Vamped Up

by Kristin Miller

  Savage lifted his chin in some sort of ridiculous show of male camaraderie that didn’t exist between them. Not after he’d tried to kill everyone Ruan loved.

  “Ruan, what the hell is someone like you doing in a place like this?”

  Think fast. “You’re one to talk. Why would a thief like you come to a market to pay for something when you’d just as fast steal it behind their backs?”

  The therian guard eyed Savage skeptically.

  “No trust among thieves, right?” Savage said, his eyes onyx narrowing. “I guess I just didn’t think you were the black-market type.”

  Ruan pushed through the open door onto a rickety wooden dock, glad to feel the wet breeze of the bay on his face. He looked back. “Do us both a favor and don’t think about me at all. Ever again.” His trigger finger twitched as he followed the fleeing crowd up a flight of stairs that led through the exit of an abandoned warehouse at Pier Five.

  Even after he strode across the street and turned a corner, he could feel a pair of eyes on his back.

  No matter how many times he turned around, how many times he clenched the gun in his grasp and checked blind turns before pounding pavement back to the Tahoe, he couldn’t shake the feeling someone—probably Savage—was following him.

  As he slid into his driver’s seat and drove through the city, weaving quickly in and around turns to lose his possible shadow, Ruan wondered where Dante and his elder were, if Eve was sound asleep at home, and when he’d be able to curl up beside her again . . .

  His cell vibrated in his pocket. He leaned over, fished it out, and upon seeing Eve’s number, flipped it open. He tried to sound calm. “How’s my baby?”

  “Fine . . . I’m fine.” She paused long enough to let doubt in. “When do you think you’ll be home tonight?”

  Her voice sounded funny. Tight. An octave too high.

  Something was wrong. Someone was in their apartment.

  He checked the rearview. No headlights shone in his wake. If he’d had a tail at one point, the sucker was long gone. Ruan turned toward home.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “Expect the unexpected.”

  Cherry-Blood Coke advertisement

  RUAN BOUNDED UP the stairs and burst into the apartment, gun drawn, heart thumping strong in his ears. He stopped short of the living room when he saw Eve standing in front of the window, gazing down at the street, holding hands with a woman too ethereal to be anything but an elder.

  “Eve,” he said hesitantly, his fingers rolling over the shaft of the gun. He had to tread lightly; he could feel remnants of powerful energy lingering in the room. “What’s going on?”

  They both turned around and latched hands again. Eve was pale. Whiter than he’d ever seen her. Combined with the ice-blue hue of her sweater, the light wash of her jeans made Eve appear cold. Distant. Not to mention her honey-streaked hair was falling about her face in a lazy Sunday kind of way. He immediately scanned her body for bite marks. If this vamp, elder or not, sank her teeth into Eve’s flesh, she’d be picking fang fragments out of the hardwood. Eve’s skin was just as smooth and flawless as ever, thank God.

  “Ruan,” the woman in red purred. “We were wondering when you’d come home.”

  Ruan stepped forward, extending his free hand for Eve. The whole situation had him on edge. Why wasn’t Eve talking? Why wasn’t she running into his arms? And why on earth did it smell like someone had been baking something sugary sweet? Was that . . . cinnamon?

  “Eve, come ‘ere,” he said, and took another step, watching her vacant expression remain fixed. His gaze trained in on the woman squeezing her hand. “You’re going to tell me who the hell you are and you’re going to drop Eve’s hand, or you’ll get a special branded wood-chipped bullet in the heart, got me?”

  “I’m Lilith and I can’t say I’m happy to see you again.” Her pouty red lips curled into a smile as she met him in the middle of the living room. “Although, I suppose now that you’re here I can personally see to it that you never touch Eve again.”

  Eve whimpered.

  At the strangled sound of her voice, Ruan lunged for Lilith. His body froze mere inches from hers. His finger twitched on the trigger. His adrenaline sparked. For the life of him, he couldn’t raise his arm to hurt a hair on her stunningly beautiful head.

  “Who the hell are you?” he gritted out through clenched teeth, feeling invisible binds roping around his hands and feet.

