I abandoned the front door and joined Ty at the en trance to the pitch-black tunnel. My gaze sliced into the darkness and I saw said rat scurry toward a cluster of his buddies.
“Go.”
I hooked the strap of my cosmetics bag over my head, my clutch purse under my arm, and dropped into the darkness. The smell swallowed me up. Ty followed and we fled through a narrow tunnel that soon opened up into a larger area surrounded by several cold, lifeless fire pits.
“This is where they smoked some of the meat.”
“Ya think?” My nose was burning now and I grimaced.
A few seconds later, we cracked open the hatch that led into a nearby building—now the production headquarters for a fledgling sportswear designer. The place wasn’t very impressive (hey, the guy was just starting out) with its unfinished ceilings and concrete floors, but what it lacked in style, it made up in size. We’re talking big, with dozens of cutting tables and sewing machines. Air conditioning ducts crisscrossed above us. Fluorescent lights dangled from fifty-foot chains. Another huge plus—it didn’t smell like cedar or smoke.
We wound our way through a maze of headless mannequins and I paused to eye a silk tank dusted with rhinestones. “This guy’s pretty good.” I glanced toward a nearby rack. “I wonder if he has this in my size.”
“Come on!” He tugged me forward, only to bring us to a staggering halt.
I didn’t have to ask why. My ears picked up everything from the rustle of rats digging through the garbage out back, to the footfalls that rounded the rear of the building and the frantic, “Signal when you’re in position.” The walls seemed to tremble. The chains that held the light fixtures swayed ever so slightly.
“Surrounded.” Ty’s voice echoed in my head as he gripped my hand and tugged me toward the one spot that wasn’t about to be crawling with cops—the ceiling.
My feet left the ground and suddenly I was weightless. Just as my back met the ceiling, I heard a frantic “Now!”
Both the front and back doors crashed open. I caught my bottom lip and stared down as cops rushed into the building, guns in one hand, flashlights in the other. Several crawled up through the open hatch we’d just come through. Lights sliced through the darkness as dozens of men combed through the warehouse, searching…
“It’s okay.” The deep, husky voice slid into my head and Ty’s fingers tightened around mine. I shifted my attention to the vamp who levitated next to me and remembered his words.
“I’m helping you because…”
Because…He’d fallen madly, passionately in love with me and couldn’t stand the thought of me rotting in jail?
Suddenly I was even more desperate not to know.
Loopy, huh? I’d been hounding the guy, eager to know the truth. Yet here I was ready to avoid the subject entirely.
Because…I already knew the truth. The answer had been there when he’d had me pinned to the wall back at his place. When he’d stared down at me, into me. When he’d kissed me. When he’d nibbled at me.
Yep, the nibbling had been a truly defining moment.
Hearing the words would only complicate matters.
“What’s wrong with you? You just went white.”
“Dizzy,” I mentally blurted. It wasn’t like I could tell him I was freaked out because I liked him and I knew he liked me and that hearing it would make me like him that much more. A shitty realization since we were completely doomed, relationship-wise.
I hiked my cosmetics bag onto the back of my shoulder and glanced down at the chaos below us. “We’re pretty high up.”
“Since when have you been afraid of heights?”
“Since I don’t usually hover on the ceiling during a raid. All the movement…” I made a big show of swallowing. “It’s really unsettling.”
Before my heart could give its next beat, Ty slid in front of me and killed the scene unfolding below. I found myself staring at the back of his head. He floated up flush against me, pinning my body between his back and the ceiling.
His butt nestled into the cradle of my thighs and his shoulder blades pressed into my breasts.
“Just relax. They’ll make their sweep and then it’ll be over.”
Relax? Was he nuts? He was much too close and his body was much too hard and my body was much too needy. We’re talking a recipe for extreme stress. No way was I going to chill in this situation.
Unless, of course, it went on for forty-five minutes.
I know, right?
