His Dark Embrace (27 page)
Chapter 38
The trip home was uneventful. Sam was ready to feed by the time the plane landed. After cautioning Sam to be quick and careful, Thorne transported himself and Skylynn to her house.
When they arrived, Thorne circled the house. Only after assuring himself that no one was lurking in the shadows did he allow Sky to open the front door. Inside, he took her hand and then went from room to room, making sure no one was there and that no one had been there while they were away. It bothered him that Sky wouldn’t have anyone to look out for her during the day now that Sam was a vampire. Not that Sam had been much help against Desmarais, but at least Sky had had company during the daylight hours.
“I’m going to take a shower and slip into something more comfortable,” Skylynn decided once Kaiden was satisfied that the house was safe. She had been wearing the same clothes since Desmarais whisked them off to England.
“All right.”
“Do you want to come up and wash my back?”
“And your front.”
Grinning, she started up the stairs, only to pause, one hand on the banister. “What are we going to do about Desmarais? He got in here once without any trouble. What’s to stop him from doing it again?”
“I’ll be with you at night. During the day, I want you and Sam at my place.”
“How’s that any safer than here?”
“My house is better fortified than yours. I’ve warded the windows and the doors against intruders, human and vampire.”
“Warded? You mean, like magic?”
“Something like that. Only master vampires are capable of it.”
Skylynn looked at him wide-eyed for a long moment; then, with a shake of her head, she continued up the stairs, muttering, “You learn something new every day.”
Thorne watched her until she was out of sight; then, opening his preternatural senses, he honed in on his link to Sam. After assuring himself that the boy was safe, Thorne went up the stairs two at a time to see how Skylynn felt about washing his back after he washed hers.
Sam was on his way home when he felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere around him, like the change in the air before a storm. Although he was newly turned, he knew immediately that the woman who appeared beside him, seemingly out of nowhere, was ancient. Preternatural power swept over him and he realized instinctively that she could squish him like a bug with no trouble at all.
“Good evening, Samuel.”
He swallowed the fear that rose like bile in the back of his throat. “Hey.”
She laughed softly, displaying even white teeth and lethal fangs. “No need to be afraid.”
“Who said anything about being afraid?”
Again, a peal of almost girlish laughter, so at odds with the calculating look in her eyes. “I can smell it on you.”
“Since you know who I am, how about telling me who you are?”
“Don’t you remember?” she asked, pouting.
He shook his head.
“You could say that I’m your grandmother.”
Sam stared at her, confused. His grandmother? What the hell was she talking about? And then he laughed as he realized what she meant. This was the vampire who had turned Kaiden.
“Grandma,” he drawled. “What big teeth you have.”
Her hand shot out, curling around his throat like a garrote. “The better to eat you with, my dear.”
Sam stared into her face, into a pair of eyes gone bloodred. Damn, he hadn’t even seen her move. Did she mean to kill him?
“Kill you? Of course not,” she said, releasing her hold on his throat. “You really don’t remember me, do you?”
“Should I?” he asked, and then felt his eyes widen with the shock of recognition. “You!” he exclaimed, wondering how he could have forgotten the first time they met. “You were the woman in the bar. You got me drunk.”
She shrugged. “I was bored, and you were so ... entertaining.”
“Are you bored now?”
“No, merely curious. Kaiden has never turned anyone before. Somehow, I thought it would be your sister.”
“What do you know about Skylynn?”
“I know everything Kaiden knows, including what he’s doing now,” she said with a smile. “I would advise you to take your time getting home.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Think about it.”
Sam frowned at Cassandra, but she was gone before he could ask her anything else.
Sam stared after her and then, realizing what she meant, he chuckled. Had Skylynn been intimately involved with any other man at any other time, he might have hurried home to defend his sister’s honor, but he figured it was too late for that. Besides, Skylynn was a big girl, old enough to know what she was doing. Then, too, she was engaged to Kaiden. In some countries of the world, that was as binding as a marriage contract.
He ran a hand over his jaw. So, he had an hour or so to kill—the thought made him laugh. In the last few days, the word
kill
had taken on a whole new meaning.
kill
had taken on a whole new meaning.
Hands shoved into his pants pockets, Sam strolled down the street, whistling softly. He didn’t know if it was luck or chance or some kind of vampire instinct that led him to the Scarlet Cabaret. He felt a rush of supernatural power as soon as he crossed the threshold. Scattered among the Goths and wannabe vamps, he sensed the real thing. At first he thought it was Cassandra, but she was nowhere to be seen. He ducked behind a pillar as a horrible thought occurred to him. What if it was Desmarais? But even as the thought occurred to him, he knew it wasn’t Desmarais. He knew the monk’s stink and he wasn’t likely to confuse it with anyone else’s.
Swearing softly, he moved toward the bar.
The bartender was a petite brunette with big brown eyes and a mouth meant for kissing. “Hey, handsome, what’ll you have?”
“I don’t know. What have you got?”
She smiled. “Anything you want, honey.”
Sam glanced at the glasses neatly lined up on a shelf behind the bar. What did vampires order in a nightclub? He grinned inwardly. A bloody Mary?
“How about the house specialty?” the bartender suggested. “I think you’ll like it.”
“Sure, bring it on.”
