by Claire Marta
“Aye.” There was an inquisitive twinkle in his eye. He seemed to be curious. Had Raoul or Eric mentioned her?
Eric turned back. His eyebrows rose slightly.
Jasmine grinned. “It’s kind of obvious when he’s awake and not a lifeless corpse, like the rest of the vampires in their day state sleeps. So he has to be like you, a born vamp.”
Conall chuckled. “Raoul said she was sharp.”
“Indeed she is.” Mouth curving up, approval glinted in Eric’s eyes. “We must get you to your colleagues. Your friend Gemma has already threatened me, with bodily harm if I do not produce you.”
Jasmine was not surprised. Gemma was a confident woman. She was also one of the best hunters in England. The things she pursued rarely got away. Her friend came from a long line of ancestors who had been in the same trade for generations. She also had a serious love of all things sci-fi. If you needed a trivia question answered, she was your go to gal. Gemma was a fiend at the pub quiz.
“Gem’s would probably follow through as well.” She murmured softly.
The Irish vamp grinned from ear to ear. “Aye I bet the lass would. I would probably enjoy it too. I like a little rough and tumble.”
So Gemma had an admirer. Not that Jasmine was surprised. The woman was beautiful.
Using the back of her hand, she stifled a yawn. “What time is it?”
Conall checked his watch. “A little after nine.”
Jasmine groaned. The dinner had finished several hours before dawn. This meant she had only had about five hours of sleep. Eric chose that moment to stride towards the bed. Clothes she recognized as her own were clasped against his bare chest. Her black boots were held in his other hand.
“Perhaps you would like to get dressed.” His deep baritone voice rumbled.
Crawling clumsily from the mattress, she kept herself covered. The vampires might not have body issues, but Jasmine was shy. A blush rose in her cheeks as she remembered the night before. Fuck she still couldn’t believe it.
Eric carefully handed her the items. Giving him a silent smile of thanks, she bundled them in one arm. Hauling up the sheet, Jasmine then carried her clothes to the bathroom. Closing the door behind her, she dumped them on the cabinet.
The smell of pine and snow curled around her, as she striped out of Eric’s shirt. This was becoming an addictive scent. A fragrance she could easily get used to. She didn’t want to waste too much time. The vampires would be waiting for her and she wanted to get back to her team. God knows what her boss was thinking. Had he given her staying the OK? It was one thing for Gemma to take back the information, but another for it to be agreed to.
For all she knew she could be in deep shit. Yet they had been looking for a way in and Eric hand handed them one. Mark couldn’t be that angry. Could he? After all they were hunting a murderer.
Saving innocent lives was the main thing.
Jasmine had a quick shower. Using the fragrant soap, she washed herself clean. Her hair was next. She knew it wouldn’t take long to dry being so short. Using a big fluffy towel, she hurriedly dried herself. Then quickly she wriggled into her clothes. Her garments were a little creased, but she didn’t mind. This was bliss to be in her things again.
She loved her knee high black leather boots she wore over black leggings. Flat heeled they were good for running in. A scarlet long armed jumper finished off her outfit. Checking her appearance in the mirror, she finger combed her drying short red hair.
Once they got to where her team was staying, she would brush her teeth and make herself a little more presentable.
A little squeak left her lips, when she noted the hickey. Fuck. Black and bruised it was half way up her neck. Eric hadn’t bitten her, but he had certainly left his mark. Jasmine touched it gingerly with a finger. How the hell was she going to hide this from her team? She groaned with frustration.
The vampires muffled voices were coming from the bedroom. She could not make out what they were saying though. Distractedly she rolled up the arms of her jumper. Still she had time to think of a way to hide the love bite. Biting on her thumb nail she sighed.
“Do I have to wear the collar?” She asked as she entered the bedroom.
Eric shook his head. “No, only while we reside in the building my lovely.”
He was dressed now to. Smart black tailored trousers, clung stylishly to his long powerful legs. Hugging his muscular chest was a smart dark blue woollen jumper. What looked like an expensive pair of shiny black shoes graced his feet. A leather jacket, which looked suspiciously like the one he had worn in Paris, was just being slipped on.
