Undying Embrace by Jessica Lee Page A

time to the beat of the music. She lowered her lashes and dropped her head back, concentrating on the music. The bass thumped inside her head, her body. If only things were different, her sister was home safe, there were no monsters to destroy, and she could let go, get swept away, just for tonight.
    A large hand wrapped around her waist and another dropped on her hip, putting a stop to their sway. She hadn’t even realized she’d been moving. Arran pressed against her rear. The warmth of his body and the hard evidence at her backside shook her back into the reality of their situation.
    “Did you want to hear about my plan, or do you have something else in mind we could be doing?” His deep voice caressed her ear. “Because if you don’t stop right now, I can’t promise to behave myself.”
    “Oh…yeah…of course.” Heat rose to her cheeks, and she shook her head. Is that what happened to her sister? She understood now how this place could make a person forget about the rest of the world. It was a force unto itself. Sighing, she pulled herself away from the window, turning so that she faced Arran. He stared at her with those sexy green eyes that made her weak. She maneuvered around him and tried to find some space in the small rectangle Wicked Ways called a room. “Sorry about that,” she said over her shoulder. “Guess I zoned out for a moment.” She plopped back down on the bench. “Okay, spill it.”
    Elle listened as Arran let her in on why he’d made sure the server named Rose had sniffed him out. She knew Rose would have been able to tell by his scent that he was a vampire, but she was surprised to learn Rose would have also detected that he was more than a century old. Not someone a master of a colony would like to find wandering in his territory. Even Elle knew that. And a sure ticket for them to a front-row seat before the owner of the club: the former master of Fairfield’s colony. Information Arran said he’d gained a few nights ago from a young vampire named David.
    A knock sounded at the door, and the curtain slid back before either of them had a chance to speak. She jumped to her feet as a bald man, who had to be near seven feet tall with skin the color of dark chocolate, entered the small room and swallowed all the square footage in the process. His dark gaze fell upon Arran. The former Enclave warrior eased onto his feet, his gaze never straying off their unexpected guest. The giant slid his upper lip back off the largest set of fangs she’d ever seen in her life. Holy shit, he was one big-ass vampire.
    “You.” Giant aimed his index finger at Arran. “Come with me.” His baritone voice vibrated like a bass drum in her chest.
    “Please?” her date added. What was he thinking, antagonizing the giant freak of a vampire?
    A growl rumbled from the big guy’s chest that she swore rattled the mirror. She held her breath, waiting for his next move. Or Arran’s. This had all the signs of getting ugly. Really, really ugly.
    “Fine.” Arran shrugged and moved forward. Elle released the pressurized air she’d been holding and followed. Two steps toward the exit, the big guy’s hand came out of nowhere and snagged her arm.
    “Just him.”
    “That’s nonnegotiable.” Arran stopped in his tracks, and the look he nailed the giant with over his shoulder was unmistakable: Try me.
    “Fine.” This time, vampire freak shrugged and let go of her arm. She smoothed the aching spot on her arm where he’d gripped her. Damn. That had been one hell of a testosterone and fang show. One point to team Arran.
    He waited for the Goliath vampire to circle around him to lead them to his boss. So far, everything had gone according to plan. They followed as the vampire took them past the bar and through a small kitchen. The few staff they passed never looked up from their tasks. Not a bad idea. You can’t be a witness to what you never saw happen.
    At the back of the kitchen, the guard opened a door and