Blood of the Son (Book #1 in the Skye Morrison Vampire Series) (Skye Morrison Series) (32 page)

I wondered briefly about what they were discussing, before I turned away and walked over to Alex’s cage.  “Break time, Alex,” I called up to him.  “Be back up here in thirty minutes.”  He stopped dancing, unlocked the cage, and climbed down the short ladder to the floor. 

I moved my way over to Courtney and told her the same.  As soon as she stepped down, I turned around and ran right into a brick wall.  I rubbed my nose in an attempt to shake off the pain and looked up into the face of said wall.  “Is there a reason why you’re so totally invading my personal space?” I asked, irritated by the throbbing in my nose.

“Step to the side, human,” the man said licking his fangs and watching Courtney’s every move.  “I want to speak with the other human.”

He tried to sidestep me, but I blocked his passage.  I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Courtney was walking down the steps before I turned back to him.

“The staff in this club is off limits, sir,” I said with a tight smile. “Why don’t you go to the bar and get yourself a drink, on the house?”

He wrinkled his face in disgust and scoffed.  “Who do you think you are, human?  I am vampire and I don’t take orders from you.” 

“I’m not ordering you around, sir.  I’m merely reminding you that fraternization between staff and guests is not permitted.”  I didn’t give a rat’s ass if customers hit up the staff for their phone numbers or what not.  But I had a sneaking suspicion that this guy wanted more than her number.  The way he was licking his fangs, I knew he wanted her blood and I was not going to permit that.

“Get out of my way,” he hissed, his pupils suddenly swelling to cover his blue irises. 

My jaw dropped in surprise and I continued to stare at his eyes. 
What the hell?
 
His pupil just ate his iris.  How did they do that?  I thought all vampires’ eyes lost their color. 

When I didn’t move, the vampire wrapped his hand around my throat and lifted me up to meet his eyes.  My feet kicked the air helplessly and my fingers tore at his.

Just then Jameson appeared beside me.  “Put. Her. Down,” he said menacingly.  The vampire paid him no attention. 

Black spots danced across my vision and I knew that I was close to passing out.   “P…please.” I managed to squeak out.  The vampire just squeezed harder.

“Yes, please,” Archer said from behind the vampire, his voice cold and commanding.  “We’re having such a good night.  I’d hate to have to execute you in front of all these people, Dark One.”

The vampire licked his lips and snarled at me before he dropped me to the ground.

Jameson immediately bent down and picked me up.  “Are you okay?” he said, turning with me and walking back to the PVIP booth.

I painfully turned my head and saw two other vampires flanking Archer.  Archer had a silver dagger in his hand and it was pointed at the back of the vampire who had attacked me, just left of his spine where his heart would be.

I closed my eyes and allowed Jameson to lead me.  My throat was burning fiercely and I was a little lightheaded from the lack of oxygen.  When we got to the booth, Jameson sat me down and I turned back to Archer.  He handed the silver dagger off to one of the vampires and started walking back to the table.  I saw the other two vampires escort my attacker down the stairs.

“What happened?” Archer asked as he took a seat at the table.

I swallowed and involuntarily whimpered at the pain it caused.  Tears immediately sprung to my eyes and I tried to speak, but couldn’t.  The pain was too intense.  Archer nodded to Jameson as he stood up and closed the privacy curtain around the table. 

“Be still, love,” Jameson whispered as he tenderly placed his hands around my throat.  A familiar heat warmed my throat as tingles made their way down my chest.  I gasped, painfully shook my head, and tried to pull his hand away.  Jameson was attempting to heal me and I was mortified to have it done in front of a strange vampire.  I remembered all too well what happened the last time and I’d be damned if I was going to have an audience for it. 

Please, Archer.  Don’t make me do this in front of your friend
, I silently pleaded with him. 

The strange vampire laughed, looked at Archer, and got up from the table.  “I heard you loud and clear, dear girl.  I’ll just go grab myself a drink and give you three a minute alone.”  After he left I looked at Archer questioningly. 

“Our good friend Greyson Mead can read minds, too, Skye,” he said with a chuckle. He sat back down at the table, nodded to Jameson again, and took a sip of his drink. 

