Entranced (Electric Desert Nights Book 1) Read online

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  Entranced, Electric Desert Nights

  Copyright © 2016 by Jewel Quinlan

  Edited by Eva Hartmann

  Cover art by Dar Albert, Wicked Smart Designs

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Jewel Quinlan http://jewelquinlan.com

  Table of Contents

  Also by Jewel Quinlan

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Also by Jewel Quinlan

  Title and Publication Date

  Rock Star Ex – October 10, 2013

  Stealing Cupid’s Bow – February 12, 2014

  Surrender Sweet Succubus – April 11, 2014

  Extreme Heat – April 3, 2014

  Man Candy, The Cougar Journals Book 1 – January 9, 2015

  Boy Toy, The Cougar Journals Book 2 – May 20, 2015

  Eternal Oath – September 29, 2015

  She’s Got It All – October 24, 2015

  What I Would Give to See You Again – March 28, 2016

  DEDICATION

  In gratitude and memory of those super fun times in my past and present,

  and in celebration of more to come.

  Entranced

  Electric Desert Nights

  By

  Jewel Quinlan

  Chapter One

  “Shit! Now what are we supposed to do?” Yesenia scowled at the shredded remains of the jumbo foil balloon on the ground. It had snagged and popped on the framework of the security checkpoint, and now its silvery shreds lay there like Christmas trash.

  Tyler poked at it with the toe of his sneaker. “Do we want to keep any of it?” Some of the blinking lights it had been coated with still flickered faintly.

  Mya raised a slim blond eyebrow. “Whose idea was it to use a balloon as our totem anyway?”

  “Mine,” said Yesenia. “But you both agreed it was a good idea. No one wanted to get stuck lugging a stupid pole around all night.” As they stood there, considering the loss of the totem, a horde of people streamed past them into the Las Vegas Speedway where the biggest music event of the summer was being held—Electric Daisy Carnival, or EDC, as they called it. People brought totems with them to EDC to make it easy for their group to stay together, or to find each other if they got separated. The organizers of the carnival allowed and even encouraged them because they added to the atmosphere of the event. They were usually made of poles long enough to stick up over the crowd and topped with flags, signs, lights, or whatever else the partygoers could think of. The goal was to make something unique that was visible from a distance.

  Yesenia tugged at the bottom edge of the cropped top she wore. It was already itching in places. She’d bought artificial neon pink flowers from a craft shop, cut off the stems, and sewn the heads onto an old workout bra. The plastic nubs of the flower heads were sharp though and dug in to her skin. If she’d been thinking, she would have worn another layer underneath. It would have protected her from the flowers and given her bosom more support. This particular top didn’t have much, which was why it had been lying unused at the bottom of a drawer. Had her boobs grown since she’d last worn the damn thing? Either that or it’d shrunk in the wash. Her cleavage swelled from the top; she didn’t need it to start peeking out through the bottom, too. She gave one more tug at the hem.

  “So what do we do for a totem now?” Yesenia asked.

  Mya shrugged her narrow shoulders. “Do we really need it?”

  The three friends had looked forward to this event for months. The tickets were expensive, but each of them had scrimped and saved to make it happen. They’d paid for their general admission passes in installments and booked the cheapest room they could find near the Las Vegas strip. The loss of a totem was not going to stop them from going in to watch the best DJs from all over the world perform.

  Yesenia huffed. “No. It just sucks because I spent a lot of time decorating that balloon.”

  “You did, and it looked awesome,” Mya said, touching a hand to her shoulder.

  Tyler grinned good-naturedly. “Yeah, great job. But don’t worry. It’ll be fine. There’s only three of us. I’m sure we won’t have trouble staying together. Come on, let’s go.” He headed toward the entrance to the speedway and the two girls went with him.

  Mya was tall enough to match Tyler’s strides, but Yesenia had to do double-time being the shortest of the three. She fell in between them as she usually did, feeling like the soft squishy marshmallow in between two thin cookies. “If you say so,” Yesenia said. “I just think it’s a bad omen that we lost our totem before we even got in the door.”

  *****

  Two guys stood chatting at the perimeter of Cosmic Meadow, one of seven large stages at the speedway, and surveyed the partygoers as they came in. From Gate C they filed down the long string of stadium stairs to the pavement of the speedway at the bottom. The last rays of sun were fading fast over its top. Long after it was gone, the carnival would be at its peak. The transformed oval of racetrack would be covered with people of all ages, from all over the world, who would be sweaty from hours of dancing to trance, bass, techno, house, and other genres of electronic dance music.

  Wade’s lips curved upward with delight, the sharp tips of his gleaming fangs extended. His normally unreadable poker face was filled with anticipation.

  Somer punched him in the arm. “Dude, put those away. They’re creepy.” Then he cradled his knuckles in his other hand. Punching a vampire was like punching a rock.

  Wade shrugged a shoulder. “What? No one’s going to notice.”

