Dying to Date (8 page)

Tarian gestured to the broken down chair in the corner. A gray Wal-Mart bag waited for her.

“I thought of that,” he said. “Once you were settled in, I did a quick run.”

She took the bag and refrained from thanking him for the unexpected thoughtfulness.

“I had to guess at the sizes,” he replied, striding back to the bed.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” she said and slipped into the bathroom.

There she traded her Dior dress and Jimmy Choos for polyester and sneakers. Glancing in the mirror, she saw every trace of a curl had left her hair, and her makeup had more or less vanished. She looked…ordinary. Something she hadn’t been since her human days.

You’re a Redgrave,
she told herself.
The match of any necromancer, no matter how old.

Rolling her shoulders back, she lifted her chin. In four nights she’d be home. She could do this. As long as she remembered the real Tarian was the one who had forcibly brought her back to this room, not the one who had shown up at her office with lunch and even more delicious kisses. Whatever reason he’d had for pursuing her, she bet it wasn’t because of her awesome dating abilities. Which meant she had to keep her foolish, romantic heart firmly in check. She might have deluded herself into thinking he was the man of her dreams, but she’d never been the woman of his.

Opening the door, she found Tarian standing with his back to her. She paused and took the opportunity to study him. Tension knotted in his tight shoulders. He must have had time to exchange his regular suits for more casual attire before setting out after her but still, she appreciated the speed at which he’d managed to come to her aid.

You’re a means to an end to him,
she told herself.
Even if that end is in everyone’s best interests. It doesn’t change the facts.

She couldn’t trust him. Ever.

“I’m ready,” she called.

He turned to her, but there was no pleasure in his eyes. “Then we should get going.”

“I’ll drive,” she offered. “You couldn’t have gotten much sleep.”

He inclined his head. The fact that he hadn’t argued told her just how exhausted he must be. She’d slept the day away while he’d put a safe buffer between them and Dominic. Given that he’d spent the night before awake with the necromancers, he must be asleep on his feet.

Together they left the run down motel in wary harmony.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had to drive herself anywhere. Not only was Manhattan not exactly conducive to owning a car, but she had a driver whenever there was a need. Ignoring the whole trying-to-avoid-a-group-of-zealous-necromancers thing, she rather enjoyed the freedom of the wide open Arizona roads. While Tarian slept in the passenger seat, she’d spent hours flying down the dark pavement. There was definitely something to be said for racing through the desert on empty roads, feeling like the last people on earth.

However, her joy at the open road shriveled when her companion came to. Melissa glanced at the clock on the dashboard, wondering if she could use the dawn as an excuse to pull over for the night and escape the confines of the small car. But the traitorous timepiece showed at least two hours before she could justify stopping for the day.

“No trouble?” Tarian asked, pushing himself up in the seat.

“No sign of your criminal cousins,” she replied. “Looks like we’re still ahead of them.”

Silence stretched, and it was anything but comfortable.

“You made good time tonight,” he offered, glancing out the window.

“Not like there are many cops to catch me in these parts.”

“If we continue to make such speed we might shave a few hours off our estimate.”

Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Excellent news.”

“Still, it’s good to know that—”

“Stop,” Melissa cut in. “Just…stop.” She drew in a deep breath out of habit as she tried to figure out how to best phrase her request. “I can’t sit here and chitchat with you as if nothing has happened,” she said.

His head turned slowly to look at her. His powers might allow him to sense the changes in her body, but that advantage worked both ways. Melissa counted the steady heartbeats echoing in her ears.

“I regret you were drawn into this.” His words broke the uncomfortable silence.

She glanced at him before looking back at the road. “Your fault.”

“I know.”

“What, did you walk into Fated Match and decide it was a great day to screw with a vampire’s life?”

“No.”

“Was I your way of taking your pound of flesh from the vamp community?”

“Didn’t even cross my mind.”

Her grip on the steering wheel tightened. Those words had sounded so sincere, and the weakest part of her wished they were. “Then why?” she said. “Why did you pursue me?”

His gaze never wavered from her. Melissa felt its weight like a physical touch as she waited for him to respond.

“You won’t believe a thing I say,” he told her, his voice soft in the quiet of the car. “Any answer I offer will be dismissed. Tell me I’m wrong.”

What had she expected? That he start waxing poetically about being struck by her beauty and just having to have her, despite the barrier of their species? Her life rarely worked out so perfectly. No, there was more to the story than lust, if he’d even been serious about his attraction to her.

He’s right
. She’d distrust whatever answer he gave her. It was a useless line of inquiry. Melissa shook her head, knowing just days ago she would have trusted him so easily because she’d foolishly hoped he was something he could never be.

“There’s a twenty-four hour convenience store ahead,” she said, as they drove through one of the small towns that had peppered their journey. “We should stop for supplies.”

She didn’t bother waiting for his reply, merely slowed to a halt outside the brightly lit store. Pushing from the car, she inhaled the desert night air. She needed a break. Trying to figure Tarian out was giving her a headache.

As she walked up the wooden steps to the store, she tried to run her hand through her hair only to have her fingers get stuck in the tangles. Looked like stopping would serve two purposes. She could catch her breath, figuratively, and get a hairbrush all in one fell swoop.

A tiny bell chimed as she entered the store. Rows of shelves, housing every item you never knew you desperately needed, waited before her. The cashier barely cast her a glance before turning back to the small TV perched before him.

Melissa grabbed a wire basket and stepped into the aisles. She heard the chime indicating Tarian had joined her but didn’t bother to glance back. Instead she wandered further, looking over the bags of chips and bottles of pop she couldn’t consume.

Moving to the toiletry section, she threw a hairbrush and a pack of elastic ties into her basket. An overpriced stick of deodorant followed as did two toothbrushes. Though their last room had provided them, she didn’t know if that trend would hold for the next place they stayed.