The cold sweep of his icy blue scrutiny ran over her. Eric’s gaze then abruptly fixed intently on her arm. Following his stare, Jasmine realised he was looking at the puncture marks he had left their last night.
Slightly bruised they were more than visible. They didn’t hurt and she had forgotten all about it. Fuck. Was there anywhere else, he had marked her that she had forgotten about? Jasmine hoped the hell not.
Conall seemed to have noticed them to. He slid Eric a silent questioning look. A silent exchange seemed to pass between them. This was something she had seen him do before with Raoul another member of his team. Somehow their minds were linked. A kind of telepathic communication they used. Jasmine found it both annoying and neat.
Feeling self-conscious, she rolled down the arms of her top. At least this bite could be hidden easily. The hickey was something she still had to worry about.
“You could have warned me about last night.”
Eric’s eyes met hers. “I did.”
With a look of disbelief, she raised her eyebrows. “Telling me I might find it uncomfortable, was not fucking accurate enough.”
He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound. “Yet you survived and coped with it all extremely well.”
Conall was frowning. There was a look of confusion on his face. “You didn’t tell the lass?”
Eric ignored him. “Jasmine in your line of work you will come across unexpected situations you must cope with. It is a game we all must play. See it merely as a learning experience.”
“Next time just fucking tell me please.” She huffed back. “And don’t mention it to my team, any of it or I swear to god I will stake you.”
She wasn’t about to tell them. If either vampire breathed a word, she was ready to follow through with her threat.
Eric showed no surprise at her request. “Our lips are sealed, I promise.”
“Aye lass, there’s no need to get all feisty now.” Conall chipped in with a reassuring smile. He was tugging on his long black coat.
“Good...How are we going to get out of the building?” She asked, as she moved to the dresser to take her own little leather jacket. “Won’t the human servants in the house see us leaving?”
“Conall will assist us with that.” Eric replied running a hand through his short black tousled hair.
“Aye, I can.” Conall gave her a friendly little wink. His arms were crossed over his chest now and he was resting back against the wall.
“How exactly?” She asked, jerking up the collar of her jacket. Quickly she zipped it right to the top. If she kept it high, then it covered the mark on her neck.
Eric’s gaze slid to hers, with a sphinx like smile. “You shall have to wait and see.”
Confidently he held out his hand. Jasmine eyed him, before moving forwards and taking it. Tugging her forwards, Eric settled her under the crook of his arm. The warmth of his towering body and his familiar scent began to surround her. Immediately she relaxed against him.
Conall took Eric’s free hand.
“Close your eyes.” Eric told her with an unreadable expression. Giving him an ‘I’m not sure about this’ look she dutifully slid them shut.
Energy instantly swirled around them. Murky and enveloping, it shrouded them like a sudden fog. Jasmine could feel it. Thickening, it coiled around them, until it pressed them close. Her sixth sense was jangling in her head. This set her tee
th on edge. Yet it wasn’t a warning, just a reaction to this new power.
Coldness skittered against her skin. Strangely eerie, it felt like a cold breath against the back of her neck, but she knew that no one was there. Different from Eric’s wintry powers. This was spine-chilling.
Gripping the back of Eric’s coat, she buried her face in his chest. A dread of the unknown slithered down her spine. She had no idea what Conall could do. Whatever the fuck this was, it was scary. Eric’s arm tightened around her waist and squeezed gently. Jasmine was grateful for the silent reassurance.
The beat of her heart had picked up. She could feel it thumping wildly away in her chest. Jasmine trusted Eric though. That had not been a lie. He would keep her safe. For a moment breathing became difficult. Then dizziness hit her.
Trying not to panic she clung harder to the vampire, eyes screwed shut. Everything stilled around them. For a long heartbeat, she felt as if they had become suspended within the eye of a storm. That calm place, left untouched. Then just as suddenly it passed.
