NightFall: Book One: Bloodlust Is the Cure for the Immortal Soul (21 page)

And when it came to men, it was a tad catastrophic. Well, maybe not that bad.
Somewhere in the ball park though.

Right now her decision was to take it one day at a time. See how it goes. She didn’t have to commit herself now. Not that she wanted to go gallivanting with other men. She was quite content just being with Van.

Van.
Even his name made her body warm pleasantly.

Mmm.
Maybe she should rethink this one day at a time thing. It’s not like she made her home here in Paris. She had less than two weeks before she headed back to the States.

The mere thought of
leaving Van made her heart sink, m
ade her feel dejected.

She would just have to wait and see what happened when she was to meet him in a couple of days during Bastille Day. She could hardly wait to be with him again.

“Simone. Are you ready to go?” Indea asked, scattering Simone’s thoughts to the wind.

Simone noted that Indea and her parents were putting any left over food and other supplies back into the basket. She got up and helped with the rest. “Sure.”

“Mom and Dad thought we could get some movies and popcorn and veg out in front of the television tonight.
How about it?”
Indea suggested, folding the picnic blanket.

Simone put the used paper plates in the recycling bin.
“Sounds good.
Count me in.”

They piled into the car a few minutes later and headed toward the movie rental store.

*

That night Simone sat with Indea and her parents feeling like part of the family. She’d never really had that-aside from Mr. Brant. The Skys’ made her feel welcome. Like one of their own. If they could have adopted her, she knew they would have in a heartbeat.

Indea felt like a sister to her regardless of blood relations. Both she and Indea were only children. So it was plain to see why they were so close. Best friends as well as almost ‘sisters’.

Along with Mr. Brant, Simone couldn’t ask for a better family. Her real mom might have been a good mother if the cancer hadn’t claimed her in her early years.

She couldn’t let that depress her now. She wasn’t able to change the past. If she had a time machine, she didn’t think she would change one thing about her past. It made her into the strong and capable person she is today. It had molded her into a better
person. Besides, she might not have met Indea or her family.

Simone smiled and settled into the couch and watched the movie.

CHAPTER X

The thirteenth of July proved to be a gorgeous day.
Perfect weather.
A nice, soft breeze.
And not a threatening cloud in the sky. The night promised to be just as wonderful as the morning had been. Even though Bastille Day was already in full swing, it still had hours yet to go.

It was now six o’clock and Indea and Simone were just starting to get ready. Simone was a bundle of nervous energy trying to shower, shave and get dressed. First, she’d dropped the shampoo bottle three times. Next, she almost slipped getting out of the bath tub. Now, wiggling into her favorite pair of jeans, she popped the button. Frustrated, she yanked them off.

Good thing I had a mind to bring a few extra pairs of jeans,
she thought as she heaved a sigh of relief when the other pair of jeans slid on without further mishap.

“Whoa! Simone,”
Indea soothed, rubbing her back. “What’s got you in such a tizzy? You’ve been out with Van before
. You’ve even shared a kiss,”
she reminded her gently.

Simone let her head fall back. “I know, I know. I–—I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I shouldn’t feel this way.” She face
d
Indea with a look of desperation. “Am I acting just a little neurotic to you?”

Indea chuckled.
“Oh, Simone.
You’re not neurotic.
A little out of sorts maybe, but never crazy.
Well, not unintentionally.”

Simone let out a small laugh and some of the pent up tension slowly melted away.

Good ol’ Indea. She always knew what to do to help her when she was feeling a bit weird at times when it wasn’t warranted.

“Better?”

“Yeah.”
Simone pulled on a Shangri-La top colored w
ith a mix of purple, teal and
ti
e-dye
d colors
which boasted
this
lovely
filmy georgette. She loved the rippled-edged sleeves and hem.
It was flattering to her figure. She was able to get it on rather nimbly given her nerves. She went to the mirror to pull her hair into a loose ponytail, leaving a few tendrils on either side of her face. When she was satisfied with how it looked, she went about applying a light smattering of make up.

Indea decided on jeans as well but with an even darker blue
shade of denim. Her jeans were
flared at the feet with a scattering of rhinestones at the pockets and around the cuffs at the hem of the legs. She put on her black mesh tunic with a daring neckline, just a hint of her breasts playing peek-a-boo. The tunic had faceted sapphire crystal and beaded embellishments and contoured her waist perfectly. She went to the vanity and commenced with pulling her hair up at the sides and fastened it with a silver clip.
With her make up, she went light. She knew men hated when a woman plastered five pounds of foundation, blush, lipstick and mascara on their faces. She didn’t like wearing that much either. Men liked as close to natural as possible. Too much make up suggested you were hiding something.

