Dark Dreams Read online

Dark Dreams

  (A Vampire Anthology)

  Presented by Kristie K Shafer

  Copyright © 2013 Kristie K Shafer

  License Notes

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  Cover by AOS SI Designs

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Adult language and content. Recommended for mature audiences only…

  Click on title to read…

  Venom by Kristen Middleton

  When Eighteen-year-old Melody goes missing after seeing Venom in concert at Club Nightshade, her cousin Chelsey decides to sneak inside of the notorious nightclub to look for answers. Little does she know that the answers she will find, are sometimes better left hidden.

  Meanwhile, there's a hot new band in town and the owner of Club Nightshade wants them there permanently...

  The Eternals by Kristie K. Shafer

  Rani's world is shattered when Tyler, one of her good friends, reveals a horrifying secret and then disappears without a trace. Later, she meets a mysterious stranger who steals her heart and sweeps her off of her feet. Little does she know that he has his own dark secrets, ones that threaten her own existence.

  Blur by Kristen Middleton

  Danger lurks in the dead of night…

  Seventeen year old Nikki and her twin brother, Nathan, move to the small town of Shore Lake to start over after their mother is brutally attacked. When a missing teenager washes up on shore during their first night at the cabin and there are whispers of vampires in Shore Lake, Nikki begins to realize that there are things roaming in the darkness that are far more sinister than what they left behind in the city.

  Venom

  (A Night Roamers Short – Slade and Chelsey’s Story)

  By

  Kristen Middleton

   

  Copyright©2013 Kristen Middleton

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without express written permission of the author.

   

  Prologue

  The music in the club was beginning to give her a headache, but Melody ignored it. She was about to go to an after-party with the band members of Venom, who’d just finished their last encore at Club Nightshade. She was also pretty confident that if she played her cards right, she’d be in the lead vocalist’s arms before dawn.

  Slade.

  Just thinking about him made her tingle all over. Damn, the guy was hawt and had a voice that made her want to jump his bones. With those hypnotic green eyes, and that sexy infamous half-smile of his, she knew she wasn’t the only girl lusting after him in the club. But she’d definitely mastered the skill of flirting and had eventually gotten Slade’s attention. She’d done the pouty lip thing and made sure he’d gotten an eyeful of cleavage, dancing as close to the stage as possible, twerking with her girlfriends until every guy in the club had been drooling. It had obviously worked, because she’d gotten a note from one of the waitresses with an invite to some party being hosted by the owner of the club, complements of the band. Thankfully, she’d gotten the fake I.D. the week before or there was no way she’d have been able to step inside of the club, let alone party with the band afterwards.

  Leaning forward, she applied another layer of dark cherry gloss to her lips, and then fluffed out her long blond hair. She stood back and smiled, recalling how Slade’s eyes had been transfixed on those same lips. Obviously, he liked the rich crimson color.

  “You ready to go, Melody?” asked her best friend Taylor, who was frantically texting someone on her phone. “It’s getting late and I told Ricky I’d stop by after we left the club.” She looked up and giggled. “Booty call, baby.”

  “What about us?” asked Veronica, looking pissed. “I thought we’d agreed that I was staying at your place tonight, Taylor?”

  “You’re welcome to wait in the car. It won’t take long,” she replied. “He’s like a jack-hammer.”

  Melody and Veronica looked at each other, and then burst out laughing.

  Taylor bit her lower lip. “Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not in the mood for thirty seconds of Ricky. You know, I’d almost rather go eat somewhere. We could go back to that diner up the street. Remember how awesome their food was last time we went?”

  Veronica’s eyes lit up. “Ruth’s? Girl, I’m starving. Let’s do it.”

  “Uh… sorry. I can’t, guys,” said Melody. “I’m meeting someone.”

  Taylor raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? Who?!”

  Melody stared at her side-view in the mirror, sucking in her stomach and thrusting out her chest. She was glad she’d worn her new leopard-colored pushup bra with the matching thong. She wondered if Slade liked animal print. “Wish I could tell you, but it’s kind of a secret.”

  “Excuse me,” replied Veronica, putting her hands on her hips. “We’re your best friends. You have to tell us!”

  She hesitated, wanting to share the news, but her friends had big mouths. “I can’t. Look, I’ll tell you tomorrow. I just don’t want to blow my chances tonight.”

  “Blow your chances? He’s not married or anything, is he?” asked Taylor.

  “Please,” replied Melody, rolling her eyes. “I’m not into married guys. I just can’t tell you who it is because I promised not to say anything.”

  “That’s just weird,” said Veronica.

  “If you knew who it was, you wouldn’t think so,” she replied with a sly smile.

  “Are you going to be okay? I feel uncomfortable taking off like this and not knowing exactly what’s up,” said Taylor.

  Melody dug into her Louis Vuitton purse and took out a small bottle of perfume. She spritzed some into the air and then stepped into the fruity mist. “Don’t worry about me. Everything is totally cool.”

  Veronica studied her face. “He’s not some freak, is he? You know him pretty well?”

  Melody smiled. “Of course, and he’s not a freak. Chill out, guys.”

  Veronica sighed. “We’re just worried about you.”

  Melody zipped up her purse. “Look, I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine. Take off and get some breakfast.” She winked. “While I go and get me some dessert.”

  Veronica laughed. “Girl, I hear that. Next time get some for me, too. I haven’t had sex since Jerome and I broke up last summer.”

  “We know,” said Taylor. “You complain about it at least twice a day.”

  “You would too if it wasn’t for the ‘Jack Hammer’,” she replied.

  “Speaking of… maybe I should meet up with Ricky,” said Taylor, biting her lower lip.

  “Oh, hell no,” replied Veronica. “I’m not going to be the only one not getting some tonight.”

  Taylor laughed. “Fine. I’m sure the food will be more satisfying than thirty seconds of Ricky anyway.”

  “Especially if you order the cheesecake again,” said Melody. “Remember how much you loved it?”

  “Mm… that’s right. Well, call us tomorrow,” said Taylor, dropping her phone into her satchel. “And give us the dirt.”

  “You know it,” she replied, hugging her. Melody turned to Veronica and hugged her as well. “I’ll fill you both in on all the steamy details.”

  “You’d better. But not before noon,” said Taylor. “I’m going to hold you to it.”

  After Veronica and T
aylor left, Melody glanced at her reflection one more time.

  This time, Slade, you sexy bastard, she thought, you’re going to make me sing. All night long…

   

  Chapter One

  Chelsey