Craig rubbed his hands together and walked toward the door. “This is as good a time as any to test our new vampire abilities. Let’s find out if either of us is any good with locks.”
There was something in his tone that reminded her of a kid about to get into something he knew he probably shouldn’t. She could tell he was looking forward to the challenge.
“Do you think that’s wise?” The last thing Evie wanted to do was anger their host. She didn’t mind so much for herself, but she didn’t want to see the friendship between the two men damaged in any way. She followed Craig to the door and watched as he studied the palm plate just beside the thick steel door.
He shrugged. “What’s the worst thing that can happen?”
Evie didn’t answer him. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
Chapter Nine
Craig knew something important had happened back at Damek’s place, but he wasn’t quite sure what. There was a subtle difference in the way Evie was acting. She’d tried to pull away from him earlier tonight even though he’d smelled her arousal. He could sense she was thinking. A lot. Somewhere along the line, it seemed as though she’d come to some decision. Craig wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not. Only time would tell.
Of course, what he was doing probably wasn’t a good thing either, but Craig knew going to Haven and talking to his friends in person was something he had to do. He owed it to Meredith, Isaiah and the others to warn them of the trouble that had arrived in their city. But most of all, they deserved to hear from him about the radical change in his life.
They were his friends. Family really. And his stomach was in knots wondering if they would accept or shun him.
The way things were going, all his friends might not be talking to him by the end of the night. Damek was certainly going to be pissed with him for leaving the apartment, but Craig had to do what he thought was right. And finding out one of his new vampire skills was the ability to open locks, electronic and old-fashioned, was a bonus.
“We’ll stop at my place first, if that’s okay?” He kept all his senses open, staying aware of everyone and everything around them. It was a cold night, but he didn’t feel the chill of the air like he used to and was quite comfortable with his leather jacket open.
Evie, on the other hand, was hunched over, almost shivering. He knew it was more nerves than the night air.
“Sure.” Her eyes darted here and there, and he knew she was searching for Vladimir Drake in every shadow. And, like him, she was concentrating on not becoming overwhelmed by all the outside stimulus. It might be late, but the city was still alive with people and sounds.
“You’ll have to forgive the dust in the place. I was going to call in the cleaning service but…” He shrugged when she looked at him. “When I’m working I forget about things like cleaning and laundry and food.”
One corner of her mouth tilted upward and he felt as though he’d won a huge victory. He stopped in front of an older brick building. “What do you think?”
She studied the plate glass window in front of them. “This is a gallery.” She looked up at him, questions in her eyes.
“My sister and Bethany own the place.” He took her hand and pulled her to the door next to the gallery. He pulled out his keys and unlocked it.
“You live above?” she asked as he pulled her inside and ushered her up the stairs.
“Yeah. We each have our own apartments.” Neither one of them made a sound as they made their way to the top floor. “Actually my family owns the building.”
She came to a sudden halt. “You own the building?” There was tension in her voice and he wondered at it.
“Yeah. Is that a problem?”
Is that a problem? Evie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Craig owned a building with his brother and sister. His sister ran an art gallery, one that had made huge waves in the local art scene over the past few years. She was very familiar with the Artistic Endeavor, had even been to a showing here earlier this year.
She lived in the same tiny studio apartment she’d lived in since she moved to the city. The chances of her owning her own home, let alone an entire building were next to nil. She lived hand to mouth, finding the necessary money each month to pay the rent and buy art supplies. Some months there wasn’t a lot left over for food, but she was okay with that as long as she was painting.
He was way out of her league.
“What exactly do you do for a living?” She’d told him about her art, but she’d never asked him what he did.
Craig unlocked the door and ushered her into his apartment. The scent of fresh lemons permeated the air. Evie looked around the living space. It was comfortable, yet all the furniture and finishes were high-end. The kitchen had new granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. She half-expected the sofa to be leather, but it was a dark brown fabric of some kind. Two leather club chairs were angled around a wooden coffee table. A large flat-screen television sat in the center of an entertainment unit that took up most of one wall.
“Well, what do you think?” He removed his leather jacket and hung it on a hook by the door. Then he held out his hand and waited until she handed him her coat.
What did she think? She studied the place and tilted her head to one side considering. “I think the cleaning lady was here while you were away.”
He laughed, the sound deep and joyous. “I guess Chrissten must have had someone take care of it.”
Evie found herself smiling. “And you never did tell me. What do you do for a living?” Her gaze narrowed. “It’s not illegal, is it?” Not that she thought that for a minute. Craig was too open and honest for that.
He shook his head. “No, it’s not illegal.” He took her hand and led her down a short hallway, stopping at the first door on the left. “But I’ve done my fair share of hacking.” He led her into what had to be his office. There were several framed prints on the wall that depicted scenes from popular video games. Several computers sat on a long table, along with a gaming system. A bookcase was filled with books, games and several pictures of Craig and his family.
“You work with computers?”
Craig nodded. “I’ve designed several games.” He gestured to the pictures on the walls. “I’ve also developed a few Apps.”
