Damek's Redemption

Chapter Six

Damek breathed a sigh of relief as the blood he’d drunk sank into his cells, feeding his relentless hunger. He was thankful for the sunglasses, knowing his eyes had probably been tinged with red, as he’d been so tempted to kiss her, to lick her soft skin. With his preternatural sense of sound, he could hear her blood rushing through her veins, a lure, an offering. Hear the catch of her breath and the flutter of her pulse.

And her scent was driving him to distraction. It wasn’t expensive perfume, but the honest smell of woman and soap, tinged with the delicate aroma of arousal. It mingled with the rich tang of grapes from the champagne and the leather from the seats. He inhaled deeply, pulling it into his lungs.

Sonia was both nervous and excited at the same time, and if she held on to the stem of her glass any tighter she was going to shatter the delicate crystal. He reached out, plucked the champagne flute from her hand and set it beside his empty wineglass.

The short drive from the club had been both a pleasure and sheer torture, but it had also insured that if John Barnes were still watching her, he would have no idea she’d left through a back entrance of Inhibitions with him. The vampire hunter would have to assume she was still in the club unless he went in looking for her. And even if he did, he wouldn’t know where she went. For now, she was safe.

His gaze was drawn once again to Sonia with her barely restrained black, curly hair and deep gray eyes that seemed to see far more than was comfortable for him. There was something about Sonia, her unrestrained thoughts and her obvious pleasure in the champagne that warmed him. And for a vampire, there was no bigger lure than a woman who could steal the chill from his soul and replace it with something else, something that made him believe his soul wasn’t quite as bankrupt as he believed.

It was dangerous to hope, but Damek found he couldn’t help himself. He’d long ago learned the trick of living in the minute, for the past was a graveyard littered with thousands of people he’d known, and the future was endless. That was what he planned to do with Sonia—live in the moment. They would have dinner and conversation and, if things went well, their evening would continue.

But it was entirely up to her. He would take nothing she did not give freely.

The car came to a stop and moments later the door opened and his driver stepped back. Damek climbed out and offered Sonia his hand. “Come.”

She grabbed her large purse and slung the strap over her shoulder before taking his hand. He closed his fingers over hers and helped her from the limo. The sun hadn’t quite sunk all the way but it was hidden behind the surrounding buildings and would soon disappear. He could feel the prickle of the rays on the exposed skin of his face but it was manageable as long as he didn’t stay outside for too long.

Sonia glanced around the street and then at the building in front of them. “Where are we?”

“I thought you might enjoy the casual atmosphere of this place. It’s a favorite of mine. The music is exceptional. The food is nothing more than simple pub fare, but I’ve been told it’s good.”

The sign hanging over the door read Haven, and it appeared to be a club of some kind. Soft, sultry music with jazzy undertones drifted out as the door opened and closed as people entered, and she could hear voices from within. It was obviously a popular spot and it was filled with people, which set her at ease. “Looks great.”

Damek let her walk in front of him and the door opened as they reached it. A tall man with short blond hair and pale blue eyes stared at Damek as they walked inside. “Wasn’t expecting to see you.” The bouncer glanced from Damek to her and back to Damek again as he pulled the door shut behind them.

“I thought my friend would enjoy the ambiance of your little establishment.” There was some kind of underlying current that Sonia couldn’t decipher. She wouldn’t quite say it was hostile, but it wasn’t exactly welcoming. More of a grudging respect.

The bouncer straightened and squared his rather large shoulders, but before he could say anything else, a gorgeous blue-eyed woman came to greet them, a huge smile on her face. “Damek. It’s a pleasure to see you.”

Sonia fought off a wave of jealousy as the tall, dark-haired beauty held out her hands to him. The woman was wearing a sparkly dress, which wrapped around every curve she had, and she had plenty of them. The dress fell past her knees but was slit all the way to her thigh on one side. Sonia envied the confidence and ease with which she wore the dress and the killer heels that went with it.

“Meredith. A pleasure as always.” Damek took her hands briefly but quickly released them. “And where is your brooding mate tonight.”

“He’s right here.”

Sonia jumped as a giant of a man seemed to appear out of nowhere, the crowd parting to let him through. He had to be at least six and half feet tall with shaggy brown hair that fell to his shoulders. With his rugged features and muscular build, he was an intimidating sight. There was also something about him that made her frown. Something about him was familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.