A crisp breeze caressed her face. The energy that had surrounded them began to fade just as swiftly as it had started. She could feel the last tendrils of it breaking free. Jasmine let herself relax. That hadn’t been so bad. The temperature around them had changed. She shivered at the nippiness in the air.
“Jasmine, you may open your eyes now.” Eric informed her softly. His voice was a murmur against her hair.
The sound of voices and traffic then filtered into her ears. Scents assailed her nose. She caught the whiff of cigarettes, the tantalising smell of baking bread and the aroma of coffee. Jasmine’s stomach began to rumble.
Taking a deep breath she popped one eye open. A cobbled street lay beneath her feet. Raising her head, she soaked in the medieval architecture of Prague. It was a beautiful city. A place steeped in the past and undeniably romantic. The very city felt old, other worldly. Jasmine loved it.
The buildings were elegantly haunting and tall. Red tiled roofs were slanted. She could see the grey towers and four small spires of the gothic style church, which sat in the old town square. The building loomed over all others brooding and dominant.
The clock tower’s green roof could also be seen. Thick dark grey clouds filled the early March sky. They hung ominously low and promised rain was coming. How the hell was this possible? They had moved without moving. What had Conall done?
Releasing the back of Eric’s coat, she turned to Conall with a look of disbelief. “How did you do that?”
A few early morning tourists walked past. This was off season, but some had braved the cold bundled up in coats and jumpers. More would arrive in droves as the weather warmed throughout the year.
“I can teleport.” Conall told her in a matter-of-fact way.
“Holy fuck that’s so fucking cool!” Jasmine squealed. When the tourists looked back with a frown, she slapped her hand over her mouth. Shit. She hadn’t meant to draw attention.
“They can’t see us until we move.” The Irish vampire grinned. A mischievous look was in his eyes now, as he scratched the stubble on his chin.
Wide eyed Jasmine stared after the group who were trundling onwards. “Seriously?”
“Aye it comes in handy. I can’t go far mind you, just a few miles at a time, but my range is growing slowly.” He rolled his neck from side to side trying to alleviate some tension. Something clicked. After that he seemed to relax.
Jasmine’s curiosity was peeked. “Why only a few?”
“The power drains me, if I use it too much. I also need to have seen where I’m teleporting to. So I usually visit the area first by foot.”
“It would not do, if we were to accidentally materialise within a building.” Eric explained.
“Aye that would be pretty messy.” Conall mused. He was watching the tourists disappear at the end of the street.
Materialising within something solid did not sound appealing. Jasmine found the thought extremely unsettling. Thank god the Irish vamp knew how to handle his power.
“I believe you know the way from here my lovely.” Eric inclined his head towards her.
ERIC HAD INSISTED ON STOPPING at a small local bakery. He had pointed out that Jasmine was yet to eat breakfast. She knew there was no point arguing. The vampire was far too stubborn and arrogant to take no for an answer. Jasmine admitted to herself she was grateful for the food. She was starving. The small snacks he had fed her at the dinner the night before, were all she had eaten since breakfast that day.
Eric knew she did not eat regularly from their last encounter. Even then he had made sure she ate. It was kind of sweet. Paper bag clutched in her hand, she ate the kolaches hungrily as they continued to walk. These were Czech savoury pastries.
Warm puffy pillows of soft dough filled with different centres. He had bought her six in all. Three filled with fruit and three with cheese. A twenty minute walk from the old town square would take them to her team’s apartment. They had rented a local flat. This kept them in the centre of town, with access where they needed to be. The place was perfect.
“You’re always feeding me up.” Jasmine pointed out nibbling on a pastry. It was flaky and soft. The sweetness of something fruity hit her taste buds. She made a small hum of pleasure in her throat.
“If you ate when you were supposed to, then there would be no need.” Eric sent her a sideways look of amusement. “I am surprised you have survived this long without a keeper.”
Conall chuckled. He seemed a little intrigued by Eric’s behaviour. His expression had almost been comical, when the cold blue eyed vamp had brought her out food. She was guessing it was something he didn’t regularly do. Jasmine poked her tongue out at Eric.
