Chapter Two
Simon watched Madison shift the gears of her ‘Vette, the muscle in her thigh tightening with every push of the clutch. He shifted in his seat, fighting the urge to sink his fangs into her flesh.
Her intoxicating scent drifted over to him, magnifying his need to taste her. Damn but she smelled good; like adrenaline and woman.
His shaft became erect, beginning to throb behind the zipper of his jeans.
Annoyed with his body’s reaction to the woman who’d almost killed him two years ago, Simon said the first thing that came to mind. “You stink of Patsy’s blood.”
Her gaze remained on the road. “Hello, pot.”
Simon feigned indifference to the age-old “pot calling the kettle black” reference. He glanced at her profile, fascinated by the fact that someone as tough as Madison could have the most delicate features. “Where is your family?”
Obviously caught off guard by his question, she briefly met his gaze. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t. I’m simply making conversation.”
Madison sighed. “My parents are divorced. Mom is in Arkansas, and Dad lives in Alabama.”
Simon’s eyebrows shot up. “Alabama and Arkansas? You mean, where the corn grows tall, and dueling banjos drown out the sounds of the whippoorwill?”
“Like you have room to talk?” Madison downshifted the ‘Vette, slowing to a stop at the next light. “You’re all slung up in the south, sucking the local rednecks dry.”
Simon inwardly laughed. He turned to gaze out the shattered window hoping the cold wind would dilute Madison’s incredible scent.
“What about you?”
Madison’s question brought his head back around. “What about me?”
“Where are your people?”
“I have no family.”
“You must have had relatives at some point in your life.”
It had been so long since his family had been dead, Simon could no longer recall their faces. “They died centuries ago.”
Madison remained quiet for several heartbeats before responding. “So, you’re completely alone.” It wasn’t a question and he knew it.
Simon turned back to the broken window, his gaze touching on the surrounding landscape. “I’ve been alone for a very long time, and as long as Svetlana walks the earth, I’ll remain that way.”
“Why don’t you just have her killed?”
He shifted his gaze back to Madison’s profile, sarcasm fairly dripping from his tongue. “I can’t believe I’ve never thought of that.”
“She can’t be that hard to destroy,” Madison shot back, obviously ignoring his sarcastic tone. “I mean, I realize she’s a very old and powerful vampire, but beneath all that rotted skin and razor-sharp fangs, she’s still just a woman.”
Simon’s humor returned. “You have a very low opinion of vampires, dear Maddie.”
“Not all vampires.”
Knowing to whom she referred, Simon muttered. “So Roman and Lydia get a free pass while the rest of us are rotted corpses.”
“You forgot Niko and Alex. They get free passes also.”
For some reason, it bothered Simon that Madison spoke highly of Niko and Alex while lumping him in the rotted corpse pile with Svetlana.
They arrived at the gate to the compound a few moments later. Simon quickly got out, swiped a card through the key slot on the gate, and glanced up at the camera. He knew Sawyer would be watching him.
The gate slid aside.
Madison drove through and parked in her usual spot. She climbed out, holding a medium-sized gift box in her arms.
The two of them entered the fortress together.
“Aunt Madison!” Jacie squealed, rushing toward them. “Is that for me?”
Madison smiled. “It sure is. But you have to wait until everyone is here before you can open it. Your party doesn’t start for another hour.”
Jacie’s face paled. “You’re hurt!”
Madison glanced down at her bloodstained blouse. “I’m fine, sweetheart. The blood isn’t mine.”
Simon dropped to his haunches and held out his arms, hoping to divert Jacie’s attention. “I think you’re going to like what I brought you.”
Jacie stepped into his waiting arms. “I can’t wait to open it. Can’t we have my party now?”
It didn’t matter to Simon that Jacie was now a shifter. He cared only about her happiness. Strange that he could love a little person as much as he loved Lydia’s daughter.
He leaned back to look into her different colored eyes. One sky-blue and one brown. The brown eye had appeared after Max turned her into a shifter two years ago. “I don’t think your mom would appreciate us changing the time of the party. Perhaps we should wait a little bit so we can all be together.”
“Is Max going to be here?”
Simon could hear the hopefulness in the little girl’s voice. He glanced up at Madison, noticing a certain sadness in her eyes.
“I don’t think Max is going to make it this year,” Simon answered Jacie, while keeping his attention on Madison. “He has many important jobs to do. But I’m sure he would be here if he could.”
Madison cleared her throat and held out her hand to Jacie. “Let’s go find your mom and see what the holdup is.”
Jacie leaned forward, kissed Simon on the cheek, and took hold of Madison’s hand.
Simon stayed rooted to that spot long after Madison and Jacie disappeared down the long hallway.
He slowly rose to his feet, shaking off the feeling that had settled in his chest from Jacie’s words. It angered him that Max didn’t visit the little girl. Especially since she was obviously star struck over the damn shifter.
He ran a hand down his face, noticing that Madison’s scent clung to his skin. From simply being in her car, he thought with an inward growl. Dammit.