She wanted to push him further on the subject, but he turned away. For a second she stared at his retreating back. His long-legged gait gave her the impression of a predator's strut. Each step sure of the next to follow and with the knowledge there was nothing to hamper his jaunt through the night. Once she changed, would she be as surefooted?
She jogged to catch up to him. She had other questions she needed to ask before the sun rose.
* * * * *
A few hours later they were back at the house. She didn't know all there was to know about being a vampire, but she had a better understanding of it than when this whole nightmare began.
Derek was seated at the kitchen table with his sister sitting across from him. He looked up when she entered and their gazes locked. The worry he wore like a cloak slipped away and his lips curved. There was a tingling in the pit of her stomach and her heart jolted at the sight of his smile. Those compelling green eyes, his firm features that sported a five o'clock shadow, and the confident set of his shoulders that strained against the fabric of his white, long-sleeved T-shirt—really did something to her.
Tremayne explained how her emotions would be heightened and that was putting it mildly. She was acutely conscious of Derek's rugged looks, but she was also drawn to his inherent strength. Heck, he fought monsters for a living. He was a warrior in every sense of the word and that really spiked her attraction for him.
"I'm off to bed," Cassandra announced as she pushed her chair away from the table and stood. "I'm assuming there are clean sheets on the bed in the guest room?" She arched a brow at Derek.
"Of course," Derek said. "Also if you push the button beside the light switch, it will activate the steel blinders to cover the windows." He shrugged. "Had them installed last week."
Cassandra strode over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you," she said.
Tremayne inclined his head in Derek's direction. "I appreciate you being so thoughtful. I will not soon forget your hospitality. I bid you good sleep…to both of you," he added the last as he turned his gaze on Sloane. He then took Cassandra's hand as they turned to leave.
Sloane had a hunch the couples' sprint toward the back room had nothing to do with sleep. She noted a change in their scent as they strode by since her sense of smell was revved up a notch. Just another perk or curse depending on the situation.
Her gaze swept over Derek from head to toe and back up again, and for a moment she entertained the thought of tumbling into bed with him. "I've turned into a wanton woman," she murmured with a frown of concern.
"I wouldn't go that far." Derek smirked.
"You heard me?"
"I have excellent hearing and you have a tendency to talk to yourself." He strode toward her with purpose and she took a step back, bumping into the wall. Derek brushed her hair over her shoulder and rested his palm there. Her limbs shook and she feared she would crumble at his feet, but she should have known better. He would never let her fall. His hands cupped her face and he leaned near and kissed her. Soft and sweet, not at all what she expected from such a formidable man. She gripped his forearm as his hands explored the recesses of her hair. She realized his caress earlier had been only a prelude to the true kiss to come. She never understood the meaning of being so thoroughly kissed that one's toes curled until Derek had kissed her. Until this moment, she hadn't realized the last time she'd been truly kissed was by this man. Kisses behind the bleachers… Kisses stolen before class… Kisses in the back seat of her car… His caresses in high school had left their mark and no other's kisses had come close to making her toes curl.
They came up for air and just stood there staring into each other's eyes. She was acutely aware of his heart beating and hers was keeping perfect time with his. Her hand rested on his chest, loving the feel of him.
"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, his voice husky.
She'd known Tim practically her whole life. True, but she'd only been dating him for four months. They made out, kissed and fondled, but they'd never slept together, and they never had a heated moment like this. She hadn't seen Derek for years and in less than a few days she was ready to let him have his way with her. Her moral upbringing screamed for her to slow this down—whatever this was between them. However, tomorrow she may die and if she didn't, she'd be a vampire. Tonight was all she had to be a human woman. "No. Don't stop."
That's all he needed to hear to spur him on. His lips were on hers again and before she knew what he was doing, he scooped her up in his arms and headed for his room.
He managed to open the door and then kick it shut again with his foot before he carried her to the bed, tumbling them both onto it.
