Chapter Four

 

 

 

 

 

“How did Cecily pull off a private room and back of the house entry at the swankiest club in the DFW Metroplex?” Ashlynn whispered to Leslie as they, along with four other friends including the bride-to-be, filed through the back door of CRAVE. “I thought the people in line were gonna mob us when that huge bouncer got us out of the back of the line and marched up to the front.”

“Don’t you worry, we’ve got bodyguards,” Leslie chuckled, pointing to the two musclebound men waiting for them just inside the side entrance to the club.

Looking at two of the biggest men she’d ever seen in her life, Ashlynn thought they looked more like they were going to eat them instead of protect them. Trying to smile at the mountain of a man with tattoos covering his bald head, arms, and back of his hands, not to mention thick silver rings braided into the goatee that hung down to the middle of his massive chest, she ended up quickly looking away when he winked. Seven-foot giants who looked like they belonged to Hell’s Angels were not her idea of Security, and most definitely did not wink.

Stepping through the door, her eyes landed on the bald man’s cohort, and the idea of making a run for the taxi stand sounded like a true winner. Resembling a Viking with long blond waves that touched the tops of his shoulders, a jawline that would cut glass, bulging muscles, and wicked blue eyes, he was definitely handsome but had an air of danger that freaked Ashlynn out.

“Are you sure they’re not our captors,” she whispered, trying a joke to ease her tension.

“Very sure, Hun.” Leslie laid her hand over Ash’s on her shoulder. “Cecily’s fiancée may be a rich, privileged momma’s boy but he’s got friends in high places. These men come from none other than…” The slow, sensual beat of the music just on the other side of the wall reached a crescendo that drowned out what Leslie said next as they continued farther into the dimly lit club.

Figuring that Rodney, Cecily’s soon-to-be husband, wouldn’t let anything happen to his bride, Ash shrugged as the bald giant led them through a door and into what the glowing sign above the doorframe called ‘Silk Fantasies.’ It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the soft amber lighting, but when they did, she feared they would pop from her head.

Everywhere she looked there were couples doing what she could only imagine was dancing, their bodies intertwined in intensely intimate positions as they swayed to the slow, pulsing beat of ‘Cry Little Sister’ from The Lost Boys Soundtrack. She’d never thought of the song as erotic, but as her eyes stayed glued to the dancefloor her cheeks grew hot, and her hips moved in a lazy figure eight of their own volition.

Jumping as Leslie’s hand landed on her shoulder, Ash spun around, barely containing her squeal of surprise, as the other woman put her mouth next to Ash’s ear and said, “Come on. I don’t want you to wander off and get lost. Our room is down that hall.”

Pointing across the room into a corner hidden in shadows, Ash followed where Leslie led, glad to see the rest of their party waiting beside the two hulking men. Nodding to the others in the party and mouthing, “I’m sorry,” she stayed in step with the group as the music changed from slow and sensual to upbeat, popular tunes the farther they moved into the depths of the club.

Smiling as she immediately recognized Blondie’s Sunday Girl, Ash sang along wondering if Dr. Crane, one of her colleagues who liked music on in the operating room, would never guess that one of his favorite bands was being played at a place like CRAVE.  “Not on your life,” she snickered under her breath. “He’s too preppy-New England-old-family-money for that.”

Thinking about telling him just to watch him squirm while he wondered how she’d gotten into the club, Ash nearly tripped over her own feet as their group came upon ten muscled hunks, lined up in a perfect row down one side of the narrow corridor. Their skin oiled to a high shine, each wearing some kind of leather straps across their shoulders and chests that made her think of gladiator-type gear, she made the mistake of looking down one man’s body.

Not only was his soft, black leather loincloth barely more than the size of a handkerchief, but the black G-string underneath barely contained his semi-erect penis. Popping her eyes to his face, blushing so intensely she knew she was glowing, Ash’s mouth went dry when the gorgeous man raised an eyebrow and suggested in a low, provocative tone, “Why don’t you meet me after the show? You’re the sweetest thing I’ve seen in ages. I’d lick you all over.”

Opening her mouth, unsure what to say, Ashlynn had never been so glad to see the giant with long blond hair. Ducking behind him, she hurried to catch up with her group as he warned, “This is a private party. Keep your eyes off the ladies and do your job, or I’ll have to have a word with Alaric.”

Happy to be away from all the action, Ashlynn’s heartbeat had just returned to normal when they entered what their bald escort called, ‘The Velvet Room.’ Not sure what to expect but ready for the first of what she was sure would be many drinks, she looked at the floor to ceiling crushed red velvet covering the walls and the black leather furniture and for the first time in her life decided – what the hell?

“How ya’ doin’, Kiddo?” Leslie came up beside her, shoving a Corona into her hand and grinning from ear-to-ear. “Can you believe this place?”

“Not even a little bit,” Ash sighed before taking a huge drink of her beer. “I’m guessing from what I saw and heard that ‘Silk Fantasies’ is the tamest room in the club?”

“Yes, that’s absolutely right,” the Viking grinned, sidling up to them and standing on Ash’s other side. “I’m Sampson, by the way.” Turning, he held out his free hand and added, “If anything that happens tonight makes you uncomfortable, all you have to do is give me the nod, and I’ll get you out of here, okay?”

Shaking his hand, Ash smiled, “I’m Ashlynn, but you can call me Ash, and this is Leslie. The blond with the tiara is Cecily, the bride-to-be and the woman next to her is her older sister, Audrey. I’m sure you can see the family resemblance.”

“Sure can.”

