Forever Touched (Touch of Vampire #5)

CHAPTER 3

3

EVERETT

I was at the same booth as last night, tucked in a dark corner far from the heated press of bodies on the dance floor.

Gaining entrance had been the same. A black mask hid my identity, and a wad of cash allowed me inside with no questions asked. Anytime someone got too close, I warned them away with a dark look. No one dared bother me, but when the clock struck ten, anticipation flooded my veins.

This was the moment I’d been waiting for.

I didn’t know why I was so interested in seeing her again. I’d been with countless beautiful women over the past two centuries, human and vampire alike. A gorgeous face no longer affected me—or so I thought, until last night. Her beauty wasn’t the only thing that interested me, though. There was something about her. Something almost . . . familiar.

I hadn’t scented her. Hadn’t talked to her. Didn’t know if she was human or vampire. I hadn’t even seen the entirety of her face, and yet I knew her somehow.

The feeling had plagued me all day, so persistently that I’d had no choice but to return. I had to know who she was. Once I did, I could get her out of my system and leave this place behind. My brother wasn’t the only one who’d steered clear of feeding dens for the past century. Being here chafed me in the worst of ways. The memories it dredged up were far from pleasant.

Still, I caught myself sitting straighter as I searched the place for the ethereal dancer adorned in silver. The one they called “Star.” A fitting name, considering that she’d hung suspended in the air like one, dazzling everyone who looked upon her.

When I didn’t spot her right away, I felt a strange sense of disappointment. Then frustration. Coming back here had been a waste. Time to leave before I made an even bigger fool of myself. I’d allowed my cock to dictate my actions, which wasn’t like me. Not anymore. One girl had no business affecting me this way, especially when I was supposed to be on the hunt for more important things.

This place seemed harmless, though, as far as nightclubs went. I’d have to take my hunt elsewhere.

Just like last night, I rose from my seat, determined to leave this place and never come back. But as I did, the music stopped and a beam of light swung onto the dance floor. Not high above, but smack in the middle of the gyrating throng. My keen gaze shot to the crowd, racing over each face. None of them were her.

The crowd suddenly parted, creating a circle around an object rising from the floor. From beneath the floor. A hidden stage. And standing on the stage, grasping a silver pole, was Star.

At the sight of her, cheers and whistles rippled through the crowd. As the stage locked into place, leaving her several feet above the crowd, everyone froze again. Froze and waited in anticipation. She was wearing a similar outfit to last night, silver and sparkly. But it was somehow even more revealing, low in the front and barely there in the back, showing off her supple backside. Her silvery hair was down again, slightly stirring in an unseen wind.

As the crowd waited with bated breath, she slowly pivoted on her shiny silver stilettos, twirling around the pole until she was facing me. When she did, it was like a magnet drew her gaze directly to mine. I was still tucked in the shadows, but she found me anyway. As her eyes locked onto mine, the room and everyone in it disappeared. Despite my earlier pep talk to myself, I was ensnared once more, moving toward her before I could think better of it.

Come to me , her eyes seemed to beckon, filling with flirtatious amusement when I readily obeyed.

Before I knew it, I was at the stage, looking up at her like all the rest of the besotted idiots trapped by her beauty. Pathetic. I was pathetic. Apparently, I still possessed a healthy lust for flesh. There was no mistaking how much I wanted to get this girl alone and explore all she had to offer.

She was a distraction, one I shouldn’t be indulging in right now, but I couldn’t look away. Satisfied that she’d lured me in, she broke eye contact and swung around the pole again. When she lifted both legs and pressed her core to the metal like she would a lover, the crowd went wild. Money fluttered through the air and hit the stage. Every time she rubbed against the pole, the money came down harder.

Several of the people around me paired up and began to grind against each other, turned on by the erotic dancing. A female nearby tried to touch me through my pants, but I blocked her without taking my eyes off Star. I was aroused like the rest of them, but I had no interest in the people around me.

The only one I wanted was the silver-haired girl above me.

As if pleased by my undivided attention, Star paused to crook a finger at me. My pants tightened even more, and like an obedient dog, I placed my hands on the stage and leaned toward her. Smirking, she crouched with her legs spread wide. The crowd went wild again. Releasing the pole, she began to crawl toward me on all fours. The sight nearly made me come. Suppressing a groan, I watched her every move, thrilled to have her eyes solely on me.

