Blaze: Underground Encounters 6 Read online

  Blaze

  Underground Encounters 6

  Lisa Carlisle

  LisaCarlisleBooks.com

  Contents

  BLAZE

  Other Books by Lisa Carlisle

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  BLAZE

  A computer geek turned rock star

  Mike is good at playing with two things--numbers and his guitar. People, not so much. So when he stumbles upon two women having fun in the shadows at an underground club, and a bouncer urges him to get one to safety, he's not sure how to respond. But, when he discovers she's been bitten and her neck is bleeding, something wakes inside of him. He's compelled to protect her.

  One night with a crush she'd never forget

  When Allana runs into Mike, the humiliation burns. It might have only been a fling last summer, but she didn't expect him not to recognize her.

  Well, she had enough going on in with her yoga studio to deal with guy drama. But, he insists she leaves Vamps with him.

  She wants to refuse, but he warns she's in danger...

  Blaze is a novel in the Underground Encounters series, set in a club that attracts supernatural creatures. Each book features a different couple--and perhaps different species!--and can be read on its own.

  Step into Vamps, a thrilling new world of steamy paranormal romance featuring sexy shifters, thirsty vampires, wicked witches, and gorgeous gargoyles.

  BLAZE

  Copyright © 2018 by Lisa Carlisle

  Originally published as Rock My Senses by Ellora’s Cave Publishing in 2014.

  Cover by Willsin Rowe

  The right of Lisa Carlisle to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please do so through your retailer’s “lend” function. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.

  Find out more about the author and upcoming books online at lisacarlislebooks.com, facebook.com/lisacarlisleauthor, or @lisacbooks.

  Created with Vellum

  Other Books by Lisa Carlisle

  Underground Encounters series

  Steamy paranormal romances set in a underground goth club that attracts vampires, witches, shifters, and gargoyles.

  Smolder

  Fire

  Ignite

  Burn

  Heat

  Blaze

  Chateau Seductions

  An art colony on a remote New England island lures creative types—and supernatural characters. Steamy paranormal romances.

  Darkness Rising

  Dark Velvet

  Dark Muse

  Dark Stranger

  Dark Pursuit

  Underground Encounters series

  Gargoyle shifters, wolf shifters, and tree witches have divided the Isle of Stone after a great battle 25 years ago. One risk changes it all…

  Knights of Stone: Mason

  Knights of Stone: Lachlan

  Knights of Stone: Bryce

  Seth: a wolf shifter romance in the series

  Knights of Stone: Calum

  Stone Cursed (a Zodiac Shifters paranormal romance)

  Knights of Stone: Gavin (coming soon)

  Stone Sentries

  Meet your perfect match the night of the super moon — or your perfect match for the night. A cop teams up with a gargoyle shifter when demons attack Boston.

  Tempted by the Gargoyle

  Enticed by the Gargoyle (coming soon)

  Captivated by the Gargoyle (coming soon)

  Night Eagle Operations

  A paranormal romantic suspense novel

  When Darkness Whispers

  Vampire Blood Courtesans

  A multiple author shared world series.

  Pursued: Mia

  Berkano Vampire Collection

  A multiple author shared World Series.

  Immortal Resistance (Division 3)

  Visit LisaCarlisleBooks.com to learn more!

  Don’t miss any new releases, giveaways, specials, or freebies! Join the VIP list and download a free read today!

  www.lisacarlislebooks.com

  Chapter 1

  Mike

  The band had the crowd worked up. They played a fast, intense cover of Days of Swine and Roses by the Thrill Kill Kult. What intrigued me more were the two sexy burlesque dancers on the stage who showed enough skin and swayed like sirens to capture the attention of every man in the club.

  If I worked my magic, maybe I’d be going home with one of them tonight. If I was lucky, both.

  One song later, my bladder screamed for attention. I had to piss like the proverbial racehorse.

  I scanned the club to find the easiest way to maneuver to the men’s room. Pushing in the opposite direction through the mass of people pressing to get closer to the stage would suck. Like a wrestling match where I was outnumbered by twenty hot, sweaty, bouncing bodies.

  A better option would be the restroom backstage. We’d played this venue a few times, an underground club called Vamps. I could zip back there, relieve myself of the two beers threatening my bladder, and head back in to see the rest of the show.

  In my favored black boots with silver spikes and buckles, I stood well over most of the crowd. The red and purple flashing lights on the stage partially blinded me until I reached the back area. I didn’t see the bouncer guarding the door to access backstage until I broke through an array of hot, alternative chicks who swayed to the music and sloshed beer from plastic cups.

