Sarim's Scent (4 page)

Afterward, Khafil felt nothing but disgust for Sarim. He knew Danzi was in talks with the suspected Taalib Duma about a request for an extra hour during the resting period—for his tribe’s impregnated females. Since Khafil had shared this information with Sarim, Sarim knew this as well, but had used the incident as a chance to get rid of Danzi because of his popularity among the council. Danzi had been everything Sarim wasn’t—open-minded, compassionate, and intelligent—all qualities an Abu used to possess before Sarim had entered the picture. Khafil’s lips curled, his fangs elongating as his suppressed fury ran through him. It was long past time for Sarim to reap what he had sowed.

Heaving a sigh, Victoria walked through the small living area into the kitchenette. Stopping in front of the refrigerator, she looked at the calendar hanging on the fridge. It had been a week since her visit to McGrady’s, and she had not met anyone who knew of a Samuel Duma. Nor had she felt any tingles from her tattoo. She stared at the four twenty-dollar bills in her hand. A knot formed in her throat as her pulse began racing. She couldn’t lie to herself anymore. She wasn’t going to find her father. She’d wasted too much time and used more money than she could afford. She plopped down on the couch. At this point, the glass was definitely half empty. She didn’t have another location picked out to explore.

Getting up, she walked to the window and looked out. Traffic was busy in both directions. People were walking about, quickly getting to their destinations on the street. She squared her shoulders. She would go back and re-read her mother’s journals and devise another list of clues that would help her locate her father. In her haste to get away after her mother’s funeral, overlooking clues seemed very possible. Though she’d tried not to grieve, she had to admit she’d been a mess. Going back to square one would be depressing, but it might yield some results.

With renewed purpose, she started packing.

Sitting cross-legged on the hotel floor, Khafil closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. The second his body had completely relaxed, he became mist. He traveled through the hotel room, under the door, then down the hall to the basement room Sarim occupied.

Once there, he floated under Sarim’s door and materialized. Walking silently through the cold, dark room, he stopped beside Sarim’s bed, then placed a hand over Sarim’s forehead. Thoughts of the heir dominated Sarim’s thoughts. He wondered if it was male or female and if they would follow his plans willingly. A strong thought made Khafil pause. Seemed Sarim had plans to make the heir agreeable. He would kidnap the heir, if it was female, holding her hostage in his quarters while getting another Taalib Duma to impregnate her.

Taking a deep breath, Khafil forced himself to focus through the waves of repulsion coursing through his body. The bastard already had several Taalib Dumas in mind for the task. He was going to hypnotize them or force them if need be. Filled with nausea, Khafil removed his hand from over Sarim’s forehead and counted to fifty, calming himself. Any time his emotions became extreme, he risked his thoughts being felt in Sarim’s mind. Back in full control of his emotions, he placed his hand over Sarim’s forehead and began to read Sarim’s thoughts again.
Hmmm, interesting
. Sarim was becoming concerned about Khafil’s lack of respect and the way Khafil stared at him when he thought no one was looking.
Damn.
He was slipping. His acting ability needed to improve drastically or the whole project would be jeopardized.

Forcing his mind blank again, he continued sifting through Sarim’s thoughts. Goosebumps began covering his body as he read Sarim’s plans to eliminate him after the hunt for the heir was over. He began reading faster, trying to locate Sarim’s exact plan for his demise. So far no definite plans had been made but Sarim was absolute about his death.

Closing his eyes, he allowed his body to relax and became mist again. Once back to his room, Khafil materialized once again and sat cross-legged on the floor. Sarim planned to kidnap the heir and kill him. He’d have to make his father aware of Sarim’s plans. Things would definitely have to be moved up. Sarim’s blood connection made him confident the heir was near. Unfortunately he was right.

That’s her!
Using the mental connection he shared with Sarim’s heir, Khafil had used the link to trace her to the train station. He had gotten close enough to see her face, and she was just as he remembered. The train station’s window ceiling had allowed the sun’s direct rays to beam on him, rendering him nearly powerless. Even though Taalib Dumas could go out in sunlight, their powers were weakened, guaranteeing human safety during the day.

She was too far ahead of him to call her name. Instead he followed her, waiting for the opportunity to approach. A chance meeting would seem more natural. Devouring her face, he saw the full lips and wide-set eyes that had once overwhelmed her teenage face now gave her adult face sexiness and sophistication. Once skinny and gangly, her body was lush with womanly curves. She looked tempting, delicious, and beautifully innocent.

As he walked toward her, triumph flowed through him. He’d found her! Just like he’d told his father he would, and without Sarim being none the wiser. He had left Abu resting after being told to leave. He’d been in such a hurry, he didn’t even bother to read Sarim’s mind to see the reason why he’d been dismissed so easily. That could wait. Now he had to confront the woman who’d morphed from child to woman and held the key to his future.

“I see you still believe in fantasies.”

Looking up, Victoria turned and gasped. “Ivan,” she whispered in disbelief. Right in front of her stood the best friend she had ever had, in the flesh. Shaking her head, she smiled, still in shock.

