Atlantis Redeemed (15 page)

“Off the record?”

He smiled down at her and Tiernan stumbled, shock knocking her off her rhythm. There had been real warmth in that smile. He caught her with his strong, cold hands and stopped until she caught her balance.

“Are you well?”

“Yes, fine, sorry. Stupid shoes,” she said lightly, holding out one foot for him to see. When he looked down at her foot and leg, and then his gaze slowly traveled back up her body, she had to catch her breath. This man—this vampire—was a deadly predator, who had probably been outwitting humans for centuries, if not longer.

She was maybe just the slightest bit out of her league.

“You are very lovely, Tracy Baum,” he said, leaning closer and inhaling deeply. “Your scent is intoxicating, leading me to wonder if your blood might be the same. Perhaps it is time we concluded our dance, unless you would consent to accompany me to my home?”

Thoughts of an inside scoop flashed through her mind, but she hadn’t lived as long as she had by climbing into the cage with hungry lions. “Thank you, but no. My date is at the bar, and I really should get back to him.”

Devon glanced over in the direction of the bar. “Ah, yes. The reclusive and very rich Mr. Brennan. I am surprised he let you out of his grip for even a moment.”

“He doesn’t control me, no matter how rich he might be. We’re just”—she paused, stumped for a term, and finally settled on the ordinary—“friends.”

“Because men, no matter how powerful, no longer control their women, is that right? This conversation echoes another I have had recently, but of course when you have lived as many lives as I have, there is little of originality to be seen, done, or spoken.”

She stopped and stepped out of his loose embrace, searching his face. “I’m sorry. That sounds like a terrible way to live. Are you never surprised?”

He lifted a hand and touched her shoulder; it was almost a caress. “I am rarely surprised. Tonight, however, is the exception. I am very surprised by you. Please do say hello to Brennan for me.”

Before she could think of a reply, he bowed, turned, and disappeared into the crowd. She stared after him for a minute, but then a pair of already-familiar arms encircled her waist from behind and she closed her eyes and leaned back against the warmth of Brennan’s muscular chest.

“That was odd,” she said. “There is something so different about that vampire. I really want to investigate him further.”

“I believe he feels the same way about you,” Brennan said, his voice harsh. “I am sorry, but I could not spend another moment watching you in his arms.”

She turned around and gave him a quick hug, sensing how badly he needed the physical contact. “Dance with me. And then we need to talk.”

Brennan finally relaxed as Tiernan moved gracefully into his arms. Though he knew the curse to be partially the cause, he could not help a bone-deep relief, as if part of his heart had returned to his body. They moved to the music as one; she easily followed his lead, and they were like partners who had danced through centuries together.

She
fit
. She was perfect for him in every way.

The feeling was impossible and he knew better than to trust it. Love could not come so fast, though attraction and desire flew on swift wings. This was the curse prodding along the pace of what must have already lain dormant in his heart. One of many lessons pounded into the thick skulls of younglings during training was that no god or goddess, no love potion or spell, no sorcerer or even the most powerful witch could compel love. So indeed his feelings for her were genuine and would only grow deeper if he were to spend more time with her. The curse could not have recognized Tiernan as his true mate otherwise.

How, though, could he ever deserve this woman when he—and, equally or more important, she—would always question the legitimacy of his feelings for her? He tightened his hold on her and she leaned her face against his chest, so that the uniquely lovely scent of her hair once again filled his senses.

Lost. He was utterly and completely lost.

Brennan. Brennan! Are you awake in there?
Alexios’s impatience rang through the mental pathway.

Brennan tilted his head toward the far wall of the dance floor, and Tiernan instantly began moving that way.
I am here. What have you discovered?

Brennan and Tiernan stopped dancing at the edge of the dance floor and walked toward an empty corner. “Alexios,” he said to answer the question in her eyes.

She nodded but said nothing, waiting.

Alexios was silent for so long that Brennan thought he’d cut off communication, but then he sent another message.

You’d be exactly right. We’ve just been shown pictures of you and Tiernan, although they call her Tracy, so at least her cover isn’t blown. You’ll be honored to know you’re both high priority, not to be let out of our sight. Force strongly discouraged, but allowed if you prove difficult
.

Brennan’s primal warrior’s instincts kicked into overdrive, and he only realized he’d clenched his hands into fists around imaginary daggers when Tiernan took one of his hands and gently unpeeled his fingers.

Difficult? I will kill them if they try to touch her
, he told Alexios.
I will peel their skin from their bodies and hang their internal organs in the sun to burn. Yes, that could be difficult for them
.

With that, Alexios cut off the connection, but not before Brennan sensed an impending threat. Alexios and Lucas were facing something big and possibly very, very bad. He needed to get out there and help.

“Alexios is in danger,” he murmured in Tiernan’s ear. “I need to go to his aid.”

“Did he ask for help?”

“No, but—”

“I understand you need to help your friend,” she said, so quietly it was nearly subvocal. “But we’re being watched very closely, and I’m not sure how you can get out of here without being extremely noticeable.” She cut a glance toward the podium under the sweep of her long, dark lashes, and he pulled her into a hug, using the action as cover to glance where she’d indicated.

It was Litton, of course. Staring at them and not bothering to hide his scrutiny.

