Here Comes the Vampire (16 page)

“But you’re a vampire,” Jean Paul pointed out.

“Unfortunately.”

Uncle Jean Paul’s mouth dropped open and it was nothing short of the gasp heard around the world. “What did you just say, young woman?”

“I said it’s unfortunate that I’m a vampire. I mean, not that I don’t like being one. It has its perks, but I’d much rather be human what with all the beaches and cho
colate and all that other good stuff. Luckily, Remy here loves all those things to, don’t you, honey?”

I waited for Remy to agree the way he’d been doing for days now. But instead of Remy, I heard a deep, familiar voice that sent a rush of pure joy through me.

“I never had Tremaine figured for much of a Casanova. At least not with you.”

I whirled and found Ty standing behind me.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“It’s not what you think,” I told Ty.

He held up one of the custom-printed matchbooks I’d insisted on handing out to all of the guests at the door.

Lil and Remy 4-Ever.

“So this isn’t some meet the family thing the night before you and Remy commit to each other?”

“Of course not.” I gathered my courage and swallowed against the sudden lump in my throat. “We’re already committed to each other. It’s not the ceremony tomorrow. Just the reception.” My gaze met his. “I’m sorry. Just let me explain.”

“What is this vampire doing her paine ree?” My mother’s voice rose above my pounding heart. In a split-second, she reached us, but Ty wasn’t in the mood to deal with any intrusion. He was pissed and he wanted answers.

“This is between me and Lil.” He grabbed my hand and in the blink of an eye, we were outside on the back patio. Alone.

“I thought you were working a case?” I blurted, eager to dispel the foreboding silence that suddenly surrounded us.

He looked as sexy as ever with his dark, shoulder-length hair, a strong, stubble-covered jaw, and bluer-than-blue eyes. He wore a black leather vest, no shirt and black pants. His biker boots were dusty and his gaze worn, as if he’d been working his ass off for the past few days. Guilt tugged at me because I knew this was the last thing he needed.

“How’s it going?”

He wasn’t going to be distracted from the situation. His gaze caught and held mine. “What the hell is going on here?”

“I got drunk in Vegas,” I blurted. “I didn’t mean to. One minute I was missing you and sucking down drinks. And the next, I was waking up with Remy. Not that we did anything. I think we just slept. I’m just not sure.” I told him about the vague memories of the wedding chapel and the possibility that I’d had sex with Remy in the elevator and how I was deeply, desperately sorry because I still loved him. “It’s a mistake, all of it, and I intend to prove it. I just need a little time.”

“Is that why you called me? To tell me the truth?” Hope gleamed in his eyes and guilt knifed through me.

“No,” I heard myself say because as much as I wanted to lie and save my own ass for not doing the right thing, I couldn’t. “I called because of some of the surveillance footage. I think I saw a guy get attacked, but then there’s not really any blood, so I’m probably just overreacting for nothing. I wanted to hear your voice, so I called.”

“Because you got scared, not because you thought I should know the truth?”

I nodded and he turned away. And then before I could open my mouth, he was gone.

So much for a happy ending.

“Lil?” my mother’s voice carried from inside, but I couldn’t bring myself to go back in and continue the show. I was done. Exhausted. Defeated.

Heart-broken.

I spent the next few hours going through the motions, trying to keep my optimism turned on high.

All was not lost.

I could do this.

I could find the footage, prove my innocence and make up with Ty.

The thing was, I just wasn’t so sure I believed it anymore.

Which is why instead of watching the last six DVDs, I curled up in bed later that night, buried my head under the covers and gave in to the tears burning the backs of my eyes.

All was lost because Ty Bonner knew the truth. And he hated me for it.

#

My misery soon faded into a restless sleep despite my exhaustion. I wanted to lose myself. To fall into the all-consuming sleep of the undead and forget everything, but it wouldn’t come.

Instead, I tossed and turned and dreamt.

Of Ty and I on a secluded, sunlit beach. On the helm of a pirate ship. In a hot tub shaped like a gigantic martini glass. Right here in this very room.

