Miranda let him drive in silence, not wanting to distract him while he was maneuvering through traffic while keeping a wary eye on the rearview mirror. A few minutes later, he made an abrupt left, followed by one last right turn, that threw her against the door before she could brace herself.
She shot him a dark look. “Thanks again for the warning.”
When he noticed her rubbing her shoulder, he grimaced. “Sorry about that. But the good news is we’re here.”
He pulled into a driveway at the end of the block. After keying a handful of numbers into the transport’s computer, the garage door slowly slid up. When the door was once again closed, this time with them on the inside, she slumped in relief.
Chapter 5
Miranda savored the first few seconds of quiet. For the moment, they were safe. Which left her a whole different reason to be nervous.
The longer she was alone with Ambrose, the more aware of him she was, on so many levels. Since they’d first met, she’d worked hard to disguise her interest in him, hiding behind an all-business attitude and a smart mouth. But after the horrors they’d endured the past couple of hours, she was too tired and drained to put up any kind of front. At that moment, she’d give anything if he’d wrap those powerful arms around her and hold the world outside at bay.
Now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. Instead, she hurried to help Ambrose unload the transport and carried their things into the kitchen. After setting down the last load, she looked around the compact house. It was plenty big enough for one person, but Ambrose’s solid presence took up a lot of space, leaving her feeling crowded. He set up his computer and checked in with his men. A few minutes later, he logged off, clearly not happy with the news.
“So far, no solid leads, but it’s early yet. They’re still doing a full sweep of both points of attack. They’ll signal me when they find anything definitive.”
She watched the play of the muscles in his back and powerful shoulders as he turned on lights after closing and locking all the shutters. Finally, he checked the pantry. “Are you hungry?”
Oh, yes, she was. But not for food, although she wasn’t about to say so. The building ache for his touch and the taste of his blood was burning hot in her veins. “No, I’m fine.”
“Well, if you change your mind, Joss keeps the basics stocked for when she and Rafferty are in town. It won’t be anything fancy, but you should find everything you need.”
He picked up their two bags and started toward the back of the house, leaving her to trail along in his wake. “The bedroom is on the left, the bathroom on the right.”
The bedroom? As in only one? That they’d have to share? As appealing as she found that idea, seeing how familiar he was with both the house and its owner bothered her a little. Okay, so that was a lie. It bothered her a lot and far more than it should have. His friend might be married now, but that was a recent development. How long and how well had Ambrose really known her?
“Are you sure this Joss won’t mind your bringing another woman to her place?” she asked as they walked into the bedroom. She kept her eyes firmly on the back of Ambrose’s head and away from the temptations the bed represented.
When Ambrose set the bags down and turned toward her, he was clearly fighting the urge to smile. He stepped within touching distance, once again crowding her into backing up a step. The thread of smug satisfaction in his voice, though, was all too clear when he finally answered the question she was really asking.
His hands did a slow slide up her arms to her shoulders, sending shivers of anticipation racing from her head down to her toes. The heated promise in his eyes melted her last bit of doubt.
“Randi, honey, you don’t have to worry about Joss.” He leaned in to brush his lips across hers. His voice was low and rough when he spoke again. “I assure you, she and I never experienced the kind of friendship you and I are about to indulge in.”
Miranda’s reaction was just what Ambrose expected. She couldn’t hide the fact she wanted him, not with her fangs running out full-length and her eyes flared wide and hot as she breathed in his scent. When it came to a mating dance, a vampire’s enhanced senses came into play. Scent, taste, sight, hearing were all affected, but especially touch. As a Chancellor, Ambrose’s vampire half shared those same powerful abilities, including his own rather impressive dental display.
His fangs dropped into place as he trailed his hands up and down her arms again, waiting for her to make the next move. They both knew they were headed for bed, but he wanted to make sure they were making the trip for the same reasons. He’d waited this long and would wait longer, even if it killed him. When he finally got skin-to-skin with Miranda, he wanted it to be because she wanted him as a lover, not just a distraction to block out all the ugliness the night had brought them both.
She stood her ground. “Slow down, mister.”
“I’ll go as slow as you want me to, Randi. I’ll even stop if you don’t want this…now.” He let his hands drop away from hers as a show of good faith.
Her smile was pure temptation. “I never said I didn’t want this.”
Her hands came to rest on his chest, one settling over his heart while the other moved upward to the pulse point at his throat. As her thumb brushed back and forth over the fluttering beat, she moved closer.
“I just don’t want to rush things. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve thought about this?”
She paused to brush her mouth across his, her tongue teasing his lips apart, only to dart inside and then retreat. She backed away. “This will cause problems in our negotiations with Kurt and his clan.”
Yeah, it would, but right now he had more important things on his mind. “I don’t care. I want you. You want me. Everything else can rot.”
