by Jessica Lee
“We’re fine.” His smile broadened, but a shadow lurked behind his eyes, dampening the full effect. “Nothing for you to thank me for, or for us to talk about. I’m glad you’ll be coming. I’ll rest easier knowing you’re on our side of the Atlantic.” He brushed past and headed over to Arran.
Well, that couldn’t have been more clear. He wasn’t anywhere near ready to discuss what had happened between them in Seth’s dungeon.
“Eve said we’re leaving in a couple of hours,” Guerin said to Arran. “I’m going to pop back over to the gasthaus where I rented a room and get my things. I’ll be back in a few.”
“Okay, man.” Arran dropped his boots from where he’d propped them on the coffee table.
Without another word or a glance back, Guerin phased from the suite. A twinge of hurt nudged her breastbone at the barricade Guerin had slammed into place between them. But there was a part of her that wasn’t surprised, and she’d halfway expected it. He’d opened up a very old, festered wound in the past twenty-four hours, and no doubt, he was reeling from the anguish.
Eve knew he cared about her. She’d witnessed firsthand the hell he’d allowed himself to endure to try to protect her. And after what they’d experienced, Guerin had to know how much she cared about him. She just hoped the sacrifice Guerin made, submitting to Daniela once more—for her—hadn’t erected a defensive wall so thick Eve would never be able to penetrate.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Their plane touched down during the late-morning hours on the East Coast of the US and taxied into a hangar. Luckily for Eve, their flight over the Atlantic had launched at sunrise, and the passengers, including Guerin, had slept for the duration. Eve had barely closed her eyes and was anxious to escape the close quarters of the tin box. Kenric and Guerin, being the senior vampires of their posse, were now up, but groggy.
After their pilot had confirmed that the area was secure and their ride had arrived, Kenric carried Emily’s sleeping form to the darkened limo. Guerin managed to awaken Arran long enough for him to lumber toward their ride. Eve climbed inside the stretch vehicle and found a spot between the two warriors while Kenric held Emily in his arms. Kenric tossed a blanket over his mate for added security and warmth. Eve squirmed inside over the display of affection and deflected her gaze, but she wasn’t sure where to look. The windows in front of her were dark. To her left, Arran was a nice-looking man, but it was totally inappropriate to sit there and stare at the mated male. To her right…Guerin. Eve swallowed, her throat suddenly as dry and dusty as the bottom of her boots. She glanced at the strong vampire beside her with his dark Mediterranean good looks, and her stomach did that girly crush flip-flop thing. Good Lord.
She was not a teenager.
But watching him sleep during the flight had given her way too many hours to reminisce about the good times they’d shared. And her libido had kicked into full alert. As if Guerin sensed her perusal, he cocked his head from where he studied his fingers, his forearms resting on his legs. Their gazes connected, and Eve could have sworn someone had cranked the limo’s heat to high. His nostrils flared. Eve crossed her legs and cleared her throat.
“How far of a drive is it to your home?” Eve looked over at Kenric and rubbed her thighs with her damp palms.
“About an hour,” Guerin responded before Kenric had the chance, dragging her attention back to the male.
“That long, huh?”
“Afraid so,” he said and lifted a brow. “Restless?” He leaned against the seat’s backrest and propped a boot over his knee.
“Yeah. A little,” she said.
Guerin’s expression darkened as he surveyed her from beneath eyelashes the color of coal. The corner of his mouth curled, and the tip of a fang emerged from under his lip. Okay. Nope. That did not help. Why did she have a feeling the one-hour drive to the Enclave estate was going to feel a hell of lot longer than the flight across the Atlantic?
Sixty minutes later, and not a moment too soon, the limo came to a complete stop and the engine went silent. Thank God. She needed some air.
The door to the passenger compartment opened. “Everything’s secure, sir,” the human male she’d heard Kenric call Michael stated. Her father stepped from the vehicle with Emily in his arms, his movements fluid, as if Emily’s added weight were an extra jacket, not an adult female.