  “Ruan, it’s okay,” Eve whispered, blood racing through the purple veins beneath her skin. “You’re misunderstanding . . .”

  “Shhh.” Lilith patted Eve’s arm. “Sweetheart, your heart is beating like a scared little bunny rabbit. I can hear its tempting rush from here. You need to calm down; you’ll be no use to me all worked-up. You mustn’t worry. I won’t touch a hair on his head just yet.”

  “You won’t be touching me at all,” Ruan forced out, fangs tingling. “Let her go.”

  Lilith blinked slowly, her fire-red eyes reaching out through the space between them and grabbing him by the balls. His whole body seized. There was something about her. He couldn’t place it, but he’d met her before. He was sure of it. “Do you honestly think I’m afraid of you and your measly little weapons?” she asked.

  She should be. He didn’t need his gun to take her down. The second she released his body from whatever hold she had him under, he was ripping out her jugular with his bare hands.

  He swallowed nails. “I think if you were brave enough to release the maware surrounding the apartment, we’d have ourselves a real party.”

  Lilith cocked her head to the side. Flaming curls fanned over her bare shoulder. “Oh, passion burns in you this life, Ruan. I can see that as clear as the harvest moon. But it’s that passion that has me on edge, you see.” Her warm breath coated his face. If she leaned forward only an inch or so more, their lips would meet. “How did your heart remember Eve in this life, I wonder? Did you hold back a special memory of the two of you? I thought you might. And after all that work to make you forget her, body and soul . . .”

  What the hell was she talking about? Which life? Had there been another? And what did she mean about making him forget? His past was a blur, but it couldn’t have been because of her . . . could it?

  He measured her carefully, from the chiseled features of her face to the perfectly rounded curves of her breasts and hips. She was sin incarnate. Lust personified. Her natural fragrance an aphrodisiac. Yet he felt no lust for her. No desire. Just pure, unredeemable hatred.

  Eve’s helpless gaze bore into him, twisting his intestines into knots. “Let Eve go. I’ll do whatever you ask.” And then kill you when I’m finished.

  Lilith squinted. “I had hoped we could’ve talked and come to some sort of agreement about what the future holds for the two of you, but I can see that’s not going to happen now. Eve is not yet ready to fulfill her destiny, though she’s bringing the elders together quite nicely. But the anger flowing off you has me wondering if you’re capable of restraint at all. I think it’s better if Eve and I continue our little practice session in private.”

  “You’re not going anywhere with her.” Ruan’s lips pinched. His feet shuffled as he felt the binds around them slip. “Step one foot out of this apartment and I’ll hunt you down like the dog you are.”

  Lilith hissed, pressing flush against him, her eyes narrowing to slits. The energy flowing off her body flipped from liquid sex to molten lava. “You run your mouth like that again and I’ll not only make you forget your past, Loverboy, but I’ll erase your brain functioning completely.” She flicked her tongue across her lips like a serpent. “How does a permanent hospital bed sound to you?”

  “If you hurt Eve,” he growled, his entire body fighting against the magical restraints. “I swear you’ll live to regret it.”

  She tilted her head to the side, much li
ke a canine thinking about something complex—like a sparkly ball. “Much like you’ve regretted hurting her all this time, I suppose.”

  It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. He hated that he couldn’t argue back. Despite himself, he’d hurt Eve time and time again. He’d ravaged her inner thigh. He’d mangled her neck. He’d dreamt of doing so much more.

  “I’m not going to hurt her again.” God, he wished he knew for sure.

  “No,” she sneered, holding Eve tighter. “You’re not.”

  “Enough,” Eve said, her voice cracking. She turned to Lilith. “Have I earned a few minutes with him . . . alone?”

  Nodding slowly, Lilith brushed past Ruan, then turned back. “I’ll be waiting just outside the door. He even thinks about sinking his greedy fangs into you and I’ll be a breath away. I trust you’ll do the smart thing, Eve.”

  She let herself out.