He dropped into his desk chair and pulled a laptop in front of him and opened the cover. How many computers did the man actually own? She’d assumed the one that Damek’s employee had brought over to the apartment was it.
Craig’s fingers flew over the keys and several screens opened. He made a humming sound and kept typing. She had no idea what he was doing. The man was a freaking computer genius.
Evie leaned against the back of his chair and watched, bewildered as he seemed to be in some kind of banking program. “What are you doing?”
“Sorry, I obviously haven’t been keeping up with things over the past few days. I needed to sell some stock now that the prices have gone up. I think they’ve topped out and don’t want to wait until they start dropping.”
She felt as though he was speaking another language. “Stocks?”
“Yeah. I fool around with the stock market.” He shot her a boyish grin. “It’s fun. It’s a numbers game, a puzzle at times, but I enjoy it.” He closed down the computer, pushed out of his chair and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Come on. I need to change and then I’ll take you down to Haven.”
Her stomach clenched. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” She didn’t think either of them should be out running around town, not until they knew where Vladimir was. She needed a weapon too. If the only way to kill a vampire was to behead him, she needed a sword or an axe or at least a sharp chef’s knife.
She hated walking around the city feeling so totally exposed. She also knew Damek wouldn’t be pleased either when he found out. And he would find out. Of that, she had no doubt.
She wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of silent alarm had gone off the moment they’d lef
t the apartment. Craig was certain he’d shut down all alarms, but she wasn’t quite as confident as he was. All the way over here, she’d kept expecting Damek to appear out of the dark and confront them. Since he hadn’t, maybe Craig’s skills with locks and security systems were as good as he seemed to think they were. He was obviously a computer geek who understood how such things worked.
It wouldn’t do her any good to keep worrying about it. She put it out of her mind and looked around and simply let herself enjoy being in Craig’s home.
His bedroom was simple, but the furniture was good quality wood. A dark-green comforter covered the bed and wooden blinds covered the windows. She peered out the window at the city skyline. Streetlights, signs and stoplights illuminated the sky for as far as the eye could see. She looked up and down the street but saw only a few people out walking.
She sighed and turned away, finishing her examination of the room. There were no pictures on the walls in here, no knickknacks or books, making the room feel stark. She had a feeling he slept here and nothing more. He really lived in his office. That’s the only place she’d seen anything remotely personal.
“Do you want to borrow a shirt or sweater?” Craig yanked off the sweater that had been in the knapsack Damek had had delivered. He tossed it onto the chair in the corner, went to the closet and pulled out a black long-sleeved pullover.
Curious, in spite of herself, Evie wandered over to stand beside him. Like everything else in the apartment, the closet had been customized. Built-in shelves and drawers took up half the space. The rest was for hanging clothes.
She touched a sweater the color of oatmeal. It was so soft.
“Go ahead. I don’t mind if you wear it. We’ll need to get you some clothes.”
Reality slapped her in the face and she took a step back. “I don’t need anyone buying me clothes.” She took care of herself. Always. She didn’t owe anyone anything. That’s the way she’d always lived her life.
Craig frowned as he pulled on the sweater he’d chosen. “You can’t get your clothing from your place and it might not be wise to access your bank account until we deal with Drake. He might be watching it in case you make a purchase.”
She hadn’t thought of that. Not at all.
Evie walked to the bed and sank down on the mattress. Until this matter was settled, she was truly homeless. She’d known that. Had lived on the streets and in abandoned buildings for almost two weeks before she’d accidentally converted Craig into a vampire. But she hadn’t been very lucid most of the time. Now she was thinking clearly and the scope of the problem ahead of her frightened her. Craig was right. Vladimir could be watching every aspect of her old life, and he could afford to wait for as long as it took her to make a mistake.
She couldn’t contact any friends or acquaintances, go to the galleries or cafes that showed her work, or even eat at the same restaurants she used to frequent. He’d watched her for weeks, stalking her, learning her routines.
Craig crouched down in front of her and took her hands in his. “It will be okay, Evie. I know this has to be hard on you, but I can help you. I know you’re independent.” He chuckled. “There’s no doubt about that. If it helps, think of it as a loan. You can pay me back when this is over.”
Shame burned in her belly and she swallowed her pride and admitted the truth. “I can’t pay you back. I have fifty dollars in my account and about three hundred bucks cash in my purse back at my apartment. I was supposed to get paid by one of the galleries before the end of the month.”
“I see.”
Evie glared at him, almost hating him for what he had and she didn’t. Life wasn’t fair, but she’d never whined or complained. Instead, she’d gotten on with the business of living and doing what had to be done. Being dependent on another person didn’t sit well with her, even if it was the man she loved. Especially then. She didn’t for one minute want him to think she was sleeping with him because he could take care of her financially.
“Oh, Evie.” He cupped her face and stared deep into her eyes. His blue eyes deepened in color, drawing her in. “There’s nothing wrong with allowing someone else to help you. It doesn’t make you weak.”
