Out of the Night (Harlequin Nocturne) (24 page)

“You still want to be with me?” he asked.

“More than ever.” Wanting to push away the past, she gave him a wicked grin. “It’s not every vampire I invite into my bed.”

He stalked toward her slowly, a graceful animal. “I was afraid to tell you.”

“I’m glad you did. Your secret is safe with me. There’s nothing to be gained by its revelation. And if I know you, you’ve beaten yourself up about this since the moment it happened.”

He stopped close to her and rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. “Thank you.”

“How about you thank me with something more than words?”

She squealed when he swept her off her feet and carried her into the bedroom. He fell with her to the bed and started trailing kisses up her neck to her ear. He bit her lobe just hard enough to send an erotic surge of need through her body. The words he’d said into that TV camera, that he loved her, fueled her need to touch him, to consume him and have him consume her.

She jerked his shirt out of the waistband of his pants and ran her hands up his back, then raked her fingernails back down all that cool, sinewy muscle. He responded by grabbing the front of her button-up blouse and ripping it open, sending buttons flying in all directions.

His mouth descended to the swell of her breasts above her bra, his lips and tongue working her into a frenzy. In a movement too fast for her to track, he ripped off her bra and sent it sailing across the room.

“Don’t like my bra, huh?” she asked between ragged breaths.

He met her gaze with eyes blazing with desire. “I don’t like anything between the two of us.”

“Then take it off. Take it all off.”

With another of those wicked smiles playing across his lips, he rid her of her jeans and panties, leaving her bare under his gaze. Then he stood and oh-so slowly unbuttoned and slid down the zipper of his pants.

“You enjoy torturing me, don’t you?” she asked.

“You’re more than welcome to help.”

Olivia lifted to her knees and slid her hands slowly below the top edge of Campbell’s pants, never taking her eyes off his. Then even more slowly, her fingers found their way into his underwear and started pushing them and his pants down over his lean hips, then his thighs. When they dropped to his ankles, he stepped out of them, but she didn’t let go. Instead she ran her fingers up his thighs, then his taut stomach. She broke eye contact only to place her mouth on his chest. She rained kisses across his smooth skin then trailed her tongue along the same path.

Campbell growled, and his nonessential breath became ragged. “Now who’s torturing whom?”

“You can end the torture,” she whispered in his ear. “Make love to me like you’ve never made love to anyone before.”

“Gladly.”

He lifted her effortlessly to his waist. “Wrap your legs around me.”

As she did so, he entered her in one swift motion. Olivia gasped and let her head drop backward, her hair coming loose in the process. Campbell’s mouth captured her right breast and sucked as he withdrew, only to drive into her again.

She laced her fingers behind his neck as he grabbed on to her hips with both hands, holding her firmly against him as he increased his pace.

“Yes,” she said. “Faster.”

He complied, and she lost the ability to focus on anything but the pulse and frantic motion where their bodies joined. As she felt her climax building inside her, the muscles beginning to contract, she held on to him even tighter and tried to meet each of his thrusts with strong ones of her own. Somehow she felt his climax growing ever closer, too, and it spurred her lust even more.

“Don’t hold back,” she managed to say between gasps.

His in-and-out motions built until she’d swear they were a blur. Her body grew slick with sweat, but he didn’t lose his grip on her.

Her insides spasmed, signaling the beginning of her climax. Campbell pulled her body next to his, her wet breasts pressed against his chest, as he sent her over the edge, then followed. She was vaguely aware that she cried out, but she didn’t care if all of Manhattan knew that she’d just had the best orgasm ever. As the final waves drifted away, she collapsed onto Campbell’s shoulder.

“That was, hands down, the best sex of my life,” she said against his ear.

“We’re just getting started,” he said back, his voice so deep and gravelly that she was impossibly ready to start all over again.

Campbell laid her back on the bed and gently smoothed the hair away from her face. “I dreamed once of seeing you like this, with your hair fanned out across your pillows.”

“I thought you didn’t sleep.”

He smiled. “I can still daydream.” He planted a soft kiss on her lips. “What about you? Any hot fantasies about me?”

“A few. Don’t let it give you a big head,” she said.

He laughed. “That’s half the fun.”

She playfully punched his chest, not that she could even hurt him if she hit him with the full force of her strength.

He stopped her assault by gently gliding into her. Olivia’s breath caught and she arched against him.

“I like how you respond to me,” he said against her lips before he captured them in a long, agonizingly slow kiss.

“I love how you feel inside me,” she said next to his ear.

Compared to a few minutes before, this time they made love virtually in slow motion. But it was every bit as wonderful and left Olivia just as out of breath. There wasn’t an inch of her body he hadn’t loved in some way, bringing every single one of her nerve endings to full, glorious attention.

After they’d both found their release again, Campbell pulled her close to his side and she wrapped her arm around his waist.

