by Laura Kaye
“Hardly,” he drawled.
Ella’s face hardened. Her eyes narrowed on Christian, then flicked to Tara and something dark shifted across her expression.
“We want you to look at something,” Piers said.
“What?” She sounded sulky now.
“Tara?” Piers gestured to her to come forward, and Tara took a reluctant step away from Christian. Ella ran her eyes over her.
“A human? What’s she doing here?”
“She belongs to Christian.”
Tara didn’t like the word, but at that moment, belonging to Christian sounded like a very good idea, so she didn’t argue.
“She’s not marked.”
“No, she’s not. Now can we get on with this?”
Ella shrugged. “What do you want?”
“Show her the talisman, Tara.” Christian spoke softly beside her.
Tara pulled the locket from beneath her shirt and held it out. As Ella moved closer, Tara had to fight the urge to step back. She did not want the other woman to touch her.
Ella reached out but her hand dropped back before she touched it. “Can you open it?” she asked.
Tara flicked open the catch. Ella stared at the contents, her eyes widening in surprise.
“What can you tell us?” Piers asked, sounding impatient.
“Not a lot. It’s powerful, but what it’s doing is shrouded, part of the magic. Where did it come from?”
“That’s what we want to find out. Can you tell us who made it?”
“No. For once there’s no signature, which is strange in itself. As though the maker didn’t want to be identified, but there aren’t many powerful enough to make this charm.”
“Could you do it?” Christian asked.
Ella shook her head.
“So how many could?”
She tilted her head. “Three or four, maybe.”
“Can you make us a list, find out where they are, who’s the most likely.”
“I suppose I could. Are you going to tell me what this is about?”
“You don’t need to know,” Christian replied.
Ella’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not my boss anymore, Christian.” She glanced at Piers, but he said nothing, and she shrugged again. “I’ll let you know.”
“Ella, I want this kept private.”
She looked ready to argue but turned and stalked from the room. The door slammed behind her, and Tara released the breath she’d been holding.
“Nice lady,” she said.
Piers chuckled. “No, she’s not. She’s neither nice or a lady.” He turned to Christian. “I think you may be right. It’s time for her to go.”
“She’s a dangerous woman to leave around,” Christian said.
“Oh, I don’t plan on leaving her anywhere,” Piers replied with a grim smile.
“Well, don’t do anything before she gets my information.”
Were they calmly discussing killing Ella? Maybe she hadn’t understood the conversation. Then she remembered the evil lurking behind the woman’s face, and shivered.
Christian’s arm curled around her shoulder. “Let’s get out of here.”
She nodded. She wanted to go home. She wanted her pajamas and a cup of hot cocoa and Smokey purring on her lap. She wanted to pretend everything was normal, but the normal world she wanted seemed farther from her than she could ever have believed possible.
Piers said, “Keep me informed. I want to know what happens.”
Christian nodded and led her from the room. She tried to keep her eyes focused ahead, but something made her glance to the side. Ella stared at the two of them. She smiled as she caught Tara’s gaze, but her eyes were filled with such malice that Tara’s steps faltered, and she stumbled against Christian.
Her eyes were on Ella, and Christian followed her gaze.
“Ignore her,” he murmured. “She can’t do anything to you.”
Tara wanted to believe him, but she felt the other woman’s eyes bore into her as the elevator door closed behind them.
Chapter Nine
Christian opened the passenger door for her. “I’ll take you back to your apartment.”
“That’s okay. You can drop me off at the train station.”
He shook his head. “I want you to pick up some things. You’ll be staying at my place tonight, and tomorrow we go to Yorkshire.”
Neither proposition sounded appealing right now. “I’ve had my fill of vampires for the night, thank you, and I’m not ready for the whole basement thing.”
“You can sleep in the penthouse.”
“You have a penthouse?” She tried not to sound impressed.
“Yeah,” he answered dryly. “It’s at the top of the building.”
