Authors: Amanda Ashley
“I think so.”
“It’s very expensive Madeira laced with a little blood.”
Was he kidding? She hoped so, but there was no humor in his expression. And then he lifted one brow. “Want a taste?”
“No, thank you!”
“Want to dance?”
As had happened once before, the jukebox came on when he took her hand in his and led her onto the empty dance floor. As had happened before, she forgot everything else when he took her into his arms and held her close. She wasn’t sure swaying back and forth, their bodies so close you couldn’t have put a piece of paper between them, qualified as dancing, but she didn’t care. She loved being this close to him. Loved the smell of his cologne, the way his hands dwarfed her own, the sense of power that clung to him, the touch of his lips in her hair. Closing her eyes, she lost herself in his nearness, in the bittersweet lyrics of A Fine Frenzy singing about someone who was an “Almost Lover.”
Oh, yes, she had it bad!
Time ceased to exist as they danced. As if in a dream, he whispered in her ear, his words warm and soft, relaxing her completely, so that when she felt the touch of his fangs at her throat, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world.
Erik knew a brief moment of guilt as he closed the tiny wounds in her neck. Had he been less honest, he could have lied to himself, told himself it wasn’t his fault. She was beautiful, irresistible, and he was only doing what came naturally. And it was partially true. She was beautiful. And he had done what came naturally because he had no desire to resist.
When the song ended, he willed another to start. The rest of the world drifted away and there was just the two of them, slow dancing to Fleetwood Mac singing “Beautiful Child.” Erik smiled inwardly. His Daisy was certainly a beautiful child, so young when compared to the centuries he had lived.
Later, he ordered her another drink, and then they danced again, this time to Fauxliage singing “Let It Go.” The lyrics seemed made for the two of them. Did Daisy want him as badly as he wanted her?
They stayed until closing time, and then he drove her home. After carrying her bags to the front door, he went back to retrieve the painting. After propping it beside her luggage, he drew Daisy into his arms.
“So, my little flower,” he murmured, “where do we go from here?” He could have forced her to surrender to him, to be his slave in any and every way he demanded, but he didn’t want to compel her to care for him. He wanted her affection, freely given.
“What do you mean?” Daisy asked, though she knew exactly what he meant.
“Even though I know it’s not a good move for either one of us, I’d like to see you again, get to know you better.”
“You’re right. It isn’t a good idea.”
“Is that a no?”
She lifted one shoulder and let it fall. “Why ask for trouble? I know you’re attracted to me, and I have to admit, I’m attracted to you, too, but what’s the point? There’s no future for us. You must know that.”
“There could be.”
It was tempting. He was tempting, with his silky black hair and smoldering ebony eyes. She felt herself weakening, wanting. Wanting to sit on his lap and feel his arms around her. Wanting to taste his mouth devouring hers, wanting to touch him, to kiss and taste and explore every masculine inch.
“Why don’t you give us a chance?” he asked in that soft, honeyed voice that sent shivers of delight down her spine. “What have you got to lose?”
What did she have to lose? Her life, for starters.
“I’m not a young vampire,” Erik said quietly. “I won’t hurt you. The scent of your blood doesn’t enflame my senses beyond control. I won’t take anything you don’t want to give.” He gazed deeply into her eyes. “I think I’m in love with you.”
Of all the things he might have said, that was the last thing Daisy had expected to hear. “But…that’s impossible. I mean, we hardly know each other.” She stared up into his eyes. “Haven’t you forgotten something? I’m the Blood Thief…”
“And I’m a vampire,” he said.
And that said it all.
“So you see,” Daisy said, blinking back the sting of tears. “There’s just no way it will work.”
“You’re sure?”
She gazed up at him, mute. She couldn’t be in love with a vampire. In her family, it simply wasn’t done. She was an O’Donnell. They hunted vampires. Her father and her brother Alex destroyed vampires for a living. Her younger brother, Brandon, didn’t have the stomach for killing, so he earned his living the same way she did, by selling the blood of the Undead at two hundred bucks a pop. And since you only needed a very small amount for the desired high, a pint or two of vampire blood went a very long way.
“Daisy?”
He was waiting for her answer, but she had no answer to give as cold logic warred with her growing desire.
She jumped when the front door opened behind her.
“Hey, Daisy Mae, it’s about time you got home.”
“Alex!” Daisy stared at her brother in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, can’t a guy come to see his little sister once in a while?” Alex’s gaze settled on Erik, an unspoken question in his eyes.
“Alex, this is Erik Delacourt. Erik, this is my older brother, Alex.”