Though, Indea was too outspoken to hide anything. Simone was a little less outspoken, but still bold with words at the times she needed to be. That’s why they got along so well.

Simone finished getting ready when, from out of no where, the dream she couldn’t remember hit her like a rogue wave.

Why now?
She wondered.

She closed her eyes as the dream invaded every cell of her body and mind.

She was running. Running so fast she couldn’t see her feet. They were a blur. She was running for such a long time her lungs threatened to burst. She needed bug gulps of air but couldn’t seem to get any. She wanted to stop but she knew she shouldn’t.
Couldn’t.
She was too scared to turn around to see what was chasing her but she couldn’t prevent her head from turning and looking to see what was behind her. She felt something but saw nothing. But ran still she did. She fell, got up and found herself chained to the floor in a room with no windows. She was dressed in little more than rags. They barely covered her quivering flesh. They were so tattered and
torn,
they could hardly be considered clothing. She was extremely hungry and dirty.

She needed her freedom more than anything in this world. She craved it. She did not want to be chained here forever like some animal. What was happening to her? What
would
happen to her? The fear made her body shake beyond her control. It left a bitter taste in her mouth.

She opened her mouth to yell for help but her voice cracked and creaked like the rusty hinges of a door that had been abandoned too many years ago.

She panicked. Her heart wanted to beat right out of her chest. She was utterly alone. No one would hear her urgent cries for help. She didn’t want to be locked in these chains.
Alone.
She would starve to death. No. Dehydration would kill her days before starvation had a chance.

Help me!
Her mind cried.
Someone please help me!

She sank to her knees, her face in her hands. The chains on
her arms rattled with movement.

She heard the door slowly creak open. She looked up but her eyes were so blurry with tears she couldn’t make out his face. All she saw was his eyes but the color was also confusing. They were light colored, pale blue or grayish. She wasn’t exactly sure.

He began walking toward her, taking slow and deliberate steps………

That was when the plane jerked her from sleep. That was all. And she couldn’t even remember a hint of it until now. And she badly needed to know who that stranger was coming toward her.

Simone opened her eyes and saw Indea staring at her in the strangest way.

Simone blushed.
“Sorry, Indea.
I was just trying to remember that bizarre dream I had on the plane.”

Indea smiled, her eyebrows rising. “It must have been a pretty intense dream. Your eyes were completely closed.”

Indea thought Simone had an intimate dream and for the life of her, for reasons unknown, Simone couldn’t tell her otherwise.

“Yeah, it was.” Simone glanced at her watch. “Van and Saldivar should be here in five minutes. Let’s go downstairs and wait for them.”

*

Hand in hand, Simone and Van
strolled
the streets of Paris. Along side them
,
walked Indea and Saldivar, his hand at the small of her back.

There were vendors on the sidewalks selling all kinds of delicious smelling foods. Drinks were being sold at every corner. Handmade crafts and jewelry carts also lined the busy streets. Hundreds of people were buzzing with activity, talking with such fervor the words came together in a jumbled mass of sound. You couldn’t understand but by the looks on the people’s faces, they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

“This is wonderful,”
exclaimed Simone. “I can’t believe this is still going to continue until the wee hours of the morning.”

“Yes. And they do th
is every year like clockwork,”
Van added.

Indea walked a little closer to Saldivar. “Have you ever been to one of these?”

Saldivar warmed inside as Indea’s thigh brushed against his. It was going to be much harder to concentrate than he thought, what with Indea’s warm body touching his. Much to his surprise, he was able to sound perfectly normal. “Yes.
But only two other times.
I travel a great deal and don’t have the privilege of making it every year.”

“How unfortunate.
I know this is Van’s first time being here as well. He also travels a lot. Do you travel when business requires it?”

Saldivar knew this is what most people called ‘small talk’. He still had to be very wary of what information to divulge to others. He couldn’t very well tell her the truth about himself or Van yet.

“Sometimes we do for business with the club. But most of the time I travel unaccompanied. It gives me time to reflect and study other cultures. It’s
one
of my passions,”
he admitted, giving Indea a smoldering look that spoke volumes.

Indea could be another one of his passions.
His most important passion.
The sensual fire in his amber eyes sent the most delightful chills throughout her body, which was heating up a few degrees every second he gave her that look.

Saldivar had his body attuned to every part of Indea’s body. He could sense her blood racing. He could smell it pulsating through her every cell. It made him a bit dizzy. He swallowed hard. His mouth started watering at the thought that he would eventually get to taste her.
In every way, shape and form.
So far he was perfectly capable of taming the bloodlust. He hoped that with Indea he wouldn’t lose complete control. He found himself caring for her. He could be sure he started feeling something for her the moment he laid eyes on her.
Helped her.
The moment his lips touched her satin skin…….