However desirable she found Christian, she just wanted to go home. She wanted her pajamas, her cat, and that mug of cocoa. She craved the safety of the familiar. “I want to stay at home.”
“It’s not an option. I told Piers you wouldn’t be a problem, which means I have to make sure you’re not.”
Her mouth tightened. “I’m not going to tell anybody. Your secret is safe and all that crap.”
“Don’t make this difficult.”
“Or else what? Are you going to order me? Hey, didn’t you forget something? It doesn’t work. You can’t actually tell me what to do. Well you can, but luckily for me, I don’t have to do it.”
“You think mind compulsion is the only way to control you?” He took a step toward her. Refusing to back down took an awful lot of effort, and Tara could feel her legs trembling with the struggle to hold them in place.
“I’m sure that there’re all sorts of vampire scary stuff you could do, but you did promise you wouldn’t hurt me.”
He sighed. “I won’t hurt you, and I won’t let anyone else hurt you, but you are coming back with me tonight.”
In the dim light of the underground car park, he appeared huge and solid, his expression implacable. If he wanted to, she was sure he could pick her up and put her in the car.
“Okay,” she said, “but I will want cocoa.”
“Graham makes excellent cocoa.”
Neither of them spoke as he drove out of the underground garage and onto the street. The roads were quiet. It was almost midnight, and she needed to ask Chloe to feed Smokey and give him a cuddle each evening. Hopefully, she’d still be up.
Christian seemed to know the way to her apartment, and half an hour later, they pulled up in front of the building.
“Do you want to wait out here?” she asked and tried not to sound too hopeful.
“No.”
Tara rolled her eyes. “You know I’m not going to escape out the back window and run away.” Ignoring the comment, he got out of the car, walked around, and opened her door. She sighed and climbed out. “Just get one thing straight. I do not belong to you, okay?”
“I agree, you do not belong to me,” he replied. She started to walk away and almost didn’t hear the softly spoken, “yet.”
A ripple of some unknown emotion ran through her. Anticipation or trepidation, she really wasn’t sure, so she decided to ignore it. She was getting good at that.
She let them both in through the front door. A light was on in Chloe’s flat, and Tara decided to go there first. Christian stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“Where are we going?” he asked. “Your flat’s on the second floor.”
“Do you know everything?” she snapped. “We’re going to see my friend Chloe. I’m hoping she can look after Smokey for me while I’m away, because otherwise I’m not going anywhere.”
“Graham can come in and feed your cat,” Christian said.
She raised a hand to ring the bell, but paused. “Does Graham do everything you tell him?” She was curious as to the answer. Of all she’d learned tonight, the compulsion thing worried her the most. She had no intention of letting Christian have that sort of power over her.
“Yes,” he replied.
At least he wa
sn’t hiding it. Sighing, she pressed her finger to the bell. Nothing happened, and she leaned closer. Inside, she could hear music and someone moving about. A minute later, the door opened a crack, and Chloe peered through the gap.
”Hey, what’s going on?” She unlatched the chain on the door and opened it wider, only then noticing the man standing behind Tara. Her eyes widened, and she grabbed Tara’s jacket and pulled her inside, slamming the door behind them. Releasing her hold, she stared at the door as though expecting it to crash open.
“Tell me that is not Christian Roth,” she whispered.
“Well I could,” Tara said. “But unfortunately, I’d be lying.”
Chloe’s eyes narrowed. “Okay, then tell me you haven’t brought Christian Roth to my doorstep while I’m wearing plaid pajamas.”
Despite everything, Tara grinned. The usual Goth gear had disappeared, and Chloe wore a pair of red and black plaid flannel pajamas, and big, pink fluffy slippers. “Sorry,” Tara said. “I’d be lying again.”
“Oh my God, what am I supposed to do?”
“I just came to ask a favor.”
Chloe shook her head. “Right, I’m with you. My brain may have left for a moment, but it’s back now, honest. What do you need?”
