Sexiest Vampire Alive (27 page)

She gasped. “You would go without me?”

Gregori winced inwardly at the shocked and injured look on her face. “I’m sorry, but it’s something we should consider.”

She pressed a hand to her mouth, then to her chest. “I can’t believe this. You know how important this is to me.”

Her father gave her a sympathetic look. “He has a valid point, Abby. The best way to protect you is to keep you safe here.”

Her eyes glistened with tears. “There’s more to life than always being
safe.
” She glanced at the Secret Service man. “Everywhere I go, everything I do, I’m watched so I’ll be safe. We’ve had bodyguards since you first entered Congress. It’s been going on for fifteen years!”

“It’s all right,” the president said gently. “I’m sure they can locate the plants without you.”

“No!” She shook her head, and tears tumbled down her cheeks. “Don’t tell me I can’t do this! I’m always being told what I can’t do. You can’t wear that. It doesn’t look classy enough. You can’t have those friends. They’re not prestigious enough. Don’t frown like that. You can’t look unhappy in public. Don’t say anything in front of the media. They might print it. I had to go into hiding to get a life!”

Gregori sat back, stunned. He squeezed his hands into fists to keep from reaching out to her. He glanced at her father. President Tucker looked equally stunned.

“Abby,” her father whispered. “I—I didn’t know . . .”

“Oh God.” She wiped her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to . . .” She stuffed her papers back into the portfolio, her hands shaking. “I’m going on the trip. I won’t share my information until you agree.” She rushed toward the door and stopped in front of Charles. “I want to leave.”

The Secret Service man glanced at the president, who nodded, then he opened the door and Abigail ran out.

President Tucker slumped in his chair, rubbing his forehead. “I didn’t realize my career was so hard on her. She never complained. Not once.”

Gregori shifted on the couch. The CIA director was just sitting there with a blank face. Charles was expressionless as usual. “Sir, I’ve only known your daughter a few days, but I can tell she loves her family very much. She would do anything for you.”

The president nodded with tears in his eyes. “She’s so brave. So smart.” He leaned forward suddenly and grasped Gregori’s shoulder. “Give me your word you won’t let anything happen to her.”

He gazed into the president’s eyes. They were hazel like Abigail’s. “You have my word. I’ll defend her with my life.”

The president watched him closely, then nodded. “Good.” He sat back and took a deep breath. “You were right to suggest she stay here. It occurred to me, too. But you can see how strongly she feels.”

Gregori nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“She’s very passionate about this mission. She hopes it will save her mother. I have the same hope, or I would never put her at such risk.”

Gregori rose to his feet. “Then it’s settled. We’ll take her.” And God help them if anything happened to her.

Chapter Nineteen

A
bigail slammed the safe door shut and twirled the combination lock. She’d tossed all her plant information inside. It was her personal safe at the lab, and only she knew the combination. Of course, the info was also on her computer, but no one could access it without a password. If Dad sent Gregori and his buddies to China without her, they wouldn’t know what to look for.

She groaned. This act of rebellion could condemn the mission to failure. And condemn her mother.

Tears burned her eyes. The trip had been her idea, dammit. How could they decide she shouldn’t be allowed to go?

She’d been afraid this would happen. Her whole life had revolved around two lists—what was allowed, and what wasn’t allowed, and the second list had always been ten times longer than the first.

She paced across the lab, still angry. Still hurt. Still mortified. She’d completely lost it. Years of frustration and resentment had erupted all at once.

She’d been too upset to remain at the White House. Her poor father had looked so shocked. And hurt. He’d worked so hard over the years, and she was proud of him. It wasn’t his fault she’d never adjusted to public life. Madison and Lincoln thrived on it. Even Mom had loved it before she became ill.

She couldn’t face her mother, either. She sure didn’t want to hear another lecture about keeping away from vampires. One more item to add to the not-allowed list. Good Lord, her parents would have a fit if they knew she’d kissed Gregori. They’d want to kill him.

They’d have to wait their turn. She was ready to clobber him herself. How could he kiss her one night, then betray her the next? She’d thought he was on her side.

Her mother didn’t want her to go to China. Her father had originally rejected her request. He was only going along with it now because he thought the Vamps could sneak her in undetected and keep her safe. It was bad enough to have both parents opposed to the idea, but then Gregori had to join in?

She strode to her desk to boot up her computer, then changed her mind. She was too upset to work. The stress ball from Gregori sat on her desk, mocking her. How dare he betray her! She grabbed the ball and gave it a squeeze.

“
Et tu, Brute?
” She tossed it back onto her desk and strode to the black-topped table where she’d started examining the plant he had given her. No, she couldn’t concentrate right now.

She paced across the laboratory. It was small, but it was all hers. She stopped by the window and looked out. The parking lot was mostly empty, but the soldiers were still at the entrance gate. She spotted another soldier walking along the perimeter of the chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. The grounds were well lit and dotted with security cameras. And there were more military personnel in the lobby. The installation was so well guarded, she didn’t need a Secret Service agent here. They dropped her off and returned to the White House.

With a sigh, she closed the blinds. She didn’t want to see the soldiers, see the proof that she merely moved from one prison to another. The room was dim now, the only light coming from the lamp on her desk. She wandered over to the long, black lab table. The epoxy resin surface was cool to the touch and bare right now except for her microscope and the plant at the end of the table. She’d cleared away all her work in anticipation of her trip to China.

How could Gregori recommend she not go? Didn’t he understand how important this trip was to her? She ought to give him a piece of her mind. Vent, then maybe she could relax.

