by Jaye Wells
He rubbed his eyes. He wanted to take a nap, but Callum was coming over to strategize about the Raven problem. His mother was on her way back from Asheville and would probably be there in a few hours as well. He hoped his mother had found some evidence there that would help Sydney finish her research.
He smiled again as he remembered Sydney’s notes. Could they explain her speedy retreat this afternoon? Did she hear him coming in the back door and decide to leave quickly instead of talking to him? He frowned. He hated it that she might be nervous. If things hadn’t been so crazy, he would have been able to talk to her today and apologize for last night.
He had been out of line kissing her, especially after the protesting he had done with his family. Disgusted with himself for his lack of control, he decided maybe it was best he was so busy. Obviously he couldn’t be trusted around the woman.
Sydney was amazing, but she deserved better than a vampire who could offer her nothing more than a few nights of pleasure. And that was all he was willing to give. He would not risk getting his heart involved with a mortal woman again. They tended to react badly when they found out their boyfriends drank blood.
He shook off the memories of Brenna and stood. He needed to go grab some blood before everyone showed up. He’d need the strength to make it through the next several hours.
He stretched and headed downstairs. Time to get back to work.
Sydney arrived early the next morning. She was excited to get started again after yesterday’s discoveries. Jorge worked from the office today, scouring the museum library and the Internet for any information he could dig up.
She got out of her car, and the front door opened. Logan and a stunning blond stepped onto the porch. Blondie laughed at something Logan said. Syd’s blood began a slow simmer when the woman leaned in to hug Logan. He met Syd’s eyes over the tramp’s shoulder.
She’d seen enough. Syd slammed her door with more force than necessary.
“Sydney,” he said, pulling away from the woman. As he came down the steps to greet her, he smiled and said, “Good morning.”
She pasted a false smile on her face.
“Good morning,” she said and turned toward the woman. “Hello.”
“Forgive me,” Logan said. “Sydney this is Francesca Duchamp, a . . . business associate. Francesca, this is Sydney Worth, the curator I was telling you about.”
Business associate, my foot.
“Nice to meet you,” she said to Miss Perfect.
“Logan has said wonderful things about your work,” Francesca replied with a friendly smile.
If Syd hadn’t already despised the woman for her familiarity with Logan, she would have hated her now for being both beautiful and nice. Standing about three inches taller than Sydney, the leggy blond looked like a she had stepped off the pages of Gorgeous Supermodels You Love to Hate magazine. She wore a tailored grey suit with a pink shell that made her peaches-and-cream complexion glow.
Syd merely nodded at the woman. She was too busy trying to tamp down the jealousy Francesca aroused. She tried to talk herself out of the reaction by remembering the reasons she was not interested in Logan, but her baser instincts prevailed. She might not want Logan, but she’d be damned if this Charlize Theron look-alike was going to get him.
“Well, I must be off. Sydney, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope to see you again,” Francesa said with a smile. “Logan, may I speak with you for a moment?”
If they kiss, I am going to rip her lips off.
Logan nodded and walked Francesca to the silver Mercedes sitting on the opposite side of the drive from Syd’s red Ford Focus.
“Thank you for coming at such short notice,” Syd overheard Logan say.
Francesca murmured a response too low for Syd to hear. Syd wasn’t actively trying to eavesdrop, but found herself inching towards a shrub at the edge of the driveway to admire its foliage.
Unfortunately, she could only pick up a few confusing words.
“Your brother . . . ,” Francesca said.
“. . . pain in the . . . ,” Logan responded.
Francesca laughed, “. . . mate . . . chance . . . love.”
Syd frowned. That didn’t sound like a business discussion.
Francesca whispered, “. . . thinks I spent the night . . . explain.”
“Damn . . .never work . . . mortal . . .”
Syd glanced at them from the corner of her eye. Francesca shook her head at Logan with a smile. Logan frowned at the woman.
Good. If he’s frowning at her, then there will be no kissing, she thought.
Francesca gave Logan another hug. “It will all work out,” she said, her voice no longer quiet. “Sydney,” Francesca said. Syd jumped and then turned toward the pair, trying to look nonchalant. “I wish you luck. You’re going to need it.”
With a chuckle, Francesca said good-bye to Logan. Logan frowned fiercely at the car as it drove away. Syd didn’t know what had just happened but wanted to run inside before Logan noticed her again.
As if suddenly remembering her presence, he turned toward her. His frown melted, but he ran a frustrated hand though his hair as he walked toward her.
“Sorry about that. She came over very early to bring by some important materials Alaric and I need to complete our current project.”
“You don’t have to explain it to me,” Syd said, sounding defensive even to her own ears.
Logan smiled. “So you didn’t assume she had spent the night when you saw us standing on the front porch together?”
Syd stared at him for a moment, shocked that her thoughts were so easily read. “Even if she had, it’s none of my business.”
“Well good, I wouldn’t want you to be jealous,” he said with a baiting smile.
