9781936653027BorntobeWildArsuaga (8 page)

“Dammit, what is their problem? I’m a big girl. Do
I have to check in every eight hours or something?” Dialing her father’s number
first, he answered after two rings.

“Dad, what’s with the messages? I’m fine.”

“Baby, girl, we’ve been worried. You didn’t answer
your phone or your messages. We thought something bad happened to ya.”

“No, nothing happened. Tell me Jordan hasn’t left
yet.”

“Sorry hon, he left about three this morning. He
should be there in a couple of hours.”

“Oh, shit, Dad. Call and tell him to turn his ass
around and go back home. I’m fine and don’t need my big brother babysitting
me.”

“You call him. He’s the one who insisted on going
up there to rescue ya.”

“Great. Now I have to deal with him meddling with
my bounty.”

“Now baby girl, don’t give Jordan grief. He’s only
lookin’ out for his little sister. When he gets there, be nice. If everythin’
is fine, let him rest, and send him back home in a couple of days. He can help
out in the meantime.”

“In a day or two?
Dad, I
don’t need his help. I’m making good progress. I’ve made contact with the local
chapter and the Enforcer with the local vamp family.” Her voice trailed off on
the end.

“Did ya say Enforcer, baby girl? They haven’t used
mind control on ya have they? You’ve been following the rules, right?”

“Of course, Dad.
Don’t
worry.”

“Okay, you call when Jordan gets in.”

“I will. Bye Dad. Say hi to Mom for me.”

After hanging up with her dad, she immediately
called Jordan and got his voicemail. She left a message to check in at the
Holiday Inn Express and meet her at
The Black Rose
, giving the address,
and the time to meet.
Now, to figure out how to deal with
Stefan and Jordan meeting.
Big
Brother meets Vamp Lover. Yeah that’ll go over like a lead balloon.
Testosterone taken to a new level.

Her appetite faded.

As she put her cell phone back into her clutch,
the mouse to the computer moved slightly. The monitor screen illuminated,
catching her attention.

Stefan didn’t shut the computer down.
I can do more research to kill time.

What appeared on the screen weren’t files of vamps
from the Syndicate. Stefan’s message in the inbox flashed on the screen. And
there at the top of the list, an urgent message waiting from someone named
Sorin. Curiosity got the better of her.

“Dare I?” Her fingers hovered over the keyboard
ready to hit the ‘Enter’ key.

“All’s fair in love in war, Stefan.” She hit the
‘Enter’ key.

The message from Sorin stated ‘The package will
arrive tonight, take care of it and put the plan in motion.’
What the hell did it mean?
Stefan knows more about the virus then he
let on? If not the virus, what else is he up to? No good I’m sure.
Was he
lying to her about everything? It shouldn’t have surprised her; he was a vamp
after all. It looked like an example of Rule Number Three—Never Trust a Vamp.
Maybe she read more into the message than it really was. Wanting to trust him,
she wondered if it was possible.

“Damn, I shouldn’t have read the message.”

Too late now, the seed of doubt sprouted in her
brain. A strategy to turn the tables around on him, to use him for information,
and do the job she set out to do formed in her brain.

The sex last night was a mistake, or maybe not.
The situation could still work to her advantage. Stefan liked her. For all she
knew, the bastard could be part of the whole virus conspiracy. Turn the
situation around on him. He wanted blood and sex. A rogue and two hundred grand
appeared a fair exchange. They’d use each other.

Damn him!
“Stupid Alex!”
Frowning and more dismayed with
her own
actions then with Stefan’s, she remembered his
nature.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid, bloodsucking bastard.
They’re all alike. Why did I think he’d be different? They want one thing,
blood and use sex to get it.”

Alex paced, with hands on hips, determined more
than ever to get back on track. She had given in to her lust, but no more.
Stefan was a means to an end, nothing more, a way to get the rogue, the money,
and return home to never see Stefan again. Enough said.

