by Devlin Chase
“Why do you think he wants to kill them?”
Angelo turned to face him “Don’t have a friggin’ clue, man. But you know Jacen; he’s always had one foot over the edge.”
Darien chuckled. If anyone could downplay a person’s weak points it was Angelo.
The truth was, Jacen had been acting bizarrely since he’d ascended to the council almost a century ago. Always a brooding presence, he’d shut himself off from everyone except the other council members over the past few years, devoting himself solely to the task of restoring the Obscura’s ancient documents.
Now, it seemed, he’d finally lost it and targeted a couple of humans. Darien thought it had something to do with the Ligata; but he kept those ideas to himself. The Ligata were off limits and he wasn’t about to break with tradition, despite the digging he’d been doing since he’d first set eyes on Catherine.
“Well whatever it is, the Council will let us know what to do next. In the meantime we just keep our eyes out for Jacen and keep the humans safe.”
Now it was Angelo’s turn to laugh. “And you’re gonna keep that girl safe how exactly? The mood you were in last night I’d be surprised she even agrees to be in the same room with you again.”
Darien scowled. “Well, it’s my problem to fix, isn’t it?”
Angelo had just smiled, turning back to face the screen.
Minutes later the Italian was restless again and Darien was secretly pleased when he announced he was going to take a drive past the other human’s house and check that everything was okay.
Alone in the room Darien stared at the screen and wondered how he was going to make things right with Catherine. He had no idea how he was going to convince her that he was telling the truth but he was going to have to figure out something; and real quick too.
His eyes flew open as Angelo snapped the newspaper and folded it in half. A mischievous smile twitched at the corner of his full mouth.
“Jumpy, are we?”
Folding his arms across his chest Darien watched as Angelo stood, stretching and flexing the muscles beneath his tattoos, making then move with sinewy grace.
He wondered how his friend’s protection detail was going; Angelo looked like he hadn’t slept either.
Before he could ask, the back door opened and Galena walked in, plastic shopping bags in her hands. Both men moved to take the bags from her and she smiled up at them.
“Thank you, boys.”
Darien warily eyed the door as he placed the bags on the kitchen table, knowing that Angelo viewed the doors with the same trepidation. The doors operated on a two lock system with a small vestibule between the doors. The inner door could only be opened when the outer door was closed, ensuring no daylight penetrated the house. Modern technology had made life so much easier for their kind these days, but he was constantly aware of the damage sunlight could do if they were exposed for more than a few minutes.
Galena seemed to sense his disquiet. “The doors are working perfectly. I had the technician out last week to check on them.” She moved about the kitchen, packing away the groceries. “Besides, it’s almost nightfall.”
Darien was surprised to find that the day had passed so quickly. He had only another hour or two to figure out how he was going deal with Catherine tonight and the thought filled him with dread.
Damn it. He’d been honest with her and she’d laughed at him! He raked a hand through his hair, his thoughts centered solely on the woman. Thinking about her was making him itch; thinking about what he’d like to do to her was making him burn.
Two sets of eyes watched in silence as he stalked out of the kitchen.
***
Seeing Sonia so weak had pained her badly and, as Cat locked the door of her apartment that evening, she felt edgy. She hadn’t seen Darien all day and, while it should have made her feel better, she was as tense as a coiled spring.
Driving into the city she didn’t have a destination in mind but knew she’d probably end up at one of a handful of regular hangouts and they were all in the city centre anyway.
She thought about Darien as she drove. The whole afternoon she’d thought of nothing but him; seeing his bright eyes and the way they’d crinkled slightly at the corners when he smiled; the strength in his hands, which she’d so badly wanted to reach out and touch.
As she pulled to a stop at a traffic light her thoughts turned darker as she wondered what he would be like as a lover. The other night, despite the weak light from the street lamp, she’d seen the clean definition of his body under the tight black t-shirt. And the way that suit jacket had molded so perfectly to his shoulders…
Swearing under her breath she lifted a hand in apology to the driver who was honking his horn behind her and got the car moving across the intersection. The guy flipped her his middle finger as he pulled ahead of her.
The street outside Nylon was packed, cars jammed together like sardines, so she pulled into the parking garage a block away and walked back to the goth club, pulling her jacket close against the crisp night air.
In her black leather she was almost indistinguishable from all the other clubbers hanging around the entranceway. As she paid her entry fee she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirrored wall behind the attendant’s chair. Sleek black hair framed a face that was dominated by haunting blue eyes, darkly rimmed in black kohl, her lips tinged a bare shade above ink. Her leather pants fit her long, slender legs like a second skin and the corset that was laced around her upper body displayed breasts that were forced high against the bindings. It was also cut low enough in the back to show off the lion tattooed between her shoulder blades, the tribal design gleaming darkly as she took off the cropped zippered jacket. She was wearing her usual Doc Marten’s and they made no sound as she crossed the threshold and entered the dark club.
The place was hopping tonight, bodies crushed together and writhing on the metal dance floor. One of three dance floors, she bypassed it and headed upstairs.
