He stepped toward me. “You look sad.”
“I’m not sad.” I glanced back toward the scene and the words spilled out before I could stop them. “It’s called horny.” Why oh why had I said that? “There are dozens of people having phenomenal sex and I’m not one of them.”
His warm chuckle slid over my skin and into my ears. My skin tingled and my nerves hummed.
“That’s no one’s fault but yours.” His voice was rich and deep and oh so stirring. “You could be right there with them.”
“With a human male?” I shook my head. “Not my thing. Not that I haven’t tried it, of course. Many times.” Okay, I was exaggerating a little, but I didn’t want Ty to think I wasn’t all that. “But after five hundred years, it gets old.”
“I’m not talking about the alpha males down there.”
My gaze collided with his. “Then what are you talking about?”
You. Me. Us.
The possibilities floated through my head, but he didn’t say anything. He simply stared at me, into me, for a long moment before he asked. “What is it you want, Lil?”
The question stirred a ton of responses, none of which I wanted to acknowledge much less say out loud. I grinned. “Another retainer fee like the one I just collected.”
“I’m not talking about professionally. I’m talking about your personal life. What is it you’re looking for?”
I shrugged. “What every born vampire looks for—an eternity mate.”
“Another born vampire then.”
I nodded. “That’s usually the way it works. Born vamp plus born vamp equals baby vamps.” Which equals a happy, noninterfering mother.
Okay, so we’re talking my mother. I’d settle for one out of two.
“And is that so important? Right here? Right now? Is that what you want more than anything else? At this moment?”
Ty. That’s what I wanted more than anything else. What I shouldn’t want for a dozen reasons I’d already gone over time and time again, none of which I could actually recall with him standing so close and the air ripe with the sounds of sex.
“We really should go.” Now. Before I stopped thinking about what I should do and simply did what I wanted to do.
I was close. Much too close.
He eyed me for a long moment before his mouth crooked into a grin. An expression that didn’t quite touch the dark, unreadable depths of his bluer-than-blue eyes. “The minivan awaits.”
I couldn’t do the minivan.
Not because it wasn’t macho enough or sporty enough or cool beyond words. The thought of sitting this close to Ty for a two-hour drive upstate was more than I could handle at the moment. Besides, Lloyd needed a ride in the morning.
We left the van, morphed into a couple of speedy bats, and made the trip in less than twenty minutes.
Back at the cabin, Ty went to check his e-mail and see if there was anything else on the female werewolf with the restraining order. He was waiting for a last known address and, with any luck, one of his sources had come up with the information. As for me, I glided into the bathroom, straight into an ice cold shower.
I needed to calm down. Then I could face the rest of the evening with him.
But first…I reached for a bottle of Tail and Mane shampoo. Had I sunk to the bottomless pit of hormonal apathy or what? The kicker was, I didn’t so much as shudder as I filled my hand with the white liquid and started lathering it through my hair. It wasn’t my favorite José Eber, but it smelled decent enough and it was all that had been available at Morty’s. Even more, it kept me busy and distracted for the next two hours.
After I lathered, I had to rinse. And then I had to condition. And then I had to blow dry. And style. And, well, a really good style didn’t just happen overnight.
By the time I emerged from the bathroom, it was four in the morning. Ty had closed up his computer, killed the lights, and climbed into bed. Moonlight filtered through a break in the curtains and spilled over the bed, illuminating his sleeping form.
Relief washed through me. I so didn’t need him looking at me right now, asking more questions, looking at me, taking up all my space, looking at me.
I bypassed the bed and, to my credit, managed not to stare as I headed for the loft. I crawled into bed, buried myself beneath the sheets and clamped my eyes shut. Now all I had to do was forget about the primitive scene I’d witnessed tonight. You know, the one that kept playing in my head, stirring my body, making my toes curl and my nipples ache?
Yeah, that one.
After about five minutes, I gave up. Sleep just wasn’t happening right now. I got out of bed and walked to the railing that overlooked the first floor of the cabin and Ty.
He lay stretched out on the full-size bed, one arm over his head, the other resting on his chest. A white sheet dotted with navy blue bass fish covered his dark, masculine physique from midchest down. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d shed the BVDs tonight.
Nah. He had the skivvies intact. Hell, maybe he’d even left on the jeans.
My gaze riveted on where the soft denim lay draped over a nearby chair. Uh-oh. I glanced around but I didn’t see anything white. Whew. Talk about a close call.
He definitely had them on.
Probably.
Okay, so there was really only one way to find out. Then I could forget the Does he, does he not? dilemma, go back to bed, and get some much needed sleep.
I focused on the edge of the sheet and willed it to move. The cotton tugged downward just a fraction.
More.
It slithered slowly, revealing an impressive six-pack bisected by a line of soft, dark hair. The sheet inched down. The hair whorled south.
Oh, boy.
The dark silk circled his belly button and funneled toward his—
“If you’re going to undress me, cut the bullshit and grow some balls.” Ty’s deep voice slid into my ears and I stiffened. The sheet halted and my gaze swiveled to his face. Neon blue eyes stared back at me and my mouth went dry.
