[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
don t think I even believe in vampires. How is this possible?
All this time you ve been taking advantage of me, using me,
luring me here to have your way with me?
I started out with the intent to audition women to be my
bride, but right away, I knew you were different. Once I
heard your voice, I knew I d choose you. When I saw you
dance, it confirmed what I believed about you. Passion
abounds in you when you dance. I had hoped you would let
the music take you away and get lost in the ecstasy. After
seeing you, and realizing how deep my emotions ran, I
second-guessed myself. At the same time, I wanted you all for
myself and yet I wanted to let you go.
Obviously you ve decided my fate without even asking
me how I feel. Don t you think I should have a say in all this?
About being my bride?
Yes, among other things.
I m torn between letting you go, and wanting you all for
myself. But in the end, it must be your choice.
What about the other women you spoke of before, what
happened to them? Have you brought other women here to
this house the same way you did with me?
Yes and no. There have been other women, but they did
not choose to stay with me. You are the first woman I ve ever
seduced with my music. This has been a new experience for
me. Your voice on the other end of the line shifted something
inside, and awoke an old muse I thought was buried away.
86
Private Dancer
What happened to them?
They are the ones who haunt these walls.
You mean, the whispers I hear? Blood red, cursed love.
They even chant to me through your music. I take it they
consider you to be a cursed love.
He nodded his head, tears in the corner of his eyes. Yes.
They are trying to warn you.
Did you kill them?
His eyes flashed wide. No, of course not. I do not have
an urge to harm others. My way of life is different from
others, and is often misconstrued. When I have the need to
feed, I am very selective.
I need to know, Ryder, if I walk away from you now,
will I become like them?
Right now, you re between the stages of losing your
human qualities and gaining those of a vampire. You may have
noticed you ve shied away from sunlight, been craving
something you won t understand, eating and drinking
everything to make the desires go away, only to find you ll
never fill the hole. It will gnaw away at you and continue to
remain empty until the final bite. It will eventually consume
you.
So in other words, I m fucked.
Not entirely, he sighed, pacing around the room. You
are of a strong mind and will. The others were weak and let
the madness take them. I believe you will find a way to live
with it if you choose a life without me.
In other words, I can never go back to normal.
I m sorry, I was selfish. I wanted to taste you, feel you,
and have you as my own. I couldn t control myself. There was
no going back once I gave you the first bite. I am ashamed.
I didn t realize what you were saying to me that night.
When you told me there was no going back, you didn t say
87
Private Dancer
from what. You decided the course of my life for me, and
that s not right. I trusted you. Here I thought you wanted me
to be your private dancer, and you used me.
He reached his hand out and she slapped it away.
Don t touch me. I thought you were the one, the man
from my dreams, but I was wrong.
I am that man.
No, you re a monster. How dare you put me in such a
position? You know I only wanted to dance and you took
advantage of me. I hate you!
Fallon stormed out of the house, covering her ears as she
ran through the rain of whispers. She would not become one
of them. When she got home, she curled up in bed and cried
herself to sleep.
88
Private Dancer
Chapter 10
Fallon woke the next morning feeling like someone was
knocking on her head. As her eyes opened, she realized
someone was pounding on her door. She threw on her robe
and ran to stop the noise. Natalie stood with her arms crossed
in front of her chest, the sunlight pouring in. Quickly, she
thrust the door between them, blocking out the harmful rays.
Hey, what s up? I didn t expect to see you.
I needed to come check up on you. I ve heard some
strange things about my friend, and I wanted to see how you
were doing.
What kind of things?
Could I come in? It s not really something I want to
discuss outside.
Sure, she held open the door and quickly closed it.
How s Michael?
He s fine. He s worried about you, too.
Fallon pointed to the couch and waited for her friend to
sit down first.
I guess I should feel special if everyone I know is worried
about me. She laughed uneasily.
Your eyes sure are red. You getting enough sleep, hon?
Fallon rubbed at her eyes, and smoothed down her hair.
I think it s from the smoke at the club or something. So,
don t keep me in suspense, what have you heard?
89
Private Dancer
An incident at The Pleasure Zone. Seems you were
sitting on the lap of a man.
So? She snorted and focused her eyes on the carpet
fibers.
You were apparently naked.
Oh.
He happens to be married to the woman who just made
me a partner.
Isn t that just the way things are? I was out of it that
night and don t remember much, to be honest. Besides, he s
the one who was there, so what difference does it make? If
your boss wants to be mad or offended at someone, it should
be him for even being there in the first place.
I m not even referring to that stuff. I mean you had your
breasts all in his face and were doing your best to arouse him.
I thought you didn t even go topless there?
I don t. It was a rare one-time performance. I m not real
proud of it. I haven t been back since. Lena s been taking over
for me.
How kind of her. Fallon held her breath at Natalie s
obvious sarcasm toward her friend. I just couldn t figure out
how you d be naked and rubbing yourself along some guy. It
didn t sound like you. I wondered if you d changed
professions. I thought I d prepare myself to hear more of this
stuff in the future.
You won t, she said flatly.
I m not so sure. The other piece of news really rubbed
me the wrong way.
Oh come on, just one other thing? Since when has there
ever been only one other thing? You hate everything about my
life.
I may have come across that way, but I hold your best
interests at heart. In a small way, I think it s cool you get to
90
Private Dancer
do what you want, and obviously it s better than being
homeless or on welfare. It s just not my choice. Can t say I
wouldn t be doing what you re doing if I were in your shoes.
Sometimes you have to do things in life to get by and make a
living. I can also see where it would be hard to leave once
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]