Captured In Sin

by Devlin Chase

  Cat nodded, suddenly too tired to argue. The calm she’d felt since slamming into Darien in the passage outside the restroom was beginning to fade. Shock was finally setting in and maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if he followed her home after all.

  She gritted her teeth and pulled the door open a bit too forcefully. The last thing she needed was a vampire in her apartment, especially Darien.

  Darien stood alongside the car until he was sure Cat had her seatbelt on and had the engine running. Then, fighting the urge to climb into the car alongside her, he turned and headed back toward the club, his senses fully attuned to the shadow between the buildings.

  ***

  She didn’t know how he’d pulled it off but Darien had managed to pull his car behind hers only a block away from the club. He’d initially pulled alongside her, his hand lifting in a casual wave, before allowing her to pull ahead. The sleek lines of the midnight black BMW hung in her rearview mirror and she felt her eyes drawn to the car that so matched its driver. Sleek and elegant with more than just a hint of untamed danger. It figured he’d have a car like that, she’d mumbled to herself as she headed away from the centre of the city.

  When she was a dozen or so blocks from her apartment, the shakes finally hit her and she was gripping the steering wheel like a maniac by the time she pulled into the parking garage beneath the block of flats. Her hands were shaking so badly that it took her precious minutes just to turn the engine off. One look in the rearview mirror and she knew she was in trouble.

  Her hair, lustrous and smooth just a few hours ago, hung in rats tails around her face and her makeup was smudged in heavy lines under her eyes. Her skin had paled, becoming a sickly grey in the poor light of the parking lot, making her eyes appear huge and frightened; only becoming worse as she took in her bedraggled appearance.

  Darien was waiting for her out on the street. She could see him beyond the gate that had closed automatically behind her. He could have driven in with her but he was clearly not staying and she was mildly upset by the thought as she thumbed the remote on her keys and opened the gate just enough to slip through.

  “You okay?” Concern etched his face as he took as step toward her but Cat just walked right past him, knowing he would follow.

  “I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine to me. In fact you look like you’re ready to pass out.” He fell into step beside her and held the door to the building open once she’d entered her code.

  She shot him a look. “Thanks.” Her tone conveyed her sarcasm rather than any appreciation for his gesture. Without waiting for him she strode over to the elevator and punched the button.

  Minutes later she opened the door to her apartment and stood back, allowing him to enter. Once she’d closed and locked the door she turned and found him standing at the lounge window, his eyes trained on the road below.

  “Start talking.” She tossed her keys on the counter and faced him, hands on her hips.

  “What do you want to know?” Darien’s shoulders tightened but he didn’t turn around.

  “Well, for starters you could tell me what the hell is going on and why someone is trying to kill me.” Sarcasm dripped from her words although Cat was sure she wasn’t quite getting her message across, which pissed her off even more.

  Her legs were shaking again and she gripped the counter as a wave of nausea brought a thin sheen of prickly perspiration to her skin.

  Darien turned from the window, his face a hard mask. “I warned you about Jacen.”

  “You warned me? No,no. Let me tell you what you did.” Her voice had risen and Cat knew she was bordering on hysteria, only made worse as Darien narrowed his eyes.

  “You followed me the other night, scaring me half to death. Then you tell me a vampire wants to kill me and now, tonight, you show up just as that same vampire tries to get his hands on me.” She stabbed a finger in his direction. “You may have warned me, as you put it. But you haven’t told me jack shit.”

  Her hand dropped as another wave of nausea rolled through her and she gripped the counter as her stomach heaved. This was so not happening. Vampires existed; the proof was standing in the middle of her apartment, a look of unease plastered across his face as he watched her sway against the counter.

  Darien was beside her in an instant. Hell, she hadn’t even seen him move. His hands gripped her shoulders as he turned her to face him and his eyes were glowing with the faint luminescence she’d noticed the other night. His mouth was a hard slash across his face and she could see fury burning in the blue glow of his eyes.

  “My approaching you the way I did might have been unorthodox. But my warning was simple.” His hands dug into her upper arms. “You just chose to brush me off.”

  “Protecting you has been my only concern since the first time I saw you.” A flash of panic lit his eyes for the briefest of moments before the mask dropped again and he loosened his grip. When he was sure her knees wouldn’t buckle under her he stepped back.

  Cat shook her head. “When was the first time you saw me?”

  Darien smiled tightly. “About three weeks ago.”

  “Excuse me?” Cat gaped. “You’ve been watching me for three weeks?"

  “Yes.”

  “What the hell for?” Her voice was rising again as she fought off the fogginess that had filtered into her brain.

  Darien sighed. “I’ve already told you. To protect you from Jacen.”

  “Jacen. A six foot six vampire who wants to kill me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re supposed to keep him from killing me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you know he’s a vampire…” She stopped. There really was no point in continuing this ludicrous conversation but…

  Her eyes rose to meet Darien’s, already knowing what he was going to say but needing to hear the words from his mouth before it became a reality. He was watching her carefully, his stare intent.

  “Because I’m a vampire too.”

