Melissa grabbed a wire basket and stepped into the aisles. She heard the chime indicating Tarian had joined her but didn’t bother to glance back. Instead she wandered further, looking over the bags of chips and bottles of pop she couldn’t consume.
Moving to the toiletry section, she threw a hairbrush and a pack of elastic ties into her basket. An overpriced stick of deodorant followed as did two toothbrushes. Though their last room had provided them, she didn’t know if that trend would hold for the next place they stayed.
Rounding the row, she saw Tarian tossing bottles of water and power bars into his basket. The sight reminded her that while her companion could refuel with relative ease, she could not.
Problem for another time, she thought, pushing back the beginning of hunger pangs pulling at her.
She walked up to the counter and gave her basket to the cashier.
A shiver of awareness told her Tarian had come up beside her. He passed over his items and stood with his warm body brushing against her arm.
Melissa tried to wait as the cashier rang up their bill, but every pulse of his heartbeat, every brush of skin against skin, drove her to distraction.
“I’ll wait outside,” she said before striding out the door. Not like she had any money on her anyway.
Stepping into the night, she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. Humans had always feared the dark, but since her transformation it had become her haven. With her sensitive vampire vision, the dark road around her looked as brightly lit as if the sun were shining.
Should have bought a pair of sunglasses, she thought, remembering her designer collection at home with a wistful sigh.
Jogging down the steps, she glanced at the car before choosing to prowl toward the deserted alley between the convenience store and the building next to it. Stepping into the deeper shadows loosened some of the tension in her shoulders. She could do this. Their trip was about survival, and she’d always been particularly good at that game.
What had to stop was the longing that hit her every time she looked at her companion. He wasn’t to be trusted, not given what he was, but her libido jumped into high gear when he so much as brushed against her.
This reaction is ridiculous. You have more control than this.
Even as she berated herself, a secret corner of her mind whispered that mates had an undeniable attraction that couldn’t be tamed.
Not my mate, she thought. The universe wouldn’t be so cruel.
“Melissa?”
She turned at the sound of her name to see Tarian striding forward. His gaze was firmly fixed on her, and not scanning for any threats that might await him in the gloom.
Her lips twitched at the thought. Anyone foolish enough to lie in wait for Tarian deserved the broken bones he’d dole out.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She shook back her hair and nodded. “Fine. I just needed a minute.”
Tarian stopped an arm’s reach from her. His face was shadowed, but even with a bright light shining on him she wouldn’t have been able to read his expression.
“You got everything?” she asked.
He lifted the white plastic bag dangling from his fingers.
“I’ll pay you back when we reach the city.”
He shrugged. “Buying you a hairbrush is the least I can do, given the circumstances.”
He had a point.
“Okay, then we should get back on the road.”
Tarian nodded, but neither of them moved.
Instead he took a step toward her.
“What are you doing?”
“Two more hours of uncomfortable silence sounds about as fun as taking a leisurely swim through shark infested waters.”
“I’m not sure there’s much we can do about it,” she replied. “We are where we are.”
He nodded. “You’re right.” His eyes flicked up to hers. “Then again…”
The white bag dropped at their feet as he grabbed her by the waist and twirled her up against the store wall.
His lips captured hers, tasting, controlling.
Melissa pushed against his chest but he only wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She nearly moaned at the sensation of his hard body rubbing against hers. Under different circumstances nothing would have stopped her from slipping her hands beneath his dark T-shirt and tracing the contours of his chest. Preferably with her tongue.
Tarian lifted her slightly, sliding one leg between hers so she balanced on his thigh. Desire pulsed through her as she fought the urge to rock against him.
His tongue traced the seam of her lips as he demanded entry, and her resolve weakened.
Push him away, her mind commanded. Stand strong.
She knew caution was the better part of valor. Right up to the moment she parted her lips.
Tarian took full advantage of her moment of weakness. He invaded her, consumed her, dominated her. There were a million reasons to push him away, but all her body craved was more.
His hands slid along her thighs, and she felt the heat of his touch even through the cheap denim. Need pulsed within her, just as it had the first time they’d touched.
Her fangs ached in her gums. The desire to bite, to taste Tarian, nearly overwhelmed her. Hunger mixed with lust in a powerful, intoxicating combination. She needed him. Needed him in a way she hadn’t needed anyone before.
The tips of her fangs pushed free, and she couldn’t stop herself from scraping them oh so lightly against his tongue.
Tarian jerked under her hands as a tiny bead of blood welled into her mouth. There was no biting back the delicious moan that broke free from her throat. It was just the smallest taste, a minute burst of flavor, but the experience nearly brought her to her knees. Never in all her years had she tasted anything as addicting as him. Something was different about his blood. Something that called to her on the most basic of levels. The predator in her roared for more. She’d never get enough of him.
His hand slid down her spine to the curve of her waist, and she nearly purred at the caress. She craved more, wanted to feel his fingers trailing over her naked skin as she arched beneath him.