Eve grabbed her small bag from where their driver had placed it beside the vehicle and followed Kenric from the multi-vehicle garage into the house. They marched through a dimly lit corridor until it opened to a chef’s kitchen. A large island with an inlaid stovetop and seating for six dominated the center of the room; white cabinets contrasted the black granite countertops and dark stained wood floors. Stainless steel appliances topped off the overall design. Nice.
Vampires didn’t require human food to survive, but some still enjoyed the act of eating. And apparently this group did. Thank goodness, because she needed both to remain at her best.
“Eve,” Kenric said, slowed to a stop, and pivoted. “I’m heading upstairs to put Emily to bed, but Michael will show you to your room and help you find anything else you require. Later, after sundown, I’ll give you a tour of the place.”
“That’s fine. I look forward to it.”
He smiled, his eyes soft and warm, and proceeded into the house.
“I can show you to your room now if you’re ready,” Michael said, coming up beside her.
“No,” Guerin interjected. “I’ll show her.”
“Uh, how about I show myself? You can just point me in the right direction, Michael. I’m sure I can find my way.” She did not need Mr. Tall, Dark, and Testosterone-Filled taking her to her bedroom.
“Did you give her the vacant room next to Alexandria’s?” Guerin proceeded on, completely ignoring her protest. Michael nodded.
“Guerin.” She propped her hands on her hips. “I don’t need a tour guide. It’s a house, not the Louvre.”
Guerin scrubbed a palm over his face, his beard sounding bristly on his flesh, and exhaled. “Follow me.” He took her bag from her hand and headed off in the direction Kenric had gone with Emily. Eve grumbled, but relented and fell into step behind him. He hadn’t left her much choice.
“You look like you should be finding your own room,” she mumbled. Guerin drew to a halt at the foot of the stairs and looked over his shoulder.
“Are you saying I look bad?” He crossed his arms.
Doing her best to keep the grin off her face, Eve gave him her best innocent expression. “I didn’t say that, exactly. We’ve all been through a lot these last few days. You’re tired, Lombardi. Sheesh… Vain much?” Eve brushed past him and began climbing the stairs.
“I am not vain,” he huffed behind her.
She chuckled under her breath and stopped at the top to wait for him to catch up.
“This way,” he said and smirked before heading right. “Your room is at the end, facing the side of the house. But you should also get a nice glimpse of the front and back.”
Eve couldn’t pull her gaze from the way the dark jeans hugged the rear of the male in front of her. The denim perfectly encased the tight muscles and then molded itself down his thighs. Eve had to bite her lip to keep from groaning. Yes. She did have a nice view of the back.
Guerin opened the door and stood aside, allowing her enough space to pass through. Eve surveyed the floor plan and furnishings. Rich dark woods, mahogany or cherry, filled the room. A comforter designed with a cream, chocolate, and blue geometric pattern covered the bed. White wooden shutters sealed the windows, but she surmised the house must use some kind of exterior or tinted covering for the glass itself because no UV light filtered between the slats.
“You have your own bathroom in here,” Guerin said and sauntered over to a darkened doorway and clicked on a light inside. Eve joined him and peeked inside.
“Great.” The bath came with a separate soaker tub and freestanding blue-and-white-tiled shower. Kenric and Emily certainly
had good taste and obviously took care of the members of the Enclave. Eve moved to the other side of the room and found the double doors to the closet. She pulled them wide and surveyed the deep space. Damn, she could actually sleep inside there.
“You like?” Guerin was behind her. His presence—warmth—sent a shiver up her spine. He was so close, she could swear his breath tickled her nape. Yet he hadn’t touched her.
“Yeah,” she whispered. “What’s not to like?”
“Good.” He hadn’t moved. Eve tightened her grip on the door handles.
“Where’s your room?” Damn. Why had she blurted that out loud?
“I sleep downstairs in the basement.” Eve could hear the smile in his voice. He was loving that she’d asked.
“Oh. There’s a basement?”
“It’s where the Enclave handles its business, plus there are a couple of bedrooms. Since I’m not mated, I prefer to allow the others to have the suites up here. They’re a little larger.”
