She gave him a wry look. "You should be ashamed. What have you been doing all these centuries—goofing off?"
With a chuckle, he motioned to the open door. "Are ye no' cold?"
"I'm confused. Why work at all? Why not stay in Scotland and drive your fancy cars all night?" She hunched over to climb into the car.
"I did that for several decades, but it got old." He enjoyed the view as she separated her legs to get into the front seat. Her tiny skirt hitched up dangerously high. "I wanted more excitement in my life."
"I guess you're getting it." She frowned as she tugged at the hem of her skirt.
"Aye, that I am." He smiled as he shut her door. Then he circled the vehicle and slid behind the steering wheel.
He drove to the West Side Highway, then turned north, headed toward Hell's Kitchen. Whenever he glanced to the right, his gaze gravitated to her legs. Slim and muscular, they could squeeze a man tight around his waist. He inhaled sharply when she rubbed her hands up and down her thighs.
"Do you mind if I turn up the heat? It's a little chilly in here."
He held on to the steering wheel with a death grip. "It seems quite warm to me, but go ahead."
"Thanks." She leaned toward the center of the car to fiddle with the temperature control.
Unfortunately, the air vents blew her sweet scent straight into his face. A wave of desire cascaded from his nostrils to his groin. Spending time alone with her had been a bad idea. Instead of getting answers, he was getting a hard-on. "What is yer full name, Toni?"
She waved a hand, dismissing his question. "I met Roman last Monday. He told me his wife, Shanna, is mortal, and that some other guy has a mortal wife, too."
"Jean-Luc, aye. I attended his wedding in September."
"If these other Vamps are marrying mortals, how come you're too prejudiced to even date them?"
"I'm no' prejudiced." His gaze drifted to the bare, golden skin of her luscious thighs. "I find some mortal women verra attractive." Dear Mother of God, she was crossing her legs.
"I just don't understand why you're refusing to date mortals."
"Because I want to be honest. With a Vamp, I wouldna have to lie about who or what I am. I want a relationship built on complete honesty."
She lowered her gaze to her hands clenched in her lap. "No…secrets, then?"
"Nay. And no judgments. A mortal would have trouble accepting my past, but another Vamp would understand and no' find fault with the things I had to do to survive."
She glanced at him sharply. "You mean using women for food and sex?"
He gritted his teeth. "That's exactly the sort of judgment I'm talking about. I admit I took blood when I needed it, but I have never forced myself on a woman."
"How can you be so sure? Didn't you use mind control?"
"I'm no' a rapist." He turned onto West Thirty-fourth. At least her accusations were doing a good job of squelching his lustful desires. "I willna blame ye for interrogating me since ye were attacked only a few nights ago. I'm sure ye canna help being touchy."
"I'm not touchy. I'm pissed."
"Doona mistake me for a Malcontent. When I enter a lady's mind, I can hear her thoughts, and I never stay where I'm no' welcome."
"You never controlled a woman's thoughts to make her succumb?"
"Nay. In my case, I used mind control to convince women I was older than I looked."
"So you did trick them."
"My bloody face was the trick, Toni, and there was no escaping it. It made people think I was fifteen, when inside I was a fully grown man. I had to use more trickery to make women see me the way I wanted to be. I canna be proud of all that deceit. That's why it is so important now that I be honest. Another Vamp would understand that."
"You could be honest with a mortal."
"I could hardly approach a mortal and say, 'Hello, I'm a vampire. Would you like to go out with me? I would have to lie to her at first, and I refuse to do that."
"There are plenty of women who would date you because you are a vampire."
He pulled to a stop at a red light and faced her. "I doona want to be loved because I'm Undead. No more than ye would want to be rejected for being mortal."
She looked away. "I–I've been too…harsh with you."
"Lass, ye have every reason to be suspicious. Ye were almost murdered a few nights ago. But those vampires who attacked you were probably cruel and vicious before they were transformed. Death doesna change a man's heart."
"Then you were a good man," she whispered.