“You should get some sleep,” he said against the top of her head.

“No, I want to experience every moment of this night with you. I’m afraid if I go to sleep, you’ll be gone when I wake up.”

“I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

She propped herself on her elbow and met his gaze. “I don’t want us to ever say goodbye again. Maybe a see you later, but never goodbye. I’m done with goodbyes.”

He lifted his hand to her face and caressed her cheek with a gentleness that made her heart fill with love. “Are you sure? There has to be someone out there who’d be better for you.”

“Someone who isn’t a vampire?”

“Yeah.”

“You’ve got to let that go. The vampire doesn’t define you.” She placed her hand over his still heart. “This might not beat anymore, but it’s what makes you who you are. Not the fangs.”

“You’re wonderful, you know it?”

She smiled. “I try.”

He pulled her face to his and they spent the next several minutes kissing and exploring.

“What you said on the news, is it true?” she asked.

“Yes, every word.”

“The apartment building. How did you do it?”

“I have a friend who is very wealthy and very influential with the Imperium higher-ups. The funds partially came from her, partly from another wealthy source. But the Imperium kicked in some money, too. My friend convinced them that this would be a strong goodwill gesture from the vampire community.”

“I still can’t believe it. Where’s the building?”

He pointed toward the window. “Right there.”

She glanced out into the night toward the darkened windows next door. “Really?”

“Yes, really. I remembered what you told me that night, and this way it’ll be convenient for you and for the residents. They can come to the diner to eat and you won’t have to roam all over Manhattan to feed them.” He caressed her shoulder and down her arm. “And I admit to having a selfish reason.”

“You think this will help keep me out of harm’s way.”

“Just because we got Salmeri doesn’t mean the world is suddenly danger-free. We still haven’t identified or located the cloak guy, for one.”

She shivered then saw some new concern in his expression. “What is it?”

“Nothing. I’m just always prepared for the next thing to come down the pike.”

She didn’t quite believe him, but she let it go. He’d tell her when he was ready, or she’d figure out a way to get it out of him. As a few tactics came to mind, she smiled.

“Why do I think I should be worried about that smile?” he asked.

She feigned innocence. “I haven’t a clue.”

He grabbed her and rolled her onto her back. She giggled before being consumed in lovemaking once again.

Despite her best efforts to stay awake after they’d made love a third time, she felt herself drifting toward sleep. She snuggled close to Campbell and latched on to the thought that she’d never been happier in her life. Her thoughts found their way to Jeremy, but no guilt resided there. As sleep descended, she saw him. He was whole again, like he’d been when they met. And he was smiling.

Chapter 21

C
ampbell wished he could let Olivia sleep, but he’d promised he wouldn’t go and leave her to wake up alone. What he wouldn’t give to be able to stay and watch the sunrise with her, see the sunlight on her beautiful face. Instead he kissed her forehead then ran his fingers along the curve of her jaw.

He still couldn’t believe he’d told her about Bridget and that Olivia still wanted him. Something miraculous had happened when he’d confessed to her—his heart had grown lighter than it’d been in years.

“Livvi, wake up.”

She curled against him. “You’re ready to go again?”

He laughed against her hair. “I’d love to, but dawn has other plans.”

She jerked fully awake and looked toward the window.

“It’s okay.” He sat up and pulled her back against him. “I’ve still got an hour, but I don’t want to cut it so close that I’m smoking when I get home.”

She turned in his arms. “I wish this could be your home.”

“Me, too.”

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. “So, an hour, huh?”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Why do you sound as if you have plans for that hour?”

“Because I do.” She stood and took his hand. “Come with me.”

He went willingly as she led him into the bathroom. His body responded as he watched her enticing curves while she reached into the shower and turned on the water.

“You are a temptress, Miss DaCosta.”

Her smile was full of an invitation he couldn’t refuse. “What do I tempt you to do, Mr. Raines?”

“Give the sun the finger and make love to you all day.”

“But since we don’t want you to be extra crispy again, you’ll just have to manage whatever you can in the next few minutes. Is that enough time?”

“Let’s find out.” He backed her into the spray of water and lifted her against the tiled wall. As the minutes ticked down toward daybreak, he made hot, wet, soapy, steamy love to the woman who’d become everything to him. As he climaxed, his whole body shuddered. Even his fangs throbbed. When they threatened to descend, he concentrated all of his energy on keeping them in place.

“I’ve got to go,” he said next to her ear.

She grabbed him as if she feared she’d never see him again. “Campbell.”

He made himself smile while keeping the tips of his slowly descending fangs hidden. “See you later.”

Fueled by panic, he engaged his fastest speed to dress and return to his private room at the mansion. He leaned back against the door and let the night with Olivia replay in his mind. Those memories forced his fangs the rest of the way out. Though he’d had sex more times than he could count with more women than he cared to remember, it was the first time he’d experienced a fang drop for any reason other than feeding or fighting.