His agile fingers worked quickly to remove her garments before he shrugged out of his. She ran her hand down his chest, enjoying how his muscles moved beneath her palm. There was slight bruising in places from his fight with Tim, but not nearly as bad as she would have thought they'd be. "You're so beautiful," she told him and his deep chuckle made her laugh, too. "Well, you are," she insisted and her lips slid into a grin.
"I believe, I'm suppose to tell you that."
"Well then?" She lifted a brow and waited for him to lavish her with compliments.
He didn't answer her, but nuzzled her neck. She sighed, giving in to the heated moment. His mouth found hers again then he looked at her. His hand brushed her hair away from her face. "I'm going to keep you safe."
She knew his pledge was sacred. He hunted what she was bound to become, but he promised to protect her.
"The moment I laid eyes on you in high school, my first thought was that you were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen, but my opinion has changed."
"What?" her brows drew together and her heart sank.
He chuckled. "Hold on. I wasn't finished yet." He took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "When I spotted you in your house fending off a vampire…fighting off Tim," he corrected, maybe for her benefit. Tim had been made a monster, but he had been her friend, a gentle soul before all this happened. Derek kissed her forehead. No doubt trying to erase the worry lines between her brows. She made a conscious effort to relax and let his caress do its magic.
"I thought you were not only beautiful, but smart and courageous, too."
"As I recall, you wanted to stake me," she reminded him with a tinge of humor.
"You're missing the point. I didn't stake you." His voice hitched with emphasis on the word stake. "I don't hesitate, Sloane. I don't analyze the situation, but with you, I did. With you, my world changed."
His admission to holding back was the biggest compliment he could give her, more so than him telling her she was beautiful. He sacrificed his core beliefs for her.
"You're frowning again," he told her. His thumb smoothed over her forehead.
"And when I become a vampire, what will you think of me then?"
He hesitated. She really knew how to put a damper on the mood and she tried to wiggle free from beneath him, but he wouldn't let her go.
"I'm not going anywhere, Sloane."
She couldn't help it. Tears sprung to her eyes. She could tell he truly believed his claim, but she feared he would think differently when he was faced with reality.
However, tonight he believed she was beautiful. "Make love to me, Derek Hayes."
His fingertips caressed the curve of her cheek and the line of her jaw before he kissed her gently on the lips. She whimpered into his mouth, eager to have him feel all of her. She believed his mouth talented, but his hands were even more so. His fingers skimmed her stomach…her hip… His touch sent quivers of anticipation through every nerve ending in her body.
She did not remain idle either. She ran her hand down the hard planes of his chest and lower, touching him until teasing became unbearable for both of them. With a primal growl, he quickly moved, bringing her beneath him, filling her completely. She strained against him, arching her back as he took her to new heights. The passion inside of her equaled his. His lips devoured
her mouth with a kiss that promised more to come… so much more and he gave it to her. She held onto him desperately as she tumbled over the edge of pure bliss with him following close behind.
He rolled off her and brought her with him. They were skin to skin just as close as they could be, warm skin flushed from sated desire. She loved how he held her tight and she rested her head on his chest. She let out a sigh of contentment as she listened to the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear.
"I knew you'd be a great lover," she told him, which won her a chuckle.
"I'm here to please, darlin'."
She shifted so she could see his face. He grinned and his smile proved contagious. "Is that so?"
"Yep, true story."
She laughed then covered her mouth. "Jeez, I'm going to wake the house."
"You don't have to be quiet now," he teased with meaning.
She yelped in horror. "Was I too loud? Oh, God no." She tried to cover her face sure she would die of humiliation, but he wouldn't let her hide. He removed her hands and kissed her soundly on the lips before softening the caress.