“The good doctor is being just a little too overt for a scientist planning to grovel for money,” Tiernan murmured. “Makes me think Plan B is to kill you or try to enthrall you and keep your money, too.”

“After all, if they go along with my plans, they get ten million,” Brennan said. “If they make me a mind slave, they get it all.”

“How much are you supposed to be worth?”

Brennan shrugged, more interested in the delicate curve of her ear than in talk of money. “I don’t pay very close attention. When our former king insisted we work with human banks and investments, I began to do so. I would imagine I am at an even dozen or so by now.”

Tiernan blinked. “A dozen what? Atlantean dollars? Starfish? What do you even use for currency?”

He smiled down at her. “No, we do not use currency in Atlantis. We have no need. My funds are concentrated in American dollars, although I have considerable overseas investments, of course.”

She opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again. “So you’re telling me you have twelve million dollars? For real?”

“Of course not.”

Tiernan laughed and blew out a big sigh. “Whew. I was really going to have a problem hanging out with you since you’re so much older and if you were a millionaire, too. It’s not like I’m the sugar-daddy type.”

He searched his memory for the term, but could not find it. “I don’t know what ‘sugar daddy’ means, but I do not have twelve million dollars. I have approximately twelve billion dollars. Should we get another drink? I need to get word to Grace.”

He started toward the bar, but halted when he realized she was no longer with him. He pivoted on his heel, ready to protect her from any danger, but she was safe. Safe, but standing exactly where he’d left her, with a very odd look on her face. He returned to her side, concerned that she might be ill or—if it were even possible for one with her amazing courage—finally afraid.

“Tiernan?”

“Twelve
billion
dollars? Are you joking?”

He studied her face, trying to decide what the best response would be. As always, he settled for the simplest. “I rarely joke. Without emotions, there has been no way for me to judge the comic potential of most humor.”

She blinked. “You rarely joke. Twelve. Billion. Dollars.”

A delightful notion struck him, and he laughed out loud. “This is no longer a problem. I can make jokes anytime I want. I can joke with
Ven
.”

Tiernan, who had met Ven, raised a single eyebrow. “You might want to start smaller. Ven is more your world-class comedian.”

“Shall we go and talk to Grace?”

“Sure, lead away, Mr. Twelve Billion,” she said, still in that stunned tone.

Before starting back across the floor, he related what Alexios had told him. “If this gets any more dangerous, you are out of this mission,” he said flatly. “No arguments.”

Something sparked in her eyes, and the stunned look vanished from her face as if it had never been there. “Wrong. You’d better believe there will be arguments. There is no way I’m going anywhere. If they’re worried about us escaping, that means we’re on the right track. Now all we have to do is play along, find out what we can, and break the story so the bad guys go to jail.”

Brennan shook his head. “Unfortunately, it is never, ever that easy when it comes to vampires.”

She grinned. “I know. So you need me. I’m your backup.”

With that, she grabbed his hand and headed toward the bar, leaving him no choice but to follow.

“My backup,” he repeated, wondering if a nonstop tsunami of emotions could shatter a man’s mind—or if Tiernan could do that all by herself.

Alexios picked that moment to communicate with him again.

We’ve got more trouble. Lucas has to go back to Pack headquarters, there was another attack there, and he’s afraid for Honey and the babies. I’m going with him. This is his family in danger, and he might need an extra pair of daggers
.

Do you need me?
Brennan sent back. For Lucas and his family, he would find a way to escape Litton’s watchdogs.

Brennan’s fury flashed into a towering rage at the thought.

Brennan agreed and shut down the line of communication. Tiernan tugged on his arm and then pulled his face down and kissed his cheek. “Did you see that? Litton’s weasel of an assistant just rushed in here looking totally freaked-out. Something is definitely going on.”

Litton’s face turned red, then white, as they watched the intense conversation he and his assistant were having, and then the scientist rushed out of the room. Wesley began to follow him, then turned and scanned the room, arrowing in on Brennan and Tiernan. He started toward them at a rapid pace and stumbled to a stop.

“Um, Mr. Brennan, I’m sorry to say that the meeting that was set for after this party had to be postponed. We’ll, uh, we’ll be in touch in the morning. Dr. Litton requests that you stay in the hotel, since there was a report of, er, an animal attack.” The man took a deep breath. “Yeah. Animal attack. Safer just to stay here.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” Brennan said noncommittally.

“Great. Well, um, tomorrow.” The man rushed after his employer, almost running in his haste. When he’d vanished through the ballroom doorway, Brennan told Tiernan what Alexios had said.

“I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you Wesley was lying through his teeth,” she said. “Trouble in mad scientist land, you figure? More experiments going wrong? I sure hope none of Lucas’s family or Pack were hurt.”

“As do I. For now, we need to tell Grace what is planned, and then we can go to our room and decide what to do next.”

“Our room?” Tiernan sighed and then squared her shoulders and flashed a crooked smile his way. “Yes, I guess it has to be. Well, on the bright side, I’ve never shared a room with a billionaire before. Do you have dollar signs on your pajamas?”

Brennan stared after her, feeling yet again like he was having some difficulty keeping up with this fascinating woman. When she was too far away to hear him, he finally remembered to answer her question.