"You planned to sleep with him—on Valentine's Day."
Her face felt warm and she was sure she turned a nice shade of pink.
"You don't have to be embarrassed," he hurried to say. "Hell, sex is part of a relationship, right? Eventually we all go there." He glanced in the mirror again, but she didn't answer him.
Back in high school they only got as far as feeling—over their clothing. Then he left school and that was that. If he had stayed… Yeah, she had no doubt they would have gone there.
He pulled off the main road and onto a residential street. "We're here," he announced as he pulled into the driveway of the third house on the right.
"I thought we were going to see a vet.'
"This is better," he reassured her.
Dr. Mary Sinclair was in her early thirties, blonde and pretty. She clearly had a thing for Derek with the way she batted her eyes at him, but she was all business when it came to examining Lad. She had a room in the back of the house with an examining table with restraints. There were chains and manacles attached to the wall, and a cage sat to the side that was large enough to house a polar bear.
With what Sloane had learned in the last two days, this doctor dealt with more than a typical dog or cat crisis. She didn't even flinch when they brought Lad to her.
She checked him thoroughly from his snout to his tail. It dawned on her that the doctor searched for flesh wounds before she concentrated on the leg. She x-rayed the limb for a better idea of how bad the break was.
"There, there sweet boy," she cooed in a sweet tone meant for animals or infants. You've had a bad day." Finally she finished her examination and turned her attention to the x-ray she placed over a light illuminating the film. She then addressed Sloane. "It was a clean break, no crushed areas or fragments. I can set it, but he'll need to be sedated for a few days. I don't want him up on the leg and damaging it further. Would you mind if he stayed here with me? I'd like to run some more test, too and make sure there aren't any internal injuries."
Sloane glanced at Derek who gave her a slight nod. "Sure," Sloane gave her consent. "About paying you…"
Dr. Sinclair waved her off. "Derek's got this covered."
Derek? Her gaze riveted to him and he shrugged. "Don't sweat it. Mary here takes IOUs."
"Funny." She pinched his cheek. "It's a good thing you're so cute."
Sloane wanted to argue more, but she didn't have a whole lot of cash and she couldn't imagine this private visit was cheap.
After Dr. Sinclair sedated Lad, Derek strode out of the room to have a word with the good doctor in private. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could tell the two were more than just casual friends. Was the doctor Derek's girlfriend? Funny how that didn't sit well with her.
When Dr. Sinclair leaned in and gave him a hug, Sloane quickly looked away, not wanting to witness an all out kiss fest. She would bet Derek was still a good kisser. Those full lips would know what to do and she had a hunch his talented fingers would, too. He wasn't a teenager any longer, but a man. Clothes wouldn't hinder his advances. She closed her eyes and willed the image of a hot naked Derek from her mind.
"Are you ready to go?" She jumped at the sound of Derek's voice and felt heat rise to her cheeks. She hadn't seen the guy in years and had no business getting all hot and bothered over him. She must be suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Being attracted to Derek proved how irrational her thoughts were. He kidnapped her for God's sake. Chained her to his bed. And he fought to save you from a homicidal boyfriend with fangs. Okay, the lines between good and very, very bad were blurred.
She gave Lad a quick hug goodbye. "I'll be back for you soon."
"I'll take good care of him," Dr. Sinclair reassured her.
"Thank you." She followed Derek to the car. The night turned cold and she zipped up her jacket. She couldn't believe all that had happened in the last few days. It was like an episode out of the Twilight Zone. It just couldn't be real and yet she knew it was very, very real, terrifyingly real.
Derek opened the passenger side for her, but she just stood there, frozen and unable to force her limbs to move. The last few days of chaos came crashing down on her in one large wave, taking her breath away and making her eyes blur.
"Hey…" Derek was at her side in two strides and pulling her into his embrace. This man risked his life to save hers, not once, but twice. He was paying for Lad's medical treatment. With that alone she could forgive him for kidnapping her. The tears came and he stroked her back in slow caresses. Yeah, she'd been right. He did know what to do with his hands.