“Sonia, this is Meredith and Isaiah Striker. They own Haven.”

The large man slipped his arm around Meredith, loosening the knot in Sonia’s gut. Not that she had any claim on Damek or anything, but she didn’t want to picture him with this gorgeous woman either.

And she was being an idiot. She stuck out her hand. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Sonia Agostino.”

Isaiah raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, nor did he offer his hand. He inclined his head and let his wife speak. Meredith reached out and took her hand and gave it a brief squeeze. “It’s a pleasure to have you visit our club. But it’s early for you, Damek.”

Sonia felt more undercurrents flowing, like they were all privy to a conversation she wasn’t and it was getting annoying. “Should we get a table?” The minute the words passed her lips, Sonia felt like a first-class bitch. Obviously these people were friends of Damek and were only trying to be friendly and make conversation. She rubbed her hand over her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Meredith simply smiled and motioned for them to follow her. “I have a nice table in the back that will offer you some privacy.”

Sonia was very aware of Damek walking right behind her as she followed Meredith to an intimate corner with a table for two. Meredith gave some sort of signal and two more rather large men appeared and removed the tables close to theirs, leaving a greater space between them and the rest of the patrons.

“Thank you.” Damek inclined his head at Meredith as he pulled out a chair for Sonia.

“No problem. I’ll send Neema over in a few minutes to take your order. If you need anything just let me know.” Meredith sauntered off toward the bar where her rather large husband waited for her. The moment she reached him, Isaiah wrapped one massive arm around her, bent his head and kissed her.

The action was primitive and arousing and very intimate, and Sonia looked away. “This place is…interesting. Have you known the owners long?” Time to get the conversation back on track. This really wasn’t a date, as much as a fact-finding mission. If Damek wasn’t a vampire, what was he? Because she knew he was something other than human.

There was something different about Damek. Power clung to him with unmistakable strength and he moved with grace and ease, almost seeming to flow at times rather than walk. No, he was definitely some sort of paranormal creature. She only needed time to find out exactly what kind he was.

The fact that he’d brought her here made her wonder about the people who ran it. Were they like The Keepers, friends to paranormal creatures, or were they paranormal themselves?

“I’ve known Meredith for a short while. I’ve known Isaiah and his brother much longer.” Damek’s attention went behind her and she knew they weren’t alone any longer.

A young woman with skin the color of café au lait and kind brown eyes bustled up to their table. “Good evening and welcome to Haven. I’m Neema.” She put a menu in front of Sonia. “Would you like something to drink?”

Damek turned to her. “What would you like? If you prefer the champagne I opened in the limo I can have Jerome bring the bottle in.”

The waitress didn’t bat an eyelash at the suggestion that whatever the club had might not be up to her standards.

“Ah, no. That’s okay. I’ll have a glass of white wine. Whatever you have.”

“I’ll have a glass of red. The best you have.”

Neema smiled. “No problem. I’ll be back in a minute.” The waitress maneuvered her way through the crowd with grace and practiced ease.

Sonia picked up her menu and frowned. “She didn’t give you a menu. You can share mine.” She shifted the single laminated sheet to the middle of the table. The offerings were normal pub food like burgers and fish and chips, but there were steaks and seafood chowder as well.

“I’m not hungry.” Damek pushed the menu back to her. “I’ve already eaten.”

Sonia sat back and glared at him, suspicions rising once again. “Then why are we here?”

He leaned back in his seat, all masculine grace and power, and one corner of his mouth quirked up. “Because you are hungry and because I wanted to spend time with you.”

What was a woman supposed to say to something like that? On one hand, it was sweet, while on the other, it bordered on creepy.

As if he could read her thoughts, the other corner of his mouth rose. She was getting tired of amusing him. Thankfully, the waitress returned with their drinks before Sonia ended up saying something she might regret. Sonia grabbed the menu and scanned it quickly. “I’d like the BLT please. No fries.”

Neema smiled and wrote down the order. “It won’t be long.”

This whole night was already too long. The crowd in the club was getting larger, but they were tucked away from the hubbub. Sonia rubbed her forehead again.

“Does it hurt?” Damek touched her skin. His fingers were cool against her heated flesh.

