CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Paul Henry rolled neatly from the mattress to the floor and then to his feet. Muscles rippled beneath his skin, drawing her appreciative gaze. He really had gorgeous skin tone, even where it hadn’t been tanned...and that didn’t seem like a very large area. The man obviously wore extremely small swimwear. He probably drew more than one glance when he wore it.
Eska sat, pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms about them. Craning her neck, she looked up, and sighed appreciatively.
Paul Henry twisted to look over his shoulder, displaying even more perfectly-formed male physique. He saw her expression. Looked like he correctly interpreted it because he glanced quickly away, and...
Was that a blush?
His cheeks and chin weren’t the only things darkening. The color leached down his neck, too.
“Eska.”
He was probably trying to sound authoritative again. That was entertaining. The amusement sounded in her voice. “Yes?”
“What are you doing?”
“Admiring the view.”
“Well. Cease.”
“I’m not certain...I can.”
He put his hands on his hips. Turned to face her. Oh, my! That was an even better angle. She raked her gaze down to his ankles. Back up. Shivered in pleasure. Watched as goose flesh rippled along his skin, as well. All these years, she’d been searching for a human version of a King Salmon. As far as she was concerned, she’d found the king of Kings. Superlative. Strong. Arrogant. Looked like she’d managed to hook him, too, but he was fighting hard. Reeling him in presented quite the challenge.
“Eska. Enough.”
He quickly dropped a hand to cover his groin area. The striations in his abs and lower belly were pulled taut, however, giving him away. Eska fought the smile. He might sound contrary, but his body wasn’t following the agenda. And he wouldn’t be able to hide it for long.
“Enough...what?” she asked innocently.
“I don’t know what time it is, but it’s got to be closing in on morning.”
“Probably. It’s nearing noon.”
“What?!”
“Noon. You know...twelve o’clock.”
“How is that possible? And why aren’t you resting?”
“Because we are underground…and the sun has yet to rise.”
“What the—? Oh. Dumbass.” He looked upward, smacked his forehead with his free hand. Used the gesture to hold hair off his face as he looked back down at her. “We’re in the far north, aren’t we?”
“Perhaps.”
“Near what? Barrow, Alaska? Nome?”
“Not exactly. A bit farther west.”
“There is nothing west except...? Oh, bugger me. We’re in Russia, aren’t we?”
She shrugged.
“This is clearly a cheat.”
“How so?”
“You can’t keep changing the conditions of the bargain when it’s already been negotiated. That’s patently unfair.”
“Says who?” Eska countered.
“Everybody!”
“I don’t see the trouble,” Eska teased.
“We bargained for a span of one night. Nobody said a thing about it being a three month night!”
“Nobody asked, either.”
“Oh. Trust a vampire to bend the rules at whim.”
“You will try anything to start an argument, won’t you? And, you’re wrong. It’s not winter yet. The sun will come up. Eventually.”
He opened his mouth. Shut it. Lowered his chin to glare at her. It didn’t do what he expected. Eska’s eyes half-closed in remembered pleasure. She reopened them to his frown. And then he turned from her, looked about. Walked toward the bed frame. She twisted to follow his progress.
“Where are my briefs?”
“Probably shredded,” she answered.
“Fine. I’ll just take this.”
He bent, snatched up her orange dress, broke the zipper as he ripped it open, and then draped it about his hips. He wasn’t being gentle. His motions put a lot of muscles on display throughout his frame. She couldn’t resist another sigh of pure pleasure. And nearly giggled at his resultant flush.
“Do you have a weapon handy?”
“I don’t think orange is your color,” she remarked, “...but I do like a man in a kilt.”
“A knife, Eska? Something? Anything?”
“Why?”
“I am about to gird a vampire den. I don’t know the extent of the complex. Or how many adversaries I may face. A weapon would be beneficial.”
“I don’t have one here,” she told him. It wasn’t true. Her ulu knives were in her suitcase. Within easy range.
“Great. Just...great.”