When she came within touching range, I didn’t reach for her like last time. I didn’t want her to pull away again. Didn’t want her to disappear. Holding perfectly still, I waited for her to come to me, trying to catch even the faintest whiff of her scent. But the air was too saturated with arousal and sweat.

Inches away from me now, she reached into her top and pulled out what looked like a keycard. In a blink, she slipped it into the pocket of my shirt. So swiftly that I didn’t even feel it. Another blink, and she was back at the pole.

Seconds later, the spotlight on her winked out. Fog billowed into the air, and just like last time, she disappeared. Instead of searching for her, though, I slipped away and pulled out the keycard she’d given me.

306.

A room number.

My blood heated, filling me with even more heady arousal. She wanted a private audience with me.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I veered toward the elevators. The hallway was dark, but I easily spotted the two male vampires standing guard. When I presented the keycard to them, the bulkier of the two held out his hand.

“Ten thousand upfront.”

I paid him without question, and the pair wordlessly stepped aside. I kept my guard up, though, making sure to keep my face downcast as I entered the elevator.

Most vampire-owned nightclubs didn’t have interior cameras—a protective measure in case the human authorities came sniffing around. But I’d already spotted a few in this place, so carefully hidden that I’d almost missed them. If one of them caught my face, my cover would be blown. Not that I minded anymore. After tonight, I had no intention of ever coming back.

I would allow myself one night of sinful indulgence. One night of letting lustful instinct call all the shots. Once I filled myself up on the silver seductress, I could move on and fulfill the task my father had set before me.

As the elevator opened onto the third floor, I cautiously stepped out. The hallway was clear, but I didn’t lower my guard. Even a rendezvous such as this could be a trap. Other clubs offered private rooms, but experience had taught me to always expect ulterior motives. Not everyone who frequented feeding dens came for blood and sex.

With that in mind, I proceeded down the hallway slowly, keeping an eye out for possible threats. All was silent. I couldn’t even hear the pulsing music from down below. They must have soundproofed the walls for optimal privacy, a fact that further stirred the blood in my groin.

I was going to make her scream tonight. Multiple times. Knowing that only I would hear it filled me with satisfaction.

When I found room 306, no one stood outside the door. I listened a moment longer, then stepped forward to knock.

Seconds later, a feminine voice from inside called, “Come in.”

It was her. I was sure of it.

Grasping the handle, I opened the door. My senses were immediately bombarded by lavender and incense. Candles decorated the room, intimately lighting the space. As I entered the room, my gaze took in a kitchen and small living room. The decor was stylishly done in whites, silvers, and blacks, but my interest was only on one thing. I stepped inside and closed the door, boldly moving toward the bedroom. The door was open, and I wasted no time seeking out the female inside. As I darkened the doorway, I stopped and took in the view that greeted me.

She was sensually resting on the king-sized bed, propped up by a mound of pillows and wearing nothing but a mask and satin silver robe. The robe was open, draped over her in a way that revealed teasing hints of flesh. The luscious curve of a breast. A flat expanse of stomach. A shapely leg from heel to thigh.

At the sight of me gracing her doorway, that smirk of hers slowly made an appearance. My pants tightened to the point of pain. As if all too aware of the torture she was inflicting upon me, her smirk widened.

“Welcome,” she said in sultry tones, eyeing me for a moment before straightening from her relaxed position. The move shifted her robe, allowing me a full view of one of her breasts. My mouth watered as I took in her hard nipple, already anticipating how it would taste. “Come,” she continued, crooking a finger at me once more. “I won’t bite.”

At her teasing tone, my gaze went to her face again. I still assumed she was human, but the heady incense made it hard for me to scent her. I took a step forward, then another, wanting to know for sure. How I handled her tonight would depend on what she was. If she was human, I would have to be careful not to break her. But if she was a vampire, I could be rougher, allowing myself to indulge in her even more.

I stopped at the foot of the bed and inhaled, drawing in a plethora of smells. Lust and blood were the predominant scents, but I also caught hints of male. Several of them. I wasn’t the first she’d lured up here.

Suddenly annoyed, I cut to the chase. “Are you human?”

She shook her head and pushed to her knees, allowing me an unobstructed view of her pussy. I swallowed a groan, beyond excited that I wouldn’t have to be careful with her. I would take her several times. Hard . That should help purge her from my system.

“Guess again,” she said, slowly walking on her knees toward me. The robe opened even more, revealing both her breasts. The air stuttered from my lungs, and I could barely focus on anything else. She was a masterpiece, her body sculpted to perfection. I didn’t know such perfection could exist. Of course it made sense that she would be a vampire. A body like that could only be immortal.

