Immortal Flame (Eternal Mates Book 1)
Page 6
“Shit, I’m sorry,” he whispered. His thumb gently stroking over the nick he’d caused on her bottom lip with his fang. Her eyelashes finally flickered, lifting, then blinking, her unfocused gaze met his own lilac one. “I was careless with you, I’m sorry.” He leaned forward, tongue stroking over her lip, cleaning up the evidence of his carelessness, before he stepped back. He dropped his hand from her throat and instantly missed her erratic pulse beating beneath his flesh. The hand he’d been cradling her head with dropped around her shoulders. He turned, pulling her into his side as he again began walking, keeping her tucked beside him.
Once in the pubs car park, Leonard hit the fob on his keys for the jet-black Maserati. The headlights flashed and the interior lights came on, illuminating the interior as the internal lights came on as the car doors unlocked.
“Figures,” Jill smiled, rolling her eyes as he helped her to slide into the passenger seat.
“What figures?” Leonard asked, leaning over her as he fastened her seat belt.
“You and a flash car,” Jill grinned, lovingly stroking the soft cream leather of the seat. “Who’d have thought it,” she mock gasped, batting her eyes lashes.
“Jill?”
“Yeah?”
“Be quiet,” Leonard mumbled, kissing the end of her nose. He then closed the door on her shocked face, before moving around to the driver’s side and slipping into his own seat. He’d shocked the hell out of himself also with that move, he was not into public displays of affection. He’d never felt the need to do so either. Yet, twice now tonight, he’d done so with Jill.
What in the hell was happening to him?
“Any music preference?” he asked as he turned the engine over.
“Erm…” Jill cleared her throat, still confused over the way Leonard had not only kissed the ever-loving life out of her in the street, but had also treated her tenderly afterwards. Then, just now had shown her affection. The man was a mass of contradictions. “Jazz or rock, which do you prefer?” she asked.
“Rock, so long as it’s soft rock. I can’t abide the ones that scream,” his lip curled on scream and she chuckled as she moved through the radio stations.
The drive to her little house was quiet. Leonard only spoke to ask for directions; not that she minded, as they both seemed lost in their own thoughts. Jill was replaying the events of the evening and the weird reaction people seemed to have to him. Leonard, well, he had a poker face, nothing showed.
In the passenger seat, Jill watched him silently from beneath her lashes. His hair was held back with a loose tie, some kind of thin leather. She couldn’t tell how long it was as it had gotten caught in the collar of his suit jacket. He had a wide forehead, smooth and wrinkle free. Dark, nicely shaped eyebrows which looked as if he’d had them professionally done. A slim, aquiline nose, with a flared tip and a drool worthy square jaw. He now sported a little jet-black, short stubble, but on Leonard, even that looked designer. It was all nice and neat, no ragged or stray hairs.
I mean, as if it would dare to grow untidily.
It looked as if someone had taken a trimmer to it. Sharp angles under his high cheekbones and down over his chin before it moved up the sides of that kissable mouth, ending under his nose. She was so lost in her observations that she didn’t realise the car was idling by the kerb.
“Jill, are you okay?” Leonard asked turning to her and she blinked, her startled eyes staring through the windscreen.
“Sorry, miles away. Thank you for the lift and company,” she murmured, blushing at getting caught staring at him.
“My pleasure. Are you free tomorrow evening?” Leonard had decided that as he had to take her on five-dates, it was better to just get them over and done with. That way it should be easier for him to keep his hands to himself. Once the dates were out of the way, she was his, as he’d have kept to his end of the bargain with Luc.
“I am,” Jill replied, hand on the car door.
“How do you feel about the ballet?”
“To be honest, I’ve never been,” she told him, and he raised a brow, silently waiting. “Thank you, I would love to go to the ballet with you,” she replied and his mouth lifted at one corner, a twinkle in his eyes.
“I’ll be here at seven tomorrow evening.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then. Oh, and Leonard, I may be showing my ignorance, but is there a dress code?”
“Just smart casual, but I don’t think it’s as rigid as it once was,” he informed her.
