by Nina Bangs
The vampire looked outraged. “See, I knew there was a reason why my allergies were acting up.” Then he seemed to think about how that sounded. “Sure, we’re not supposed to have allergies, but that’s a crock. Good thing I brought my nasal spray.”
Okay, so nutty humans made nutty vamps. “Problem is, when these spores touch a vampire’s cock . . .” Conall shrugged and tried to look regretful. “They dig in and start growing.”
“Dig in? Start growing?” The guy’s eyes widened. “I brought antibacterial spray. Will that help?”
Good grief. “Don’t think so. They’re spray resistant. The crappy part is they live off your cock until one day you look down and its gone. The last vamp that stayed here has two inches left, and it’s shrinking fast.”
“Two inches?” His voice was a horrified squeak.
Conall paused for effect. “And it doesn’t grow back.” Then he softened it with an encouraging smile. “It’s not all bad, though. The spores have little pink flowers. Pretty. The castle takes complete responsibility, of course.”
The vamp slapped a protective hand over the area in question.
Conall hoped to God the guy didn’t have a spray to make cocks grow back. He put on his really concerned expression. “You just checked in tonight, so unless you ran around naked, you’re probably okay. I’ll move you to another room so we can kill any spores still in there.”
Conall leaned against the doorjamb as the vamp rushed back into his room and started throwing clothes into his suitcase. Within minutes he was out in the hallway again.
Conall didn’t have to bother settling the guy into a new room, though, because once in the hallway, the vamp kept on going. He raced up the stairs, and before Conall could even remind him to check out, he was gone. Oh well. Maybe he wouldn’t mention this to Holgarth. Conall transferred what he needed from his old space. Then he tried to relax with his football game.
A short time later he gave up on the game. He couldn’t keep his thoughts from the damn Kavanagh next door—without her jeans, without her top, with only that luscious bare body pressing against his . . . He let his head fall back against the couch and closed his eyes. Hell.
How do I hunger? Let me count the ways. What do you know, her poetry class in college hadn’t been wasted. Gerry spent two hours just sitting on her bed trying to come to terms with Conall O’Rourke. What would she do with him?
Fine, so she knew what she’d like to do with him. She wanted that muscular chest bared so she could skim her fingers across his nipples, slide her palm over smooth warm male flesh, and slip her hand beneath the edge of his pants to discover . . . Uh-uh, couldn’t and wouldn’t go there.
Better to concentrate on the other hunger. She’d perfected the sip-and-run technique. She’d sidle up to her pick on the menu—always a great-looking guy; if you were going to dine, dine well—lean into his neck, and bite.
Gerry didn’t recall too much about the vampire who’d made her, but thank heavens she’d evidently inherited his ability to wipe away a human’s memory of any neck nips just by the act of biting. It must be a chemical in her saliva or something. A big, fat yuck, but it came in handy. Besides, it was sort of cool to have a forget-me power.
And because she still had the whole human conscience thing going on, she only fed a little from each person. Ergo, she had to hit an appetizer, entrée, and dessert before she was satisfied. At least she didn’t have to feed every night anymore. Twice a week kept her happy. Maybe as she grew older, she could stretch it to once a week. A vampire could hope.
Sighing, she gave in to her need and headed for the door. Too bad she had to stay near Jinx. That meant she’d have to feed from several someones in Live the Fantasy. She was lucky the park stayed open all night. There would still be people around.
Once in the hallway, she hurried toward the stairs and light. Sure, with her enhanced senses she could see a lot better than when she’d been human, but dark was still dark. As a child, she’d pulled the covers over her head to escape the ghosts, goblins, and ghouls who came out to play at night. She’d chosen to believe the monsters couldn’t yank off the blankets to get to her. Now, even as a bona fide night-scary herself, she feared the darkness. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Gerry was so intent on reaching the stairs she almost didn’t hear the footsteps behind her. She whirled just in time to see Conall grab Jinx by his shirt and lift him into the air, where he dangled helplessly. Jinx still gripped the lamp base he’d hoped to use to bash in her head.
