Relentless (Vampire Awakenings #11) - Brenda K. Davies Page 0,6

her as effortlessly as air flowed through her lungs. Joy suffused her as she lost herself in the words, the music, and the freedom singing brought her.

When she was on stage and the song was pouring from her, she felt like she was soaring as high as the birds she spent hours watching. The words and music were a part of her soul; they set her free every time she released them.

She forgot about everyone else in the bar, forgot about any troubles she might have, and only experienced joy. Maybe if she were a terrible singer, she wouldn’t enjoy it so much, but her voice made others happy too. And that happiness was part of the reason she loved this so much.

She was halfway through the song when the faint scent of leather filled her nose on her next inhale. She nearly skipped a note when that scent broke through the thousands of others filling the bar.

Almost afraid to hope, Cassidy opened her eyes and shifted her gaze to the shadows surrounding the front door. She found him instantly. Dante, she recalled him telling her.

Her heart skipped a beat, and sweat beaded on her palms as eyes so deep a brown they were nearly black met hers. It had been two weeks since she last saw him, but she hadn’t imagined how handsome he was with his chiseled jaw, swarthy skin, and straight-edged nose. She’d bet his lean build was solid muscle, and her fingers twitched to find out.

His dark brown hair curled at the edges of his leather jacket as he watched her in a ravenous way that scared and tantalized her. However, there was also a sadness in his eyes, one she recalled from the last time she saw him. She didn’t know what put it there, but she longed to ease it.

Somehow, she managed to keep singing, but her chest was suddenly tight, and she felt completely exposed in a way she never had before. Could everyone in the bar see her intense reaction to him? Could he see it?

Their eyes met for only a second, but it felt as if time slowed and an eternity passed before she finally tore her attention away again. She focused on the words as she resisted her impulse to throw the microphone on the piano and bolt off the stage. She required a few minutes to steady herself; unfortunately, she couldn’t have them right now.

Dante turned his attention away from the beautiful woman on the stage. Normally, when he walked into a place, he assessed the crowd. He learned the exits and the best place to sit in a matter of seconds. However, his attention was drawn to her the instant he stepped through the door.

Now, he took in his surroundings with a critical eye. It was a Wednesday, but a pretty good crowd filled the bar. Most of the people were sitting at the tables and booths near the stage. He didn’t blame them for getting as close as possible to the woman; asleep or awake, her voice had haunted him for the past two weeks. She was like the Pied Piper, mesmerizing them all with her song.

Over the heads of the crowd, he saw a row of women and a couple of guys at the bar. The vampire bartender who was here the last time he came was smiling as he filled drinks, but the vampire couple wasn’t here.

When the bartender looked up, his smile froze before fading. He rested his hands on the bar as his eyes narrowed on Dante. The woman on the stage and the bartender both emanated an aura of power he rarely encountered in vamps. They looked younger than him, but he suspected they were a lot older. Coming back here wasn’t his best idea, but after seeing her on the street today, he couldn’t face the prospect of returning to his studio apartment.

It wasn’t often that being lonely bothered him; he’d gotten used to it over the years. But, after seeing her again, the prospect of being alone in his apartment was too much to bear. He’d sit there, flipping through Julie’s journal until the sun came up and sleep finally claimed him.

He planned to have one drink, or at least that’s what he told himself on the cab ride over, but he wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than talking to her again. He could also use a lot more than one drink after making his way through the three