The two men eyed each other warily for a moment; then, at a look from Daisy, Alex stuck out his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
Erik nodded as he shook the other man’s hand.
Daisy glanced from Erik to her brother and back again, her heart beating wildly as vampire and vampire hunter continued to size each other up. Inviting Erik inside was the polite thing to do, but all things considered, it really didn’t seem like a good idea.
Erik took the dilemma out of her hands. “I’ll say good night, Daisy. I’m sure you and your brother have a lot of catching up to do.” He kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you around.”
Speechless, she watched him get into his car and drive away.
“So, who’s that guy?” Alex asked.
“Just a friend.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Bring my bags in, will you?” Without waiting for an answer, she went out onto the porch and picked up her painting, and then swept past him.
Returning to the living room, Daisy propped the painting on the mantel. She admired it for several moments, hardly able to believe it was really hers, and then turned to face her brother.
Alex dropped her bags beside the sofa, then jerked his chin toward the picture. “Where’d you get that?”
“From Erik. Do you like it?”
“Yeah, I guess it’s all right, if you like that kind of thing.”
“I do. Erik painted it.”
“You’re kidding. He doesn’t look like an artist to me.”
“Well, he is. What are you really doing here?”
Alex shrugged as he glanced around the room. “Dad was worried about you.”
Daisy groaned softly. She never should have called home after destroying Saul.
“Mom, too,” Alex said. “She wants you to come home—”
“And meet Mr. Right. Yes, I know.”
Alex dropped onto the sofa and picked up the remote. “Well, I don’t know about that, but I know she wants you to move back home. Permanently. She thinks it’s too dangerous for you to be out here alone. And after seeing that guy…that
artist
you’re hanging out with, I think she’s right.”
Sitting on the sofa, Daisy crossed her arms over her chest and counted to ten. “What’s wrong with him?”
Alex fixed her with a hard look. “Well, if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was a vampire.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
“Where’d you meet him?”
“At a nightclub, not that it’s any of your business.”
“How long have you been dating?”
“We’re not ‘dating.’”
“No?” Alex glanced pointedly at her luggage. “Then what are you doing?”
“Get your mind out of the gutter. And what I’m ‘doing’ is no concern of yours.”
“I’d like to argue with you some more,” Alex said, smothering a yawn, “but I’m beat. I made myself at home in the guest room. Hope you don’t mind.”
“A little late to be asking, don’t you think?”
He grinned at her. “That’s why I didn’t ask.”
“Alex…?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you destroy a vampire and her mortal lover here in LA?”
“Yeah, how’d you know about it?”
She shrugged. “That kind of news travels fast, you know that. You were careful, weren’t you?”
“I’m always careful,” he said with a wink. “See you in the morning, little sister. Oh, and I’d like eggs, bacon, and French toast for breakfast.”
“Have whatever you want. The frying pan is in the drawer under the stove.”
“Very funny.” Whistling softly, he headed down the hall toward the guest room.
Daisy stared after him. Her domineering big brother was one complication she definitely didn’t need in her life right now. She chewed on her thumbnail. She should have warned Alex that Rhys had his scent, but then Alex would start asking questions she didn’t want to answer. Questions she couldn’t answer unless she wanted Alex to know that Erik was indeed a vampire, just as he suspected.
Yawning, she grabbed the smaller of her two suitcases and carried it up to her bedroom. Maybe things would look better in the morning, she thought as she unpacked her nightgown and got ready for bed.
And maybe not.
Rhys prowled the dark underbelly of the city. Though he no longer needed to feed as often as he once had, he was addicted to the chase. Life didn’t hold much excitement for a man who had lived as long as he had, but hunting…ah, that never grew old. He chose a different kind of prey for each hunt—one week he might decide to stalk only blondes, the next week, only brunettes. Another week he might prey on nothing but young males, then on females. He could be as discriminating as he chose.
Tonight, he was hunting only women between the ages of twenty and thirty who had black hair and blue eyes and who were exactly five feet tall. Thus far, he hadn’t had much luck.
He was thinking he would have to redefine his search when Erik appeared beside him.
“What brings you here?” Rhys asked, unable to completely mask his surprise. All of the West Coast vampires had their own hunting grounds. Trespassing on another’s territory was forbidden and had, on occasion, led to bloodshed.
“I felt the need of some company,” Erik said, falling into step beside the other vampire. “What’s on the menu tonight?”
“Black-haired females with blue eyes.”
Erik grunted softly. “Any luck?”
“Not yet.” Rhys lifted his head, his nostrils flaring as he caught the scent of prey. “But I think my luck’s about to change.”