“Jealous? You’re delusional. We’re just friends, remember?”
“Sydney, we agreed to be friends after a very passionate kiss. It would be normal for you to be bothered if you thought I slept with another woman just twenty-four hours after that.”
“I think we need to stop talking right now,” she said, and to prove her point she marched up the front steps.
Logan’s laughter followed her into the house. She stalked toward the library. She set her things on the table and put her chin to her chest. Her day already sucked, and it wasn’t even nine a.m. yet.
“Sydney, I want to apologize for the other night.”
She nearly jumped out of her skin. She swung around to see Logan walk into the room and close the door behind him.
“Jesus! You scared the crap out of me!”
He frowned. “Sorry, I thought you knew I was behind you.”
“You must be the quietest walker on earth. Lions aren’t that quiet hunting prey,” she said.
Logan just waited for her to finish her rant. When she calmed down, he spoke again.
“Like I said, I just wanted to apologize for the other night. I know this whole mess is hard enough without me making passes at you. I hope you aren’t nervous to be here. I’d like to try being friends.”
Syd saw the sincerity in his gaze and felt like a heel. Here the guy was trying to make her feel more comfortable and she just raved at him about sneaking up on her.
“I’m sorry too, for snapping at you. I’d like to try the friends thing,” she said.
He walked over and took her hand. Looking into her eyes, he said, “I want you to know if things were different, I wouldn’t settle with just being friends.”
Syd swallowed loudly.
“Sometimes responsibility sucks, huh?” she said and then instantly wanted to kick her own ass. Nice going, smooth talker.
Logan chuckled, “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
He released her hand and walked over to the boxes on the table. Syd was relieved he ended the moment. His genuine regret over their situation ate at her resolve to keep things light.
“Sorry I couldn’t be here yesterday. Did you find anything interesting?”
“I did
. Does the name Cornelius Murdoch ring any bells?”
Logan abruptly turned to look at her. She stared in confusion as a parade of emotions passed over his features.
“Are you alright?” Syd asked.
“Yes, fine. Sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I’m a little punchy. Cornelius, you said?”
“Yes, I found several references indicating he painted portraits of the family. I assumed he was a relative.”
“Yes, he was the head of the family. Royce’s father, in fact.”
She felt her eyes widen. “That’s interesting. I am amazed the leader of a powerful family would have any spare time to paint. Not to mention the talent.”
“He was a true Renaissance man,” Logan said with a sad smile.
Logan escaped a few minutes later after telling Syd he had to get back to work. It wasn’t a lie; he needed to begin the final experiment now that Francesca had brought the new samples. But more than that, he needed to end the discussion about his father.
Sydney’s use of his father’s name so unexpectedly had shaken him. After all this time his father’s loss was a devastating blow, especially given the circumstances of his death.
Logan admired his father, not just for the respect he commanded within the vampire community, but also for his dedication to his family. Logan inherited his love of science from him, and had spent many hours assisting his father in his lab. Of course, back then science was a fledgling subject, so their experiments were elementary compared to the work Logan did today. But without his father’s influence, Logan never would have accomplished as much as he had.
His father also pursued other interests besides science, such as art, literature, and politics. Unfortunately, a clan of rogue vampires took exception when his father tried to implement some radical reforms.
Reforms that cost him his life. While vampires were immortal, they were vulnerable to certain forms of attack. No amount of blood could cure a stake through the heart or a severed head. The rogues had done both to his father. Logan would never forget his mother’s face when she heard what they had done to her beloved husband.
Logan shook away the depressing memories and tried to focus on the good ones. He remembered the jokes and long talks they’d shared over the hours it took for his father to paint Logan’s portrait. Logan was elated to be so close to having the painting back. His mother was right; it would be like regaining a piece of his father.
Logan entered the lab. Alaric looked up from the test tubes he was labeling.
“What’s wrong?”
Logan smiled. “Nothing. Life is just interesting.”
“You’re telling me,” Alaric laughed. “I take it Sydney arrived.”
Logan nodded. He walked over to the set of samples Francesca had delivered.
“We’re close, my friend,” he said.
“Amazing isn’t it? Although I can’t help but wonder what Raven will try next,” Alaric responded.
“I’m not worried. After all, all of our samples of Lifeblood are here, and she wouldn’t dare enter my home.”
“True, but I am sure she has something up her sleeve.”
“Probably, but I can’t think of anything she could do that would get to me.”
Logan rubbed his hands together and walked over to the refrigerator that contained the test samples of Lifeblood.
“Now enough talk about Raven. Let’s make history.”
Syd’s head jerked up. She must have dozed off for a second. After her initial enthusiasm this morning, she’d spent the rest of the day slogging through box after box of documents without finding anymore leads. She glanced at her watch. No wonder she had fallen asleep, it was already midnight. She rubbed at the crick in her neck.
Where was Logan? She had seen him that afternoon when he and Alaric invited her to eat lunch with them. But since the quick meal, she had neither seen nor heard from either of the men. They must still be working in the lab.