All his desire came flooding back. "I try to be."
Her gaze met his. "What do you want more than anything?"
Right now, he felt like he could gaze into her green eyes for a century or two. They were amazing, the way they flared with anger, twinkled with humor, or softened with compassion. "I want to be loved, honestly and truly loved, for who I am. And I want to love a woman with all my heart for all my life. I want to ache for her mind, for her body, for her companionship."
Her eyes widened. "Oh."
The scent of her hot, rushing blood filled the car, and his nerve endings thrummed in response. He wondered if she had any idea what she was doing to him. Could she feel the waves of desire flowing off him?
Yes, he would swear she did. Her heart was pounding fast. Her breathing was erratic. He leaned closer.
"You—your eyes," she whispered.
He knew they were turning red, for his vision was now tinted pink. He slipped a hand around her neck.
She didn't pull away. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and he couldn't resist any longer. He kissed her.
CHAPTER 8
She stiffened slightly, but he didn't give up. Ian moved his mouth over hers, gently coaxing her to respond. And she did. She relaxed, leaning into him. His heart expanded in his chest, and he pulled her closer.
He nibbled on her bottom lip. Her mouth opened with a soft sigh, inviting him inside. He ran the tip of his tongue across her lips. They were moist and sweet.
A horn blared behind them, and they both jolted in their seats. Toni gasped and pulled away. Ian faced front and realized the light had turned green. He stepped on the accelerator.
Bloody hell, what was he doing? For the last few days, he'd convinced himself that a little flirtation didn't harm anyone. But kissing? He couldn't stay in denial anymore. He was breaking the noninvolvement rule, and Toni would be in big trouble if the truth got out.
He glanced at her. Her face was pale, and she was pressing her hand against her mouth.
"Are ye all right?"
"Yes. No." She lowered her hand.
He noticed the slight tremble before she clenched her hands together. "I shouldna have…kissed you. I'm sorry."
She closed her eyes briefly. "We won't think about it. Or talk about it. It never happened."
He remained silent, for he knew he couldn't agree. He would think about it. He would relive it in his mind, over and over again.
"It doesn't matter anyway," she continued in a breathless voice. "You want a Vamp woman. We're not at all suited for each other. It was a—a mistake."
Mistake, his arse. He'd do it again in a second. He hoped he hadn't frightened her, though. She'd gone through a lot of turmoil lately.
A sudden blast of music erupted, filling the strained silence. Toni gave him a confused look, then glanced around the car. The musical refrain repeated, and Ian began to comprehend the words sung by a female vocalist.
"I think it's coming from yer handbag." He motioned to the bag at her feet.
"Oh, it's my cell phone." She pulled the bag into her lap and fished out the phone. "Carlos changed the ringtone. I guess he likes Pat Benatar."
"Love is a battlefield?"
"His idea of a joke," she muttered as she wrenched the phone open. "Hello? Carlos! How could you do this to my phone?"
Ian tried to listen, but the wail of a nearby police siren made it impossible to hear Carlos's words.
"I don't know where
you got that idea." Toni winced as she glanced at Ian. "Our association is purely business."
They were close to Horny Devils, so Ian began looking for a place to park.
"Okay," she continued in a whisper. "I'll talk to you later. Bye." She slipped the phone back into her handbag.
"Something wrong?" Ian asked casually.
"No, everything's fine."
Then why was her heart still racing? "Carlos seemed a bit…different to me."
She shrugged. "He's gay."
Ian recalled the pained expression on Carlos's face when he'd exited Toni's bedroom. "Did he tell you he's gay?"
"Well, no. We assumed he is, 'cause he acts like it."
"Who is we?"
A guarded look came over Toni's face. "Sabrina and I. She's my roommate. She's visiting relatives at the moment."
There was something wrong; Ian could feel it. Something other than the forbidden kiss they'd just shared. And he was more convinced than ever that Carlos was more than he appeared.
He spotted a parking space and pulled over to the curb. "Toni, before we go in, I have to know—why do ye have an apartment?"
