Undying Desire (26 page)

“Yeah,” she whispered. “What’s not to like?”

“Good.” He hadn’t moved. Eve tightened her grip on the door handles.

“Where’s your room?”
Damn.
Why had she blurted that out loud?

“I sleep downstairs in the basement.” Eve could hear the smile in his voice. He was loving that she’d asked.

“Oh. There’s a basement?”

“It’s where the Enclave handles its business, plus there are a couple of bedrooms. Since I’m not mated, I prefer to allow the others to have the suites up here. They’re a little larger.”

“How considerate of you.” Electricity virtually hummed inside her head. It was as if the space between them had become a Tesla coil, and the current zinged between her nipples and her core.

And then he touched her—not her shoulder, or her back. A gentle brush of his fingers in her hair, moving the strands aside and exposing her neck. “I do try,” he breathed on her flesh. His lips feathered along the curve up toward her ear, and the effect had her tugging hard on the closet doors. The hinges groaned in complaint.

Eve released her grip and spun, and his mouth found hers. She wanted to shout at the exquisite bliss. She opened and Guerin dived inside. God, Eve loved the taste of him—sweet and spicy. Her heart raced as he pulled her against his chest, her nipples hard, aching, demanding more of the contact. He rocked into her, pressing the hard length of his shaft into her abdomen. She moaned, but not from the desire alone.

This was too easy.

And what they had was anything but easy. Their history or baggage couldn’t be swept away with a roll between the sheets. Sure his body wanted her, but what about his head, his heart? She’d been the reason he’d traveled back down a very ugly dark road. How could he be ready to be with her—completely—after he’d been forced to relive a nightmare of Daniela’s creation?

And if she were honest, the thought of him calling the bitch “Mistress” chapped Eve’s ass. She knew why he’d done it, but the green monster inside didn’t care. God, she didn’t want to be the reason he ever hurt again. But dammit, Eve didn’t want him if she got half his trust and only a small piece of his heart.

Giving in now to satiate their lust meant neither would be truly happy, nor in the end, receive what they needed from each other.

She couldn’t do this.

Eve bit down hard on Guerin’s lower lip, and the spicy flavor of his blood shot over her tongue. He grunted and jerked back on a hiss.

“I never gave you permission to kiss me,” she stated.

Guerin stilled, and fire flashed, then swirled around his pupils. With the back of his hand, he wiped away the scarlet stain from his mouth and reversed his step until there was room to breathe between them. “No, you didn’t,” he snarled. “And I didn’t ask.”

“You want to pick a fight now, vampire?” She raised an eyebrow. “A second ago, I got the impression you wanted to fuck. Or maybe you were just begging me to punish you?”

Any evidence of the flames in his gaze was vanquished with her words. His eyes went coal black, the pupil swallowing up the white. He growled. “That’s the last damn thing I need.” The tips of his fangs glinted beneath his upper lip.

“Good. Because you’re not getting either from me.” Eve moved around him, her knees more wobbly than she’d like to admit. At the door to her room she stopped and grasped the edge of the door, her back to Guerin. She couldn’t look at him. Her will wasn’t strong enough. “So why don’t you and I keep our distance until you figure out exactly what it is you do need.” Her words were fierce, even though in her heart, the venom behind them wasn’t nearly as potent.

“You know…,” Guerin stated from behind her, his voice gravelly and deep, his proximity so close, the heat from his body warmed her backside. “I think you’ve verbalized exactly what has needed to be said for a long time.”

Mentally, Eve flinched. She couldn’t help it. She was pissed, and she’d pushed, but this wasn’t really what she’d wanted.

“You and I both know this, you and me, isn’t going to work,” he went on to say. “What we had was good—hot as hell. While it lasted. I know what I need, beautiful, and unless what you’ve got in mind is killing bad guys, anything more than that isn’t it.”

