erotic.

Alec pulled me into his arms and we began to sway to the slow melody drifting through the room. I felt his hands glide down my back to my behind and even lower until he could have easily slipped them beneath my dress.

“Alec,” I gasped.

“What can I say,” he shrugged. “My appetites are insatiable, including my appetite for pleasures of the flesh.”

I thought I should do some more protesting but he didn’t give me a chance. His mouth found my neck. I could feel my pulse pounding against his lips as he left a trail of kisses up to my jaw.

Almost as if they had a mind of their own, my hands found their way to his hair. From the first time I saw him, I’d wanted to run my fingers through that silky mane of his.

Suddenly, his hands were cradling my face and his lips came down on mine. I let go and my lips parted to receive his tongue. I was drowning in the feeling of him exploring my mouth.

Abruptly, everything changed and I appeared to be somewhere else.

I was in a bed with black satin sheets that tangled around us as he slowly entered me, but he hesitated just as he was going to plunge into my body. The anticipation was agonizing.

In a blink of an eye, someone else was in the bed with us. It was another man. He was dark like Alec, and just as breathtaking. When I felt his lips on my face and his hand kneading my breast, a gasp exploded from my throat. It was impossible to wrap my mind around the pure ecstasy flooding through my body. In that instant, all I could think about was sweet release.

My eyes flew open and I was back in Alec’s living room. I blinked, confused about what had just happened. Alec’s arms were wrapped tightly around my waist, which was a good thing. Without him holding me up, I would have collapsed.

“Did you like that?” he asked.

“Yes,” I breathed.

“I could do that for you, and so much more.” His words came out as hot breaths against my ear.

“I would have to be your feeder. Ethan told me.”

Suddenly he blinked as if he were coming out of a daze. “That isn’t always true. Sometimes I just make love to a woman because I want to.”

“How did you do that?” I asked.

“I can send images to your mind,” he told me.

I could feel the power of his desire and it was overwhelming. His lust surrounded me like a blanket of heat.

Breaking free of it would be a battle and one that I was no longer sure I wanted to win.

“Why was there someone else with us?” I asked, suddenly remembering the other guy.

Alec’s eyes turned cold and he stepped away from me. His nostrils flared as he scanned the room. It almost seemed like he could detect something that I couldn’t.

All of a sudden the front window exploded in a spray of glass. I was lucky. As soon as I heard the shatter, I covered my face to protect it from the flying shards.