“She’s blond,” Erik said. “A streetwalker. And very young.”
“And how would you know that?” Rhys asked, his eyes sparking red with anticipation.
“I passed her on my way here.”
Muttering, “All cats are gray in the dark,” Rhys moved quickly down the street.
With a shake of his head, Erik followed him, though at a slower pace. Coming here had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now…he swore softly, thinking that Daisy’s brother couldn’t have shown up at a worse time.
His hunger stirred as the scent of blood drifted on the wind. Up ahead, he could see Rhys standing in the shadows, his head bent over the neck of the blond hooker. Apparently the Master of the City wasn’t averse to altering the cuisine he had chosen for the night.
Rhys looked up as Erik approached. A vampire caught in the midst of feeding was rarely a pretty sight, and Rhys was no exception. Blood dripped from his fangs; his eyes burned red. He growled softly, warning Erik to stay away.
Erik took a step backward. Folding his arms across his chest, he watched Rhys drink his fill and in so doing, Erik understood why he was there. It was to remind himself of what he was, what he was capable of.
While watching Rhys feed, Erik knew Daisy had been right.
There could be no future for the two of them.
Daisy awoke on Monday morning to the deliciously mingled aromas of fresh-brewed coffee and frying bacon. She frowned, momentarily disoriented. This wasn’t her bedroom at Erik’s, she thought groggily, and then remembered that she was home and that it had to be Alex, cooking in the kitchen.
Muttering under her breath, she headed for the shower, wondering how long Alex intended to stay, and how she could persuade him to leave sooner if he was planning to stay more than a day or two.
After pulling on a pair of faded jeans and a blue Mickey Mouse sweatshirt, she padded barefoot to the kitchen door. Pausing a moment, she took a deep breath, pasted a smile on her face, and entered the room.
“Hey, good morning, sleepyhead,” Alex greeted her cheerfully as she stepped into the room. “I wasn’t sure what you were in the mood for, so…” He gestured toward the stove. “I made a little of everything. You take what you want, and I’ll eat the rest.”
Daisy glanced at the counter and shook her head. He had made a little of everything, all right. There were plates of bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, pancakes, waffles, buttered toast, and a ham and cheese quiche.
“Alex, there’s enough food here to feed a family of six.”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m famished. Do you want coffee, milk, tea, juice, or hot chocolate?”
Realizing there was no point in arguing, Daisy sat at the table. “Juice and coffee will be fine.”
Alex carried all the plates to the table, then slid onto the chair across from hers. “Dig in, sis.”
Daisy helped herself to a couple of pancakes, two strips of bacon, and a helping of scrambled eggs. “You really are a good cook,” she remarked. “If you ever get tired of taking heads, you could probably open a restaurant.”
Alex snorted softly. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Where’s the fun in taking heads?”
“It’s not in the
taking,
” Alex said, speaking around a mouthful of eggs. “It’s in the
hunting.
You know how it is, the way your mouth goes dry and your heart beats with excitement…”
“With fear, you mean.”
“Fear, excitement, whatever it is, it makes you know you’re alive.”
“So, you’ve never thought of doing anything else?”
“No,” Alex said, looking surprised. “Why? Have you?”
Daisy shrugged. She had considered finding another line of work from time to time. Since destroying Saul, she’d been thinking of it even more, but she was reluctant to admit it, especially to her gung-ho brother.
“It’s because of that vampire you killed, isn’t it?”
“In a way. It made me feel good, knowing I could defend myself if I had to, but…” She pushed her plate away, her appetite suddenly gone. “I killed a man…”
“He wasn’t a man,” Alex said curtly. “He was a vampire.”
“Well, he was a man once,” Daisy insisted. “If it wasn’t for me, he’d still be alive or undead, or…” She threw up her hands. “The point is, I killed him.”
“Listen, Daisy, vampires aren’t human any longer. You know that. And you can’t kill them. They’re already dead, remember? The only reason they aren’t fish-belly white and six feet under is because they exist on our blood.”
“And I sell theirs!”
Sitting back in his chair, Alex crossed his arms over his chest. “All right, Daisy Mae, what’s this all about?”
Daisy glared at him. Even though it was a long-standing joke between them, she hated it when he called her Daisy Mae. Usually, she reciprocated by calling him Little Abner, but this morning, she wasn’t in the mood for levity.
“Daisy?”
She couldn’t tell him the truth, of course; she couldn’t tell her brother that it was her feelings for Erik that were making her doubt her chosen line of work.
“Does this have anything to do with that guy that was here last night? That artist?”
“Of course not.” Using her fork, she pushed the eggs around on her plate, careful not to meet her brother’s eyes. “Why would it?”
