Once Bitten, Twice Shy (11 page)

I stared at her. “What do you mean?”

Donna shook her head. “I can’t explain it all.”

I was beginning to get extremely annoyed with that attitude.

She must have read it on my face because she said, “Don’t get mad. I honestly don’t know everything.” She sighed. “Did Lex not tell you about any of this?”

I shook my head.

“Goddammit. Stubborn fucker.”

At her outburst, I laughed and laid a hand over hers. “Listen to me, Dee. You knew I was unsure about starting anything with Lex. I think this proves that I was right to be.” I squeezed her hand. “He had his shot. Well, two shots really, and he walked away both times. Honestly, I’m glad he did because if I had invested any more of myself it would have been bad.”

Her eyes grew soft and her hand turned under mine and returned my squeeze. “I’m sorry, Ivie, but I think you’re wrong. I think Lex is serious about you, but he also has to deal with some serious shit right now. Unfortunately, though he’s several hundred years old, he’s not any smarter than a modern man when it comes to a relationship with women.” She released my hand and stood up. “But, that’s a conversation between you and him.”

I stared at her, unsure of what to say.

“Are you hungry?” Donna asked.

I nodded.

“Let’s go get some breakfast before I head to work.”

Feeling even more unsettled than before, I picked up my coffee cup and followed her back into the house.

*     *     *

Two days later,
it was after midnight and I was cuddled under the downy comforter in the guest room, reading yet another romance novel on my Kindle. The author’s description of the hero made me think of Lex. Actually, everything seemed to make me think of Lex.

Finally after two hours of trying to read, I tossed my Kindle to the side. This was ridiculous. He confused the hell out of me, offered to explain, then disappeared. I shouldn’t be so consumed with thoughts of him. Still, I couldn’t escape the memory of his voice growling that he liked the idea that I would be waiting for him when he returned.

Unfortunately, if he returned now, the only thing I would be waiting to do would be to give him a piece of my mind. Or at least the cold shoulder. Donna had been correct when she said that vampires of his age were just as clueless as modern men. Hell, I was sure they were more clueless because the women of their time had been sweet and subservient. And, after watching the way Conner’s female employees fawned over him, I was pretty sure that the human women they were around of this century were too blinded by their good looks to tell them to take a flying leap when they were acting like jerks.

Well, with the exception of Donna. That night after dinner she had told Conner to go fuck himself when he suggested they skip the wedding she was in the midst of planning. As her maid of honor, I was equally pleased and disturbed by the idea that the wedding would be cancelled. I was looking forward to the affair because she was so radiantly happy. I was also dreading it because of the dark cloud of uncertainty and danger that seemed to be hanging over us all. A wedding would present an opportunity to strike for Conner and Lex’s enemies.

Conner had laughed at her diatribe against Scottish fossils who wanted to ruin all her fun because of a few threats by dickless, weasely vampires. Then he’d thrown her over his shoulder, smacked her ass, and nodded to me.

“Excuse us, Ivie. I need to teach this lass a lesson.” Then he’d calmly strode out of the kitchen with a cursing and squirming Donna over his shoulder.

They had disappeared, I assumed to their room, and never returned. I finished cleaning up the leftovers from dinner and spent a restless evening alternating between watching television and reading in the den.

Around ten, I’d decided to try and get some sleep. I headed upstairs, slipped into my last clean pajamas, which consisted of a black satin camisole and shorts covered in tiny white polka dots and edged with red lace. I desperately needed to do laundry the next day. Otherwise, I’d have nothing to wear but a pair of skintight black yoga pants and the dress shirt Lex had left in my room before he left.

After tossing and turning for an hour, I decided to try and read a little more. With each page, I started to see Lex more and more clearly in the role of the hero in the book. Sick of it, I finally gave up and stared at the ceiling.

If it hadn’t been so late, I would have texted Shannon or Ricki, but I knew they would both be asleep at this time of night. Maybe a stroll around the backyard would help relax me. I threw aside the covers and was about to slide my feet into a pair of flip flops when I heard the loud chiming of the doorbell.

At first I froze in fear, then shook my head. If someone meant us all harm, I doubt they would have rung the bell at the gate. I left my room and crept toward the staircase that led to the front of the house. I heard two male voices as I approached the railing at the top of the stairs. I peeked over and froze.

Conner stood at the door, shirtless, which was a sight striking enough to cause any girl to pause, but that wasn’t what caused me to freeze. He was talking to a man dressed in a dark red shirt and a pair of dark jeans that clung to his body in all the right places. I realized that the guy was Finn, who I’d met at the engagement party. He had been kind and very flirty. He was also drop-dead gorgeous. I hadn’t talked to him much because Lex had glowered at us during our short conversation and it made me antsy as hell.

While Lex was rough around the edges and radiated testosterone more than a perfect face, Finn was a work of art. His cheekbones were high and carved and his lips were sensuous, full without being effeminate. It was Finn’s eyes that struck a chord with me though. They were such a deep blue that they appeared purple. And they were observant and wise. This was a man who saw and had seen everything. He learned from both his mistakes and those of others. Those eyes, combined with his fallen angel face and long chestnut hair, made it hard to look at him without having at least one wild fantasy about him dressed in furs, riding a huge steed into battle while wielding an ax.

Finn and Conner were speaking in low tones. Suddenly, Finn’s purple eyes lifted to mine and they burned with intensity. I felt goose bumps rise along my arms and neck. The weight and power of his gaze was like nothing I’d ever felt. Then he smiled, breaking the trance that I had fallen into when I stared into his eyes.

“Ivie!” he called, his eyes wandering over my body. “I must say that is a very fetching outfit.”

I rolled my eyes and tossed a few stray curls out of my face as I headed down the stairs. While the satin was thin, the pajamas covered me from upper chest to mid-thigh. The set didn’t even show cleavage.