She wanted to pull away and at the same time she wanted to lean into his caress. The man was confusing the life out of her. She was always levelheaded and decisive, knowing what she wanted and not afraid to do whatever it took to get it. Around Damek, she felt out of step, as though she wasn’t quite herself, and she didn’t like it. “It’s nothing.”

“It is not nothing if it hurts you.” Damek rubbed his fingers over her forehead and Sonia could feel the heat growing there like a warm balm. It didn’t hurt, but felt good. Healing. When Damek withdrew his hand a moment later her headache was gone.

He was a healer of some sort. Perhaps he was a mage.

“What are you?” She asked the question she’d wanted to ask since she’d first met him. And she wasn’t going to go away until she got an answer.

Damek’s first instinct was to laugh off Sonia’s question. His second was to take control of her mind and manipulate her memories. He did neither. He couldn’t. Not if he wanted to live with himself. Sonia was different. Special. He would be truthful with her or he would walk away from her.

“What do you mean?” Better to see what she already knew. He’d already suspected there was more to her seeking him out than she’d revealed. He’d speculated that one of his competitors had sent her to see how much she could find out about his operation. The world of nightclub owners was cutthroat. But he’d quickly discarded that notion. She seemed interested in him in a more personal way. Maybe she was exactly what she said she was—a curious academic.

But that question spoke to more than idle curiosity. It spoke of knowledge, and that was not something he could overlook. Whoever she really was, she was dangerous to him and everything he’d built in this city.

She was also the most intriguing woman he’d met in hundreds of years. It was worth the risk to spend time with her. Besides, if she became a problem, he would take care of it. It would be easy enough to erase her memories of him, though he was reluctant to do such a thing.

Sonia ran her finger over the rim of her wineglass and Damek’s entire body clenched with desire. She affected him like no other woman had in centuries. His fingers curled into fists and he forced himself to release them slowly. Control. He had to maintain control, especially around so many others.

She shrugged and leaned forward slightly, and he wished she were wearing a low-cut top rather than a turtleneck sweater. Still, the color of the garment intensified the color of her eyes, luring him deeper into her sensual snare. “You healed my headache just now.”

It was his turn to shrug. “Nothing special there. All you needed to do was relax and let go of the tension you were carrying.”

She frowned at him and he could sense her disappointment. “So you’re denying you did anything out of the ordinary.”

“What is ordinary?” The light from a nearby sconce made her black curls shimmer and Damek wanted to fist his hands in the silky stuff, binding her physically to him while he made love to her.

He wanted far more than just sex from Sonia. He wanted her trust and, he realized, her love. There was something about her, something he couldn’t put his finger on, nor did he have a rational explanation for it, but he wanted her.

He tensed and felt as though he’d just taken a stake through his heart. Not that he was in love with her. Of course he wasn’t. He’d lost that capability hundreds of years ago. But he was coming to care for her. Deeply.

“Not you, that’s for sure,” she muttered. She tapped her toe against the floor and hunched her shoulders slightly.

Damek took a gamble and threw out a question, hoping for an honest response. He wanted her to tell him the truth freely, without him having to pry into her mind to get it. “Why do you have a vampire hunter trailing you?”

Her jaw fell open. “What? What do you mean?” She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes darting over the crowd. “Where?”

“Not here. You are safe here. But when you came to my club the first time.”

Her gaze narrowed. “How do you know?” Her voice got louder and slightly shriller with each word. “What is going on?”

Damek inwardly winced, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut. He could easily have removed the threat to Sonia without her ever knowing about it, but he freely admitted he was driven by a need to discover as much about her as he could. Plus, he had no way of knowing who else knew about Sonia besides John Barnes and the man who’d sent him to watch her.

“I followed you when you left my nightclub last night.” No need to lie. After all, if he wished, he could simply remove her memories before the night was over. He winced at how easily he thought about manipulating someone’s mind. He really had turned into a monster, always weighing his actions in terms of what would suit him best, never considering anyone else’s needs or wants.

“Why?” She was totally perplexed, her forehead wrinkled with vexation. He wanted to kiss her until she was smiling at him again and all the tension had vanished.

“Because I was worried about you walking alone on the city streets at night.”

Sonia snorted. “You sound worse than my mother.”