She unbuckled her seat belt. "It beats living on the street."
"Ye said ye were guarding Vamps because ye wanted free room and board, but that doesna make sense when ye already have an apartment."
"Yes, I'm paying rent, but the lease is almost up. Believe me, having a well-paying job with all expenses paid is the best thing for me right now. It gives me a chance to pay back my student loans."
"What about yer roommate?"
"She's…not broke like me. She gets a nice allowance every year, and as soon as she graduates, we have a plan for going into business together."
"So ye see this job as temporary?"
"Yes. A year at the most." She gave him a worried look. "That's not a problem, is it?"
"Dinna Connor explain what happens when a mortal guard leaves MacKay Security and Investigation?"
"He said he would erase my memory about vampires."
"He'll erase yer memory of everything. Ye'll lose the year like it never happened."
Her eyes grew wide. "That's…too much." She pressed a hand to her chest.
Ian knew he should urge her to quit now. Then she would lose only a few days. But the thought of never seeing her again was painful. "Ye…ye should quit and go back to yer normal life."
Her eyes glittered with unshed tears. "My life's not very normal." She blinked and squared her shoulders. "So, are we going in this club or not?"
"We'll go." Relief swept through him. He didn't have to lose her just yet. But relief quickly morphed into apprehension. Something was seriously wrong. A mortal didn't throw away a year so easily. She was up to something. And he would damned well figure it out.
She could lose a year of her life? Toni was numb with shock as she walked alongside Ian. She aimed a quick glance in his direction. Good grief, she'd kissed the man! She'd kissed a vampire. And lived to tell about it.
He hadn't even tasted bloody. Oh, bloody hell. She could lose a year of her life? This was too much to take in all at once. How could she have kissed him? She shoved that thought aside and concentrated on the other thing driving her crazy—losing a whole, freaking year of her life!
Damn that Connor. He'd glossed over that part. He must have figured she'd keep the job forever. But she and Sabrina had plans. Big plans, dammit.
And she'd kissed Ian. A sudden thought made her wince. Had Carlos seen it through his little spy camera? No wonder he'd called afterward. He'd probably wanted to make sure she was all right. After all, she'd just locked lips with a vampire. And what lips. The man sure knew how to kiss. Of course, he'd had several centuries to perfect his technique.
He'd been so sweet and apologetic afterward. Why couldn't he be mortal? She could fall for him in a second if he were mortal. She glanced at him again. Could she fall for him as a vampire?
He led her into a dark alley. "The entrance is hidden, so mortals willna try to enter."
She spotted a red door in the dim light, with a huge man standing guard. He nodded at Ian, then opened the door.
"Wait a minute." The bouncer raised a beefy hand. His beady eyes focused on Toni, and his nostrils flared. "She can't come in here. She's—"
"She's with me, Hugo." Ian looped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her inside the club.
Loud music assaulted her ears, and flashing lights temporarily blinded her. So this was a vampire nightclub. It looked a lot like a mortal one. She rotated so the camera on her vest could send the images back to Carlos's apartment. He was recording it all there.
She spotted a group of scantily clad ladies pressed close to the stage where a hunky guy gyrated, his sparkly red thong glittering under the lights. Well, Carlos would enjoy seeing that. Other than the male dancer, most everyone else was female. Even the bartender and DJ were women.
She noted a few Vamps sitting at the tables and drinking something red from glasses. Blood, no doubt, but would a picture of them constitute proof of the existence of vampires? It might look like a picture of regular people drinking red wine.
"Can I get ye something to drink?" Ian smiled when she made a face. "They have a few nonbloody drinks."
"A Diet Coke then. I have a final tomorrow." And she was on a mission now, so she needed her wits about her. "I can't stay very long. I should be home by ten."
"I can teleport ye home whenever ye like." He led her toward the tables.
A female suddenly materialized next to the bar with a cell phone by her ear. She hung up, then dashed to the stage.
