The Devil and the Dancer

by Elizabeth Hunter

  “But please”—he kissed her again—“do not second-guess what happened last night. Last night was perfect.”

  Her cheeks flushed pleasantly. “It was pretty great.”

  “It was perfect.” He could feel the first wave of dizziness wash over him. “But I have to go.” Gavin leaned down and kissed her with all the tenderness he could muster when he still felt so territorial. “Go back to sleep. I’ll see you at sunset.”

  Chloe watched him walk out of her bedroom, then she heard him open the door to the light-safe room past Ben’s bedroom. It was spartan. More a vault than a bedroom. She heard the locks engage just as the first rays of dawn touched her window.

  Was it her imagination, or did she feel colder?

  At Gavin’s apartment, Chloe never felt far from him, even during the day. His rooms were in the center of the house, away from all the windows, and the rest of the rooms surrounded him. He spent his days in the literal heart of the home. Whether that was by design or simply a quirk of architecture, Chloe found it comforting.

  Here, in the cold, modern loft where vampires rarely slept, she felt like he’d disappeared.

  Can you live like this? Because that’s what he’s asking for.

  Chloe ignored the whispering voices in her mind and rolled over to replay the delicious memories of the night before.

  Gavin had been… amazing.

  Her skin felt electric. Just the memory of his hands on her body made her flush with heat. He was a thorough lover, indulging in every taste, every curve and corner of her body. He was… slightly obsessed with her legs. He hadn’t pierced her skin, but her thighs and ankles had felt the blunt edge of his teeth. He’d devoured her and allowed her every liberty with his body too.

  Months of wanting had given her plenty to imagine, and she had not been disappointed. His muscles weren’t the defined, gym-and-protein-shake variety she was so accustomed to with male dancers. The men she worked with had the bodies of Greek gods, but they were work instruments. Nothing about them was attractive to her.

  Gavin was strong—preternaturally strong—but his body wasn’t made of hard lines. His skin was so pale he nearly glowed in the darkness. It was odd, but it was Gavin. Just the thought of him braced over her made Chloe smile.

  She liked how his arms curved around her when he held her from behind and the contrast of his skin against hers. She liked the weight of his legs caging hers and the roughness of his feet when they tickled her ankles. He had several scars she wanted to ask about, one that looked like a bullet wound in his ass, and another few that marked his back and abdomen.

  Even more than the sex, the tenderness after they’d made love was what stuck in her mind. He’d massaged every inch of her and run his fingers all over her body. Played with her hair—

  “Ugh.” Chloe put a hand in the unwieldy mass of curls that probably resembled something between a clown’s wig and a tumbleweed. “That’s not gonna be fun.”

  She refused to think about her hair. Not yet. Happy memories full in her mind, she put on some music and pulled the blankets up and over her deliciously well-used body.

  Hours later, she heard her phone buzzing on the bedside table. The sun was shining directly through her window when she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Picking up her phone—and grimacing at the cracked screen—she saw a message from Arthur.

  Whatcha doing today?

  She texted back. Reading a new book.

  Boring. Come shopping for fabrics with me.

  She cocked her head and frowned. Typical Arthur. How is fabric shopping fun for me again?

  I’ll make you something pretty! Shut up and come with me.

  Chloe thought about Gavin’s advice. She could stay in and relax or she could go shopping with Arthur. Part of her desperately wanted to chill out and replay everything that happened the night before, but the other part of her—

  Come. Shopping. With. Me.

  —the other part of her knew Arthur would pester her until she went shopping.

  Fine. But I need to condition my hair, so I’m not dressing up.

  Whatever. I’ll look cute enough for both of us. Meet me at the bagel place at 10. Want. Coffee.

  She sent a thumbs-up emoji and put her phone facedown. She needed to get going if she was going to meet Arthur at ten.

  “Cara, play Happy Morning playlist.”

  “Good morning, Chloe. Cueing up Happy Morning playlist. It is 8:46 a.m. You have no voice messages this morning. Do you want a summary of the news today?”

  “Most definitely not,” she muttered.