She made herself look away, disconcerted by how well he seemed to be able to read her. “I don’t want you thinking I’m only staying with you because you have money.”
Craig stared at her for a long moment, then threw back his head and laughed. She frowned and smacked his arm. Here she was pouring out her guts to him and he had the audacity to laugh at her.
“You’re truly one of a kind. A rare gem. That’s the last thing I’d think.” He stood and pulled her into his arms. “After all, you slept with me before you knew I had money.”
She wanted to burrow closer to his warmth. She was having a hard time regulating her body temperature tonight. “That’s all you know. You obviously had rich friends.” How could he be so sure? She wasn’t certain she’d trust him as easily if the tables were turned.
He chuckled again, rocking her from side to side in his embrace. “Your independent soul wouldn’t allow it. But—” he looked down at her, “—it will hurt my feelings if you don’t allow me to help you.”
His smile faded and he brushed a stray strand of hair off her cheek. “You’re important to me, Evie. More important than any other woman has ever been.”
Her heart skipped a beat and then sped up. She ached to shut out the world and make love to him in his bed, in his home. But the clock was ticking, the night passing quickly, and they had a lot to do.
Breasts aching, her body practically vibrating with need, Evie forced herself to take a step back. “You better get changed. If you’re going to talk with your friends, we need to get going.”
He leaned down and dropped a quick, hard kiss on her lips. “You’re right. I don’t have to like it, but you’re right.” He kicked off his boots and shucked his jeans and socks. She cursed under her breath.
“Was that really necessary?” His erection was thick and long and it made her pussy clench. He should look ridiculous wearing nothing but a black sweater. Instead, he looked delicious.
She strode to the closet and yanked out the sweater she’d admired earlier.
“Sorry.” She could tell by his tone, he was anything but. The man was deliberately teasing her. Well, two could play that game.
Evie yanked the blouse Sonia had loaned her over her head and dumped it on the floor. She almost removed her bra too, but thought better of it. She wanted to tease him, not make him totally forget their purpose tonight.
Craig groaned and she watched him pull on clean boxer briefs and jeans, admiring the way he filled out the denim to perfection. She looked away and tugged on the sweater. It was huge on her, falling to mid-thigh. She rolled up the cuffs on each sleeve several times. It felt comfortable and comforting at the same time.
“Ready?” Craig was fully dressed and waiting.
Was she ready? Not really. But there really wasn’t any choice. No way was she letting him face down a room of werewolves on his own.
Once again, the unreality of her situation struck her. How many other people in this city actually knew that creatures like her and Craig’s family existed? How many lived blissfully in ignorance as she had until she was attacked?
“I’m ready.”
Haven would be closing when they arrived. Craig had deliberately timed it that way. The club was popular in the neighborhood and always busy. The food was your typical pub food, but cooked to perfection by Teague, a member of the Haven pack. The music was first rate and both Meredith’s adult sons—Michael and Benjamin—who worked behind the bar were popular with the female clientele.
Hunger was beginning to flutter inside him, and he had to work to control it. Maybe it was nerves making the craving seem more volatile than it had been only moments ago. He glanced down at Evie walking silently beside him on the nearly empty sidewalk and wondered what she was thinking and how she was feeling.
It was gett
ing easier for him to guess her thoughts. But was it truly guessing if he knew in his gut he was right? He wasn’t reading her mind, per se, but there was no denying he could easily read her expressions.
He knew she wasn’t comfortable with the fact he had money. That angered him even as he understood it. He hadn’t grown up with money either and knew what it was like to live paycheck to paycheck. His entire childhood had been spent that way. His mother had worked hard, but she’d had little education and three children to feed on her own. He’d eaten more than his fair share of macaroni and cheese and canned soup.
But life was different now, and he enjoyed having money. It didn’t change who he was, but it did allow him to give his family and himself stability and a nice place to live. And he wanted to share that with Evie.
But now was not the time to bring up the subject. She’d only balk and probably run. “We’re almost there.” He pointed to the sign just down the road and his heart jumped. He’d missed his friends and wondered how they would react. “You’ll like the place. It’s a fair size but it still manages to be intimate.”
“Tell me about your friends.”
He tightened his grip on her hand as they crossed in front of an alley. “They’re great. Meredith and Isaiah run the place. They’re both full-blooded werewolves. Meredith has two adult sons from a previous mating. She also has a bunch of adopted half-breed werewolves that she took in when they were mostly teens. They’re all grown now and all work there.”
“Isn’t that a bit weird? Didn’t any of them want to leave home and strike out on their own?”
He knew so much about werewolves, he took that knowledge for granted. It was strange to realize most people knew nothing about the species. “Werewolves are pack animals just like wolves are. They prefer to live together. Plus, there is safety in numbers. Don’t forget, they have bounty hunters after them too.
“I guess that makes sense.” She kicked an empty plastic bottle out of her path. “I can’t imagine having that much family around at all time.”
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