“You say that now, Ambrose,” she said, laying her face against his shoulder and settling the curves of her body against him. “But beyond the walls of this room, the duties of your job and the needs of my clan have powerful holds on each of us.”
He wrapped his arms around her, liking the way their bodies fit together, knowing it would only get better when they finally crossed those last few steps to the bed. “Nothing is more powerful than this, Randi. If we want it badly enough, we’ll make it work.”
“If our enemies don’t end it before we really get started.” Her hand slipped under the back of his shirt to tease his skin with soft touches.
“Our enemies don’t stand a chance against the two of us. And we’re going to get started right here, right now. I’m definitely up for it.”
She giggled. “I know.”
He loved her laughter. It warmed places inside him that had been empty and cold for far too long. “Shall we?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
He helped her with her buttons and bra; she fumbled with his shirt, but finally managed to strip it off. As much as he wanted to get her onto the bed, he couldn’t resist pulling her back into his arms for another kiss. As their tongues tangled, he savored the sweet crush of her lush breasts against his skin.
“Damn, Randi, this is going to be so good.”
“The best,” she agreed when they broke apart again. “But there’s one problem—you still have too many clothes on.”
“We both do, but that can be fixed.”
And was.
Her pale skin glowed as she pulled the pins out of her hair, sending her fiery red curls cascading down the elegant curve of her back. When they reached the side of the bed, they paused to kiss and touch and breathe in the heat they were generating before reaching their final destination. He was about to go into full meltdown with just the scent of her skin and the silken feel of her hair as he ran his fingers through it.
“Now, Ambrose,” she murmured, her hand wandering down to caress him gently. “Please.”
He did some exploring of his own, loving the way she responded with a soft moan as he tested her readiness for what was to come. “I thought you wanted to take it slow.”
She nipped at his neck with the tips of her fangs. “That was then. This is now.”
He lifted her and laid her down on the bed. The mattress cushioned their weight as he stretched out beside her and propped his head up on his hand to study the incredible beauty next to him. With her hair spread out on the pillow just as he’d imagined and her siren’s smile, she was all feminine temptation.
He cupped her breast, its plump fullness a perfect fit for his hand. With teeth and tongue and lips he pleasured them both, loving the sweet taste of her skin. She held his head close, demanding more of the same. But it wasn’t long before that wasn’t enough for either of them. He needed to get closer any way he could.
He kissed her hard. “Hold that thought. I’ll be right back.”
He left the bed long enough to get the box of protection he’d picked up at the town house. His hands were a bit shaky, but at last he was back with Miranda.
“Now, where were we?” He studied her lush body, memorizing his favorite parts. “Oh, yes, I left off here, didn’t I?”
He promptly starting kissing his way from her mouth down the side of her throat. Miranda loved this new aspect of Ambrose. Who would have thought he’d be such a tease? But as much as she enjoyed sharing a smile, now wasn’t the time. She wanted to feel the full weight of him as he took her.
Finally, he settled into the cradle of her body, lifting her legs high around his hips as he paused at the entrance of her body. His eyes stared into hers, their serious expression an acknowledgment that they were about to cross a boundary, one that would change their lives forever. She found herself nodding, accepting that she was giving herself to him in all ways, not just this one.
With a sharp thrust, he took her deep and hard. Ambrose froze for several seconds, giving her time to adjust, before slowly withdrawing and then going deep again.
“Ambrose!” She wrapped her arms around him, holding on tight.
As the powerful pressure built so that completion for both of them hovered close by, he twisted his head to the side and offered her his vein. She didn’t hesitate, sinking her fangs deep and hard and drinking fully of his life force. Her lover shuddered in her arms as they both shattered and then reformed into something new and wondrous in a single instant.
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Chapter 6
When Miranda finally woke up, it was to find herself alone in bed and her Chancellor lover nowhere in sight. She located the clock on the dresser across the room and realized how late it was. She and Ambrose had slept in each other’s arms, waking twice more during the day to make love again. It had been amazing from start to finish, as he’d taught her things about her own body she’d never before experienced.
So where was he? She closed her eyes and listened. The rapid tap of fingers on a keyboard helped her pinpoint him. He was working in the kitchen. Had his men discovered anything? There was only one way to find out.
But rather than face stark reality immediately, she quickly showered and dressed before joining Ambrose in the other room. They both had duties and demands awaiting them in the world outside these walls. It was time to get on with their real lives. As long as they were entangled in this mess, neither of them was truly free to explore the long-term possibilities.
Ambrose looked up from the computer screen as soon as she stepped into the kitchen. “Did you get enough rest?”
The warmth of his smile drew her across the room. “More than you, evidently. How long have you been up?”
“A couple of hours. I wanted to check in with my men.”
Her stomach tightened. “Have they found out anything useful?”
“Enough.” He stood up. “They found DNA traces at both scenes from at least three different humans and one Chancellor. They’re running the samples through the system to see if we get any hits. At the very least, they should be able to narrow it down to a particular clan and with luck, down to a specific family.”