  “Very well. Playing Happy Morning playlist.”

  The sounds of fast guitar filled the loft, followed quickly by an electronic beat that set Chloe’s heart beating faster. Music was an essential part of her life. She had playlists for everything: the morning, bedtime, practicing, stretching, grocery shopping. She was mentally composing a “Sex with Gavin” playlist in her head as she stepped in the warm spray of the shower. She wet her hair quickly and coated it with conditioner.

  So much conditioner.

  She was tapping her toes and moving to the beat when she remembered there was a huge, massive issue with going shopping with Arthur.

  Gavin would be in the loft alone.

  Was that okay? If they were at his place, she wouldn’t think twice about leaving him in the apartment while she went about her daily routine. Why did it feel weird leaving Gavin at her place on his own when he was locked in the light-safe room?

  “Huh.” She blinked water out of her eyes. “I guess I am feeling territorial.”

  The thought made her want to giggle. She was the furthest thing from a vampire she could imagine, but she still felt weird leaving Gavin in Ben and Tenzin’s territory without her presence.

  She took a deep breath. “It’s my house too.”

  Ben and Tenzin had always made that clear. This was Chloe’s home. She wasn’t a visitor. She wasn’t couch surfing. This was her home. She helped pay the bills—what little she could—and she left her shoes by the door. She cooked and stocked the fridge.

  And she could leave her vampire boyfriend in the vampire vault if she wanted to.

  She shook her head. “Cara, how did my life get so weird?”

  “I’m sorry, Chloe. I cannot answer that question.”

  “No, I don’t think anyone can.”

  She rinsed her hair, turned off the water, and began the meticulous process of treating her hair with argan oil before she wrapped it again. She dressed in leggings and another long sweater, though this one was her own and not one she’d stolen from Ben.

  She was grabbing her keys when a call came through the house system.

  “Incoming video call from Beatrice De Novo.”

  Chloe stopped short of walking out the door. Ben’s aunt rarely called the loft. And she had to know Ben was in Puerto Rico.

  Weird.

  “Accept call.” She walked to the screen in the kitchen. “Hello?”

  Ben’s aunt appeared on the screen with a toddler in her lap. “Hey, Chloe.”

  “Hi!” Chloe grinned. “Hey, Sadia. How are you today?”

  The toddler always looked suspicious. She sucked hard on a jewel-green pacifier, turned into her adoptive mother’s shoulder, and hid her face.

  “She’s having a morning.” Beatrice’s hand ran over Sadia’s curls. “I hope you don’t mind me interrupting your day.”

  “I’m fine.” She glanced out the windows. “How are you still awake?”

  Chloe knew Beatrice didn’t sleep much. Her father had been blood-bound to Tenzin before his death, which meant Beatrice and Tenzin shared some odd traits, including a very abbreviated sleep schedule. Normally, though, she’d be asleep at this hour.

  “California time, remember? And Sadia wanted me, so I woke up. She couldn’t sleep, so I don’t either. Dad isn’t quite as easy to wake up.”

  “Got it.” Vampire families were weird. “What’s up?”

  “It’s lookin
g like we may need to head to the city in the next couple of days. I know Ben and Tenzin aren’t there, but is it okay if Gio, Sadia, and I crash at the loft?”

  “Uh…” Sure. Just give me a night to move my vampire lover out of the safe room. “Yeah, no problem.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Well, I’m assuming Gio will need the safe room. The bottom floor is all light safe except for the bedrooms, and Ben had shutters fitted in his room, so you and Sadia can probably stay in there. Uh…” She racked her brain to figure out the logistics. “The loft is not baby proofed. That’s the only thing I can think that might be a problem.”

  “Don’t worry about the baby proofing.” Beatrice smiled. “I don’t think she can reach Tenzin’s sword collection yet. They’re mounted pretty far up the wall. And we’ll bring baby gates for the stairs.” Her face brightened. “Oh! You haven’t met Dema yet.”

  “Dema?” Who was Dema and where was she going to put another person? The futon in the training area was the other option, and it was hard as a rock.