With Jordan arriving in a couple of hours, she
didn’t look forward to handling damage control. The fact that Jordan was a
bounty hunter should keep Stefan quiet about their liaison from last night.
Stefan wouldn’t say a word if she asked him. Now, how to deal with Jordan? He’d
have to know about her alliance with Stefan. Perhaps a little white lie that
Stefan helped under orders from Gregori. Not far from the truth, actually,
quite sellable.

To keep her feelings in check, she needed more
than mental blocks. “Warts, scars, and a three inch dick just aren’t working.
Ha, especially the three inch dick part after last night.” Stefan burst her
bubble on the myth formed in her mind on that one. Now, another flaw was needed
to use against him. Funny, he actually did have a scar on his abdomen, small,
but noticeable, and another on his back. Battle scars? Didn’t vampire blood
heal wounds? Why didn’t he have a perfect body? Maybe the whole idea about
miraculous powers of vamp blood was a fallacy. “Hmm, I think I’ll have to ask
him about those scars and add the info to the hunter database.”

Continuing to pace, she wondered. “What can I use
to block my feelings? Think Alex. Think.” After a few moments, it dawned on
her. Don’t find something about Stefan. She’d find something about herself.
“I’m full of flaws. I can recite them to myself over and over with no problem.
I do it now. Yeah, this will work.”

With the plan in place, she decided to spend the
remainder of the afternoon researching more names on the computer. There wasn’t
enough time to venture back to the hotel before Stefan awoke. Hunger pangs
surfaced again. At the late hour, the time for lunch had passed and it was too
early for dinner. “Drink lots of water.”

Sitting down at the computer in the study, she
combed through the files of the Families of the Vampire Syndicate. After an
hour scrolling, she came up with a couple of names with possible connections
with privately owned, human-controlled corporations. She had her work cut out
for her cross-referencing with the Hunter database. Glad Jordan would be in
town, she’d welcome his help. Jordan hated administrative type computer work,
but he knew his way around the Net enough for research. Definitely more a
hands-on type of guy, working in the field was more to his skills as a hunter.
He depended on his brawn more than brain.

The natural light in the study faded. Random veils
of brightness painted fanciful images on the surrounding walls. The sun grew
low in the sky and the images faded into the darkness of the night. Her eyes
became tired watching the monitor screen as well. Deciding to take a break, she
embarked on a different kind of exploring—Stefan’s house before he arose.

The remainder of the third level consisted of
another balcony on the front of the house and another camera set up. What
exactly did he take pictures of, the neighbors? Was Stefan a peeping tom?
Kinky pervert.
She laughed to herself, knowing he
couldn’t be, or could he?

Unable to resist temptation she peered through the
viewfinder. The sun approached the horizon. This camera was set up like the one
overlooking the ocean on the backside of the house. “He’s taking pictures of
the sun rising and setting.” She thought for a moment. “The photos on the wall
were his? Oh, my god, they are.”

Rushing back into the living room, she stopped
short and looked to the far wall, then turning to the wall to the right and
finally the wall above the windows facing the ocean. The photographs of the
sunrise in various stages and color variations hung everywhere. Never
truly
noticing them before, she went to
the bedroom, and above the bed, hung another photograph of a sunset, beautiful,
with colors of violets, blues, pinks and reds. Tears welled. Stefan tried to
capture what he could never have, to surround his environment with daylight at
night. The pictures were moving and provocative. The man was full of surprises.

What else could he have up his sleeve?

Taking the stairs to the second level, she found
three empty bedrooms with their own private bathrooms and a utility area.
Nothing special, but what does a vampire need with this much space anyway?
Descending to the next level, she assumed Stefan had to be on the ground level,
as no other space was left. Upon arrival, she opened the first door and flicked
on the switch. Exercise equipment. The man worked out. Made sense–he had nice
muscles in all the right places. Retreating from the room, she stepped back out
the door, continuing her exploration.

