The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo (Love at Stake)

by Kerrelyn Sparks

  She laughed. “Come on, take it like a man.”

  He smiled. “Och, so I made ye laugh after all.”

  She nodded. But did that mean he could win her heart?

  Fear swelled inside her to the point of near panic. What was she doing here? She’d told him so much about herself. And she was enjoying being with him.

  A vampire. A gorgeous vampire who made her heart race.

  She couldn’t let this continue. “I’d like to leave now.”

  She was still afraid of him. Dougal strode into the security office at Romatech, wondering what he should do next to earn Leah’s trust. When he’d teleported her to the townhouse, she’d barely looked at him. She’d thanked him before running upstairs to her room. He was reasonably sure she’d enjoyed the trip to the Empire State Building, and they had succeeded in getting to know each other a little better. That had to be progress.

  “You’re back,” Freemont said from behind the desk.

  “Aye. Thank you for manning the fort for me.” Dougal scanned the monitors. Abby and Gregori had left. Laszlo was working alone in the lab. The captured soldier was still in the silver room.

  “No problem. You were gone for only half of your lunch hour.” Freemont stood. “I’ll do a perimeter check.” He headed out the door.

  “Thanks.” Dougal retrieved a bottle of blood from the small fridge and popped it into the microwave.

  What should his next move with Leah be? Should he take her to another place tomorrow night? What did modern people do on dates? Dinner and a movie? Dinner would be awkward, since he couldn’t eat. And Leah would object if it was too obvious that he was trying to date her.

  He sipped from his bottle, recalling their conversation at the Empire State Building. She’d had a lonely life. He understood that all too well. After being kidnapped at the age of fourteen, he’d learned quickly that he was alone against the world.

  She didn’t have to be alone anymore. She could have someone who admired her courage, her brilliant mind, and her strength of character. Someone who ached to touch her beautiful face and explore every lovely inch of her.

  She could have him.

  Chapter Ten

  Leah woke up the next day around noon. Immediately her thoughts fixated on her trip with Dougal to the Empire State Building. The date that wasn’t a date. The attraction she didn’t want to acknowledge. How could she keep from falling for a guy who was so sweet, so attentive, so gorgeous, strong, and dependable? So Undead?

  With a groan, she shoved him out of her mind. She would think about work instead. On her first night on the job, she’d succeeded in isolating three genetic mutations. Thankfully, Abby and Laszlo were expert chemists who could devise a serum to reverse the mutations.

  Unfortunately, she doubted one antidote would do the trick. Changing the mutated soldier would probably require numerous injections over a period of time. So how could they hope to change a thousand mutated soldiers?

  She might have to work here for a long time. And that meant more Dougal. Even if she refused to date him, he would always be nearby. He was probably close now. Downstairs in the basement. She smiled to herself. He did have an underground lair. And she could go see him if she dared.

  She pushed him from her mind once again as she climbed out of bed. By the time she showered, dressed, and went downstairs, the Echarpe family was preparing for an outing to Central Park. She declined their invitation to join them, citing dirty laundry as an excuse. Not that she didn’t like them. She was just accustomed to quiet and solitude.

  And she did need to do some laundry. She’d originally come with clothes for only three days, thinking it would be a short trip. But it made more sense for her to work alongside Abby and Laszlo, and to remain close to the test subject in the Romatech basement.

  That made her think about Dougal again. Was he in the townhouse basement?

  She started a load of laundry, then flipped on the lights in the billiards room. Empty. Her gaze drifted to the closed door.

  With a groan, she paced back to the washer. How could she let this attraction continue? So what if he was incredibly handsome? And intriguing? Did it matter if his deep, lyrical voice made her bones melt? Or that her heart pounded when he looked at her like she was the only woman on the planet?

  He was dead.

  But he was close by. What was the harm in taking a little peek? This time, she would be careful not to leave any trace.

