Nathan, still smiling, said, “Yes, I believe I am.”
Jessica’s heart dove, but she kept her expression neutral. Nodding, she leaned her hip against the back of the couch. “She was pretty hot,” she conceded. “And she’s like you. A vampire, I mean. At least partially. Enough that she can defend herself, and you wouldn’t have to worry about her if Marta ever came after you.”
Nathan inclined his head, knitting his brow as he studied her. “Jessica, what are you…?” It took a moment for him to piece things together, but then his eyes cleared in understanding. “You think I want to call her for romantic reasons?”
“Well, don’t you?”
He shook his head.
She glanced at him sidelong, questioning.
“No.” He rested his hand on the back of the couch and gave her a quick smile. “No. Jessica, if this girl really has killed three masters, and if she can help me find Marta…well, it could be an answer to all my prayers, could it not?”
“You actually want to look for Marta?” Jessica straightened up. “But I thought you said you’ve always been too scared to do that. What about your family?”
In response, he slipped his phone out of his pocket. He tapped at the screen and scrolled, moving closer to show her something. It was a website, Jessica realized. Someone’s personal blog. “Laura Carnes?” she asked, reading the name off the flowery website banner.
“She is my niece.” He flipped to the ‘About Me’ page where, along with a bio, there were several photos posted of a cheerful-looking couple done up in outdoors-y outfits, posing among trees and boulders. “She was married in recent years. This is her husband.”
“She’s beautiful.” Jessica gazed at the woman’s sparkling blue eyes and dark hair, so similar to Nathan’s. “They both are. They’re a cute couple.”
“Laura is with child,” Nathan said. “She is due soon.”
“Oh, congratulations!”
A smile flickered over his lips. “So long as my family line continues,” he said, “there will always be someone about whom I feel I should worry. For decades, I have told myself I would be more useful to my relations in my vampire form, so that I could protect them if need be. But now I question this line of thinking. As things stand, I cannot involve myself in their day-to-day affairs, cannot be there for them in any meaningful way. I wonder if I have not used my family as an excuse to hide from Marta, to shirk the responsibility I feel is mine to hunt her down and destroy her.” He paused, examining Laura’s photo and then touching it softly with his thumb. When he looked back up, he said, gravely, “I want to find Marta, Jessica. I want to rid the world of her iniquity. I have always longed to have my humanity back, but now…well, let us simply say I have an ever-more compelling reason to desire its recovery as soon as possible.”
“Your family,” Jessica said. “You want to be a part of their lives again.”
He tucked the phone away and touched her chin, tilting up her face so he could look into her eyes. “I am speaking of you, Jessica. You are that compelling reason. You have not given up on me these past few weeks, and so I think perhaps I should not give up on myself, either. Not yet, anyway.”
Jessica’s heart gave a leap. She felt the smile spreading across her mouth.
“That being said,” he went on, dropping his hand to his side, “who knows how long it might take for me to find Marta, or if I ever will? I do not expect you to wait for me. I wish for you to be happy, here and now. So, if you were to meet someone else while I was on this quest, I…well, I would not stand in his way, of course.”
Jessica felt laughter bubbling in her chest at the idea of ever meeting anyone who could compete with Nathan, but she managed to keep it contained. “Okay,” she said, keeping her tone as serious as she could muster, “I’ll make you a deal, then, Nathan. If I happen to meet anyone I like better than you, then sure, I’ll date that guy instead of waiting around for you to be human again.”
He nodded, but she could tell he wasn’t happy about it. In fact, the very notion of her seeing anyone else seemed to make him want to grab the nearest piece of furniture and break it over his knee. Or maybe it was Jessica’s imaginary boyfriend he’d like to rip in half. Either way, she decided it was probably a good idea to let him off the hook.
Leaning closer, she lowered her voice to a stage whisper and said, “But just between you and me? I’m pretty sure that ain’t ever gonna happen, so...” she tapped her finger against his chest, “you can just relax, mister.”