He’d promised Olivia he’d never say goodbye, had finally decided he was going to have a life with her. But he couldn’t see her again until he figured out a way to keep her safe from the biggest threat to her safety—him.

* * *

After Campbell left, Olivia just managed to reach her bed before collapsing. What a night. What a man. She couldn’t believe half of the things they’d done, and all within the span of a few hours.

She lay in bed well beyond when she normally rose, but why should she hurry? Business had trickled to the point of near nonexistence. Plus, she could really use the day to sleep and recuperate. She was still lying on the bed naked when she heard Mindy enter the restaurant’s back door, once again refusing to stay at home and rest. Wishing she didn’t have to burst her bubble of happiness by going downstairs to face what little was left of her business—so little that she might not even be able to afford to feed herself, let alone the homeless who would be moving in next door—she dragged herself to her feet and dressed.

“Olivia, you better get down here,” Mindy yelled up the stairs.

“Coming.” What the devil was wrong now?

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The dining room was already full. Familiar faces sat alongside ones she’d never seen before. And still others waited for an empty table.

“Looks as though you could use an extra hand or two.”

She turned and saw Herbie and Roscoe, all cleaned up and smiling. “What? How did you get here?”

“Honey, we’ve walked all over this city. Ain’t nothing to meander over for some breakfast at the most famous diner in town,” Herbie said.

“I don’t understand.”

“We saw your friend on the news last night, saw what he’s doing for us. Half of me still can’t believe it, but if it’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is.”

“I was a cook when I was in the army,” Roscoe said. “So I could help you out in the kitchen if you’d like.”

“And it won’t be any hardship to work alongside your pretty friend,” Herbie said with a nod toward where Mindy was handing out menus left and right.

“You’re both hired.”

Things didn’t slow down until midway through the afternoon. Olivia heard an ugly remark a couple of times about her being a vampire lover, but she was shocked by how overwhelmingly positive everyone was.

“I haven’t made this much in tips in forever,” Mindy said as she came to stand by the cashier counter with Olivia.

“That makes two of us,” Herbie said as he joined them. “Maybe I’ll hire me a maid in my new place.”

Olivia laughed. “I just plan to take a day off. That will feel more like the world used to be than just about anything.”

A tall, good-looking man in a dark suit came in the front door and headed straight for them. “Olivia DaCosta?”

“That’s me.”

“Darren Stuart,” he said as he extended an envelope to her. “This is the deed and transfer papers for the apartment building next door. As soon as you sign them, the building is yours.”

She accepted the envelope, pulled out the documents and started scanning the text.

“You’ll notice there’s a provision that the property taxes have been waived as long as the building is not used for profit and for its intended purpose, to house the homeless.”

Olivia couldn’t believe how quickly things were happening, and good things this time. As she read the documents in full, Mr. Stuart talked to Herbie and Roscoe about the building and accepted a cup of coffee on the house from Mindy. When Olivia was satisfied that the papers looked legit, she grabbed a pen but hesitated with it over the first signature line.

“Is there something wrong?” Mr. Stuart asked.

“This is just such a big moment part of me doesn’t believe it’s real.”

He nodded. “It’s a good thing you’re doing.”

With that, she signed everywhere he indicated. Then the deed was done, so to speak. She owned a twenty-story apartment building.

Stuart accepted his copy of the forms and gave her a ring of keys about the size and weight of a car tire. Then he slid a business card across the counter to her. A simple elegant off-white card with black ink said simply Darren Stuart above Barnes, Herron and Stuart, Attorneys at Law.

“If you have any legal needs, please let us know. And good luck with being a landlord.”

He smiled, and if she weren’t already in love with someone else, Olivia might have experienced a heart flutter at the sight.

“Thank you.”

He nodded then looked at Mindy. “Thanks for the coffee.” He turned and headed for the front door.

When she glanced at Mindy, she grabbed a napkin and gave it to her friend.

“What’s this for?”

“Your drool.”

Mindy wadded up the napkin and tossed it at Olivia, which set all four of them to laughing again.

They started the end-of-day cleanup, and by the time the last customer left, they were all ready to kick up their feet and relax.

“I’m going to go home and collapse on my couch, eat an entire pizza and watch mindless television until I fall asleep,” Mindy said as she grabbed her coat.

They all waved at Mindy as she headed out the door. Then Olivia eyed Herbie and Roscoe. “How do you all feel about having second jobs, on a volunteer basis at least for now?”

“What do you have in mind?” Roscoe asked.

“She needs help with the new building, getting it up and running,” Herbie answered for her. He got a twinkle in his eyes. “If Roscoe and I can scope things out and pick our places first, we’ll help out with cleaning, maintenance. And tomorrow we can get a lot more people to help.”