Eric’s sudden deep rich laughter rolled through her. That sound always did strange and pleasurable thing to her insides. Conall looked even more astonished now. Did Eric not normally laugh? She really did not know much about him at all. Would she ever? The vampire was a mystery she had few answers to. Yet she was finding, she wanted to know more.
Distractedly she licked the stickiness of fruit from her fingers. Eric watched her. The coldness in his eyes heated slightly, a smile still curving his sexy lips.
The apartment her team had rented was located down a narrow cobbled alleyway, the door a recognisable shade of fire engine red. A surveillance system had been set up above it by Twitch. Jasmine jabbed the intercom. Pulling a face, she realised she had smeared it with stickiness. Licking her finger, she wiped it away.
“Strippers are us, you two here for the audition?” A soft male voice purred from the speaker.
Staring into the camera, Jasmine grinned. “Open the fucking door Twitchy.”
Raspy laughter answered her request. “Jazzy baby get your arse up here.”
A moment later there was a buzz and the door unlocked. Pushing it open, she could feel the vampires following her up the narrow flight of stairs. Entering the door at the top Jasmine took in the familiar scene. The place was a mess. Electronic tablets and an assortment of smart phones were piled at one end of the sofa. She recognized them as the mage’s stash.
Twitch never went anywhere without a piece of technology at hand. This was the only way he could use his magic. Somehow it focused his spells and allowed him to cast them. His ever present laptop was perched on a coffee table. So ingrained with enchantments, the whole thing, including its hard drive thrummed with magic and a life of its own. He never went anywhere without it.
Empty takeaway cartons and boxes were strewn across a table. The smell of stale food was heavy in the air. Someone also had a heater on full blast. The room was stiflingly warm.
Twitch was just coming out of the kitchen. Dressed all in black as usual, a tumble of cinnamon curls fell to his shoulders. A few locks spiralled across one of his peridot green eyes. They sparkled with their usual playfulness.
The black shirt he wore was high necked and buttoned right up to under his chin, with brass cog buttons. A little velvet waist coat
was over this. Long black fingerless gloves stretched from his hands to his elbows. Six fastened up buckles ran across these on each one. His trousers were black and skin tight. Badly laced black army boots had been jammed on his feet.
Faded burn marks littered his forehead and neck vanishing beneath the collar of the shirt. Pale skinned they were silvery and rough. Jasmine knew these were the result of backfiring magic. They were old scars. Twitch never talked about them. They didn’t make him any less attractive though.
With a slim youthful face, his cheeks were high set and his jaw bone strong. He was cute.
“Thank the gods you’re back Jazzy.” Twitch purred dramatically. “You have to find me something else to eat. Gemma expects me to live on junk food all the time, it’s disgusting.”
He flopped his tall slender form onto the sofa. His butt narrowly missed the pile of electronics. Stretching out he made himself comfortable. An air of sulky teenager hung about him. Jasmine rolled her eyes. He seemed to be in full drama queen mode this morning.
Her friend was normally a recluse. Since the arms dealer who had been after him for more than a year was now dead, Twitch was suddenly free to no longer hide. The problem was, he was having a hard time adjusting. Jasmine knew he could sometimes be difficult. He didn’t always get along with people. Strangely though, he seemed to like her company.
The mage sniffed. His scrutiny dancing over the vampires. He had met Eric before. Twitch had been with her in Paris, when she had first met the vamp. The mage seemed to have decided to ignore them. A small humming sound vibrated in his throat as he lifted his hand and shoved some curls out of his face.
Then, frowning he glanced at her neck. Jasmine fought the urge to adjust the collar of her jacket. She was sure it more than covered the hickey. Twitch was probably wondering if Eric had fed from her. He knew the vamp had in Paris several times.
She had to act normal. Not looking at the vampire helped. Yet she was still very aware of him at her side. His presence dominated her senses. Her body was practically thrumming at his closeness.
“Stop your whining bitch, at least you’re being fed.” Gemma’s muffled voice came loudly from another room.