  When Ruan’s body became his again, suddenly able to move freely without invisible binds, he pushed Lilith’s cryptic talk from his mind and wrapped Eve in his arms, cradling her head against his chest. “Are you all right? Did she hurt you?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  He pulled back to gaze into her dual-toned eyes. They were unique, one chestnut and the other steel blue. Soft and warm, yet calm and calculating. They were unlike any colors he’d ever seen. God, she was so beautiful. More precious than life itself. Had he told her that enough?

  “Ruan, it’s time for me to go.”

  “You’re right. We’ve wasted enough time.” He released her and dug around in the end table drawer for the extra ammo he kept hidden there. Hell, there was ammo everywhere in their apartment. Hazard of being overly protective, he supposed. He clicked three extra magazines onto his belt. “Pack a bag as fast as you can, all right?” He readjusted his belt. “Have you seen the shades of elders gathering in the street? Something’s happening and it’s damn freaky. What did Lilith say to you? You can fill me in on the way to ReVamp. Dylan and Slade will alert the Crimson Council. They’ll know what to do.”

  Eve grabbed his pinky finger, a tender gesture that had him dragging his attention back to the longing in her eyes. “I have to go by myself.”

  “No, there’s no way I’m letting you out of my sight, especially after what just happened. We’ll drive to ReVamp together.”

  “Ruan, I’m not going to ReVamp. There’s something I have to do first.”

  The apartment spun. Did Lilith say she’d be waiting downstairs? “Okay, whatever it is, I’m coming with you.”

  “No,” she took a deep breath, then continued, riding a burdened exhale, “this isn’t going to work, I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.” She strode toward the door.

  “Eve,” Ruan pleaded, following her. “Eve . . . can’t do what?” He caught her by the shoulders and spun her around. Her eyes glistened with tears. “Talk to me. You can’t do what anymore?”

  “This, Ruan.” She gestured back and forth between them. “I can’t do this.”

  This had to be Lilith’s fault. Lilith must’ve put crazy notions about duty into her head, played upon her twisted sense of responsibility to their race. “Let me just get you out of here and somewhere safe, okay? We can talk about this later.” He strode to the door and gripped the handle, expecting Eve to follow in his wake. He stopped, hearing no second set of footsteps. As Ruan turned back into the room, his stomach tumbled. She hadn’t moved an inch.

  “Ruan, you’re not the same person you were when we first met. You’ve changed.”

  Don’t say it. His heart clenched. His hand burned to touch her skin again. Don’t say it.

  “Ruan, you’re gone for days at a time. At night, you’re preoccupied and working on things, and you won’t let me in or include me because you think I’m in danger. Then when you are here and we’re together it’s great . . . for awhile and then you pull away again. I can’t do the hot and cold act anymore, Ruan, it’s driving me insane. I’m tired of walking on egg shells with you, not knowing whether you’re going to snuggle up to me or push me away.”

  “I’m not going anywhere now,” he said, striding to her side, cupping her hands in his. He had to hold on to her tighter. He couldn’t let her go. She couldn’t go. “It’s too dangerous for us to be apart right now. Come with me to ReVamp so we can figure this out together. That’s how it’s going to be from here on out. Just me and you.”

  Her breath came out as a laugh. “Do you know how many times I’ve heard that from you? That we’re going to be together? That you’re going to protect me?” She swallowed hard. “And then you’re the one who ends up hurting me.” She pulled back the collar of her sweater, revealing two raised, blemished puncture marks in her flawless skin. His stomach revolted. “You hurt me every single time and leave me all alone when it’s done. It’s the same old routine.”

  He blinked hard, not sure if he was reading the anger in her expression right. These weren’t Lilith’s words placed in Eve’s mouth. These were her own. She’d truly had enough. “Eve, we knew from the start that our relationship was going to be a struggle, but we decided that being together was worth the fight, remember?”

  He could stifle the need rising in him, he could. He didn’t know for how much longer, but he’d try. Damn it, that wasn’t enough. She should get the hell away from him. She should run. She should stay. She should nestle into his arms and stay forever.

