Take Me (11 page)

“I met someone yesterday,” Felicity said in a sing-song voice.

Beth tensed. “Who?”

Felicity leaned down and said in a loud whisper, “Lucas Blackmoore.”

Beth shot up from her seat, the chair wobbled back, nearly falling over. Her bad leg wobbled but she righted it, breathing hard. A strange look came over her face part-excitement, part-terrified.
Weird.

“What happened?” Beth said.

“Oh, he’s just a great guy. He’s nice, funny, seriously good looking. Oh, and I told him about how you like his music.”

Felicity had never seen Beth blush, but now she did. Even with her dark skin she could see it darken from caramel to mocha. “You did not.”

Felicity froze. Beth didn’t sound excited in the least. She almost sounded devastated
.

“Are you okay?”

Beth blinked then nodded quickly, but Felicity watched her swallow hard.

“Honey, what’s wrong? You can tell me. You know you can trust me.”

Beth grabbed onto the chair in front of her, digging her fingers into the wood until her knuckles flexed. “I really like his music.”

Felicity blinked. “Yes, which is why I thought you’d be excited that I got—”

“No, I
really
like his music. And him. I dream about him.”

“What?” Felicity’s eyebrows rose straight to her hairline. “Like a sexy fantasy thing? I mean he is freakishly hot. The goatee thing, I can dig it.”

“No.” She jerked her head hard. “Almost every night. We’re together. Sometimes it’s sex, sometimes it’s more. But we’re always together.”

“Oh, well I’m sure it’ll go away.” She tried for encouragement because this was a little strange.

Beth laughed, the sound hollow with something close to pain. “I’ve been having these dreams for two years.”

Felicity jerked. “Two years you’ve dreamed of him? Every night?”

Beth nodded slowly, almost painfully as if this was the most embarrassing secret to reveal ever. Felicity could see why now.

“Well that’s...pretty intense.”

Beth continued to nod, her eyes wide. “I go to all of his shows. It kills my budget but even if it means I have to work overtime, I make every concert. Any of his local shows I can get into I do. I always sit in the back.” Her hands squeezed the chair so hard it was a wonder it didn’t snap. “I swear it’s
shameful
how much I like it. I sit in the back by myself losing myself in his words...his voice.” Beth’s voice took a hypnotic quality as she spoke about him.

Unease filled Felicity but she lifted the envelope the messenger brought her with the two tickets in it. “Well, he gave me two tickets to see his band play tonight at the Coyote Theater. I don’t suppose you wanna go?”

Beth blinked slowly. “I couldn’t get tickets to that show. Sold out within the first day and the tickets were fifty dollars more than usual and that was for back row seats. You have tickets to see Lucas Blackmoore tonight?” She repeated it slower as if trying to comprehend them.

“Yes.”

Suddenly the tickets were snatched from her hands.

Beth squealed—actually squealed like a sixteen-year-old girl whose parents just bought her a car.

“Row one seats ‘g’ and ‘h’.”

“Yeah,” Felicity said not sure why that sounded so important to Beth. Seats were seats.

Beth let go of the chair to squeeze Felicity’s shoulders in an iron grip. “That’s the first row in the theater and seats ‘g’ and ‘h’ are in the middle. As in he’ll be
right in front of us!
”

Felicity grinned. “Then it looks like we need to get ready.”

Beth’s eyes turned frantic as she looked down at herself. Of course she looked hot as always in her designer skinny jeans that showed off her powerful thighs and ass to perfection and her sexy tan leather boots that went up to her calf. She had a white blouse with a tan leather jacket on over that and gold hoop earring dangling from her ears. She looked gorgeous as always.

“I have to go home and get dressed!”

“Honey, you look pretty bangable from where I’m standing.”

Beth shook her head fiercely. “Get dressed fast. We’re heading to my place. I will not be late.” Her voice turned into military commands, delivering rapid fast commands.

Felicity checked the time. “We have plenty of time.”

Beth’s wild eyes met hers. “I always get there early.”

“O-kay.”