It was getting harder to think. There was a reason she shouldn’t be doing this. Surely there was. But right now the only question on her mind was whether or not the shadows were dark enough to hide their activities if she were to shred their clothes and take him right there.
Bad idea, her inner voice whispered.
She didn’t want to listen to logic or remember all the reasons why she shouldn’t trust him. All she wanted was to prolong this perfect, maddening feeling.
With a groan, she pushed him back.
Tarian stared at her, lust clear in his gaze, with his hands still clenched around her waist.
“That was your grand idea to diffuse the tension?” she demanded.
His grin was almost boyish. “Couldn’t hurt to try.”
A smile tugged at her lips though she fought it back.
“At least now you’ll believe me when I tell you I’ve never touched you with any aim other than getting you into bed.”
Her smile slipped from her lips as she looked up at him.
He arched a brow at her silence and caught her wrist. She didn’t protest when he pressed her hand firmly against his hard erection.
“Think I’m faking that?” he demanded.
Unlikely. Her fingers curled around him instinctively, causing Tarian to hiss in pleasure.
“You could be a fantastic actor,” she offered.
He arched a brow, silently questioning the ridiculousness of her statement.
Did she think he was acting? He might be. After all, there had to be more to the story than a necromancer desiring a vampire and deciding to date her. But if he hadn’t helped his grandfather kidnap her, then what reason would he have for pretending to want her?
In a relationship wrought with lies, perhaps that one detail was true. Maybe he did want her just as much as she did him.
A wave of relief surged through her, so strong it nearly sent her to her knees. She hadn’t admitted, even to herself, how much she wanted this one thing to be true. Knowing she hadn’t been the only one caught in the whirlwind of desire that claimed her every time they touched gave her strength. In this, at least, they were on even footing.
“Melissa,” he said, giving her a little shake.
“All right,” she yielded. “You want me.”
Some of the tension eased from his body. “That’s something at least.”
“Doesn’t change anything,” she forced herself to say. He didn’t need to know how much she’d wanted to hear their time together had mattered, even if only in a physical way.
“Nothing important,” he agreed. His fingers found her chin and tipped her face up toward his. “But at least you know you’ve got the power to bring a necromancer to his knees.”
“That silver tongue of yours will get you in trouble.”
“Maybe you’ll believe me one day.” He pulled her close, his mouth a tantalizing breath away from hers.
“Sure, when the sun rises in the West. But I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”
“Maddening woman.”
“My middle name.”
A smile tugged at his lips as he drew fingers down her cheek. “We need to get back on the road.”
“Miles to go and all that.” It would be so easy to close the distance. To press her lips to his and let him block out the world for another few moments. Her gaze flicked to his lips.
“Exactly.”
Step back, she ordered herself. You have more willpower than this.
Unfortunately.
Melissa stepped out of his hold, mourning the loss of his touch even as she tried to convince herself she didn’t. Her body didn’t care what Tarian was. All it wanted was more of his pleasure-inspiring touches.
Grabbing the plastic bag from the ground, she headed for the car. With every step she felt Tarian at her back like a silent shadow. One she was far too attuned to.
Though to give credit where it was due, the silence in the car was far less uncomfortable when they pulled back onto the road. Instead of brooding over Tarian using her for his own purposes, her mind had his kiss on repeat. If only he could shake her distrust as easily as he stirred her libido, this trip might not be the nightmare she’d feared.
…
He’d made a mistake. He shouldn’t have kissed her. Shouldn’t have given in to temptation.
In the grand scheme of things, the feelings of two beings made no difference whatsoever. They had a mission to complete. One that did not necessitate any more contact than was needed to ensure their survival.
He’d had no reason to kiss her.
Except she’d looked at him with such loathing. Such distrust. It should be nothing new. After all, he’d destroyed his fair share of her species over the years. But he’d never held one first. Never seen the way they laughed, enjoyed the sound of their voice, hungered for their touch.
Not until Melissa.
With her, he couldn’t separate what he knew had to be done and what he wanted to do for his selfish own ends. The opinions of her kind never mattered to him—except this time it was everything.
He didn’t want her to hate him.
Tarian closed his eyes at the ridiculous thought. Their happy ending would be reaching New York and having Melissa warm up to him enough to stop the axe that was about to fall on his people. Nothing more. Her forgiveness was not part of the equation.
And then she’d looked at him, her expression so lost he’d reacted without thinking. All that mattered was wiping the desolation off her face.
Now he had to pay the price. The taste of her lingered on his lips. The memory of her fingers sliding through his hair, her body pressing intimately against his, ran on a constant loop in his mind. And, like a starving man, he craved more.
Get a grip. He could keep his hands to himself, and not give her yet another reason to dislike his race. This mission was too important to entangle with inconvenient feelings. More than just their lives depended on their success.
I will be strong, he promised. Strong enough to protect her from anything.
Even himself.
Chapter Nine
Melissa couldn’t remember ever being as happy to see a Motel 6 sign as she was right then. They’d spent the last half an hour looking for a place to stop for the night and though the silence had been far more companionable since their stop, a break from Tarian would be a welcome respite.
