by Anara Bella
She didn’t say anything for a long moment and Rafe could almost feel her pain. He tried to think of something to say to console her, but without much success. Before he could come up with anything, she got up, and in typical Larke fashion, walked over and gave him a quick, reassuring hug. “You’ll get him next time.”
He couldn’t help but be moved by her attempt to soothe him when she needed it much more than he did. He cleared his throat and gruffly said, “Let’s just hope he doesn’t kill anyone before then.”
She nodded and looked away, but not before he saw the tears shimmering in her eyes, reminding him she hated it even more than he did when they failed to stop a vampire from killing again.
To distract himself he headed for his desk. He didn’t want to think about any of it. Didn’t want to think about the innocent victims or the horror they suffered. And he especially didn’t want to think about his failure. He hated failing in a big way. When he failed, people died. No one knew that more than he did.
Except maybe Larke.
Tentatively, he asked, “Guess this means you haven’t had any more visions.”
She looked up, then shook her head. “No.”
He wasn’t surprised. As a rule, she didn’t get them two nights in a row. Mind you, he didn’t usually fail to find the target either, so there was no need for her to have visions so close together.
Shit.
He sat down and opened a file. “We might as well work on one of our official P.I. cases. Until you have another vision, the vamp slaying will have to wait.”
***
The battle raged on.
Despite Lucien’s added height and weight, the opponents were equally matched in strength and stamina. The good against the evil. Light verses darkness. Slayer and vampire.
Blood dripped from their many wounds as they circled, hatred burning in the depths of their eyes.
Neither was weakening—not from loss of blood, nor from their prolonged struggle. And neither was going to give up. For much more was at stake than just this fight. It was about life.
Survival.
Revenge.
Staring each other down, each willed the other to make the first move, each sought an advantageous opening, each hoped the other would make the ultimate mistake. A mistake that would end in death.
In a blur of movement, Drogan lunged and before Lucien could react, the vampire succeeded in knocking him to the ground. End over end they rolled, over broken glass, unidentifiable muck and reeking trash, slamming up against the rusted garbage cans lining the alley. Their grunts of pain and gasps for air broke the otherwise oppressive silence. Nothing else stirred, as if everything had frozen to watch the ensuing battle.
Landing on top, Lucien snatched at his advantage, swinging his fist with every ounce of his considerable weight behind him and connected with Drogan’s vamped-out face in a deeply satisfying crunch.
Drogan’s scream of pain was accompanied by blood spurting from his broken nose. He blindly swung back, but the slayer dodged with unnerving agility, avoiding Drogan’s fist.
A jarring clatter rose from the darkest reaches of the alley, distracting them as they anticipated an interruption to their war of wills. But nothing appeared, and Lucien recovered first. In one smooth move he pulled out a wooden stake, poised to drive it into the snarling vampire’s murderous heart.
Selena stopped typing and burst out laughing.
Snarling vampire, indeed. She’d never snarled in her entire life, not even when she was furious. Did people even snarl? Did vampires? Or was that only animals?
She automatically picked up the well-chewed pencil on her desk and gnawed on the end while flipping through her much-used thesaurus, trying to decide if she should use another word besides snarling. Sneer. Growl. Scowl. None of them sounded right. Maybe she should stick with snarling after all.
After several minutes of back-and-forth indecisiveness, she glanced at the time and realized she’d been writing for hours. No wonder she couldn’t decide on anything, her brain was fried.
She saved her work and shut off the computer. The next installment of Ravyn Simone’s Vampyre Chronicles would have to wait until tomorrow.
Her yawn echoed long and loud in the sparsely furnished apartment. Selena hated clutter of any kind. Not in her surroundings and not in her life. It was one of the reasons she didn’t have a lot of friends. Too much emotional clutter. Another was she’d long ago realized it was better to be alone than to trust someone who would one day turn on you anyway.
She shook off the impending bad memories. She must be tired if those kinds of thoughts were pestering her.
Time to call it a night. Or should she say, morning? It was way past dawn.
Most people were just getting started on their day, but for her it was bedtime. Mind you, it was almost impossible to tell it was daytime with all traces of sunlight blocked out by the impenetrable blinds. A necessity. One she resented.
She got up, stretched out the kinks and headed for the bedroom.
Although she tried not to think about it, she missed the sunlight. Missed lying on a beach reading a good book. Missed trying to get a nice tan for the summer. Missed watching kids building sandcastles and giggling with glee at their accomplishment. And she most definitely missed drooling over hunky guys playing volleyball to show off their muscles. Things most people took for granted.
She sighed. No more tans for her. Nowadays only makeup kept her from looking pasty white. Like the walking dead. Amazing what a little foundation and blush could do for a girl. Even an undead girl like herself.
Thank God, the mirror thing was a myth. Or at least she thought it was a myth. It could just be her. She’d never asked the others, but then she hadn’t been around them long enough to ask them much of anything. She’d realized very soon she was different, and it wasn’t long before they’d figured it out too. She could still hear Ambrose’s nasty tone of voice saying she was a freak of nature. As if a vampire could be considered a normal part of nature to begin with.
