Night Moves (The Night Songs Collection) Read online

  “I got questioned by the FBI,” Erin told him. “They wanted to know about the band. And Melanie.”

  Ryder nodded, not yet saying anything, still rubbing my back.

  “Catelyn told them she was with you, but I said I hadn’t seen Mel since St. Louis. But we’re going to have to act fast once we get to Vegas,” Erin continued.

  “I’ll talk to Drake, see what we can do to get you there safely,” Ryder said, softly. “If they’re looking for you, they might stop the buses. As far as I know, there’s only one way from here to Vegas.”

  “Drake won’t help me,” I sobbed again.

  “He will.” Ryder’s voice was so soothing. Everything instantly sounded better. “It’s in his best interest not to draw any negative attention to the band. Are you headed to his room, Erin?”

  “Yeah. He’s texted me a couple times. I should get going.”

  “Tell him I’m going to give him a call before we head out.”

  “Okay.” Erin reached out for my hair, twining her fingers in it. “Mel, it’s going to be all right. Just trust us.”

  I didn’t say a word. I was too exhausted and just let Ryder carry me back to bed and trusted him to take care of everything.

  A roadie named Scott won the honor of driving me to Vegas in a rental car for two reasons: He was human and the harsh desert sun wouldn’t harm him, and he had the cleanest driving record of the entire crew.

  “I’m stoked we have this car. The tables have better odds off the strip, and it’s hard to get around if we’re stuck at whatever crappy casino the band is booked at.” Scott hadn’t stopped talking the whole trip. I think he was just pleased to have different company. Or he was on something. “Do you play?”

  “Play what?” I kept zoning in and out of actually paying attention to him.

  He laughed. “I guess not then. I meant table games, Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘em, Roulette. You look like a slot machine girl. Those are better off the strip, too. I always thought the term ‘loose slots’ sounded kind of raunchy, but if they pay, I’m there!”

  “I’ve never been to a casino,” I admitted.

  “What? That’s crazy talk.” Scott seemed to be an expert on crazy talk. “So this is your first trip to Vegas, then?”

  “It sure is.” My stomach churned at all the possibilities. I was being snuck in below the radar. I was convinced the only reason Drake had been willing to help me get there was because he wanted me to finish off Rachel. I didn’t expect that little detail had gone away, even though no one had discussed it lately. Ryder didn’t tell me any of the details of how he planned to get me to Vegas, and I didn’t care anymore. Nothing good waited for me there. It was just a matter of time before the bubble burst. The only question was whether I would be covered in blood, or locked in handcuffs.

  “You and your blonde friend there, the one who’s with Drake, you should totally come out with all of us. There’re a couple of great bands that play around the city, but unlike Soul Divider, but they’ve accepted the fact their time has passed.”

  “Maybe they just don’t have the right connections.” I raised an eyebrow and smiled.

  “You don’t want those connections. Seriously, it’s nothing but trouble. If you’re into the musician thing, you should think about meeting some new people. You don’t want to be some has-been’s chew toy.”

  “I’m sure that’s not how you feel about it when you cash your paychecks.” I couldn’t believe the audacity of this guy.

  “Oh come on, who doesn’t talk about their bosses like that? Everyone knows Drake is a douchebag. I don’t know what your friend sees in him, besides money.”

  “She makes her own.” I was getting defensive.

  “Yeah, we all know that.” He chuckled. “I’m just saying, girls like the two of you have options, that’s all.”

  I’m not sure if Scott considered himself an option for us, because I think I could speak for Erin when I said we certainly didn’t. If he meant this as a compliment, it backfired. I had almost liked this guy. I eyed the GPS on the dashboard. Three hours left and nothing but desert.

  I wondered how many secrets the lonely sand and brush between the tiny towns held.

  Thankfully, I’d swiped a paperback book from the lobby of the hotel. Someone must have left it behind. I poured all my attention into the cheesy old romance. Better to escape with heaving bosoms and throbbing members than to deal with this jerk.

