“How do you feel?” Sampson asked.
“A little rough around the edges,” she said, thinking about Morana and wondering if Regent knew their so-called sister had abandoned her. She glanced at Britt. Had he told Regent? But all she saw was guilt and concern on his features.
“I’m okay, Britt. You saved me, again.”
“I didn’t do it alone, my love. Your brother somehow initiated my light with his herbs.”
She made an impressed face then winked at Regent. “Really? Who would have guessed that those dried-up old leaves would actually work someday.”
Regent clasped his hands and looked heavenward. “Glory be that you’re back, my love, and with your sense of humor intact.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Can you get up?” Sampson asked.
Everyone knew Jess didn’t like being fussed over, especially moments after she woke. She’d cut them a break this time, given the circumstances. “Yeah, sure, I’m totally fine,” she said, even though she noticed an unusual weakness in her limbs when she pushed off the floor. But she hid it from the men since they were worried enough.
“There is sustenance in the bottom of the fridge,” Regent said. “I had it restocked yesterday.”
Bless him! He probably knew she’d stretched the truth about her strength. She could have kissed him for being prepared enough to have a fresh supply of blood in the house. Kissing him—now that would shock him to death.
It probably didn’t escape any of them that she’d barely made it to the fridge, all the while trying not to give away her weakness. While she drank, they turned away. They knew full well she didn’t like anyone to witness her vile need for blood—and she needed more than usual this time. She drank like a ravenous beast who hadn’t fed in days.
Finally satiated and feeling back to normal fairly quickly, she joined the men in the living room.
“Dear?” Regent said.
She nodded. “Much better, thanks,” she said. She didn’t have to say more. They discussed the demon attack and what Jess had learned. Regent would report it to the committee as soon as he could, without giving away all of the details.
Finally, when they resorted to small talk, Jess decided it was time to go. She couldn’t abide mundane chatter any longer.
Regent jumped to his feet and followed her and Britt to the door. Fine wrinkles etched into his forehead reminded her of how different his physiology was now that he was a middle-aged man again.
“Don’t worry, Regent. I’m fine—if you can call being a vampire fine. I’ll be sure to avoid those beastly shadows from now on if I can help it.”
“I’m so glad to hear you say that,” he said. “I wanted to ask you to stay away from them, but I wasn’t sure you’d be happy to hear me cosseting you.”
“If you didn’t look out for me once in a while, I’d think you’d lost your edge, brother.” She patted his shoulder and let him squeeze her hand.
Britt had been fairly quiet since she’d exited the closet. He’d nearly lost her, and she knew he’d blame himself for letting her go after the shadow alone, even though she’d insisted.
Halfway down the block, Britt slowed his pace and pulled her into his arms. Since it wasn’t unusual to see a couple necking on the sidewalks in the city of love, she returned his hot, sultry kisses with all of the emotion she could manage. She was still more fatigued than she let on.
His large, capable hands circled her waist and pulled her against him while he nuzzled along her neck and then moved back to her lips again. “I thought I’d lost you,” he murmured into her ear.
She ran her hands slowly up his chest, then to the nape of his neck where she threaded her fingers into his hair. She gave a little tug, urging him toward her until his mouth crushed against hers and they kissed until she almost felt breathless. It took talent to make a vampire feel that way.
More than that, he’d been able to bring her to heights of emotion that vampires were incapable of experiencing, right down to her heart beating in her chest. He’d always been able to make her physically feel, if only for a few seconds before the pall of death wiped away the thrill of life again.
“I love you,” he said.
She bit her lip. “And I love you.” It seemed right that it happened on the street near a brick wall. They’d had their first kiss pressed against a wall very similar to this one. Was that why Britt had chosen this spot?
Jess leaned back against the brick and caressed the side of his face. “I never thought I’d ever say this to you, Britt, not because it isn’t true, but because I didn’t want to bind you to me—to an evil vampire. The thing is, I’ve come to realize, vampire or not, I can’t live without you. Maybe I’m just being selfish to expect you to want to be with me forever.”
He groaned. “You’re anything but selfish,” he said with that sexy smile that melted her bones just a little. “I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d ever utter those words. You’re always so concerned about our backgrounds.”
“Backgrounds?” She actually laughed at that. “Is that what we’re calling the fact that you’re an angel and I’m a devil, now?”
“You are far from a devil,” he said. “Well, maybe a little devilish in bed.” He winked at her and let his hands slip down her sides, his thumbs caressing the sides of her breasts on the way. It was the best he could manage in public, she guessed.
“Shall we go home? If you feel up to it, that is.”
She looked around. Tourists were wandering the streets alongside the riverbanks holding hands and kissing, too absorbed in each other to worry about onlookers.
“Race you,” she said, and took off at a pace much faster than a normal human could muster. She had to prove to him she was fine.
