by Мишель Роуэн
“Well, that explains all these crazy rumors I’ve been hearing,” he said. “About some badass vampire in town. I never realized it was you. No offense.”
My anxiety increased another notch. “There are rumors? Already? What am I going to do?”
He appeared to think about it. “You should probably talk to Thierry.”
“Well,duh .”
I felt a rough tap on my shoulder and I turned around. A husky man wearing a dark blue ski jacket presented me with a fang-filled grin. “You Veronique?”
I stared at him blankly. “Not even remotely. Who are you?”
“I’m her ride to the airport.”
There was a sudden change in the air and I knew without a doubt the woman in question had just entered the room. The scent of expensive perfume wafted under my nostrils. I’d been turned into a vampire exactly seven weeks ago and my sense of smell had been growing daily. This was sometimes a blessing and sometimes—depending on where in the city I was walking—not so much.
I turned to watch her glide through the club.
Veronique eyed the driver and her red lips curved up to the right. “If you could give me one moment to say good-bye to my friend I would greatly appreciate it.”
He nodded, immediately intoxicated by the gorgeous woman with long raven hair, flawless skin, and remarkably white and sparkly fangs.
She glanced at the leaning tower of George and her eyes narrowed. “Shouldn’t you be working?”
“I was . . . I was just going to . . . ” he stammered, then gave me a stricken look. “Um . . . I’ll go find
Thierry.” He scurried away.
Well, her charms didn’t work on everyone.
But I liked Veronique. Actually I liked her a lot, but there was one big thing about her I wasn’t terribly fond of.
She was Thierry’s wife.
I had been assured that their marriage was in name only after more than six hundred years. Frankly, I couldn’t imagine knowing somebody for thirty years, let alone six hundred. But I still wasn’t thrilled with the situation. Dating a married man, even though the wife was fine and dandy with it, just seemed . . . extremely wrong.
I’d recently summoned enough courage to ask if she’d ever considered getting a divorce. Veronique had waved off my question with a laugh and said, “After so many years, why would I want something like that?”
Yeah. I’d managed to refrain from digging my fingernails into her perfect eyeballs. Barely.
So, as I said, I liked Veronique. But her recent decision to go back to her fabulous life inFrance wasn’t the most heartbreaking news I’d heard all year.
She gave me a tight hug, followed by a brief kiss on each of my cheeks. “Au revoir.” She leaned back.
“Are you all right, my dear?”
I forced a smile. “I’m fine. Have a nice flight. Bye now.”
“Are you quite certain? You look a little . . .malheureux .”
“I failed French in high school. But I feel fine.” I shrugged.Well, other than narrowly escaping death only hours ago , I thought.Again .
I looked over my shoulder. Where the hell was Thierry?
“I think I know what it is.” A smile played at her perfectly outlined lips. “You are afraid to admit how much you will miss me. I understand. But the time that I was needed here has passed and yours has just begun.”
My eyebrow perked up at that. Was she talking about Thierry? Maybe she’d given the divorce thing more thought. I shifted my feet, which now, instead of the Reeboks from my near-death jog, sported low-heeled, rubber-soled Tender Tootsies that looked okay with my black jeans. My trendier footwear was currently piled up at the back of my closet to make way for that which was consistently comfortable and easy to run in.
Proactive = Me.
Veronique reached into her tiny Fendi bag, pulled out a business card, and handed it to me.
“That is the number to my home in Paris . If you ever need to talk to someone, please don’t hesitate to call me. I know things will soon be difficult for you.”
I glanced at the card and then tucked it into the pocket of my jeans. “So you’ve heard about the hunters’ special new interest in me, too? Wow, rumors sure spread quickly, don’t they?”
Her forehead creased prettily. “No . . . though that is certainly cause for concern. I was referring to how distraught you will be when my Thierry leaves you.”
“Huh?” My forehead creased less prettily, and I scanned the nearly empty club again. “What? He’s leaving me? When did this happen?”
She shook her head. “No, not yet, my dear. I’m simply saying that when it does happen, please feel free to call me. I can dispense invaluable advice to help mend your broken heart.”
My eyes widened with every word.
The driver approached her. “We should be leaving now to catch your flight, ma’am.”
I just stared at Veronique. “Did Thierry say something to you? Is that why I can’t find him tonight? Is he avoiding me?”
She smiled patiently at me. “It is so sweet how taken you are with him. I am not saying this to upset you,
but it is quite obvious that this will only be a short-term relationship.”
“Short-term?”
“You have known him for what . . . less than two months, yes? I know he feels a great sense of responsibility for your safety. From the attention he has paid you, it is understandable that you would become greatly smitten with him.”
“Smitten?” I sputtered. “You think I’msmitten ?”
She frowned slightly at my words. “Thierry is almost seven hundred years old. You are . . . what? In your mid-thirties?”
“I AM TWENTY-EIGHT!”
“There is no reason to shout, my dear. I am trying to be a friend to you and tell you how things truly are,
so you will not be shocked by how things inevitably turn out. I have known Thierry for so, so many years. I know him better than anyone else. I am simply warning you to prepare for his interest to wane.”
