Chapter 3
While Ambrose waited for Miranda to reappear, he considered their options. He needed to take her someplace secure, someplace where she wouldn’t be seen. Until they knew who was behind the attack, he didn’t want to trust her safety to anyone other than himself. He stared at the dead woman on the floor. It could have so easily been Miranda impaled there.
His rage burned hot even as he grieved for Miranda and her loss. He wanted to break something or kill someone; either would be satisfying. Right now, he’d get Miranda out of there and then they could plan.
True to her promise to hurry, she was already coming back down the stairs. Time to get moving. He met her in the foyer.
She held up a small electronic device. “I got my aunt’s calendar and files. Hopefully they’ll tell us something.”
“Good. Now let me take a look around outside and then pull around to the back. If all’s clear, I’ll flash the lights, and you come running. Okay?”
Even considering her species, Miranda looked pale. But she stood ramrod straight and met his gaze head-on with a sharp nod. Outside, he paused on the porch long enough to look around. If eyes were on the house, he couldn’t sense them. He stepped around the body, offering a silent apology for the disrespect and hurried to his transport. His crew should be descending on the house within minutes, and he wanted to be gone before they arrived.
He drove around the block and turned into the alley that ran behind the row of town houses. All was quiet and deserted. He rolled down his window and drew a deep breath. His mind automatically sorted out the various scents he was detecting. It was a heady brew of garbage, transport fumes and humans. He found it interesting the scent of humans grew stronger the closer he got to Miranda’s home. Of course, he shouldn’t be surprised, given that was the route the human servants had used to leave after the first meal.
But they would’ve left hours ago, so their scent should have faded by now. And if that was true, then what humans had been lurking back here long enough to leave such a strong taint on the evening air? As a Chancellor, he’d been trained to wait until all the facts were in before drawing a conclusion. He wouldn’t assume anything, but neither would he ignore the likelihood that Miranda’s attackers were human. But whether they were hired help or working on their own agenda remained to be seen.
Either way, they’d signed their own death warrant. Damn straight they had.
He flashed his lights at the house, and Miranda came running. Even in the darkness of the night and the moment, he admired the grace with which she moved, all sleek and feminine. Now wasn’t the time to be thinking that way, but when it came to Miranda, he couldn’t seem to control either his thoughts or his body’s reactions.
Once she was safely buckled in the transport, he hit the accelerator and drove straight for the one place he could keep her safe—his town house. He glanced over at his companion and wondered how she’d feel about that. She’d been sitting in silence, her eyes closed and her hands clenched in her lap since leaving her home. As if feeling his scrutiny, Miranda slowly turned her head to face him and then opened her eyes.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Someplace safe.”
He gave the control displays a quick study before turning his attention back to the road. Despite the late hour, traffic was heavy. Here in the capital city of New Eire, the mixed population of humans, Chancellors and vampires pretty much kept the place hopping around the clock. His transport was programmed to give both verbal and visual warnings if another vehicle came within striking distance. That didn’t mean he was willing to trust his life or Miranda’s to technology alone. He steered the vehicle into the outside lane as they approached the exit to his part of town.
“That wasn’t an answer, Ambrose. That was an evasion.”
His companion injected just enough irritation into her voice to make him decide to answer.
“I’m taking you to my place because the security is top of the line and I can follow the investigation from my home computer link.”
The ensuing silence hung heavily between them in the confined space. Maybe she didn’t appreciate his making all the decisions, but she was still reeling from the shock of the attack to be thinking clearly. He didn’t want to argue the point, but damned if he’d let her out his sight until he’d brought the perpetrators to justice.
His justice.
Chancellors were charged with carrying out the laws of the Coalition. Although there was a judicial system in place, as the head Chancellor, Ambrose was empowered to act as both judge and executioner if circumstances warranted it. And an unprovoked bloody attack on a high-ranking clan representative and her people definitely fell into that category.
Finally Miranda spoke. “Surely there’s someplace else I can go.”
“Not until I know more about who was behind the attack.” He shot her a hard look. “Besides, considering what you think of me and how well we get along, I figure it’s the last place anyone would look for you.”
“I wasn’t trying to insult you.” Miranda grabbed his arm. “It’s not that I don’t like you, Ambrose, but too many have already died because of me. I don’t want you to be caught in the crossfire.”
Okay, that pissed him off. He shook off her hand and snarled, “Don’t you worry about me, Randi. I can take care of myself. What’s more, I can and will take care of you. Got that?”
“No, as a matter of fact, I don’t!” Her every word was laced with temper, hot and furious. “I’m not helpless, Ambrose. Now either take me to a hotel or let me out at the next corner, I don’t care which.”
“Lady, that’s not going to happen, so sit back and enjoy the ride.”
“Ambrose! I said…”
“You’ve said enough! If you want to tear a strip off my hide, fine. But you’re going to wait until we’re somewhere safe.”