She melted further into his embrace and fisted her hands in his shirt. His scent wrapped around her senses, reminding her how alive he was, how strong and brave… how very male... She met his concerned gaze, but she didn't want his pity or his concern. She… Oh hell in hand basket as her grandmother would say when nothing made sense. And this didn't make sense. She wanted him. Her lips instinctively found his. His hold on her loosened, and he pulled back to look at her, searching her face for obviously some clue as to why she just kissed him. She was about to apologize for her bold move, but then his mouth swooped in to capture hers. She was shocked at her own eager response to touch his lips, but even more so that he seemed just as fervent to dive right in, too. Did the Stockholm syndrome work in reverse?
"Hmm…mmh." The sound of someone clearing their throat made them both pull apart as if they'd done something wrong and boy had they. "I thought you'd have been long gone, but I see you've been…detained," Mary said with a bit of humor lacing her words.
Sloane met the doctor's gaze. Guilt rolled over her and did a good job of slapping her back to reality. She just kissed this woman's boyfriend. "I'm sorry. I didn't—"
Mary waved her off and grinned like she'd just witnessed a miracle. Shouldn't the good doctor want to punch her in the nose for taking liberties with Derek?
"Don't be sorry," Mary said. "It looked like Derek was rather enjoying himself."
Her gaze riveted to Derek to say something, but he stood there with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans as if keeping them there would force him to behave.
"I just wanted to give you the number to my backline," Mary said and handed her a slip of paper. "You can call any time to see how Lad is doing."
"Thanks." She stuffed the paper into her jacket pocket and hurried to the car. She slipped inside, shutting the door behind her. "Can you say: Awkward?" She closed her eyes and hit her head against the headrest.
A few seconds later, Derek opened the door to the driver's side. Once he was buckled in, he turned to look at her. "Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "I didn't mean to cause any problems between you and your girlfriend."
"My girlfriend?" Then he chuckled with a shake of his head. "Mary isn't my girlfriend. She's my cousin."
"Oh." That tiny bit of knowledge cheered her. She glanced at his profile and her lips curved before she thought about what that meant. She kissed him, full on kissed him with teeth and tongue and she didn't understand why she did. Heck, technically she still had a boyfriend. For God's sake what did Derek think of her?
"Was the kiss that bad?" Amusement danced in his voice.
"What?" She met his gaze in confusion.
He gestured toward her. "You're frowning."
She made a conscious effort to smooth her features. "It's not you. It's just…I don't kiss."
"Really?" His mouth twitched.
"I mean I don't go around just kissing anyone."
"Good to know, but we've kissed before, darlin'. I remember." He winked.
"I mean…I care about Tim," she said more for her benefit and it didn't sound too convincing.
He studied her for a long moment. "Are you in love with him?" There was no teasing now. He really wanted to know.
She cared about Tim. Was that love? Until all this happened, she thought it was a possibility. "Maybe, I could have been," she said with little convic
tion.
He nodded. "I get it, you know. You had a history with Tim. Sometimes the line between being comfortable and being in love can become blurred."
"Yeah." She let out a long sigh. "I wanted it to work between us. I truly did."
"You don't have to feel guilty that it didn't. I admire you."
"You do?"
"You took a chance and some of us never gain the courage to even try."
He put the key in the ignition and started the car before he glanced at her again. "Just in case you're wondering if I have a girlfriend..." His lips curved and for a moment she thought of the kiss they'd shared. "…I don't," he finished.
Her heart stuttered then restarted again. She didn't know what to say so she didn't say anything. She settled back in her seat and looked straight ahead as the car sped forward. She tried not to let his words affect her, but darn it anyway, they did. Derek didn't have a girlfriend. Despite all that had happened, she smiled.