When she reached the apartment and looked back, he wasn’t even in her sights. Had she moved that fast? Feeling almost light-hearted at her regained strength, she mounted the steps to the third floor and opened the door. Britt was already there.
She hadn’t even seen him pass her.
Eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar from shock, she shut the door behind her and locked it. “How’d you manage to get here before me? And without me seeing you?” Damn it, she shouldn’t have asked. She knew the answer. She’d been weakened by the attack. How long would it take her to heal fully? But maybe his angelic self was growing in strength and speed, too. Racing him might be more of a challenge in future.
He pulled off his sneakers, tossed them in the closet, and shrugged out of his jacket and shirt right there in the foyer, exposing a muscled chest that any woman would drool over. His gaze devoured her whole while he bent his index finger and motioned for her to follow him. She instantly forgot about their race. Instead, she held her breath while he tugged her willingly down the hall to his bedroom.
After her near-death experience, nothing would feel better than making love with him tonight. After all the unknowns on the streets of Paris—the demons, the serial killer—nothing else mattered at this moment but the two of them.
“Is my room okay?” he whispered, taking a nip on her earlobe.
“It’s perfect,” she said, not the least bit worried that he could hear the breathlessness in her supposed tough vampire voice.
On their way down the hall, he stopped twice to kiss her—to ravage her, really.
By the time they entered his bedroom, she was desperate. She couldn’t get enough of him—not tonight, not ever.
His gaze alone set her on fire, and his kisses spread those flames through her. He pressed her onto the bed, then turned her slightly in order to unzip her red leather dress that left little to the imagination, anyway.
“Did I tell you how sexy you look in this dress?”
Her breasts spilled out and he molded one into his hand. She pressed herself against his bare chest because she
needed to feel his warm skin against hers.
“But much sexier without it,” he added, his gaze practically raw.
She wanted him to take her slowly so they could enjoy every inch of each other. In their job, one never knew which night would be their last.
While he kissed her, she focused on that pleasure. They were taking the rest of the evening off and there was no need to rush through this.
Britt’s deliberate attention to her body was torturous bliss. Even though she wanted him now, she didn’t want to miss every erotic moment as he expertly brought her flesh to life, over and over again.
Every rush of his pulse forced vampiric desire to flood to her core. Even though her teeth lengthened, she managed to keep that lustful need under control—for now.
Oblivious to her growing teeth, he caressed every inch of her body, while she murmured little sounds of pleasure. He muttered endearments in her ear and let his tongue and lips travel over her, kissing her in places he’d never kissed before. She arched her back and lost herself in the monumental pleasures he elicited.
She smiled at him. “I swear you make my flesh come alive,” she said, pressing her lips against his chest. “I feel every sensation when you make love to me, every pulse-pounding erotic moment.” He was that good, and she let herself relax in order to experience everything he was willing to give her.
He kept up with her extreme abilities as a vampire, now, more than ever before. Friction built until she thought she might burst into flames. But his stamina didn’t wane and he made her want to scream out his name.
She held back, waiting for him to reach the same heights with her. Suddenly, he shuddered against her and she followed, collapsing onto him with a sigh of delirious pleasure. Was she crazy, or had that been the best sex she’d ever experienced? Ever!
Each time they made love, it got better and better. But . . . wow. For a few minutes, she felt human again. Human and loved. “That was wonderful. So wonderful,” she said breathlessly.
“You can say that again.” His skin was slick with sweat while her flesh remained cold and dry, reminding her that her physiology rarely changed on the outside. But inside, her heart actually pulsed with love. Sadly, the effect wouldn’t last long.
His arms wrapped around her nakedness and held her tight. “Can you wear that dress again tomorrow?”
“No.” She gently shoved him away in mock irritation.
Even now, as they basked in afterglow, her thoughts couldn’t stop from going back to last night’s incident . . . and her supposed twin’s actions.
She had to find Morana and demand why she’d turned tail and ran.
“Shower?” Britt asked, glancing at his watch on the bedside table. “You don’t have much time before the sun comes up.”
“Really?” They’d been making love for hours. Talk about a night to remember. “Yes, let’s go.”
She slid her soap-covered, slick body against his in the shower. He was more than ready for another romp, but time was too short. She stepped back and allowed him to finish his shower while she quickly did the same.
After drying off, she slipped into a new silky black nightgown and held his hand as they strolled toward her room. “I can’t stand this place,” she said.
“I know. What can we do to fix it?” he asked, sounding instantly concerned.
“I’m going to search for a bigger rooftop apartment. If we’re going to be in Paris for months, I have to have something more comfortable than this. I thought I could handle it, but it’s getting to me.”
“Why do you think they gave Regent three months to come up with a way to defeat the shadows?” Britt asked suddenly. “It’s not very long, when you consider we’re talking about demons taking over the country.”
Jess bit her lip. “Maybe they didn’t expect the shadows to be as dangerous as they are. Now that we know what we’re dealing with, there’s no saying how long he might be here.”