Jameson placed his hands back around my throat and the warm, tingling sensation resumed.  I noticed that Jameson’s eyes were closed and when I looked over at Archer, I was surprised to see him watching me closely.  A blush spread across my cheeks as the tingling sensation intensified and moved further south down my body. 

I felt my nipples harden and I gasped when the feeling settled in my lower abdomen.  I licked my lips and glanced at Archer.  The look on his face was one of pure lust.  He leaned back in his seat and lasciviously watched the show.  I whimpered as the tingling sensation finally found my center.  I closed my eyes as my body took over.  My heart beat quickened and my breathing became heavier as I squirmed in my seat.  The tingling rapidly crescendoed and I threw my head back, grabbed on to Jameson, and quietly tried to ride the wave of inconvenient, but completely splendid pleasure.  A few soft moans escaped, but no one outside of our table would have been able to hear them over the loud music pumping through the club.  I took a few deep breaths and lazily opened my eyes.  My hand still gripped Jameson’s thigh, so I quickly removed it and fought hard not to stare at the huge bulge pressing thickly against his tight leather pants. 

I swallowed and cleared my throat.  The pain was completely gone and I smiled gratefully at Jameson.  “Much better, thank you.”

“Tell me what happened,” Archer said thickly, his eyes still lustful.

“I went to relieve Courtney for her break and that vampire tried to follow her down the stairs,” I explained.  “He had his fangs out and I figured that he wanted to feed from her by the way he was staring.  So, I told him that dancers couldn’t fraternize with guests and he didn’t like that.  He told me to move, but I was too surprised by what his eyes did.”  I leaned forward in my seat and put my arms on the table.  “His eyes went totally black, Archer.  His pupils ATE his irises!  What the hell was he?”

Archer sighed and explained.  “He is a vampire, Skye, but a different species than Jameson and I.  He is what we call a Dark One.  They are generally a sociopathic and sadistic race.  We have been able to live normally amongst each other for the past few decades with no issues.  When their new leader was selected, he put a stop to some of their moral depravity and demanded that they follow certain guidelines.  Until tonight, I haven’t had a single negative run-in with a Dark One since 1972.” 

Jameson looked at Archer.  “That was a bold move, brother.  They know better than to touch someone in one your clubs.”

Archer nodded.  “Aye, Youngblood, which can only mean that he is newly turned or not from Western Europe or America.”  He set his glass down and studied the ice in it.

“What did you do with him?” I asked.

Archer looked up at me and smiled.  “I had some friends give him a quick message and send him on his way.”

“Oh,” I said as the curtain pulled back and Greyson Mead stepped in. 

“That Aoife sure is something,” He said with a smile, sitting down.

Jameson scoffed and Archer chuckled.  “That she is, old friend,” Archer said.

I crossed my arms over my chest and silently sang along to the song DJ Dark was playing.  I had some scathing thoughts about Aoife and Archer that I didn’t want either of the two mind readers to hear.

Archer and Greyson both looked up at me and Archer shook his head.  “What is it now, Skye?”

I sang harder as I answered.  “Nothing.  Not a thing.”

Archer looked at Greyson and had a silent conversation with him.  I narrowed my eyes at Archer as I watched the expressions flicker across both of their faces.

Greyson finally looked back at me and laughed.  “You are quite the handful, aren’t you Miss Morrison?”

I shrugged my shoulders.  “So I’ve been told, Mr. Mead.  What brings you to opening night at The Mausoleum?”

“Vampire business,” He said with a dismissive laugh.

Archer got up from the table and took off his jacket.  “Why don’t you and Jameson talk a bit while Skye and I go dance?”

I looked up at Archer in surprise and shrugged my shoulders again.  “Sure, why not.”

Archer set down his jacket, took my hand, and helped me up from the table.  He wove his arm around my waist and escorted me over to the stairs.  I looked over at the VIP bar and noticed Aoife glaring at me with malice. 

“Why does she hate me so much?” I asked, leaning into Archer so he could hear me over the music.

“Who?” Archer asked as he led me down the stairs and through the crowd.

“Aoife,” I explained.  “She’s always looking at me with such hatred in her eyes.  Why?”