She stood up and then immediately dropped back into the seat. She was exhausted. The stress and poor sleep of the last few days must have caught up with her. She decided to rest her head on the desk a few more minutes. Then she’d find Logan to say good-bye and go home.
Chapter Six
Logan walked into the library shortly after midnight and found Sydney facedown on the table.
He smiled when he heard a soft snore come from her. He felt a twinge of guilt that she had exhausted herself to this point. After all, she was doing all of this to help him.
He put a hand on her shoulder and gently shook. When she didn’t respond, he whispered her name.
One of her hands came up to scratch her ear where his breath tickled it. He smiled again. She slept like a child, totally unconscious. He tried to rouse her once more before giving up. But he decided even if he had been able to wake her, it would be unsafe for her to drive in her exhausted state.
He bent and picked her up with his arms under her shoulders and knees. She sighed contentedly and snuggled into him with her head on his shoulder. He clinched his jaw against the feel of her and the protective instincts she inspired in him. She presented an irresistible blend of seduction and innocence that intrigued him.
He quickly strode through the foyer and up the winding staircase. Not once did Sydney stir. He entered the first guest room, which happened to be across from his own room. Not bothering to turn on a light, he gently lowered her to the bed. He tried to lean back, but she held tight to his shoulders.
“Logan,” she breathed as she nuzzled her face in his neck. The throaty sound of his name on her lips made his member stand at attention. He had to get out of there.
But Syd had other plans. Her hand caressed its way down his chest. He reached up to still its progress before she reached any place interesting.
“Sydney, it’s time for bed,” he said. He hoped he could wake her enough to get her to lie down all the way and go back to sleep.
“Yes, come to bed,” she murmured and pulled him down with her. He extracted her hands from his waistband and pulled back.
“Syd!” he hissed.
She opened her eyes to half-mast and yawned.
“Logan?” His name sounded groggy this time. A definite improvement from the sex-kitten tone she’d used a moment before.
“What?” she asked, but she was still half-asleep.
“Shhh, it’s okay. You’re going to sleep in my guest bedroom. You’re too tired to drive.” He quickly removed her shoes and backed away from the bed.
“Mmmm, sleepy,” came her slurred response.
He finally reached the door and looked back. She turned away from him and nestled into the pillows. Relieved she was finally out again, he turned to leave.
“Mmmmm . . . Logan, yummy.”
He stopped in his tracks. He turned to look again, but she hadn’t moved. Syd was dreaming about him? More importantly, the dream involved him being yummy?
He sprinted out the door before he woke her up and showed her just how yummy he could be.
Syd woke up feeling deliciously refreshed. Birds chirped in the tree outside her window, and sunlight warmed the room. She rolled over and stretched.
Wait a second.
She didn’t have a tree outside her bedroom. Hell, she didn’t even have a window in her bedroom. She cocked one eye open. She first noticed the silk-covered canopy above her. Definitely not her bed. She quickly looked to her left. She let out a relieved sigh. Thank God, she was alone.
She took stock of the room while her mind scrambled to make sense of her situation. The soft green of the walls glowed in the morning light. The ivory furnishings and soothing Japanese watercolors which adorned the walls added to the room’s tranquil feeling. She thought about her own cramped apartment with its stark white walls and shabby furniture. She suddenly wanted to cocoon herself in the luxurious down comforter and go back to sleep. But something niggled her.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she tried to remember the night before. Her last lu
cid memory was her decision to rest her eyes in the library. Following that were flashes of Logan putting her to bed.
She bolted upright. Logan had carried her to bed, tucked her in, and she had called him yummy!
Scrambling out of bed, she decided she had to get out of there before he woke and she had to apologize for sleep flirting.
She ran into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. She looked in the mirror, and a wild-eyed Medusa stared back at her. Scratch that. She needed to get out of there before Logan saw her looking like that.
She crept to the bedroom door and listened. The silence that greeted her sounded like music to her ears. She slowly opened the door, pausing when it creaked loudly. She glanced around and then continued down the hall when Logan didn’t come out of one of the doors nearby.
She quickly made her way to the library to grab her briefcase. Then she tiptoed back through the foyer and out the front door. Unfortunately her escape was hampered by the woman who stood on the porch, her arm raised to knock on the door.
“Hello. You must be Sydney,” the woman said with a friendly smile and a twinkle in her eyes.
“Uh, yeah. And you are . . . ?”
“I’m Logan’s mother, Kira. It is a pleasure to meet you on such a glorious early morning.” Syd caught the implication immediately.
“Mrs. Murdoch, it’s not what it looks like. I fell asleep last night while I was working, and Logan let me sleep in his guest room,” she explained, sounding guilty to her own ears.
“Please, call me Kira. And no need to explain why you’re here so early. I know how hard you have been working. I am just sorry it has taken so long for us to meet.”
Syd took the opportunity to inspect her companion for the first time.
“Are you sure you’re Logan’s mother?”