“See you tomorrow, goodnight.”
Jill pushed open the door and closed it behind her. Leonard waited until she disappeared inside her home, before driving away.
Chapter Ten
L eonard had gotten up this morning, rung the theatre and reserved the box. Then he’d booked a table at Romano’s; his favourite restaurant. Romano’s was a little highbrow, but the food was second to none, plus, it was situated not far from the theatre, in Upper Lunaton. His favourite corner table; which offered a modicum of privacy, was now reserved for them after the ballet finished this evening. Once everything was organised, he’d put in a couple of hours work in his den, checking over his shares, selling those that had run their time, and buying a few thousand shares of a new fledgling company that had real potential. Satisfied; and a few thousand pounds richer, he’d headed over to the house where Balin was still healing. After spending a little time with him, and taken a bit of ribbing; due to having to date a human, he’d been satisfied that he was on the mend. They’d been worried for a while there, especially after the set-back he’d had earlier in the week when he’d tried to tear into his own stomach. The psycho bitch, Maisie; the black witch who’d captured and tortured Balin, had actually placed a be-spelled rune-stone inside of him. She’d done it purposely to stop him from shifting and healing. Luckily for them, Sophia; a white witch, and the one his old friend Luc seemed to have the hots for, had worked it out. Now, after it had been removed, he was not only on the mend, but could once again shift into his black jaguar form and speed up the process. Everyone was now breathing a little easier. Well, where Balin was concerned anyway. Unfortunately, the psycho bitch was still out there.
Leonard had gone out to help in the search for her, something they’d been doing in shifts for a while now as they tried to locate her. She had to be stopped before she brought their kind to the attention of the authorities with her indiscriminate killings, of humans and immortals alike. There was already a reporter nosing around - slimy little bastard was causing them a few problems with their searches as he kept popping up. The sooner Maisie was found and taken care of, the better for everyone. If humans ever realised that there were immortals walking amongst them, there would be mass hysteria, and they’d be hunted like mindless animals. They’d be studied, and analysed, their brains and bodies dissected as scientist experimented until they could understand them. Now that, they couldn’t allow, which was why the authorities hadn’t been notified or involved. If anything, they wanted to keep them far away from it. Which meant he also had to go to the main police station in Upper Lunaton tomorrow morning with Jaden, just in case he was needed.
It was all such a mess. The bitch had killed a human delivery driver. As he had a pregnant fiancé and young child they couldn’t dispose of the body and change perceptions; which they’d normally do. They were unsure how him meddling with her mind would affect her pregnancy, and he would not have the possibility of doing harm to an unborn child on his conscience. So, tomorrow, his job was to make sure that the authorities were kept in the dark by changing a few perceptions. Plus, the authorities wouldn’t be of any help to them as a human would have no chance against an immortal. They were faster, stronger, and lived, well, indefinitely. Some could shift into animals, some; like him, drank blood. There were witches who could wield magic, both good and bad, and so many more. Basically, most creatures written about in fairy tales or whispered about via a myth had some basis. As the saying goes, ‘there’s no smoke without fire’. T
herefore, Maisie was a threat to everybody, humans and immortals alike. As she was lethal and had no conscience in her thirst for greater power; she also threatened their very existence. They could not keep covering up her killings because at some point, they’d miss someone, and then their kind would be out in the open. That’s when the nightmare would truly begin, because the pitchforks would be sharpened and the torches lit as the humans began their hunt.
Several unsuccessful hours later, he’d headed home, foul tempered and frustrated at how successfully the bitch had one again managed to cover her tracks. All he’d wanted to do at that point was go out to find a willing woman to lose himself in. Only he couldn’t do that as Luc had cock blocked him due to the terms he’d put on healing the rift in their friendship. If he had sex with another woman while dating Jill, he’d renege on their bargain. If he didn’t take Jill on 5-dates, he’d renege on their bargain. But the real kicker was that he couldn’t even screw Jill, whom he’d be more than happy to. Because, yes, you guessed it, if he did have sex with her before their fifth date, he’d renege on their bargain. Basically, he was screwed any which way he turned, without being screwed.
