Black Heart: Wild On (6 page)

            So I sent out text messages to Dane, Gabe, and Heidi, "Meet me at Kale's house ASAP."

            Heidi responded, "LOL we r all here alredy."

            I lifted a brow at that, then texted back, "Learn to spell. On my way."

            Kale's house was not that far away. It was a four bedroom, three and a half bath, two car garage home in North Dallas, on Royal Lane. The kind of house I expected to find on Royal Lane, too. Large, but not ostentatious.

            Okay, the house wasn't right on Royal Lane, it was in those little cul-de-sac side streets with only four houses lining it. They all had huge old oaks and elms, with wonderfully landscaped yards. Kale's three neighbors were all older couples, where the children had already moved out. Kale had bought the brown brick, single-story home at auction, after the previous owner went bankrupt and lost it. He then renovated it to attract a vampire lover, putting the master bedroom dead center and with no windows or even an outside wall.

            Kale's occupation was framing contractor, building custom homes. He also liked to buy homes, renovate them, and sell them for a profit. I knew of two other homes he owned, and was spending some time to renovate.

            When I pulled up the rain intensified. Of course. The driveway held four cars, two by two. Desiree's red Charger was there, in front of Gabe's new Jeep Eagle, with Sabrina's new blue Miata in front of Dane's forest green Jeep. I could only assume Kale's pickup was in the garage, next to his silver Lexus.

            "Great. I get to park on the street again," I said. I pulled in behind Heidi's silver BMW SUV. All the people who didn't live there got to park in the driveway. "It figures."

            With the briefcase over my head, I made a dash up the sidewalk to the front door. Thankfully, there was a deep porch in front of the door. I was wiping rainwater off my briefcase when Desiree opened the door. Her lovely brown eyes lit up when she saw me.

            "Sable!" she cried, and threw her arms around me. She hugged me fiercely, then gave me a big wet kiss. "I thought I heard out you here."

            I was pleased to see she wasn't in her hooker apparel. Desiree was wearing the most normal clothes I'd ever seen her in — short baby-blue leather jacket over a red V-neck t-shirt, faded black jeans and ankle boots. She hugged me again, then took my briefcase and led me into the house.

            "Sable's home," she said.

            They were split between the kitchen and the living room. Kale and Sabrina were washing the dinner dishes. And standing awful close to each other, I might add. Was my little sister falling for one of my friends with benefits? Could prove awkward. Kale was still in his dirty construction work clothes, while Sabrina looked very sassy and sexy in red leather mini dress and matching calf boots, with black fishnets.

            "Are you going out tonight?" I said, looking her over.

            "No. Why?"

            I lifted an eyebrow, but said nothing. I knew how my sister dressed to impress when she partied. Those were her "tie-me-up-and-spank-me" clothes. Yeah, she was kinky. That was not what she normally wore to visit me. I'd keep an eye on her.

            In the living room it wasn't any better. Heidi was sitting on the couch, between Dane and Gabe. She was being Heidi, too, and teasing both of them outrageously. Okay, maybe she wasn't teasing them. She was a vampire, and rather promiscuous even before being Changed by me. The beautiful blonde probably was trying to lure both of them into her bed, for a hot Heidi sandwich.

            Both Dane and Gabe looked like they came over ready to stake vampires, in jeans and hiking boots. Dane wore a red flannel shirt, and Gabe wore a Cowboys t-shirt under his bomber jacket.

            "I can't leave you people alone for five minutes," I said.

            I went into the master bedroom and changed. I shared it with Kale. Well, he slept there nights and I slept days. Of course the overlap time was the best.

            I'll admit that Heidi's sexy gorgeousness intimidated me. I had to step up my game since she moved in with us. She was sitting out there in a lacy black teddy and black thigh boots. You know, one foot in the bed already. Both men were highly aroused. So I put on a red lace bustier, black leather mini skirt, and my sexiest red-patent, fuck-me pumps. Red satin choker, big silver hoop earrings and matching bangles, and I was ready to compete.

            "Oh baby," Desiree said when I emerged. "You remember you promised to take care of me tonight."