Sam watched her sashay to the far end of the bar. She returned moments later carrying a crystal flute filled with red liquid.
“Here you go.”
Sam lifted the glass. He held it a moment before sniffing the contents. And then he frowned. Was it blood?
The bartender was watching him carefully.
Sam blew out a breath, then took a sip. It was indeed blood, mixed with a little red wine. “This is the house specialty?”
She nodded. “Like it?”
He hesitated before answering. Was this some kind of trap? How did she know what he was?
“I’ve worked here a long time,” she said, as if that explained everything.
“It’s ... different.”
She smiled at him. “I’m Lisa. My father owns the club.”
“Pleased to meet you, Lisa. I’m Sam.”
“I haven’t seen you in here before.”
“No.” He took another drink. It was smooth going down. “I’m new.”
“New in town?” she asked, crossing her arms on the top of the bar. “Or just new?”
“Just new, I guess,” he replied. “Funny, I don’t remember ever seeing this place before.”
“We like it like that.”
He drained the glass and handed it back to her. “How about a refill?”
“Sure, honey. I’ll be right back.”
Sam leaned his elbow on the bar. He was new to all this supernatural stuff, but he had a gut feeling that Lisa wasn’t entirely human. Not that he cared. She was a pretty little thing. Her skin-tight black jeans, long-sleeved white silk shirt, and black vest outlined every luscious feminine curve.
He felt a rush of desire as he watched her refill his glass. Whatever she was, he wanted her.
He grinned as he watched her return, her hips swaying provocatively. Unless he missed his guess, she wanted him, too. The night was suddenly ripe with possibilities.
“Like what you see?” she asked as she handed him his drink.
“What’s not to like? Would it be too presumptuous of me to ask what time you get off work?”
“In about five minutes. Why? What did you have in mind?”
“Anything you want.”
“Would you like to walk me home?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She winked at him. “Just let me get my coat.”
She returned a few minutes later wearing a short black leather jacket. “You ready?”
“Always ready.”
She laughed softly. “Slow down, tiger. We’ve got all night.”
Sam held the door open for her, then followed her out. “So, tell me about yourself. What do you do when you’re not mixing drinks?”
“Lots of things. I paint a little. I work out at the gym. I teach a self-defense class twice a week.”
“Guess I’d better watch myself.”
“No need,” she said with a teasing grin. “I’ll be glad to watch you.”
When her gaze met his, the attraction between them sizzled like heat lightning.
Lisa slipped her arm through his. “This could prove interesting.”
“Interesting?” Sam repeated with a laugh. “Honey, this is gonna be way better than that.”
“So, what about you?” Lisa asked. “What do you like to do?”
Sam shrugged. “Work on my car, mostly. Flirt with pretty girls.”
“How long have you been a vampire?”
“I’m brand-new.”
“Do you like it?”
“Surprisingly, I do.”
“You asked for it, then?” she said, frowning. “I could never understand why anyone would want to be a vampire.”
“It wasn’t a choice I made. My sister made it for me.”
“Oh?”
“Well, I was dying and”—he shrugged again—“it beat the alternative.”
“Yes, I guess so.” She paused in front of a large, two-story house. “This is where I live.”
“Nice place.” A light burned in one of the downstairs windows. A few palm trees grew alongside the house; rose bushes lined the walkway to the front door.
“Thanks for walking me home.”
“You’re welcome.” He rocked back on his heels, wondering if he dared kiss her good night and then, remembering how Granda had always said nothing ventured, nothing gained, Sam drew her close and covered her mouth with his.
And knew that one kiss wouldn’t be enough.
Skylynn and Kaiden were snuggling on the sofa when Sam let himself into the house.
“So,” Kaiden asked. “How’d it go?”
“Fine. Why?”
“We expected you home before now. It’s almost dawn. Your sister’s been worried about you.”
“Come on, Sky,” Sam said, dropping into a chair. “It’s time you stopped playing mother hen. I’m the big brother, remember? Not to mention that I’m the scariest thing on the streets.”
Thorne snorted.
Skylynn shook her head.
“Geez, you guys treat me like I’m ten years old.”
“I know you feel like you’re indestructible,” Thorne said. “But you’re not. You might want to remember that.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry if I worried you, Sky. I won’t do it again.”
“I’m sorry for being such a worrywart.”
“You were at the Scarlet Cabaret tonight,” Thorne remarked.
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
“I can smell Lisa on you.”
Sam’s face lit up. “Do you know her? Man, she’s something else.”
“She is, indeed,” Thorne agreed.
“Who’s Lisa?” Skylynn asked.
“She tends bar at the club,” Thorne said. “Her father owns it. She works there a few nights a week. So, what did you think of her?”
“She’s gorgeous,” Sam replied. “I’ve got a date with her tomorrow night.”
“If I were you, I’d take it slow,” Thorne said.
“I’m not planning to snack on her, if that’s what you’re thinking, although I have to admit, the thought of tasting her crossed my mind more than once.”
Thorne shook his head. “You won’t like it if you do.”
“What’s not to like?” Sam asked, frowning. “She’s young, single, beautiful, and she smells good.”
“There’s just one other little thing you might want to remember,” Thorne remarked.
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“She’s a werewolf.”
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