Vampires Among Us [Vampires Among Us 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

other gal pal. He had witnessed this same behavior toward his sisters also, and they had been immediately drawn toward her. The two women currently had their heads together so they could hear one another over the loud music.
    He placed his hand on Erica’s thigh to gain her attention. Once she turned to him, he held out his hand and said, “Dance with me.” She immediately placed her hand in his and allowed him to escort her out on the dance floor. A slow song had just started playing, and Kevin pulled Erica’s body up tight against his.
    With her head resting on his chest, Kevin leaned down until his nose was in her hair and inhaled deeply. Strawberries, he thought to himself. Her hair smelled like fresh strawberries tonight. How many different scents of shampoo did the woman own? Oh well, he mused, it didn’t matter. The scent of fresh strawberries always took him back to his childhood, which now seemed like a lifetime ago, when he would go out every spring and pick the fresh fruit with his mother. He smiled and closed his eyes as he let the memory play out.
    He hugged Erica a little tighter to him as they swayed to the music. Dancing with her felt good, it felt natural. So this is what it felt like to dance in your mate’s arms. He wanted time to stop still and for this moment to never end.
    The next hour consisted of another round of drinks and several more trips out on the dance floor. Kevin discovered the music was coming from a jukebox over in the corner, and with Davidrick’s help managed to play every slow song it offered.
    By the end of the evening, Kevin knew their evening out had been a success. He had watched Erica continuously smile and laugh throughout the entire evening. She was happy, relaxed, and had fun. As far as he was concerned, that alone made the evening a success! Add to that fact that he had her body pressed up against his rather intimately on numerous occasions. Yes, the evening had been a success.
    On the other hand, his friend and date seemed to be an ill-fitted couple, but hey, who was he to judge? He was just glad to see Davidrick on the dating scene. And whether he and Jordan continued to see each other or not, Kevin was willing to bet Jordan and Erica would become good friends. Hopefully, if Davidrick and Jordan parted ways, they would have enough common sense to do so as friends since they had to work closely together.

Chapter Eight
     
    As soon as they arrived home, Erica immediately headed for the shower. Her clothes and skin smelled of the cigarette smoke that was heavy in the restaurant. She was a little surprised to find Kevin sprawled across her bed when she walked out from taking her shower.
    She shot him a nervous smile, while silently admiring his gorgeous body. Kevin seemed to have it all: muscles, looks, great personality, and he was neat. That was an extra plus for him as Erica’s number one pet peeve was messiness. She walked over to the bed, and sat down on the edge. He waited until she was within easy reach and grabbed her hand, hauling her down next to him. He heard her heart begin to race the second he pulled her down on the bed next to him, but chose to ignore it.
    “I’ve been thinking, there must be personal possessions that you were forced to walk out without, when you left Shawn. Are you interested in retrieving them?” He asked hesitantly.
    “Yes, I would love to, but isn’t it too risky? We don’t even know where Shawn is at this point.” Erica could feel her already racing heart pick up in intensity at just the sound of Shawn’s name. She knew where it was coming from, fear.
    “This is true, but the VCTF has been keeping surveillance on your house, watching for him for a week and a half now. I seriously doubt he is going to show up anytime soon. He knows we are on to him,” Kevin responded with an air of confidence.
    “We could go tomorrow early afternoon if you would like,” he continued. “I’ll need to make some calls and see how many members I can round up to join us. We will be going with plenty of backup. I’ll bring half the VCTF if I have to.”
    “Okay, can I ask what has brought this up suddenly?” Erica curiously asked.
    “Well, I’ve been looking at this room, and it is a bit empty. I figure you might feel more at home if you had some of your belongings here with you. It must have been difficult for you to walk out with just the little bit you did.” He hesitated slightly before continuing. “If you are reluctant to