            "I said I'd bite you yesterday, but you never showed up," I said. I was pleased to see Dane and Gabe only had eyes for me, and even Heidi was looking me over with speculation.

            "Not my fault! Boney sent me on a big money job," she cried, suddenly afraid. "It came down from Antoinette, so I couldn't refuse."

            Mention of Antoinette soured my mood. Boney's cryptic word haunted me. I had to find a way to dissuade that woman, or I'd be in a load of trouble. But I had time for that later. It was time to make plans.

            "Hey, everyone in here," I called. "That means you too, Sabrina!"

            "Oh, are we going to stake a vampire?" Sabrina said, her big sapphire eyes lighting up. She'd never actually staked a vampire, and was way too eager to start. "Tonight?" She looked at my attire and frowned, "Not tonight."

            "Not unless Gabe found Big Benny Rothschild," I said. He shook his head. "Then, I have two things. You want bites or kisses first?"

            "Kisses!" Desiree and Kale both said. No one else said anything, just looked at me curiously.

            "Kisses it is," I said. I grinned at them. "Are we all going to party together on New Years? We haven't all gotten together like this since Christmas Eve. I don't have any plans, so I'm open to suggestion."

            "Damn," Desiree said. She smiled weakly, and shrugged. "I have a date for New Years."

            "Paid date?" I said.

            "Yeah," she said. "I'm sorry, but I've had the same date for the last five years, and he really plans for it. I can't break it."

            "Okay," I said, trying to not frown. Her job bothered me, but she loved it so. I didn't understand, and probably never would. But who was I to judge? I'm an accursed vampire, an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. So I turned to the others, "Well? What about the rest of you?"

            "I can't," Heidi said, looking in pain. "Family thing."

            "You have a lot of family things," Gabe said.

            "Yeah," she said so sadly. Then she cut a look at Dane, "I need a date."

            "Count me out," he said, shaking his head vigorously. "I don't want anything to do with your family."

            "No, it'll be better this time. I promise," she pleaded. "They didn't know you last time. They're always better the second time I bring a boy home."

            Everyone averted their eyes, trying to find anywhere to look but at them. We all heard Dane's horror story of Christmas dinner with Heidi and her family. They treated him like a gold digging gigolo, with barely a civil word sent his way. Besides, they were Catholic and didn't think a Methodist and martial arts teacher was suitable for Heidi.

            While Heidi pleaded with Dane to reconsider, Kale spoke up. "I'm spending New Years with my kids, at my parents' house."

            That was not unexpected. Kale's first priority was his children. Couldn’t blame him for that. So I turned to Gabe.

            "I'm free," he said.

            "Great," I said, and turned to Sabrina. "You want to party with your big sister?"

            "Yes, but I already accepted a date for New Years," she said. I eyed her warily. "No, it's not some bondage orgy. Just a New Year's party at a club over on Greenville."

            "I'm free for whatever you want," Dane said.

            "Damn," Heidi said, then sat back with her arms crossed under her rather large breasts. She did not look happy.

            "What do you have planned?" Gabe said.

            "Nothing," I said. "I want to make plans to have a great time."

            "We really should've started planning earlier," Dane said. "Most of the clubs only allow couples with reservations in on New Year's."

            "I was thinking that we could go to the celebration at Victory Park, if nothing else," I said.

            "That's outside. It'll be freezing," Dane said. "Is the weather clearing up by then? Did anyone watch the weather forecast on TV?"

            Good question. Snow would be fine, but not rain. Too cold for Dane and Gabe if it rained. Then Gabe perked up.

            "I know a club down in Duncanville that — " he started, and was interrupted by the doorbell.

            Everyone froze. Not many people came over. Kale only gave his address to a select few, and the rest of us never gave out that address. So we sat quietly while Kale went over and looked out the peephole.

            "It's Mercedes Trudeau," he said. "Should I let her in?"

            Everyone looked at me. I was frozen in place, standing between the couch and TV. My heart was racing, and I wasn't sure if it was fear or anger. I owed her some serious payback for what she did to me.