Oh, the irony.
Luc had his hands and his pants zipper tied, because he was desperate to heal their friendship. The guilt for his part of Luc’s curse had ate at him. So much so, that he’d even followed Luc to Lower Lunaton when he’d moved here a few centuries ago. He’d had his home built on the next plot of land so that he could try to watch over his friend when he couldn’t take care of himself. His curse meant that during daylight he turned to stone, a caricature gargoyle, complete with claws.
Leonard paced around his den, frustration and anger eating at him. He needed to chill out, but was limited on what was available to him, so opted for a shower. Like it or not, he still had a date tonight.
Once clean, he began to feel a little better and again found himself looking forward to his evening. He was interested in witnessing Jill’s first impressions of the ballet. It added to the whole experience, especially with a ballet virgin.
Bad choice of words Leonard realised, as he pulled up outside Jill’s house and found her closing and locking her front door. As the Maserati was fitted with tinted windows, it gave him a chance to observe her without detection. His eyes began with her hair, which she wore in chic chignon. A few wispy tendrils of her deep caramel hair loose and framing her pretty face. They dropped down her body in an appreciative, leisurely perusal. She wore a little black sheath dress and his eyes swept from the sweetheart neckline and capped sleeves, to the hem, which stopped just above her knees. It was tastefully fitted to her curvy frame, just offering a tantalising hint of the shapely body beneath. Leonard found it much more sensual than some of the overtly snug and sexual clothing he’d seen many women wearing. She’d teamed it with a pair of moderately heeled black pumps, showcasing her surprisingly long legs. Instead of a necklace or beads, Jill had opted for a jaunty, slim red scarf, which hung loosely from her throat and ended, mid chest. It showed off, not only the length of her neck, but also her pert breasts, as it nestled between them. As she dropped her keys into her bag and tucked it beneath her arm, his eyes were drawn to her legs again. He then began to wonder if the sheer black nylons she wore were tights or stockings. He visualised running a hand up her leg to find out which it was, and the mental image of his fingers moving from silk to silky smooth skin elicited a moan being dragged from deep in his throat. His dick twitched at the idea of touching her so intimately, and he licked a fang as he tried to adjust himself in his seat.
Leonard watched as she closed her gate. Then his innate good manners kicked in and he alighted the car, with a slight wince. Straightening his charcoal pinstriped suit jacket, he tugged it down over his groin and moved around the bonnet to the passenger side.
“Good evening Jill, I hope you’ve had a pleasant day,” Leonard murmured, holding out a hand. When she accepted, placing her own in his, he pulled her in and bending forward brushed a light kiss over her cheek.
“Hi Leo, you look very dapper,” Jill smiled brightly, and his eyes dropped to her plump red lips.
“Thank you, you look very beautiful,” he told her. Then, stepping back, opened the passenger door and used the hand he still held to help her in, settling her into her seat. Once the seatbelt was fastened; and door closed, he moved around the car and got back into the driver’s seat.
“Some classical music to help get you in the mood for our evenings entertainment,” Leonard told Jill. He then set the volume on the cd player and started the car, indicating, he pulled out. The soothing sounds of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake filled the car as he moved through the light, evening traffic.
“Do you enjoy the ballet?” Jill asked, as Leonard turned right, entering the heavier, main flow of traffic leading into the centre of town.
“I used to enjoy it very much. At one time, it was a grand affair going to the theatre to watch the ballet. Women dripping in expensive jewellery, and showcasing fashion designer’s creations in the way of elaborate ball gowns. There was always a strict dress code, and their partners were not allowed in unless dressed in a tuxedo. Then again, few would dare try, because it was all a lead up to the after parties where they got to mix with the rich and famous,” he told her drolly.
“What was the first ballet you attended?” Jill asked, easily imagining Leonard rubbing shoulders with societies elite.