Felicity dressed in a pair of rugged looking jeans. They were her favorite pair because they fit like a sexy glove. She blow-dried her hair so the curls spiraled some more and then she powered on some mascara, eyeliners, and blush—her typical routine. By the time she pulled on a short-sleeved black t-shirt and grabbed her jacket, Beth was waiting at the front door tapping her foot.

“Honey, I don’t see why we have to go to your place. You
still
look better than I do and I just got ready.”

“I always dress my best for LBB and tonight will not be any different. Not when I’ll be in the front
row.”

Felicity sighed and then piled into Beth’s much nicer car.

Beth rented a condo on the outskirts of downtown where newer developments were being built over the broken down, boarded up buildings. It cost a pretty penny but came fully furnished which was something Beth had desperately wanted after leaving the military. After she’d come home, her previous boyfriend had taken all of their furniture so it was either buy all new or buy fully-furnished. She chose the latter.

As Felicity took a seat on her friend’s brown suede sofa, she heard a familiar ring.

Beth headed towards the bedroom already kicking off her boots and flinging her leather jacket to the ground. “I’ll be quick.”

Felicity checked the time then shouted, “You better, we only have an hour and a half.”

Beth gave a panicked squeal, and then turned on a radio. The sound of Lucas Blackmoore’s voice came loud and clear through the condo. The man had a seriously sexy voice. He had the versatility of Jim Morrison and the seductiveness of Chris Isaak.

Again that high-pitch ring sounded.

Then it hit her. Her cell phone.

Felicity dug in her purse and pulled out the old thing. Her eyes widened as she saw indeed someone was calling her. Funny thing though, she might have been paid yesterday but she hadn’t paid the bill to get her phone turned back on yet. The only reason she kept it on her was so to check the time. Felicity wasn’t much of a watch wearing kind of girl. She didn’t like things slinking around on her wrists.

The number on the screen didn’t look familiar but she pressed the button to take the call and answered.

“Hello?”

A moment passed, then, “Felicity.”

Goose bumps beaded over her skin. A fluttery breath escaped her as her body responded to that voice. Her eyes closed and a vision of Dominic Blackmoore sitting down with his jacket spread open, eyes blazing with anger and something hot staring straight into her, came to mind.

“How…” she coughed to clear her dry throat, “How did you get this number?”

“I had your service turned back on. Getting your number was easy. My brother works in protective services. Getting a phone number is hardly challenging for him.”

Felicity straightened. “How can you just pay my bill and why?” God that made her feel low. For him to know she was more than two months behind on her phone bill. Shame burned her cheeks red.

His voice turned brusque. “You work for me now. I need to be able to get into contact with you anytime I need to. So I had your phone turned back on.” He paused, then cursed. “Is that my brother singing in the background?”

Felicity peered into Beth’s bedroom but Beth was oblivious to the strange phone calling happening right now.

“Yes it is.”

A hard pause. She could feel the tension in him growing. “I expect to see you at my office tonight at midnight.”

She sputtered even as her heart raced at the thought of seeing him again...in his office. Why did that sound sexy? “What for?”

“To begin work,” he said. “You did get paid did you not?”

“You know I did.”

“Then it’s time to start working. I’m sure you know there is much to go over. The avenue where we will hold the ceremony, your account for purchases, designs, and so on. I expect to start tonight.”

God, she just knew working with him, possibly alone, would be a very bad thing.

“I’m sorry I can’t do it tonight. I’m going to a concert.”

She heard him shift. “Luc,” was all he said.

Felicity’s breath caught at that one word. He expressed so much in that one word. Jealousy, anger, frustration. All in a word, and it made her feel
good
. He thought she was into his brother and that made him mad. What was her reaction to that news—a big smile.

“I’m taking my friend to his concert tonight downtown.”

Beth came out of the bedroom looking incredible in an off-the-shoulder dress that fell to mid-thigh. It had a yellow and white flower pattern that showed off her coloring to perfection. She’d added a little more makeup, a necklace with a gold drop pendant, and a pair of yellow, tall heels. Yup, only she could actually manage to look better than she had before.

“After the concert I expect to see you in my office. Do you know where it is?”

“What? No,” Felicity said distractedly. Beth eyed her with a grin as she mimed using the phone with her hand and pressed it to her head.
Is that him
, she mouthed. Felicity nodded, trying to stifle a laugh.