She touched my arm. “I am sorry.”
The driver cleared his throat loudly. “If we don’t leave soon, ma’am, I’m afraid you’ll miss your flight and then I’ll—”
I spun around. “And then you’llwhat ?” I snapped.
He took a step backward. “Never mind. Take all the time you need.”
Veronique shook her head. “Mon dieu. I should not have said anything. It is simply my desire to see those I care about happy. Being in love with a man such as Thierry will not bring you happiness. He is too old for you. There are too many secrets. Simply too much against you. I apologize for being blunt, but I have only done so as a friend.”
It was difficult to be friends with somebody who had been effortlessly perfect for seven centuries. She’d seen everything and done everything at least once. Plus, she had really great hair.
She also had a nasty habit of being right.
I ran a quick hand under my nose, sniffed, and tried to compose myself. “You’d better go. Don’t want to miss your plane.”
Veronique nodded. “Of course. Take care, my dear.”
She looked at me with concern for a moment longer. Then, with a single glance at the driver, she left the club without another word.
I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly and shakily as I tried to compose myself.
“When my Thierry leaves you.”Her words kept repeating in my mind like a bad burrito.“It is quite obvious that this will only be a short-term relationship.”
I shook my head. No. Thierry wasn’t going to break my heart. Our relationship was on solid ground.
Rock steady.
Even though he was absolutely perfect and I was far from it, I wanted us to work out. I’d do whatever it took to prove to him that I was the right woman for him. Long-term.
Sure, he’d been a little distracted lately with trying to open the new club in record time. I’d barely seen him at all for the last couple of weeks, but that didn’t mean a thing.
Not a damn thing.
It was only a little over two weeks ago that we’d gotten back from a fantastic trip toMexico . Romance.
Margaritas. Sunscreen.
It could have been better, I suppose. Even while staying mostly out of the blaringly bright sun, I’d still managed to get a serious burn on my back that made it difficult to move without screaming. Thierry warned me about staying out of the sun, but I hadn’t listened to him. Vampires are not killed by sunlight as is the popular myth. However, it still makes us a bit weaker physically and annoyed by the brightness of the “big ball of fire death” in the sky, which is what I call it now, ever since the sunburn from hell.
Especially after going through vats of Noxzema during the healing process. Talk about putting a major crimp in your love life.
After getting back, Thierry focused all his attention on the club. But now that it was open . . .
I glanced around. Where in the hell was he, anyhow?
No. I couldn’t think about this right now. I had rumors to worry about. Hunters to hide from. Etcetera.
Veronique was crazy. Thierry and I were just fine. Sure he was a little distant, but that was just the way he was. We had a deep, romanticconnection .
Well . . .
Except for the fact that we hadn’t had sex sinceMexico . Oh, didn’t I mention that? Yeah. Might be a problem.
I swallowed hard.
Maybe Veronique wasn’t so crazy.
“Sarah—” a deep, familiar voice said from behind me. “George says you’re looking for me?”
Chapter 2
Iturned around to face Thierry. Sometimes when I’m out of his company for a while I forget how easily he takes my breath away.
He was, without a doubt, the most handsome man I’d ever seen in real life. Dark, almost black hair framed his face. His skin was pale—he tended to avoid the sun as much as possible even though it didn’t hurt him—but glowed with an inner power. His intense eyes were gray, with thick dark lashes—gray eyes that sometimes seemed silver. And it wasn’t just his looks: tall, dark, and handsome; a man who moved with grace and presence. It was his very essence. Without even trying, he became the focus of any room he was in. All eyes, female and male, were immediately drawn to him.
“Thierry,” I said, my voice sounding awkward all of a sudden. “I . . . I’ve been trying to find you.”
“I know.” His forehead furrowed and he stepped closer to me, close enough that I could breathe in his cologne—spicy and masculine. “I’m glad you’re here. Are you all right?”
I let out a long, shuddery sigh. I didn’t like to appear too shaken by anything that happened. I guess I thought it made me seem weak and needy. Therefore I ended up coming off a little flippant to some people. Covering my fears with a sarcastic comment. It usually worked. But the events of the day were tough to shake off. “I’ve been better.”
He closed the remaining distance between us and brought a hand under my chin, prompting me to meet his silver-eyed gaze. “Tell me.”
So I did. I told him all aboutChad the hunter. About my new “Slayer of Slayers” nickname. About the taxi driver who’d dropped me off tonight and how he’d freaked out when he looked in the rearview mirror and noticed it didn’t reflect anyone in the back seat. Really had to remember to only use the vampire-owned cab companies. It was such a hassle waiting for them to show up, but definitely worth it for the lack of screaming.
I told Thierry everything except for the doubts Veronique had managed to wedge into my brain about him and me. The stuff that made me want to both fight like crazy to keep him and run away and hide. He listened to my tirade right through to the end without saying a word.
Then he nodded. “I feared this.”
“You did?”