“Sounds great.” When she looked at Roscoe, his eyes looked extra watery. “What’s wrong?”

“I just can’t believe I’ll never have to stay in a shelter again.”

She gathered him to her and gave him a big hug. “It’s the least I can do for my two adopted grandpas, right?”

His face lit up, and when she looked at Herbie, he was smiling widely, too. Then he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

“Come on, Roscoe, we got some apartment shopping to do.”

Olivia laughed as she handed over the monster ring of keys then watched the two of them walk across the alley and through the gateway in the fence that led to the apartment building. Finally alone, she dragged her tired body up the stairs to her own apartment and pulled some leftover macaroni and cheese from the fridge. After nuking it, she sat down at the table to eat and watch daylight fade from the sky.

She’d just finished the final bite when Campbell dropped effortlessly onto her balcony.

When she slid the door open, she said, “You know there are less dramatic ways to make an appearance. You can come up the fire escape or even knock on one of the doors downstairs.”

He gave her a crooked grin. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“Show-off.” She pulled him to her and kissed him thoroughly.

“What was that for?” he asked after she broke the kiss.

“I had a very good day.”

“Oh?”

“Seems your little TV appearance had a positive effect on my bottom line,” she said.

“Your customers came back?”

“Plus a boatload more. I couldn’t believe it. I kept thinking I was dreaming and I’d wake up and the diner would still be empty.”

“I’m glad business is better.”

Olivia noticed how he was looking at her, as if he was holding on to some important piece of information until she was finished sharing hers. “What?”

He took a step back and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, the one she’d worn the first night they met. “I had a big day myself.”

“Oh? Catch a lot of bad guys?”

“No, still plenty of them around.”

“Wow, thanks for that uplifting slice of news.”

“Sorry. Guess you’ll just have to get used to my shoptalk because I plan to stick around.” He removed his hands from his pockets and turned them palms up. In each lay a thin silver bracelet similar to those worn by Chloe’s brother when he was at the blood bank.

Olivia gave Campbell a questioning look.

“I want to be with you, Livvi, but the only way I’m ever going to feel safe doing that is if I wear these when I’m with you.”

“But you said they make vampires feel ill.”

“It’s manageable, and nothing like the fear that I could hurt you or worse when I’m hungry. And when we made love that last time, my fangs descended even though I didn’t need to feed. That’s never happened to me before.”

Olivia’s face flushed at the thought that she’d caused a sexual reaction in him that he’d never experienced with another woman.

“I still don’t like the idea of you making yourself sick,” she said.

“It’s only if I wear them too long, which I won’t, because I’ll have to split my night hours between you and work I can’t do at headquarters. I either wear them when I’m with you or stop coming by, and that would be odd if I didn’t see my wife sometime.”

Olivia would swear her heart stopped for the span of a couple of beats before it kicked itself in gear again. “Your wife?”

Campbell pulled something else from his pocket and held it up between his thumb and forefinger. She stared at a silver ring that matched his bracelets.

“If you’ll have me,” he said.

Olivia couldn’t believe what she was hearing, couldn’t fathom how her day, which had already been wonderful, had just skyrocketed into new levels of greatness.

“Are you sure?” she asked, silently hoping she didn’t prompt him to change his mind but needing to know he was completely sure about his decision. “I’m mortal. You’ll be here long after I’m gone.”

A momentary glimpse of pain showed on his face before disappearing. “A wise woman told me none of us are guaranteed tomorrow, let alone eternity, so we should grab on to happiness and enjoy it for however long it lasts.”

Olivia smiled. “She does sound smart, so smart that I’m going to take her advice.”

“Even though the human churches, human authorities won’t recognize the marriage? And we won’t be able to live like normal couples?”

“Yes, and yes.” She nodded toward the floor. “This is the part where you get down on one knee.”

A moment of shock registered on Campbell’s face, as if he’d expected her to finally come to her senses, realize he was a vampire and kick him out of her life. But after it sank in that she was serious, he lowered himself and held up the ring.

“Olivia DaCosta, will you throw common sense to the wind and marry me?”

She didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I will.”

He slid the ring onto her finger and the bracelets onto his wrists. Only then did he rise and pull her into his arms. “No matter what the world throws at us, I think we just might make it.”

“I know we will.” How could they not when they’d already been through so much, defied so many odds and lived to tell the tales?

Campbell pulled her even closer. “Do I have to worry about Mindy staking me for this?”

“I think Colin has more to worry about there. Or really any vampire other than you.”

“Good to know.” Campbell looked outside. “I should get to work.”

“Oh, no. You’re not going anywhere but to bed.”

His wicked grin made an appearance. “I don’t sleep, remember?”

“Sleep’s not exactly what I had in mind.” She ran her hand over a sensitive area to make her point.

Campbell growled in that way that set her body on fire with wanting, and he carried her to bed. She thought they might have set a new speed record for getting naked.