Chapter Nine
The phone rang and rang, but Espe didn’t pick up on the other end. Lana frowned. Weren’t all teenagers supposed to be addicted to their iPhones or whatever the cell phone du jour was? Maybe they’d forgotten how to actually talk on a phone. She hung up and typed out a text message instead, asking her mentee if she’d filed a report to the Foundation when she got home.
The sink turned off in the bathroom, and the song Byron had been crooning became clearer without the interference of the running water. The rich tenor of his voice almost melted the ice walls she’d managed to put back into place around her heart after he’d ducked in there to shave. Damn, the man could sing. Images of him serenading her in bed flashed through her mind.
She shook off the creeping desire. She needed to think clearly now, not hop back into bed with him. As it was, she already needed to make a side trip to Walgreens later today to pick up some emergency contraception. Her rational self was still lecturing her on her recklessness in the shower, but it had felt so good to be fucked like that. She’d never pictured herself to be the kind who liked it rough. Next thing she knew, she’d be asking him to chain her to the wall, blindfold her and incorporate a whip into their foreplay. She shivered in delight at the thought of it.
Then her stomach sank. No, there wouldn’t be a next time. The Foundation frowned on relationships, and she could easily become addicted to Byron if she continued to indulge in his lovemaking. She’d have to be happy with last night and this morning. She’d have to tell him to leave her alone, to stop following her, to not tempt her…
He stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around his lean hips, and pure lust grabbed a hold of her mind. While the space between her legs grew wet, her mouth went dry. Her pulse pounded through her veins. Dear God, this must be how a heroin addict feels when they start to go through withdrawal.
The corner of his mouth rose in a cocky half smile as if he knew exactly where her thoughts were headed. “Are you sure you have to leave?”
She licked her lips and forced herself to look away from him. Outside, the low afternoon sun glittered orange off the hundreds of windows on the Strip. “Yeah, I need to get home, change and get back to work. Besides, Espe’s not answering her phone and I’m a bit worried about her.”
“Why?”
Material rustled behind her, and she stole a quick peek at his chiseled ass before he pulled up his jeans. She bit her bottom lip to keep from whistling in appreciation. “Um, she’s kinda new to the area.”
“So she hasn’t been your roommate long?”
“Nope. She’s been in Vegas for literally two days.”
“Family?”
Lana laughed and played with the dirty dishes leftover from the lunch they’d ordered through room service an hour ago. “Not exactly. She works for the same employer I do, and she was sent here to learn a few things from me before she goes solo.”
“Ah, she’s the Padawan and you’re the Jedi.”
“Something like that.” Just please don’t let her go over to the dark side. She’s already enough trouble as it is.
His arms wrapped around her waist, and his breath tickled the nape of her neck. “I suppose we should go, then, before it gets dark.”
If she’d been the swooning-type, she would’ve melted right there in his arms.
Luckily, she wasn’t. She forced the no-nonsense huntress up to the surface. “Exactly.”
His arms tensed like the one word hit him with the force of a punch. She fought the urge to reassure him. In order to leave him, she had to be tough. Cold. Lonely for the rest of her life.
Resentment boiled up inside her. This wasn’t fucking fair! Maybe if she could train Espe to take her place, she could retire and live a normal life.
Aw, who the hell am I kidding? The vampires here know my face. Retired or not, they’d still hunt me.
He released her. “Then let’s go. I’ll give you a ride home.”
“That’s unnecessary.”
“Can you at least let me play the gentleman for once?”
She remembered the feral glow in his hazel eyes as he came inside the shower. Nothing gentlemanly there. Just pure primal lust, followed by something she couldn’t name. It had felt warm, bright, so inviting that she’d given in to it. Could that be what falling in love felt like?
Her knees threatened to give out from under her now in the same way they had earlier. “Maybe I like bad boys,” she said as he steadied her.
He chuckled and kissed her temple. “You definitely have me playing both parts. When we’re in the bedroom, I want to fuck you like an animal, but everywhere else, I want to treat you like a princess.”
Can he make this any harder than it already is? Her eyes stung, and she wrenched away from him before the tears spilled over. “Please, I need to get home.”