Britt let out a long breath. “I still think the three month thing is unusual. There’s something else going on. But, as usual, I imagine we’ll find out the hard way.”
She laughed out loud. “I just love it when you sound as cynical as me. And as realistic.”
“Can I help find another apartment?” He stopped beside her bed while she climbed onto it and positioned herself.
“Sure. It would be great if we could find something similar to the one we have in New York.”
“I’ll do my best.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
That reminded her that he wasn’t sleeping much these days. “You will rest, though, right? You need sleep at some point.”
“I’ll sleep,” he said. “But I only need a few hours—three or four—and I’m good to go.”
“I wonder why you don’t need as much sleep now.”
He shrugged. “Wish I knew. There are so many things about me now that are still unknown. I have no control and virtually no understanding. Considering I’ve met two others like me, you’d think I could have managed to get them to share more information.”
“I guess they had their reasons. Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it eventually. In the meantime, it’s fun experiencing new things with you. Who doesn’t like a surprise?”
“Are we talking about in the bedroom now?”
“If only. Sorry,” she said, and kissed him thoroughly, then let him pull the sheet up to her arms. She was already stiffening and her lips would no longer move when he left her room, locking her safely inside.
Chapter Fourteen
THE NEXT EVENING as she showered, her thoughts turned again to her shadow attacker and Morana’s desertion. Even if she looked beyond the fact that Morana might be her sister and should have helped her, Jess found it odd that a vampire would run away without first trying to fight. Morana was different than other vampires, and Jess wanted to know what had made Morana that way. Was it a genetic thing in their family? When they were turned, did their vampirism take an unusual route?
Jess had plans for tonight, but she wasn’t going alone. Britt would be with her. Tough vampire or not, she knew enough to have backup against the shadows from now on.
“Evening, gorgeous,” he said the minute she stepped into the kitchen. They were obviously on the same wavelength—he was sitting at the dining room table dressed in his fighting leathers.
She eyed him up and down. “Great minds think alike.”
“After you’ve had your sustenance, let’s get to work. We can’t just sit back and let the shadow creatures take over. Do you think Veronique and her team will object if we do some research of our own?”
Jess paused. She hadn’t even thought about that. “If Veronique doesn’t want our help, she shouldn’t be the captain of her unit.”
Britt opened a drawer in the kitchen, pulled out his silver stake and shoved it into his shoulder holster, then loaded three bottles of holy water onto his belt. Jess cringed, but since the holy water had worked on the shadows, she added a couple of bottles of her own.
“You keep your stakes in the kitchen drawer now?”
He shrugged and winked at her. “Since we don’t have many dishes, I thought I might as well.”
She winced at the thought. She was sure he didn’t mean to make her feel bad, but it reinforced the fact that their relationship was anything but normal. They couldn’t go out to dinner together, or go to a concert. And there wouldn’t be any popcorn while watching a movie. Well, no popcorn for her, anyway—he loved the stuff.
“What are you thinking about?” Britt asked, pulling her hand up to his mouth and kissing it. “You look so serious.”
“You know me. Vampires don’t smile without a very good reason. It’s my version of normal,” she said, reluctantly extricating her hand from his and going to the front door.
It was hard not to s
tare at him while he pulled on his sneakers. The reality of what she was truly was blossomed in her gut whenever he looked at her and his features softened. How could he love her? He deserved better.
Okay, she was in a mood today. But sometimes, it was hard to face the fact that she’d never be able to give him what he needed, things any other normal human being would give the man she loved. Not a truly happy smile, or a bubbly conversation. . . . And she certainly wouldn’t be able to give him a child. He should have children. Little versions of Britt would be so wonderful to have around.
Maybe being attacked by the shadows had affected her unholy side more than she’d realized. She needed the hunt to expel the anger and frustration of being undead. She had too much darkness in her to pretend to want to live like a human, even on vacation. She needed to get her anger out in a way that didn’t compromise her. If she stayed in Paris, she’d have to find a way to work out her angst.
While hiking down the sidewalk with Britt, she said, “Even though there’s a lot for us to deal with here, I suddenly feel like being a tourist tonight.” She was testing him to see if he was feeling as pent-up as she was.
He nodded absently, already full cop mode. “Huh?”
She repeated what she’d said.
“Right. We are tourists,” he said. “Tourists who are going to kick ass tonight.”
Question answered, Jess inhaled and bit back a grin. “I think we should check out the scenery in that direction,” she said, lifting her head and sniffing the air. Evil left a trail of pollution that was often easy for her to follow. It was an unusual talent, even for a vampire. Her ex-vampire partner, James, had always admired that ability.
They strode purposefully down a few back alleys and managed to scare off a cat or two, not to mention a street person or two, but nothing worthwhile. The deeper they got into old Paris, into the parts of the city that France would probably like to forget, excitement grew inside her. This was the place they’d likely find a battle worth fighting.
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