Tara opened her mouth to speak but Chloe scurried around Tara and peered through the spy hole. “Yup, just checking, he’s still there. And Tara…” She put her eye to the hole. “…he’s huge.” She straightened. “Sorry, but honestly, it’s not often you have a hunky billionaire standing outside your door.” She glanced down at herself. “And I am just so not dressed for this.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Tara said. “Look, I have to go away for a few days—”
“You’re going away with him?” Chloe nodded in the direction of the door.
“Yes. I hired him again and we’re going up to Yorkshire, to my old house, to see if we can find something out up there. I wondered if you would care for Smokey while I’m away.”
“No problem, but are you sure you’re all right with this? You’ve only just met this guy, and now you’re going away with him. All alone.” She scrutinized Tara. “Are you okay, you look a little strained?”
“It’s just been a long night, but I’m fine, and Christian’s been a real gentleman. He just wants to help me find out about my past.”
“Hmm, I look at him and I’ve got to be honest, the word gentleman is not the one that springs to mind.”
Tara wanted to ask what word did spring to mind, but maybe she was better off not knowing. “Perhaps not, but appearances can be deceiving.”
“Does Jamie know about this?”
“No, we just decided tonight. But it doesn’t have anything to do with Jamie.”
“No, I suppose not. You know we’ve sort of been seeing each other. Jamie and me, I mean.”
“Really? That’s fantastic. I—”
A tap on the door interrupted her. Obviously Christian. Tara considered ignoring him, but the tap came again. Harder this time. “We’re coming,” she shouted. “Have a little bloody patience.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow. “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you swear.”
“Probably the company I’m keeping,” Tara said darkly.
“I thought he was a gentleman?”
“He is. Now, are you going to come up so I can show you where everything is?”
“Hell, yes.” Chloe said. “I want to meet Christian Roth.” She gave her outfit one more disgusted glance and shrugged. “Let’s go.”
Tara opened the door. Christian was hovering just outside. “Back off,” she said.
He took a step back but smiled.
“Christian, this is Chloe, a friend. Chloe this is—”
“Christian Roth.” Chloe held out a hand. “I’ve read all about you, Mr. Roth.”
“I doubt that,” Tara said.
Christian took Chloe’s hand. “Please call me Christian. Any friend of Tara’s is a friend of mine.”
Tara rolled her eyes. How corny could you get? But Chloe seemed to lap it up. Leaving them holding hands, she headed up the stairs, let herself into the apartment, and called Smokey. He appeared out of the living room, purring and weaving between her legs. As she reached down to stroke him, he hissed and streaked away, disappearing back from where he’d come from. She turned to see Christian and Chloe standing in the open doorway.
“Are you going to invite us in?” he asked.
“Come in.”
He stepped over the threshold.
“Just a minute.” Tara peered around the sitting room door as Smokey’s tail disappeared behind the sofa. She frowned. Smokey was normally a very friendly cat, at least with people. Could he sense Christian’s true nature? That made her wonder if vampires could drink animal blood. Ugh! She made a mental note to ask him.
When she turned back, he was watching her.
“You wait here,” she said. “I’ll show Chloe where the cat food and so on is. Then pack a bag. I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”
“No problem.”
She dragged Chloe into the kitchen and shut the door behind them.
“I distinctly remember you telling me he wasn’t gorgeous,” Chloe whispered. “Are you mad?”
“Probably.” She didn’t want to talk about Christian. “Right, he has two meals a day—”
“Who? Christian?”
“No Smokey, of course. It’s all in here.” She opened the freezer door. “He has chicken in the morning and beef in the evening. I cook it for him, and they’re all labeled. If you get the next meal out when you feed him, it should defrost, but don’t leave it anywhere he can get it. In the oven is best.”
“You’re not going to talk about the two of you, are you?”