He brushed past her through the bedroom door. Eve closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the wood to keep from crumbling. The heavy thump of his boots faded as Guerin made his way down the hall.
Maybe he was right.
That was what she was going to have to keep telling herself when she crawled into bed without him each day.

A couple of hours after sundown and a restless day of tossing and turning later, Eve sat at the bar in the kitchen. Michael had made a wonderful chicken salad, and Eve was attempting to make a good show of enjoying it. She didn’t need the entire Enclave to know her heart was breaking.

“There you are.” Kenric stepped into the kitchen, wearing dark slacks and a navy turtleneck, his gaze going straight to Eve, then swinging to the other male in the room. “Good evening, Michael. How are you doing?”

“Good. Thanks.” Michael smiled. Eve guessed the other guy was probably in his midthirties. He was a good-looking male with a head full of wavy sandy-brown hair. Perhaps a little too tall and thin for her personal taste, but he was friendly and pleasant to be around. It was refreshing to see a human who worked for a vampire of his own free will, and judging by the lack of marks on his neck, one who wasn’t being used as a calyx. “Nice to have someone in the house who enjoys my cooking.” He chuckled.

“Well that is truly a rare find, indeed.”

“Bite me,” Michael snapped, but it appeared all bluff.

“Another time. Already eaten.”

Michael flicked Kenric his middle finger, but Kenric laughed and circled the bar toward Eve. “I promised you a tour,” her father said. “Is this a good time?”

“Of course.” Eve slid from the chair. “The sandwich was delicious, Michael. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Anytime.” He gave Eve a nod.

Kenric guided Eve through what seemed like every inch of the house. He mentioned the house was their second. They’d moved a little over a year ago because someone on the inside had betrayed their whereabouts, and their headquarters had come under attack by a group of DEADs.

“Did my mother have anything to do with that?” Eve had a feeling she already knew that answer.

“She did.” He nodded. “But this location is secure,” Kenric went on to say. “We have the latest in electronic surveillance available, and the warriors in the Enclave are as loyal as they come.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “One of the reasons I wanted you with me—to make sure you’re safe and protected. Seth and Daniela are dead, but we can’t be sure of who else out there knows about you. I’m so pleased you agreed to come to the States with us.”

“Me too,” she whispered, and a part of her really did mean it. This was an opportunity to get to know her father firsthand. She just wished… Wished for a life with another Enclave male that wasn’t meant to be.

He finished off the tour of the library with a stroll outside and to the pool. Eve rubbed her bare arms under the chilly night air.

“South Carolina summers are hot,” he said. “So even during the night, the water and breezes are warm, and you can enjoy a swim.”

“That will be nice.” Eve stared out over the still blue waters of the large rectangular pool, the underwater lighting serene and inviting. The grounds were lined with large evergreens, giving a swimmer the feeling of complete privacy for a midnight dip.

“Lastly, I’d like to take you down to the basement and show you where we meet each evening.”

The basement…where Guerin sleeps
.

With a palm to her back, Kenric led her back inside, past the kitchen, and down a corridor that dead-ended at an interior door. “When most of us aren’t trekking to Europe”—he chuckled and opened the door—“we rotate shifts to monitor the streets of Elizabeth Bay and the surrounding area for DEAD activity. My team feels strongly about protecting the human population from vampires who can’t control their urge to kill and end up addicted to Death Euphoria.” He started down a set of wooden treads and Eve followed.

“My mother mentioned you and the Enclave before she left.”

“She did?” At the foot of the stairwell, he glanced back over his shoulder.

Eve nodded. “She just neglected to inform me of a lot of other important details.”

Kenric grunted in acknowledgement, then placed his hand over a flat surface. A beam of light flashed on and proceeded to scan the surface of his palm. A lock clicked and Kenric pulled the door handle.

Inside, Eve would have sworn she’d stepped into an enormous bachelor pad complete with a flat-screen TV, video games, an air hockey table, and a pool table. Yet at the far end, the elaborate computer and security monitor setup said the place held a higher purpose. