Northern Bites (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 2) (16 page)

“Enjoying room service?” I asked.

“The choices were limited, so I made do.”

“Looks like you ordered one of everything,” I remarked. “Did you put it on the room?” I already knew the answer
—of course she put the meal on the room.

Valerie stuck her nose up. “Melcher will take care of it. Budget cuts, my ass. Make sure to save your re
ceipts. Everything we eat during mission gets reimbursed.”

“Including alcohol?” I asked, raising a brow.

“Especially alcohol.”

Somehow I doubted Melcher would agree to that, but I didn’t feel like starting a new argument with Valerie. It looked like she was on her way to the fitness center. I couldn’t have timed my return better.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

“Walking around town. I went to the harbor and the tote
m park. Did Jared come by while I was gone?”

“No, thank
God,” she said. “He’s a real piece of work. Total dick. Have some wine.” Valerie inclined her head toward the nightstand.

I grabbed an empty glass beside the ice bucket and poured myself a small portion. The first swallow warmed my throat all the way down.

Valerie stood up. Her phone buzzed beside the wine bottle. I moved aside as she grabbed it. “Nice timing,” she said. “I was just on my way to work out,” she spoke as she typed out her text.

A moment later she erupted int
o giggles. “Want to know what Gavin said?”

“No.”

“He said he wished I was getting my workout with him.”

I took a bigger gulp of wine than I meant to.

“Look at you,” Valerie said. I didn’t appreciate her smug smile. She set her phone on her nightstand and looked me over.

“What?”

“You’re turning totally red.”

“Because I just drank wine.”

“Two sips.”

I took two more swigs as she spoke.

Valerie circled me. “Have you even kissed a guy before?”

If only I’d walked in five minutes later we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

I got that feeling inside. The same one that came over me when we stormed into the vamp house together. Like I had to prove something to her. “I’ve done everything,” I said.

“Oh,
everything
,” she said, grinning wider. “Was it with anyone I know?”

I shrugged.

“You’re bluffing.”

I could tell she said it to weasel a name out of me, but I played into her hands all the same. “Fine. I hooked up with Scott Stevens.”

Valerie’s nose wrinkled. “Ick.”

“Excuse me?” Yeah, he was a jock with the personality of a tree stump, but
ick
? From someone who did the seesaw with vampires?

“Don’t try to tell me you enjoyed it.”

“Fine, I won’t.” I swirled the last bit of wine inside my glass then tipped it back, downing every last bit.

“No wonder you’re so repressed. Sleeping with Scottie Stevens is probably worse than being a virgin.”

Sadly, I had trouble arguing with that.

“What about Dante?”
Valerie asked.

What about your workout? I wanted to ask
back. Shouldn’t she go work off all that room service?

Valerie looked me up and down. “He wants you bad.”

“Well, it’s not going to happen.”

“Why not?”
She sounded more curious than crude. “I get that his personality leaves something to be desired but at least he’s got one. There’s nothing worse than a man without character. And his body’s hot. You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed those rock-solid pecs.”

Oh
, I’d noticed all right. I’d noticed the moment Dante showed up on my doorstep to introduce himself as my mentor. I was with Fane at the time, but I wasn’t blind.

“Yeah, he’s built,” I said slowly.

“What is it? Are you still hung up on Fane?” Valerie challenged.

I should slap her for saying his name, but she’d read too much into that one. The bottle of wine called to me from the corner of my eye, but I wanted a clear mind for the mission ahead. “Dante and I work together,” I said, rather than respond
ing to Valerie’s taunt. “We have a responsibility to this unit, and I doubt dating on the job would be a wise decision.” Plus I wasn’t attracted to Dante that way. Maybe a little more than previously, but it would take a lot more to convince me he was boyfriend material.

“Oh my
God,” Valerie said with disgust. “How old are you? I swear you just sounded thirty.”

I glared at Valerie. At least I hoped I was glaring.

My phone beeped inside my pack. Relieved by the distraction, I turned my back to Valerie and dug it out.

Speak of the devil.
I’d received a text from Dante.

Any action?

Not yet. You?
I typed and waited.

Nothing. Where are you?

Hotel room.

What are you doing?

Just chilling.

“Just chilling?” Valerie repeated over my shoulder. “That’s all you’ve got?”

I held my phone against my chest. “Do you mind?”

“Come on. Let’s see what he
said.”

“I don’t know why you need to see it.” Nonetheless, I pulled the phone away from my body and held the screen so we could both see.

Cool.

Not really. I have to share a room with Valerie
, I typed for Valerie’s benefit.

“Good one,” she said. And she sounded like she meant it.
“Nothing on this planet gets a guy’s blood pumping like the thought of two women sharing a bedroom.” She leaned in closer.

Dante texted back:
Just remember, if you’re going to fight, use pillows.

Valerie snorted. “See? Typical.”

Before I could respond to Dante’s text, he sent a follow up message.

And you can only wear underwear
.
Hey, I don’t make the rules. ;)

Whatever
, I typed.

“Give me that.” Valerie grabbed the phone out of my hands before I could s
end the message. She deleted “whatever.”

“
Dante’s messing with you, and you’re playing right into his hands. This is exactly what he’s expecting, Aurora. It’s time he got a dose of his own medicine.” Valerie began typing. I tried to see, but her hair blocked my view when she leaned forward. Only when Valerie lifted her head did I see what she’d written and sent.

Actually she stepped out
, so it’s just you and me.

I breathed a sigh of relief. That wasn’t too bad.

Dante messaged back instantly.
Meaning?
 

I wanted to
ask Valerie the same question.

Valerie
smirked and typed.
Meaning I’ll strip if you strip.

“Valerie!” I cried.

She held up a hand. “Let’s see what Mr. Hot Shot replies to that.”

I had to admit I was curious. We watched the screen. It remained blank.

Valerie snickered. “Two can play this game, Don Juan.”

“I am so telling him you who wrote those
messages.”

“I don’t care.”
Valerie finger combed her hair over one shoulder with her free hand. She had the most gorgeous head of thick, wavy red locks. The color made her look like some fabled siren who beckoned men out to sea before drowning them. If I was honest, I’d have to admit I envied her confidence. She had a way of intimidating even the school’s most popular girls. When we were in gym together at Denali High she walked around the locker room in her lace bra as though it were as comfortable as a cotton tee.

No doubt smoke would blow out Dante’s ears if I could shoot him a mental image of Val
erie from our gym days.

As I watched Valerie twirl a piece of hair
around her finger, I decided I didn’t want to tell Dante she was behind the texts. It would only make her seem more appealing and daring.

Valerie had already broken Fane and I apart and stolen Gavin from Noel. I wasn’t letting her
have Dante, too. He was my friend, my mentor, my wingman. If he wanted to flirt with someone, it would be me, not Valerie.

Valerie began typing on my phone.

“Did he respond?”

“No, I’m adding my number to your address book.”

“Hey!” I said. If she were snooping through my phone book she’d see that Fane was still in there. “Why would I need your number?”

“In case we get split up tonight.” Valerie rolled her eyes, finished typing, and stretched across her bed. Suddenly she
propped herself up on her arms. “He took the bait!”

I hurried to join Valerie’s side, leaning into the phone with her.

My pants are off. Yours?

Not yet,
Valerie typed.

What are you waiting for?

Give me a sec.

Counting down.

Valerie laughed. It sounded a little too flirtatious for my liking. “This is better than TV.”

I reached my hand out. “I want my phone back.”

Valerie pulled back. “Hold up. Can’t leave the poor guy standing there with his pants around his ankles.”

I tried to grab my phone, but Valerie held it above her head. She rolled to the edge of the bed and stood up, glancing at the screen. She burst into laughter.

“What?” I asked, annoyed, but also not wanting to miss anything.

Valerie held the screen in front of my face.

Need help?

The momentary distraction allowed Valerie just enough time to get away.
“You naughty boy,” Valerie said, walking to the far corner.

“You didn’t type that did you?”

“No. I’m thinking.” Valerie looked at me a long while. A smile slowly formed on her lips. Her head bent down as she typed.

“What are you saying?” What was wrong with me? I wanted her to stop but another side of me
silently urged her to keep going.

Valerie lifted the screen in front of her face and read. “No help necessary. Would you like me to take off my thong or leave it on?”

I felt my eyes bug out of my head. “Okay, that’s enough.” I stormed over to Valerie and ripped my phone out of her fingers. She didn’t have a very good hold on it, seeing as she was laughing so hard.

“And now Miss Prude spoils the fun. Poor Dante. I think I might actually feel sorry for him.”

Valerie grabbed her phone off the nightstand. “I’m going to the fitness center,” she said, scooping her sweater off the back of the chair. “Tell Dante I said hi and to text me if he’s feeling lonely.” Valerie laughed and ducked out before I could tell her to shove it.

I listened to her receding footsteps
in the hallway then sat on the edge of my bed for several moments in silence. My palms sweated. Why was I so nervous about reading Dante’s response? Dante, for crying out loud. Goofy, annoying, reckless Dante.

I glanced at the bear claw pendant on my nightstand. That had been really sweet the way he lent it to me. Dante loved that stupid claw.

I wasn’t attracted to Dante…maybe a little at the moment, but probably only because I felt
repressed
, as Valerie liked to remind me.

I sat
at the top of my bed, back against the headboard, legs crossed. Time to face the music. I took a deep breath and stared at my phone.

Aurora Sky wears a thong? If I wasn’t shocked before, I am now.

I laughed. That wasn’t too bad. Not bad at all. In fact, it was a good place to sign off. I tried to come up with what to say next and had decided on “Now you know one of my secrets. I think that’s enough for tonight,” when my fingers tapped out something else entirely.

What about you? Boxers?

Commando. ;)

I laughed. Dante was messing around, too. That was probably about as true as
me wearing a thong. Sorry, boys. Butt floss wasn’t my thing.

Better put your pants back on before you freeze your buns off.
I laughed. Good one, Aurora.

Not to worry
. I’m in bed…pitching a tent.

It took me a moment to figure out what he meant. When I did
, my whole face burned.

Perv!

You started it.

But
how to end it? And how to face Dante when I went back home?

Just killing time
, I typed.

Wish we were killing time together.

My first response would have been “In your dreams,” but that’s not what Valerie The Seductress would say.

So it goes. I’ll let you go amuse yourself.

Wait! You can’t leave me hanging.