She paced over to her desk, then dug his note out of her portfolio.

“Feel my wrath,” she muttered as she punched in the number.

He picked up the call right after the first ring.

“I am so angry with—”

“Where are you?” he interrupted.

She huffed. How dare he not even let her finish a sentence! “I’m at work because I’m too upset to sleep. But I’m too upset to work, so I—”

“Are you alone?”

“Of course I’m alone. I can’t chew you out in front of an audience. I’m so angry that you could kiss me one night and betray me the next! You know how important this trip is to me!”

“Yes, I do.”

She glanced at her cell phone. It didn’t seem to be working right. “Did I mention how angry I am? Feel my wrath, Gori!”

“I’ll feel yours if you feel mine.”

She gasped. “Pig!” She disconnected, then heard a chuckling sound behind her. She whirled around and gasped again. The phone tumbled from her hand.

Gregori lunged forward in a blur of movement and snatched the phone before it hit the ground.

She stumbled back. His speed had been amazing, but she was not in the mood to compliment him. “Did I give you permission to come here?”

“I don’t ask for permission, remember?” He set her phone on her desk, then looked around. “So this is where you work?”

“What are you doing here? I don’t want to see you. I’m still mad at you!”

A knock sounded at her door, and her heart lurched up her throat. How on earth could she explain Gregori’s presence here when he’d bypassed all the checkpoints? She dashed to the door to make sure it was locked. “Yes?”

“Miss Tucker?” A guard called from the hallway. “Are you all right? I thought I heard yelling inside.”

“I’m fine! I was just talking on the phone.”

There was a pause.

She glanced over her shoulder, hoping that Gregori had teleported away. But no, he was still there.

“If you need anything, just call us on the intercom,” the soldier said.

“All right. Thank you!” She listened to his footsteps fade away, then she peeked through the closed slats on the blinds that covered the window portion of her door. “Okay, the coast is clear.”

“I guess you’re not too angry,” Gregori said softly. “You didn’t turn me in.”

She spun around to face him. “You know good and well I can’t explain how you got here. And I’m not finished being angry with you.”

“I know you’re upset. It nearly killed me to see you crying. And it hurts to think about how much you’ve been suffering over the—”

“Please!” She held up her hands. “I don’t want to talk about it. I’m mortified that I . . .” She pressed her hands against her hot cheeks. “I said terrible things.”

“You spoke the truth.”

She shook her head. “It was a pity party. My parents have always been good to me. I’ve never lacked for anything—”

“Except freedom.”

She winced. “Well, we have to learn to live with the hand we’re dealt.”

His mouth thinned. “True.”

So she lived without freedom and he lived without mortality. “You hurt me. I’m still in shock that you would betray me.”

“I did not.”

“Yes, you did! My mother doesn’t want me to go to China. My dad is this close”—she lifted a hand with her forefinger and thumb pressed together—“to forbidding me to go. He’s only allowing it because he trusts you to keep me safe. And what do you do? Tell him I’m safer at home!”

“You
are
safer at home.”

She scoffed. “Why don’t you want me to go? You don’t want me to have any adventure in my life? Afraid I’ll have some fun?”

He arched a brow. “I’d love to have some fun with you.”

“Not funny. I’m still angry with you.”

“I hear makeup sex is really hot.”

“Good Lord, is that all you think about?” She waved a hand. “Don’t even bother to answer that. But do me a favor and try to get past your overabundance of testosterone to understand that I’m trying to save my mother’s life.”

His eyes narrowed. “Try to get past your PMS to understand why I said what I did.”

“How dare you bring up PMS!”

“My testosterone made me do it. Now why would a caveman like me suggest you remain safely at home?”

“Good question.”

“And I’ve got a good answer.” He stepped toward her. “I don’t want you in a dangerous situation because I care about you.”

She blinked. Then swallowed hard.

“I can’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to you.” He yanked the knot of his tie loose. “I think about you all the time. And not just about sex.” He grimaced. “It’s downright . . . strange.”

Her heart squeezed in her chest. Was the poor womanizer in over his head? “You . . . care about me?”

“I care a hell of a lot.” He gave her an exasperated look. “Couldn’t you tell while I was kissing you?”

Heat rushed to her cheeks. “Well, it was certainly . . . passionate. But there is an obvious reason for that. You have a lot of experience, so it was simply indicative of a high level of expertise—” She stopped when he placed a finger on her lips.

“Scholar.”

“Yes?” she whispered against the pad of his finger.

“Think about it.” He leaned close. “The kiss was passionate because I’m falling in love with you.”

Her heart lurched, and she stepped back. “That—that’s highly unlikely. We’ve known each other only a few nights.”

“I started falling the minute I saw you on that balcony.”

She gulped. She’d started falling the minute she saw him emerge from that limo. “Well, I have to admit that instant attraction is rather . . . instant.”

The corner of his mouth curled up, and his dimple showed. “You ran into my arms last night. You kissed me back. Rather passionately, I might add.”

Her cheeks blazed with heat. “That was last night. Tonight I’m angry.”

“You’re beautiful when you’re angry.”

“Don’t think I can be swayed with flattery. The only reason I’m not screaming at you is because the guards would hear. I’m sorely tempted to slap that smile right off your face, but luckily for you, I’m exercising a great deal of self-control.”

“I see.” He nodded, his cheeks dimpling. “Then you’ll be able to refrain from screaming when I bring you to climax?”

Her mouth dropped open. “
What?
”