Anyway, she didn’t know about other vampires, but although her reflection wasn’t crystal clear like it was for normal people, she could at least see something of herself. Her image had a weird transparency to it, almost like looking at a ghost, but it was better than nothing. Good thing, too, otherwise putting makeup on would have been near impossible. Selena shuddered at the horrifying thought.
She’d just washed up for bed and slipped on her favorite oversized t-shirt when the phone rang.
“I hope you weren’t in bed yet.”
Selena smiled at her best friend’s half-hearted concern. Patience wasn’t Anne’s strong suit. When she wanted something, she wanted it now. “Almost, but no.”
“Good, I wanted to remind you about coming out with me tonight.”
Thinking back to her run-in with Rafe the other night, Selena didn’t feel like hitting another bar. “I don’t know. I should work on one of my magazine articles. Gotta pay the rent, you know.”
“Come on. I’m in the mood for a good hunt, but I don’t want to go alone.”
Selena smiled at their private joke. For them a hunt wasn’t for finding victims to feed on, it was to scope out some good-looking guys, possible “victims” to hit on. Or in Anne’s case, maybe even to get laid. Selena only went to keep Anne company. Although lately Anne had managed to talk her into at least thinking about picking up some guy and getting laid. Getting seriously involved with a guy was the last thing on Selena’s mind though. That way led to trouble.
Anne continued her plea. “Besides you promised to go with me.”
Selena could hear the pout in Anne’s voice even over the phone and she grinned. Anne hated not getting her way. “Yeah, I guess I did.”
“Darned right.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at Anne’s self-satisfied tone, and decided to tease her some more. “Although I’ve sort of changed my mind since then.”
Here it comes.
/> “What! You wouldn’t. How many times have I gone out with you when I didn’t feel like it? You owe me, girlie.”
Selena couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. The truth was, she rarely wanted to go out, so Anne’s claim didn’t apply, but it was typical of her to be oblivious to that fact. “I know. What can I say, you’re so darned easy to bait I just can’t help myself sometimes.”
“Yeah, well…”
Hearing Anne’s voice trail off like that quickly sobered her. In actual fact, Selena could never repay Anne. “I think of just how much I owe you every single day.”
Anne sighed. “I know you do.” She paused a moment, then pounced, knowing this was her chance. “So, does this mean you’ll come?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Selena threw back the covers on her comfy bed and slid between the crisp, clean sheets with a contented sigh. No ridiculously cramped coffins for her.
Anne always teased her about her claustrophobic aversion to small spaces but even aside from that particular problem, there was no way she was giving up her soft, cozy bed. Especially not for the sake of some stupid clichéd expectation other people might have.
“Great! I’ll meet you at The Blue Monkey at nine. You’ll have plenty of time to work on your article before we go out, and you can always finish it after. You’ll have the rest of the night.”
“I suppose. But you’d better not leave me there like you did last time.”
Anne laughed. “But that guy was so hunky I couldn’t say no.”
“Well, if it happens again tonight, try.”
Anne immediately sobered. “What happened?”
“I met this guy and he pushed every button I have. I couldn’t wait to get away from him.”
No need to tell Anne it was because he hit all the right buttons.
“I’m sorry. Listen. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to help you get rid of anyone like that.”
“Okay, you have a deal. But I’m going to hold you to the rescue thing. If I get cornered by some dud you have to bail me out. I don’t care what you’re doing.”
Anne laughed. “Even if Brad Pitt is trying to pick me up.”
Chapter Three
She was here.
Rafe couldn’t believe his dumb luck. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Selena since they’d met, and the fact that he’d had very little hope of running into her again had been eating away at him. And yet, here she was.
His sister would say it was fate, but he didn’t believe in that kind of nonsense.
Fate or not, he wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. This time he’d find out her last name and even her phone number if he could swing it.
The kink in his plan was that she wasn’t alone.
He sat back in the dark, corner booth he’d snagged when he’d arrived and watched the two women as they talked and joked together. Their comfortable camaraderie indicated they were good friends who’d known each other a long time.
Just then Selena threw back her head and laughed. He could’ve sworn he saw her gorgeous green eyes twinkling with mirth all the way over here. And even in the dim lighting of the bar, her long, straight, almost-black hair shone with a life of its own. Her luscious mouth was chewing on yet another swizzle stick.
She seemed to have some sort of oral fixation with those things and he couldn’t stop the picture that popped into his head. An arousing image of her lips closing around a certain part of his anatomy instead of that lucky swizzle stick.
Rafe’s body reacted predictably to the erotic visual and the aforementioned body part sprang to immediate attention.
Down boy. No fun and games for you tonight, there’s work to do. Besides it wouldn’t look very good if he approached Selena with a hard-on. He barely knew her and she’d already run away from him once.
He supposed he could just go over and join them, but with the reception he’d gotten from Selena last time, he didn’t think it would go over all that well. And if her friend ganged up on him too, then what?
