Fall of Darkness (The Chronicles of Darkness) (5 page)

A riot of butterflies danced in her
stomach at the mere sight of him. She liked the way he looked so at home on her
couch. She could get used to that. She liked the way he looked, period. She
liked the way he talked, the way he smiled. She liked him. She sighed and shut
the bathroom door. She was in trouble with a capital T.

            Her
head still throbbed with a vengeance, so she scrounged up some acetaminophen.
Popping two of the white pills into her mouth, Kate swallowed them with a swig
of cold water from the tap. She turned on the shower and glanced at her
reflection in the mirror.

Her pupils were equal and reactive. Good.
All positive thinking ended there. She looked terrible. Her face appeared
swollen and drained of all color except the dark shadows of developing bruises.
Her bottom lip was split and crusted with dried blood. Her eyes were bloodshot
and rimmed with dark circles. She didn’t even want to think about how bad her
hair looked. Lovely. She just met the hottest man on the planet and she looked
like the walking dead.

 Kate shrugged out of Dominic’s jacket
and draped it over the counter. Gingerly, she removed her tattered clothing,
noting every tender inch of her body that screamed in complaint. Climbing into
the shower, she let the pulsing heat of the water soothe her aching body. Long
after she finished washing herself, she stood beneath the spray of warm water. It
felt so good, she could’ve fallen asleep.

Instead, she dreamily pondered the
delicious stranger awaiting her return in the living room. True, he was dark,
beautiful, and all too tempting. But his sex appeal masked an even more
impressive interior.

Beneath the dark, rugged exterior and
smoldering intensity, Kate sensed heart. She found herself liking him, trusting
him. As if they were old friends, instead of perfect strangers. Yup, she was in
big trouble. She shut the water off and drew back the curtain to step out.

The bathroom remained clouded with thick
steam as she carefully toweled dry her bruised body and tender scalp. She bit
back a few curses as she inadvertently discovered the sorest spots. Her body
was basically one big walking bruise, but Kate was pretty confident she’d live
to die another day.

Cringing in pain, she assessed the
damage, mentally tallying her injuries- a handful of broken ribs, a few nasty
hematomas, a tongue laceration, and a concussion. Hopefully, nothing more
serious, because no way in hell was she going back to the hospital.

What would they do for her anyway?
Nothing. Shoot some x-rays, maybe even a CT scan to be on the safe side. Give
her some anti-inflammatory meds. Send her home with a teaching sheet listing
the signs of a head injury, internal bleeding, and infection. No thanks. Been
there, done the teaching. Besides, nothing the hospital had to offer could
justify facing her coworkers like this. She’d have to be dying, because she
would never live it down.

Satisfied she’d not sustained any life
threatening injuries and having successfully rationalized she didn’t need
immediate medical attention, Kate dressed with care. She gently ran a brush
through her damp hair and gathered it into a loose ponytail at the base of her
neck. She didn’t bother to inspect her reflection in the mirror before she
opened the door. She knew what a walking disaster she was, without seeing it
reflected in the glass.

            Here
goes. She sucked in a deep breath and stepped out into the apartment, taken
aback by the thrill of finding Dominic still there. A small part of her had
worried her overactive imagination had cooked him up post-head injury. Nope, he
was very real and so deliciously male, sprawled out on her couch as if he owned
the place.

            Dominic
looked up as Kate stepped into the living room, and immediately rose to his
feet.

“You look much better,” he said, raking
her with an appraising gaze. “Feel better?”

            Kate
nodded and took a hesitant step forward.

            “Please,
have a seat,” he said indicating the cushion next to him. 

Erring on the side of caution, Kate sank
into the cushion on the far end of the couch instead. With a shrug and a
knowing smile, Dominic resumed his seat at the opposite end.

            Sports
highlights flashed on the television screen and Kate tried painfully hard to
concentrate on them, but felt Dominic’s gaze as he watched her out of the
corner of his eye. Sitting bolt upright on the couch like a battered, immovable
board, she probably looked as stiff and uncomfortable as she felt.

Dominic sighed. “You can sit a little
closer, you know. I won’t bite,” he promised, laughter dancing in his eyes. He
lifted his arm in an offer for her to scoot in closer to him.

Kate cocked an eyebrow in question,
crossing her arms over her chest. He held his hands up in front of him, palms
out in defense.

            “I
assure you my intentions are dishonorable at best, but my thoughts were only of
your comfort.”

            What
did she have to lose? She’d just been brutalized by much less desirable men.

            “Al-right,”
Kate conceded in true martyr style, a small smile betraying her tone. “Only
because you’re willing to so generously sacrifice yourself in the interest of
my comfort.”