“Motel just ahead,” she said.
Tarian turned to follow her pointing finger. “Just in time.”
The dawn tugged at the edges of her senses, reminding her soon she’d have to seek shelter. The motel was as good a place as any. With a bit of luck, she’d be in her own room, away from the addicting necromancer in no time. She needed some distance before they got back on the road tomorrow. Tarian would be able to trap her with sweet words and tantalizing caresses if she wasn’t careful, and she didn’t want to stumble into any more mistakes where the man was concerned. Time apart would give her a chance to breathe and harden her resolve to keep her hands to herself.
As she drove into the parking lot she noted the large number of cars. “We might have to find something else,” she said.
Tarian checked his watch. “Let’s grab anything they have. We’re pressing our luck if we keep looking.”
“Next time you flee a pack of maniacs, stop to grab a cell with Google Maps.”
“I’ll make a note of that,” he drawled.
He probably doesn’t want me around a phone, she mused. Smart man. Though she wouldn’t call for a rescue, she’d never promised not to contact her family to let them know she was safe. Surely there was no harm in that.
Hotels have phones. She just needed to wait until Tarian gave her an opening.
Tarian pulled the motel door open for her as they walked into reception. A sleepy night clerk jerked upright when they entered.
“Welcome to Motel 6,” he said. “Checking in?”
“Do you have any rooms available for the day? I know the timing is awkward.”
“When will you be checking out?” the receptionist said, glancing at the clock.
“Sunset,” Melissa replied.
“I’ll have to bill you for two nights.” He shrugged in apology. “Or you can wait and check in at noon.”
“Two nights is fine,” Tarian replied. “Do you have a room?”
“Two rooms,” Melissa put in.
The clerk checked his computer before nodding. “There’s one standard king bed non-smoking available.”
“Anything else?” Melissa asked. “Or at least something with separate beds?”
A few more clicks of the mouse were followed by a headshake. “All booked. That’s our last room.”
Of course it was. Melissa wondered if she could shake her fists at the universe without having her sanity questioned. Looked like her bad luck had struck again.
“The king is fine,” Tarian said as he pulled out his wallet. “Paying by cash.”
After only a few minutes, the receptionist handed over the key. “Second floor, on your right,” he said.
Melissa followed Tarian into the elevator. Though it wasn’t the outcome she’d counted on, at least they’d secured shelter from the sun.
That left only one other rising problem.
“This isn’t too bad,” Tarian said as he unlocked their room. “The curtains look thick. You should be safe for the day.”
“Excellent news,” she said, eying the phone on the bed stand.
The room was far more spacious than their last one. At least this motel boasted a cheap level of cleanliness and comfort. If worse came to worse, she could sleep in the small closet to escape the daylight.
“We can get back on the road as soon as you wake,” he told her.
“Sounds like a plan. Want to use the shower first?”
His lips curved as
he moved away from the window. “I can do that after you’re out,” he said. Reaching the side table, he grabbed the phone and disconnected the plug and phone jack. “Not that you were trying to get rid of me, I’m sure.”
Melissa sighed. “Is that really necessary?”
He turned back to her, phone in hand. “Do you trust me?”
She stayed silent.
“Then it’s necessary. Can’t risk angering your vengeful father more than he already is.”
He opened the door and disappeared into the hall.
She chewed on her lower lip, debating whether a phone call was worth fighting over. He didn’t have her vampiric strength after all. If he didn’t use his magic, she could overpower him.
But that was a dangerous “if” to bet on.
Tarian reappeared, his hands empty. For a moment he simply watched her, back against the closed door.
“Make any decisions?” he asked.
She turned away, not liking that he could read her thoughts so easily. “I don’t want to fight again.” Ignoring him, she crossed to the wide bed and collapsed backward onto it, bouncing twice on the springy mattress. The tight muscles in her body unwound, as if she’d been waiting for this moment the whole night trapped in the cramped car. It felt so good to simply stretch.
Closing her eyes, she tried to block out her partner and enjoy a few moments of respite.
The mattress dipped beside her, and she opened one eye to see Tarian, one arm bent to keep him upright while he lay by her side.
She’d been speaking the truth when she’d said she didn’t want to fight. It took too much energy she didn’t have. Instead, she allowed her eyelids to fall once more and avoided thinking about the man beside her.
Silence stretched, wrapping around them far more intimately than it had in the car. She supposed that’s what happened when you added a bed into the equation.
She didn’t want to open her eyes. Didn’t want to acknowledge him. Just for a moment she wished she could push pause on the chaos she’d been dragged into. Three days ago she’d been doodling his name on her files, and now he was both her enemy and her rescuer. The ground was shifting beneath her feet, and she had no idea how to regain her balance.
There were a thousand questions she should put to him. Information she should seek about Dominic and the rebel necromancers. About their trip and what would happen when they reached safety. About him and the reason he’d dated her in the first place.
Dying to Date Page 9