The next room came as a surprise. Switching on the
light, it glowed red. A dark room set up for photography. Another switch
illuminated an incandescent light. Slowly stepping over the threshold into the
room, her eyes went on sensory overload when photographs in various stages of
development gradually materialized in the irregular lighting. Chemicals in
trays sat on a table, pushed against the far wall, and a digital machine
against the other wall gave the space a very cramped feeling. Heavy black
drapes hung across the one window in the small room. The space perfectly
ordered, arranged efficiently and compact, like Stefan kept the rest of the
house. Perusing through a stack of photographs lying on the table, she found
sunsets and sunrises, identical to the ones spread throughout the third level
walls. Another stack sat on the corner of the table, with different subjects—a woman,
a vamp woman.
A beautiful,
skinny
vamp woman.

“A former lover Stefan?
Hmm, I knew you possibly liked them extreme and thin. Not like me.”
Who am I kidding?

Alex put the photos down and backed out of the
room.
“Son of a bitch.
I’m doing it again. He’s
sucking me in to liking him and he’s not even here. I’m falling for this guy.
And then I find out something to bring me back to reality. Damn!
Sexy and beautiful my ass.”

Standing at the entrance to the room for a few
moments gathering her thoughts, she realized the stupidity of her action once
again.
This is a job, stay focused.
Stefan had a past for sure,
duh
,
an old vampire equals a dangerous existence, one with
something to hide. Use him like he obviously used her…simply play the game.
Make it work to her advantage.
Spaghetti
and meatballs, pancakes with chocolate syrup, yes, lots of chocolate, and
chocolate ice cream, with whipped cream, and chocolate syrup poured on top,
peanut butter and chocolate, Reese’s candy, yes, and peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches. Oh god, now I’m starving again.

“Stefan, you owe me dinner tonight buddy,” she
mumbled walking toward the last uninspected door. Upon pushing the door open, a
cold rush of air sent chills across a half-naked body dressed in a silk shirt.
Candles flickered radiating an amber glow. Their sweet, soothing scent along
with burning incense permeated the room, a familiar aroma but exotic scent.

Stepping inside, the cold air filled her lungs.
The room was a wine cellar maintained at an extra cool temperature which served
a second purpose that soon became apparent. In the corner of the room sat a
coffin, with dark polished wood and brass fittings. The top was closed. Alex
slowly walked toward it, knowing Stefan had to lie within. Her heart pounded
hard in her chest. She stood above it with only a few inches of the wood and
cushioning inside separating them. Dare she open it and look inside? What did
he look like sleeping? Slumbering vampires were a common sight in her line of
work, except never had it been one she knew intimately. To see Stefan lying in
a coffin seemed different from the others.

With much trepidation, she slowly opened the lid.
Staring down at his face, emotions flooded her conscious. He looked so at
peace, so serene, so different from the cold-blooded killer tradition and
folklore predicted. His tenderness and gentleness the previous night showed a
side of him she thought impossible for a vamp. This man created gorgeous pieces
of photography hanging on the walls of this house. This man who slept in front
of her couldn’t possibly be the one involved with the deadly virus raging up
the East Coast. The email message must be about something else. It had to be.
Damn why did I read it? It was wrong of me.

Her fingers trailed over his cheek, his stubble
prickled her knuckles. She smiled, thinking about the night before, and his
eyes opened. Staring back at her, he returned the smile, raised his hand, and
grabbed her wrist.

Alex jumped back, shocked by his movement. The
room closed in, spinning and then everything went black.

Chapter 7

“Alexandra, wake up. Alexandra.” Stefan called out
to her, cradling her in his arms.

“
Wha
…what happened?”

“You fainted. I’m sorry I scared you.”

“You’re awake? It’s not sundown yet. How’s this
possible?”

“I’ve lived a long time and don’t need as much
sleep and if I stay out of the sunlight I can stir before the actual rise and
set of the sun. A real advantage if I need it.”