            “No
sacrifice is too great,” he confirmed in mock solemnity, the corner of his
mouth tipping up in a smile.

Scooting cautiously toward him on the
couch, she nestled herself into the crook of his arm. She concentrated on
relaxing, letting her head rest against his chest. Dominic’s arm wrapped around
her back, cradling her against his side. Soothed by the gentle rise and fall of
his chest with each breath, she listened to the comforting sound of his heartbeat.

Inhaling deeply, Kate reveled in the
heady scent of him. Something clean and inviting, a smooth combination of mint,
eucalyptus, and sexy man. Man, oh man
,
was she in Heaven.

Dominic gently stroked her arm as she
succumbed to her growing exhaustion. Within minutes she slept comfortably in
his arms, thoughts of strangers and serial killers abandoned for far more
enjoyable fantasies. Funny, they all starred a tall, dark, and handsome knight
in shining armor, white horse and all.

Dominic whispered the words for sleep
and healing once more, as Kate relaxed in his arms. She was recovering quickly,
a combination of her vampire genetics and the healing sleep. Her body was still
battered and bruised, but showed mere shadows of the injuries she’d actually
sustained.

He pressed his lips gently to the top of
her head as she slept. Caving to temptation, he buried his face in her still
damp hair, savoring the rich smell of her. She smelt like strawberries and cream…
and more. His heart clenched painfully in his chest. There, beyond any normal
male’s comprehension, hid the distinctive aroma of her race.

She was turning. He couldn’t deny it.
She would likely transition into one of them within the next month or two.

The sickly sweet odor of his enemy
typically burned his nostrils and gave rise to the hackles at his spine. Hers
was much more faint and combined with other aromas to become a scent that was
purely Kate. It stirred feelings in him he’d never imagined he could feel for
anyone, let alone for one of her kind.

He watched her face as she slumbered, so
beautiful, so peaceful. She was kind and gentle, passionate and brave, loving
and good. Perhaps she could retain her goodness through the change. Never had
one of her kind been raised by humans before. He grasped desperately at this
single thread of hope. She would not be like them when she turned.

Yet Dominic knew it was not enough. She
would still be a vampire. He would still be a werewolf. Worst of all, she would
still be the heiress he was sworn to destroy, the woman destined to bring the
end of his world.

He should strip her mind and banish his
memory to the shadows of her dreams, never to be thought of again. He should
disappear from her life, wait out the change, and then return to finish his
task. But, he couldn’t. As selfish as it was, he wanted to know her, to be
around her.

 Dominic struggled with the conflicting
thoughts plaguing his consciousness. He knew now how impossible it would be for
him to kill her. Neither could he betray his family. He sat in silent torment, numerous
questions racing through his mind, as he held tight to the beautiful woman who
was the answer to them all.

Chapter
5

“Kate Evelyn Murdock, I know your daddy
taught you better than that.”

Kate woke to the sound of Lindsey’s
playful scolding and peeked at her friend through one partially opened eye.

            “You
know I don’t have a middle name, Linz,” Kate yawned. Man, had she slept like
the dead.

            “Well,
how am I supposed to ‘middle name’ you if you don’t have a middle name to do it
with? I did the best I could. I adapted. Besides, Evelyn is such a lovely name.

“And don’t you dare change the subject.
You’re in big trouble, missy. I wake up to find you sleeping with a strange man
on our couch. I need to call Daddy Murdock right this minute and tell him his
darling baby girl has joined me on the dark side. He’ll have a conniption. He’ll
be over here with a shot gun and a priest in no time,” Lindsey threatened
gaily.

Kate couldn’t blame Lindsey for taking
full advantage of catching her red handed. After all, straight laced Kate was
always giving Lindsey good intentioned morning after lectures on responsibility.
Turn about was fair play, even if she hadn’t really done anything.

Lindsey examined Dominic’s sleeping form
for the first time and her eyes widened in shocked delight.

            “Whoa!
Holy hell, he’s hot. Way to go, Kate. I guess I can see how you could abandon a
lifetime of deeply ingrained morals for one night with this man. Maybe I should
call your dad. That whole shot gun and preacher thing doesn’t sound half bad.
You might actually want to keep this one. Although, if you don’t want him, I’d
be more than willing to take him off your hands. Oh the things I could do to
that sexy man…” Lindsey trailed off dreamily.

            “Do
you have to be so loud, Linz? My head feels like it’s going to explode,” Kate
muttered, clutching her throbbing head.

Ignoring Kate’s complaint, Lindsey
pressed on. “So who is he?”

            “His
name is Dominic and despite recent popular belief, he has impeccable hearing,”
a husky male voice rumbled in amusement.