Conall ignored Jinx’s useless flailing as he stared at Gerry. “This is why you need me. I can’t believe you let him sneak up on you. Any experienced vampire would . . .” He narrowed his eyes as a thought struck him. “When were you made?”
She hated telling him. “Two years ago.” Now he’d use the information as a weapon.
Conall didn’t disappoint. “Two freaking years?” He laughed derisively. “You’ll be lucky if you survive another year.”
He paused. Gerry read the open conflict in his eyes. Her survival wasn’t a desired goal of the Conall who wanted the curse to end. But he was also committed to protecting her Kavanagh behind. Her sudden deep sadness surprised Gerry. It wasn’t fun knowing someone wanted you dead.
The moment ended as he continued to point out her stupidity. “The problem with young vamps is they feel invulnerable. They don’t realize that once they turn, every crazy in the universe will be out to get them. And taking a head isn’t too tough for a dedicated wacko. Wake up and smell the danger, lady.”
She tried to ignore her voice of reason that thought he had a good point. “Give me a break, O’Rourke. Jinx wasn’t going to kill me with a lamp. He just would’ve made me mad.” She turned her anger on the unfortunate shifter. “That was really stupid, Jinx. What was the purpose?”
Conall finally set the shape-shifter down, but kept hold of his shirt. The glance Jinx threw Conall said he thought this guy was one scary dude.
Then Jinx glared at Gerry. She evidently wasn’t about to share scary status with Conall anytime soon. “I wanted to knock you out so I could search you for the remote, or whatever thing controls this damned chip in me.”
Gerry sighed. This was going to be a long few days. “You would’ve knocked me out for nothing. The key is up here.” She tapped her head. “The ‘remote’ is my brain. Each chip is calibrated to be in sync with the brain waves of the officer using it. I’d have to think you free. Not going to happen until we get to Hobby Airport.”
“What’s at Hobby Airport?” Conall released Jinx and then stared him back into his room. He waited until Jinx slammed his door shut before turning back to Gerry.
“A plane to take us to the middle of nowhere in west Texas where the prison for paranormal entities is.” Damn Jinx for giving Conall the ammunition he needed to proclaim her the witless wonder of the vampire world. Now he could justify tagging along with her for the rest of the night. “It’s below ground, so no one is likely to spot it.”
Conall looked dutifully impressed. “I’ve never heard of a prison for nonhumans.”
She couldn’t help her twinge of pride. “It’s the first of its kind. Out-of-control beings give all of us a bad name.”
“Sure.” His gaze sharpened. “Where’re you headed?”
“To feed.” Would that gross him out? Would he leave her alone?
He nodded. “I’ll go with you. Make sure you pick a woman. A man could hurt you.”
Okay, this wasn’t going to work. “Look, I’ll say this really slow. I. Am. A. Vampire. Men can’t hurt me unless they have big swords with them. And I feed alone. Go away.”
“No.” He set his sensual mouth in a grim make-me line. “And I have the big sword to keep you safe.”
I bet you do.
To prove his point, he drew a sword from a back scabbard she hadn’t noticed in the dark.
“That’s it. I’m not doing dinner while some guy trails me with a blasted sword.” Gerry didn’t have any fancy vampir
e skills, just the basics: enhanced senses, increased physical strength, and preternatural speed. She used the speed now.
Within the blink of an eye, she was outside the castle and headed toward the nearest Live the Fantasy attraction, a pirate ship. Once on the ship, she relaxed a little. Conall couldn’t reach her until the ship returned to shore. The man-made lake it floated on was perfect for losing pesky immortal warriors. She looked around for an appetizer. Thank heaven the ship wasn’t crowded, so she’d have some privacy.
A man stood at the bow of the ship watching her. When she met his gaze, he grinned. For just a moment, something about his face reminded her of pictures she’d seen of her uncle Ray, who’d died before she was born. Then the moment was gone. This guy really didn’t look that much like her uncle. They both had red hair, that’s all.
Gerry studied the menu. Nice face, athletic body, food. She returned his smile and walked toward him. Perfect. He was the only one there, and the bow was in shadows.
When she reached his side, she leaned against the railing to gaze across the water.
“Beautiful night to be on a ship.” He sounded friendly.