Ty leaned over me, his body silhouetted against the flickering glow of a single lit candle. His naked body covered the length of mine, his muscles hard beneath my roaming hands. I felt my way up, over his toned ass, the dip at the base of his spine, the sinewy planes of his back, his broad shoulders. His dark silky hair brushed my skin and my eyes shot open.

Everything went from fuzzy and dreamlike to focused and real as Ty’s hal ak, his brndsome face loomed over me.

I’ve missed you.

His lips didn’t’ move, but his deep voice echoed in my head, reminding me of the fact that he’d drank my blood and I’d drank his.

We were connected in a way that went beyond his-and-hers hand towels. While this little bit of FYI had freaked me out at first, I’d actually started to like it.

At least when it came to sex.

We’re talking better than a mood ring and it definitely made the whole apology thing easier on the ego.

Mine and his.

I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean for this to happen and I’m not happy about it.

Stop talking.
He dipped his head and nuzzled my ear.

I’m not talking
.

Stop thinking then
. He flicked his tongue and a lightning bolt zapped me. His tongue grazed the side of my neck and electricity sizzled from the point of contact. It spread through my body, pausing in several interesting places.

The tender side of my neck.

My armpits.

My nipples.

My belly button.

Lower...

Another flick of his tongue and a few nibbles and he pulled back to stare into my eyes.

Please don’t be mad
. I sent the silent message, desperate to know that he didn’t hate me.
I didn’t mean for it to happen.

I don’t hate you, Lil. I could never hate you.
His voice trailed off and I didn’t miss the brightening of his eyes.
Right now I don’t want to think about it. I just need you
.

I touched his face. Rough stubble rasped my fingertips, dispelling any lingering notion that I was dreaming.

I wasn’t sure if it was the stress of the past few days spent worrying and wondering if he would change his mind about us should he discover the truth, or the stress of the past few hours, but I had the sudden urge to throw my arms around his neck and burst into tears. He was here now and while I knew I didn’t need his forgiveness (it’s not like I’d done the whole commitment thing on purpose), I still wanted it.

He kissed me then, effectively distracting me from the crazy realization. My brain zeroed in on his tongue and the way he stroked mine and, well, who could think with all that going on?

He pressed his thigh between my legs and rubbed against my slit. Sensation bolted through me and my entire body shook.

His lips captured mine again and his tongue plunged deep. His pulse beat echoed in my head, keeping time with the frantic ba-bom-ba-bom-ba-bom of my own heart.

I clutched at his shoulders and opened myself to him, but he held back. Instead, he teased and stirred until I just knew I was going to lose my mind.

I exerted a little BV strength, rolled him over and straddled him. My gaze locked with his as I slid down his hard, hot length. He throbbed deep inside me and pure ecstasy gripped me.

Every nerve in my body started to buzz.

To want.

Suddenly I couldn’t feel him deep enough. Fast enough. I rode him hard then. Taking and giving and... there. Right. There.

Yesssss!!!!

My orgasm was fierce, slamming over me, picking me up, shaking me around. Until I stopped thinking and worrying and I simply felt. Ty inside of me. Surrounding me. Loving me.

My body bucked and my head fell back. He pulled me down to him then. His hips lifted as he caught my nipple with his mouth. He sank his teeth deep and started to drink, and I plunged over the edge.

I gripped his head and held him to me as the convulsions ripped through my body. One after the other. Each more fierce than the last. My body sucked at his cock the way his mouth drew on my nipple, onm to m with a desperation that went beyond anything I’d ever felt.

My own hunger stirred then, gripping and twisting until I felt my fangs against my tongue. The urge hit me and I couldn’t help myself. I gripped his hair and pulled him up until we were face-to-face.

I kissed him then, tasting my blood on his tongue. It was warm and sweet and the hunger roared inside of me.

Now.

The deep command echoed in my head and the next thing I knew, his head was tilted back and my mouth was on his neck. His blood pulsed past my lips, drenched my tongue and slid down my throat.

Sweet.

Succulent.

He gripped my hips and came then. His body shook and a growl vibrated in my ears.

