Forever Touched (Touch of Vampire #5)

PROLOGUE

EVERETT

Blood and lust saturated the air.

The heady concoction pulled at my senses, urging me to indulge in my baser instincts. To join the sway of sweaty bodies undulating on the dance floor and select an eager partner.

Only here could predator and prey so freely mingle. Although our DNA was vastly different, we looked the same on the outside, which was the only reason why humans didn’t run screaming from the establishment. Yet an instinctual part of them knew that they were surrounded by danger, a feeling too powerful to resist. The thrill of it kept them here—and kept them coming back.

The allure of the forbidden was a seductive song, eclipsing the beat of the sensual music pulsing through their bones.

It was the same with every vampire-owned nightclub.

The promise of pleasure drew humans and vampires alike. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, one I’d partaken in countless times myself.

Blood and sex with no strings attached was an offering few vampires could turn down. As long as the humans were willing and left with no memory of being fed on, these nightclubs were allowed to legally operate without fear of being shut down.

This one was different, though—or so my father suspected.

Sighing impatiently, I checked the time on my phone again. Not even ten o’clock. This was going to be a long night. From my spot at a velvet-cushioned booth tucked in the darkest corner of the club, I heard a human female giggle. I glanced up, my dark mask hiding the slight movement.

Not a day over twenty, the girl being led off the dance floor wore a skimpy black dress that barely covered her breasts and backside. Even through the shadows, fog, and red pulsating lights, I could make out her eager expression. She’d done this before. Probably many times. That dreamy, somewhat glazed look in her eyes told me everything.

She giggled again, teetering forward with her mask knocked askew. The male holding her hand tugged her past a dark screen and into a private alcove—or not so private. My night vision easily cut through the gloom and penetrated the thin screen, revealing the pair. They were already entwined, kissing and pawing at each other. Despite the sensual music pulsing through the air, I could even hear their feverish moans and sighs of pleasure.

Instead of looking away in embarrassment, I openly watched the display, waiting for the male to make his move. I didn’t have to wait long. The greedy bastard only lasted seconds before tugging the girl’s head back and plunging his fangs into her neck.

Her startled cry quickly morphed into one of ecstasy. At the sound, a burning need seared my throat, making my mouth water. There was a bar in the opposite corner of the club, but I’d chosen not to indulge tonight. One drink would quickly turn into several, and if I went down that road, I too would be pulling a girl behind a screen.

Impatient once more—this time with myself—I swallowed the hunger and refocused on the entwined pair. The male was taking full advantage of the girl’s eagerness, hiking her short dress up to her waist. When he slipped his hand between her thighs, she gasped and arched against him. I continued to watch the erotic display, not surprised when the vampire fumbled to undo his pants seconds later.

Stifling an eye roll, I kept my gaze trained on the pair as the male whipped out his dick and frantically thrust inside the girl. I flicked a glance at my phone on the black cushion beside me, then sneered when the male orgasmed less than a minute later.

“Overeager whelp,” I muttered. He hadn’t even let the girl finish.

The couple parted soon after that, the male hastily slipping out to no doubt pursue another partner. The girl stumbled out more slowly, looking unfocused and high as a kite.

Dismissing them both, I leaned back against the booth cushion with another impatient sigh. This was a waste of my time. I had better things to do than watch vampires and humans barely past the age of maturity hump each other. Besides the required masks to gain entrance, this club was no different than the others. Sure, it was more exclusive, strictly catering to Venturi and their drothen—who seemed drawn to this place simply for that fact. The anonymity and exorbitant entry fee were also a bit strange, but I’d seen no evidence of foul play.

Everyone here was rich, horny, and looking for a good time. Despite the masks, I even recognized a few of the males. They were indulging in their baser instincts, nothing more. That wasn’t a crime, so long as the rules were being followed.

My phone buzzed, and I reached for it.

Anything? the text from my brother said.

Dead end , I quickly typed in reply, then rose from my seat. Tell Father that I’m headed back .

I was about to hit send and leave as quietly as I’d arrived when the music suddenly stopped. I looked toward the dance floor just as a bright beam of light illuminated a masked figure dangling high above the ground. Decidedly female, she sat on a large silver hoop that was attached to the ceiling via a chain.

At the sight, the crowd below looked up and froze. Everything froze. No one moved, barely even breathed, as the female hung suspended in the air. The fog billowing around her started to thin, and when I saw that her graceful legs were bare, I lifted my eyes, curious to see the rest of her.