His sigh made her heart ache. Yep, somewhere during the last twenty-four hours, she’d crossed the line and fallen hook, line and sinker for him.
“All right, let’s go.”
The ride downstairs just added to the tension between them. They stood apart, not daring to utter one word.
Lana used the silence to rehearse her carefully planned speech. Last night was great, but I can’t get involved. It’s too dangerous for you. I’d hate to see you get hurt, yadda, yadda, yadda.
All flimsy excuses.
He waited until they were in his Jeep before he asked, “What’s bothering you?”
Bile rose into her throat. Was it time for the brush-off already? “Last night was probably the best night I’ve ever had.”
“But?” He packed so much anger and tension into that one syllable, she winced.
“But we can’t continue to do this. My job forbids me to get involved with people like you, and—”
“People like me, huh?” He swerved the car to the right. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” “
Byron, you’re a civilian. You’re an easy target if those bloodsuckers want to get to me.” She closed her eyes and gripped the “Oh, shit” handle for dear life. Her voice shook as she added, “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
His snort punctuated another sharp turn. “So that’s what you think of me? That I’m some helpless civilian?”
“Yes.” Her stomach lurched. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride seemed like a jaunt through the country compared to Byron’s driving. As soon as he skidded to a stop in front of her building, she jumped out of the car, grateful to feel solid ground under her feet again. Her platform heels clunked against the pavement as she dashed for the front doors.
“Then you have no idea what I am?” he asked, hot on her heels.
“Well, you’re certainly not Superman.” She hit the elevator button for her floor, but he slipped through the doors before they closed. Why the hell was he following her? Had she just slept with some psycho?
“Thank God. I don’t do tights.” He offered her a half smile at his attempt at a joke. When she didn’t laugh, he ran his fingers through his hair and paced the small elevator car. “But, seriously, I’m not as helpless as you think.”
The doors opened on her floor and she bolted out. Why was he being so stubborn? Did she have to spell it out for him? She jerked to a stop in front of her door. “Stop this, Byron. I can’t get involved with you.”
Anguish flashed across his face, followed by fear. “Lana, please, don’t push me away. You have no idea what that could do to me.”
His pain washed over her, and a sob choked her throat. Her will wavered between drafting her letter of resignation to the Foundation and kicking him in the nuts to convince him to leave her alone.
She fumbled with her keys to unlock her door.
He grabbed her wrist before she could insert it into the deadbolt. “Please, just give me a chance. Hear me out.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered and twisted her hand free.
When her key touched the deadbolt, her door creaked open. An icy chill filled her veins and froze her feet to the ground.
Something was very wrong.
Byron took a deep breath and wrinkled his nose as if he’d just smelled the contents of a dumpster. “Vampires,” he muttered and pushed her behind him. He reached into his blazer for his gun.
Her heart slammed against her chest. What were bloodsuckers doing out in daylight? She grabbed her stake from her purse and followed him into her condo.
They’d trashed the place. Furniture overturned, papers scattered, the whole nine yards.
Those vampires were going to pay for this mess when she caught them. She pushed her anger aside so she could tune into her sixth sense. No tingling on the back of her neck. Nothing abnormal. No sign of any vampires here now, although it was obvious they’d been in here earlier.
A bitter taste filled her mouth as she surveyed the damage. Not another trap.
Byron appeared from her bedroom and tucked his gun back into his holster. “The place is clear.”
“I know.” Then a new wave of fear assaulted her. “Espe?”
“No sign of her.”
She sank onto the edge of her coffee table. A curse slipped from her lips, and cold fear stopped her heart. She’d given in to temptation for one night, and now her mentee had to pay for it. Nausea rolled in her stomach.
Her phone beeped three times, indicating that she had a new text message. She flipped it open, praying Espe had decided to go back and party with those boys at Luxor instead of coming back here.
Espe can’t come to the phone right now. She’s rather tied up at the moment.
Lana gritted her teeth and typed back. Who the fuck are you, and where is she?
A few seconds later, her phone beeped again. The one word that appeared on the screen caused the edges of her vision to turn black.
Klaus.