“The red-head is Karen, she’s a sorority sister of Cec’s and the one with short, dark hair is Melissa.” Ash leaned a bit closer. “The only one of us who’s married with kids, but still one of the old gang from high school.” She knew she was babbling on, giving way too much information, but that was what happened when she was nervous, and boy-oh-boy, was she ever nervous.

Looking back to Sampson, she asked, “What’s your friend’s name? Is he a vampire, too?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Gasping at her incredible faux pas, she stuttered, “O-oh m-my God. I-I’m so s-sorry. I-I’m such a-a…”

Laying his hand on her upper arm Sampson smiled sincerely as he reassured, “Please don’t worry about it. To be honest, it makes it easier when people just ask instead of pussy-footin’ around and trying to act like we’re not who we are.” He continued to gently squeeze her arm. “But I have to ask, how did you know? Usually takes people longer, especially with all that’s goin’ on in here.” He snickered. “Or they never say anything and just whisper behind our backs, which, we can hear anyway.” He tapped the lobe of his ear. “Super senses are part of the gig.”

Worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, Ashlynn contemplated whether she should tell Sampson how she’d known or not. She and Leslie had agreed there would be absolutely no shop talk at the party. Ashlynn was supposed to be just a part of the gang, out having a good time, not worried about how many times a minute someone breathed or the color of the veins in their neck.

Dropping his hand and bumping her with his elbow, Sampson teased, “You’re not a secret agent for an undercover organization here to take out all vampires, are ya’?”  

Laughing out loud, feeling herself relax, Ashlyn chuckled, “No, nothing that glamorous I’m afraid.” Deciding to fess up, she went on “I’m a cardiac surgeon. It’s my job to notice things other people either don’t see or don’t recognize for what they are.”

Narrowing his eyes and leaning his head down, the vampire asked in a hushed tone, “What did you see that gave me up?”

Pointing to the table in the corner, Ash suggested, “Why don’t we go over there where we can at least hear ourselves think?”

Looking at his friend and tapping his watch, Sampson quickly nodded, “Yeah, that’ll work. Axel says we have about twenty minutes until the first round of entertainment gets here.”

Rolling her eyes when his back was turned, Ashlynn couldn’t help but worry about the ‘type’ of entertainment that was on the way. Deciding not to worry about things she couldn’t control and enjoy talking to someone who was actually interested in what she did for a living and not the balance in her bank account, the young woman got up on a high back, leather stool and set her empty bottle on the table.

“You want another beer before you give me a class in spotting vamps?” Sampson chuckled.

“No, I’m good. Not really much of a drinker. Never was.”

“That’s better for you. I never did understand how people could get completely smashed night after night. Seems like such a waste of time.”

“Yeah, it sure does, and it never seems to lead to anything good.”

“You are so right, Doc,” Sampson readily agreed, going on to say, “So, spill. What gave me away?”

“The longer I spend time with you, the more things I see that make you different from a healthy, non-vampire, your age.”

“My age?” He snickered. “Do you have any idea how old I am?”

Shaking her head at yet another mistake she’d made talking to her new friend, Ash quickly corrected, “How about I say, the age you appear to be?”

“Perfect.” The huge Viking grinned, motioning with his hand for her to go on.

“Well, at first I could see that you only breathe about five or six times per minute and the average human male’s rate is approximately twenty times in sixty seconds.”

“Wow, I had no clue.”

“Yeah, and then there’s the way your jugular stays almost flat against your neck. In most men with a physique like yours, the larger veins protrude, and I can see their pulse. That’s not what I see when I look at you.”

“This is fascinating, Doc. Tell me more.”

Ashlynn was shocked at Sampson’s attentiveness and the way he leaned in to hear, hanging on her every word. It made her feel good like she wasn’t an odd duck for loving her job. Sure, there were no sparks or attraction between them, but just like her mom used to say – A person never can have too many friends. “There’s the way you move. It’s totally fluid, no jerking or muscle tension. You have a grace that contradicts your size. And…well, you’re really fast.” She tapped the short, square tip of the nail of her index finger on the top of the table. “Like when that guy made a pass at me, you were nowhere around and then boom, there you were.”

“That is fascinating. I really want to talk to you more, that is, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all, but it looks like your partner is trying to get your attention.” She pointed to the man Sampson had said was named Axel as the Viking nodded with a chuckle, “Sure is. We have to go escort the first act into the room. The festivities are about to begin.”

Trying not to show her sudden anxiety, Ashlynn grinned as Sampson winked and assured her. “Remember, all you have to do is give me or Axel a nod, and we’ll be right there. No reason you should be uncomfortable just to celebrate with your friends.”

“Thank you so much,” Ashlynn accepted a big hug from the Viking then watched as he walked away.

Never one to be left out, Leslie magically appeared with another Corona and a mischievous smirk. “What was that all about? Hitting on the help?”

“No, I was not.” Ash shook her head. “Sampson wanted to talk about health and wellness.”

“And he just happened to know you were a doctor?” Leslie raised her eyebrows as she sat down, putting her margarita on the rocks on the table in front of her.

Thankfully, even though she had her doubts about what was about to occur, Ashlynn didn’t have to answer as the room was filled with a blast of honky-tonk music followed by loud whooping and hollering. Turning her chair, the young doctor’s mouth dropped open as she stared in awe at the six chap-wearing, bare-assed cowboys with Sheriff stars on their hats, silk floggers in their hands and fur-lined handcuffs hanging from their belts as they pranced into the room.

Leaning back after Leslie tapped her on the back and leaned forward, Ashlynn nearly fell out of her chair from laughing so hard as her friend confessed, “I’m ropin’ and ridin’ one of them stallions tonight, Girlfriend.”