Chapter Ten
He kissed Sloane McBride, and dammit if he didn't like it way too much. Even more than he had liked kissing her behind the bleachers in their school auditorium. However, he would have to put the breaks on the smooching. She was vulnerable right now and he didn't get involved with chicks on the rebound. And let's not forget: She might sport fangs in the near future. Kinda put a damper on the whole relationship scenario.
If he believed that load of crap, why did he tell her he didn't have a girlfriend. He might as well tattooed 'Kiss Me I'm Yours' on his forehead.
"Derek?"
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Yeah."
"I don't understand why I kissed you… I mean it was good and all, but…"
He glanced at her as she tried to work through her conflicting feelings. Heck, he was having difficulty himself.
"Can we forget it happened?" She met his gaze then. "Things are complicated. Don't you agree?"
That was putting it mildly. "Sure, but it might prove difficult."
Her brows furrowed over her petite nose.
"You see, I thought the kiss was pretty damn good, too."
Her lips twitched before she gave into the smile.
Yeah, he was an idiot. All his instincts told him he was making a monumental mistake, but he kept going down the wrong path anyway.
They rode the rest of the way to his house in silence and she eventually closed her eyes. He let her sleep. It had been a tough few days. Dark bruises shaded the tender skin below her eyes. Stress tended to take a lot out of a person and it was taking its toll on her.
Once he parked the car in the garage, he nudged her awake. Her eyelids flew open and he placed a hand on her arm, letting her know she was safe. "You're okay. We're back at my place."
He had access to his house through the attached garage. He inserted the key into the lock, but paused. The door wasn't completely shut. A lot happened today, but he knew he'd locked the door before he left to search for Sloane.
"Is something wrong?" She whispered and stepped closer, close enough for him to get a whiff of her perfume, citrus and all so feminine. It smelled good on her, but now wasn't the time to go there. He had more pressing matters to attend to, like maybe taking down an intruder. Things could get pretty ugly in the next few minutes.
He placed a finger to his lips. Her eyes grew wide, but she nodded with understanding. He reached for the sword he had stashed behind his workbench. He had various weapons hidden throughout his house for quick emergencies. Since Tim ran off with his favorite dagger, lodged into his back, the sword would have to suffice.
He slowly eased the door open. The lights were on in the kitchen and he knew he hadn't left them on, but the real cincher that someone invaded his home was the movement he heard in the living room. With light steps, he made his way around the corner with his weapon poised.
"Jesus, Derek!" the intruder gasped.
He lowered his weapon. "Hello to you too, Cassandra."
"You nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Yeah, well that goes without saying," he shot back. "Have you ever heard of waiting for the person to come home to let you in?"
"Why do that when I own a perfectly fine set of tools that allows me access to pretty much wherever I want to be?"
He shook his head. His sister did what she pleased, but heck who was he to complain, so did he. His gaze slid to the tall warrior-built man standing behind her. He'd given permission for the vampire to enter his house when he spoke to his sister over the phone. So he wasn't surprised a vampire stood in his house as welcomed as any human visitor. "You must be Tremayne Graystone." He offered his hand, wondering if the vampire would accept it.
Tremayne smiled and gripped his hand in a firm hello. "Cassandra speaks highly of you."
"She'd better." He chuckled. His gaze shifted to Sloane, who was still hesitant to venture closer. "It's all right. It's my sister and her…fiancé."
She took the steps to reach him and he pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her waist. "This is Sloane McBride."
Cassandra glanced at Sloane, but then her gaze landed on where his hand rested. Her eyes sought his with a curious glint. He let his arm fall away, wondering when he'd become so possessive of Sloane. "Sloane, this is Cassandra, my sister and Tremayne Graystone," he said, giving a more formal introduction.
"Hello." She gave them a tentative smile.
Tremayne didn't say anything for a long measured moment as his unnerving blue eyes assessed Sloane. "How long ago were you bitten?" he asked her.
With the formalities out of the way, Derek assumed it was back to business.
