Everlasting Kiss

by Amanda Ashley

  After a five-minute search, he found Daisy and Alex at the cash register inside a men’s store.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his voice low but harsh.

  “I needed a change of clothes,” Alex retorted. “You got a problem with that?”

  Erik glared at him. “I don’t give a rat’s ass what you do, but if you put Daisy’s life in danger again, you’ll answer to me.”

  Whatever retort had been in Alex’s mind died, unspoken, at the look of fury in the other man’s eyes.

  Erik looked at Daisy, his expression softening. “Do you want to die? Why did you leave the motel? What the hell were you thinking?”

  She met his gaze defiantly. “We needed something to wear.”

  “I see. You want to be well dressed when Rhys finds you, is that it?”

  “Don’t be absurd,” Daisy retorted.

  Fighting back his anger, Erik took Daisy by the arm and led her away from her brother. “Have you forgotten that Rhys isn’t bothered by the sun?” he asked, keeping one eye on Alex. “Rhys doesn’t have to stay indoors as long as he’s out of direct sunlight, nor is he compelled to rest during the day.” Erik captured her gaze with his. “He could be here now and you wouldn’t know it until it was too late.”

  His words had the desired effect. Daisy’s eyes widened as she quickly looked around.

  “We need to go. Now,” Erik said.

  “Well, look who’s in a hurry all of a sudden,” Alex said, coming up behind them. “We’d have been on the road a long time ago if you’d dragged your sorry butt out of bed before sundown…” Alex’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully as his voice trailed off.

  “Let’s go!” Daisy grabbed Erik by the arm and hustled him toward the exit, hoping to get out of the store and back on the road before her brother put two and two together and got vampire. “Come on, Alex,” she called over her shoulder. “We’re wasting time!”

  Chapter 21

  It took only a few minutes to throw their stuff together and check out of the motel. As much as Daisy had wanted a shower, she decided to forgo it for two reasons. Firstly, because Rhys was after them, but, more importantly, she didn’t want to leave Alex and Erik alone together for any length of time for fear that Alex might ask Erik questions that Erik would be reluctant to answer.

  They had been on the road for over an hour now, and thus far, no one had said much of anything. Alex sat in the backseat, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression pensive. Daisy could almost hear the wheels turning. How much longer before her brother concluded that Erik was a vampire? She could only imagine the dust-up that would follow.

  Erik’s attention appeared to be on the road. Daisy glanced at him from time to time, wishing she knew what he was thinking. She hadn’t had a chance to talk to him alone since they left the motel. She needed to explain her reasons for agreeing to go to the mall with Alex. Maybe it hadn’t been the smartest thing to do, but it had seemed like the best way to keep Alex from discovering Erik’s secret.

  With a sigh, she stared out the window. Taking a vampire home with her probably wasn’t a very smart thing to do, either.

  But there was another, more pressing matter to be considered. She waited until Alex dozed off to mention it to Erik.

  “What are we going to do tomorrow?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Alex won’t want to spend the whole day in a motel again. He’s going to wonder why we don’t travel during the day.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that, too. I think we’ll drive straight through to Boston.”

  “Are you kidding? It’s still two days away.”

  “I know. I’ll drive until sunup, and then you and Alex can take over until nightfall.”

  “But…the sun…you can’t…”

  “Haven’t you noticed the dark tint on the windows? I’ll be fine as long as you keep the windows up.”

  Daisy mulled that over for a few minutes. “What if Alex wants to stop at a motel again?”

  “If it’s at night, no problem. If it’s during the day, just tell him you don’t think it’s a good idea, not with Rhys looking for the two of you.”

  Daisy’s stomach did a funny flip-flop at the mention of the vampire’s name. “It probably wasn’t smart of us to stop last night,” she muttered.

  “Probably not. Will your family be able to protect you?”

  “Aren’t you going to stay?”