  “It’s still light out, they might,” whispered a soft voice.

  They turned their heads to see an ethereal and petite ghost step through the wall of the building next to them.

  At the moment, she was undetectable to the human eye, but her vampire and incubus friends could see her easily. Her wavy blond hair blew back from her shoulders the way all ghosts’ hair did, as if a wind constantly blew in limbo.

  “Oh hey, Scarlett. You still hanging out around here?” Somer chuckled at his own joke.

  She rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha, ha.” He said that every time they got together. “You guys got anything to eat?” she asked, and it was their turn to roll their eyes at her ghost humor. “I thought you guys would have found something better than this to go to by now.”

  Scarlett had attended the very first EDC twenty years ago. Tragically, she’d overdosed on drugs and died in the early hours of morning. Ever since then, she’d been stuck haunting the event.

  “Nah.” Wade tossed his dark hair out of his eyes. “Still the best suckfest around. Everyone drunk or high, security only half watching, lots of youn
g humans partying until dawn…it doesn’t get better than this.”

  “You really should put those away, Wade,” Scarlett said, eyeing his fangs.

  “What are they gonna do? Report me to the police? Like they’ll believe them. I don’t see you taking any precautions. They’re way more likely to notice you appearing out of nowhere than they are my fangs.”

  She laughed in that light breathy way ghosts had, the one that tended to give humans the chills. “I guess you’re right.”

  Somer turned back to look at the stream of new arrivals. “Both of you do whatever you want, just don’t scare them off.” His light-brown brows dipped in a frown after a moment. “Ugh. This whole obesity epidemic really sucks.”

  “It’s not normal for women to look anorexic, Somer,” Scarlett said primly. “I for one am glad women are looking more like women again.”

  “I don’t mind that they’re getting plumper at all,” Wade said. “Makes for a good meal. I can drink a lot more before there’s any danger of them passing out.”

  Somer laughed. “Good one, bro.” He held his knuckles out to Wade for a fist bump while Scarlett let out a sound of disgust.

  Wade almost missed Somer’s fist though because he was checking out a group of young girls passing by, his eyes dark with intensity.

  Somer noticed, unfortunately. “Hey, Scarlett, you want to know why Wade’s scrutinizing every chick that passes?”

  Scarlett perked up. “Why?”

  Wade frowned at the incubus’s teasing tone. “What? I’m hungry.”

  An amused smile spread across Somer’s handsome face. “Wade’s soulmate is supposed to be here tonight. Come on, Wade. You don’t really believe what that hag in Miami said, do you?”

  “What hag?” Scarlett looked back and forth at the two of them.

  Wade stuck his hands in his jean pockets and kicked at some litter on the ground. “No.”

  It had been a mistake to pop into the psychic’s shop while he’d been with Somer at Ultra Music Festival in Miami. But, at the time, he’d been a little drunk and high himself because he’d fed on the blood of several people who’d been under the influence. Getting his fortune read had seemed like a bit of random fun. But when he’d sat down with the woman at her velvet-covered table and spread the colorful tarot cards out before her, her eyes and tone had pierced him with their gravity.

  The candles in the sconces on the wall behind her had made her head seem like it was a floating oracle—probably because he’d been high—and it had mesmerized him. “You are going to have an unusually long life,” she’d said glancing at his palm. “And you will have no lack of good health.”

  Somer, sitting next to him, had started sniggering at that point.

  Then she looked at the cards on the table. “You’ve had a happy life so far, but you want more,” she said. “A while ago, something inside you led you to seek an unusual path. But this path is not as wonderful as you expected it to be. Something is missing.” Her long bony fingers had stroked at the images on the cards as though she were receiving messages by touching them.

  Somer’s sniggering increased in volume, and the psychic had pinned him with her large milky eyes. In a low voice she’d asked him to wait outside because he was disrupting the flow of energy. He’d left without protest, and the psychic had proceeded with Wade’s reading. That’s when she’d gone into greater detail about his current life and his future. She’d commented on his constant travel, his small circle of tight-knit friends, and the loneliness he felt now. He hadn’t said a word to confirm or deny anything, but she’d been right. Vampires tended not to stay in any one place too long. And paranormal creatures tended to be loners, which meant it was difficult to make friends. At the time, Wade had been dwelling on the fact that the last remnants of his human life were fading away. The remainder of his human friends and relatives had died at the beginning of the year, and he no longer had anyone to look in on.

  It wasn’t something he ever talked about, so having a stranger home in on his deepest feelings had made them even more real and depressing.

  The psychic had swept away the first batch of cards and laid more down. She smiled as she gestured to a cluster of three with yellow backgrounds and pictures involving smiling people holding cups. “Things are going to change for the better. Happiness is on its way.”

  He’d perked up at that and hope had streaked through him. He hadn’t realized how much he’d needed it until that moment, however ridiculous the whole thing was.