“The ballet was in 1581, I believe, ‘Le ballet Comique De La Reine,’ inspired by Homers ‘Odyssey.’ It was performed in the ballroom adjacent to the Louvre Palace in Paris. Catherine De’ Medici, the French queen at the time, arranged the performance to celebrate her sister’s wedding. It was a very grand affair, and guests in their thousands attended. The queen herself, as well as a lot of her court, also took part in the performance. Then again, Queen Catherine was well known for throwing very expensive and elaborate parties. Although, there are theories that there were other ballets before it, it’s the earliest that I can remember,” Leonard informed her with a shrug.
“No, you misunderstand, Leo. Which was your first ballet, because I’m pretty sure you weren’t around in 1581,” Jill laughed.
“Silly me, my apologies, Swan Lake.” Leonard gave a hearty chuckle, followed by an exasperated shake of his head, giving the impression of his error. Mentally, he castigated himself for yet another slip around her. He needed to be more careful, but found he was so comfortable in her company that it was becoming natural to share with her. A dangerous thing for an immortal with a human, especially one who knew nothing of their kind. He would have to weigh up his words more carefully, from now on. After all, it was not just his own life he was guarding, but that of all immortals. A slip in front of the wrong person could cause a man hunt, and devastation for many families, who would find themselves fighting for their very survival.
Chapter Eleven
J ill looked around her curiously as Leonard handed her into her seat, before taking his own on her left. She’d been shocked to find herself in one of the boxes, that were suspended over the lower seating. The stage was to their right, and from her rather comfortable seat, all of the stage was visible. She felt very self-conscious in the opulent surroundings, wearing her chain-store dress.
“Here you go,” Leonard murmured, handing her a programme and a tiny pair of ornate silver binoculars with a little grip handle. “To help you see better,” he explained, chin nodding towards the stage.
“I can see everything from here,” Jill told him with a smile, placing the binoculars on the arm of her chair as she put her bag on the floor. “I feel like I’ve stepped into a movie,” she whispered, and he frowned. “A rom-com about a billionaire paying for a hooker’s time. He took her to the theatre, and they sat in a box; very much like this one, only she was dripping in diamonds with a designer gown. Very much like your earlier description,” she laughed.
“Why would a billionaire need to take a hooker on a date?” he asked her, seeming perp
lexed.
“I didn’t say it made sense,” she grinned. “I think it was meant to be a spin on the modern-day Cinderella.”
“If I remember correctly, Cinderella was downtrodden, abused by her stepmother and forced into servitude. As part of her duties were scrubbing fireplaces, they nicknamed her Cinders,” he frowned, obviously not getting it.
“Scrubber, hooker, tomato, toe-ma-toe,” Jill chuckled and Leonard blinked, a frown appearing. She waited, her brow raised, then his face cleared before he let out a deep guffaw.
“Scrubber is a play on hooker,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “Would you like a drink?”
“Yes please.”
“Red or white wine?”
“Red would be lovely, thank you.”
“Excuse me a moment,” he told her, standing again before he left through the curtain at the back of their box.
Jill watched him disappear, then let out a sigh. He looked gorgeous in yet another suit, which looked like it had been made especially for him. If the fit was anything to go by, it probably had been. The man had a very nice body, wide shoulders, trim waist and long legs. The dark slate and grey pinstripe made the lilac of his eyes brighter, almost neon in their intensity. He’d teemed it with a crisp, snow white shirt, and the tie he wore was the exact same colour as the pinstripe in his suit. He certainly knew how to dress, and his clear, husky voice was always so eloquent, that even when he swore it sounded like a pleasantry instead of vulgarity. Edging forward in her seat, Jill rested her elbows on the edge of the waist height solid barrier at the front of the box. While Leonard was away, she took the opportunity to study her surroundings. The seats were filling up below, only a few spaces left now, then she heard voices to her left. Looking over, she watched a young statuesque blonde, take her seat. She wore a tight red dress, shoestring straps and her hair swept up, tiny ringlets around her forehead and neck. She had diamonds dripping from her ears and neck, the strands dangling over the globes of her breasts, barely covered by the top of her dress. Jill averted her gaze as her companion took his seat beside her, a man in his mid-forties; by her estimation. Good looking, although a slight paunch was visible around his middle.