“Hi, Finn. How are you?” I asked.

He reached out and snagged my wrist, yanking me forward for a quick hug. His body was warm and hard and he smelled like the night, dark and mysterious. Of their own volition, my arms wrapped around his torso for a quick squeeze before I dropped them and tried to step back.

Finn’s hands cupped my bare shoulders, intensifying the goose bumps on my flesh. While I didn’t feel the electricity from his touch as I did Lex’s, there was an undercurrent, a pulse of power, where each of his fingertips rested on bare skin. He lowered his head so his face was close to mine, but Conner spoke, causing him to pause.

“Finn,” he said warningly. “Don’t forget about Lex.”

Finn’s face stayed close to mine, his mouth only inches from my lips, but his eyes flicked over my shoulder to treat Conner with an intense stare.

“I don’t see Lex anywhere near, do you?” he asked.

My tummy twisted painfully at his words. The reminder that Lex had found it easy to walk away from me wasn’t pleasant. Finn’s eyes returned to mine and he looked at me as though he were searching for something in my face.

“I’m sorry, Ivie,” he said softly.

I shrugged. “I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”

One corner of his mouth kicked up. “I’m sure,” he murmured.

His hands caressed the bare skin of my shoulders, causing me to shiver slightly, before he released me.

“Now, I’m sorry to ask this of you, but Conner and I need a few moments to speak. Could you excuse us?”

I nodded and glanced at Conner, forcing my eyes on his face. He might be a gorgeous hunk of man meat, but he was also my best friend’s fiancé. It wouldn’t be right to ogle him.

“How about I make some coffee?” I asked.

He smiled tightly at me. “Make it tea and that would be perfect.”

Though Conner was Scottish, I rarely saw him drink tea. Still, I didn’t even bat an eye at his request. I headed into the kitchen and filled the kettle on the stove. While I waited for the water to boil, I got down a teapot and filled it with hot water from the tap to warm it. Then I spooned loose tea into a large mesh tea ball. As the kettle began to whistle, I removed it from the heat before I poured the hot water out of the teapot into the sink.

Focusing on my task rather than the possible reasons for Finn’s late night visit, I placed the tea ball in the pot and poured the hot water over it. After a few minutes of searching, I found a tray. I heard the kitchen door open behind me and glanced over my shoulder.

Donna was standing in the doorway, looking mussed and a little sleepy, but also worried.

“Here, let me help,” she said.

She grabbed four cups, the sugar bowl, and poured some milk into a little pitcher. We placed it all on the tray. I let her carry it into the study because I didn’t trust myself not to drop the entire thing on the floor.

When we entered the study, Conner was seated behind his desk, looking grim. Finn was sprawled on the sofa near the fireplace, one arm stretched along the back and his legs straight in front of him, crossed at the ankle. Donna placed the tray on the desk and started pouring tea. She added sugar and milk to one and handed it to me. I thanked her and decided to sit next to Finn on the couch. Mostly, because his appreciative eyes were making me a little uncomfortable and there was a blanket tossed over the back of the sofa.

As Donna poured the rest of the tea and gave Conner and Finn theirs, I put my cup down on the table next to the couch and grabbed the throw. I sat on the cushion, pulled my legs up to sit cross-legged, and draped the soft chenille around me. After I grabbed my cup and took a sip, I glanced around. Conner was contemplating his tea while Donna stood next to him, running a comforting hand over his shoulder. Finn was smiling slightly as he looked at me, as though he understood that he unsettled me and thought it was funny that I felt the need to cover up.

His astuteness and subsequent amusement made me feel a little foolish for rushing to wrap myself up like a mummy. Rather than show my embarrassment, I gave him a bland look and continued to drink my tea. His little smile widened into a shit-eating grin, but he said nothing.

Finally, Donna broke the silence. “Okay, I hate to interrupt this wonderful awkward moment we have going, but will someone please explain to me what’s happening?” She looked at Finn. “I enjoy your company, Finn, but you typically don’t show up here in the middle of the night without calling first.”

Finn put his cup on the side table without taking a sip. “I have some news. Important news.”

Donna and Conner both came to attention. I focused on keeping my hands steady as tension filled the room.

I watched Finn straighten, his face serious. “There is a new group forming among vampires. They’re calling themselves The Faction.”

I wanted to snort at the name because it lacked originality, but, somehow, I knew that would be a bad idea. I could sense that the men wouldn’t appreciate an attempt at levity.

“And their goals?” Conner asked. His face was deadly serious.

Finn glanced at me before he continued. “They want vampires to reveal themselves and take control.”

Before I could think better of it, I asked, “Take control of what?”

All eyes were on me and I felt a flush creep up my neck and chest.

“Everything,” Finn replied.

Well, shit. I had a bad feeling that Donna’s wedding was just cancelled, and that was going to be the least of our problems.

N
one of us
slept the rest of that night. I couldn’t contribute to the discussion, but I was worried and frightened. I listened as Conner and Finn outlined the situation. Donna didn’t have a lot to say either, though she did ask a lot of questions. Most of them were the same questions I had.

After Finn outlined what The Faction had planned, Conner asked, “Do you know who the members are?”

“I have nine names. One of them belongs to their leader.”

Conner smiled, but it was cold and vicious and very, very scary. “Names?”

“Cornelius the Slayer is the leader.”

I couldn’t help it. I snorted a giggle. I tried to cover it with a cough, but, with the way the men were looking at me, I could tell I wasn’t fooling anyone. What the fuck? Cornelius was the dorkiest name. And I was almost one hundred percent certain he called himself ‘The Slayer’ to sound more menacing. Like a pimply-faced, high school geek who played Diablo, or whatever that damn online role-playing game was called.