Date with a Vampire Read Online Free Page B

for a look.
    “Excuse me.” She wove through the crowd, pulling her new lime-green paisley luggage behind her. Not exactly her first choice, but Ann had suggested she buy the brightly colored paisley instead of the basic black Melody had preferred, insisting she’d have a much easier time finding it at the airport baggage claim. There was no doubting that.
    The limo driver slid out from behind the wheel and headed toward her. A distinguished gentleman she guessed to be in his mid-fifties, he carried himself with an air that said he was used to working for the very wealthy. Why, with his navy suit accented by lots of shiny brass buttons, he was better dressed than she. Melody glanced down at her favorite brown slacks and plain white blouse and frowned. She felt very much like the librarian she’d always wanted to be, rather than the multimillionaire she’d become. His cool gray eyes gave her the once over, but his expression remained politely aloof.
    “Hello, Miss Johnson. My name is Rupert. I hope your trip to the airport will be a pleasant one.” He swung open the passenger door and held his hand out to her.
    Before accepting his assistance, she turned to her roommates. Mags and Billy were trying hard to cover their sadness with the phoniest smiles she’d ever seen, while Ann had her face buried in Gizmo’s fur as she struggled to keep the pug from leaping out of her arms and into Melody’s.
    Despite her best effort, her bottom lip quivered. “Come on you guys, cheer up. I’ll be back before you know it.”
    “Have a safe trip,” they chimed.
    Not wanting to prolong the good-byes, she gave Gizmo a kiss on the head, then took Rupert’s hand and stepped into the limo. He closed the door, then loaded her luggage into the trunk. She leaned back against the glove-soft seat, inhaling the rich perfume of fine leather and exotic wood.
    “It’s hard to leave loved ones, isn’t it?”
    Startled to discover she wasn’t alone, Melody flicked a tear from her eye before turning to the woman seated in the far corner across from her. Judging by her eclectic mix of clothing, the woman had a hard time choosing from which decade to dress. She wore white fishnet stockings, a mini skirt short enough to be X-rated, silver stiletto heels and a low-cut knit shirt that did little to conceal breasts too perfect not to have been shaped by some high-priced plastic surgeon. Bright red hair with glints of copper swirled eighties-style big around her narrow face. And her makeup. Way too much makeup. Granted, Melody was the natural type, but even she knew the woman had gone too far. When she smiled, a smear of lipstick coated one front tooth.
    “Join me in a glass of champagne?” she asked, handing Melody a fluted crystal goblet.
    She shook her head. What she didn’t need was alcohol. “I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you? I wasn’t told I’d have a traveling companion.”
    The woman giggled, then took a gulp of champagne, looking at Melody through the bubbles. “I’m your hairdresser and makeup artist, silly. And, boy, am I an artiste.The studio thought you’d be more comfortable with a little friendly female companionship.”
    Melody raised her eyebrows in surprise and held out her hand. “Melody Johnson. Pleasure to meet you.”
    The woman fumbled with the champagne glass, nearly spilling it on her lap when she tried to shake Melody’s hand. “Sugar.”
    Of course that was her name. It suited her perfectly. Melody turned to look out the rearview mirror and caught one last glance of her home before it faded into the distance. It was too late to turn back now.
    Shifting her gaze back to Sugar, Melody took a deep breath and smiled. She seemed nice enough, and at least Melody didn’t have to feel out of place around her. The woman’s sense of style was worse than her own.
    “I’ve got butterflies in my stomach,” Sugar confessed. “I’ve never been on a plane before.” She took a long drink of champagne, and