Kate tipped her head back to look at
Dominic’s face. He grinned at her. With a sheepish grin, she attempted to
disentangle herself from the compromising position she’d wriggled into while
sleeping.

Sleeping-Kate apparently had no
reservations about Dominic, or inhibitions at all for that matter. She’d slept
on top of him, wrapped snuggly in his arms, with her head nestled under his
chin and her legs tangled with his.

Color rushed to her cheeks as she
awkwardly righted herself. Lindsey waggled her eyebrows conspiratorially, but Kate
gave Lindsey ‘the look.’

            “It’s
not what it looks like, Linz,” Kate protested.

            “Then
what, do tell, is it? I’m sure there’s a perfectly rational explanation for why
I wake up to find you sleeping in the arms of a strange man. I’d love to hear
it. Hmm, let me guess, you were studying and fell asleep? Oh wait, we’re done
with school, that won’t work... Oh, well.”

Lindsey’s manic focus shifted back to
Dominic. “Hi. I’m Lindsey, but you can call me yours. I’m Kate’s best friend
and roommate. That is, if she ever forgives me for all the razzing. The
opportunity was too perfect. I couldn’t resist,” Lindsey shrugged, the closest
thing Kate would ever get to an apology.

“The pleasure is mine,” Dominic said,
with a smile.

Lindsey dropped to a sitting position on
the floor across from the couch. Her blue eyes widened in shock as she took in
Kate’s battered face for the first time.

“Holy shit, Kate! What happened to your
face? You look awful,” Lindsey blurted out. Her blue eyes narrowed at Dominic
in suspicion. “You didn’t have anything to do with that, did you?”

The edge in her voice dared him to
confess to abusing her friend. Sometimes the tiny blonde could forget she wasn’t
near as menacing as she liked to believe. What she lacked in size, she made up
for in spirit.

            “Oh,
Linz, no,” Kate hurried to interject. “Do you really believe I’d let him in the
apartment if he did this to me? I was attacked in the parking lot at work and
Dominic saved me. He brought me home and stayed with me to make sure I was
okay. I took a pretty good beating.”

            “Oh,”
Lindsey said, speechless for the first time probably ever in her filterless life.
She looked at Dominic with an apologetic grimace. “Sorry.”

            “No
harm done. I’m glad Kate has friends that care about her like that.” He rose
from the couch and turned to Kate. “I do, however, have an appointment this
morning I dare not miss.”

            “I’ll
walk you out,” Kate replied, jumping up from the couch. She gasped, cringing at
the pain that racked her body, a reminder of just how bad of a beating she’d
taken that morning.

            “Are
you alright?” Dominic asked softly, concern in his eyes as he reached for her.
“I can see myself out.”

            “No.
I’m fine, really. It’s just those ribs. I forget about them ’til I move,” Kate
assured him.

He looked far from mollified.

            “Lindsey,
it was a pleasure,” Dominic said, the corner of his mouth tipping up into a
slight smile.

            “The
pleasure’s all mine, honey,” Lindsey countered with a wicked grin. “If you get
tired of boring ol’ Kate here, give me a call. I’m lots more fun,” she joked,
sticking her tongue out at Kate.

Kate returned the juvenile gesture and grinned.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Dominic chuckled.
Rising from the couch, he made his way to the door, and held it for Kate to
walk out ahead of him.

As they made their way to the elevator, Dominic
fell into step with her, smoothly interlacing his fingers with hers. Kate’s
heart fluttered in response. His strong hand felt so natural in hers, as though
they were made to fit one another.

Hand-in-hand, they strolled through the
lobby and out the front doors to where his car waited at the curb. Kate
couldn’t believe it hadn’t been towed yet. Luck must be a woman enamored by
Dominic as well.

            “Thanks
for everything,” Kate mumbled shyly at his chest. A warm, tanned finger lifted
her chin until her emerald eyes met his melting chocolate ones.

His hand shifted to cradle her battered
face. “I have to see you again. Have dinner with me tonight?”

            “I’d
love to,” Kate said, breathless from the heated intensity of his gaze. “But
you’ve done so much for me. Let me do something for you. I could make you
dinner.”

            “Hmm,
food and a beautiful woman? Consider it a date. What time do you want me?”

            Now.
Always. Forever.

            “Six,”
Kate said instead.

            “Six
it is,” Dominic agreed. “I’ll be here.”

Cradling her face in his hands, Dominic
brushed his soft lips against her forehead in a kiss as light as the flutter of
butterfly wings. Kate’s heart stuttered as she struggled to catch her breath.
Her knees threatened to buckle as they turned to useless mush beneath her.

            “Until
tonight,
bellissima
,” he whispered in her ear, sending delicious shivers
racing down her spine. He pressed a kiss to her open palm and turned to his
car. The engine purred to life and he was gone.