Relief washed into his eyes, and his mouth tipped up again. “As selfish as it is, I hope it does not happen.” He followed this up with a full-throated laugh, and Jessica felt like flipping a cartwheel, the sound made her so incredibly happy. She only felt giddier when he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. A crackle of excitement filtered through her.
Recognizing an opportunity when she saw one, she said, “Um. Do you want to hang around awhile? We could watch a movie or something. It’d make Wilhelmina’s night.”
“Well, as much as I do hate to disappoint Wilhelmina,” he grinned, “I should go. There is a project I am working on for a client, and the deadline draws quite near.”
“Oh. Okay.”
He didn’t let go of her hand, though. Instead, he tugged her in closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. A gasp of surprise escaped her, but she went with it. She laid her hands on his broad chest, enjoying the cool solidity of his pectorals beneath her fingers. She looked up into that devastatingly handsome face, not quite believing the desire she saw blazing in his eyes all of a sudden.
“I should go,” he repeated, his voice a low rumble.
“Yeah. You said that already.” Jessica tweaked his nipple through his t-shirt.
He huffed in surprise, nearly breaking into another laugh, but then he set his jaw and grew serious instead. The fire in his eyes glowed hotter, and he tightened his grip on her, closing the distance between them. He brought his mouth down on hers. Jessica responded quickly and with enthusiasm, opening her lips to taste him. He moaned as their tongues touched, and she felt his hands roaming over her back and sinking into her hair, grabbing it by the fistful. Jessica’s knees went weak, and her blood turned to electricity. It was easily the best kiss of her life, but it ended all too soon. Issuing a soft, carnal groan, he pulled away from her. With his jewel-like eyes still smoldering, he rested his forehead against hers.
“I will find Marta,” he said. “If it’s the last thing I do, I swear I will find her.”
“I hope you do find her,” Jessica said, her breathing rough and her pulse pounding. “And I really hope that’s not the last thing you ever do.”
A laugh rumbled out of Nathan, and then he was letting her go and saying goodbye, disappearing out the door so quickly, she almost convinced herself she’d only imagined what had just happened between them. Only the thud of her own heart and the rubbery feeling in her legs reassured her the kiss had been real. That and the pathetic sight of Wilhelmina sitting on the carpet, staring at the door with a lovesick look on her furry face.
“Come on, Wil,” Jessica laughed, “I feel the same way, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be back.” She yanked her phone from her purse and texted Lucy.
Nathan kissed me! He says he’s going to look for you-know-who. So he can take care of her and we can be together!!
She added a row of smiley faces. When there was no response to this incredible news, Jessica decided her best friend must be off somewhere, preoccupied with Aaron. She sent another text:
LMK when you guys are getting together with the rest of the, uh, hunting gang, k? I want to come to the meeting. I want to do whatever I can to help you guys track down that witch. We need to find her ASAP.
Srsly.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lucy was preoccupied at the moment, which was why she didn’t notice Jessica’s text messages lighting up her cell phone. In fact, the gadget wasn’t anywhere near her. It was sitting on the glass
coffee table inside Aaron’s elegant third floor apartment, while Lucy stood outside on the balcony, surveying the twinkling lights of suburbia spread out below her.
A light breeze blew by, ruffling her hair and catching the hem of her new woolen dress. She’d bought new shoes, too, so she’d look her best on her second official date with Aaron. The outfit must’ve been a hit, because he had invited her back here after dinner, to have a glass of wine and watch a movie. She hoped she looked good enough that he’d also want to make out with her again later. They’d kissed a few times since that first incredible night in her bedroom, but only briefly, and she was getting antsy for more. The yearning she felt for him seemed to be building up inside her, gaining in strength like an approaching storm.
Whoa there, Lucy, she thought as she clutched the balcony railing. You need to keep your shirt on. Literally. You have to talk to him first.