“It’s been years.” Since they’d sat on her mom’s porch talking for hours. Since they’d gone to the swimming hole, playing and splashing in the water. Since he’d told her he was leaving and never coming back.

His chiseled features were still gorgeous and his body had filled out. His shoulders were broader and judging from the snug way his shirt clung to his arms, he’d become more muscular as well. The brightness of his gaze still drew her, and she found herself staring into their brown depths, finding an intensity that hadn’t been there before. Awareness of her as a woman? Heat flashed to her face, causing her to look away, flustered at her response. Where had that thought come from?

His full lips turned upward as he reached over and plucked a novel off the shelf and handed it to her. “Try this one.”

Accepting the book, Victoria glanced at it. A well-muscled, shirtless man with a tool belt riding low on his waist graced the cover.

“
Naked Help
,” she read, then chuckled as she placed it back on the shelf. “Not my thing.”

Turning back to face him, she found herself gazing into his brown penetrating stare again. Moistening her suddenly dry lips, her heart went into overdrive.
Calm down, Victoria
. “Wow! I can’t believe it’s you,” she croaked. Embarrassed, she cleared her throat and attempted to sound cool and sophisticated. “You look great.” More like delicious, she thought as her gaze drifted lower taking in the flat planes of his abdomen, the jeans that hugged his rock-hard thighs, the slight bulge at his crotch. Man, she needed to get out more. She hadn’t seen her best friend in years, and she was staring at him like she hadn’t seen a good-looking man before.
Which was sort of true.
No one had ever measured up to Ivan.

“I’m great,” he replied, holding her gaze with mesmerizing eyes. “Actually, I’m just returning from a business trip. I’ve been stuck in Raleigh for a week because of the snow.”

His gaze drifted over her body, pausing at her breasts, which tingled beneath his perusal, then down to her hips, then lower. When he was done studying her anatomy, he pinned her with his intense gaze. That light she’d suspected was lust burned even hotter now.

“You’re all grown up now, Victoria. What are you doing here?” He glanced pointedly at her luggage. “Going somewhere?”

“Huh? Oh shit.” Turning, she looked up just as the porter shut the train doors. Waving frantically, she tried to get the porter’s attention. She heard the lock click. Damn.

“Well, that was my train.” Dropping her arms, she turned around to face him. “I was heading back home,” she stated.

“Man, I’m sorry I caused you to miss your ride,” he said with a smile, looking anything but sorry. “Let’s go to the office and find out when the next train departs.”

A thrill shot through her as he grabbed her arm and turned her in the direction of the station’s office. “On the way you can tell me what you’ve been up to.”

“Sure,” Victoria replied, allowing him to lead her toward the office, still amazed at the day’s sudden turn of events. She would have never have believed when she got up this morning, she would miss her train and bump into the one person, besides her mother, she’d ever been close to.

Standing beside him, while he spoke with the efficient- looking woman at the desk, she caught a whiff of his cologne. He even smelled good. His cologne was spicy, a rich woodsy scent. Stomach clenching at the butterflies suddenly fluttering inside her, she blushed with embarrassment. What was wrong with her?

“Victoria?”

“Yes?”

“The next train doesn’t leave until tomorrow morning at 7:45.”

“Okay.” What else could she say? It was her fault she’d missed the train.

A few minutes later and she had a new train ticket. “Hungry?” Ivan asked.

“I’ve already eaten,” she answered, shaking her head. “If you can call processed meat with cheese from a can a Philly cheese steak.”

“How about you join me while I eat? You might find something to nibble on.”

Was it her imagination, or had he intended the sexual innuendo?

“How about Luigi’s? It’s right across the street.”

“Why not? I don’t have anywhere else I have to be, and I’d love to catch up with you.” Had she just said love? She glanced at his face, but he seemed intent on getting out of there.

He grabbed her luggage and led her outside to his fancy car, his very new, obviously expensive car. He popped the trunk and placed her bags inside. He curled her arm inside his as they walked across to the street to Luigi’s. Once there, they deposited their coats in the coatroom, then were shown a booth toward the back of the restaurant.

“Business must be going very well for you,” she mused, sliding across the leather seat.

Ivan sat opposite her. “Yes, it is.”

“Fancy car. What’s it called?”

“An Audi R8. It’s European and goes for around $100,000.”

“Oh.”

The conversation ended as the waiter arrived to take their drink orders. After taking Ivan’s drink and food order, he looked expectantly at her.

“Umm. How about a soda and some fries?”

The waiter left. Licking her lips, nervousness swelled in Victoria’s belly. Locating her father and returning home to unearth more clues was all she needed to deal with. Beautiful, sexy Ivan was a distraction she couldn’t afford right now. The waiter returned with their drinks. But maybe she did need a distraction. Hell, she was single and wasn’t she just thinking about how lonely her life was? She couldn’t remember the last time she was interested in a man, let alone gone out on a date.