He walked toward the door. Eska sat up straighter.
“Good bye, Eska. And farewell. I will not see you again.”
“You can’t leave me, Paul Henry! You can’t!” Eska’s voice rose. She shoved to the mattress edge.
“Our bargain is over.”
Her heart was giving her trouble. It sent spurts of pain with each beat. He had to feel it, too. But he didn’t exhibit anything.
“I am leaving now,” he told her.
“You can’t.”
“I have to. You don’t understand.”
“No. You don’t understand! Mating is rare. Incredibly special! And undeniable! You cannot ignore it!”
He shoved the bolt up. Turned the handle.
“Don’t you feel...anything...for me?” she asked in a small voice she instantly regretted.
His back muscles clenched. He turned around. He had his upper lip lifted. Fangs sprouting.
“I am not staying, Eska. I can’t. It’s not open for negotiation or consideration.”
“Give me one reason why not?”
Eska was on her feet. Approaching. Watched his jaw clench. His fangs bit into his chin, once again. This time the blood didn’t take long to well. A trickle started to meander over his jaw, down his throat.
“That wasn’t part of our bargain.”
“So?”
“You can’t continually alter a contract.”
“Then you can’t leave. It’s still night out there.”
He sighed heavily. “I can’t stay, Eska. All right? It’s not you. It never was. It’s me.”
She’d reached him. Looked up. Locked gazes with him. Felt everything inside her start melting. “What about you?”
“It’s who I am. I’m not a Hunter. I didn’t lie. I haven’t been indoctrinated yet. But I am...the man who will sign their paychecks.” He said the words through clenched teeth.
“What?”
“I’m Paul Henry Beethan! Now, do you understand?”
She gasped theatrically. And then she lifted a finger to the center of his chest and let it hover a few inches from his skin. She let her breath out, cocked her head, and smiled. “I’ve known who you are since you told me your full name.”
“You have?”
She nodded. “But I also knew it didn’t matter. It doesn’t matter who you are. Or what you’ve done. Nothing matters...except this!”
She lunged at him, wrapped her arms about his shoulders so tightly, it lifted her off the floor. Felt tingles throughout her body. She caught her breath. So did he. Their hearts hammered in unison, as well. But then his hands unlatched her. He forcibly placed her on the floor. Let her go. And stepped back. His face looked carved from stone, but his eyes were the hardest to observe. They weren’t just lifeless. They were a light blue shade, and they looked frosted over.
Cold.
Deadly.
“This is good-bye, Eska. Don’t let me see you again. Ever.”
“Paul Henry!”
“I may be forced to exterminate you.”
He slid out the door and pulled it shut. Eska regarded it for long moments without seeing anything. And then it opened. Paul Henry rushed back in. Joy hit her eyes. Nose. The top of her head. She nearly burst into tears.
“You...came back,” she stammered.
“Only because somebody. Finally. Is thinking straight here.”
“What?”
He held out a bundle of black leather. A long sword. A crumpled piece of parchment. He placed the blade along the wall, and unfurled trousers. A belt dropped with a thud.
“Where did you get these?”
“On the floor outside.” He put the parchment between his lips and shoved a leg into his pants. Pulled them up with vicious gestures. Retrieved his parchment. There were two holes in it from his fangs. He handed her the note. “I’m guessing you recognize the writing?”
There was one sentence:
‘The hangar is on the second floor.’
And it was signed by ‘A’.
Eska’s breath stopped. Her mouth dropped open. Paul Henry was already dressed, slipping the belt through the loops. He grabbed up the sword.
“Wait! Paul Henry!”
This time, the door shut with a bang. He didn’t even stop.
Eska sagged to the floor, clutching the parchment. She’d never felt so betrayed. Her belly had taken a blow. Her eyes burned. Her throat closed off. She was wounded, blood seeping from every pore. And yet, the only thing that showed was an unpleasant series of goose bumps roving over her bare skin.
Over.
And over.
And that’s when a cell phone rang.