Kate stood in entranced stillness long
after his car drove out of sight. Sighing, she brought the palm he’d kissed to
her cheek and closed her eyes. She was in big trouble.

If she wasn’t careful, she’d find
herself falling in love with him. If she was honest with herself, she would
realize she’d already fallen, hard and fast for a complete stranger. 

Accepting that she couldn’t stand on the
street in her pajamas all day, she headed back into the building. As she rode
the elevator, Kate tried to prepare for the impending barrage of questions awaiting
her return. As expected, Lindsey was perched on the edge of the couch, waiting
to pounce.

            “So?”
Lindsey asked expectantly.

            “So,”
Kate echoed blankly with a shrug of her shoulders, intentionally obtuse in
return for all the morning’s teasing. “So, what?”

            “Who
is he?”

            “I
believe he said his name was Dominic, but I could be wrong,” Kate replied
dryly, inspecting her fingernails with unnecessary interest.

            “I
know that,” Lindsey sighed. “I mean, what happened?” The tiny blonde bounced up
and down, a bundle of impatience and rampant curiosity.

            Kate
dropped next to her on the couch. Might as well get comfortable, Lindsey
wouldn’t let her go until she’d heard every last detail.

            “Well,
I was hiking to my car after work and these three guys attacked me. I was so
scared, Linz. I fought back, but they beat me until I lost consciousness. I
came to in Dominic’s car. I guess he chased them off. He brought me home and
stayed to make sure I was okay. We fell asleep on the couch and woke up when
you came in.”

            “That’s
it?” Lindsey asked dubiously. “Did you guys… you know?” She punctuated the last
two words by waggling her blonde eyebrows up and down.

            “No,
Linz. We didn’t. Perfect stranger, remember?”

            “You
mean to tell me, that Mr. Kiss-Me-Touch-Me-Tease-Me-Please-Me came dashing to
your rescue and you didn’t take advantage of the situation and jump the bones
of your oh-so-dreamy, hotter-than-Hell superhero? Kate, you’re too much.”
Lindsey shook her head, regarding Kate with an expression bordering on
incredulous disgust.

Kate knew her behavior fell far beyond
Lindsey’s comprehension. Lindsey slept with anyone male who caught her eye,
with no thought to the consequences. Kate couldn’t even fathom that kind of
reckless abandon, let alone exercise it. That wasn’t her. After willingly
leading the gorgeous stranger into their apartment, she counted herself lucky not
to have been murdered in her sleep.

            “That’s
not to say I didn’t want to…”

            “Atta
girl, now you’re talking,” Lindsey hooted with glee.

“I’m only human and he’s the single most
gorgeous man alive, but you know me better than that, Linz. After the whole Guy
fiasco and…” Kate trailed off in discomfort, shifting in her seat. “Well, I’ve
waited this long, I’m not going to jump into bed with the first sinfully
attractive man who saves my life.”

            “Waiting
is easy when there’s no real temptation. That man is the very definition of living,
breathing temptation, in the flesh.”

            “You
can say that again,” Kate sighed dreamily. “Listen, I’m not swearing it’s not
going to happen. Just don’t hold your breath.”

“Suit yourself. I just think you’d be a
little easier to live with if you got laid once in awhile,” Lindsey teased.

            “Yeah,
yeah, you keep saying that. Maybe someday I’ll actually listen,” Kate replied
dryly.

“So, you’re not sleeping with him,”
Lindsey reiterated, disappointment coloring her tone. Kate could hear the
unspoken ‘yet’ attached to the end of the sentence as clearly as the words
Lindsey had actually said out loud.

“Are you going to see him again?”

            “Tonight,
he asked me to have dinner with him.” Kate flushed with pleasure.

            “Where’s
he taking you?”

The color in her cheeks deepened with
heat.

            “He’s
coming here. I offered to cook as a thank you for saving me,” Kate mumbled.

“Kate,” Lindsey groaned. “You don’t
cook. You microwave.”

“I know.”

“What were you thinking?” Lindsey
demanded.

“I guess I wasn’t. I can’t think straight
when I’m around him. I’m lucky if I remember my own name, let alone that I
don’t cook. I’m too busy fantasizing about what it would feel like to kiss him
or imagining what our kids would look like, to think about anything else.”

Lindsey laughed. “Nonetheless, the truth
remains, you could burn water.”

Panic mode kicked in. “What should I
do?”

“I’ve got it.” Hopping up from the
couch, Lindsey flitted into the kitchen. With a proud grin, she reemerged,
brandishing a thick stack of takeout menus.

“So, what are you cooking? Chinese? Italian?
We’ve got a little of everything.”