  Cat laughed, but there was no merriment in the sound. Her knees trembled and she clenched her fists until her short nails dug into her palms. Her eyes moved quickly toward the door and she wondered if she could reach it before he reached her. Somehow she doubted it.

  This was a bad dream, nothing more. Maybe someone had spiked her drink at the club. Yeah, sure, that could be it. This was just some weird trip and she’d end up feeling like an idiot in the morning. If she even remembered any of this.

  Spiked drinks. Vampires. Some freaky chick in a dress made out of chains.

  Yeah. Right.

  Cat shook her head. Words were forming in her mouth and she giggled as she tried to bite them back, knowing she shouldn’t let them pass her lips even as they did.

  “Prove it.”

  Darien was on her in a heartbeat. She had barely caught the movement and he was looming in front of her, his hands gripping her arms almost painfully, his eyes boring into hers and his face tight with anger.

  “Don’t mess with me, Catherine.” The words were a guttural purr, low and seductive. “This is not a game we’re playing.”

  Her smile faltered as she stared up at him. The veneer of gentility that had masked his earlier actions had vanished. He crowded her, dangerous and intoxicating.

  “Who and what I am are both very, very real. You would do well to remember that.”

  Darien’s lips pulled back in a snarl and Cat reared back, unable to break the vice-like grip he had on her arms.

  Fangs. The man had fangs.

  She felt her head turn to cotton wool again as her knees went weak with shock. She was sure he hadn’t had those pearly whites a few minutes ago. Even as she stared, her eyes transfixed on his mouth, his canines lengthened even further, and a gasp of terror bubbled out of her mouth.

  Darien felt like shit. He’d gone and scared Cat again. It was starting to become a habit, one he really didn’t want to continue. Cursing under his breath he let go of her arms, watching as the b
lood drained from her face as she sagged against the counter.

  “Fucking hell.”

  Without waiting to see if the woman could stand on her own two feet, he reached for her again, lifting her into his arms and carrying her over to the couch. He didn’t try to be gentle as he laid her down on the cushions, stepping away quickly as though his proximity might cause even more harm. He prowled restlessly around the room before taking up his position in front of the window once more.

  Cat stared up at the ceiling, willing away the coldness that was invading her body as she tried to get her bearing. After a couple of minutes she was able to sit up, bracing her elbows against her thighs as she hung her head and brought her breathing under control.

  “Are you going to kill me?” Her voice was little more than a whisper, although it brought Darien’s head around like a gunshot.

  “What? Why the hell would you think something like that?”

  Surprise and exasperation. Okay, so maybe he didn’t want to kill her.

  “Isn’t that what vampires do? Kill people?”

  Darien snorted, his gaze returning to the street below. “Please. Don’t be juvenile.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Juvenile?”

  There was a long moment of silence between them until Darien sighed and turned from the window, pinching the bridge of his nose.

  “I’m sorry,” he gritted out. “Assumptions about my kind tend to get under my skin sometimes.”

  He paced around the room, his gaze restless, as though waiting for Cat to speak. She watched him, seeing how he dominated the confined space.

  “He really does want to kill me though, doesn’t he?”

  Darien stopped pacing, striding over to kneel in front of her. “I’m not going to let him get anywhere near you.” He took one of her hands in both of his. “You have my word.”

  “Why does he want me?”

  Darien locked his eyes on the slender hand he held. Now would be a good time to tell the truth. But he hadn’t even been honest with the people he trusted the most and the knowledge he carried with him lay heavily on his shoulders. If he just let everything out into the open…

  “I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”

  He hated lying, especially to the woman before him. But it was safer this way; the less she knew right now the better. He looked up and found her watching him carefully.

  “I know you’re not telling me what’s going on because you’re trying to protect me from something.”

  She pulled her hand out of his grasp. “But I could have been killed tonight so I think I deserve the truth.”

  Darien stood, not wanting to see the accusation in Cat’s eyes. His expression cooled, became calm and remote. “You should pack a suitcase with what you need for a couple of days and I’ll take you somewhere you’ll be safe.”

  Cat’s jaw dropped and her fist clenched as she stood, her legs still weak. She took a couple of steps forward, gaining her balance.

  “Excuse me? I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  “You need to be someplace where Jacen can’t get to you and that sure as hell isn’t this apartment.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. Do you hear me? I’m staying right here and, in fact, you can leave!” One hand rose, a finger pointing toward the door. “Get out.”

  Did she really just stamp her foot like a kid having a temper tantrum? Damn, she really was cute when she was all riled up. Darien almost smiled, just managing to keep a lid on it as he saw the fire flashing in her eyes.

  “Pack a bag, Catherine. We’re leaving now.”

  Her temper had her breathing hard and it was all Darien could do to tear his eyes away from the rise and fall of her breasts, straining against her corset. Hiding his grin he turned away, heading toward her bedroom.

  “Where the hell are you going?”

  “If you’re not going to pack a bag then I guess I’m going to have to do it for you.”

  She stormed into the room behind him as he reached her closet, pulling one of the doors open and scanning the top shelf for an available bag or suitcase.