  Even when I didn’t talk to Scott, he didn’t shut up. He cranked the classic metal station he’d found on the satellite radio, singing along to every song, and keeping time to the rhythm on the steering wheel. We just needed Erin’s bass drum accelerator pedal performance to make this car a moving bucket of motion sickness.

  Reading made me drowsy enough to nod off until we slowed down for traffic at the Hoover Dam. I decided to stay awake for the rest of the trip, wanting to get to know the lay of the land if I was going to be staying here for a while.

  It took us about another forty-five minutes to get into the actual city. Night was falling over the emerging skyline, the oranges and pinks of the sky competing with the flashing signs and neon. I stared out the window at the gaudy lights. Scott exited the highway, driving away from the strip and back into reality.

  “Okay, you’re supposed to be staying with someone named Taryn. I have her phone number, if you want to call her.”

  I nodded. A lump formed in my throat as I dialed the number Erin gave me for her neighbor. I didn’t know anything about this girl, besides the fact that she took in Erin’s mail and accepted her deliveries. Deliveries that now included her fugitive friends.

  “Yeah, sure. I’m here. Come on by whenever you’re ready.” This Taryn chick didn’t sound overly excited about having a house guest. Not that I could blame her. I didn’t exactly love unexpected guests, either.

  Scott pulled into an apartment complex, baked stucco from the hot sun. We drove around a busy pool area flanked by palm trees. It looked more like a resort than any place I’d ever lived. I hoped I’d have some time to bake in the sun.

  I wandered into a shaded alcove with two doors facing one another. Scott followed behind with my bag – trying to be a gentleman, I guess. Or he was just hoping to get a look at my host. He still hadn’t shut up, talking about how close this complex was to some casino. I’d stopped listening to him before we crossed the Nevada border.

  An extremely thin girl with red streaked black hair answered the door. Her skin looked overly tan, and her knees stuck out of her long legs. Otherwise, she was perfectly put together, hair shiny and straight, makeup done, cute outfit. “Come on in.” She opened the door for me without any questions. I couldn’t quite read her. “Who the hell are you?” she asked Scott, closing the door on him as he tried to follow.

  I liked this girl already.

  “He’s not staying,” I assured her while I grabbed my bag. “I can take that.”

  Scott was still talking when we shut the door.

  I stood awkwardly in the middle of this strange girl’s very nicely decorated living room. It looked ready for a magazine photo shoot. Was Erin’s apartment this nice as well? I still had hand me down furniture and stuff from college. I felt so out of place. Maybe I hadn’t been doing so well, after all.

  “So now what?” I asked her.

  “I’ll show you to your room, I guess.” Her excitement level had yet to peak, I hoped anyway. “Follow me.” The apartment actually wasn’t much bigger than mine. She led me down a hallway into a plush guest room. “Do you have any idea how long you’ll be here?”

  “Not really.” Maybe I should have asked more questions. “I don’t know if you really know why I’m here, but—”

  “I know most of it,” she said matter-of-factly. I was almost afraid to ask how much she did know.

  “Well, I guess I’m waiting for Erin to give me the all clear. I think she’ll be back in town in a few days.” I looked around, still unsure what to do. “I don’t have a cell p
hone. So I guess you’ll be receiving the updates?”

  “Probably. She said she’ll be shooting in LA for a couple days, and she’s due home at the end of the week. Make yourself at home.”

  She shut the door behind me, leaving me in the middle of the room alone. Even though she said it, I didn’t feel like she really wanted me to make myself at home here, in her home. I felt like I was visiting a showroom. I sighed and flopped down on the bed, feeling self-conscious about messing it up. Eventually I was going to have to sleep in it, so that was just stupid. I didn’t move for a long time, staring at the ceiling fan, trying not to think. Eventually, I got up and peered out the blinds, with their slats like jail cell bars. This was probably good practice for jail; I felt awkward and trapped here as well. The room overlooked a parking lot. Not even a good view.

  I unpacked my bag, my clothes too warm and formal for my desert exile. My pajamas had been wadded in the bottom. I shook them out and headed to my private bathroom for a long hot shower.