Even a sexually super-charged vamp like myself had her limits. I gave up the notion of ripping Ty’s clothes off and having my way with him and let my guard down enough to relax against him. There. As stimulating as it was being close to him, it was also sort of nice. Comfy even.
I rested my cheek against his back and listened to the steady sound of his heart. It was slow, just like every other vampire I knew.
But he wasn’t like other vamps. He was made. Different.
I gave myself the mental nudge to keep from getting so cozy stretched out atop him, but damned if it didn’t lull me even more until I closed my eyes and started to think. To wonder.
“What’s it like?” I projected the mental thought before I could stop myself.
“What’s what like?”
“The sun. I’ve watched it set many times in my mirror, and I’ve even crept close to the window a time or two. But I’ve never really felt it.”
“Honest.” His deep voice echoed in my head after a long, silent moment. “It feels honest.”
Okay, so maybe made vampires didn’t have access to the same quality education we born vamps obviously took for granted. Otherwise, Ty would have had a much more abundant store of adjectives. Like fiery. Blistering. Exhausting. Blinding—
“That’s the thing,” his own thoughts cut into mine. “It’s just the opposite. There’s no darkness to cover up the flaws. No shadows to hide the monsters. Just this bright, warm light that keeps everything real. What you see is what you get. Honest.”
I so wasn’t getting this. “You’re a veritable artist with words.”
A silent chuckle vibrated his hard body. “Just close your eyes and try to feel it.”
“I need more description.”
“You haven’t even given it a shot.”
“Are the cops finished yet?”
“Almost. Stop trying to change the subject.”
“It’s a boring subject.”
“You’re the one who brought it up.”
“And now I’m trying to drop it.”
Another chuckle vibrated his strong physique. “Too late. Come on. Give it a shot.”
“Here goes nothing.” I closed my eyes and conjured my second most favorite beach fantasy—the one with me chilling à la carte on a chaise loungue, drink in hand. “I don’t feel anything.” Except the condensation on my glass. And the fabric of the chaise loungue at my back.
But I’d felt those things before and so they were easy to imagine.
“First you have to look.”
“I want to feel the sun. Not see it.”
“You will. Now look around you.”
I shifted my attention from the yellow ball of fire glowing above and stared at a nearby palm tree. The rich green leaves trembled with the slightest breeze. I noticed the criss-cross pattern on the foliage. A fly buzzed nearby, the tiny wings beating at the speed of light. The water lapped at the shore. I noted the fine grains of sand that floated back out as the water slithered toward the sea. It was both fascinating and oddly soothing. Peaceful, even.
“Honest,” came the rumble of Ty’s deep voice.
A smile curved my lips.
We took off via bat as soon as the cops fled the designer warehouse. The three-quarter-inch moon lit up the night sky as I followed Ty north. At least, I’d thought that was the direction we were heading. But from the looks of things now, I’d obviously been mistaken.
We’d headed south. Straight to hell.
The Animal Planet
version, that is.
I stared around at the inside of the large cabin. Lifeless eyes stared back at me from the faces of the numerous deer, elk, and boar mounted on the walls. A massive bear stood in the far corner on his hind legs, lips drawn back, teeth bared and claws poised.
While I’m as primitive and animalistic as the next vamp (sort of), I’ve never really understood the sport of hunting. Hunting for survival? Yes. But purely for tasteless décor? Do not get it.
The dead animal motif extended beyond the walls to every nook and cranny of the spacious cabin. A stuffed raccoon clock ticked away from atop an unfinished pine end table. A bear skin rug covered the worn hardwood floor. The sofa and chair had been upholstered in camouflage print. A matching print comforter draped the four-poster bed that sat off to the side. The loft area held a small twin bed with a mini-size version of the same comforter. Camo print cushions covered two kitchen chairs. A small stuffed squirrel sat center stage on the pine table and gnawed a fake nut. A stuffed fox graced the mantel above a floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace. A chandelier made entirely of antlers gleamed overhead.
“I think I’ve seen this place.”