"Don't worry, I don't believe the neighbors heard you." He covered her mouth once more, stopping her from commenting, and really she didn't care any longer. In this man's arms, she was lost to the passion. Nothing mattered. Not stopping Tim, not her impending fate… This moment was real and lovely and she intended to enjoy every second without letting the hard facts of reality ruin it. Tonight was hers and Derek's, a night long overdue.
Chapter Twelve
The sun kissed the edges of the curtain and the shadows of the night receded slowly to the corners of the room. Derek lay on his side, his elbow on his pillow as he propped up his head so he could gaze at Sloane peacefully sleeping. Her onyx colored hair framed her face, feathering like dark waves onto the pillow.
He didn't pretend to understand the attraction he felt for her. It went against all he'd been brought up to believe. She would be a vampire, a creature he was supposed to slay and yet he didn't see her as a monster. He had felt the pull to Sloane when they were teens. He had hid his relationship with her from his family—and she'd been human then. They were only to interact with their own kind. The Hayes family wasn't the only family of hunters, and each family had their own methods of eliminating the threats to the human race, but as much as they may differ in carrying out their duties, they were all the same when it came to their core beliefs regarding vampires: All blood suckers were evil and they needed to be eliminated, wiped away from the earth before they took over.
Cassandra had been the first to waver and then finally broke free from those binding beliefs. She fell for an original, a vampire that had been born not made. Cassandra confided in him, knowing he would not go straight to their parents without hearing her out first. On one of their hunts, he had divulged his doubts to her, and revealed he didn't believe all preternatural beings were evil. She used him, played on his emotions so she would have an ally on her side when she confronted their family.
Only he wasn't sure their proof that vampires could cohabitate with humans would be enough. Their parents were not opened to change. They would never welcome a vampire into their home with open arms. His brother Axel was probably no better with compromise and Wade... Wade lived on the wild side so perhaps he could eventually be persuaded to their way of thinking. Wade flirted with the preternatural world, picking and choosing who he thought were the worst threats. Only then did he carry out his duty as a hunter. Otherwise, Wade ignored the preternatural world. His motto: You don't bother me, and I won't dust you.
Sloane stirred and stretched. The sheet fell away revealing cream-colored skin he had lavished with kisses only hours before. The sun still did not bother her, but it would. Once she fully changed, her flesh would blister as if the sun's rays were laser beams.
"You're awake." Sloane's throaty statement made him chuckle.
"So are you." He moved above her, wanting to make love to her before they faced the day. How could something so wrong feel like it was meant to be? Her eyes met his never shying away. He leaned down and kissed her long and hard, pouring his soul into the caress and receiving the same in return.
"Derek, my man, are you decent?" The male voice booming from his living room broke the mood. Derek cursed and rolled away from Sloane. He grabbed for his jeans on the floor and shoved his legs in one at a time.
"Who is it?" Sloane whispered. She hugged the sheet to her chin as she stared at him wide-eyed with worry.
"It's my brother—Wade." He didn't bother with shoes or a shirt. He wouldn't put it past Wade to just barge into his room and apologize later.
At the door, he turned and glanced at Sloane, who looked like a woman who had just been thoroughly made love to. It was an image he could get used to. "Stay here," he told her and slipped out of the room to greet his brother.
Wade's eyes did a slow slide, obviously taking in his hurried attempt to dress. "Your fly's open."
He hastily zipped his jeans. "Haven't you heard of ringing the doorbell?"
"Sure, but this is much more fun." Wade's gaze shifted to his bedroom door. "So who's the gal?"
"None of your business," he growled.
Wade just chuckled. "I guess we're all entitled to our secrets."
"I take it you're here for a reason," Derek said and headed toward the kitchen. He wanted Wade as far away from his bedroom and Sloane as possible. Besides he needed coffee if he was going to keep up the pretense that this was just another uneventful day.
"Axel and I didn't come across Tim's havoc until late last night," Wade said, all business now. "He took out four homeless guys. We almost didn't pay attention when the call came over the police scanner until they mentioned the rose petals and chocolates."