“
Really?
Interesting.
I didn’t know
that was possible.”

“Let me help you up.” He put his arm around her
waist and shoulder, bearing her weight to help her stand.

“Thanks.” Covering her face, she turned away from
him. “Stefan, you’re butt naked!”

“Yes. Why are you embarrassed to look at me?
Remember you had your naked body on top of me last night. Seeing me naked
shouldn’t be a big deal.”

Keeping her eyes firmly focused on his face, the
rest of him faded into a blur.

Then smiling, she fisted him on the arm.

“And what was the punch for?”

“For scaring the shit out of me.
You could have given me a heart attack.”

“Why were you snooping around in my house, in
places where you had no business?”

Blushing, thoughts designed to block his influence
turned over in her mind.
Chocolate candy,
ice cream, spaghetti and meatballs, French fries, cheeseburgers, and…

“Are you hungry? Didn’t you order in food like I
told you?”

“Uh, no.
You owe me
dinner Mister Marin, and a new shirt.” Winking, she tugged at the silk shirt
appropriated from his closet.

“Hmm.
I think it looks
better on you.” His eyes fell over her body and returned to her face.

The gaze sent a surge of arousal straight between
her legs.
Instant wetness.
Glancing down, she caught sight
of his growing erection and quickly returned her attention to his face.
Damn, I’m
pantiless
.
Oh, I’m in need of some chocolate! Don’t look at his dick. Oh god, it’s
twitching at me. Don’t look. Chocolate pancakes, bread and butter, mayonnaise
and crackers, oh, this isn’t working.

“You don’t say.” Reaching around her waist, he
pulled her into his embrace.

“Get out of my head, Stefan. It’s rude and not
very gentlemanly.”

“I never said I was a gentleman, Alexandra.” His
voice low and velvety, like the first time he spoke to her at the club.

A shiver ran through her, as her nipples pressed
hard against the silk shirt. Was it him or the damned cold temperature in the
wine cellar, or both?

He leaned forward and kissed her, hard and
passionately. She felt boneless, and whimpered. Stefan didn’t play by the rules
while rules provided the foundation to her life.
This isn’t fair.

He pulled back. “You’ve been a naughty girl,
Alexandra. Snooping into my affairs and not doing as I told you. How should I
punish you for your disobedience?”

With a surprised expression, she looked up at him.
“What? Punishment, you’re not serious?”

“Oh,
prinţesa
mea
, but I am. You are a guest in my house and you disrespect me by going
through my computer messages and personal belongings. Then you come and disturb
my sleep before the sun disappears below the horizon. What would you call it if
not being bad and needing punishment?”

“Uh, I didn’t mean to disrespect you Stefan. I’m a
hunter and curious by nature. I…I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I’ll do what you
want, just don’t hurt me. Please.” Slowly she pulled away and backed toward the
entrance door.

Faster than the eye could follow, he appeared
behind her, blocking the exit. “Where are you going, sweetheart?” he whispered
in her ear.

“How the hell did you do that?” After taking a
breath, she answered his question.
“Nowhere.
Don’t you
want to sleep some more? I don’t want to keep you and I need to get ready if
we’re going out, right?”

“Yes, you’re right. I could sleep more or less. I
will think about what punishment will suit your insolence and let you know what
I plan to do with you after dinner. Don’t leave the house. If you do, I’ll hunt
you down. Now, don’t disappoint me anymore and go and get ready.”

Alex swallowed hard, her heart racing so fast she
thought a heart attack waited right around the corner. What the hell had she
gotten into? It frightened yet excited her.
What
am I thinking? Getting turned on by a vamp ready to punish me and I don’t know
how he’s going to do it. What rule am I breaking now?

“Okay, I’ll see you later.” Alex left him with a
half-smile, maneuvered around to the door and exited.

He grinned.

