Part 28 (2/2)
She tilted back the water and licked the cool liquid from her lips. ”Do they know I'm a vampire?” It felt surprisingly empowering to say the word.
Ivan's soft chuckle carried over the Spanish rhythm. ”Vampires don't know one another unless they touch.”
”Then how do you know they're all vamps?” ”Because I've been here before, and the faces are familiar.”
He touched her arm, clasping his fingers around the flesh. A thrilling s.h.i.+ver traveled her veins. Not a s.e.xual s.h.i.+ver, but one of...
knowing. ”Feel that?”
”Yes. What is that?”
”We call it the s.h.i.+mmer.”
”Appropriate. So unless I see fangs or touch another vampire, I have no way of knowing? Nor does the other vamp?”
”Exactly. Comes in handy once in a while.”
”Good to know. So do you dance at all?”
”Not this stuff. I'm more a waltz kind of guy.”
”Romantic. I'm going to have to meet your wife someday.”
”I know she'd like meeting you.”
The rhythm wasn't about to release Bella from its hold. She twisted her free hand before her and stomped her feet to the beat.
The guitarist strummed a buleria. Bella loved this fast, demanding rhythm.
”Hold this,” she said to Ivan. He took her gla.s.s, and she headed out to the dance floor.
The air in the cavelike club expanded and caressed at the same time. Bella did a golpe across the stone floor in her high heels. Not the best shoes to perform flamenco in, but they would serve in a pinch. Raising her arms, she rotated her wrists and played the sensual music through her body.
For a while she danced by herself, beating out the rhythm with a tilt of her hip or an exact heel-toe. One man joined her. He was older, probably sixty, but fit and tanned. He approached, stiff and c.o.c.ky, a bullfighter striding up to challenge the bull. And she was his cape.
Bella loved the game of the dance. She circled him, fingers lifting her skirt only slightly, because it was already so short in front.
Elbows high, she spun her back to him and clicked out a few beats before they both spun to face one another.
He smiled and winked. She tried to keep a solemn face, but she was enjoying this too much and let out laughter as the two of them spun and repeated the move the opposite way.
Dancing with a fellow vampire. How surreal had life become?
A glimpse of Ivan found him doing palmas with half a dozen other men who stood by the walls. Vampires, all of them? Yes, the room hummed with a presence she felt a part of.
As an introduction to her new life, this night rated high on the scale. How wise of Ivan to bring her here, to a place where she would feel comfortable and safe.
She didn't understand Spanish but knew from her dance studies that the singer spoke of love, loss, struggle and renewal. It was how all the flamenco songs were. Tragic, sorrowful, but always expressing a lively connection to life.
Bella fancied she could feel the blood rus.h.i.+ng through the veins of each and every person in the room. It invigorated her. It made her feel alive.
She wanted more of it in her mouth. The pulse of hot blood danced a beat upon her tongue, at the back of her throat. In her body.
Suddenly she was tugged from the dance floor. A firm hand about her upper arm took her captive. She b.u.t.ted up against a hard body but did not feel the s.h.i.+mmer.
The male dancer stomped up to whoever held her, his arms held defiantly back so his chest puffed up in a challenging pose.
”She's mine,” growled the one who held her.
”Severo?” He was supposed to be in a motel, waiting for her. ”What are you doing?”
His breath hot near her ear, Severo whispered harshly, ”You never dance for me, sweet.”
He pulled her from the dance floor, past Ivan, who did not make a move to intervene, and up the stairs outside. Nondescript brick walls sandwiched them in darkness. Snowflakes fluttered softly.
”How did you know where to find me?” She tugged from his grip and walked away a few paces. The air was cold tonight. She could see her breath, yet she was flushed with warmth and the adrenaline soaring through her system. ”That was rude!”
”I scented you.”
”Tell me something I don't know. Am I forever destined to unfinished dances with men?”
He bowed his head and ran fingers through his hair. ”Sorry. I...He was so close to you.”
”Here's a reminder for you. We were dancing. You know that. You've seen those same moves before. Jeez, jealous much?”
”I am.” He stepped in front of her, without touching. Dark eyes held hers, searching; then he looked down and stepped away. ”I thought you'd call to come home this evening. When you did not, I wanted to find you. Quite a surprise to discover you dancing when you are supposed to be learning a life skill.”
”Ivan thought it would relax me.”
”And did it?”
”Severo, don't do this. Hey, Ivan. Sorry about that little scene.”
The vampire stopped in the doorway and leaned a shoulder against the frame. He didn't say anything. Wine tainted his breath. But nothing could overwhelm the scent of Severo's rage.
Suffering humiliation was no way to end the evening.
”I'll be in the car,” Bella said and stalked down the alleyway.
Both men listened, heads bowed, as the click of Bella's heels took her to the end of the alleyway. Severo breathed in heavily through his nose and shook his head.
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