Midnight Magic, page 134
She felt her face heat and she grinned. “Thank you.”
Bishop approached her and smiled. “Welcome home, Brandi.”
Dash stepped up next to him and put his hands in his pockets. “Good night… er, morning?”
She grinned. “Thank you, again. And good day.”
“Good day, Miss Brandi,” James told her. “Now, you ruffians, let’s go,” he teased.
“Ruffians?” Bishop said and clapped the old man on the shoulder. “You taught us everything we know!” He winked over his shoulder Brandi and she grinned in response.
The moment the doors were closed to her room, she kicked off her heels and ran across the floor to the bed, then leapt upon it. She sprawled out across the mattress and giggled, followed by a long, overdue sigh.
First, sleep, then she’d tour the house. Maybe she’d get a glimpse into vampire politics.
She stripped from her dress and made her way to the dresser. Opening the top drawer, she found a few layers of silky pajamas, but nothing else. She’d have to figure out a way to get clothes to wear here.
She’d have her own clothes, shoes, and food. She would finally have enough food to feel full. How wonderful that would feel, to live as if every day were Thanksgiving.
But that’s tomorrow’s problem. Today, she’d sleep.
And dream of the sexy-as-sin vampires that came into her life… and chose her.
CHAPTER 8
Brandi’s eyelids were still closed as she stretched. A yawn mixed with a groan escaped her, while her muscles enjoyed the sensation of being pulled. Relaxing once more, she peeked throughout the room, and for the briefest of moments, she forgot where she was.
She gasped and took in the four poster bed, the floor to ceiling windows whose curtains were wide open, the sunshine spilling across the hardwood floor of her bedroom.
Brandi sat up and tugged the sheets just over her breasts. Last night, she ended up removing the silky pajamas. The material kept crawling up her backside and having to wake every hour or so to pull them out of the crack just didn’t sit well.
Something was different, though. Last night, before she turned in, the drawers in the bedroom only had the pajamas. However, now, the second drawer was partially opened with a black top hanging over the edge. It wasn’t displaced, but was more of a ‘look at me’ setup.
She crawled toward the edge of her bed, swinging her legs over the side and her bare feet touched the cool floor. She didn’t mind it in the least. All the time she’d walked barefoot on the streets, she’d take to waking up to cold floors any day.
Next to the dresser was the closet, and of the two doors, one was slightly ajar. There was a hanger with a garment that hung as if to invite her to try it on. It was light pink with soft, feathery ends on the sleeves.
Letting the sheet fall back to the bed, she crossed the room, then retrieved the material. She smiled. It was a robe. It wasn’t silky like the pajamas, but it was quite soft. She played with the feathery material for a moment, then felt herself shiver.
Goosebumps rose on her skin and she quickly removed the robe from the hanger. Pulling it around her naked body, she fitted it tight, tying it off with the belt.
Brandi’s curiosity grew to what might be on the other side of the closet, but before she looked, she glanced back at the dresser.
The second drawer indeed did have new clothes in it. There were an assortment of tops ranging from t-shirts to halter tops to long-sleeved, cotton blouses. She tucked the black top in and closed the drawer, then opened the next to find shorts and capris. The next held more clothes; more than she ever had in her life.
If the drawer had been filled in her sleep, what did the closet contain?
She giggled and rushed toward the double doors. Grasping the handles, she yanked them open and an inner light flicked on to a world she had never knew existed.
Walk-in closet space, large enough to fit a small apartment inside it. In the center was a brown, round leather seat, with deep button cushions. Then, straight ahead, there was a wall full of shoes of all shapes and sizes. From flats to heels to boots to sandals, she could wear every pair of shoes every day for a year, and not wear the same one twice.
Who would ever need this many pairs of shoes?
She didn’t understand it, but a part of her wanted to squeal and try every single one on.
The closet was cut in an octagon shape, each wall filled with two rows of hangers. Each row held tops on the upper rack and pants on the bottom. Two sides of the closet were reserved for only evening gowns and dresses.
She felt like Cinderella.
What if I wake up?
I can’t wake up from this dream.
I can’t go back to the streets after having this moment.
I can’t… I can’t… I…
Brandi fell to her knees and cupped her face in her hands. Tears rushed from her eyes and her chest tightened. Never in her life had she ever had anything like this.
Now that she did, what would she do with it?
She lifted her head and her mouth pulled into a smile so wide, it hurt. A laugh escaped her with the tears and slowly, she shook her head. Wiping at her face, Brandi got to her feet. She walked from wall to wall, touching the tops, the pants, and the dresses.
What should she wear?
Was it teatime or did Americans even do that?
She knew the British did only because of the stories she’d read in the orphanage.
Settling on a light blue tank top and distressed jeans, she opted for a pair of ballet flats and topped it off with a light jacket.
Taking the clothes to the bed, she padded back to the dresser and opened the top drawer once more. And up top were the most beautiful bra and panty sets she’d ever looked upon. She picked out a lacy, nude bra and lacy panty.