“There is no two of us. Now, he can let himself in and out from the roof terrace, there’s a cat flap, but sometimes he gets stuck out the front and you have to let him in.” She glanced up to find Chloe frowning at her. “Are you paying attention?”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Good. That’s all really, but if you have the time, I’m sure he’d appreciate a cuddle in the evenings.”
“And who will you be cuddling in the evenings?”
“No one, I told you, it’s just business.”
“He doesn’t look at you as if it’s just business.”
“How does he look at me?”
Chloe smiled. “Like he wants to eat you up.”
Was it just an unfortunate choice of words? She hoped so. “I’m really grateful, you know, and I’m sorry I bothered you so late.”
“I would have been seriously pissed if you hadn’t. I wouldn’t have missed meeting him for anything. Come on, I’ll help you pack your bag.”
Tara led her out of the kitchen. Christian was where they had left him by the door, but he lounged against the wall relaxed, arms folded across his broad chest. His eyes followed them as they crossed the hallway to Tara’s room but he didn’t speak.
“Don’t you just love the strong silent type?” Chloe asked with a giggle.
Tara ignored the comment. She dragged a small bag out of the wardrobe and put in some underwear, jeans, and jumpers. She placed her own flannel pajamas on the top.
Chloe picked them up and shot them a look of disgust. “Haven’t you got anything more appropriate?”
Tara snatched them from her and put them back in the case. “I’m going to Yorkshire in the middle of December and most likely the heating will be off. So, believe me, these are appropriate.”
“But hardly romantic.”
“I told you it’s—”
“Just business, I know, but I bet it doesn’t stay that way.” She sighed. “It’s so ‘Cathy and Heathcliffe,’ just the two of you alone on the moors. I bet it will snow, and you’ll be stuck there for months, having to share body heat.”
“We will not be sharing anything, especially not body heat.”
Chloe ignored her. “Don’t worry about me and Smokey—we’ll
look after each other. You stay as long as you like.” She hunted through Tara’s wardrobe as she spoke. After pulling a black silk shirt off the hanger, she folded it carefully before placing it in the bag. “Don’t you have any dresses?” she asked, continuing her search.
Tara looked at her in amazement. “You hate dresses. I’ve never seen you in a dress.”
“Yes, but I’ve never been on a romantic break with Christian Roth.”
Tara opened her mouth. Closed it again. What was the point?
Chloe moved to burrowing in the drawers. “Ah,” she said, “here they are.” She held up the lacy black bra and matching panties they’d bought on a shopping trip, and added them to the bag. Tara shook her head but zipped up the case and put it on the floor.
“Thank you.” She reached out and hugged Chloe. “I always wanted a friend. I’m glad I found you.”
“Aw, that’s sweet,” Chloe said, and tightened her arms around her.
After a moment, Tara took a step back. “Right, that’s it then?”
“Toothbrush.” Chloe said.
“Toothbrush?”
“Believe me, you’re going to want to brush your teeth. Probably like every five minutes. I’m always like that when I get a new man.”
Tara shook her head again but went into the bathroom and filled a bag with toiletries and make-up. She added it to the case.
Christian straightened as they came out of the bedroom and took the case from her. Tara peered into the living room. It didn’t look like Smokey would to make an appearance. “Smokey is behind the sofa, and the keys are on the side, over there.”
“Don’t worry about a thing,” Chloe said. “And you” —she turned to Christian— “you look after her.”
Amusement flickered across his features, but he nodded.
Tara gave Chloe one last hug and followed Christian down to the car.
Part Two
Discovery and Denial
Chapter Ten
“What time is it?” Tara mumbled.
“Just gone one.” Graham carried a steaming cup of coffee that he put down on the table next to her.
She was on the scarlet sofa in Christian’s apartment. She’d come down from the penthouse just after sunset as instructed and found Christian already up and gone. According to Graham, he’d had a call from Piers soon after he’d awakened and disappeared shortly afterward.