  She flipped another card over. “You’re going to meet your soulmate.” She flipped two more cards over. “Yes. In June, at a place you’ve been before. There will be a lot of people there.”

  There was only one place that could be. Here, at the twentieth anniversary of EDC. The reading had ended after that, and a stunned Wade had walked out and told Somer everything. Big mistake. He would never hear the end of it.

  He knew the whole psychic thing was a bunch of bullshit. They were notorious liars. It was just that that damn jag of hope had taken root inside him. As the days had passed, curiosity had sprouted from it, one that demanded to be satisfied. And now he couldn’t stop himself from looking at all the girls the way he was. Would he know it was her on sight?

  “What hag?” Scarlett asked again.

  Somer filled her in than smirked and asked, “Do vampires even believe in love?”

  Wade glared at him.

  “Why wouldn’t they?” Scarlett said, her brown eyes filled with compassion. “Love is amazing. There’s no reason vampires should spend eternity without it. You just haven’t felt it yet, Somer.” Her face lit up as she said, “Someday you’ll see. It’s so powerful and freeing. Nick and I couldn’t imagine ever being apart. Even after all this time, it’s like I can still feel him.” A smile flashed across her pretty face. She was becoming more opaque, the wispy pale traces of her features were filling out and taking on healthy human colors. Her creamy skin was kissed with just a hint of sun, and her brown eyes were kind. Her clothing was the same outfit she’d died in, jean cutoff shorts and a fringed bikini top. She solidified every year on the anniversary of her death.

  “So did this soothsayer give you any details at all? Did she describe the woman or tell you how you were going to meet?” Somer persisted.

  “Nah, she just said I would meet my soulmate here.” Wade answered Somer’s teasing question for Scarlett’s benefit. Somer had only given her a short synopsis.

  “What about a time? Did she give you a time?”

  Scarlett shook her head. “You can be a real rascal sometimes, Somer.”

  Wade’s fist streaked out in a blur to punch Somer in the gut.

  “Oof!” Somer cringed back, hands pressed to his midsection. But the blow failed to wipe the smile off his face.

  “No, she didn’t. Besides, if she was right—and I doubt that she is—I don’t have to look for her. She’ll come to me.” Wade shrugged. “Whatever. Let’s head over to Kinetic Field. DJ Momo is coming on soon.”

  He turned and began walking, the other two trailing behind him. And, as the last glow of sunlight disappeared, Scarlett completed her shift into solid form.

  Chapter Two

  When Yesenia, Mya, and Tyler arrived at Kinetic Field, the area was already filled to overflowing. People spilled out of the mouth of the entrance and others congregated along the perimeter fence.

  “Crap! How are we going to get through?” Disappointment and frustration brought Yesenia’s brows together. DJ Momo, from Japan, was her favorite, and she’d hoped to be up close to the stage during his performance. Unfortunately, they were late because the traffic had been horrible. What should have been a twenty-minute drive had taken over an hour.

  Mya flipped her wavy blond hair over her shoulder and held a hand out to Yesenia. “I’ll get us through. Come on. Tyler, take her other hand.” She pulled them forward into the mass of bodies. Her slim form fitting easily through even the narrowest gaps. Once she was through, Yesenia a
nd Tyler were able to follow.

  Yesenia noted with amusement how all the guys watched Mya as she passed. They gazed at her with a restrained lust. She had that tall trim figure that reminded boys of what they saw in magazines and on TV. It was obvious from the expressions on their faces that they felt Mya was way out of their league, which Yesenia thought was funny. Mya was the nicest person she knew. Guys were just too scared to try talking to her.

  They weren’t like that with Yesenia though. She’d always dreamed of being statuesque and lean like her friend, but that’s not the way things went when you had Latin blood. Somehow her generous curves triggered ogling, grabbing, and leering instead of respectful admiration. In high school, she’d had to carry her books like a shield to guard her chest. Unfortunately, there’d been nothing she could do to guard her ass. Thankfully, things had gotten better in college. She felt much more at ease walking down the halls. But she’d had to learn to decipher between boys with a true interest in her versus those who were trying to score. Most had fallen into the second category.

  Yesenia grinned as she noticed the variety of totems as they snaked their way closer to the edge next to the multitude of partygoers dressed in scanty attire. There was an Italian flag, a rainbow flag, a sign that read “Naughty and Proud,” and a cow shaped piñata.

  Mya changed direction to go around a particularly dense cluster of people, and they skimmed close to the left side past the VIP ticket holders’ section which was a platform raised high on a scaffolding base. She glanced at the people up there. They looked comfortable standing against the railing. How nice to be away from the blacktop that had been baking in one hundred degree heat all day. She brought her temple to her shoulder to wipe away a trickling drop of sweat. Up there they had a clear view of the stage and everyone below. Yesenia wished she could be there, too. But VIP tickets came with a steep price, and there wasn’t room for luxuries in her budget.