"What was that?" Toni turned to follow her movements, but she wasn't sure if her camera had caught everything.
"Vamps call if they're teleporting in for the first time," Ian explained. "They use the phone as a sensory beacon to make sure they come to the right place."
"Oh." She wondered if she'd reacted fast enough to catch the Vamp in the act. "Is there a ladies' room?"
"Aye, over there." He touched her shoulder. "Be careful."
"I thought all these Vamps were bottle drinkers."
"They are, but after a few Blisskys and Bleers, they could be drunk and not behave themselves."
"Oh, great." As she strode toward the restrooms, she became aware of the sly looks being cast her way, and the slight flaring of nostrils as each Vamp caught her scent. She felt like a walking appetizer.
She entered the ladies' room and found a beautiful blonde, primping in front of the mirror. No, it wasn't a mirror, but a giant flat-screen TV. Two cameras on the wall were aimed at the row of sinks. Of course. Digital technology was the only way the Vamps could see themselves.
The blonde turned toward her and wrinkled her turned-up nose. "Good heavens, how did you get in here?" she asked with a snooty British accent.
"It was amazing. I pushed on the door, and it opened."
"I wasn't referring to this powder room, you silly gel," the blonde Vamp continued. "I'm one of the owners of this establishment, and we do not welcome your kind."
"Oh, pardon me, Your Highness." Toni refrained from doing a curtsy. "I thought this was a free country."
"What's going on?" A redhead exited a stall. "Hey, Pamela." She looked at Toni and sniffed. "How did she get in here?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Pamela huffed. "I've told Hugo a million times not to let any mortals inside."
"I came with Ian MacPhie." Toni glared at the arrogant Vamps. "I'm his guard, which means I can kick ass."
Pamela laughed. "Ian would never allow a female to guard him. In fact, he would never need a guard at all."
"Did you say Ian MacPhie?" the redhead asked. "Isn't he that gorgeous guy on Single in the City?"
"Oh my God!" A brunette burst from another stall. "Ian MacPhie is here?" She glanced at Toni. "Can I meet him?"
"I want to meet him, too." The redhead approached Toni. "Can you set me up with him?"
Damn, she'd gone from feeling like an appet
izer to a pimp. A twinge of jealousy jabbed at her, but she steeled herself against it. The kiss had been a mistake. Ian was not her type. She preferred men who were alive, dammit. So she had to accept the fact that he would pursue these Vamp women. One of them would be his starlit, shimmering princess. One of them would be kissing him from now on.
"I know Ian personally," Pamela boasted. "He used to guard me when I was a member of Roman Draganesti's harem."
The brunette turned to Pamela. "Is he really that handsome?"
"And rich?" the redhead added.
"Come with me. I shall introduce you." Pamela aimed a superior smirk at Toni as she sauntered toward the door. "You know I have an interesting theory regarding Ian."
"What is it?" the brunette asked as she trailed behind.
"I believe he's a five-hundred-year-old virgin," Pamela announced.
"Not for long," the redhead muttered.
There was a twitter of laughter as the three women left the room.
"You didn't wash your hands!" Toni called after them. She gritted her teeth. How could Ian prefer them? But at least the room was empty now, and she had complete privacy. She moved out of range of the cameras and dialed Carlos.
She could lose a year of her life. The thought kept haunting her. It wasn't fair, dammit! These Vamps lived for centuries, while her life was way too short. How could they steal a year from her?
"Hello?" Carlos answered.
"Did you get the shot of a Vamp teleporting here?"
"Menina, you're at the club?"
"Yes. Aren't you watching?"
"No, I'll watch the video later. Right now I'm on my way to Westchester."
Toni gasped. "You're going to the Proctors' house?"
"Don't worry. They'll never know I'm there. And I finished checking out their financial records. Uncle Joe has a bad habit of going to Atlantic City."
"How do you know?"
"Credit cards leave a trail, girlfriend."
"But how do you know how to—"
"Do you like your new ringtone?" he interrupted.
"No. Your death will be slow and painful."
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