The sounds were lower-keyed here, the heavy Goth tones calming her instantly. She headed straight to the bar and ordered a double shot of tequila, downing it the moment it hit the counter; throwing her head back, her jet black hair trailing down to the small of her back.
She ordered another shot and then turned to face the cavernous room. The usual suspects were all here tonight and she returned the nods of a couple of die hard regulars.
A knocking behind her told her that her drink was ready and she turned, smiling at Christie, the bartender.
“Looking good,” she yelled over the music.
Christie grinned, her hand moving to the enormous beehive hairdo that threatened to topple over as she leaned forward to take the money Cat was sliding across the bar.
“Thanks! Found a new guy over in Sunnyside who can do this in under an hour. The guy’s a godsend.”
Another customer was calling for her and Christie headed off down the bar. Cat threw back the second shot and, as she turned to place the glass back on the counter, she sensed eyes on her from the shadowy recess at the end of the counter. Brazenly she returned his stare as she felt a blush rising to her cheeks.
What was it with the gorgeous guys all of a sudden? Everywhere she looked she was surrounded by them. Or maybe it had been so long since she’d had any decent sex that anything in trousers with the appropriate bulge in the right place was starting to look just a little too good.
She knew that was a lie the moment she thought it; or at least the part about the trousers. Hell, it had been a while; and even then it hadn’t been mind blowing sex either. Rather more like a hump in the sack after a night of too much drinking and too little discretion.
This guy, on the other hand, looked like he would be more than up to the challenge and, as she watched him watching her, she managed a small smile.
His face, lit by the ultraviolet light behind the bar, was ghostly pale. But there was nothing insipid about his features. High cheekbones jutted above a strong jawline, shadowed by stubb
le that gave him a dangerous air. Although she wasn’t close enough to be sure, Cat got the distinct impression that his eyes were as dark brown as you could get before they were simply black.
He wore a black t-shirt, his exposed arms roped with muscle and the hand that was clenched around his beer was huge. Cat sensed he was tall; easily as tall as Darien.
The unexpected image of her would-be stalker rose to her mind and she pushed it aside. Darien was not here, thankfully, and she faced the stranger again, her smile more inviting.
To his credit, the stranger needed no further invitation and slid easily from his barstool, unfolding to his full height before walking casually along the length of the bar toward her.
She’d been right; he was tall. A heady air of menace seemed to flow around him, sending a thrill up her spine as he approached. Finally he stood before her and she tilted her head to stare up into eyes that did indeed appear to be black. His black hair fell in perfect straight lengths down to…dear God, his hair ended just inches above his belt.
“Hi.” He leaned down to breath against her ear and she caught a spicy fragrance; something that hinted at oranges.
She smiled slyly as the effect of the tequila suddenly slammed into her. Or maybe it was that scent he was giving off. She wasn’t sure. “Hi.”
Cat glanced down as he held out his hand to her.
“I’m Jacen.”
Oh this so wasn’t happening. In an instant she went from staring up at this gorgeous stranger and the next she was back in the coffee shop with Darien, laughing as he’d so calmly told her that a vampire named Jacen intended to kill her.
Cat felt a tingle race up her spine, her head spinning. She must have paled because Jacen reached out to steady her as she tilted off-kilter. His grip on her shoulders was firm.
“Are you okay?”
She could hear concern in his voice and nodded grimly as she steadied herself against the bar counter. “I’m fine, thanks.” She took a deep breath. “Must be the heat in here. It’s pretty cold outside.”
Jacen smiled, leaning down to brush his full lips against her ear.
“Or it might have something to do with those two doubles you just hammered.” His voice was like a cat’s purr, vibrating softly against her skin.
Cat laughed. “You saw that, did you?”
Jacen laughed, the sound low and as rich as honey. “Hey, I like a woman who can handle her own.”
Cat allowed Jacen to lead her over to an empty booth, watching as he slid into the narrow space opposite her once she was seated.
“I’m Catherine, er, Cat.”
He took the hand she offered across the table and enveloped it within both of his hands. His skin was warm and, just for an instant, Cat felt something akin to an electric hum sweep through her hand, leaving her fingertips tingling. Then the contact was gone as he gestured to a passing waitress, ordering another tequila shot for Cat and a beer for himself.
Still feeling the effects of the alcohol surging through her system Cat leaned across the table and stared deep into his eyes.
“You’re not planning on ripping out my throat by any chance, are you?”
Jacen’s eyes narrowed slightly as a smile tugged at his lips.
“Now why would I want to do that when there are so many more wonderful things I could think of to do with your lovely neck.”
Cat laughed. “Sorry. It’s just something somebody said to me the other day.”
Jacen leaned across and ran a finger down the bare skin of her arm. “You should maybe think about changing your friends.”
A waitress floated by and Cat realized that the woman was staring openly at Jacen, her lips parted in invitation and her ample breasts pushed to straining the top of her leather bustier.
Glancing back across the table she found Jacen staring intently at her, his black eyes glittering. She felt another shiver race up her spine. He wasn’t paying the other woman any attention at all. She could so easily have him tonight, if she wanted.