All his family had police scanners. Anything that sounded remotely like a preternatural attack, they investigated, but they mostly received their orders from the Preternatural Regulating Bureau or better known as the PRB. They would be handed a case and they would carry out the mission. Once they checked back in with the details, their payment for the job would be wired into their account. Some of the funds were collected from people who paid for the PRB's services and some of the funds were confiscated from crime scenes or from the preternatural being's lair. Not all preternatural beings lived on the run. They lived among the humans as a front and kept their insidious acts behind closed doors.
"The scene was more gruesome than the first one." Wade pushed his cowboy hat back and rubbed a hand over his face. "Tim must have been in a rage. He tore the men's throats out and stuffed the chocolates there. It looked more like a bear with a chocolate fetish had mauled them rather than a vampire in need of nourishment."
Derek knew why Tim had been in a frenzied state. Tim had been wounded, but he was also pissed off that his plan to make Sloane like him had been foiled. Derek scooped the coffee into the filter and added water to the coffee pot then flipped the switch. In a few minutes he'd have his caffeine fix, and hopefully then he would come up with a plan to get rid of Wade.
"So how was your night?" Wade glanced toward the hall with unspoken meaning.
Before he could make a comment, Cassandra swept in, wearing a robe and slippers. "Are you talking to yourself?" she asked between a stifled yawn. She froze when she caught sight of Wade standing there.
Wade looked momentarily put back, too, but recovered first. "Well, hot damn, Sis," Wade chuckled. "When did you get in?" He separated the distance and gave his sister a bear hug.
Cassandra met Derek's gaze over Wade's shoulder. She didn't want Wade snooping around anymore than he did. Tremayne may be centuries old and strong, but he wouldn't last long in direct sunlight. It was early morning, half past eight to be exact, and it wasn't overcast outside. The sun sat in the sky shining bright and pretty, lethally so.
Cassandra stepped back to peer at Wade. She removed his cowboy hat that seemed to be attached to his head more times than not. She ruffled his hair. "How have you been littl
e brother?"
Axel was the eldest then Derek fell next in line. Cassandra had been born nine months later. Wade was the baby of the Hayes family at the ripe young age of twenty-three. Their parents must have decided they wanted children then popped out four in a matter of five years. Guess they didn't want to waste time or perhaps hunting had taken a lull in those critical years they needed to raise four children. Axel was convinced their parents just wanted more hunters to train so they could widen their search.
"I'm fine, Cass, real fine," Wade said. "Missed you at Christmas."
"Missed you, too. Do I smell coffee?" She brushed by him with her abrupt change of subject and headed to the counter where the pot gurgled with the announcement that coffee was now being brewed. If he knew his sister, she was probably already concocting a plan to usher little brother out of the house, and as far away from her vampire lover as possible.
Derek did the honors of pouring three cups of coffee and handing over the cream to Cassie once he splashed a generous portion into his cup. He raised the mug to his lips, but halted taking his well-needed caffeine fix due to the fact his heart had lodged in his throat. Sloane sauntered into the kitchen dressed in his T-shirt and sweats and looking sexy as heck, but Wade wouldn't see it that way. Damn, he should have warned her that his brother knew what she looked like, and would dust her on principle. As far as Wade knew, she was as dangerous as Tim.
Wade turned and spotted her. His lips curved into a smile before recognition slipped into place. His coffee cup slammed onto the table, the contents sloshing onto the floor. "Holy crap!" he shouted as his concealed weapon in the sleeve of his jacket sprang to his palm. He made a move toward Sloane, but Derek proved faster. He put himself between Sloane and his brother, but not before he caught sight of Sloane's eyes turning a nice shade of crimson.
"Stop." He held up his hands to keep Wade from advancing another step.
"Stop?" Wade's voice had risen to booming status. "She's one of the friggin' targets we've been tracking."
Flowers and Fangs (Stake and Dust series, Book II) Page 8