“I don’t know.” Alex leaned forward, his arms folded on the table, his brow furrowed. “You tell me.”
“I’m not like you,” Daisy said. “I can’t kill someone, destroy someone, and tell myself it doesn’t matter. Taking their blood…” She shrugged. “It seemed like a bizarre game at first, finding their lairs, sneaking in, stealing their blood, leaving without a trace. But now…now it just seems wrong.”
“They kill us, Daisy,” Alex said quietly. “They don’t just take our blood. They take the lives of innocent men, women, and children. We aren’t people to them, we’re prey. They’re all monsters, and the worst of them lives right here, in LA.”
Daisy’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?” she asked, praying he wasn’t talking about Erik.
“The Master of the City,” Alex said. “Rhys Costain.”
Relief washed over Daisy. “Is he the reason you’re here?” she asked, careful to keep her voice and her expression impassive.
“No, I came because Mom and Dad were worried about you. It’s just a coincidence that the vampire I’m hunting lives in the same city you do.”
“Why are you hunting him? Don’t tell me you’ve run out of vampires in Boston?”
“I wish,” Alex said with a grin, and then he turned sober again. “A private citizen put a hefty price on Costain’s head.”
“You’re kidding.” She had never heard of anyone doing such a thing. “Who is it?”
“I don’t have a clue. I don’t care. They’re offering two hundred grand for his head, he’s supposed to be here, in the city, and that’s all I need to know.”
“Wow, someone must want him out of the way really bad to offer a reward like that. And you don’t have any idea who it is?”
“Nope, but I’m the someone who’s gonna take his head and collect the reward.”
“Every hunter in the country is probably out looking for him,” Daisy remarked. “What makes you think you’ll find him?”
Sitting back, Alex puffed out his chest. “’Cause I’m the best of the best.”
“And the most conceited,” Daisy muttered, suddenly uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation. She came from a family of hunters. By all rights, she should tell Alex where to find Erik, because Erik could lead Alex to the Master of the City.
Instead, she changed the subject. “So, how’s Brandon doing?”
“Same as always. He sends his love.” Alex grinned. “I take it you haven’t talked to him lately.”
“No. I’ve been meaning to call, but…”
But I was being held prisoner by a vampire,
she thought, choking back a wave of hysterical laughter. “Why, has something happened to him?”
“You could say that. He’s in love, but it’s a secret.”
“Brandon?” It was hard to think of her little brother taking an interest in girls. Brandon had always preferred pets to people and computers to conversation. When he wasn’t hunting, he was usually online, lost in a world of his own.
“Yeah. Funny, isn’t it? The geek found a gal.”
“Where did he meet her? What’s her name? Is it serious?”
“Pretty serious. He’s been seeing Paula for over a month. Kevin introduced them…”
“My Kevin?” Daisy exclaimed. “I mean, the Kevin that Mom’s been trying to set me up with?”
“The very same. Paula’s his younger sister.”
Oh, Lordy, Daisy thought. Her mother would be trying harder than ever to get her and Kevin together. She could just hear her mom now—
Wouldn’t it be nice if you and Kevin got married? Think how nice it would be if you moved back home. We could have Thanksgiving and Christmas with the O’Reillys….
Daisy shook her head.
Sorry, Mom,
she thought,
but it’s never going to happen.
“Well,” Alex said, slapping his palms on the table, “I’ve got work to do.” Rising, he gave her shoulder a gentle shake. “Since I fixed breakfast, dinner’s on you.”
“Where are you going?”
“Where do you think?” he asked with a wink.
“Be careful.”
“Always. You don’t have any idea where I should start looking, do you?”
“No, I’m afraid not.” She felt like a traitor for not telling her brother about Erik. Alex was family, after all, but how could she betray Erik?
“Okay,” Alex said cheerfully. “I’ll see you tonight. Steak sounds good for chow. Don’t forget to call Mom and Dad.”
“Right.”
“Oh, hey, do you have an extra can of Scent-B-Gone? I didn’t bring any with me.”
Daisy shook her head. “Always careful,” she muttered. “There’s a can in the closet by the front door. Top shelf.”
“Thanks. I won’t be late.”
Daisy stared after her brother. Brandon was dating Kevin’s sister. Alex was hunting Rhys. She had late Internet orders to fill, a ton of dirty dishes to wash, a house to clean, clothes to launder, and groceries to buy, but all she could do was sit there and think about Erik and her brother, and what would happen if Alex discovered Erik’s true nature. She offered a fervent prayer, hoping that would never happen, certain if it did, only one of them would survive.