  I don’t know how long I slept. I’d wake up, see if it was light or dark, and roll over for more sleep. I’d done it enough times that I wasn’t sure what day it was anymore. I couldn’t get in touch with anyone and I felt funny bothering my host.

  Being away from the band, everything hit me. I was probably going to jail. There was no taking back what I had done. Maybe if I just ceased to exist for a couple of days something would change. My brain was tired from the last few weeks, and once I got a good taste of sleep I didn’t want to let go of it.

  “Are you hungry?” Taryn knocked on the door and came in with a grilled cheese and some tea. “I haven’t seen you in days, and Joy said she hasn’t either.”

  “Who’s Joy?”

  “My partner. I figured I’d just introduce you guys when you saw each other, but you haven’t come out. I brought you some food.” She placed it on the nightstand and sat down on the edge of the bed. She seemed to have softened since our first encounter. “Everyone likes grilled cheese, right?”

  The smell of the buttery bread brought my empty stomach back to life. I sat up, too aware of my hideous bed head, and picked up half of the sandwich. It tasted like home, and I didn’t know it was possible to feel even emptier. Taryn sat, watching me eat, without saying a word. She still had yet to make me feel comfortable.

  “Thanks,” I said between bites. “You didn’t have to do this.”

  “I realize it must be weird, staying with total strangers, and I want you to feel a little more welcome here.”

  “I shouldn’t have come.” Reality smacked me in the face as she spoke. “I don’t know what you know, but I’m either going to go to jail, or I’m going to have to kill some vampire.”

  “Why would you have to do that?” She smirked. I must have sounded ridiculous.

  “You know vampires are a thing, right?” I backpedalled.

  “All too well, unfortunately. My twin brother was turned into one.” Her face darkened. “That’s why I’m here.”

  My mouth dropped. “Who is your brother?”

  “Tristan Trevosier.” She smiled sadly, as if her heart was breaking all over again. “From Immortal Dilemma.”

  “Oh. Wow.” I didn’t know what to say for a minute. I didn’t want her to think I was star struck, but my mind was reeling. “You might be able to help me, then. I mean, if you want to.”

  “Try me.” Her body language loosened a little bit now that she’d revealed her big secret. “I try to not get involved in much of that nonsense, but I like to keep an eye on him. Someone has to.”

  “I’ve been told that his band has the same manager as Soul Divider. Talis de Rancourt.”

  I waited for Taryn to confirm, which she did by rolling her eyes.

  “Do you know if there are any vampires that are at odds with them? Like any rivalries?”

  She laughed. “Yeah, they aren’t always the most popular guys. Especially since they’ve been so successful. A lot of people think they sold out, getting involved with Talis. But my brother never had a choice. She chose him, and of course, he was always fucked up enough not to realize something was totally off about her. When he became a vampire and the band formed, other vampires were pissed that he was bringing their secrets out in the open. I don’t know much about what’s going on with Soul Divider, I mean, I haven’t even thought about that band in ten years. But it could be the same thing.”

  I nodded. “That makes a lot of sense. Do they all have problems with female vampires?”

  “Don’t tell me you want to be a vampire, Melanie.” The color drained from her tan face. “It’s not what you think at all. There’s nothing romantic about it.”

  “No, of course not. It’s not me. There’s this other girl someone turned into a vampire. Ryder, Ryder Maddox, told me that women vampires are extremely powerful.”

  “They are. Talis will destroy any other lady vamp that comes close enough for her to sick her thugs on. That girl doesn’t stand a chance.”

  “I know.” I swallowed hard. “Drake says I have to kill her.”

  “Why you?” Taryn’s voice trilled up, indignant. “The problem will take care of itself.”

  That certainly changed things. I tried to stop my brain for turning. “He’s threatening me. He says he’ll hold it against Ryder. Ryder and I have been together for the last couple of weeks.”

  “Don’t let a guy lead you into something stupid.”