She’d been spending more and more time with Aaron at work these days—and after work, too, with the rest of Kiefer’s motley new band of vampire hunters—but Lucy still sensed an odd distance hovering between her and her boss. Even though they talked all the time, she couldn’t shake the feeling he was holding things back about himself and that, just like on that special night in her bedroom, there was something he really wanted to tell her but, for whatever reason, couldn’t bring himself to say out loud just yet. Lucy didn’t want to pressure him to open up, but she was eager to uncover whatever his big secret was—and to learn why it had been making him look so pensive lately.
“Lucy?”
She turned, barely stopping a laugh when she saw Aaron standing at the other end of the balcony with his hand extended—and the glass of white wine floating toward her on the breeze. “Kinda cool knowing you can do more than just punch with your telekinesis, huh?” she asked.
“Yeah. Although honestly, this is way harder to do.” Even as he said it, the glass wobbled, and Lucy hurried over to snatch it from the air.
“Careful,” she chided, “someone might see you being magical.”
“Aw, they’d never believe it.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because people see whatever they want to see, and if it happens to be something that messes with their worldview, they just convince themselves it isn’t real.”
Lucy shrugged in agreement and sipped from the glass.
“What’s going on?” he asked, joining her at the railing. “You looked like you were deep in thought just before I came out here.”
“Yeah, it happens now and again,” she said, and he chuckled. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes and fastened a curious gaze on him. “I was just remembering something Jessica said the other night. She thinks you must be holding out on me. That you’re some sort of secret mob boss or something, and that’s why you were able to get the hotel ballroom booked for her so fast.”
A surprised laugh broke from Aaron’s throat. “The mob, huh?” he said, his eyes twinkling. “No, not quite.”
“Jess also told me about your offer to help her pay any rebuilding costs for Book of Love that her insurance won’t cover,” Lucy added with a note of awe. “That was really nice of you.”
Aaron shrugged like it was no big deal.
Lucy angled her head. “I think it was really nice,” she reiterated, “but I honestly don’t get it. How could you possibly afford to suggest something like that to her? Unless being a middle manager at Acray-Sys pays way better than I ever thought it did.”
Aaron fidgeted with the stem of his glass. That brooding shadow she’d noticed the past few days descended over his eyes again, and a faint frown turned down his mouth. “No, you’re right,” he finally said, “the money I offered Jess didn’t come from Acray-Sys. The truth is, I have been holding out on you, Lucy. There’s something I need to tell you.”
Lucy gripped her glass tighter and held her breath. Here it came, his big revelation. From the tension now clouding his face, she guessed it was something unpleasant. Was he sick? Destitute? Addicted to pain killers? Did he secretly have a wife and children living somewhere in Ohio? She instantly made up her mind not to let whatever it was bother her too much.
Except maybe for the secret family.
Although, if there was anything she’d learned about herself over these past couple of weeks, it was that her feelings for Aaron extended way beyond just a workplace crush. She loved him and would do almost anything to be with him. She would work magic spells and fight monsters, for goodness’ sake. And what could possibly be more challenging to overcome in a relationship than incipient vampirism, anyway?
“Okay,” she said, and offered what she hoped was an encouraging smile.
“I’m loaded,” he finally said, and winced.
Loaded? Lucy paused, blinking. She thought back to their dinner together, where Aaron had finished off a single pint of beer. And now here he was, sipping his first glass of wine for the evening. He definitely wasn’t drunk, so... “I’m sorry, are you trying to tell me that you’re rich?” she asked.
Aaron exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair. “Filthy,” he said, and it sounded like an apology. “I’ve inherited tons of money over the past few years. I’m a multi-millionaire.”
Lucy felt her face contorting, unsure whether to smile or frown. “And I take it you think this is a bad thing-?”
“No, not really. It just gets weird sometimes when you let people know you have money.”
Lucy shrugged, deciding on a smile. “Oh. Well, I don’t care. I mean, it doesn’t make me dislike you or anything.”
“I didn’t think it would, necessarily,” he laughed.
“It does make me wonder why you work at Acray-Sys, though. Or why you work anywhere, for that matter.”