Daisy found herself watching the clock all day long, her concern growing with each passing hour. Alex was always uppermost in her thoughts. Had he found Rhys? Was Erik safe? Would she ever see him again?
She made a quick call to her folks to assure them that she was fine and that Alex was taking good care of her.
After telling her mom good-bye, Daisy went in search of a hammer and a nail, then dragged a chair over to the fireplace and hung the painting Erik had given her. She shook her head as she imagined him painting it, and wondered how long it had taken him, and wondered again if it was a real castle. A place in his past, maybe. Try as she might, she just couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that her vampire was an artist.
Her vampire.
The thought made her sigh with regret. Why was it, the first man she had ever truly fallen head over heels in love with wasn’t a man at all?
Climbing down from the chair, she admired the painting for several minutes before returning the chair to the kitchen and the hammer to the drawer where it belonged.
She found herself going into the living room from time to time to stare at the painting. What had he been thinking when he painted it? Was it a place he had visited? A house he had owned in days gone by? Or was it just something he had drawn from his own imagination?
For the rest of the day, whether she was answering her e-mail, taking new orders, or mopping the kitchen floor, Erik was never far from her thoughts. And that was just wrong. Erik was no longer human. No matter that he was the handsomest, sexiest man she had ever seen, her brother was right. Erik wasn’t really a man, but a monster, one who preyed on humankind to survive. One who had tasted her blood…
She lifted a hand to her neck, wondering why the thought of Erik drinking from her wasn’t more repugnant. She should be horrified, shocked, disgusted. So why wasn’t she?
It was the fact that she wasn’t horrified, shocked, or disgusted that worried her. Had he worked some kind of vampire voodoo on her, or was she some kind of abnormal freak? She knew there were men and women who got their kicks from letting vampires drink from them. She had never understood the attraction. Of course, she didn’t know why any normal person would want to get high on vampire blood, either, but somehow, drinking a tiny bit mixed with the beverage of your choice didn’t seem as revolting as offering yourself to one of the Undead for an evening snack.
Which reminded her that she needed to call Nonnie. Going into the living room, she sat on the sofa, one leg curled beneath her, and called her grandmother.
“Daisy, how good of you to call, dear. Is everything all right?”
“Of course. Why do you ask?”
“I saw something unusual, something…I’m not quite sure what it was.”
“I need your help.”
“Anything, dear, you know that.”
“You can’t tell anyone one about this,” Daisy said. “Do you understand? This has to be just between the two of us.”
“All right, if that’s how it must be.”
“Is there any spell or charm or…or potion, that will shield my thoughts from a vampire?”
“I believe so, as long as there’s been no exchange of blood. Daisy? Daisy, are you there?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, my dear, tell me how it happened.”
“It doesn’t matter how it happened. I think everything will be all right. I was just curious.”
“Is there anything else I can do? Anything else you need?”
“No.” Daisy sighed. Nonnie had been her only hope.
“Daisy, you didn’t…you haven’t…tell me you haven’t been turned.”
“Of course not!”
“You’re not thinking about it?”
“No way. It wasn’t a big exchange. It was just a taste. I’m fine, honest.”
“Except that there’s a bond between you and this vampire now, one that can never be broken.”
A bond. Good heavens, she hadn’t even thought about that!
“Daisy? Are you still there?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
“It’s all right,” Daisy murmured. “I love you, Nonnie.”
“I love you, too, dear. Please, be careful. And come and see me when you can.”
“I will. Bye, Grams.”
Daisy sat there a minute, her thoughts in turmoil. Her life just kept getting weirder and weirder, Daisy thought as she went into the kitchen to start dinner, although, with her mind filled with thoughts of vampires, she wasn’t sure she was going to have any appetite.
Alex arrived shortly after dusk, a disgruntled expression on his face.
“I take it you didn’t have any luck in finding Rhys,” Daisy remarked as she pulled two steaks from the refrigerator. Removing them from the package, she seasoned them and placed them on the broiler pan.
“You take it right. I looked everywhere I could think of. Guess I should have asked Nonnie to make me one of those magic compasses.”
“I guess so,” Daisy agreed. She would have suggested Alex take hers, only it wouldn’t work for anyone else. “I’m sorry your day was so unproductive.”
“I didn’t say that. I dispatched two fledglings.”
Daisy’s heart skipped a beat. She told herself there was nothing to worry about. Erik wasn’t a fledgling. “Where did you find them?”
“They were holed up in an abandoned movie theater just outside of San Diego. Young and stupid,” Alex said disdainfully. “They never knew what hit ’em. Just like that other couple.”