Archer stopped at a spot on the dance floor and leaned in to whisper in my ear.  “She wants what you have, Skye.”

I leaned back to look at his face.  “What do I have that she wants?” I asked totally confused.

Archer just smiled mischievously and started dancing.  I watched him for a few frustrated seconds before I gave up on getting an answer and joined in. 
Why does that man never answer me?  Why does everything have to be some big secret?
I silently fumed. 

A few minutes passed and I stared to have a little fun.  Archer, naturally, was drawing a crowd of people and we were surrounded.  A few girls tried to dance their way in between Archer and I, but he wouldn’t allow it.  He grabbed my hips, spun me around, and pulled my back up against his stomach.  We grinded along to the music as the floor lights alternated and changed colors with each beat. 

I chanced a glance up at the second floor and was shocked to see Aoife staring at us from behind the bar.  She quickly looked away, but not fast enough. 
So, that’s it.  She’s pissed off because I’m dancing with Archer.  Well, screw her.  At least I don’t have my tongue down his throat like she did. 

Archer stopped dancing and turned me around to face him.  “What did you say?” he asked, holding my face in his hands as he looked intently into my eyes.

I sighed and jerked my head back away from his grip.  “Not everything that goes on in my brain is your business, Archer,” I said, crossing my arms.

Archer huffed in frustration.  “No, but what you said has everything to do with me.  When did you see Aoife and me kissing?”

I rolled my eyes and started dancing again.  “I am not going to have this conversation with you right now.”

Archer grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the crowd.  “We ARE going to have this conversation right now, Skye.  What were you doing spying on me?”

“I wasn’t spying on you, jackass!” I argued, and then sighed.  “Okay, maybe I was.  But it wasn’t my intention.”

Archer crossed his arms over his chest.  “Tell me,” he demanded.

“No,” I said stubbornly and turned to walk to the bar.

I felt Archer’s hand on my waist as he stopped me and turned me back around.  He grabbed my face in his hands again and stared intently into my eyes.  I struggled for a few seconds to free my head, but it was no use.  He had a firm grasp on me and wasn’t letting go. 

Suddenly, my vision swam and the room started to spin.  I was overwhelmed with dizziness and motion sickness.  I clenched my eyes closed and when I opened them again, Archer looked down at me and he was pissed.

“What the hell just happened?” I asked, confused.  “What did you do to me?”

Archer dropped his hands and crossed his arms again.  “Why do you always have to fight me on everything, Miss Morrison?!”

“Don’t you ‘Miss Morrison’ me, Archer Rhys!” I hissed heatedly.  “What did you do to me that made me so dizzy?  I know it was you.  It had to be.”

Archer rubbed the back of his neck.  “I was trying to force my way into your head, but you were fighting me.  You wouldn’t let me in, alright?”

“You asshole!” I spat.  “You had no right to force your way into my thoughts!”  I stopped and a thought occurred to me.  “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?” I asked, hurt and upset.  “In your office during my interview…”

“Yes, I have,” Archer growled.  “But, I couldn’t get in.  You can block me sometimes, and you shouldn’t be able to.”

A self-satisfied smile spread across my face.  “Well, how about that!  It serves you right, Archer.  What goes on in my head is none of your business.  If I want you to know something, I’ll open my mouth and tell you.  Otherwise, stay your nosy ass OUT of my damn head!”

I turned to walk away but Archer stopped me.  “What did you hear up there, Skye?  Tell me!” he demanded.

“Get bent, Archer,” I said as I hurried over to the ladies room.  It was the one place that I could go where I knew he wouldn’t follow me.

“We WILL talk about this later,” He called after me.

Once in the ladies room, I sat down on one of the sofas in the sitting room and buried my head in my hands. 
Freakin’ fabulous!
  I let Archer know that I had seen him and Aoife kissing, before I had intended to tell him.  Now he was all pissy at me. 
Well, screw him.  He had no right trying to force his way into my head.
  I couldn’t believe that he had done that to me before.  I suddenly remembered the time that I had passed out at Drop Kick Dan’s.  I had gotten dizzy right before I fell. 
Did Archer cause that?
I thought back to that day and realized that he wasn’t even there. 
Okay, so it really was low blood sugar
, I thought, relieved.