Ty slid the chain lock into place on the cabin door and drew the curtains on the window beside it. “You’ve been upstate before?”
I shook my head as I set my cosmetics bag on the unfinished pine coffee table—smack-dab between an antler candle holder and a rawhide leather-bound photo album. “The Travel Channel’s Ten Places Not to Stay When Vacationing in the Free World.” My gaze swept the interior a second time. “Wasn’t this number one?”
He pulled the curtains—what else, camouflage—on each window before retrieving the one and only bag he’d snagged before we’d fled his apartment. “This is the nicest cabin in the area,” he said as he walked toward the sofa. “It belongs to this guy I know.”
“See there.” I settled in a chair. Comfy even if it did sort of give me the creeps. “You do have friends.” Ty avoided the F pool, while I constantly fished for potential clients.
“We’re not friends.” He retrieved his laptop and wedged it onto the coffee table. “We’ve worked a few cases together. He’s with NYPD.”
“He’s letting you borrow his private space. That smacks of friendship to me.” I reached forward and retrieved my cosmetics bag to give him more room. “This guy. He wouldn’t happen to be a made vampire, would he? Because if he is, I really think you should let me introduce him to my client, Esther. The one I mentioned to you?”
“This wouldn’t be the one you tried to set me up with a while back?”
“That’s her, although she really isn’t your type. Sure, she’s made, but the common traits end there. Even though she wouldn’t make a good match for you,” because she’s not me, “she is really sweet.” He shot me a glance as he opened his computer and a fierce light gleamed in his eyes. My mouth went dry. “Not literally, of course. I mean, she might be, but I wouldn’t know because I’ve never actually tasted her.” I averted my gaze and busied myself digging in my cosmetics bag for my lip gloss. “I was speaking figuratively.” I punctuated the sentence with a few dabs of Shimmering Heaven and rubbed my lips together.
Ty’s gaze hooked on my mouth and he watched as I dabbed again and rubbed, as if mesmerized.
My tummy tingled and I fought to clear my suddenly dry throat. “So, um, how about it?” I capped the gloss and slid it into my bag.
He tore his gaze away and shook his head. “He’s not a made vampire.”
“Born vampire? Because I have quite a few clients—”
“Nope.”
“Were-Chihuahua?”
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth “You don’t give up, do you?”
“I’m a professional. No job is too small or too large.” Except maybe Rachel the were-Chihuahua. I ignored the depressing thought and gave Ty a hopeful glance. “He wouldn’t be an alpha human only interested in mindless, gratifying sex? Because I’ve got several female werewolves who would be extremely happy to make his acquaintance.”
The grin turned into a full-blown smile and my heart skipped its next beat. “I seriously doubt you have a client who could match up with this guy. He’s in a league all by himself.”
You couldn’t fault a girl for trying.
I pushed to my feet and went around to sit on the sofa next to Ty. Not because he’d smiled at me or because I felt all warm and tingly inside. It was strictly a matter of survival.
Okay. So maybe the tingling was a factor. But it was survival, too. My livelihood had been compromised tonight. On top of that, Ty’s livelihood had been compromised, as well, because now there was no doubt about a connection between us. Someone was framing me for murder and whoever it was knew that Ty was helping me. Which meant they would more than likely be out to get him as well.
“I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”
“Maybe next time you’ll listen to me and stay put.”
I’d expected a “Don’t worry your pretty little head. I thrive on danger.”
Or a “Helping a beautiful vampire is all in a day’s work.”
Or even an “Are you kidding? You’re my ultimate fantasy. I can’t let you face off with your enemies all by yourself.”
What can I say? I’ve got an active imagination.
“If you had listened,” he went on, “we wouldn’t be here right now.”
And that was so bad?
The question echoed through my head and I re minded myself about the dead animal motif. Unfortunately, the intoxicating scent of fresh air and freedom and hunky male teased my nostrils and distracted me from everything except the vamp sitting nearby.