Pulling on the undergarments, she stood there for a moment and looked down at her body in appreciation. “Wow, I’m kinda hot.” She giggled and made her way to the bathroom.
She used the toilet, then brushed her teeth, and pulled a brush through her hair. She tugged it to the side and braided it. She then pulled on the rest of the attire she’d picked out.
Making her way back to the closet, she stepped in front of the three-way mirror and smiled. She turned from the left to the right and loved how she looked in her new clothes.
The men did this for her… The vampires.
Vampires.
She sighed and shook her head in disbelief.
Was this truly her life now?
Indeed, it was.
Making her way to the bedroom door, she opened it and the smell of food wafting down the hallway caused her stomach to growl.
Bacon.
She smelled bacon.
She rushed down the hall from her wing of the mansion toward the stairs. She tripped once running down the steps, then cleared her throat when she reached the bottom as James lifted a brow in her direction.
“You well, Miss Brandi?”
She grinned with a nod. “Never better. Where’s the kitchen? Something smells so amazing!”
He pointed to his left. “Go down this way and follow your nose. You’ll find the kitchen on your right.”
“Thank you, James.”
He bowed his head, then turned off to another direction.
Following his instructions, she walked through the home, taking in all the portraits, the artwork, the seats against the walls. Love seats that looked as if they had never been sat in were aligned with some of the paintings.
She continued down and came to a stop in front of three statues. She tilted her head and stared up at the men that were carved from stone.
Their faces were familiar, but from where?
Who were they?
One gripped his sword in the sheath, partially drawn. His hair had a windblown appearance to it, even in stone. Then she realized who it was—Bishop.
The one on the other side had shorter cut hair and held a revolver in his grasp. Around his neck hung a large Catholic cross.
Well, that just proved stereotypes wrong.
She smiled as she gazed upon the edged face of Dash.
And in the middle, holding an opened book, quill in hand, was Malik. His hair was tied at the nape of his neck and he wore a regal looking outfit. The book in his grasp was written in script she didn’t recognize. It looked similar to Latin, but she wasn’t sure.
She tilted her head to the left, then the right when she was startled by Dash as he approached her.
“Principium. It means Beginning, in Latin.”
“Oh,” she whispered. “The beginning of you guys being together?”
He smiled and turned to face her. “No, the beginning of the Covenant.”
Her brows rose to this. “Wow… so this book, this is like, the bible for your world?”
He chuckled. “Not quite, but close enough. It’s the beginning of our kind, recorded by vampires when Malik came into power. It was many centuries ago. Now…” He crossed his arms over his chest with a grin. “Are you hungry?”
As if on cue, her belly made the sound of a whale coming into mating season. She felt her face blush as the smirk on his lips grew.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Come on. I’ve arranged a feast just for you.”
“You won’t eat with me?”
He shook his head. “We don’t eat food.”
She once more whispered, “Oh.”
As they turned into the kitchen, Brandi gasped, eyes wide, mouth quickly dropping to the floor. Not literally, but figuratively. She slowly closed it. She took in bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns, pancakes, waffles, biscuits and many different types of juices spread out over the table.
She slowly shook her head. “I have never seen this much food in one setting before.”
“It’s all for you, as much as you want,” he reassured her.
“Please, give my compliments to the chef.”
“Why, thank you,” he told her when she quickly turned to face him.
“You did this?”
He nodded. “I did. I wanted to feed you and wasn’t quite sure what you’d—” He stopped short when Brandi flung her arms around his waist.
“Thank you so much,” she whispered. “Thank you.” She let go and took a step back, then realized what she’d just done. She brought her hands to her mouth and once more, gasped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hug you. I was just… well, overwhelmed with gratitude.”
She watched him slowly relax back into the same person she just saw in the hall, and the one she met at the choosing ceremony. Dash seemed genuinely kind. And her hugging him definitely caught him off guard.
“You’re quite welcome. And I’ll welcome the hug next time,” he winked.
She pressed her lips together and turned back to the food.
“Oh, dig in,” he told her with a chuckle.
She didn’t hesitate to fill up her plate with a little of everything. She wouldn’t be able to hold all this food in her body, but she’d damn sure try.
As she barely chewed the bacon before swallowing it, Dash sat down across from her at the breakfast nook in the kitchen.
“I figured this would be a good time to tell you a little about me, if that’s all right?” His accent clung to a few of his words and it sounded exotic, sexy.
She nodded and spooned a mouthful of eggs.
He chuckled, then crossed his hands on the table. “I come from Brazil, but you already knew this.”
She nodded and continued to eat. She felt rude to shovel food in her mouth in front of him, but he didn’t seem to mind.
Hopefully.
“I grew up in a village called Morretes. It’s quite beautiful there, but also quite dangerous. It used to not be this way, but over time, like everything, it changes. Drugs started crossing the border, the murder rate went up, it just wasn’t the best place to be as a young man. While I was defending our home one night, I was stabbed and left for dead. The vampire who took my life also took pity over me. He gave me the kiss of death, and moments later, I rose with a fierce lust for blood.”