  She opened the door wide to allow plenty of light inside, then moved quietly toward his bed. He was stretched out on his back, his face peaceful. His eyes were closed and fringed with thick black eyelashes. His beautifully shaped lips were relaxed, almost touching. Dark whiskers shaded his jaw. She smoothed her fingers across his cheek, intrigued by the transfer from soft skin to prickly.

  Her gaze drifted down his body, the long, white nightshirt buttoned up to his neck, covering the fiery dragon. No wonder she found him so fascinating. Beneath his old-fashioned, staid surface, he concealed an unexpected, dangerous interior. A solid, quiet mountain of a man, hiding a volcano in his center. A beautiful man, but a vampire.

  Her arms tingled with goose bumps. It was safe to be here now, admiring him while he was dead, but how exciting it might be to get caught up in one of his explosions. Or even to be the cause of his explosion.

  She shook her head. What was she thinking? She would simply end up burned.

  As she turned to leave, she spotted something odd. A piece of paper stuck out from his left hand. He must have fallen into his death-sleep holding it.

  She leaned over for a closer look and froze at the sight of large, bold letters. Leah. He’d written her a note? A thrill of excitement shot through her, quickly followed by a jab of annoyance. How dare he assume that she would come downstairs to ogle him in his death-sleep? It wasn’t as if she was obsessed with him.

  She winced. She was here, wasn’t she?

  With a tug, she slipped the note from his hand, then opened it.

  Dear Leah,

  I doubt you’ll come downstairs to see my dead carcass, but in case you do, I am leaving you this note. I’m not good at saying what I feel, so I thought I would write what was in my heart.

  If I could dream, I would dream of you.

  If I could see the sun, it could not shine brighter than you.

  If I died a thousand deaths, I would come back to search for you.

  Leah’s eyes blurred with tears. She’d been told he was shy, but she hadn’t realized he was so romantic. How cruel could fate be that she’d finally met the perfect man, but he was a vampire?

  She folded the note and wedged it back beneath his left hand. It would be better if he didn’t know that she’d read the note. She didn’t dare let him know how deeply he affected her.

  A tear ran down her cheek and landed on his hand. She wiped it dry and hurried from the room.

  “How is everything?” Dougal asked that evening as he strode into the security office.

  “The usual.” Austin slipped on his coat. “Angus and Emma will be returning to London tonight, so it’ll be just you and Freemont. Oh, and Abby wants you to come by her office tomorrow night at five thirty.”

  “All right.” Dougal hoped she wasn’t planning to run more tests on his hand. He took a sip from his bottle of synthetic blood as he scanned the monitors. Plenty of mortals were still in the facility, but that tended to happen in the fall and winter months, when the sun set early. He spotted Freemont in the cafeteria, presumably making his rounds, although it looked more like he was flirting with the pretty young cashier.

  His gaze shifted back to the lab. “When did Abby and Leah arrive?”

  “About two hours ago.” Austin pocketed his car keys. “They needed to see the guy in the silver room, so I took them down there. Leah wanted more blood and tissue samples, and Abby gave him another injection to keep him in stasis.”

  Dougal eyed the monitor showing the silver room. “There was no problem then?”

&nb
sp; “Nope.” Austin headed out the door. “See you tomorrow.”

  “Aye. Have a good evening.” Dougal’s gaze drifted back to the monitor showing Leah and Abby hard at work.

  Had Leah come to see him during the day? Had she read his note? When he’d awakened, he’d thought there had been a slight whiff of jasmine in the air. But was it simply wishful thinking? He couldn’t be sure.

  The cell phone in his sporran dinged, so he took it out. There was a text message from Angus. He and Emma were teleporting back to their townhouse in London and wished him good luck with his new job. As soon as Abby reported that his hand was working perfectly, Angus would put him on the mission roster.

  Dougal texted back his thanks, then finished his breakfast bottle while watching the monitors. A few minutes later, Laszlo arrived at the lab, this time sporting a purple polka-dot bowtie. Dougal’s eyes narrowed, watching Leah carefully to see how she reacted to Laszlo. She seemed friendly, but there were no stolen glances, no blushes, nothing to indicate she returned his affections.

