Page 944 of One More Kiss

Odessa

The club looksthe same as the day I was turned. Humans dance with vampires and do not know they’re just cattle to feed the masses. I walk down the steps in five-inch heels with ease. Being graceful with my new abilities and toned muscles is something I could never do if I was still human.

“Are you alright?” Julius whispers in my ear. A shiver goes through my body at his proximity.

“I’m fine. Let’s get a drink.”

I hurry down the stairs toward the bar. Humans crowd all around me and my fangs make an appearance, but I tuck my mouth closed. By the time I’m at the bar, I’m panting. My knuckles are white from gripping the wooden surface.

“Wanna drink, sweetheart?” the bartender asks. He’s handsome in a boy-next-door way. Blond curls hang from his forehead, almost touching his sea-green eyes. His smile matches his look as he gives me the once over.

I return his smile and my fangs flash for a moment. I could smell he was a vampire before the first word came out of his mouth. “Do you have anything special for me?”

He winks and turns away. It feels good to act normal for a moment. To interact with someone who isn’t one of my guys. My guys? I shake my head to rid the thought.

A heat comes from behind me and the same shiver returns as Julius presses against me, enough for me to sense him, but not enough to feel trapped.

Cutie comes back with my drink and I smirk, leaning in to whisper thank you in his ear. Julius pulls me back right away and I laugh, sauntering away, not paying them any more attention.

The cocktail is a mix of fruit juice and blood. I asked the guys once how vampires get drunk and they said they can’t unless they drink from someone who is. It’s so tempting, the thought of letting go and just ripping into someone’s neck, but my humanity lingers on the surface and a pang of guilt hits me.

A scream comes from my left and I’m so startled I almost toss my drink all over my dress. I turn to see what the commotion is and I see Megan barreling toward me. Shit!

“Oh my God, Odessa. Where the fuck have you been?” she asks, grabbing me into a hug.

I stiffen, awaiting my reaction to her blood, but none comes. This is Megan, my friend. My only friend. Suddenly I’m filled with sadness. I hug her back with more force than I should.

“Megan, it’s good to see you,” I say, pulling back. I don’t trust myself to breathe in her delicious scent too much. I may be keeping control, but I don’t want to test my abilities.

“Is that the only thing you have to say? Odessa, you’ve been missing for weeks. No one could find you. I even had your landlord open up your apartment. You disappeared. I thought the worst.”

Her lip trembles, and she twists her hands at her sides. I want to tell her the truth, but I can’t. She isn’t safe in this world. No one is.

“Dess, who’s your friend?” Theron asks, laying a hand on my lower back.

“This is Megan, my friend from my old job.”

I want to shove his hand off. It’s too distracting, but I don’t want to create a scene, so I move to the right a bit. He gets the clue and puts both of his hands in his pants pockets.

“Dess? Who the hell calls you that? Who is this guy? Are you in trouble?”

She’s firing off questions faster than I can answer them. I open my mouth to answer, but Theron beats me to it.

“Why don’t you join us in our private section? I’m Theron, by the way. Nice to meet you, Megan. We can explain everything.”

He extends his hand to shake hers, but she just glares at him. I smile behind my drink and grasp her hand in mine, leading her over to the rest of the guys.

They’ve set a raised platform in the back of the club. A place for them to observe the masses. It has several couches for entertaining guests and its own bar equipped with a beautiful bartender. Her brown shiny hair hits the light and I can’t help but growl.

Megan doesn’t hear me, but Theron’s hearing picks it up. He chuckles as he leads us over to Draven and Julius. Each of them are more gorgeous than the last. I can’t take all this hotness in one place. The feel of the music against my skin, the blood taking its effect. It’s a recipe for disaster.

“Who’s your friend?” Draven demands, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You got me here. Now tell me what’s going on,” she said, ignoring his question.

Theron calls over a waitress and orders a few drinks, normal ones, so that Megan won’t suspect we’ll be drinking something different.

“Odessa.”

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