She didn’t realize she had stopped eating until pancakes dropped from her fork. She cleared her throat and put the fork down. Picking up her napkin, she wiped at her mouth. “Wow, that’s incredible. What happened to the man, er, vampire, who changed you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. He changed me and that was that.”
“He left you alone in a world you knew nothing about to fend for yourself?” She felt sorry for the man who lost his life, and even worse for the vampire who had no direction in his new world. She could almost relate.
Almost.
“I went on a blood lust rampage and, soon, the crime rate went down, but so did our population. I couldn’t control myself. It was then that Malik found me. Word had spread to those in the United States of a plague taking out most of Brazil.” He motioned to himself. “Dash Santana, a plague,” he chuckled. “Well, back then, yeah, not so funny. Malik found me, captured me, and brought me back to his home. He taught me the ways of the vampire and, soon, I found my place in this world.
“Malik rose to power and took me along with him. He didn’t hesitate for a moment in his decision, and I never looked back. If I could thank my maker, I would, but...” Again he shrugged. “No idea where he is.”
She leaned onto the table, holding her chin in her hands. “That is an amazing story. The things you have seen, the events you’ve witnessed. You’re like a walking history book.”
He chuckled. “Yes, something like that. Many of us have told our stories to our appointed curator. You met her the other night, Olivia.”
She nodded. “Yes, I remember her. She records your history, then?”
“Yes. That and more. We are like, museums. We have so much to tell, so much to share. When you live for an eternity, life becomes… almost mundane. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. We need something new every now and again to keep things...” He tilted his head down, his eyes hooded as he stared into her eyes. “Lively.”
She felt her face blush once more. Clearing her throat, she asked, “How often have you three had a concubine live here?”
“You’re the first.”
Her eyes widened at this. “No way.”
“It’s true.” He leaned forward. “And if you’re up for it, I’ve planned a night out for us. Would you like to join me? I have a home in Brazil, still, I’d love to take you to. Let you see where I’m from. And don’t worry, we’ll be perfectly safe.”
Brazil? She’d never left New Orleans and he wanted to take her to South America? “I don’t have a passport.”
“You don’t need one. I have my own private jet and air strip.”
“Of course you do,” she whispered.
He grinned. “So, is that a yes?”
“That’s a hell yes!”
Hours later, Brandi stared out the window of the home that belonged to Dash. The countryside was beautiful. Morretes was on the eastern side of the continent, close to the ocean. The area was lush with greenery and she wanted to go out and explore the forest nearby.
But there were men out there with guns, murderous men who would stop at nothing to capture her. So she told herself, anyway. She wouldn’t dare leave Dash’s side here in Brazil.
“I haven’t told you much about me, I’m afraid,” she started as she continued to look out the window. On the other side was a pool that seemed to have no walls. It was clear and almost had a floating appearance.
“Tell me as much as you wish,” he reassured her. A glass of red wine was passed to her.
She took it and glanced into his eyes as he stood just behind her. She sipped it and enjoyed the flavor as it exploded in her mouth. “I’ve never had red wine. It’s good.” He nodded and she turned back to the window. “I grew up in an orphanage. I don’t know what all you may have read in my file, but I didn’t have a life outside of the nun’s home. Once I turned eighteen, I was out on my own. I lived on the streets for most of my adult life.” She took another sip and tensed when Dash placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Continue, my love. I’m not going to hurt you. Just rest assured, I am here.”
She closed her eyes as his words sank in. “I am here.” She took another drink and opened her eyes once more. “I was a street rat. I own nothing but my name.”
His hands drifted from her shoulders down her arms. “You never again have to live that way, meu amor.”
She turned around to face him and looked into his eyes. “What does that mean, meu amor?”
“It means, my love.” He lightly trailed his fingers down her cheek, then tucked the stray strands of hair behind her ear. “You’re beautiful, meu amor.”
A burning sensation erupted behind her eyes as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. “No one has ever called me beautiful,” she whispered. “I’ve never felt beautiful until now.”
“You’re beautiful with or without material possessions. You don’t need those things to shine, meu amor.”
She lowered her head and stared at his chest. It was wide, thick with muscle. She wondered what it felt like to touch his skin, to lay next to him naked, to have him inside her.
“What are you thinking, meu amor?”
She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I don’t think you really want to know.”
“Oh.” He touched her chin and lifted her head up until their gazes met. “But I do.”
They stared into each other’s souls and she felt herself falling, stumbling into the world of this miraculous vampire, just before his lips came down on hers in a soft, gentle kiss.
Brandi stood motionless for a long moment, then didn’t hesitate to throw her arms around his neck in a moment of haste. She didn’t think, didn’t consider if he wanted to kiss her this way, but she decided to chance it all.
She pressed her lips to his and pulled him closer to her. Dash moved his arms around her body and held her close to him, bending her back as he towered over her small frame.
Their kiss deepened and as she began to explore his mouth, her tongue touched his fang and she gasped. Coming to the present, she slowly began to pull back from Dash and put a little space between them.