He stopped talking, probably giving her time to assimilate the information and connect the dots herself. It didn’t take her long.
“The only humans I’ve been dealing with are Kurt and his clan. Do you think they’re behind the attacks?” Her skin hurt as visions of her slaughtered friends and family filled her head.
“It would seem logical. The only question is why. It would take a mighty powerful reason for them to risk bringing down the wrath of the vampire clans on their heads, not to mention the Chancellors.”
He studied the list he’d been making. “Even before all this happened, I’d been wondering why this particular negotiation was so difficult. I had asked one my operatives to do some checking for me, but now I can ask you. What’s so special about that piece of land your clans have been haggling over?”
“Nothing that I know of. My family never developed that section, preferring to leave it as a buffer between our estate and theirs. It’s only been recently that the humans have been questioning who really has the rightful ownership.”
Pulling up a chair and sitting, she thought back over the recent months to what had been said. “Kurt first approached my mother five or six months ago. He started off by claiming that we had altered the property lines to steal that piece of land from them. We immediately filed for a binding ruling during the next session of the Coalition Council.”
“Your paperwork must have all been in order for your mother to be that confident.”
Ambrose went back to typing again. After a few seconds, he stopped to study the screen. “The case was accepted for review, but then it was withdrawn before it could be heard.”
“Once Mother received an offer to purchase the land from Kurt, she saw no reason to waste the Coalition’s time if we were going to be selling the land. Besides, Kurt’s offer made it clear that they were conceding the point that we were the legal owners.”
She frowned, thinking back about how things had unfolded. “Knowing Kurt as well as I do now, I have to say that it was out of character for him to concede even that much.”
Ambrose leaned back in his chair as he gave her a puzzled look. “You’ve never had dealings with him before this? How is that possible with your two clans sharing such an extended border?”
“My mother has only recently been having me represent the clan on negotiations of this type. I believe the same is true for Kurt and his father-in-law.”
Ambrose nodded. “That’s right. The estate he represents actually belongs to his wife’s family, not his. He must be trying to prove himself to her father by being a hard-ass, but that’s not going to fly if it’s the old man’s money they’ve been spending.”
He was right. She’d had limited dealings with the human clan chief, but he’d never struck her as a fool. It took an iron fist and a savvy business sense to keep an estate the size of his thriving. With their short lifespan, humans had to make long-term plans knowing they might not live long enough to see how they turned out. Finding someone they trusted to carry out that vision had to be one of their foremost concerns.
Somehow she doubted Kurt was up to the job. Maybe he knew it, too. Could this preemptive strike against both her clan and the Chancellors be his way of proving himself? If so, he’d sorely misjudged the situation. Even if he’d succeeded in killing Miranda, there were others in her clan who would step up to take her place. They might not do the job in the same way she would, but they’d do whatever it took to protect the family’s interests.
The same was true for Ambrose. His death would leave a huge gap in the Coalition organization, but someone would take over where he left off.
So the setbacks to both her clan and his employer would be short-term. When you added in the revenge factor, none of it made sense. Could the human be that stupid? She was on to something, she knew it. Now if she could only figure out what it was.
When Ambrose looked up from his computer to share his latest findings, Miranda was staring past him, her mouth pulled down in a heavy-duty frown. “Randi? What are you thinking?”
She blinked a couple of times and shook her head slightly before turning to focus directly on him. “Sorry, I was trying to make sense of something that doesn’t really make sense. At least not yet.”
Then she laughed. “Well, that didn’t come out the way I meant it to. Why don’t you tell me what you’ve found while I gather my thoughts?”
“Like I said earlier, I’ve been thinking that there has to be more to this than a simple land deal. Turns out I was right.”
He turned the computer around so that she could read the screen herself. As she scrolled down the screen, she worried her full lower lip with the tips of her fangs. He found himself remembering how spicy those lips had tasted, and when the sharp, sweet pain from those fangs had quickly morphed into something much hotter. As his manhood stirred to painful life, he admitted at least to himself how bad he had it for this female.
At least she seemed blissfully unaware of his rising passion as she continued to study the screen. “I don’t understand. Your man says the land is just as described—undeveloped, remote, no known mineral deposits to make it worth anything.”
When he didn’t immediately respond, she looked up. “Ambrose?”
Then her nostrils flared, no doubt picking up the unmistakable scent of his rising desire. Her eyes flickered down to the obvious evidence of the turn his thoughts had taken. She arched an eyebrow. “Uh, Ambrose, don’t think I’m not interested, but do you think now’s the best time for that?”
Damn, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d blushed. Maybe never. He wasn’t going to apologize, though. After the day she’d given him, she shouldn’t blame him for wanting more of the same. A lot more. Like maybe a lifetime’s worth, even if she was right about now being the wrong time, wrong place.
The Vampire's Desire Page 3