  “Sure, if you want me to.” He had no intention of leaving her as long as Rhys was a threat. “But I can’t be at your place during the day.”

  “No,” she said with a faint grin. “I guess not.” Her parents were pretty easygoing about most things, but not about vampires. Her father hunted them relentlessly, like his grandfather and his great-grandfather before him. Irene O’Donnell had given up hunting when she married Daisy’s dad, but she could still swing a wicked mallet, if necessary. “You don’t think Rhys will find us, do you?”

  “I don’t know. He’s pretty big on revenge, but he’s easily distracted. Your best hope is that someone else ticks him off.”

  “Will he think it strange that you left town without telling him?”

  “I doubt it. I’ve done it before. I’ll call him in a day or two and tell him I needed a change of scene.”

  “I’m sorry I got you involved in all of this.”

  Erik slid a glance in her direction. He could see her clearly in the darkness. Her hair fell loose over her shoulders, a fall of dark silk that tempted his touch. Her brow was furrowed, her eyes shadowed with worry, not only for herself, but for her brothers and her parents.

  “I won’t let him hurt you, or your family,” Erik said quietly.

  “Erik…”

  “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  He smiled at her, pleased that she was worried about him, too. It had been a long time since anyone cared whether he lived or died. Sometimes, he hadn’t much cared either. But that was before he met Daisy O’Donnell. She had revived his flagging spirits, made him glad to be alive.

  With a sigh, Daisy lowered the back of her seat and closed her eyes.

  Erik watched her from the corner of his eye. It took only a few moments for her to fall asleep. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he listened to the slow, steady beat of her heart. Her scent filled his nostrils. For a brief moment, he imagined pulling off the freeway, finding a dark, secluded place, taking Daisy in his arms to still his hunger and ease his desire. There was just one problem, and it was snoring softly in the backseat.

  With a sigh of exasperation, Erik rolled down the window. It wasn’t easy, being in such a confined space with two mortals, especially when one of them was as tempting and tasty as the woman sleeping only inches away. Everything about her called to him—her beauty, her humor, her laughter. The way she looked at him, always a little wary, yet unafraid. The way her body molded itself to his, the intoxicating taste of her lips, the womanly scent of her skin, and yes, her blood, warm and sweet, unlike anything he had ever had before. Since that first small taste, he had hungered for more, knowing he would never again be satisfied with the blood of another.

  He glanced at her again. She was so young, so beautiful. Even now, after knowing her, it was difficult to imagine her as the Blood Thief. Harder still to imagine that they could have any kind of future together. And yet, how could he let her go? Only now did he realize how empty, how meaningless, his existence had been. He had accepted being a vampire centuries ago. He had put the past behind him, made the necessary adjustments. Told himself he was happy. Lies, he thought. All lies to make the emptiness of his life bearable. But now, with Daisy, his life was no longer empty.

  Which led to another problem. He wanted her. She wanted him. Finding a way to make their relationship work might be a problem. Finding a way to coexist with her family would be an even bigger obstacle. And then there was her brother, Alex, who was already suspicious. Erik wondered how much longer it would take f
or Alex to figure things out. Not long, since he was already suspicious. And then there was the other brother to consider.

  Erik raked a hand through his hair. He hadn’t made many mistakes in his life, but falling in love with Daisy O’Donnell could prove to be fatal.

  Alex woke an hour or so later, demanding to be fed. Erik exited the freeway and pulled into the first hamburger place they came to. He opted to stay in the car while Daisy and her brother went inside.

  After a few minutes, he got out of the car to stretch his legs. He was hungry, too, he mused, but not for a cheeseburger and fries. He wanted something warm and fresh. The thought had no sooner crossed his mind than a couple of teenagers approached, heading for the restaurant. It took only moments to hypnotize the two of them and lead them into the shadows.

  Erik fed quickly, released them from his spell, and was back in the car before Daisy and her brother returned.

