by Jessica Sims
“No,” said Rand, and he looped an arm around my waist. “We are going to take you home and you are going to rest. Remember that they cannot enter our domicile without being invited in.”
Oh, right. That was good. “So we just need to avoid the streets and we’ll be fine.”
“Something like that.”
“Okay, cool,” I said, and then I passed out again.
Twelve
Some time later, I woke up to find myself back in the hotel bed. There was a bare, warm chest pressed against my cheek, and I tried to process that for a moment before alerting Rand that I was awake.
I’d been out for some time, so he must’ve fed recently on some other hapless woman. I couldn’t be jealous, because I’d been totally passed out due to someone else attacking me like the last bag of popcorn at a movie theater, but I still didn’t like it. The faint scent of soap touched my nostrils, and I guessed that he’d bathed himself again after feeding, since he knew I didn’t like it.
For some reason, that touched me.
So I let myself drowse on his chest for a moment longer, enjoying the feel of his body warm against mine. This was what it would be like if Rand were human, and we were in a relationship. I’d curl up against him at night, and he’d . . . well, he wouldn’t be a vampire.
I sighed to myself. Too far away from reality. What a shame.
A hand toyed with my hair. “You should bathe, Lindsey. There’s blood in your hair.”
Ick. Way to bring a girl out of a mood. “Gee, thanks, Rand.”
“Do you feel better? How are you?” His hand slid down my arm, stroking it. “It nears dawn.”
“I’ve been asleep for a while, then.” I yawned and stretched, getting up. I winced at the way certain muscles pulled as I did. My neck felt hot and tight, and it hurt like the dickens. I touched the wound and hissed at the stab of pain. Maybe it’d feel better after a few aspirin.
I crawled out of bed and into the shower, then took a few pills. My own clothing was filthy, so I hand-washed my T-shirt and jeans in the sink, scrubbing them with the hotel soap to try to get the blood out. When I’d done the best I could, I put on one of Rand’s new T-shirts, since there wasn’t much else to wear.
Then, because it was near dawn and I was still exhausted, I crawled right back into bed next to Rand and flopped down on a pillow. When he pulled me against him, I didn’t even protest. Even though his body was rock hard and now a bit cooler to the touch, I still liked cuddling him.
Cuddling with a vampire. That was probably high up on the list of things one shouldn’t cuddle with, next to scorpion and porcupine. But I couldn’t help myself. So I settled my cheek against the crook of his shoulder and relaxed. “Guess we’re staying in for the rest of the evening, hmm?”
“I must,” Rand agreed. “And I ask that you not leave while I am asleep due to the daylight. I do not like this newest revelation of strange vampires I cannot sense.”
I didn’t care for it much myself. “If there’s still cookies, I’ll eat those,” I said. I closed my eyes and pulled the blankets up around my chin, feeling relaxed and dazed. Or maybe that was the blood loss. “Or I can raid the minibar. No big.”
“Let me see your neck,” he said, just as I was drifting back off to sleep. I groaned at him, but when he continued to nudge me, I rolled onto my back so he could examine it. His fingers brushed my collarbone. “The wound has come open again in the shower.”
His skimming fingers were doing naughty things to my body. My nipples had reacted immediately, perking at the touch. My entire body tingled with awareness of his against my own, and I felt my pulse speed up.
“I need to lick you to assist with the healing, Lindsey,” Rand said, hands moving along my jaw and throat. “Tilt your head back for me.”
I need to lick you. Oh sweet heavens. “Rand, I—”
“Do it, Lindsey.”
And because I wanted to do it despite myself, I tilted my head back and waited, feeling a little awkward and a lot tense and turned on all at once.
I started as Rand’s head bent to my neck and his nose brushed against my throat. His hair tickled my chin, and I had the most insane urge to twine my fingers in those long, thick locks and hold him against me, as if we’d been lovers in a make-out session.
We weren’t, of course. This was healing. Nothing more. I had a boo-boo and he was going to make it all better . . . with his tongue.