  Thank God. Dougal exhaled with relief. He didn’t want to feel like he was stealing Leah from anyone. He had another trip planned for her tonight. As soon as Freemont returned to the office, he would set his plan into action.

  A little after seven, he spotted Abby and Leah on a monitor, deep in conversation as they wandered toward the cafeteria. He strode there quickly to meet them at the door. When Leah saw him, her heart rate sped up. Fear or excitement, he wasn’t sure which.

  “Good evening.” He inclined his head. “May I speak with you alone?”

  She glanced at Abby. “We were about to eat.”

  “You can catch up with me later.” Abby shot him a suspicious look, then headed toward the cafeteria line.

  “Is something wrong?” Leah asked, avoiding eye contact.

  “Nay. I—” He wished he wasn’t so awkward at this. “I’d like to take you out to dinner.”

  She turned to him with an exasperated look. “You don’t eat.”

  “Ye do. And I think ye’ll like the place we’re going.”

  She winced. “I don’t think I should go anywhere with you.”

  That hit him hard in the chest. “I thought ye enjoyed our trip last night.”

  A pained look flitted across her face. “I did.”

  “I enjoyed it, too. And I like talking to you.”

  “Dougal.” She motioned for him to follow her to a quiet corner. “I don’t want to get involved with anyone at work.”

  He frowned. “Do I frighten you?”

  Her eyes glistened with moisture, and she looked away.

  “I would never harm you, Leah.”

  “I-I believe you mean that, but I-I can’t . . .”

  His heart sank. “Ye canna date a vampire?”

  She turned to him with a beseeching look. “Please try to understand. I only learned about vampires two nights ago. I’m still trying to adjust. I need time.”

  Was that reason to hope? If she had enough time to adjust, would she change her mind?

  She sighed. “Where did you plan to take me?”

  “Niagara Falls. I went earlier to check it out.”

  She closed her eyes briefly. “That would have been nice. I’ve always wanted to see it.”

  “We could still go. As friends. There’s a place there where ye can eat. And then, there’s a boat ride—”

  “No!” She stepped back, turning pale. “I-I can’t do that.”

  “I dinna mean to frighten you—”

  “It’s not you. I-I’m afraid of boats. I always think they’re going to sink. I know it’s silly.”

  He stiffened. A memory flashed through his mind. A storm on the Yangtze River almost three hundred years ago. A boat capsizing and his desperate attempt to keep Li Lei from drowning.

  “I’m sorry.” Leah gave him a sympathetic look. “I know you want to date me, and I-I’m really flattered. But I can’t do it right now. I’m sorry.” She rushed off to get in line with Abby.

  Rejected. His heart squeezed in his chest. He would have to honor her feelings and leave her alone. But there was still hope. She might change her mind eventually.

  He glanced over at her. Afraid of boats? That wasn’t something he’d expected.

  He trudged back to the office. The first time he saw Leah from behind, she had reminded him of Li Lei. Something about the way she moved and the tilt of her head. But he’d quickly realized that Leah was different. Vibrant and beautiful. He’d admired her strength and courage when her safe world had been stripped away. The pain and loneliness she’d endured over the years reminded him of his own suffering and made him long to comfort and protect her. He’d become so intrigued with Leah that Li Lei hadn’t even crossed his mind since that first night. He’d completely forgotten about her.

  But now he wondered—could Li Lei’s soul have found a way to return to him? For almost three hundred years, he’d felt regret and shame for failing her. In his heart, he had begged for forgiveness. If Li Lei had come back, did that mean she wanted to forgive him?

  His heart swelled at the thought. If it was true, it would mean he could finally put his painful past behind him. Lay the ghost of Li Lei to rest and move on with his life.

  He could be with Leah. He wanted Leah. This time, he vowed, this time I will not lose the woman I love. I will protect her no matter what.