  “It’s too late for that.” I smiled sadly.

  “I know.” She reached out and put her hand on my blanketed leg. “Drake Bonham is a nobody. Don’t let him intimidate you.”

  I sat there wide-eyed, sipping my tea.

  “You have bigger things to worry about than pleasing him. These musicians, with their huge egos. It’s a joke. It’s about time someone starts saying no to them.”

  Staying with Taryn and Joy was not how I expected to spend my time in Vegas. But it was a refreshing reset, and I felt like I was in an oasis spending time with two gainfully employed adults who wanted as little as possible to do with vampires or rock n’ roll. .

  Joy worked as an overnight security manager at the Alta Vista Hotel, where Immortal Dilemma played, Tristan lived, and Talis’ business was headquartered. A relatively new hotel, it sat half completed until Talis funded its completion and gave Immortal Dilemma a residency there before they exploded in popularity. Taryn had a salon in the Alta Vista, thanks to her dad, who co-invested with Talis. If I was still a financial advisor, I would have chased them down to work with them.

  Like a new kitten, I braved coming out to the common area a little more each day. The girls invited me to eat dinner with them, or watch movies. I didn’t want to crowd them. They weren’t looking for new friends, they were just doing Erin a favor. Erin had booked more work while in Los Angeles and extended her stay. I guess she didn’t feel like she had to hurry back for me. I felt like a mooch. I couldn’t pay for food, I couldn’t go anywhere. I couldn’t even clean the house because someone else came and did it once a week. I guess I shouldn’t have worried about replacing a couple of bagels for someone who could afford a cleaning lady.

  Drake’s plan seemed more ridiculous the longer I’d stayed. I missed Ryder more than I ever expected to. He couldn’t call me either. We were worried that the police might have bugged his phone. I felt so lonely without him.

  He said he’d take care of everything, and I just had to trust him.

  “How did your brother, um, adjust to being a vampire?” I finally worked up the courage to ask Taryn one night. She offered to fix my DIY hair do, so I kind of had a captive audience.

  “He’s always so screwed up. Sometimes I wonder if he even notices.” She sighed. “Think about it, he’s nineteen forever, looks like that, and has a never ending supply of drugs and girls. Every day is Christmas.”

  “So if there are no women vampires, he must have a human girlfriend, if he’s in a relationship.”

  “His old girlfriend has suddenly reappeared
. I’m worried about her. She’s way too naïve for this world. It’s a lot to deal with. Vampires aren’t monogamous, Melanie. I don’t know if Ryder ever mentioned that to you. But you have to accept you won’t be the only one.”

  My chin was down on my chest, hair in my face as she worked. It hid the shock. No, Ryder had never said anything about that to me. My mind reeled. Drake had Erin as well as his wife, and the other guys shacked up with whatever girl came to the party. I had no idea if they had wives or girlfriends back home. What exactly was Ryder doing in my absence? He certainly didn’t seem to miss variety. When we came to each other, he seemed lonely. Of course, I knew better than to think being with someone instantly erased loneliness.

  Just ask me and Jamie.

  Taryn seemed to take my silence for the shock that it was. “You need to know what you’re getting yourself into. Are you willing to give up your life for these guys who aren’t going to give you the same respect? That will cheat on you? That will literally suck you dry?” She ran her fingers through my hair to see how my new cut fell. “Do you want to kill for people who are going to treat you that way?”

  Tears burned in my eyes. I didn’t want to do anything to Rachel. And I didn’t want to think of Ryder as someone who was just going to use me up and spit me out when he was done.

  How was it different than any other relationship? You never knew how it was going to end when it began. You just had to have faith.

  “Has your relationship with Tristan changed?” I tried not to let my voice shake.

  “Of course. But he’s my brother and I love him. I just don’t agree with the choices he’s made. But that was the case long before this happened.” Taryn moved in front of me, to check the evenness of my new layers framing my face. “I just want you to have your eyes open. You’re lucky, in a way. You know what you’re getting yourself into. Tristan and I didn’t have that luxury.”