CLUB NUMBER FIVE (Immortal Blood) (17 page)

Dane moved her hair and put his fingers on her collarbone.“Are you sure you want to do this?” he
ask
ed. “Because she might not thank you afterwards.”

“Oh, she will,” I whispered. “This is just what she wanted. To be like me.”

“Yes, but some think this is a curse, not a blessing,” Dane said apologetically
,
and I knew he was thinking of me.

“Maybe,” I said slowly. “But it's better to be cursed than to be dead.”

“So you are sure, and you promise to take full responsibility for her no matter what happen
s
?”

“I'm sure,” I nodded and put my hand above his. “Now show me what to do.”

“Okay,” he sighed. “But you do understand that you can never change anyone after this.”

I nodded again. Who would I want to change other than Kate? She was my best friend and I couldn't imagine my world without her. And
,
after all, she was lying here almost dead because of me. I stroked
her
bloody hair gently and had to bit
e
my lip when she didn't respond to my touch at all. I wanted to shake her, to hit her, to do something that would force her to open her eyes and look at me, but instead I pulled my hand away and wiped it clean on the carpet. Dane was still hesitating and I glanced at him crankily.

“What?”

“What if you meet someone? I mean some guy you want to be with forever. Surely Kate's not worth this, is she?”

“Yes, yes she is
.
” I pierced him with my eyes. “Beside
s, I don't need to meet a guy.”
Not anymore, I added silently. Not after meeting you. But I could never admit that to him or else I'd have to look at his cocky smile day after day. Dane looked at me curiously and I returned his look. And I knew that without the almost dead Kate between us and about twenty vampires around us we'd be all over each other in no time.“Show me,” I whispered, licking my lower lip.

He kept his eyes on me and moved my fingers slowly to Kate's neck. “Here,”
he
whispered. I lowered my head and kept staring at him while I softly sank my fangs in
to
Kate.“Slowly,” Dane warned as my eyes started to redden. “You're not feeding from her. You're changing her.”I slowed my rhythm and after a while Dane touched my hair. “It's done.”

I lifted my head and Dane wiped my mouth with his thumb. I stared at him and felt the familiar pull. And this time I was too tired to resist it. I didn't remember Kate anymore
,
as all I could think of was Dane. He took my hand and
lifted
me
up,
and suddenly I was in his arms. His lips crushed mine and I felt his hot tongue inside my mouth. I ripped his t
ee
shirt
roughly and tossed it on
to
the floor. Someone coughed.

Dane grabbed me in his arms and carried me upstairs. He threw me
on
to the bed and ripped my clothes off. I opened my arms to him.

“Oh, Dane,” I sobbed as his touch made my body burn.

I was blind and I was deaf and all I could think of was how badly I wanted him to take me. And he didn't disappoint me. His fingers were magical and I screamed and moaned, wanting more and more and finally exploding like a volcano against him. Dane rocked me and kissed my face softly, letting me enjoy the overwhelming feeling that filled my body. Somewhere between my sleepiness and his kisses I realized what he'd done. I tried to pull away, but he didn't let me.

“Oh
no, Samantha. Not this time,” he whispered and cupped my breast with his hand.

“Dane,” I managed to breathe before the heat was back and I wanted him again.

“That's right
.
”
He
nipped my ear. “You're mine.”

“Yes,” I sighed and turned to him.

He pulled me closer and I froze. He was still hard as a rock. “What?” I stammered.

“S
h
h
.
”
H
e met my eyes. “Did you really think I could take your virginity like that? When you had no chance against me?”

I swallowed. I was still a virgin. But I didn't feel like it, and when I remembered Dane's fingers all around my body and what he'd done, I blushed hard and tried to cover my naked body.

Dane laughed and rolled me under him. “Now we can make love.”

I gulped and my eyes widened. Did I want that? There was no doubt that I wanted Dane. No doubt that he was right. I was his and he owned my body as well as my soul. But I didn't love him. At least I don't think I did.

He kissed my nec
k softly and rolled next to me.
“Or maybe not. There's no need to hurry, or is there?”

“No,” I whispered and snuggled against him. “No, there's not.”

I slid my hand
over
his hard abdomen and let my hand rest a bit lower, too, but I couldn't say the words. Jonathan had once said that Dane loved me, but what if that wasn't true? What if he just played with me and dumped me after trick
ing me
?

Dane laughed like he had heard my thoughts and pulled me so close that there was no air between us. I felt dizzy. “I think we should check on Kate,”
he
whispered and grinned.

Kate! Oh
shoot! I had forgotten Kate completely. I jumped out of the bed and glanced around. My clothes were all in tatters and I couldn't go down wearing only a sheet.

Dane lay on the bed and eyed me.“You want to borrow my shirt?”

“Sure
.
” I smiled shyly.

He pointed at the huge antique closet. “Help yourself.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled and opened the closet.

It was full of clothes. Women's clothes. I turned fiercely
to
Dane, but he just shrugged. “Why don't you try something?”

I wanted to scream. I had just been in bed with him and now he expected me to wear some of his old girlfriends' clothes. How disgusting! I gasped, unable to speak, and he got up, holding the sheet with one hand and reaching for me with
the
other. He came to stand behind me and I hated the warm feeling inside of me. Okay, I knew he was not a virgin. Come on, the guy was way older than me, but I had never expected him to brag about his women.