  “What’s up, man?” I raised my chin, greeting him.

  “Not much, Chee. Where you going?”

  Nice, the bouncer recognized me since he used my stage name. Chee Keydood, the outrageous guitarist in the Velvet Cocks.

  “What’s your name again, man? My brain turns to shit when it comes to names.”

  “Byron.”

  “Byron, of course.” I slapped my forehead. “Can I use the men’s room backstage? I’ll never get through this crowd.”

  “You’re good,” Byron said, opening the door. “VC is playing here again soon, I hear.”

  “That’s right. We’re starting to haunt this club like poltergeists.”

  “You bring the crowd. That makes the boss man happy.”

  I walked through the doorway. “Thanks, man.”

  The heavy door closed, blocking the bright stage lights and muffling the sounds of the m
usic. The walls back here were black and plastered with posters for upcoming events. The narrow area was lit by one light overhead, which seemed dim compared to the stage area. I headed for the restroom. After I took care of business and exited, the sound of a woman moaning distracted me.

  Peering behind an amp, I spotted two women. A tall auburn-haired one wearing a black vinyl dress with corset fastenings along her back had her face buried in the neck of a petite blonde who was pressed against a wall.

  Whoa. It was like I’d hit the hotness lottery. I froze, mesmerized.

  The blonde’s eyes were closed, and her lips parted in an expression that spelled pure pleasure. Her sensual moans shot me to rock-hard status. Watching them was wrong. But, I couldn’t tear my eyes away even if I’d had a crowbar. This was better than any show out on the main floor.

  The blonde cried out, firing my senses to alertness. Her pained expression changed to a rapturous one, clearly enjoying whatever was happening. Maybe they liked it rough, with a little pain. Nothing wrong with that.

  A massive, long-blond-haired guy wearing black swooped in front of the women. Where the hell did he come from?

  “Nike, stop,” he commanded.

  The auburn-haired woman turned his way and hissed. It sounded more feline than female. “Leave us, Danton.” She bent down over the woman’s neck again.

  “You can’t do this.” He pulled her away as if she were as light as a mic stand. “Where’s Michel?”

  This woman had drops of blood smeared on her chin and on sharp white teeth, which I swear looked like fangs. Holy shit, fangs. I knew this club was full of freaks, but vampire play? Jeez.

  “He’s not here,” she hissed.

  “Let’s call him to come get you.” He clamped her wrist and she pouted, but didn’t fight him.

  The guy scanned the area backstage and pointed at me. “You. Take her out of here.” He nodded to the blonde. Her eyes still appeared unfocused, dazed by lust.

  “What?” I replied, stepping out from behind the amp. “I don’t even know her.”

  “Get her away from here. It’s for her safety,” he said. With his free hand, he took the blonde by the wrist and nudged her in my direction.

  The blonde’s eyes appeared dazed. When she faced me, they widened. “You?”

  After a quick glance at her, the Viking dude said, “You will not remember any of what happened back here tonight.” He then stared at me without blinking.

  “What the hell, dude?”

  He looked away and inhaled, closing his eyes and muttering something under his breath. Staring at me again, he said, “You will forget what you saw in this backroom.”

  “Whoa, are you trying to pull some kind of mind trick on me?” I raised my hands. “Not cool, man.”

  The Viking guy continued to stare, but then tilted his head, appraising me. The woman began to squirm out of his grasp, flashing her bloody fangs our way as she reached for the blonde next to me.

  “Take her,” he repeated. “Now!”

  The urgency in his voice and the prospect of being bitten by a madwoman who took a fascination with vampires to an extreme spurred me into action. Forgetting about the band with their luscious half-naked dancers, I grabbed the blonde’s hand. She was somewhat woozy and toddled on her spiky heels, so I threw her over my shoulder to get us out of the club faster. Her scent washed over me, clean with undertones of coconut. It tugged at the back of my brain with familiarity.

  Her wits must have begun to return as she pounded my lower back. “Put me down.”

  “Easy, princess,” I said. “I’m trying to help you.”

  “I don’t need your help!”

  Once we were outside in the brisk New England air, I set her on her feet. The salty tang of the ocean tickled my nostrils even though it was hundreds of yards away. That was weird. The scent was so strong it was like I was on the shore.

  A light dusting of snow had fallen, and a few snowflakes fluttered through the air, but it wasn’t dense enough to stick and would probably be gone by morning.

  “What the hell was that about in there? You’ve got blood dripping down your neck.”