He angled his face away, looking out into the darkness and collecting his thoughts for a while. “Here,” he said, gesturing, “come sit down with me and I’ll explain everything, okay?” He guided her across the veranda to a wooden bench, where he took a seat and set aside his wine.
Lucy settled in beside him, tucking her skirt under her thighs and demurely crossing her legs at the ankle. She set her wine glass on a table and watched him with curiosity.
“So,” he took a deep breath and began, “I’ve told you I don’t have much family left to me, right?”
“Mm-hm. You said your dad died when you were little, and that your mom…well, she…”
“She’d run out on us a few years before that,” he finished. “It’s okay, you can say it.”
Lucy offered a soft, sympathetic smile. “She left you. And after your dad passed away, you lived with your uncle. He raised you alongside his son, like the two of you were brothers.”
“Right. What I never told you was that my Uncle Devon was really well-off and that my cousin, Neil, was…well, he was sort of a problem child, I guess you could say. Always in trouble at school and later with the law. I didn’t have any of those problems, so I sort of became the de facto favorite in the house. My uncle set Neil up with a generous trust fund, but he left everything else to me in his will. He died a few years back, and I inherited. The houses, cars, and other liquid assets all came to me right away, but there were certain milestones I had to achieve before I could get access to the money. If I graduated college with a bachelor’s degree within four years, I’d get a million dollars. If I earned a master’s degree, I’d get another million. If I kept a corporate job for at least five years, I’d get five million. It was my uncle’s way of trying to keep me on the right track, I guess. He wanted to be sure I didn’t just coast through life because of all the money.” He stopped, looking at Lucy as though to gauge how she was handling the news so far.
“That’s actually a really good idea on your uncle’s part, I think,” she said. “But, um…you’ve already been at Acray-Sys for almost six years,” she pointed out.
A new light came on in Aaron’s eyes. He shifted to face her better and said, “Yeah, well, just before my five years were up, I was assigned a
new Executive Assistant and she was really cute, so I stuck around the office a little longer to see if anything might happen between me and her.”
Lucy was dumbfounded. She widened her eyes. “Are you…are you joking?”
“No. I like you, Lucy. I’ve liked you since the first time I met you, and I’ve only liked you more the better I’ve gotten to know you.” Warm threads wove themselves around Lucy’s heart at this declaration, and she grinned. Before she could confess that she’d always liked him, too, he blurted, “But, um, before I say anything else, I think we need to talk about Ava for a second.”
Another current of surprise swept over Lucy, stiffening her shoulders. She was startled to hear the other woman’s name come out of his mouth. He’d never mentioned her again after his phone message. “Ava?” she repeated blankly.
“Uh-huh. Remember how I’d told you she was ‘different’ from other girls? Well, that’s because she and I had already dated once before, back in college. She dumped me back then, and I never got over it. When she suddenly showed up again, saying she wanted to ‘reconnect,’ I thought maybe it was the universe giving us another chance together.” He rolled his eyes a bit. “So I took her out. And I was going to take her out again, but then...” He paused, looking uncomfortable.
“But then you called me and said you weren’t going to see her anymore,” Lucy prompted, wondering where all of this was headed. “You asked me out instead.”
“I did. And I’ll tell you why in just a minute. But first I need you to know that Ava and I argued pretty bad, and that it wasn’t me who broke things off, it was her. It was right after that, that I called you and left that drunken voicemail.” His face twitched with unease. “I just want to be honest with you about all of this, Lucy, but I really hope you won’t take it the wrong way. It isn’t that I didn’t like you all along. I swear I did. But I wasn’t sure what to do about it. It seemed like such a tricky situation, given that we worked together. I never wanted you to feel like I was using my position to coerce you, or to make you uncomfortable about working at Acray-Sys if things didn’t pan out between us.” He paused again, chewing his lip. “And then, when Ava showed up again, it was like all my common sense just flew out the window. I thought for a minute, that maybe I was ‘supposed’ to be with her instead. I was stupid, alright? I was so dumb and, for whatever it’s worth, I’ll always regret it.”
The Sharpest Kiss Page 25