  “Yeah, Dema’s our nanny slash bodyguard person. She’s great. And she’ll take care of all the baby-proofing stuff, so don’t worry about that. Just give her a corner to crash and she’ll be good.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “She’s ex-military. She’s not picky.”

  Who got an ex-military nanny?

  Vampires, that’s who.

  “Okay. If you’re sure.” Chloe glanced at her phone. “I’m running late to meet a friend, so I hope you don’t mind—”

  “No, that’s cool!” Beatrice waved her hand. “Go. I just wanted to check. We were thinking Wednesday night, Thursday morning to arrive.”

  “Sure.” This was going to get interesting. “And if you need more space, I can always stay at Gavin’s.”

  Beatrice’s smile went tight. “Right. Gavin. Sure.”

  What was it about Beatrice and Gavin? She didn’t have time to mull it over. “I really have to go.”

  “We’ll see you in a couple of days.” She leaned over Sadia. “Do you want to wave bye?”

  Sadia shook her head.

  “Okay. Still having a morning.” Beatrice lifted her hand to end the call. “See you soon, Chloe. Can’t wait to hug you.”

  The screen went blank and Chloe rushed out the door. It was only after she found a seat on the train that she remembered that staying at Gavin’s might not be as easy as it usually was.

  After all, she wasn’t the only one with company in town.

  “Shit.”

  6

  Chloe could tell when Arthur spotted her from the corner. He cocked his head and watched her approach, two large cups of coffee in his hands.

  “Hey.” She reached for the coffee.

  “Hi.” He held it out to her, then pulled it back. “You had sex.”

  Chloe blinked. “Wh-what?”

  “You totally banged someone last night. It better have been Gavin, because that man needed to get some.”

  Chloe’s mouth dropped open and she grabbed her coffee from his hand. “How could you possibly know—?”

  “Women walk different after they have sex.” He shrugged. “I’ve dressed thousands of you. I can tell.”

  “You cannot. You’re making that up.” She sipped her coffee. The temperature was perfect. “Thanks for getting the coffee.”

  “You’re welcome.” He hooked his arm in hers. “So… Gavin? I’m going to assume Gavin. You didn’t deny it, and you haven’t been making googly eyes at anyone else even though Lucas is totally into you.”

  “I’m not into Lucas, and I would never date a dancer I was in a show with. Do we have to talk about this?”

  “About you finally banging your hot boss who’s in love with you? Yes.”

  In love with me? Chloe’s heart skipped a beat. “He’s not… Gavin’s not in love with me.”

  “Wrong!” Arthur crowed. “He is so in love with you. The way that man looks at you? He’s in love.”

  Or he’s hungry. It can be hard to tell with vampires. “Can we drop this please? It’s all… new. And I just don’t want to get overly— Look!” She pointed at a window. “Batik! Pretty.”

  “That’s not batik. It’s a damask. Don’t try to distract me with things you know nothing about.” Arthur glanced at the window. “Though… that is nice. It’s thin, so it might drape—” He spun around and pointed at her. “You’re evil.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She sipped her coffee. “Pretty, pretty damask.”

  “Shut up.” He walked in the store. “We’re talking about Gavin after I look at this. Don’t think you’ve avoided the conversation.”

  They walked from shop to shop, with Arthur picking out a few different bolts of fabric and placing an order for a job he had the next month. Her mind circled around what Arthur had said earlier.

  …your hot boss who’s in love with you.

  Gavin wasn’t in love with her. She was human. He was a vampire. She knew it happened. After all, Beatrice had started out human—okay, every vampire had started out human. But Gavin wasn’t settled like Ben’s aunt and uncle. Beatrice and Giovanni were professor types. Gavin had clubs and bars. He relocated every few years. He moved in glamorous, powerful circles. Chloe hardly thought he was looking for a human to drag along with him.

  The man could literally fly.

  So what? Maybe he is in love with you.

  Her internal voices really needed to get their shit together. One day they were telling her a relationship with Gavin was never going to work. The next day they were imagining fairy-tale endings.

  Do you love him?