"Three days ago…I believe." Sloane licked her lips nervously and she unconsciously stepped closer to Derek.
"It's all right, Sloane," he reassured her and threw Tremayne a warning look that all but said: You better not prove me wrong. Damn if the vampire's lips didn't twitch.
"Sloane," Tremayne said her name like a caress. "No harm will come to you here."
Sloane's grip on Derek's arm lessened. "No harm will come to me here," she repeated in a singsong voice.
"That's right," Tremayne told her.
"What the hell are you doing?" Derek took a step toward the vampire, but Cassandra placed a hand on his arm, halting his advances. He didn't spare her his infamous glare.
She snorted, clearly not fazed. "Tremayne will not harm her," she told him.
He hesitated. He may not trust vampires, but his sister trusted this one. He could give Tremayne the benefit of the doubt.
"Tell us, Sloane," Tremayne said in the same calm tone. "What happened the night you were bitten? Remember no harm will come to you. You'll feel no fear when you recount the event. Do you understand?"
Sloane nodded. "Yes. Tim came over to the house. I fixed dinner." Her lips curved as she remembered. "I made chicken Parmesan, all fresh ingredients and with homemade tomato sauce. I don't usually cook so this was special."
"I'm sure it was delicious, but tell me about Tim. How was he that night?"
Her features darkened and she licked her lips nervously. "It was supposed to be a special night, but Tim was edgy. He wanted to skip dinner and move things to…the bedroom." She chewed on her lower lip. "I really like Tim."
"I'm sure you do," Tremayne agreed.
"It's just that…he seemed different, really pushy, and… he was so rough."
Derek harrumphed and Cassandra shot him a look to be quiet.
Tremayne didn't miss a beat. "Did he bite you?"
"Yes. It hurt and I tried to make him stop, but he wouldn't. Tim, please..." She had slipped into the past and was reliving the moment when Tim had bitten her. "Please, you're hurting me. Stop it! Stop it!" She grabbed at her neck and her breathing became labored.
Tremayne gripped her shoulders. "You're safe, remember? You are just telling me the story. You aren't there. You're seeing what unfolded from afar. Do you understand?"
Her hands fell to her side and she nodded. As soon as her breathing slowed to normal,
Tremayne continued his questioning.
"Good, Sloane. You're doing well. Now, you're standing in the room and you can see Tim and yourself. Is Tim offering you his blood?"
Her brows furrowed.
"You'll answer me, Sloane." Tremayne's voice was still even toned, but he left no room for her to disobey his demand for the truth. "Did Tim offer his blood to you?" he repeated.
"I didn't want to drink blood." She shook her head.
Derek cursed, which won him another glare from his sister.
"I know you didn't want to drink," Tremayne said patiently. "But I need to know: Did you drink Tim's blood?"
"After he bit me, I passed out, but when I awoke again, Tim was holding me. I felt weak and I couldn't fight him."
"Go on."
"He bit his wrist then pressed it to my lips. I…" she took a deep breath. "I drank." Her brows furrowed and her tongue slid over her lips. "It didn't taste as bad as I thought it would." She licked her lips again and her brows furrowed. "Why doesn't it taste bad?"
"Remember, you are a bystander. You aren't tasting the blood now."
She nodded. "Tim picked me up and laid me on the bed. Then he left."
Derek rubbed a hand over his face and inhaled deeply.
Tremayne glanced at him. "Do you want her to remember? I can make her forget this conversation if it is your wish."
"I won't lie to her. But— can you tell her not to be afraid."
Tremayne nodded and looked at Sloane again. "You will remember our conversation and what Tim did, but it will not frighten you now. You will recall it like a dream."
"…a dream," she repeated.
"Aye. Now rest. Sleep."
"Sleep. Yes." Her eyes closed and her body went limp, but Tremayne easily caught her and lifted her into his arms. She rested her head against the vampire's chest with a sigh.
Flowers and Fangs (Stake and Dust series, Book II) Page 6