  His tattoo itched, and he rubbed his shoulder where the scars remained from having a slave brand burned into his skin. It had been Li Lei’s idea to cover his mark of shame with a symbol of power. She’d claimed the dragon would give him the strength to endure. And he had. For centuries.

  Now it was time to move on. If only he could convince Leah to give him a chance.

  Chapter Eleven

  The following night at five thirty, Dougal met Abby in her office.

  “I started developing this drug six months ago,” Abby said, showing him a vial containing an ominous green liquid. “It’s designed to help the Vamps defeat bad vampires by simply taking over their minds. You wouldn’t have to fight them if you could order them to lay down their weapons and surrender.”

  Dougal nodded. “A good idea.” He wouldn’t have lost his hand four years ago if he had been able to order those five Malcontents to stop.

  “We’re still working on it,” Abby continued. “But it occurred to me that a diluted version might help you. If we boost your mind-control ability, then we could increase your control of the prosthesis. Do you want to try it?”

  “Do I really need to? My hand worked perfectly well last night.”

  “But it malfunctioned for two nights before that.” She held up the green vial. “This could help you. Are you willing to test it for us?”

  He frowned. “Are ye saying it has never been tested?”

  “No, afraid not.” She gave him a wry look. “We don’t keep any vampire lab mice here. But if it makes you ill, you’ll recover during your death-sleep, right?”

  “Ye’re no’ a verra good salesman, are ye?”

  She smiled. “Just trying to be honest. And I honestly do think this will increase your mind control and help you control your hand.”

  He hesitated.

  “If it works, I can approve you for fieldwork and have Angus put you on the mission roster,” she added.

  Now that was a better sales pitch. “Ye’ve diluted it?”

  “Yes. We don’t want you controlling all the Vamps in the vicinity, just your hand.”

  He still hesitated.

  Abby propped her elbows on the desk and leaned toward him. “As far as I can tell, the prosthesis works fine. The problem is your control, and it’s being affected by your emotional state. If you prefer, I could have you talk to our psychologist, Olivia—”

  “I’ll take the drug.” There was no way he would discuss his emotions with Robby’s wife. His feelings were personal. His past was private. He didn’t share it with anyone.

  “All right.” Abby filled a syringe wi
th the greenish liquid. “It will take some time before you’ll feel the effect. Twenty or thirty minutes.” She gave him a wry smile. “Do you want to roll up a sleeve or lift your kilt?”

  He snorted, then unbuttoned his cuff and rolled up his sleeve. She wiped his arm with antiseptic, then plunged the needle in.

  “That’s it.” She fixed a Band-Aid over the spot. “Just go about your normal routine and let me know how it works. Oh, and let me know if you have any strange side effects.”

  “Now ye tell me about strange side effects?”

  She grinned. “I have to get back to work now. Good luck!” She hurried from the room.

  He stepped into the hallway, rolling his sleeve back down. His normal routine. That was easy enough. He checked the office, and Freemont was there, manning the desk, so Dougal offered to do a perimeter check.

  He exited the building through the side entrance and strode around the parking lot. In a few hours, once all the mortals were gone, he would zoom about at vampire speed, but for now, he kept a normal pace. The mortals were starting to get off work, and some were returning to their cars.

  He headed into the woods. The crisp autumn air felt refreshing against his face. It wouldn’t be long before the first snow, and he looked forward to it. He hadn’t seen snow at all during the four years he’d spent in Texas.

  Was the drug taking effect? He curled his prosthetic hand into a fist, then relaxed it. There was no difference that he could tell. The real test would be if he could control it with Leah in the vicinity.

  He headed back toward the building, walking past the gazebo, which was glittering with white Christmas lights. A sharp pain shot through his skull, surprising him with its intensity. He shook his head, and it cleared.

  As he crossed the basketball court, another pain pierced his head, shooting from his temple to the base of his skull. He halted, squeezing his eyes shut. Damn. Was this one of the blasted side effects? If so, he wouldn’t be taking the drug again.

  He took deep breaths, waiting for the pain to ease.