She turned to look at him. “Yes. All kinds of fantasies are possible on a night like this.” Gerry leaned toward him.
He smiled again, revealing straight white teeth. “I’m Dell.”
“Gerry.” It didn’t matter if she told him her name, because he wouldn’t remember her.
He had short red hair and eyes that were so pale they almost looked colorless. An unfortunate combination. But he had a great smile, and all blood tasted the same in the dark.
“So are you just here for the night, or are you staying at the castle?” He edged closer to her.
Mmm. She imagined the hypnotic rhythm of his heart pumping all that wonderful blood through his veins. “I’m staying at the castle for a few days.”
“Look at me, Gerry.” Something in his voice had changed, become more intense.
“Hmm?” She leaned close, picking out the exact spot on his neck where she’d place her mouth.
He shifted a little away from her, and she raised her gaze to his eyes. Without warning, she felt dizzy. What the . . . ? She groped for something to hold on to, and Dell put his arms around her.
He was saying something, but she didn’t pay attention because it felt like all the atoms in her body were drifting apart. Any second now her body would be gone. She’d just be a fading memory in the Texas night.
As quickly as the sensation began, it ended. She straightened away from him, and he let her go. His gaze was fixed over her shoulder. She turned to see what he was watching.
Well, hell. Conall stood waiting on the dock. He speared her with a stare that should’ve left a smoking hole in the middle of her forehead. Beside him stood a woman, beautiful with long blond hair. The woman waved at her when she saw Gerry staring. And for just a nanosecond, something that felt suspiciously like jealousy stabbed her. Of course, it wasn’t. Beautiful-and-blond was welcome to him.
The ship was moving toward the dock. They hadn’t been out very long, but from the look on Conall’s face she’d bet he’d ordered the ship back to shore. She hadn’t had a chance to get a drop to drink.
She turned toward Dell. “Thanks for catching me. I . . .” He was gone. Gerry frowned and glanced around. He must’ve joined the crowd waiting to get off the ship. Huh, so much for her vampire allures. Guess she didn’t have any. But there was no more time to think about Dell as the ship reached the dock. She took a deep, fortifying breath. Even though breathing wasn’t a necessity now, she’d never lost the reflex action.
Conall didn’t give her a chance to open her mouth before going on the offensive. “Look, I have a job to do, and you’re making it tough, lady.”
He raked his fingers through his hair, and for a moment she allowed herself to imagine how those silky strands would feel sliding over her breasts. She blinked away the thought. Better not to imagine any part of him touching any part of her.
“You interrupted dinner, O’Rourke. Now get out of my way.” She attempted to push past him, using her strength to enforce her demand.
He didn’t budge. “Your vampire strength won’t work on me.”
She looked up at him with wide, startled eyes. “Why not? I thought you were immortal, nothing else.”
Nothing else? The rage of 800 freaking years blotted out all his good intentions to stay calm. He leaned close, letting her see all he was and all he’d been. “Wrong. I’m so much more. I’ve crawled through the mud and filth of ancient battlefields. I’ve slain brave men at the command of your ancestors. And in recent years I’ve longed for those battlefields just to feel alive again. Hate for the Kavanaghs and Morrigan have fueled every minute of those eight hundred years.”
“Oh.” For just a moment, he thought he saw regret in her eyes.
Too bad. Regret wouldn’t bring back all those lost years. “Yes.” The word was a harsh expletive on his tongue.
She backed up a step, her eyes still wide. “Fine, so I’ll walk around you. I mean, it’s no big deal. Have you considered counseling or maybe some help with anger management?”
He growled low in his throat. Downshift and stay in control, O’Rourke. After all these years, he couldn’t let a Kavanagh with big green eyes, a smart mouth, and too much attitude make him lose it. “Morrigan gave me the strength to save Kavanagh butts.” He crowded her, invading her space, and if he just moved a little closer he could feel the texture of those sexy lips. Then he’d cup that tempting behind in his hands and pull her close. For the first time in eight centuries he’d find joy in a Kavanagh ass. “Morrigan also gave me the skill to track a Kavanagh she-vamp who won’t let me do my damn job.”