“So what are you doing?”
“I’m about to go over our suspect list for the hundredth time.”
“That’s good.” I nodded and ignored the insane urge to press myself against Ty and beg for another kiss. Crazy, I know. I had things to worry about. I didn’t have time to spend the adrenaline pumping through my body and ease my anxiety with hot, wild, life-affirming sex.
Really, I didn’t.
I licked my suddenly dry lips. “We definitely should figure out who could have tipped off the cops.”
“I think we already know who tipped off the cops.”
“Maybelline Magenta?”
He shook his head. “Chief Fairfield.”
“I don’t know anyone named Fair—wait a sec. You think Remy blew the whistle on us?”
“You don’t?”
“Well, no. I mean, he wouldn’t…” My words faded as I remembered the he likes me exchange we’d had back at Ty’s apartment, followed by the kiss and the nibbling. “Never mind.”
Not that I thought Remy had done it.
I just wasn’t one hundred percent positive that he hadn’t.
What I was positive about was that he’d taken an oath to serve and protect (my folks had been at the ceremony when he’d been sworn in), which certainly included blowing the whistle on suspected felons who ran the streets of his small, exclusive, upscale Connecticut community.
Even if said suspected felon was only running the streets out of obligation to said suspected felon’s overbearing, conservative, crazy family.
He punched buttons for a few moments, sent an e-mail to his “guy in a league all by himself” friend and then snapped the lid closed. “I’ve got to go out and get supplies.”
“But it’ll be daybreak soon.”
“That’s why I have to go now. It’s been a long night. You should relax and turn in. I’ll be back in a little while.” He pinned me with a stare. “I mean it. Stay inside. We’ve got a safe place now, but we won’t if you start flying around and socializing again.”
“Who needs to fly?” I held up the cell phone he’d given me. “I can still use this, can’t I?”
He nodded. Then he moved so swiftly that I saw just a black blur. The door closed and I was all by my lonesome once again.
Alone. Not lonely, I reminded myself. Big difference
. I was (a) used to living alone and being independent and (b) not the least bit dependent on Ty’s presence to make me feel complete.
Sure, I’d just had a close brush with the cops and whoever was out to get me had dragged my fantasy man into it. My nerves were on edge, but I could deal. It wasn’t like I was really and truly scared.
Get real. I was a vampire, for Damien’s sake. The baddest of the bad. The fiendiest of the fiends. The most wicked of the…well, you get the idea.
I ignored the urge to check the lock on the door, picked up my cosmetics bag, and headed for the bathroom. After I washed up—while humming “Dontcha” by the Pussycat Dolls to kill the oppressive silence—I climbed up into the loft and slid beneath the camouflage comforter.
Considering my mood, it wasn’t nearly as creepy as I’d anticipated. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a pillow-top mattress. I closed my eyes and focused on the exhaustion that tugged at my muscles.
Exhaustion was good.
It meant sleep rather than tossing and turning and feeling like a beta in a fishbowl thanks to the stuffed bobcat who sat in the loft corner and eyed me.
Then again, I did have an entire thirty-three minutes until sunrise. I’d never been much for turning in early. I sat up in bed and reached for the cell phone that sat on the nightstand.
I had a total of five messages waiting in my voice mail. Not a huge number, but enough to pass the time until Ty returned and distracted me from the bobcat.
“It didn’t work,” my mother announced as the first message played. “Your father and I spent two hours with him after you left with that woman. Two useless hours. Jack is completely bewitched.”
“That’s whipped,” my father added in the background.
“Whatever, dear. The point is he’s not listening to reason.” Aka my mother. “He’s going through with this madness and actually pursuing a relationship with a human. I swear I’m this close to throwing myself on the nearest butter knife.”
The Wedding March played in my head. Wait until she heard the real scoop.
“He insisted that we show up tomorrow,” my mother went on, “and while my first instinct is to decline, I can’t not show up when my son is being so obviously manipulated. What kind of mother would I be?”
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