  “I bought you a burger and a Coke,” Daisy said, thrusting a brown paper sack into his hand.

  Erik looked at her, one brow arched in amusement as he muttered his thanks, then pulled out of the parking lot.

  “You’d think we could stop long enough to eat inside,” Alex said. “I don’t know about you two, but I could use a break.”

  “Forget it,” Daisy said, unwrapping her cheeseburger. “I want to put as much distance between us and Rhys as possible.”

  “Smart girl,” Erik murmured.

  “What do you know about it?” Alex asked brusquely.

  “Just what Daisy told me,” Erik replied mildly.

  “Yeah?” Alex said, frowning. “Just what did she tell you?”

  “Just that some pervert named Costain is after her, and that she’s afraid of him.”

  “That’s all she said?”

  Erik shrugged. “Pretty much. The guy sounds like some kind of psycho to me, and that makes him dangerous.”

  “I can look after her.”

  “Yeah,” Erik said, unable to keep the sneer out of his voice. “I saw how well you did that the last time you and Costain tangled. I don’t want the same thing happening to Daisy.”

  Daisy glanced over her shoulder. Alex’s jaw was so tight she thought it might crack.

  When the silence got unbearable, Daisy turned on the radio, then scanned the stations until she found one playing soft rock, hoping it would ease the tension in the car.

  It didn’t, but try as she might, she couldn’t think of anything to say. Some time later, Erik pulled into a gas station. Daisy and Alex got out of the car to use the restroom and pick up some snacks, leaving Erik to fill the tank. While they were gone, Erik tossed the hamburger and Coke Daisy had bought him into the trash.

  The tank was full and he was standing by the driver’s side door when Daisy and her brother emerged from the mini-mart. He felt a twinge of jealousy as he watched them talking and laughing together. He had never had any brothers or sisters. His parents, his wife, and his children were long dead. He had lived alone so long, he could scarcely remember what it was like to be part of a family, to share a house with people you loved, people who loved and cared about you in return.

  “Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Daisy asked as she climbed into the passenger seat.

  “I’m sure.”

  “You don’t eat much, do you?” Alex asked, settling himself in the backseat.

  “I eat when I’m hungry,” Erik replied. Sliding behind the wheel, he started the car and pulled onto the street.

  Moments later, they were back on the highway.

  It was near dawn when Erik pulled off the freeway onto a side road. “One of you will have to drive for a while,” he said. “I need to get some rest.”

  “Suits me,” Alex said. Climbing out of the backseat, he stretched his back and shoulders. “I was getting claustrophobic back there.”

  Erik sent Daisy a meaningful glance as he took Alex’s place in the backseat. She nodded, silently letting him know that she would make sure the windows stayed up.

  He winked at her, then reached for the blanket on the floor. Drawing it up over his shoulders and head, Erik closed his eyes and felt himself falling into nothingness.

  Alex jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “He’s kind of strange, don’t you think?”

  Daisy’s heart skipped a beat, afraid that they were about to have a conversation she definitely didn’t want any part of. “Strange? No, I don’t think so. Why?”

  “Well, let’s see. He sleeps all day. I’ve never seen him eat. He wears a lot of black.” Alex shrugged. “Remind you of anyone? Or anything?”

  “So he’s a little eccentric,” Daisy said, struggling to keep her voice calm. “He’s an artist.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Daisy turned sideways in her seat. “Just what are you trying to say? Or not say?”

  “Well, if he wasn’t hanging around with you, I’d say he was a vampire. But I know if that was the case, you would have told me, because keeping a secret like that would put both of our lives in danger. And I know you’d never do that, would you?”

  Daisy looked out the window so Alex couldn’t see her face. She was a horrible liar and everyone in the family knew it.

  “Would you?”

  “Of course not.”

  Alex grunted softly. “You’re hiding something, Daisy Mae, and I’ll find out what it is, sooner or later.”

  She hoped it was later. Much later.