Oh, who was I kidding? I was totally getting turned on by this. I squirmed underneath him as I felt his weight settle on top of me. This was . . . okay, this felt like sex. It wasn’t, I kept telling myself. Totally wasn’t.
Then his tongue touched my neck and he gave it a long, sultry lick.
A moan escaped me.
I clapped a hand over my mouth, shocked.
Rand groaned against my throat, and the sound went straight to my sex. “God have mercy upon me. Do not sound so delicious, Lindsey. The last thing you need is more blood taken from you, and you tempt me sorely.”
“Sorry,” I breathed. I wasn’t, though. I liked hearing that I was tempting him. He was sexy and dangerous and gorgeous, so of course I liked the thought of making him half as wild as he made me. But this was about healing the gouge in my throat, so I bit down on my lip and tried to think nice, sweet, chaste thoughts.
Like teddy bears.
Candy hearts.
Nice warm hugs and—
Oh God, was he stroking his tongue against the hollow of my throat?
A whimper escaped, and this time I gave in to the temptation of burying my fingers in his hair. I clung to him, full of need, and moaned again when he licked my skin. I forgot all about my wound or how I’d received it. The only thought in my head was Rand, and Rand’s tongue, and the weight of Rand’s body over mine.
“Lindsey,” he rasped, and his mouth moved up the column of my neck, pressing light kisses to my skin. Then his mouth was on mine and he was kissing me. At first, he was soft, tender, almost hesitant. As if testing if I really wanted this or not.
And oh boy, did I ever. I slicked my tongue against his, moaning my need. His fangs pricked me, and the taste of my blood tinged the kiss. This time, Rand moaned, and his fingers dug into my hair, and then we were both kissing with abandon, a mesh of tongues, lips, and teeth. Every time his tongue stroked mine, I felt it between my legs, and my hips rose in response. His body had somehow settled between my legs, and I wrapped one around his thigh, pushing him against me. The hard press of his cock against my sex told me I wasn’t the only one full of need, and I thrust against him, wanting him deep inside me.
“Please, Rand,” I whispered, taking his hand and pulling it to my breast. My nipples ached, desperate to be touched. “Put your hands on me.” I wasn’t wearing panties, and I was acutely aware of how little clothing separated us. “I need you.”
Rand’s mouth pulled away from mine and he pressed his forehead against me. “We shouldn’t.”
“I know we shouldn’t, but I don’t care at the moment,” I protested, covering his hand before he could remove it from my breast. “Just give it one little squeeze to let it know you care—”
“We can’t,” he said again, and lifted his head to stare into my confused eyes. He leaned in and gave me a chaste kiss on the tip of my nose. “You are not strong enough at the moment for my attentions. What you need now is rest.”
“I promise not to move around too much,” I protested, smoothing my hands over his shoulders. “You can do all the work. Really. I’ll just lie back and think of England.”
He gave me a puzzled look, then shook his head. “I cannot, Lindsey. Much as I want to, I would drink from you when we tupped. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. And you are too weak as it is.”
He was right, I supposed. I was getting tired of the word weak, though. I sat up, disgruntled. Was it me? Was he not attracted to me? “All you want is my blood. Just say it. You’re not going to hurt my feelings.”
Just like that, I was p
ushed back onto the bed again, his big body covering mine. His face inches from my own. “Do you know why you like it when I lick your throat, Lindsey?” His eyes were dangerous blue slits.
Silently I shook my head.
“Because I have had two hundred years to perfect my licking. I know just where and how to put my tongue to a woman.” Those beautiful lashes flicked, and I was trapped in his gaze. “I know just how to lick her cunny so that she’s screaming with pleasure. And if you think I don’t want to lick yours? You are mad.”
I stared at him, utterly breathless.
“I want nothing more, Lindsey,” he whispered. “But I will wait. I am a patient man.”
My mouth was dry. “O-okay.”
“Now sleep,” he murmured, rolling to his side. He pulled me against him once more, nestling me in the crook of his arm as if we hadn’t just had a make-out session that made me want to jump his bones. “You need your rest.”