“Excuse me?”
“Stop playing and touch me.” He moved then and in the blink of an eye, his naked body had me pinned to a nearby wall. His gaze burned into me. Touch me.
I wasn’t sure why, but I did.
Okay, so I knew why—it had been so long and I was so horny and Ty was so naked and it just felt…right.
I didn’t give myself time to consider that last thought. Instead, I focused every ounce of energy on leaning into him, pressing my lips to his and kissing him.
He met me lick for lick, stroke for stroke, his tongue delving and dancing with mine. The kiss was fierce and urgent, but it wasn’t enough.
“You’re still not touching me.” His deep voice stirred inside my head and I pulled away.
Lips parted, I stared up at him for a long second before dropping my gaze, sliding it along his skin, tracing a visual path from his jugular, over his massive chest, to a very impressive erection.
His penis was dark and thick and so incredibly hard. I reached out and wrapped my fingers around him. He growled low and deep, a raw sound that stirred the primitive hunger I did my damndest to control.
I wanted him and suddenly, it didn’t seem like such a big deal. I mean, really, it was just sex. It wasn’t like I was going to go all the way and sink my fangs into him.
Done that.
Okay, fine. But it wasn’t like I was going to let him sink his fangs into me.
Just sex, I vowed to myself and then I kissed him again.
All right, already.
It was more than just sex.
It was phenomenal sex.
Particularly when Ty slid his arms around me, turned and glided us back down to the full-size bed. He pressed me down onto the mattress, pinning me with his hard body. There was nothing artful or perfect about the way he touched me. A primal heat filled his gaze, along with an uncertainty that I’d never seen in a vampire’s eyes before.
But Ty wasn’t just any vampire.
The only woman.
Wait a second. Where had that come from?
I didn’t know. Even more, I didn’t want to know. I just wanted Ty inside of me.
Right.
Now.
As if he read the desperate thoughts, he slid his hands, so rough and stirring, down the length of my body, parted my thighs and thrust into me.
He kissed me then, his tongue pushing into my mouth as fiercely and as urgently as his body pumped into mine. Over and over, until I felt my muscles con tract. My orgasm hit me hard and fast, turning me in side out and upside down and filling me with a pleasure so intense that I couldn’t breathe.
Luckily, I didn’t need to breathe.
I just needed to feel…the sharp ache between my legs, followed by the dull throbbing and the slow spread of pleasure through every inch of my body.
The feeling lasted several minutes until finally two important things registered. One, Ty was still hard in side me and two, his lips—make that his fangs—were on my neck.
I felt the steely sharpness rasp over my pulse beat and my eyes popped open. My heart paused.
He wasn’t…He wouldn’t…
He didn’t.
Instead, he moved on, fangs grazing, tongue stroking. His hot mouth closed over one nipple and he suckled me. But he didn’t sink his teeth in. Not yet.
Not ever, I told myself. No way. No how.
No matter how much I suddenly wanted him to.
I grasped his shoulders, flipped him onto his back and straddled him.
He arched one eyebrow at me. “Pulling rank, are we?”
“You know it, baby.” And then I slid down onto his hard length, leaned back—far, far away from that delectable mouth of his and those razor-sharp fangs—and had the wildest ride of my life.
An hour later, I snuggled into the pillow, suddenly so tired that I couldn’t keep my eyes open. The exhaustion that came with daybreak tugged at my muscles, along with the satisfaction of really hot sex.
I felt the bed dip as Ty swung his legs over the side.
“Where are you going?”
“To get something to eat.” Because as gratifying as the sex had been, there hadn’t been the ultimate fulfillment that came with drinking from each other. I knew it and so did he, but neither of us said anything.
I mean, really. Why kill the moment? Biting aside, we’re talking phenomenal sex.
My eyes drifted closed. In the far distance I heard the gasp as he uncorked a new bottle. The glug, glug, glug as he fed his hunger. He climbed back into bed soon after that and pulled me close.
And then everything faded into the steady sound of my own heartbeat and I slept the best sleep I’d had in months.
I was starving.
I stumbled into the kitchen later that afternoon, just after sunset, and reached for the nearly empty bottle Ty had consumed early that morning. Just one sip and I would be good to go.
I took three sips.
Okay, so they were gulps, but I had a naked vampire in my bed. I needed my strength.
I was just about to take a fourth, when the feeling hit me. A presence. Someone was watching me.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up and every nerve in my body went on high alert. My in sides tightened and my stomach jumped.
I turned and stared into the bedroom, but Ty didn’t move. He lay on his side, his back to me, the sheet pulled up to his waist. A distinct scent tickled my nostrils—like toffee mixed with peanuts.
“He’s pretty hot.” The familiar voice slid into my ears and drew me around.
I glanced up toward the loft and saw Ayala peering down at me.
Hold on. Ayala?
My stomach convulsed again and I closed my eyes. “It didn’t go so well, did it?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Remy. That’s why you’re here. What was it this time? He wasn’t blond enough? Tall enough? Short enough?”
“Actually, he was too much. Of a vampire, that is.”