  “We need to stop for gas. And I’m ready for some breakfast,” Alex muttered, glancing at his watch. “Or lunch.”

  Alex found a drive-through burger place for lunch. For appearance’s sake, Daisy ordered a hamburger for Erik, even though she knew he wouldn’t eat it. Twenty minutes later, they were back on the road again.

  “So,” Alex said between bites of his chili burger, “how long have you known him?”

  “Erik? Not long.”

  “How long?”

  “I don’t know. A couple of weeks.”

  “Two weeks? That’s it? Geez, Daisy, the way you two have been carrying on…” Alex shook his head. “Two lousy weeks.”

  It seemed longer than that, Daisy thought. Sometimes it seemed as if she had known Erik forever…forever, she thought, smiling inwardly. He could very possibly live forever, as long as Alex and her father didn’t find out what he was.

  It was late afternoon when Alex pulled off the highway in search of a place for dinner. They hadn’t had anything to eat except an ice cream cone since morning and she was starving. She wondered if Erik needed to feed and how he would manage it here.

  Now she felt the tension growing inside her as Alex pulled into the parking lot of a buffet restaurant. The sun hadn’t set yet. She really didn’t want to see Erik go up in smoke, yet Alex would expect Erik to be hungry by now, since he hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch. Her heart was pounding with dread by the time Alex parked the car.

  Before Alex could say anything, she reached over the backseat and shook Erik’s shoulder. “Hey,” she called softly.

  Erik woke immediately. Pulling the blanket away from his face, he looked at her and smiled. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re stopping for an early dinner.”

  Erik looked out the window. It was an hour until sunset. “Give me a minute,” he said, glancing at Daisy’s brother. “My leg’s asleep.”

  “We’ll meet you inside,” Daisy said. “Come on, Alex, I’m hungry.”

  Alex didn’t seem the least bit suspicious as he followed her into the restaurant. He told the cashier a third party would be joining them, paid the bill, and the two of them picked up their trays.

  As she filled her plate with salad, Daisy wondered how Erik would get into the restaurant without being burned by the sun, and what excuse he would use for not eating.

  She was trying to decide between ham or roast beef when Erik appeared behind her.

  “So,” he said, “what looks good?”

  Alex was standing in front of Daisy. He turned at the soun
d of Erik’s voice, his gaze moving over the corn and potatoes on Erik’s tray.

  “I’m having the ham,” Daisy said brightly. “The roast is too rare for my taste.”

  Erik grinned at her. “It looks just right for me.”

  They found a table in a corner, away from the windows. Daisy and Erik sat side by side. Alex sat across from them, a curious light in his eyes as he watched Erik.

  “How much longer until we get home?” Daisy asked, hoping her nervousness didn’t show.

  Erik speared a slice of meat with his fork. “We should be there by late tomorrow night.”

  Daisy stared at him. Was he really going to eat? Could he?

  She glanced at Alex, who had also chosen roast beef, then back at Erik.

  “Medium rare,” Alex said, taking a bite. “Just the way I like it.”

  Erik nodded, though he hadn’t eaten a thing.

  They made small talk for a few minutes, then Alex went back for seconds, leaving Daisy and Erik alone at the table.

  “What’s going on?” she asked. Erik hadn’t eaten a thing, but Alex seemed totally oblivious to that fact.

  “Just a little vampire magic,” Erik said. “I planted the suggestion in your brother’s mind that I’m eating.”

  “You can do that?”

  Erik nodded. Had it not been necessary to allay Alex’s growing suspicions, he would have waited for Daisy and her brother in the car. The sound of too many beating hearts, the scent of warm blood combined with the unpleasant odors of so much food, played havoc with his senses and his self-control.

  “How did you get in the restaurant without getting burned?”

  “I transported myself from the car to here.” He would have preferred to do the same thing when he had followed her to the mall. It would have been less painful, but he wouldn’t have been able to track her scent that way.