Rest was the last thing I was thinking of. “I’ll try,” I said with a yawn.
His hand moved against my wet hair, fanning it over my shoulders. “You will succeed,” he murmured, and indeed, I began to feel sleepier as I snuggled against him and he toyed with my hair. Was he using mind control to make me rest? Did I care?
It wasn’t until I’d nearly nodded back off to sleep that my brain focused on the thing that was bothering me.
I gasped and bolted out of bed, pushing aside the covers. I looked at the time. Five a.m. Shit. I scrambled for my phone. “Gemma,” I said.
She’d been quiet for far too long. Gemma was a serial texter, and the fact that she hadn’t said a peep in the last twenty-four hours? I was worried. I picked up my phone and flicked the screen on. No new text messages. My stomach clenching with fear, I scrolled back through the texts we’d sent earlier, rereading them.
Her last message was Ooo, there’s someone at the door. Maybe it’s the dealer. I’ll keep you posted!
Someone at the door?
I thought of the vampires that had ambushed me in the streets, and my body went cold. It hadn’t been a casual overtaking. They’d been following us. Expecting us. “I think they might have Gemma,” I told him, utterly sick at the thought. If she’d thought they were antiques dealers, she’d have invited them in, no questions asked. And once you invited a vampire inside . . . “We have to go back to Venice.”
“We can’t now,” he murmured. “Dawn is almost here. If I leave this room, it will be a death sentence for me.”
I looked at the window, where we’d tossed a blanket over the curtains and used a few hair scrunchies to secure it to the curtain rod. No light came in, but I knew he was right. It was extremely late—or early, depending on how you looked at it. Gemma’s text had been sent hours and hours ago, before I’d known there were other vampires hunting for Rand.
At the time, I’d thought nothing of it.
Now, however, my hands trembled as I sent her a message. Hey, Gemma—wakey wakey. Question for you.
No answer. Of course there was no answer, I told myself, trying to be reasonable. It was five in the morning. She was asleep. Gemma tried not to wake up before the crack of noon unless I made her.
I could leave and go after her. Five or six hours and I’d be in Venice . . .
And Rand would be all alone.
And Gemma might be fine.
Or she might be dead already.
I had no way of knowing. Rand could take care of himself when it came to combat, but he was helpless when it came to simple things. The man had just now figured out doorknobs.
I needed to stay. Even as I told myself that, I felt horrible guilt.
Please be okay, Gemma. Please.
Thirteen
I didn’t sleep a wink the entire time Rand was out. In vain, I texted Gemma over and over again.
No response. Not a one. It wasn’t like Gemma to not check her phone. I knew something had happened to her. I knew it, and I hated myself for not abandoning Rand. How could I abandon my friend when she needed me? But at the same time, how could I abandon Rand if Gemma was already dead?
Tormented, I paced back and forth in the small hotel room. I kept the packet that she’d given me at hand. The toothpicks were a cute gesture but not super useful considering their size. I could try the holy water, I supposed. Instead, I drank half the bottle and downed (okay, gagged down) the vial of garlic, then brushed my teeth and rinsed with mouthwash over and over again until it no longer smelled on my breath. If everyone was so fired up about drinking from me, well, I’d give them a surprise, wouldn’t I?
I’d just have to warn Rand that my blood was currently off-limits.
It wasn’t such a bad idea to make myself verboten to him. I’d been grinding against him while Gemma had been confronting murderous vampires. It wasn’t my best moment, and I was ashamed that I hadn’t thought of her until bedtime. How had I not thought about my best friend? I hoped it was the blood loss and not me just being careless and led by my lust for Rand.
I hoped.
As I waited, I booked train tickets and scanned our bank account, hoping that I was just overthinking things and that charges from the local corner store in Venice would show up on our shared card.
Nothing. No purchases since the night before, when I’d purchased my coffee at the café. The clothing we’d bought for Rand. The hotel room.
That was it. Gemma’s presence in the world was a big blank, and it was scaring me.