*
* * *

Aware of Alexandra’s presence in the house the
entire day, Stefan slept restlessly. The night spent with her making hot,
steamy love was the best sex he’d had in years, many years. Including the time
spent with Ecaterina, his lover at the time. That is, before going psycho on
him. For many years she liked to be the submissive one until getting a taste of
domination and becoming too kinky even for him. Upon trying to make him submit
to a humiliating routine in front of the Syndicate members at a Board meeting,
he drew the line. The break up lacked amicability. Ecaterina hysterically
threatened to take Stefan down one way or the other. Blowing it off as scorned
bitch talk, he threw her out. Sixteen years had passed and nothing had
happened. He last heard she took up with a mega-rich industrialist in Europe
somewhere and lived the jet set life.
Good
for her.

For a human, Alexandra was sensual, seductive, and
responsive to his touch and mind. The shower incident proved her awakening
passions, and a strong will as well. Defying his demand to drink blood, he
vowed the issue remained open. With patience and training, he’d get her there.
Alexandra was a woman to possess and love; to give pleasure to and take
pleasure from. When at his lowest, a rare gem came into the scene, giving him a
reason to go on. In return, he promised to worship her, dispense pleasure
beyond her wildest dreams, and share a life of eternity. He had waited so long
for a woman like Alexandra, a light for his darkness.

And just now, frightened yet excited, demonstrated
he could possess her. Every action confirmed a desire for the pleasure of his
touch. It thrilled her. He smelled her arousal. Tonight he would probe the
depths of her denial, guiding her down the path of awareness.
She’ll find her way to me. Only I can
satisfy the pleasure she seeks. Alexandra will be addicted to my touch, my
blood, my love.

“I will possess her mind, body, and soul.”

Stefan crawled back into his sleeping chamber,
pulled down the cover, and closed his eyes. His thoughts were of Alexandra. If
he was lucky, he would get an hour of sleep perhaps, maybe more. His mind could
not settle. The desire to touch, to kiss, and devour every inch of her delicate
porcelain skin coursed through his veins. He wanted to soak in her essence, the
sweet smell of blood coursing through her veins, to taste the creamy juices on
his face as he tongued her to climax. Oh by the gods, he would have this sexy
vixen that already possessed his heart.

He shut his eyes and breathed the incense deep
into his lungs, cleared his mind and made an attempt to seek rest, if only for
another thirty minutes.

*
* * *

Alex ran up the three flights of stairs,
forgetting in her frightened state to use the elevator. Getting out of the wine
cellar and away from Stefan as quickly as possible became her highest priority.
He might change his mind about letting her go and follow-up with a bite or
something worse. What the something might be gave her shivers and she forced
the thoughts from her mind.

Upon reaching the third level, and out of breath, she
collapsed on all fours onto the floor. Beads of sweat formed on her brow. The
moisture-soaked silk shirt clung to her chest and back.

“Jeez, I’m going to have to take another shower
after that work out.” She laughed. Crawling a few feet, slowly moving on hands
and knees, she managed to get to her feet, the walked to the bathroom stripping
the silk shirt off and headed to the shower.

An hour and a half later they were in her Mustang
leaving the beach house. They’d barely said two words to one another after the
incident in the wine cellar.

Since Stefan knew the area, Alexandra let him
drive instead of relying on the GPS to get around town. He drove to the Hilltop
area, a borough a few miles west of the beach. They parked and went into a cute
corner clothing boutique.

“Why are we here?”

“You need clothes since I destroyed a few pieces
last night.”

“Oh.”

“I hope this is a place to your taste and liking.”

“You mean to my size?”

“Alexandra you are a perfect size…beautiful.”

“Yeah right, we’ll see what they have. Are you
coming in with me?”

“Yes.”

Wow, a
vampire who likes to shop! What is the world coming to?

He grinned. “I heard that.”

“I wanted you to.”