And she did, she realized as a surge of power tingled over her exposed skin. He would be the perfect way to relieve her tension after the morning with Sonia. Even if it was just for one night, she could forget about everything that had happened over the last few days and spend a couple of hours with a man who, by the looks of him, would know exactly how to spend his time with her.
She thought that the next shiver that trembled through her was one of anticipation but, as goosebumps raised her skin, she became aware of the sudden drop in temperature. Wrapping her arms around her shoulders she glanced up at Jacen and saw that she no longer commanded his undivided attention. Instead his eyes were focused on something behind her and, if it hadn’t seemed so ludicrous, she would have sworn that the chilly air was radiating out from him.
Turning to see what had captured his attention, she found her gaze tangling with Darien’s; his blue eyes blazing at her from across the room. But that was impossible, wasn’t it? The room was too dark to make out his eye color from over here; but she could have sworn that they were lit by an inner light, glowing faintly, but definitely brighter than the meager light would allow.
She’d expected anger to roll through her at seeing him; knowing that he must have followed her here. But instead she felt breathless, filled with an anticipation that caught her off guard and made her head spin.
She’d been waiting for him to show up.
The realization hit her like a freight train, making her eyes widen as a gasp escaped her lips.
She’d been hoping he would follow her; making his presence felt in a way that caused an instant knot of tension to tingle between her thighs.
Was this why she had felt the urge to seek out the largest male in the room? To create a scene that would force his hand?
She didn’t know what she was hoping for; Darien had offered no indication that he was interested in her at all, despite the fact that every time she was near him she could feel the sexual heat radiating off him.
It could only be her own desire that was fueling her thoughts; thoughts that involved him tearing her clothes off and taking her on the nearest flat surface.
“I take it this is the somebody you were just mentioning?”
Jacen’s voice was like ice and it was enough to tear her eyes from Darien. She turned back and stared at the man she’d barely gotten to know.
The lines of his face had hardened and his lips were pressed in a tight line, lending him a cruelty she hadn’t noticed before. The delicious air of menace he’d approached her with before was gone, replaced by a sense of real danger that Cat could taste in the back of her throat.
She was about to explain that she’d only met Darien a couple of days before when the words lodged in her throat.
There could be no way that Jacen was expressing some wounded male pride here; he’d seen Darien first and would have no reason to assume that Cat even knew him.
Not unless…
Cat closed her eyes as a wave of nausea washed over her, choking the words that she’d been about to utter. She opened her eyes and the room tilted, her body shaking as another wave of icy air blanketed itself around her.
She was too terrified to look at Jacen and kept her eyes trained on the pitted surface of the table top.
“Catherine.”
Wind was rushing past her ears, as if she were travelling fast through a tunnel and, while she could hear the voice clear as a bell, she felt so far removed from it, as though she were miles away. She didn’t know which of them had spoken her name. She shook her head, her body still rocking back and forth. Jacen’s presence loomed at her from across the table and she was sure, just for a brief second, that she heard the two men hiss at her.
“What the hell do you think you’re up to Jacen?” Darien was clearly trying to keep his temper at bay, and not doing a very good job of it, as far as she could tell. Cat watched as his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his back ramrod straight as he kept his eyes on Jacen.
His face a blank mask, Jacen leaned back in the booth but Cat could see the coiled strength in his casual manner. Nobody was fooled. “I’m just checking out the nightlife, old friend.”
His fingers strummed on the table-top, jarring Cat’s nerves, although she could hardly hear the sound. She gaped as his fingernails lengthened, claw-like and glittering in the light of the strobes pulsing from the dancefloor. “I’m surprised to find you in this neck of the woods, though. Never really figured you for a Goth.”
The tension pouring off the two vampires was too much; Cat thought she was about to start hyperventilating if she didn’t get out of the club immediately. She pushed her hands against the table, intending to climb out of the booth.
Then Darien was looming over her, gripping her arm and shaking her roughly.
“Catherine. Let’s go.”
As if startled awake she turned her head and stared at him. His perfect face was tense, all angular and shadowed, and while he spoke to her he kept his eyes on Jacen.
The force with which he was trying to drag her out of the booth finally woke her up. As she was pulled to her feet hot anger flared through her, warming her chilled skin as she pulled her arm out of his grasp.
“Let go of me, you bastard.”
Wrenching herself out of his grip she turned, bumping her hip against the corner of the table. A gasp of pain escaped from her lips and suddenly she was surrounded as Jacen sprang up from the booth.
She was cornered against the table as the two males leaned in to her. They weren’t paying her any attention however; their eyes were locked on each other, lips pulled back as they shifted their weight toward each other. Cat was sandwiched between the two of them, panic welling in her chest as heat engulfed her, radiating from both of the men in a palpable wave. She was sure she’d caught the flash of fangs as Jacen shifted forward.
She pushed against them with trembling hands, feeling tiny in their presence. As she maneuvered away from the table she could feel Darien shifting his body around, forming a barrier between herself and Jacen.