She gave me a peculiar stare. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?”
That you’re a picky bitch? Got it.
“Listen, Ayala, I know you’re feeling anxious. Desperate even. I’ve been there. Heck, I’m there right now. The parents are riding you. Society is killing you with all the baby hype. I totally understand.”
“You don’t understand shit.”
“Of course I do. Your clock is ticking.”
“Actually, it’s your clock that’s ticking.” In the blink of an eye, she stood before me in the kitchen. She stepped around the table and plucked the nearly empty bottle of blood from my hands. “You still don’t get it, do you?”
Actually, I was starting to.
My mind raced and the pieces started to fit to gether. The jealous werewolf had been Ayala’s ex-lover. She’d been the reason I’d gotten staked.
Okay, so I’d gotten staked because I’d rushed in to protect Wilson, but you get the point.
I’d bled all over the tablecloth that night at the soirée, and she’d been right there (DNA evidence, check). She’d also been right there the night the re porter had gotten chopped to pieces, but no one had seen her because she was a vampire who’d been able to slip in and out, completely undetected. And if she had been detected, she’d have been able to easily influence any poor schmuck who happened to get a glimpse of her. She’d have been able to slip in and out right on my heels, completely undetected and without leaving a trace of fingerprints.
“It was actually much easier than I thought it would be,” she said as if reading my thoughts. “I hadn’t planned on you showing up at his apartment that night. I was just going to go there, dispose of him and plant the DNA evidence, and a vivid description in the mind of the doorman and anyone else who happened by in the lobby that night. But then you arrived and even let him take your picture with the camera phone.” She smiled. “Talk about luck.”
I stiffened and my hands trembled. My stomach jumped again. A pain this time, but I paid it little attention. Instead, I was focused on the rage that boiled inside my body and the red haze clouding my vision.
I was so going to kick her ass.
But not yet. Not until she answered the one question screaming in my head.
“Why?”
“He’s dead now. Because of you.”
“Actually, he’s dead because of you. You broke it off. You went out with someone else. You drove him to pick up that stake and go after Wilson.”
She shrugged and traced the label on the bottle. “I was doing what I had to do. There was no way we could have had a real relationship. I couldn’t have disgraced my family like that.” She shook her head. “I had to break things off and find someone appropriate.” Her gaze met mine. “The thing is, I’ve been try ing and it just isn’t possible.”
I saw the anguish in her bright hazel eyes and where I’d been ready to rip her to pieces—or at least hurt her extremely badly—I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her now. It was yet another vampiric version of Romeo and Juliet. Lovers drawn together by a fierce love, yet torn apart by forces beyond their control.
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat.
“My father threatened to cut me off,” she went on. “I had no choice but to break things off with Brian. I couldn’t lose my inheritance. I told him we could still see each other as long as we kept things quiet and kept up appearances. That was the obvious solution, of course, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He wanted me to actually marry him.” She laughed. “Can you imagine that? Born vampires don’t get married. Much less to werewolves.”
Bye-bye, Juliet.
Hello, cold, callous, snotty, money-hungry bee-yotch.
“We have to choose someone more to our standard,” she went on. “Someone like Remy.” Her gaze lifted to mine. “He wasn’t bad. H
e’s no Brian, but he’ll do for lack of anything better.”
“Remy’s too good for you. Stay away from him.”
She laughed then. “But you’re the one who set us up.” Her smiled faded. “You like him, don’t you?”
“We’re friends.” We were, I realized, even if he had blown the whistle on me the other night.
If he’d blown the whistle.
I remembered the strange sense of awareness I’d felt at Ty’s place. The same thing I’d felt earlier when I’d turned to find Ayala watching me from the loft. “How did you find Ty’s address?”
“That was easy, too. He’s got a lot of connections with the New York Police Department. Once I knew you were with him, it was a piece of cake getting those guys to talk. Most of them, anyway, except for a few stuck-up vampires.”
“And how did you know I was with him in the first place?”
She shrugged. “That dumb assistant of yours.”
“Evie?”
She nodded. “She was such a pushover. One look into her eyes and she started talking. Of course, after I found out what I wanted to know, I had her forget all about it.”
Realization dawned. “Evie isn’t a lesbian.”
“Says you. All I know is that I had zero trouble vamping her. Smacks lesbian to me.”
Me, too.
The thought bothered me even more than Ayala and her attempt to ruin my life. Not because I’m homophobic or anything like that. But Evie and I are friends. We talk. I should have known.
“Dipping into the Other world can be fun, but they’re just not like us,” Ayala went on. “But then I’m sure you know that.” Her gaze slid past me to Ty. “Made vampires just don’t have the same iron-hard constitution that we do. Sure, they’re strong. But they tend to be slaves to their baser urges.” She made a tsk, tsk sound. “They simply have no self-control when it comes to controlling their hunger. He’s sleeping rather soundly, wouldn’t you say? Then again, he’s probably not sleeping at all. He’s probably paralyzed right now. Just this side of death.”
I followed her gaze and noted the unnerving stillness of his body, despite the fact that it was early evening. Time to rise and shine.
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