Still, I opened my mouth and uttered the word, needing to know for sure before I ripped that robe off her and consumed that gorgeous flesh with abandon. “Vampire?”

Her full red lips tilted into a roguish grin. She finished crossing the mattress and stood on her knees before me, her eyes almost level with mine. “Guess . . .” she whispered, tilting her face up to breathe the word in my ear. At the same time, she reached down and grabbed my throbbing cock, making me see stars. “Again.”

With her this close, touching me this way, I could barely breathe, let alone think. Her words didn’t register. All I could concentrate on was her hand slowly rubbing my dick and her breasts pushing up against me. My world narrowed to her, on the pleasure flooding my veins. When she used her other hand to undo my pants, I held still, enjoying her attention. I’d allow her a few minutes of control, then I’d take over.

As she freed my painfully hard erection and firmly gripped it, I let my eyes roll shut. She was skilled, no doubt about it. She’d probably handled many dicks, maybe multiple times a night. I felt a flash of annoyance again, but when she began to pump my shaft, thoughts of her touching other males fled my mind.

Allowing a small groan to slip free, I basked in the euphoria, knowing that I wouldn’t last long. What she was doing felt that good. I hadn’t felt this good in ages. Her hands were pure bliss, stroking my hardened length and swollen tip in tandem. As my pleasure built, so did my desire for her. I reached up to cup one of her breasts, fitting my other hand against her lower spine. At the move, I felt her stiffen. Confused, I let go of her breast and opened my eyes.

“Bite me,” she breathlessly said, pumping me faster. Despite how close I was to orgasming, I hesitated, suddenly unsure.

Something was wrong.

“Bite me,” she repeated, almost begging me now. She tilted her head back to expose her throat. My gaze dropped to the vulnerable column, and a new need coursed through me. A stronger one. An all-consuming one. One that I could no longer deny. I felt my fangs descend. On the verge of coming, I pushed aside my lingering doubts and gripped the nape of her neck, angling my head so I could puncture her throat.

Lust and hunger rode me hard. I opened my mouth and sank my fangs deeply into her flesh. She jerked against me, but I quickly infused the bite with my venom, easing the bite’s pain. The stiffness in her body melted away, and she sighed in pleasure. Pleased with her reaction, I pressed my mouth to her skin and began to suck. Wanting to experience that delectable first taste of her blood, I held off my orgasm for a moment longer. Only a moment more, and my body could experience the full effect of what she had to offer.

I pulled her closer to me, prepared to thrust inside her the second I finished orgasming. She stroked me faster, knowing that I was teetering on the edge of release. I sucked her harder, drawing in a mouthful of her blood.

The instant the blood touched my tongue, I shoved her away with a hiss. She hit the mattress with a startled cry. Blood dripped from my mouth and onto the white duvet.

Spitting out the remainder of it, I glared down at her and snarled, “ Witch .”

She stared at me with wide eyes, twin lines of blood dribbling down her neck. Pressing a hand to the puncture wounds, she blinked a few times before replying, “I thought you knew that.”

“Of course I didn’t.” Ignoring the throbbing ache between my legs from not being able to finish, I quickly zipped up my pants. “What kind of sick joke is this anyway? Vampires don’t come here to feed on witches .”

At the sneer in my voice, the confusion on her face vanished. She gripped her robe and tightly wrapped it around her body. “On the contrary. Vampires come here every night to feed on me.”

I scoffed. “That’s disgusting.”

Her expression wiped clean of all emotion. “No more disgusting than you coming up here tonight.”

I blinked, caught off guard by her candor. “You’re right. It’s disgusting that I so easily fell under your seductive spell. That won’t be happening again. I’m done here.”

As I turned to leave, she scrambled upright on the bed. “Wait.”

I kept going, storming from the room. Now that my dick was no longer in charge, I could clearly detect the magic permeating the air like a bad omen. The metallic scent bit at my nostrils, and I flared them in frustration. How could I have so completely missed it earlier?

“ Wait . You have pale green eyes. Like amethysts. I saw you in a—”

“You saw nothing ,” I growled, jerking around to scowl at her. I expected her to cower, but she barely even flinched at my brusque tone. “I was never here, got it?”

She pursed her lips, then smoothed them into a smirk devoid of humor. “Sure. That’s what the masks are for, right? Total anonymity. What you do here stays here.”