  Nope. No, no, no, no, no. Chloe shook her head as Arthur held up a purple-and-orange print. Loving Gavin was… so damn complicated she didn’t even want to think about it.

  “You don’t like it?” Arthur asked. “I want to make you a skirt with this. You have an orange top this exact color that would be amazing. Just a little A-line…” He shook the fabric. “Nothing?”

  “Uh…” She’d been answering her internal voices, not Arthur. “I’m not really into purple lately.”

  “Shut up, you look amazing in purple.” He put the fabric back. “Fine. Be difficult.”

  They shopped for another hour before Arthur found another print he insisted on buying for her. “I’m going to make you a quilted jacket and you’re going to love it.”

  “Okay.” She hooked her arm in his. “How did you know things were right with Drew?”

  Arthur looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Are we finally talking about you and the sexy Scot?”

  She shook his arm. “Just tell me how you knew.”

  He frowned. “It sounds super unromantic, but I felt very easy with him—not that easy—get your mind out of the gutter.” He tilted his head. “Though I was that kind of easy too. But there was no drama, you know? It’s the kind of relationship my parents have, to be all traditional and shit, so it feels right. We like each other. We have fun. He’s my favorite person. I love you, but if he wasn’t working today, I would have taken him shopping.”

  “That’s so awesome.”

  Arthur raised a finger. “Not that things are never hard. They totally are sometimes. But the drama doesn’t come from us, if that makes sense. The drama comes from the rest of this shitty world and we have to deal with it.” He shook her arm in his. “Like a team. An amazing, sexy, impeccably dressed team.”

  Chloe smiled. “Yeah. I get that.”

  “You and Gavin work together that way. I’ve seen it. You literally work together and you do it well. That says a lot. Add all that fucking chemistry in.” He purred. “I’m serious about the way that man looks at you. He looks like he wants to eat you up.”

  Chloe laughed. “You have no idea.”

  “Stop!” Arthur put his hand to his forehead and pretended to swoon. “You’re killing me holding back details.”

  “You’ll live.” Chloe leaned her head on his shou
lder as they walked. Arthur was only a few inches taller than she was, and he had a great shoulder. “I love you, Arthur. Thank you for not dropping me when I was a shitty friend.”

  “I would never.”

  They walked in silence for another block, making their way back to Penn Station with bags slung on their arms. “You know, I gave Paulo shit the other day, but Drew and I are kind of boring and I love it that way. It may not sound sexy, but I don’t see you wanting a lot of friction either.”

  “Yeah.” She sighed. “I think I’ve had my share for a lifetime.”

  He wiggled his shoulder. “Unless it’s the good kind of friction. If you know what I mean.”

  She smiled. “I know what you mean.”

  “Yeah, I bet you do.”

  She laughed into his shoulder. “Stop.”

  “You wish.”

  Gavin woke to the sound of a clock ticking in an unfamiliar room. He opened his eyes wide. No lethargy. No torpor. He was asleep; then he was awake.

  The ceiling was white and smooth. Light came from a small lamp plugged into a socket in the corner.

  His lungs rose and fell in a human rhythm. The air smelled of plaster dust, burned plastic, vanilla and coconut oil.

  It took him only a few moments to remember where he was. Ben and Tenzin’s safe room. There had been construction recently, explaining the plaster dust and burned plastic. It was the smell of electrical wiring work. The other smells, vanilla and coconut oil, meant Chloe had washed her hair.

  He could hear her on the floor above, walking back and forth in what he thought was the kitchen area. She had one of her playlists on the speakers. Gavin smiled. Was she cooking? The air smelled faintly of tomato sauce.

  He glanced at the phone next to him on the bedside table. He hit a button and saw that he’d received seven voice mails, fifteen text messages, and forty-seven emails while he’d been sleeping.

  Ignoring the notifications, he dialed Audra. “Anything to report?”

  “Do you want an activities report?”

  He hesitated, his territorial instincts battling with his sense. Did he want to know every step she’d taken that day? Yes. Was it any of his business if it didn’t affect her safety? “No. Safety assessment only.”