No, it would be best if he waited until Selena was alone. In the meantime he’d keep looking for the vampire his sister insisted would be here tonight. He hated to admit it but so far, there wasn’t any vamp here that he could see.
Maybe Larke was losing her touch. Although it was odd Selena was here both times. A strange coincidence.
Very strange indeed.
And he wasn’t one to believe in coincidences.
He stopped scanning the room and fixed his complete attention on Selena again. If he hadn’t been so close he’d actually touched her the other day, he’d wonder about that, but there was no way she was a vampire.
Unless he was losing his touch.
He thought back to her captivating eyes from the other night. He’d looked long and deep into those gorgeous green orbs and there was no murderous intent lurking in their depths. He’d stake his life on it. He’d seen anger, bravado, even desire. Lots of emotion simmered in there for sure, but no viciousness.
Even if his sense of smell was somehow off, he’d still be able to pick out a vampire at such close proximity. So it was just a coincidence. It had to be.
A movement caught his eye and he watched as Selena’s friend got up and headed over to a guy sitting in a booth at the far end of the bar.
This was his chance and he didn’t hesitate to go for it.
Just outside of Selena’s line of vision, he made his way over to her. She idly looked around while doing wicked things to the ever-present swizzle stick fortunate enough to be the current recipient of her ministrations.
He was positive she didn’t realize she was driving most the guys in the place half-mad with lustful thoughts. Most especially him. Her movements were so innately sensual, so seductive it almost brought him to his knees.
He wanted that mouth on him. Craved to feel her tongue gliding against his. Longed to learn the taste that would be uniquely her.
Damn. He had it bad.
Standing just behind her, Rafe leaned in close. “Did you miss me?”
Selena jumped and her head shot around. She gaped at him as if she couldn’t believe he was really there. “You!”
Not a very promising start, but it showed she hadn’t forgotten him at least. He grinned. “In the flesh. But you didn’t answer the question. Did you miss me?”
Her gaze locked onto his mouth and then skittered away as if she wanted to kiss him, but was fighting it. “Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I miss the likes of you?”
“My charm? My wit?”
“I don’t know where you get this overblown opinion of yourself. As I recall, I called you corny, blind and overconfident. Now why would I miss a guy with those attributes?”
“Because I’m cute?”
She blinked and he could see her fighting the grin that tugged at her lips. Apparently there was no holding it back because she burst out laughing at his ridiculous comment. Which was, of course, why he’d said it.
“What? You don’t think I’m cute?” He feigned a hurt expression.
Still giggling, she shook her head at him. “You’re incorrigible. And cute.”
He mock-bowed at her unexpected acquiescence. “Thank you. I knew you’d see it my way eventually.”
Selena shook her head at Rafe’s cheek. She was still trying to take in the fact that she’d bumped into him. What were the odds of that happening? She’d been certain she’d never see him again. At least she’d hoped so. But here he was anyway. And he was just as bold as she remembered. The complete audacity of this man was incomprehensible to her.
She threw him an incredulous look. “You honestly think I’m going to fall right into your lap, don’t you?”
She watched as he gave her a slow, oh-so-sexy grin that exuded self-assurance and innate cockiness. Oh Lord, the man’s sexual magnetism was fierce. Selena felt that grin zing right through her, hit all the pertinent spots in her body and ping its way back again, where it settled into a sultry s
immer in the most secret part of her.
Darned if he didn’t know exactly how he affected her too. And worst of all, she knew he’d have no problem using that knowledge to get his way.
His eyes sparkled with determination. “No, at least not right away. But you will eventually. That’s one thing you’ll learn about me. I’m a very patient man when I see something I want.” He leaned in closer and his overpoweringly sexy presence enveloped her. “And never doubt I want you.”
The depth of purposeful determination in his eyes frightened her, but she ignored the fear and tossed her head. “Your overconfidence is unbelievable.”
He flashed another of his mega-watt grins. It really was downright lethal, doing things to her insides that should have been illegal.
“It’s not overconfidence. I just know what I know. I’m attracted to you, you’re attracted to me. It’s inevitable.”
He pinned her to the spot with his gaze. Reaching over, he slowly ran his thumb along her cheek. “Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you. You’re more than worth it.”
Mesmerized by his eyes again, Selena didn’t think to object to his intimate touch, just mutely stared back into their deep blue depths. They seemed to call to her, commanding her to give in to his will. To do what she longed to in the most private part of her mind. Why fight it? There’s no real reason to. Go ahead. Just give in.
Give in?
She wrenched her face away from his tantalizing touch. If she wasn’t careful, she’d be following him around like a lost puppy before she even knew what hit her. How did he do this to her—turn her into a mindless zombie who wanted nothing more than to cave in to his will?
Well, she was stronger than this, and it was way past time she let him know it. “You’ll be waiting a long time. Like until hell freezes over.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “So soon? I figured you’d make me wait a lot longer than that. Things are moving along a lot better than I’d hoped.”
She tried not to laugh. She really did. But it was no use. She just couldn’t keep up the façade of being unaffected by him.