“Then I’ll have my driver pick you up. His name is
Anton. Expect him at midnight.”

“What, no, listen I’m not riding with him just give me the address and—”

Click.

Felicity’s draw dropped. “He hung up on me!”

Beth grabbed her purse, flinging her long hair over a shoulder. “You’ll just have to make him pay for that.”

Felicity tried not to smile but she couldn’t contain. “I guess I will.”

Chapter7

It didn’t take long for things to go wrong. They didn’t just go a little wrong, they went
weird
wrong. All of this happened within thirty minutes of the concert starting.  Of course the night couldn’t have gone naturally. Nothing had been right since she met Dominic Blackmoore.

Hell, it wasn’t weird so much as bat-shit crazy.

Things like this did not happen. They certainly didn’t happen to Felicity Shaw. A lowly vampire whose mother who didn’t talk to her anymore, whose father she never knew, and whose best friend was human. And yet, even being ordinary enough to lie on her résumé to get a job—which she’d read online that
almost everyone
did—she had never seen anything so crazy in all her life as she did once the concert started. Not once her in one hundred and eighteen vampire years. Judging by Beth’s astonished expression, neither did she.

It had everything to do with Lucas Blackmoore.

The night started normal enough. Beth and Felicity arrived at the theater. Beth bought a cheap glass of wine from a vendor then an old woman showed them to their row using a small flashlight to indicate their seats. By the time the curtain went up and the lights dimmed for the show, not a seat stood empty.  Felicity’s ears already hurt from all the screaming.

The Lucas Blackmoore Band consisted of a bassist, lead electric played by Lucas himself, a rhythm guitarist, and a drummer. They were all good looking in their own rights but Lucas sold the show. The fact that he seemed to be the real deal with talent to boot only made him more of an icon. Or so Beth had explained to her.

Announcers introduced the band over the speakers and then Lucas strolled out from behind a golden curtain grinning a grin that made the audience scream like sixteen-year-old girls at a Justin Bieber concert. He wore low-slung, thread-barren jeans with patches around the knees and a vintage rock t-shirt with his band’s name on it. He headed to the microphone. His hand curled around the it and just like that his grin died. His eyes flashed for a second charging with an amber glow which usually only happened when a vampire was aroused or really angry. Or when they were feeling any emotion supercharged.

 Vampires didn’t exactly go around flashing their strangeness. Most of them preferred not to reveal their nature except to trusted friends or loved ones. Some were a bit more flamboyant with it and even used it to get famous. Right now in front of a massive screaming crowd for all to see Lucas Blackmoore just revealed his true nature to those who hadn’t known. To those who already knew, well, he just gave them a flash at his true nature.

And the women went wild.

Of course.

Felicity almost rolled her eyes.

The crowd ran out of their seats, some trying to charge onto the stage. The screams nearly tore off the roof. Surely people all the way across the city could hear the noise level. Guards poured down the stairs on either side of the stage to keep back them back.

“Is it always like this?” Felicity asked Beth.

Beth grinned, her eyes alight with excitement. “Sometimes, but that’s usually after he starts singing. Did you see his eyes flash like that? I’ve never see that before.”

“Yeah, I saw it.” Felicity didn’t grin back. Disquiet sat in her stomach like a lead weight.

As the rest of the band sauntered on stage behind Lucas, Beth stiffened in her seat. Her hands clasped onto Felicity’s and shook her, hard.

“What is it?”

Felicity took in Beth’s frozen stare and followed it up to Lucas Blackmoore. That look on his face reminded her of Dominic. The look held a mixture of hunger, anger, and frustration. It was Dom’s look. The hungry one that said he had already stripped her naked with his eyes and now counted the many different ways he could fuck her. Lucas Blackmoore had that same look trained right on Beth, glowing amber eyes and all.

“Um, Beth, is this normal?”

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. “He’s looking at me.”

“That he is. I take it this isn’t normal.”

Lucas blinked and then, slowly, as if he didn’t want to, he tore his gaze away from Beth. Even after their set started—a husky melody with a jump-up-and down beat--Beth still didn’t release her white-knuckled grip on Felicity.