She watched him take a sip from his glass of Cognac. As if he felt her eyes on him, Ivan glanced up. Trapped, she was unable to turn away from his stare. An unseen energy filled the air. Clearing her throat, she tried to lessen the tension.

“So, where is home now?”

“I’m based in Upstate New York.”

He then went on to explain his family had moved there after he’d graduated from high school. Their orders arrived and they each ate their food in companionable silence. Feeling completely at ease, she nibbled her fries. For the first time in a long time, she felt at ease, comfortable and alive.

Reaching over, Ivan grabbed her hand. Sparks raced through her body when his fingers touched her.

“You never told me what you were doing here,” he reminded her as he traced his finger along her knuckle.

Gazing into his mesmerizing eyes, she was about to let the truth spill from her lips, but she grabbed another piece of the tomato-laden bread instead. What was it about Ivan that made her want to trust him? Was it simply because he’d been a childhood friend? So much time had passed, she didn’t know who he was anymore.

She met his gaze again and felt her heartbeat pick up. He appeared trustworthy, solid, and dependable, making her feel safe and peaceful. She leaned closer, about to open her mouth and pour out all of her frustrations; her search for her father, her pain over the way he left her and her mother, her proof and belief he was something other than human.

“Will there be anything else?”

Startled, Victoria snatched her hand from Ivan’s and leaned back in her seat. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to calm her racing heart. She felt her head clear, and the feeling of peacefulness and safety evaporated. The waiter hovered expectantly over the table.

“Nothing else. I’m ready for the check.” Ivan didn’t attempt to mask the barely contained fury in his eyes. “I didn’t notice a ring. Are you married?” he asked. “Divorced?”

“No,” she replied. “I haven’t even thought about marriage.”

“You have no one special in your life?” he continued. “No boyfriend?” He paused, then added, “Or girlfriend?”

Victoria looked up, shocked.

“Hey it’s a new millennium. Anything is possible.” He chuckled.

“No one,” she replied, suddenly wondering if she seemed as pathetic as she sounded. Maybe she should have said she was dating ...

“Why are you still single?” he asked, placing his elbows on the table. He rested his chin in his hands. “You’re young, attractive, and intelligent. Are the men blind where you live?”

She shrugged. “I’ve been busy taking care of my mother.” She swallowed past the knot at the back of her throat and struggled against the prick of tears. “She was sick for the last couple of years, and there was no time for dating. Most guys my age want someone unattached.”

Nodding, Ivan murmured something suspiciously sounding like
fools
. After again asking Victoria what she had been up to after high school, she confessed she’d dropped out of college after her first semester. “It wasn’t a hard decision. My mom needed me. I wouldn’t have traded the last two years with her for anything.”

“Your loyalty is amazing.” Reaching over, he gently lifted her chin.

Drawing a breath, a tingly feeling began in the pit of her stomach, while her heartbeat accelerated.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as loyal as you.” He released her chin, then leaned back in the booth. “It’s an overlooked trait.”

Victoria was unable to respond, lost in the intensity of his gaze. The heat in the pit of her stomach shot lower. Feeling hot and tingly all over, she wouldn’t be surprised if her panties weren’t drenched. All she could think about was how those delicious, soft-looking lips would feel on hers. A warm sensation of peace and comfort drummed all over her body. A feeling of trust came over her. Again, she wanted to spill out her secrets to Ivan.

“Here is your check, sir.”

A muscle in Ivan’s jaw clenched and unclenched as he tugged his wallet out of his back pocket and threw the credit card on the table toward the waiter.

Ivan shot from his seat to get their coats, clearly pissed off, but why? As soon as he was out of sight, she sank back and drew a deep breath. What in the hell was wrong with her? A man leans close, stares in her eyes, and she’s about to erupt into flames. As Ivan walked back to the booth with their coats, she told herself to get a grip.

She mentally counted to ten, attempting to slow her erratic heartbeat. After all of this was over, she needed to start dating again or plain get laid. Ivan stopped in front of her and handed her coat to her. She glanced at her watch and gulped. When did it get to be 10 p.m.?

“Where’s the nearest hotel?” Standing up, she shrugged in her coat, then buttoned it up. She cringed at the thought of spending more of her limited money. “My train’s leaving at eight in the morning.”

“You could stay with me. I can get you to the train station in time.”

If eating dinner at a public restaurant with Ivan had her thinking about hot sex, staying overnight with him would invite trouble. The kind she could ill afford. She needed to stay on track and focused. She opened her mouth to thank him for the offer, but refuse, albeit reluctantly, when she made the mistake of looking into his eyes again.

The “No” on the tip of her tongue vanished. She didn’t really want the night to end, did she? She didn’t know when she would see him again, and there was still so much they had to catch up on. After all, he was once her best friend, and staying with him wouldn’t be a problem. She was safe with Ivan, and she trusted him. He would never hurt her.

She bobbed her head in agreement. “Sure, that sounds great.”

Before she knew it, Ivan was guiding her away from the restaurant to his car. She was buckling up in her seatbelt before she realized it. What the hell had just happened?