Page 4 of Twilight Destiny

He opened the car door for her, held it until she was settled in the seat before rounding the Viper and sliding behind the wheel. The furnishings in his house were expensive. So was his car, she mused, as she ran her hand over the soft, black leather seat. It was obvious the town was doing well if he could afford such luxuries. The car came to life with a low growl.

“Where are we going?” she asked as he drove across the bridge and turned right onto the road.

“A nightclub.”

“But … ”

“It’s a vampire bar.”

“Oh.”

He didn’t seem inclined to talk, so Rosa stared out the window, but there was nothing to see, just miles and miles of open land and a highway that seemed to go on forever. She slid a glance at Saintcrow. His profile was sharp and clean, his clothes top of the line. Had he always been so self-assured?

Eventually, he made a left turn onto a paved road that led to a large parking lot. A single-story building sat in the middle, surrounded by perhaps a dozen cars.

Rosa felt a quiver of unease when Saintcrow parked the Viper and she saw the name of the nightclub spelled out in bright, crimson neon letters—The Bloody Rose. She almost told him she’d changed her mind until she saw the expression on his face. He was watching her, an amused gleam in his dark eyes, and she knew he was just waiting for her to chicken out.

“Ready?” she asked.

“I am if you are.”

“Let’s go,” she said, with far more enthusiasm than she felt. She was out of the car before he could open her door. Striding toward the entrance, she reminded herself that she had come to Morgan Creek to meet vampires, and this was the first step.

Saintcrow held the door open for her, and followed her inside.

Rosa came to an abrupt halt. The room was dimly lit, the walls dark gray, the floor black and gray tile. Black leather booths. Tables covered with black cloths. Black chairs. There were no other colors to break the monotony save for a bright neon rose that spanned the entire length of the wall behind the bar. Three men attired in gray shirts and black ties served drinks. Even the music coming from the sound system was dark.

Taking her arm, Saintcrow led her toward the bar, indicated she should take a seat on one of the padded stools.

“Couldn’t you have found a place not quite so … so gloomy?” Rosa whispered.

Saintcrow shrugged.

Rosa glanced around the room. Couples sat at a few of the tables. A handful of single men sat at the bar. “Is everyone in here a vampire but me?”

Saintcrow’s gaze darted around the room. “Pretty much. What’ll you have?” he asked as one of the bartenders paused in front of them.

“A Sea Breeze, light on the vodka.”

The bartender looked at Saintcrow. “What can I get you tonight?”

“The usual.”

“What’s the usual?” Rosa asked when the bartender left to mix their drinks.

“Red wine with a little extra kick.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s the house special,” he said. “Red wine laced with blood.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Want a taste?” he asked as the bartender set their drinks in front of them.

Rosa looked at the contents of his glass. The liquid was blood-red, but was it really blood, she wondered, or was he just trying to freak her out? And then she grunted softly. Why wouldn’t it be blood? He was a vampire in a vampire bar. She couldn’t help wondering where they got the ‘extra kick’ from. And shied away from the obvious answer.

She sipped her drink, knew a moment of relief when she tasted mainly cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and a hint of vodka.