“Obviously a wise woman.”

That got a smile from her. “She is that. Both she and my father worry. But that’s another topic. How do you know I was followed by a vampire hunter?”

Damek countered her question with one of his own. Dark suspicions began to grow within him. “You didn’t even blink when I mentioned vampire hunters. Why is that?”

She chewed on her bottom lip and Damek barely swallowed back a groan of desire. He wanted to soothe the small insult with his tongue and taste the champagne she’d drunk on the way over. His cock swelled, pressing against the zipper of his pants. His body, which was always under his control, ignored him, focusing only on Sonia’s every breath, every move.

“I’ve traveled all around the world seeking information about myths and legends. I’ve seen things, heard things.”

She wasn’t telling him the truth, at least, not the entire truth. He could sense her unease, the way she weighed each word before she spoke. She was holding back from him and it made his chest ache even as it angered him. “What kinds of things?”

She picked up her glass, took a sip of wine and pointed an accusing finger at him. “Tell me about last night. What did you see when you were following me?”

“A man started after you from an alleyway. I detained him and…spoke with him.” Better to say that than to admit he’d brutally dug into the other man’s brain, picking and prodding until he’d found what he’d needed. She would fear him if she had any grasp of his true power.

“And he admitted he was a vampire hunter?” Sonia snorted and set her glass back down on the table. “I don’t think so. I know of the Vampire Hunter Society and those guys are rabid. You have to torture them in order to get them to admit anything. You must be mistaken.”

There was no mistaking her relief, and he wished he didn’t have to be the one to bring the worry back to her face, but there was no choice. “He was a vampire hunter. Of that there is no doubt.”

“You didn’t torture him, did you?”

Damek smiled in spite of himself. It was a small one, but a smile nonetheless. “What a suspicious mind you have.”

“I don’t think so.” She wagged a finger at him and he was enthralled in spite of the seriousness of the situation. No one ever questioned him. Everyone jumped to do his bidding whenever he asked. The power surrounding him was such that none wanted to anger him. That is, everyone except Sonia. She blithely plowed forward with her inquisition, giving no thought to her precarious position with him, especially since she’d already admitted she thought he was something more than he seemed.

She obviously needed a keeper, someone to protect her.

“Why does your family let you travel by yourself and ask such dangerous questions?” Anger began to flare as he imagined Sonia jetting around the world, seeking the unknown. It chilled him to the bone to imagine what could have happened to her if she’d come across a paranormal creature that did not take kindly to her questions.

“Now you sound like my father and older brothers. They’re constantly hounding me to stay home where they can keep an eye on me.”

“Intelligent men.” Someone needed to take care of her. He admired her lack of fear even as it unsettled him.

“Hah. If I’d listened to them I never would have come to Chicago.”

And that would have been a crime. He couldn’t imagine not having met Sonia, especially now that he was coming to know her better. Yes, she reminded him of a woman from his past, but it was a superficial resemblance at best. There was no confusing the two of them. Elizabetta was long dead, and he’d never spent time with her the way he had with Sonia. Sonia was…unique.

“Why did you seek me out?” he asked. “What did you truly want to know?” He had to know the real reason and he didn’t want to trespass into her mind to find the answers. He wanted her to give them to him freely and without coercion.

She rubbed her finger over a nick in the wood table. “You’re going to think I’m crazy.”

He reached out and placed his hand over hers, trapping her fingers beneath his. “No, I won’t.”

She gave a rueful laugh. “I thought you might be a vampire. Which is totally ridiculous,” she hastened to add. “I mean, you were at the club working this afternoon and you went out this evening just before dark. So you obviously can’t be a vampire. Right?”

Damek was stunned. It had been hundreds of years since anyone had asked him that question. He’d been very careful to keep a low profile and to protect his identity. His fingers tightened around hers until she winced.

“Why would you even think such a thing?” He had to know who had sent her, how she had found him. He felt betrayed by her, which was ridiculous since they’d only just met. He had no claim on her loyalties.

“Here you go, one BLT with no fries.” Neema set a plate on the table in front of Sonia and paused when she sensed the tension surrounding them. “Is everything okay?” She took a step back as she asked.

“Leave us,” Damek ordered.

Neema turned and fled, leaving him and Sonia alone in the dark corner of the club.