  “Get out of my home right now.”

  He paused. Her voice had gone soft and deadly. There was no anger. Only determination. Turning, he found himself facing a gun, which was aimed directly at his chest from a distance of only a couple of feet. Where the fuck had she pulled the gun from?

  Darien’s breathing calmed as he stared her down. Hysterical women were not his area of expertise but guns he could handle. Even when they were pointing right at him.

  But no matter how fast he was able to heal there was little chance he would walk away from a point-blank shot unscathed and, by the way she was holding the weapon, he was sure Cat knew how to put a bullet straight through his heart.

  “I want you out of my apartment now. No ifs buts or whys. Just get the hell out before I put you down.”

  Darien raised his hands in a placating gesture. “You sure you want to do this?” His face betrayed no emotion whatsoever.

  The hands holding the gun began to shake although Cat’s lips tightened. “Yeah. I want you out of here.”

  They circled each other as Darien backed toward the door, his hands still raised. He knew he could get the weapon out of her hands before she’d even have time to blink. But that would do little to strengthen the tenuous trust he thought they’d built up this evening. So he backed away, down the short passage and into the lounge, Cat following at a distance, the gun still trained on him.

  “We’re going to have to discuss this thing you have for guns sooner or later,” he muttered as he turned toward the door. The gesture was futile; he didn’t need to leave through the front door and he considered using glamour to fool Cat into thinking he had left.

  From what he’d observed of her and despite her odd nightly activities, she was an honest, caring woman. The thought of tricking her now twisted at Darien’s guts. He’d already lied enough for one evening.

  But he also had to impress upon her the fact that she truly was in danger and that everything he’d told her about Jacen and himself was true. So he reached out for the doorknob, dematerializing before her eyes.

  Cat squeaked, her finger tightening imperceptibly on the trigger of the handgun despite no longer having anything to shoot at. She lowered the gun quickly, realizing she could have just blasted a hole through the front door. Her heart hit staccato pace in her chest and she stared numbly at the spot where Darien had stood just an instant before. Taking three hesitant steps forward she waved the gun in the space where he’d stood, almost expecting to find her movements blocked by something unseen. But her hand moved freely…he really had vanished.

  “Well fuck me sideways.”

  Her legs trembled as she back-peddled toward the couch, falling to the cushions with a soft thud, her eyes wide and her jaw slack.

  The man had disappeared right before her eyes. No, check that. The vampire had disappeared. It was all too much to consider in one go and the gun slid from numb fingers and dropped the couple of inches to the rug.

  Jacen was a vampire out to kill her or, heaven help her, do something even worse. Darien was a vampire intent on saving her and she was stuck in the middle with the scary realization that vampires were real and she’d probably done something to piss one of them off pretty badly.

  She was up shit creek and she had a feeling that paddles weren’t going to help her jack on this one.

  Darien stood in the hallway outside Cat’s apartment, his back pressed up against the wall alongside her door. There was no need for her to look through the peephole and realize he’d gone no further than the other side of the door. His breathing was ragged and he pulled one hand through his hair, frustration lining his face.

  The woman had pulled a bloody gun on him! He’d been in her apartment a few times over the past weeks, always while she was at work, and he’d had no idea she kept a gun in her home. He was getting sloppy, he realized. He’d been trained better than this; had decad
es of experience in casing out the homes of his targets.

  But Cat wasn’t a target. Was she? He knew he’d allowed himself to become too emotionally involved in this assignment but after what he’d been told about her…

  Pushing the thought aside he leaned his head back against the wall. She might not want him in her apartment but that didn’t mean he couldn’t keep an eye on her from a safe distance.

  Jacen was no fool and Darien was expecting him to make another attempt to grab Cat before the night was over. So he wasn’t about to back off either. He’d be staying as close to her as possible. At least her door was still locked and bolted, although that would offer no protection whatsoever from his kind. If they wanted in then that’s what would happen.

  Sliding down the wall, he settled himself on the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest. There were still a few hours left till sunrise and he might as well make himself as comfortable as possible.

  ***

  Cat’s eyelids fluttered open and she stared at the dark curtains for the umpteenth time since going to bed. A glance at her alarm clock’s digital display told her she’d managed to doze off for thirteen minutes this time and now she was awake again. Her hopes of waking up and discovering that the events at the club had been nothing more than a bad dream were shattered. Everything had been more than real, playing over and over in her mind like a bad movie and bringing her back to wakefulness several times already.

  With a sigh she rolled over onto her back, her thigh bumping up against an obstruction on the other side of the bed, something that caused the mattress to dip as it moved.

  “Hello Catherine.”

  The words reached her ears just as her eyes, now accustomed to the darkness, made out the hulking shape that was seated on the edge of the bed beside her. Her lungs swelled on a scream as she heard the creak of leather and caught the lustrous shine of long black hair.

  “Ah ah ah.” One long tapered finger waggled in front of her face as her lips parted, Jacen’s hand covering her mouth before the scream could come to life.

  “I do hope you’re going to behave.” His voice was soft, but the air of menace was almost palpable.