“How considerate of you.” Electricity virtually hummed inside her head. It was as if the space between them had become a Tesla coil, and the current zinged between her nipples and her core.
And then he touched her—not her shoulder, or her back. A gentle brush of his fingers in her hair, moving the strands aside and exposing her neck. “I do try,” he breathed on her flesh. His lips feathered along the curve up toward her ear, and the effect had her tugging hard on the closet doors. The hinges groaned in complaint.
Eve released her grip and spun, and his mouth found hers. She wanted to shout at the exquisite bliss. She opened and Guerin dived inside. God, Eve loved the taste of him—sweet and spicy. Her heart raced as he pulled her against his chest, her nipples hard, aching, demanding more of the contact. He rocked into her, pressing the hard length of his shaft into her abdomen. She moaned, but not from the desire alone.
This was too easy.
And what they had was anything but easy. Their history or baggage couldn’t be swept away with a roll between the sheets. Sure his body wanted her, but what about his head, his heart? She’d been the reason he’d traveled back down a very ugly dark road. How could he be ready to be with her—completely—after he’d been forced to relive a nightmare of Daniela’s creation?
And if she were honest, the thought of him calling the bitch “Mistress” chapped Eve’s ass. She knew why he’d done it, but the green monster inside didn’t care. God, she didn’t want to be the reason he ever hurt again. But dammit, Eve didn’t want him if she got half his trust and only a small piece of his heart.
Giving in now to satiate their lust meant neither would be truly happy, nor in the end, receive what they needed from each other.
She couldn’t do this.
Eve bit down hard on Guerin’s lower lip, and the spicy flavor of his blood shot over her tongue. He grunted and jerked back on a hiss.
“I never gave you permission to kiss me,” she stated.
Guerin stilled, and fire flashed, then swirled around his pupils. With the back of his hand, he wiped away the scarlet stain from his mouth and reversed his step until there was room to breathe between them. “No, you didn’t,” he snarled. “And I didn’t ask.”
“You want to pick a fight now, vampire?” She raised an eyebrow. “A second ago, I got the impression you wanted to fuck. Or maybe you were just begging me to punish you?”
Any evidence of the flames in his gaze was vanquished with her words. His eyes went coal black, the pupil swallowing up the white. He growled. “That’s the last damn thing I need.” The tips of his fangs glinted beneath his upper lip.
“Good. Because you’re not getting either from me.” Eve moved around him, her knees more wobbly than she’d like to admit. At the door to her room she stopped and grasped the edge of the door, her back to Guerin. She couldn’t look at him. Her will wasn’t strong enough. “So why don’t you and I keep our distance until you figure out exactly what it is you do need.” Her words were fierce, even though in her heart, the venom behind them wasn’t nearly as potent.
“You know…,” Guerin stated from behind her, his voice gravelly and deep, his proximity so close, the heat from his body warmed her backside. “I think you’ve verbalized exactly what has needed to be said for a long time.”
Mentally, Eve flinched. She couldn’t help it. She was pissed, and she’d pushed, but this wasn’t really what she’d wanted.
“You and I both know this, you and me, isn’t going to work,” he went on to say. “What we had was good—hot as hell. While it lasted. I know what I need, beautiful, and unless what you’ve got in mind is killing bad guys, anything more than that isn’t it.”
He brushed past her through the bedroom door. Eve closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the wood to keep from crumbling. The heavy thump of his boots faded as Guerin made his way down the hall. Maybe he was right. That was what she was going to have to keep telling herself when she crawled into bed without him each day.
A couple of hours after sundown and a restless day of tossing and turning later, Eve sat at the bar in the kitchen. Michael had made a wonderful chicken salad, and Eve was attempting to make a good show of enjoying it. She didn’t need the entire Enclave to know her heart was breaking.
“There you are.” Kenric stepped into the kitchen, wearing dark slacks and a navy turtleneck, his gaze going straight to Eve, then swinging to the other male in the room. “Good evening, Michael. How are you doing?”