  He rubbed his temples in tiny, skin-piercing circles and clamped his eyes shut. When he opened them again, his thoughts no more clear than they were before, he focused on Eve and the pain in her eyes. His blood ran ice-cold.

  Eve swiped her finger beneath her nose. “Love shouldn’t be a fight, Ruan. It should be easy to be with the one you love. You should kiss the ground you walk on every day that you get to spend one more minute with them.”

  “I do, Eve. I cherish every second I have with you.”

  “Then why do you spend so much time at the training warehouse instead of in our bed?”

  He chewed on his lip. How could he tell her that he needed space from her natural scent? That if he didn’t take breathers when he could, he was liable to take things too far.

  “Ruan, you shouldn’t have to struggle against your natural urges to drink my blood. And I shouldn’t have to feel wrong or guilty for asking you to.”

  He could feel her slipping away. The pain in her eyes hollowed out his soul. He cradled her chin in his hand, grazed his thumb across her cheek. “What we have is worth fighting for, Eve. We can work this out. We can work out anything if we’re together.”

  “That’s just it, Ruan.” She took his hand, brushed it against the pale of her cheek, and replaced it at his side. “I’m tired of working. I wanted us to get to the point where we could just be, and we’re not getting there. Things will never be smooth sailing. We’ll never get married and have a family and grow old together, and I want those things, Ruan—I do.” She clutched her chest. “But all that ever comes out of us being together is more complications with no end in sight. Look at the street down there. Look at how the shades of your elders are haunting me. All of this has come after you swore to protect me. It’s not doing any good, don’t you see? You should’ve been taking advantage of every minute we had together instead of pushing me away for what you thought was my benefit.”

  Ruan couldn’t catch his breath. His throat parched. “Don’t say it, Eve, don’t do this. You love me. I know you do. I can see in your eyes that you don’t want to do this.”

  “Then you’re reading them wrong. I’m tired of fighting you on this. It’s over, Ruan.”

  He pulled her against him and kissed her, openmouthed and determined. She whimpered into his mouth, her hands shaking as they ghosted over his.

  She couldn’t love him and leave him. It didn’t make sense. And she still loved him; he could feel the need rising behind her kiss. He closed hi
s eyes and breathed in, feeling her lips tremble. His stomach somersaulted, flipping and turning as her mouth softened, opening up. His fingers brushed against her cheek, his tongue sweeping feather-light into her mouth.

  She pulled back, breathing hard. He touched his forehead to hers. God, was her world spinning too?

  “We belong together.” He stroked her hair with loving caresses. She was so soft. So fragile. “I love you. And you love me.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.” She exhaled heavily, her warm breath coating his face. “It’s faded for me, Ruan.”

  Drums pounded against his skull until his own heartbeat was low and muddled and distant. No, she didn’t mean it. The room spun circles around them, lifting Ruan’s feet off the floor. Eve couldn’t have meant what she said. His chest constricted like a boa strangled the breath out of him. How could she no longer love him? His pulse raced as panic set in. “Do you remember when you told me that if you died tomorrow, it’d be because you loved me too deeply?”

  She slipped out of his embrace and walked to the door.

  He followed, full-body chills wreaking havoc across his skin. “What happened to your heart being unable to bear the love we shared?”

  “Let’s not beat this into the ground, Ruan. It’s over. Let’s leave it at that.”

  “No. I don’t believe you.” He could taste the sweetness of her mouth. Feel the gentleness of her touch on his hand. This couldn’t be the end. She had to feel the spark between them just as he did. No matter how his head screamed to wrap her in his arms and cement her there and breathe her in, his feet stuck to the floor and his legs limbered to putty.

  He steadied himself on the backbone of the couch, his vision swimming in and out. “Damn it, Eve.” His heart hollowed. Damn it, she was right. She was right about everything from him pushing her away to deserving something normal. Damn it all to hell.

  She hesitated, hand to doorknob. For a second Ruan thought she might’ve turned around and run back into his arms, told him that this was all a ploy to get Lilith out of their lives. Maybe she’d wink or give him a sign that this was a ruse and she’d come back when things had blown over.