A pointed cough behind him reminded Conall he wasn’t alone. Exhaling deeply, he tried to draw the tatters of his lost temper around him. Then he glanced at Donna. She was Eric’s wife and light to Conall’s darkness. Maybe she could talk some sense into Gerry.
Donna stepped to his side and smiled at Gerry. “Now that all the roaring is done, we can talk. I’m Donna Mackenzie, Eric’s wife.” Her long blond hair lifted in the light breeze blowing off the gulf, and her brown eyes were soft with understanding.
Conall backed away from Gerry, leaving Donna to do her thing.
Gerry nodded as she cast Conall a wary glance. “You need to learn some coping skills, O’Rourke, because if you get bent out of shape every time I make an independent move, you won’t last eight minutes let alone eight centuries.”
Donna’s laughter seemed to be Gerry’s signal to relax. She offered Donna a tentative smile. “I’d like to talk, but it’ll have to be later. I’m starving, and I didn’t get a chance to feed on the ship because we came back to the dock too soon.”
Left unsaid was that it was all his fault. He frowned. “Feed? I saw you from the moment the ship left the dock, and all you did was stand by yourself at the bow.”
Gerry looked puzzled. “No, you couldn’t have seen me, because I was talking to a guy named Dell.” Her voice trailed off as she studied his face. “You really didn’t see him?” She glanced at Donna.
Donna shrugged. “Didn’t see anyone.” She cast him a pointed glance. “Look, why don’t you stay here while Gerry and I hunt up dinner.” Then she focused on Gerry. “I’ve only been vampire for a short while, but I’ve learned from the best. You’ll meet Eric soon.”
Gerry looked startled. “You’re vampire?”
Conall tensed. Oh, shit. “Don’t tell me you can’t sense other vampires?”
“I can’t sense any entities.” She shrugged. “So what? Hey, I still do my job. My boss gives me a description or picture of the bad guy, and I go get him. I found Jinx, didn’t I?” Her expression dared him to deny her success with the thief.
“Don’t mean to rain on your parade.” Sure he did. “But it would be hard to miss a snake slithering across the floor with a ring around its body.”
Donna looked confused. “Okay, I k
now this probably makes some kind of sense, so why don’t you explain everything to me while we hunt?” She urged Gerry toward some benches set in the shadows where a few people sat by themselves. The look she threw at Conall when Gerry wasn’t looking said, “Sit. Stay.”
Stubbornness warred with common sense. For once common sense won. Conall took off his sword before easing himself onto the nearest bench. Hell, old Mick Kavanagh was looking damn good right now.
“Oh goody, I found you alone.” Sparkle Stardust’s voice was low and husky, a sexual purr honed to perfection over thousands of years. But Conall knew the sensual persona was a useful front few saw past. He’d seen what she could do, and he’d never underestimate her. She skimmed her fingers across the back of his neck, and he tensed at the tingle of power she left behind.
Sparkle sat down next to him, and he watched all the guys within staring distance fix their gazes on the glide of her short black skirt up her bare thighs as she crossed her legs. She leaned toward him, and every man’s attention snapped to the front of her black top as it gaped open. Way open.
She slid her gaze to the staring men and then offered Conall a sly lift of her lips. “Men have such simple needs. What about you, Conall? What do you need?”
Sparkle was working the room right now, but he wasn’t in the mood to amuse her. “I need to be left alone. Why don’t you get your kicks by playing to your audience? Cross your legs again. Pick up that penny from the ground.”
“Mmm. Are we grouchy tonight? An angry male animal has a sexy primitive aura that excites me.” She watched him from those strange amber eyes.
“All men excite you, Sparkle.” She wasn’t going to leave him alone.
She smiled. “That’s what Mede always says.” Her smile faded. “I miss him.”
I miss him, too. Ganymede was a cosmic troublemaker of such immense power that Conall didn’t doubt he could destroy the planet or help the Texans win the Super Bowl if he so chose. He was also the “twisted being” who’d made Brynn’s life a misery for so many centuries. Ganymede had sort of redeemed himself with that one, but Conall didn’t trust him. Ganymede lusted after the dark side too much.