I drank a few more seconds while he bucked and trembled. I released his neck, licked my lips and melted against him. He held tight then, not moving or speaking. Just holding.

At that moment, I stopped wondering if he still loved me. I felt it. Deep in my heart. My soul.

Even if he didn’t say the words.

Instead, he crawled out of bed and pulled on his clothes.

“I’ve got to go.”

“The case?”

He nodded. “The daughter of the Born Vampire Council’s chief magistrate, Otto Charlemagne. Her name is Rose. She was kidnapped and I’m working the leads to try to get her back.”

“Do you think she’s okay?”

He shook his head. “I honestly don’t know. It’s just not playing out right.”

“How’s that?”

“It doesn’t feel like a normal kidnapping case.” He pulled on his boots and simply sat there on the edge of the bed for a long moment. “It feels like something bigger. Something really big. And something really bad.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know why.” He seemed to think. “It’s just that it happened too fast. Too easy. She’s under twenty-four hour surveillance. Your average Joe wouldn’t be able to get to her, which means it might be someone on the inside.” He shook his head. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’m at a dead-end. The thing’s getting colder by the minute. Then you called and said you needed me, so I came.” He leaned down and planted a long, lingering kiss on my lips. “I’ve got to go.”

I nodded instead of morphing into a blubbering idiot and begging him to stay. He had things to do. Important things. And so did I. I had to get myself out of this situation.

Not that I was worrying about any of tha
t right now.

Rather, I was basking in the glow of wicked hot make-up sex.

Or wicked-hot good-bye sex.

The thought struck, wiggling its way into my head, reminding me that while we’d had fantabulous sex, he’d never once said that he still loved me. That he still felt the same. That he still wanted me, for better or worse.
‘Til death do us part
.

My joy took a hike and I bolted out of the bed.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

I had to find him.

I sprinted across the back patio to the spot where we’d had our confrontation earlier. I focused my senses and scanned the surrounding trees, my eyes pushing back the shadows, my ears tuned in to the buzz of crickets, the rustle of tree branches, the crunch of grass--

I stared at the spot and sure enough, a shadow moved.

Relief washed through me. He was still here.

And?

And I could ask him if he still loved me. I needed to know. I needed for it to be true.

Pathetic, right? But there it was. I was hooked. In lov onm me.e. Desperate.

I reached the spot in the blink of an eye, but there was no one there.

Because he was staying one step ahead. He didn’t want to talk to me. To answer the one question raging in my head.

The thought struck, followed by a rush of panic, and then relief when I heard the footfall behind me.

“We have to talk—“ I started as I whirled.

But it wasn’t Ty who stared back at me.

It was Riley.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” He must have noticed my disappointment, because he grinned. “What? Did you expect your boyfriend?” He shook his head. “He already left. I guess he didn’t feel like sharing.”

“He doesn’t have to share. Remy and I aren’t really committed.”

“I don’t think the boyfriend gives a shit about the details.”

“And I don’t think it’s any of your business.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. Everything you do, everything you say, everything you see is my business. You made it my business when you stole those tapes. Time to give them back.” My gaze went to his pale fingers and the object he held.

He’d traded the stake for a gun.

I realized my mistake all too late, then. I’d done my best to stay around others and keep close to the house, in full reach of my father’s security system. But I was too far away to trip any alarms.

And Riley knew it.

He aimed the gun straight at me, a cold look in his eyes.

It wasn’t a normal-looking gun. Rather, it had a large clear canister attached to the top. A greenish-yellow liquid sloshed in the canister and the familiar scent of garlic prickled my nostrils.

Familiar because I’d gotten a face full of the stuff not very long ago when I’d faced off with the sorcerer Mordred. He’d given me a garlic shower and put me out of commission for a short while.

“Wait!” I held up a hand. “You want the DVDs? I’ll give them to you. Just let me go inside.”

“Not necessary.” He indicated the small black bag that sat near his feet. “I slipped inside your room while your parents were having their little party. They had the security system off for obvious reasons. So now I have the DVDs. All I need is you.” He took aim.