By the time Rand woke, I was a twitchy, nervous mess. He sat and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and the delicious spicy scent that accompanied him was thicker than ever, signalizing his hunger. He moved closer and kissed my neck. “You smell . . . different.”
“I ate a bunch of garlic,” I admitted to him. “You don’t want any of my blood right now.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I should be offended, but I am impressed by your ingenuity. Garlic?”
“Doesn’t that work against vampires?”
“As a soporific, yes. You will only make them drowsy.”
“Oh. And I might have done a shot of holy water.”
“I suppose I should be thankful you didn’t test it out on me while I was sleeping.”
“The thought did cross my mind,” I admitted. “But I didn’t want to hurt you.” I clenched my hands and unclenched them. “Rand, I’m so scared for Gemma. I don’t know what to do. I—” I broke off, swallowing hard. I was fighting back tears. Every moment that I wasn’t at Gemma’s side felt like a brand-new betrayal.
“If they have gone after her, she will be safe.” He reached over and squeezed my hand. “There is no benefit to them killing her.”
“Do you really think so?” I clung to the hope.
“I do,” he said, his fingers lacing through mine. I didn’t even mind the chill of his skin, because I desperately needed the comfort of his touch. “If they keep her alive, she produces blood. And they know if they keep her alive, we will come after her. They get nothing out of killing her, other than petty revenge.” He shook his head. “If they are looking to bring me forward, they will use her as bait, but they will not kill her.”
I didn’t point out that a vampire had nearly chewed a hole in my throat a day or so ago.
Rand knew Guy. If he said he wouldn’t kill Gemma, I had to believe him. Had to. “We should leave,” I told Rand. “I have train tickets back to Venice. I can’t stand not knowing what happened to Gemma. I’m sure it’s a trap, but I don’t care.” My fingers tightened against his. “So I hope you understand when I say I have to go, and I’ll understand if you want to part ways here.”
He gazed at me for so long that I began to think he’d take me up on it. Which made me feel even worse. I didn’t want him to leave, but I felt like I had to offer it. After all, sticking with me had gotten Gemma where, exactly? In trouble. But Rand gave his head a small shake, and his grip tightened on mine. “I am with you.”
I exhaled in relief. “Thank you.”
; “Venice is along the way to Guy.” He shrugged.
“I . . . oh. Okay.” So it was just convenient for him? I didn’t know what to think of that. Then again, it didn’t matter. “Let’s get going, then.”
As Rand dressed, I thought about all the logistics. Rand would have to feed from someone before we got on the train. Or while on the train, I supposed, though that might make things messy. I’d have to grant him permission to cross water, since it left him writhing in pain otherwise. I’d need to invite him in if I crossed a threshold.
I needed more holy water and garlic.
Traveling with a vampire? Damned inconvenient.
* * *
I must have been more exhausted than I thought, because I dozed fitfully on the train. When I awoke, we were nearing Venice, and Rand was warm and flushed with someone else’s blood. I didn’t ask questions. My mind was on Gemma.
I texted her again, frantic. Please, please, Gemma. Answer me! 911! 911! I’m about to show up on your doorstep!
No response. There hadn’t been a single one, no matter how many times I’d texted her. It made my stomach sink a little more every time, until I felt as if I were dragging it around my feet, along with my hopes that Gemma would be fine and her phone was just dead.
Gemma was many things, but she never forgot her phone. She was hooked to it like a smoker to their lighter.
There could be no explanation other than the other vampires had found her and taken her.
Still, I refused to stubbornly give up hope. I wouldn’t believe Gemma was hurt / in danger / dead unless I saw her body myself. She was alive and she was fine. Gemma was sweet and charming and pretty, and she could talk her way out of most things. Everyone who met her adored her. Even if she was captive, she was likely charming them with her wit and her inventive cusswords.
I tried not to think about her having sour-tasting blood.
I trembled as we rode a water taxi back through the canals of Venice. We got off at our “street,” and I rushed to the door of the apartment building. I stepped across the portal, then looked at Rand, who was patiently waiting in the alleyway.