  She dabbed at her neck and stared at her fingers, now stained dark red. A snowflake went straight for her finger and we both watched mesmerized as stark white met velvet red and was swallowed by it.

  A few snowflakes fell onto her cheeks and her tiny nose and I felt an urge to brush them away, but they melted once they met the warmth of her flushed skin. She had delicate features and pretty blue eyes. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place how I knew her. Her blonde hair lay tousled on her shoulders, set off by the black of a dress that clung to her tight little body. My cock had settled down after the freaky incident inside, but twitched back to life again.

  “Are you two into vampire role-play or something?” I asked.

  My question distracted her from her blood-covered fingers. She still appeared dazed, but wobbled less. The fresh air and sight of blood must have jolted her back to reality. She reached into her purse and pulled out tissues to blot the blood.

  “I’m not judging,” I clarified, in case I embarrassed her. “We all have our things.” When she didn’t answer me, I asked, “Where do you live?”

  She glared at me with enough fire in her eyes to burn me. “Figures you don’t remember.”

  Ally

  My cheeks burned. Hell, my entire body burned. I couldn’t believe he didn’t remember me.

  Well, yes, I could. It was typical of his reputation, and so—infuriating!

  He’d grown in more facial hair since the last time I saw him, and it gave him a more mature look, bringing more focus to his deep hazel eyes.

  I struggled to stay calm, but the longer it took for him to remember our previous encounter, the more my humiliation simmered like a teakettle on the verge of boiling over.

  Chee squinted as he appraised me. “Hey, I do know you.”

  “Took you long enough.”

  His confused expression answered before he did. “Did we hook up?”

  “Seriously?” I stormed away from him.

  “What?” He followed me. “Are you exasperated because we did? Or because we didn’t?”

  I spun on my heeled boots. God, did he have to have such dark lashes? “Since you can’t remember, what does it matter?”

  “Just give me a minute.” He gazed off into the distance. Recognition flashed in his eyes. “Ah ha!” He wagged his finger. “I remember now. You’re Lily’s friend. We hooked up at this club after one of our shows.”

  “Ding, ding, ding. Congratulations,” I snarled. “I feel soooo special.”

  I strode up the alleyway leading to the main road as quickly as I could in these narrow heels.

  “Hey,” he called after me. “It’s not like I could see you well. Your eyes were closed and that chick was blocking part of your face. And then all that crazy shit happened with that Viking dude and the blood on that chick’s fangs. And—” He paused. “I didn’t know you were into chicks. That’s hot.”

  I turned back and pushed his chest. “Ugh, why did I ever sleep with you?”

  “Probably why most other women do.” The smug look on his face infuriated me even more.

  “And what is that?” I spat.

  “To say you slept with a guy in a band.”

  “You are such an asshole! Get the hell away from me.”

  “You didn’t think I was an asshole the night you took me home with you.”

  Oh great, he insulted me and now was following me. Reaching the end of the alley, I scanned for a taxi. Where the hell was a cab when you wanted one?

  “Yeah, well, I’ve grown up,” I fumed. “And learned from my mistakes.”

  Why was this club hidden in the middle of bumfucking nowhere? I continued to walk away from the warehouses where I’d have more luck finding a goddamn taxi.

  “Why are you mad at me, anyway? It’s not like you didn’t just use me for one night yourself.”

&nb
sp; My breathing came out in erratic pants as I searched for a comeback. He had a point.

  “Are you pissed because I didn’t call you?” he asked.

  “No,” I hissed, and realizing how loud I was, lowered my voice. “It was a one-night thing. I wasn’t stupid enough to give you my number and wait around for you to call.”

  “Then why are you freaking out on me?”

  “Because,” I replied automatically, unsure how to continue. Hmm, why was I so mad at him? “Because you didn’t remember me. You could have at least acknowledged me. You don’t have to make me feel like, uh, a tool!”

  A car drove by, its headlights lighting Chee. He wore black jeans and a Danzig T-shirt. And looked good. Yummy. Too bad he was a jerk. Still, a pang of concern hit me; he must have been freezing out here without a jacket in December. Ugh, my coat was inside too.

  “Um, hello,” he said. “I did remember you, it just took a while with all the distractions. What do you want from me?” He waved his arms wide. “Should I have built a shrine to commemorate our one night together?”

  Through barely controlled venom, I spewed, “You. Are. Such. A. Dick.”

  “So, I’ve heard.”

  A taxi. Finally. I flagged it down. When it pulled over, I climbed in.