Then he gunned the engine, causing the transport to jet forward at speeds clearly not meant for a residential area. With deft skill, he navigated in and out of traffic until he reached the entrance to his underground garage. Without a word, he parked the transport and stalked around to wait for Miranda to climb out. As soon as she closed the door, he crowded close to her, forcing her to retreat until she was trapped between him and the vehicle.
Leaning in until he could feel her breath on his skin, he stared into her eyes for several long seconds before speaking.
“Understand this—protecting you is my job, Randi. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Try to get away from me, and I swear I’ll chain you to my—”
He cut himself off before he blurted out the one place he wanted her—his bed. Even though all his protective instincts were running full bore, other powerful emotions were at work here. Ones he didn’t want to think about at the moment.
“Don’t you dare threaten me, Chancellor O’Brien!”
Miranda’s fangs ran out to full length, which only served to bring out the same response in him. “That wasn’t a threat, Randi, that was a promise. Now let’s take this inside.”
“And if I still don’t want to go with you?” She was tall enough in heels to look him straight in the eye. “How are you going to make me?”
“Like this.” Then he broke every rule known to Chancellors. He kissed her.
Chapter 4
Miranda’s first impulse was to shove Ambrose backward, with luck, knocking him to the ground. But her second was to latch on to him with all her strength and let the waves of white-hot heat washing over them carry her away from the horrors of the night. In her haste to get closer, to taste his heat, her fang caught on his lip, breaking the skin. The warm richness of a single drop of his blood sent a hot surge of need ripping through the last shreds of her control.
She wanted him, and had since the first time they’d met. His strength and intense sense of duty drew her as no other male ever had. Only by maintaining an angry distance had she been able to resist the powerful attraction she felt every time they were in the same
room.
Now nothing separated them except a few thin layers of clothing and the chill of the night air.
This was insanity, but it could be her salvation. She tangled her fingers in Ambrose’s thick, wavy hair as she pulled him closer, holding him tighter, demanding more and offering everything she had.
She’d heard the old saying about great sex making the earth move, but she’d never experienced anything of that magnitude, at least until now. Even with the support of the transport behind her and Ambrose’s considerable strength holding her close, the world seemed to pitch and roll. A distant roar filled her head, making it impossible to make sense of the sensations buffeting her.
Without warning Ambrose ripped his mouth free of hers and started cursing. She tried hard to focus on what he was saying, but at the moment it was all she could do to remain standing.
“Son of a bitch! What the hell was that?” His eyes looked wild as he checked out their surroundings.
Then he had her by the hand, dragging her along behind him. She hated-hated-being treated like a mindless piece of baggage. Planting her feet, she yanked back on her arm, bringing him to an abrupt halt.
“Ambrose! What’s going on?”
He snagged her hand again. “I’m trying to get you out of here before the fallout from that explosion buries both of us down here.”
“What explosion?” Either she wasn’t thinking clearly or he wasn’t making sense. She really hoped it was the latter.
He looked at her as if she’d suddenly sprouted a second head. “What the hell did you think that loud noise and all the shaking was?”
She couldn’t answer that, not without humiliating herself, but he guessed, anyway. A wicked smile spread across his face even as he started tugging her toward the back exit.
“I’m flattered you thought all that was my doing, but sorry, honey, I’m just not that good.”
There was nothing she could say to that or wanted to. Instead, she followed him to the street outside. People were pouring out of the adjacent buildings and sirens could be heard in the distance. Their feet crunched on broken glass from the shattered windows above them.
Ambrose studied the shambles of what had been his home. “Bastards! First you and now me. That should narrow down the list of possible culprits.”
She stared up at the shattered windows. “How bad do you think it was?”
“Bad enough.” His expression was grim. “If we’d been in there, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, because we’d both be dead. Whoever planted the bomb knew what he was doing. He used enough to kill his target, but with limited collateral damage. I’d guess a few other people on the street have cracked windows or broken dishes, but that’s about it.”
How could he sound so calm? His home all but destroyed and he was able to think about his neighbors’ safety. Of course, that was what made him so good at his job. With his Chancellor’s inborn sense of right and wrong, he’d always put others first. Even so, there was a lot of pain in his eyes as he watched the glow of flames finishing off what the bomb had started.
She felt exposed standing out on the street. She gave Ambrose’s hand a squeeze. “Where to next?”
“What?”
His attention was still trapped by the fire, so she stepped in front of him. “Ambrose, we can’t stay here. It’s not safe. Where do we go from here? What if they’re watching and realize they’ve missed both times?”
He blinked a couple of times before nodding. “Sorry. You’re right.”
He studied the town house for a few seconds. “Wait here while I go back inside. If I can’t get the transport out, maybe I can at least grab your suitcase and the emergency pack I keep in the trunk. Then we’ll get moving.”
She studied the building. “Are you sure it’s safe?”
Ambrose grinned as he cupped the side of her face with his hand. “What’s the matter, Randi? Worried about me?”
This was no time for games. “Yes, I am.”
She stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. “Go, but don’t try to be heroic. Things can be replaced, but you can’t.”