She wore a two-piece sequined outfit, one that left little to the imagination. I couldn’t help but notice her body, lithe but shapely in all the areas I enjoyed looking at. Her top openly displayed a generous amount of cleavage, and I paused to appreciate the view. My gaze dipped to her taut stomach next, to a glittering diamond pierced in her navel. Further intrigued, I sought out her face.

What I saw stole the breath from my lungs.

Her features were ethereal. There was no other word to describe such otherworldly beauty. Flawless olive skin. Full red lips. Thick black lashes that not even a mask could hide. High cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes spoke of partial Asian descent, possibly Japanese. Her hair was her most striking feature, though. Dark at the roots, the sleek strands lightened to a silver gray, cascading like a shimmering waterfall to her petite waist.

A slight smirk drew my gaze to her lips once more. Even from across the room, I could see the amusement dancing there. The confidence. Her audience was captivated, and she knew it.

She suddenly let go of the hoop and fell backward. Silver hair and sequins flashed as she arched through the air in a freefall to the ground.

My heart stopped.

I couldn’t scent her from here, but if I had to guess, I’d say she was human. A fall from that height could badly injure or even kill her.

The crowd beneath her parted as she fell, but they didn’t attempt to catch her. A sudden need to save her struck me. The need was so strong that I was halfway across the room before I could think better of it.

Time slowed. I reached for her, using my supernatural speed to beat her descent to the ground. Yards away from catching her, she abruptly twisted. Faster and faster until she spun like a top. Before she could smack into the ground, something jerked her to a halt. I slowed, confused. She kept twisting, her legs spreading in an upside down split. As they did, I finally saw it. The silk silver fabric wrapped around one of her ankles.

I quietly swore.

The fall had been an act. One that I’d fallen for hook, line, and sinker.

Her body twisted once more, her spine gracefully arching as she caught the fabric, contorting herself in half. At the impressive move, the crowd unfroze. Several males wolf-whistled and hollered their appreciation. She continued to spin, holding the pose for several seconds.

I watched, unable to look away. Not wanting to. I was wholly captivated by this intriguing female.

As if she could feel my gaze, she turned her head and our eyes collided. Once more, I was struck by her ethereal beauty. This close, the silver mask couldn’t hide the color of her eyes. Dark brown around the edges and bright amber at their centers. They were like bursts of sunlight, so intense that I was struck dumb. I gaped at her like a fool, completely forgetting where I was.

Everything about this female drew me in. She was the flame, and I was the helpless moth. And she knew it. Her lips tilted into that amused smirk once more. As her body twisted away from me, she threw me a wink.

At the flirtatious gesture, my cock went rock hard, straining against my pants. Like a besotted idiot, I drifted closer, overcome with the desire to touch her. Something about her screamed forbidden. She was adorned head to toe in silver, which should have turned me off. But the “untouchable” vibes only made me want to touch her more.

My legs carried me closer, close enough to touch her. But before I could make contact, she curled into a ball and shimmied up the silken fabric. I swallowed my disappointment, stepping back so I could watch her climb up to the silver hoop once more.

When she reached it, she began to dance, in a way I’d never seen before. Using the hoop and fabric, she glided through the air, sensually contorting her body in ways that made my blood heat. She moved with the fluid grace of a vampire, and yet, I was still fairly certain she was human.

Enraptured, I watched her for who knew how long. The music picked up again and so did the dancing. Bodies gyrated around me, but I didn’t move from my spot. I continued to watch her, unaware of how much time ticked by.

The spotlight on her suddenly winked out.

I jerked, as if jolted from a trance. Then blinked. Just once, but that was all it took for her to disappear. Fog shrouded the air once more, so thick that the flashing red lights couldn’t penetrate it. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I strained to catch a glimpse of her. But, no matter how hard I searched, she was nowhere to be found.

“Where is she?”

I hadn’t meant to say the words out loud, but a male vampire nearby heard them and slurred, “Star always vanishes at midnight. Where she goes, no one knows.”

He laughed, the sound crazed enough that I knew he was blood drunk. No one had recognized me yet, including him, despite my sloppy attempt at staying hidden. The mask helped, and picking out individual scents was nearly impossible in a place like this. Still, I’d lingered too long. Time to pull my own vanishing act.

Slipping past the drunk vampire, I made for the exit, careful not to make eye contact with anyone and give away my identity.

The nightclub might not be the den of secretive activity my father suspected it was, but I knew one thing for certain.

I was definitely coming back.