“Samantha
.
”
He
kissed my neck. “Please, try one.”

My hand moved and I grabbed a red dress angrily from the closet. Fine, I would try it, not because
he had
asked but because I didn't want to go downstairs halfnaked, wearing only a rum
p
led sheet. I scowled at
him
and
he gave me a flirty grin. Oh
how I wanted to smack his arrogant face! But as I knew he would only laugh at me, I swallowed my anger and tried to look as icy as I could. My fingers caress
ed
the fabric
,
and in other circumstances I might have moaned with pleasure. The dress was pure silk and it flowed through my fingers like water. I glanced at the label inside. Armani. I should've guessed.

I finally slipped into it and Dane helped me tie the laces
at
my neck. It fitted perfectly. Either it was made for me or Dane had some kind of obsession with girls my size.

“You look beautiful
.
” Dane turned me and looked at me hungrily.

“Thanks, I guess
.
” I shrugged, halfhurt.

How many girls before me had used this dress? And how many times had he said that to someone else? Stop it, I ordered myself. I had no right to be jealous. Dane was not mine. So what if we had made out a little? That was not a big deal. At least it wasn't a big deal to him. To me it meant more than I was ready to admit. I sighed and felt his fingers on my neck. He didn't move and I knew I only had to step a bit closer to be in his arms. Kate. I closed my eyes and forced myself to move further. Think of Kate, and forget Dane and his harem. I gulped. Easier said than done.

Dane laughed
huskily
and leaned
in
to kiss me. “They're all yours. Look, most of them still have their tags on.”

“Mine?” I asked, stupefied.

Hi
s eyes laughed at me. “Yes, I hope you like them.”

Okay, so he was not a weird mass murderer but a man who had ordered a wardrobe full of the most stunning clothes for me. Okay, okay, it was a bit weird, but when my eyes caught
sight of
the pair of Manolo's
,
I was totally lost. I knew I was easy, but I couldn't help myself as I grabbed the shoes and hugged them against me. The man obviously had brilliant taste. And come on, who could resist a pair of sinfully red Manolo's with three
-
inch heels?

“Are you ready?”
he
asked.

I nodded with glassy eyes.
I put the shoes down
carefully
and
slipped a foot into one
. It was perfect. I put the other one on, too, and felt extremely hot.
“Totally
.
” I grinned and looked
in
the mirror.

My dark-brown hair looked like a glittering cloak and my new red dress showed every curve in my body. And with my new Manolo's I was a perfect match for the mouthwateringly handsome Dane. His eyes flashed, showing a dangerous edge that always lurked in him, and my eyes flashed, too. He stepped closer and I stayed still. Remember Kate, my brain screamed, and I did for a nanosecond before Dane grabbed my hair and kissed me roughly. It was a quick kiss that left me staring at him, stupefied.
H
e smiled lopsidedly and then linked his fingers in mine. I had no choice but to follow. My mind was numb and I felt like a robot. Dane walked as if nothing had happened
,
but I was all jelly. I slowly put my hand to my lips and touched them. Damn it, Dane! Why had he kissed me like that, leaving me all shaky and feeling vulnerable? And then acting like it was only a kiss to him. I lifted my chin and hid my feelings. Dane glanced at me sideways, but I didn't glance back. We walked downstairs together in silence and Jonathan grinned at me knowingly. I gave him the face and turned to look at Kate.

She lay exactly where I had left her and didn't look any different. The other vampires had lost interest in her long ago and only Jonathan had stayed with her. I knelt down and pressed my head to her chest. Dane looked at me expectantly. I didn't say a word but couldn't help smiling widely. Kate was alive and her heart was beating like crazy.

“Alex!” I shouted.
A boy that looked like a rugby play
er peeked in from the kitchen.
“Come here.”

Alex shrugged and glanced questioningly at Dane. He shrugged back, and the feminist part of me screamed
, but I quiet
e
d it.

“Can I ask you a favor?” I smiled dazzlingly.

Alex looked baffled. His eyes darted between Dane and Jonathan and he was obviously wondering why I needed him when I had two men already. When he didn't get any answer from them, he finally turned his blue eyes on me. “Sure. What do you need?”

“I want you to take Kate upstairs. Find an empty guest room and put her to bed. Then I want you to guard her until she wakes up. Can you do that?”

“Yeah,” Alex grinned.

I punched him. “And by
‘
put her to bed
’
I mean exactly what I say. Don't touch her, is that clear?”

Alex blushed. “Can I take Rob with me?”

“No!” I cried.

All I needed was twins in the same room as Kate with all their boy hormones. Alex rolled his eyes but picked Kate up in his arms like she weighed nothing. I grabbed his arm before he left. “I trust you in this.”

My eyes bore into his and he smiled shyly. He was the only vampire I could trust
,
besides me, Dane
,
and Jonathan, with Kate's well-being. Sure, he was a bit rough-looking with a scar on his forehead and his dark tousled hair, but I had seen him taking care of the animals. I had seen how gentle he could be and I was sure that underneath his hard
exterior
he was pure gold. Alex nodded and I let him go.
Dane
glanced at me and gave a half smile before following Alex out of the room
.
I stared at the door for a while
,
not sure if I should follow them or not
,
but after a couple of minutes I sighed and turned to face Jonathan.
I walked to the huge lounger and crashed on it. Jonathan squeezed in on the same lounger and I leaned my head on his shoulder.