At the slight judgment in her tone, I curled my own lips into a humorless smile. “And I’m assuming a witch masquerading as a blood whore would most definitely want to hide her identity. I bet your coven would cast you out if they knew. The shame of it would be too humiliating.”

Her smirk faded.

Without waiting for a reply, I whirled and left her behind, hoping to never see her again. Tonight had been a terrible mistake. No one needed to know how epically I’d screwed up. If only I could wipe the memory of it from my brain. This night might have been a total disaster, but I doubted I’d be forgetting it anytime soon.

By the time I made it back home two hours later, I’d called myself every foul name I could think of. I felt violated in a way I’d never felt before. The memory of her hands on me. The lingering taste of her blood in my mouth. It burned me from the inside out.

Stalking up the steep flight of stairs to the front entrance, I barely acknowledged the guards before breezing past. No one greeted me when I barged inside, which was a good thing. My dark mood made me want to lash out at anyone who dared get too close.

With a burst of supernatural speed, I was on the fifth floor in seconds. I passed by my father’s and brother’s rooms without pause, not wanting them to see how upset I was. Besides, they were probably fast asleep beside their wives , happy as clams. No need to disrupt their blissful little bubbles with my foul attitude. It was better that I spend the rest of the night alone, if only to lick my wounds in peace.

But, as I eased open my bedroom door, I sensed right away that someone was on the other side. Sighing, I slipped inside and shut the door. Two heartbeats quickened at my arrival, and I turned to see a pair of housemaids in my massive bed.

“Your Majesty,” they said in unison, both completely nude.

Sighing again, I muttered, “Let me guess. The king sent you?”

They bobbed their heads. “Yes, my prince.”

I swept my gaze over them, but the earlier fire in my veins was gone. Looking at their supple bodies did nothing for me. It was like that witch had sucked all the life out of me.

Frustrated at myself all over again, I began to undress. Both human females eagerly watched. Their anticipation was usually enough to get me going, but not this time. I almost stopped and ordered them to leave, which only fueled my ire.

I wasn’t going to let that witch mess with my head any longer. She meant nothing to me, and the brief moment we’d shared also meant nothing. I’d lusted after her. Desired her. But I hadn’t known what she was. If I’d known, I never would have let her touch me. Never would have sunk my fangs into her soft flesh and tasted her blood.

At the memory, heat stirred in my blood once more.

Angry at my body’s betrayal, I tore the last of my clothes off and joined the ladies in bed. They giggled at my arrival and shifted so that I could lay between them. As soon as I did, they began to kiss and touch me from the neck down, their interest mainly on my dick. The redhead leaned down and took me into her mouth, moaning breathlessly. Normally, I’d be hard and ready for her eager lips, but my body suddenly had no interest in her. She stroked and sucked on me, but I barely felt it.

The other female offered her throat to me. Out of desperation, I dragged her close and sank my fangs into her neck, pulling deeply. Her sweet blood filled my mouth, and I almost gagged. Star’s didn’t taste anything like this. Star’s blood was rich, exploding with exotic flavors I’d never tasted before. Flavors I was suddenly craving .

My anger grew. To distract myself, I drank fiercely, swallowing mouthful after mouthful. All the while, the redhead continued to pleasure me. Closing my eyes, an unwanted image of her flitted through my mind. The thought of her sucking my cock immediately filled me with euphoria. My cock hardened and the redhead moaned, renewing her efforts. Holding onto that twisted image, I sought out my release, hating myself the entire time.

This was torture. Mindblowing, earthshattering torture. The longer I thought about Star in my bed instead of these two women, the more alive I felt. I hated it. Hated and craved it.

Giving into the moment of pure insanity, I rode the high that her imagined presence brought. Just like that, I was on the edge of release. Picturing that secretive little smirk of hers, a smirk meant only for me, my orgasm barrelled through me. With a groan, I swallowed another mouthful of blood and pulled out my fangs, falling back on the bed in pure bliss.

Seconds later, the bliss vanished as the redhead straddled my hips and tried to impale herself on my cock.

“Not tonight,” I told her, ignoring her disappointed expression as I lifted her off me and stood from the bed. “I’m taking a shower. Return to your rooms, ladies. I won’t need your services for the rest of the night.”

Or ever , my mind whispered.

Scowling, I headed for my bathroom, in desperate need of removing this night from my body. I doubted nothing short of stripping the skin from my flesh could erase her, though.

Even then, I was pretty sure the silver-haired witch had somehow managed to imprint herself on me.

Deep enough that no amount of scrubbing would cleanse her from my system.