They entered the chic boutique.
Esmeralda
specialized in trendy, young,
modern casual wear and lingerie. Alex gravitated to the jeans and casual tops.

The young and pretty salesgirl approached them.

“Good evening, may I help you.” With a flirty
voice, her full attention fell to Stefan, ignoring Alex.

“I’m looking for a top to go with these pants,”
Alex remarked, tugging on the slacks.

“You can look over there along the wall.” The
salesgirl pointed toward the wall keeping her attention toward Stefan.

The attention didn’t go unnoticed by Alex.
“Stefan, help me pick something out?”

Smiling at the salesgirl, he put his arm around
Alex’s shoulder and moved her toward the clothing display.

Alex looked through the assortment of tops. They
were cute. Pulling a few off the rack, she put it up to her chest to model them
for his approval. The sapphire blue baby-doll top seemed to catch his eye. As
she started to try the top on, she noticed the price tag.

“Okay, this is too much. It’s more than a room at
the Holiday Inn.” Shoving the top back on the rack, she said, “Let’s go.”

“Alexandra. I like it. Try it on.”

“No, Stefan. It’s too much.”

He pulled the top off the bar and handed it to
her. “I want to see you in it. Try it on Alexandra.” His voice resonated in a
firm, yet husky and sensual tone.

“Okay, just for you.” Turning, she entered the
dressing room.

While Alex tried the top on, Stefan perused the
lingerie. He selected a few from the assortment of bras, corsets, and panties
and brought them over to Alex as she stepped out to model the top.

“What do you think?”

“I love it. Try these on.”

Taking the lingerie from him, she examined them.
“They aren’t my size. Uh, they’re too small and too indulgent Stefan.”

“I want to see you in them. Try them on
prinţesa
.”

Overhearing the conversation, the salesgirl
quietly followed Alex into the dressing room asking her correct size.
Pleasantly surprised by the girl’s interest, Alex obviously misjudged her. A
few moments later, the salesgirl brought new garments.

Alex hesitantly walked out wearing the corset and
panties. The garments revealed too much self-conscious bare skin. Such feminine
and provocative lingerie had never graced any underwear drawer of hers, but
after seeing the look on Stefan’s face, her reluctance to try it, faded.

“It’s too tight and unflattering isn’t it?”

“No, they fit you perfectly, sweetheart. If you
step slightly closer I’ll show you how much you’re turning me on right now.”

“Stefan, we’re in public.”

“Why should you care? You’re a beautiful woman and
I have no problem letting everyone know how I feel about you. You shouldn’t
either.”

“I’m not comfortable with displaying my affections
publicly.”

He drew close, keeping his eyes focused on her
willow green eyes. “I want you to wear this under your top tonight. It’ll make
me think about how it brushes across your skin when you walk, and keeps your
nipples in a constant state of hardness teased by the lace.” He brushed his
fingers across the fabric on her breasts. “And how your panties will be sopping
wet not knowing how I’ll punish you tonight for your earlier disobedience.” He
slid his hand down her belly and to the top of the panty waist elastic.

Not needing to wait, or think about what he’d do,
she was already wet.
Cheeseburgers, chili
dogs, spaghetti and meatballs, chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate fudge
cake, chocolate anything, oh god this isn’t working.

He grinned. “You’re hungry. Put on the top and
I’ll take care of paying.” He kissed her on the forehead. Putting his hands on
her shoulders, he turned her around then smacked a butt cheek.

“
Ow
! What was that for?”

“Starters.
Now hurry if
you want to eat.”

Wearing the corset, panties, and top Stefan
requested, she felt naughty and sexy. No man had ever bought her lingerie
before, let alone had her model it before buying it. The problem, wearing the
confining corset and eating could be difficult. Hungry as her belly cried out
for food, she couldn’t eat much or the binding garment would cut into her skin.

Stefan chose a small diner in the same shopping
complex to take her for dinner. By the end of service, she was sated.
Food wise.