He hugged her briefly before taking off at a run. Once the fire department and law enforcement people arrived, it was unlikely they’d let him anywhere near the garage. If the two of them were going to make good on their escape, it was best to do so during the confusion.
Time dragged out as she waited, and the feeling of being watched had the hair on the back of her neck standing up. Fear for Ambrose, mixed with the grief for her lost clan members, left a bitter taste in her mouth. She was being jostled by the crowd that had gathered to watch the flaming spectacle.
She did her best to ignore the crush, but then realized that it would probably be smarter to study them. If it was the killer she was sensing, he’d probably be watching for Ambrose, and for her, too.
Moving slowly, trying not to draw attention, she positioned herself where she could watch for the Chancellor, but also keep an eye out for anyone who seemed out of place or a little too excited about the fire. After sweeping the crowd twice, she gave up. Either the enemy was good at blending in or simply wasn’t there. No one stood out.
Where was Ambrose, though? Surely it wouldn’t take him this long to grab a couple of packs and get back out. She’d give him another two minutes and then go in after him. As she counted down the seconds, she listened to the roar of the fire. With each passing moment it became more and more unlikely that the fire department would be able to save anything of Ambrose’s home. Soon, the best they could hope for was to keep the damage from spreading to the adjoining buildings.
She cursed whoever had done this and vowed someone would pay and pay dearly. Ambrose would want his own brand of justice, but he’d follow the letter of the law. Vampire clans weren’t so picky about rules and regulations when it came to vengeance. Her fangs ached with a hunger for the blood of her enemies, whoever they were. Right now they might be shrouded in mystery, but that would change. When she brought the full weight of her clan to bear on the search, it would be only a matter of time before their enemy was revealed.
Lost in the sweet dream of vengeance to come, she didn’t immediately notice Ambrose beside her. When he touched her shoulder, her predator instincts had her lashing out. He jumped back out of range before she had a chance to do any harm.
She fought for control. “Ambrose! Don’t sneak up on me!”
He held his hands out to the side to show he meant no harm just as she’d done earlier. “I didn’t. I even called your name three times. Now come on. I had to park a block away to keep from getting caught up with the authorities.”
She followed the trail he blazed through the crowd. When they finally reached the transport, she noticed the backseat held more than just her suitcase and a single pack for him. Where had it all come from? Surely he hadn’t risked going inside the town house for the sake of a few possessions! When the scent of smoke rolled out through the open door, she had her answer.
She fisted her hands in frustration. “You went inside.”
He shifted gears and nodded. “Not far. My computer was just inside the door. We’ll need it.”
“And if the building had collapsed while you were inside?”
“Randi, we can play ‘what if’ games all night, but it won’t change anything. If the building had been that seriously compromised, I wouldn’t have gone in. I took a calculated risk, but I’m not suicidal.”
Before she could respond, he cursed a blue streak and gunned the engine.
“What’s wrong?” She craned her neck to see what had caught his attention.
“That third transport back has been mimicking our every move. He ran the last light to keep up with us. It might be nothing, but I’m not taking any chances.”
He powered their own transport through a series of last-second turns, barely missing both vehicles and pedestrians in the process. Miranda would have yelled at him for taking such dangerous chances, but her heart in her throat made talkin
g impossible.
Finally, when he slowed to a less terrifying speed, she managed to stammer, “Is he still back there?”
Ambrose grinned, clearly pleased with his efforts to evade their pursuer. “No, I lost him two turns back, but I want to make sure he didn’t have company.”
She looked back herself. “What kind of company?”
Ambrose shifted gears and sped up again. “If I’d set up the tail, I’d have made sure the first one was spotted so the target wouldn’t notice they’d picked up a second or even a third tail.”
She knew Ambrose’s reputation in law enforcement was legendary. Now she had a better understanding of why that was. His thinking was devious, but that was how he stayed one step ahead of the bad guys. “You know, I’m glad you’re on my side.”
“Me, too. Now hold on.” He immediately executed another series of hairpin turns through the busiest streets in New Eire, turns that had her bracing her hands on the dash to keep from being slung from side to side.
A couple of minutes later, he reached over to briefly touch her face. “We’re in the clear.”
“Thank goodness.” She sighed with relief as they gradually slowed down to a saner speed.
When there was a break in the traffic, he turned toward her, his face showing the strain of the past few hours. “We need to get someplace safe.”
“Like your town house was supposed to be?” Okay, so she was being snippy, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. “Sorry, Ambrose, that was uncalled for. There was no way you could have known they’d be going after you, too.”
“And that’s where they made their mistake. Whoever is behind this is going to be damn sorry he messed with us. But right now, we need to go to ground somewhere soon. The sun will be up in just over an hour.”
“Got someplace in mind?”
“Yeah. A good friend of mine recently got married and moved to her husband’s estate. Joss left her keys with me so I could keep an eye on her place until she decides what to do with it. We’re close by, but it will take us another fifteen minutes to get there. I’m taking the long way to make sure we’re not being tailed again.”
The Vampire's Desire Page 2