Rounding the row, she saw Tarian tossing bottles of water and power bars into his basket. The sight reminded her that while her companion could refuel with relative ease, she could not.

Problem for another time,
she thought, pushing back the beginning of hunger pangs pulling at her.

She walked up to the counter and gave her basket to the cashier.

A shiver of awareness told her Tarian had come up beside her. He passed over his items and stood with his warm body brushing against her arm.

Melissa tried to wait as the cashier rang up their bill, but every pulse of his heartbeat, every brush of skin against skin, drove her to distraction.

“I’ll wait outside,” she said before striding out the door. Not like she had any money on her anyway.

Stepping into the night, she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. Humans had always feared the dark, but since her transformation it had become her haven. With her sensitive vampire vision, the dark road around her looked as brightly lit as if the sun were shining.

Should have bought a pair of sunglasses,
she thought, remembering her designer collection at home with a wistful sigh.

Jogging down the steps, she glanced at the car before choosing to prowl toward the deserted alley between the convenience store and the building next to it. Stepping into the deeper shadows loosened some of the tension in her shoulders. She could do this. Their trip was about survival, and she’d always been particularly good at that game.

What had to stop was the longing that hit her every time she looked at her companion. He wasn’t to be trusted, not given what he was, but her libido jumped into high gear when he so much as brushed against her.

This reaction is ridiculous
.
You have more control than this.

Even as she berated herself, a secret corner of her mind whispered that mates had an undeniable attraction that couldn’t be tamed.

Not my mate,
she thought.
The universe wouldn’t be so cruel.

“Melissa?”

She turned at the sound of her name to see Tarian striding forward. His gaze was firmly fixed on her, and not scanning for any threats that might await him in the gloom.

Her lips twitched at the thought. Anyone foolish enough to lie in wait for Tarian deserved the broken bones he’d dole out.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

She shook back her hair and nodded. “Fine. I just needed a minute.”

Tarian stopped an arm’s reach from her. His face was shadowed, but even with a bright light shining on him she wouldn’t have been able to read his expression.

“You got everything?” she asked.

He lifted the white plastic bag dangling from his fingers.

“I’ll pay you back when we reach the city.”

He shrugged. “Buying you a hairbrush is the least I can do, given the circumstances.”

He had a point.

“Okay, then we should get back on the road.”

Tarian nodded, but neither of them moved.

Instead he took a step toward her.

“What are you doing?”

“Two more hours of uncomfortable silence sounds about as fun as taking a leisurely swim through shark infested waters.”

“I’m not sure there’s much we can do about it,” she replied. “We are where we are.”

He nodded. “You’re right.” His eyes flicked up to hers. “Then again…”

The white bag dropped at their feet as he grabbed her by the waist and twirled her up against the store wall.

His lips captured hers, tasting, controlling.

Melissa pushed against his chest but he only wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She nearly moaned at the sensation of his hard body rubbing against hers. Under different circumstances nothing would have stopped her from slipping her hands beneath his dark T-shirt and tracing the contours of his chest. Preferably with her tongue.

Tarian lifted her slightly, sliding one leg between hers so she balanced on his thigh. Desire pulsed through her as she fought the urge to rock against him.

His tongue traced the seam of her lips as he demanded entry, and her resolve weakened.

Push him away,
her mind commanded.
Stand strong.

She knew caution was the better part of valor. Right up to the moment she parted her lips.

Tarian took full advantage of her moment of weakness. He invaded her, consumed her, dominated her. There were a million reasons to push him away, but all her body craved was more.

His hands slid along her thighs, and she felt the heat of his touch even through the cheap denim. Need pulsed within her, just as it had the first time they’d touched.

Her fangs ached in her gums. The desire to bite, to taste Tarian, nearly overwhelmed her. Hunger mixed with lust in a powerful, intoxicating combination. She needed him. Needed him in a way she hadn’t needed anyone before.

The tips of her fangs pushed free, and she couldn’t stop herself from scraping them oh so lightly against his tongue.

Tarian jerked under her hands as a tiny bead of blood welled into her mouth. There was no biting back the delicious moan that broke free from her throat. It was just the smallest taste, a minute burst of flavor, but the experience nearly brought her to her knees. Never in all her years had she tasted anything as addicting as him. Something was different about his blood. Something that called to her on the most basic of levels. The predator in her roared for more. She’d never get enough of him.

His hand slid down her spine to the curve of her waist, and she nearly purred at the caress. She craved more, wanted to feel his fingers trailing over her naked skin as she arched beneath him.

It was getting harder to think. There was a reason she shouldn’t be doing this. Surely there was. But right now the only question on her mind was whether or not the shadows were dark enough to hide their activities if she were to shred their clothes and take him right there.

Bad idea
, her inner voice whispered.

She didn’t want to listen to logic or remember all the reasons why she shouldn’t trust him. All she wanted was to prolong this perfect, maddening feeling.

With a groan, she pushed him back.

Tarian stared at her, lust clear in his gaze, with his hands still clenched around her waist.

“That was your grand idea to diffuse the tension?” she demanded.

His grin was almost boyish. “Couldn’t hurt to try.”

A smile tugged at her lips though she fought it back.

“At least now you’ll believe me when I tell you I’ve never touched you with any aim other than getting you into bed.”

Her smile slipped from her lips as she looked up at him.

He arched a brow at her silence and caught her wrist. She didn’t protest when he pressed her hand firmly against his hard erection.

“Think I’m faking that?” he demanded.

Unlikely. Her fingers curled around him instinctively, causing Tarian to hiss in pleasure.

“You could be a fantastic actor,” she offered.

He arched a brow, silently questioning the ridiculousness of her statement.