“Good. Thanks.” Michael smiled. Eve guessed the other guy was probably in his midthirties. He was a good-looking male with a head full of wavy sandy-brown hair. Perhaps a little too tall and thin for her personal taste, but he was friendly and pleasant to be around. It was refreshing to see a human who worked for a vampire of his own free will, and judging by the lack of marks on his neck, one who wasn’t being used as a calyx. “Nice to have someone in the house who enjoys my cooking.” He chuckled.
“Well that is truly a rare find, indeed.”
“Bite me,” Michael snapped, but it appeared all bluff.
“Another time. Already eaten.”
Michael flicked Kenric his middle finger, but Kenric laughed and circled the bar toward Eve. “I promised you a tour,” her father said. “Is this a good time?”
“Of course.” Eve slid from the chair. “The sandwich was delicious, Michael. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Anytime.” He gave Eve a nod.
Kenric guided Eve through what seemed like every inch of the house. He mentioned the house was their second. They’d moved a little over a year ago because someone on the inside had betrayed their whereabouts, and their headquarters had come under attack by a group of DEADs.
“Did my mother have anything to do with that?” Eve had a feeling she already knew that answer.
“She did.” He nodded. “But this location is secure,” Kenric went on to say. “We have the latest in electronic surveillance available, and the warriors in the Enclave are as loyal as they come.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “One of the reasons I wanted you with me—to make sure you’re safe and protected. Seth and Daniela are dead, but we can’t be sure of who else out there knows about you. I’m so pleased you agreed to come to the States with us.”
“Me too,” she whispered, and a part of her really did mean it. This was an opportunity to get to know her father firsthand. She just wished… Wished for a life with another Enclave male that wasn’t meant to be.
He finished off the tour of the library with a stroll outside and to the pool. Eve rubbed her bare arms under the chilly night air.
“South Carolina summers are hot,” he said. “So even during the night, the water and breezes are warm, and you can enjoy a swim.”
“That will be nice.” Eve stared out over the still blue waters of the large rectangular pool, the underwater lighting serene and inviting. The grounds were lined with large evergreens, giving a swimmer the feeling of complete privacy for a midnight dip.
“Las
tly, I’d like to take you down to the basement and show you where we meet each evening.”
The basement…where Guerin sleeps.
With a palm to her back, Kenric led her back inside, past the kitchen, and down a corridor that dead-ended at an interior door. “When most of us aren’t trekking to Europe”—he chuckled and opened the door—“we rotate shifts to monitor the streets of Elizabeth Bay and the surrounding area for DEAD activity. My team feels strongly about protecting the human population from vampires who can’t control their urge to kill and end up addicted to Death Euphoria.” He started down a set of wooden treads and Eve followed.
“My mother mentioned you and the Enclave before she left.”
“She did?” At the foot of the stairwell, he glanced back over his shoulder.
Eve nodded. “She just neglected to inform me of a lot of other important details.”
Kenric grunted in acknowledgement, then placed his hand over a flat surface. A beam of light flashed on and proceeded to scan the surface of his palm. A lock clicked and Kenric pulled the door handle.
Inside, Eve would have sworn she’d stepped into an enormous bachelor pad complete with a flat-screen TV, video games, an air hockey table, and a pool table. Yet at the far end, the elaborate computer and security monitor setup said the place held a higher purpose. Sitting at the helm of the controls was a beautiful young woman with long dark-brown hair.
“Eve, this is Elle, Arran’s mate,” Kenric said. Elle looked up and gave her a warm smile.
“It’s wonderful to meet you.” She stuck out her hand and Eve slid her palm inside for a shake.
“Likewise,” Eve said. “I’ve met Arran. He’s a fierce warrior. Loyal.”
“Yes, he is.” the woman nodded, her eyes bright. No one would have had to tell Eve the woman was in love. One mention of Arran’s name, and she practically radiated. How nice it must feel to have the feeling reciprocated. Something Eve wasn’t sure she’d ever know. “I’ll have to introduce you to my sister, Alex,” Elle added. “She’s not home right now. Maybe we can get together later? I’m sure she’ll love having another female in the house.”