            "Is she alone?"

            "From what I can see."

            I reached out with my senses. I felt Mercedes out on the porch, cold and miserable but trying to keep a brave face on. I was getting better at reading the people I've had more than a little contact with. The next closest people were Kale's neighbors, and they all felt happy and safe. If Mercedes had sicced her wolves on those dear people I would've ripped off her head, right then and there. Even a werewolf can't survive that.

            "Let her in," I said.

            Kale opened the door and waved Mercedes inside. She smiled gratefully as she passed him. She was dressed in jeans, running shoes, and pink t-shirt under a black biker jacket. I'd call those fighting clothes.

            Mercedes was a Eurasian beauty of forty-six, but looked thirty. She was five six, with an athletic build and almond eyes. Her dark brown hair was thick, lustrous, and almost as long as mine. And she was the scion of a powerful vampire mafia family, and their alpha female and leader of their private werewolf pack.

            Yeah, she was bitten by a wolf before her family could Change her into a vamp.

            "Hello, boys and girls," Mercedes said, grinning wolfishly. She moved with the grace only a vampire or werewolf could manage. She looked me over with amusement. "So, have you finally decided to go work for Antoinette?"

            Thank God vampires can't blush.

            "I see you were never taught proper manners," I said. "Make another snide remark, and I'll give you a very painful lesson."

            "You'll try," she said, then held up her hands to ward off any attack or protests. Dane and Gabe had both jumped to their feet and I had taken a step toward her. "Peace! I'm sorry. Jeeze, you people are so touchy. Can't you take a joke?"

            "Not from someone we don't like," I said. "State your business and get out."

            She shrugged, ran her hand through lustrous hair and smiled at me. I didn't like the way she smiled.

            "Henri sent me," she said. She pulled two envelopes out of her back pocket. "I'm here to invite you and Dane to the Trudeau Pack Wild On Kick-off Run. It's Monday night, starting at nine."

            Desiree plucked them out of her hand, and handed them to us. We opened the envelopes and scanned them briefly. It had the time and place. No explanation. I didn't want to show my ignorance, and prayed someone else would ask her what the hell a "Wild On" was. No one did. Was I the only one that didn't know?

            "Interesting," I said. "Why?"

            "Henri likes you," Mercedes said. "And he's boss." She looked at Dane, and smiled seductively. "And I like Mr. Douglass."

            "I bet you do," I said. "Well, you've delivered the invites. Bye-bye."

            She gave Dane another lusty look, then glanced at me before barking a laugh. Mercedes turned and headed for the door, but stopped before stepping outside.

            "Oh, Henri wanted me to ask you something else, Sable," Mercedes said. She smiled so wickedly at me. I didn't want to hear anything that pleased her so much. "I'll paraphrase what he said, since it was all in French, all flowery and I doubt you speak it. Henri would be most honored if you would be his date for New Years Eve Night, and ring in the New Year at his side."

            My jaw dropped open.

            "You've got to be kidding?" Gabe said, and laughed. "The big boss vamp wants to date Sabe? Too funny."

            "He understands she
stakes
vampires, right?" Dane said, not looking pleased.

            "He likes dangerous women," Mercedes said, shrugging. "And, I'll admit it, she's damned fuckable."

            "Bitch!" I cried, and lunged at her.

            Mercedes ran out the front door, laughing with wicked glee. I stopped just inside the front door and glared at her a long moment.

            "Is that a yes or no?" she called.

            I slammed the door. Everyone was staring at me, looking incredulous.

            "Can you believe that?" I said.

            "Yes," Gabe said. "If I was the boss vamp, I'd want to date you."

            "Who wouldn't?" Dane said.

            "He's an idiot. I mean, he had Mercedes of all people ask me for him," I said. "Jesus, she spent all night working me over with a bullwhip a few weeks ago. I want to
kill
her."

            "Yeah, are you ever going to tell us what happened?" Dane said.

            Everyone was suddenly alert. Did I not want to tell anyone about that little setback, especially not them? I need to be more careful what I say in moments of anger.