even his closest friends, he told
her. The compromise ¾ she would wear a blindfold and the GPS would be turned off—he’d drive five miles
below the speed limit. The deal sounded more like a demand. The car came to a
stop in the garage of his lair and the door closed behind them, shutting out
the world.
“We’re here,” Stefan said. “You can remove the
blindfold.”
He opened the car door and slid out of the seat.
With vampire speed, he stepped to the passenger’s side door before Alex removed
the black scarf. He opened her side and offered an assist. Picking up her
clutch from the seat, she slipped her other hand in his, and brushed her
breasts along his chest as she stood.
“Hmm, work out much?”
“Every night.” He winked.
Stefan took a step back, allowing her to turn and
walk toward what was presumably the door into the house. Reaching around her
back, he unlocked it. They entered a small area with terracotta tile floors and
stark white plaster walls. Stefan led the way to another door and opened it.
In amazement, she peered around the doorframe into
the open space. “An elevator?”
“Do you prefer to walk up three flights of
stairs?”
“No. I’ll take the elevator.”
They exited the lift on the third level Stefan
called home. Alex followed Stefan into the grand room which compromised the top
floor. The ceiling soared two stories and the wall of windows and doors across the
back were of glass, revealing the blackness of the night. The moon rays beamed
in through the glass, no artificial illumination was needed to see as she
strode across the dark bamboo wood floors. Through the pitch black wall of
night, she became mesmerized by what lay beyond. Where were they? In the rural part of the city? They didn’t drive far from
the club, so that couldn’t be true. By the ocean still?
As she went further into the room, she noticed the
starkness of the furnishings ¾ a sleek low-back leather couch, an Eames chair and ottoman, glass table, and a
Flokati rug. When she reached for the door handle at the window wall to explore
outside, his hand came to rest on top of hers.
“What are you doing?” His brow arched, and took a
step toward her.
“We’re at the oceanfront, right?”
“Yes.”
“Can I step out and see or are you hiding bodies
out there?”
Cocking his head, he said, “Alexandra, I don’t
hide bodies,” and opened the door to let her walk out. With a perfectly
straight face, he added, “After sucking their blood, I destroy them by chopping
them into tiny pieces.”
She stopped and turned to face him. He leaned
against the door jam, arms crossed over his chest, one leg crossed over the
other at the ankle, and a mischievous grin on his face.
“Ha Ha. More of your vamp humor?”
“I thought it was a good one. I’m getting better,
don’t you think?”
To keep from laughing, she bit her bottom lip. No
way was she ready to let him know his jesting amused her as much as it did,
especially his dark wit.
“I’ll boot up the computer. Would you like
something to drink? I have some nice vintage in the wine room.”
“No, thanks. Maybe later.” Keep a clear head, no alcohol ¾ Rule Number Nine.
He turned and went inside, laughing as he did.
“What?”
“I heard you.”
“I wanted you to.”
Grinning, he walked to the study.
Alex leaned on the balcony railing, directing her
attention to the ocean beyond. The moon shone down on the water with a thousand
sparkling gems gleaming across the surface. The sound of the surf roared in the
distance. Damn, a house like this has to
cost a pretty penny. Stefan must be well off financially. Being raised in a
three bedroom, one bath, one-story house in Narcoosee with two brothers, two
dogs, a cat, and a mom and dad made for tight quarters. Growing up, she didn’t
have much in the way of nice clothes or material possessions. The family worked
hard and appreciated what they had. As a vamp Stefan lived a long time, how
long she didn’t
her. The compromise ¾ she would wear a blindfold and the GPS would be turned off—he’d drive five miles
below the speed limit. The deal sounded more like a demand. The car came to a
stop in the garage of his lair and the door closed behind them, shutting out
the world.
“We’re here,” Stefan said. “You can remove the
blindfold.”
He opened the car door and slid out of the seat.
With vampire speed, he stepped to the passenger’s side door before Alex removed
the black scarf. He opened her side and offered an assist. Picking up her
clutch from the seat, she slipped her other hand in his, and brushed her
breasts along his chest as she stood.
“Hmm, work out much?”
“Every night.” He winked.
Stefan took a step back, allowing her to turn and
walk toward what was presumably the door into the house. Reaching around her
back, he unlocked it. They entered a small area with terracotta tile floors and
stark white plaster walls. Stefan led the way to another door and opened it.
In amazement, she peered around the doorframe into
the open space. “An elevator?”
“Do you prefer to walk up three flights of
stairs?”
“No. I’ll take the elevator.”
They exited the lift on the third level Stefan
called home. Alex followed Stefan into the grand room which compromised the top
floor. The ceiling soared two stories and the wall of windows and doors across the
back were of glass, revealing the blackness of the night. The moon rays beamed
in through the glass, no artificial illumination was needed to see as she
strode across the dark bamboo wood floors. Through the pitch black wall of
night, she became mesmerized by what lay beyond. Where were they? In the rural part of the city? They didn’t drive far from
the club, so that couldn’t be true. By the ocean still?
As she went further into the room, she noticed the
starkness of the furnishings ¾ a sleek low-back leather couch, an Eames chair and ottoman, glass table, and a
Flokati rug. When she reached for the door handle at the window wall to explore
outside, his hand came to rest on top of hers.
“What are you doing?” His brow arched, and took a
step toward her.
“We’re at the oceanfront, right?”
“Yes.”
“Can I step out and see or are you hiding bodies
out there?”
Cocking his head, he said, “Alexandra, I don’t
hide bodies,” and opened the door to let her walk out. With a perfectly
straight face, he added, “After sucking their blood, I destroy them by chopping
them into tiny pieces.”
She stopped and turned to face him. He leaned
against the door jam, arms crossed over his chest, one leg crossed over the
other at the ankle, and a mischievous grin on his face.
“Ha Ha. More of your vamp humor?”
“I thought it was a good one. I’m getting better,
don’t you think?”
To keep from laughing, she bit her bottom lip. No
way was she ready to let him know his jesting amused her as much as it did,
especially his dark wit.
“I’ll boot up the computer. Would you like
something to drink? I have some nice vintage in the wine room.”
“No, thanks. Maybe later.” Keep a clear head, no alcohol ¾ Rule Number Nine.
He turned and went inside, laughing as he did.
“What?”
“I heard you.”
“I wanted you to.”
Grinning, he walked to the study.
Alex leaned on the balcony railing, directing her
attention to the ocean beyond. The moon shone down on the water with a thousand
sparkling gems gleaming across the surface. The sound of the surf roared in the
distance. Damn, a house like this has to
cost a pretty penny. Stefan must be well off financially. Being raised in a
three bedroom, one bath, one-story house in Narcoosee with two brothers, two
dogs, a cat, and a mom and dad made for tight quarters. Growing up, she didn’t
have much in the way of nice clothes or material possessions. The family worked
hard and appreciated what they had. As a vamp Stefan lived a long time, how
long she didn’t
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