“Yes. Sarah, I would like to tell you not to be concerned, but this is very serious. I have been on the telephone for the last two hours dealing with this very situation.” A shadow crossed his expression. “I was worried that what happened at Midnight Eclipse would not go unnoticed—that the hunters would see you as more of a threat to their safety than you truly are.”
I didn’t like how serious he looked.
“So I’ve got a reputation.” I tried to make my voice sound way lighter than I felt. “Just like back in high school. By the way, that one was a big lie, too.”
He frowned at me and held my gaze, then ran his fingers through my shoulder-length brown hair. I caught his hand in mine.
“Look,” I said. “It’ll be okay. I got away fromChad . It was no big deal. I’ll just avoid going anywhere hunters may be hanging out. It’ll blow over, right?”
“I sometimes forget how young you are.”
“Veronique seems to think I’m in my midthirties. Is it wrong for me to say I’m glad she’s gone?”
A small smiled played at the edge of his lips. “You have only been a vampire for a short time. There are still many things you need to learn.”
“That’s why I have you.”
“Then I have failed you. For hunters are not the only things in this world to be wary of. So many things would do you harm now. Even those of your own kind.”
“My own kind?” I blinked with confusion. “Other vampires?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“But vampires are just like regular people. I just toldChad we’re like pointy-toothed bunnies. Cute and harmless.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You actually said that to him?”
I shrugged. “I was grasping at straws. I admit it.”
“I have spoken with several of my informants who tell me that the rumors quickly spreading about your skills as a vampire have caught the attention of hunter and vampire alike. There are those of both factions who would see that as a threat. Also, those who would like to use your skills and reputation for other purposes.”
I nodded slowly. “In other words, I’m screwed.”
His gaze flicked to mine. “In a word, yes.”
I felt a line of perspiration slide down my spine. “So we just spread the word that it’s all a big fat lie. No harm done.”
He shook his head. “It’s too late for that, I’m afraid. Too many hunters know. And . . . ” he paused,
“there are other vampires . . .elder vampires who will be interested in learning more about you as well.
One of whom, I am told, is en route to Toronto as we speak. If they find out the rumors are a lie and that you are no more dangerous than you truly are, they’ll . . . ” He trailed off.
“They’ll what?”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It is likely that they will kill you before it gets out . . . so your reputation will remain intact and you will become a martyr to vampires worldwide.”
“You are shitting me.” I blinked hard. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“Because I only learned of the depth of this problem today.”
“So what am I supposed to do?”
He glanced around the club. We were completely alone for the moment. “You have told me you were an actress once, correct?”
“Aspiring. Then I realized I needed to eat daily, so I had to get a real job.”
“You must not tell anyone that the rumors are not true. You must act as if you are a dangerous vampire whom no one should trifle with. If we hold up this facade for a few days, I feel that all will pass without harm. The elders will be satisfied, and most hunters will fear you enough to leave you alone.”
I let this sink in. “This is your plan?”
He nodded gravely.
“Your plan sucks. No offense.”
He raised a dark eyebrow. “I am well aware of that. But it is the best I have at the moment.”
“So I’m just supposed to walk around like nothing’s wrong. And when a hunter moseys by and stakes me, I’m just supposed to ignore the big piece of wood sticking out of my chest?” My voice shook with every word. The line of perspiration along my spine had turned into a small waterfall.
He hesitated, then his worried gaze met my own. “I have just now arranged for bodyguards to follow you for the next couple of days. They are not the ones I originally requested, but they come highly recommended. They arrive tomorrow and will ensure your safety.”
“Bodyguards.” I repeated. “Great. Just great. I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
“Of course I do. But what should I do tonight?”
He glanced at the bar. “I do need a bartender to fill in. The new bartender I hired seems to feel that it would be too dangerous to work here, so he resigned early this afternoon.”
“You want me to make drinks all night?”
“It will keep you close to me. And safe. And yes, I want you to make drinks.”
I glanced over at the long, shiny bar—an exact replica of the one that had been in Midnight Eclipse.
“Okay, fine. If you say it will be okay, then I believe you. I’ll go along with this plan. I’ll let your bodyguards guard my body.” I paused and let it all sink in. “But I want something in return for being all agreeable.”
“What’s that?”
“Tomorrow night we spend some time together. Just you and me.”
A trace of amusement slid behind his silver eyes. “You are asking me out on a date?”
“I need something normal in all of this craziness. And you’ve been so busy that I haven’t spent any quality time with you in weeks. So what do you say? A little wine, a little music, a little . . .privacy ?” I gave him a shaky, yet hopefully flirtatious smile.
I wanted to spend some much-needed alone time with the man I was crazy about. Show him that there was more to me than just a sunburned, ex-actress, substitute bartender. Prove that I was the woman he wanted to be with now and in the future.
It would also be the perfect way for me to find out if Veronique was right in her prediction. And, truth be told, I really didn’t know a great deal about the beautiful man in front of me. He was a true master at avoiding questions. When I asked him something about himself, about his past, he’d turn it back around on me and I’d end up telling him about my life instead. Everything I knew about him, other than what was plain to the eye, I’d been told by other people. And I wanted a chance to change that. I wanted to know everything I could about him.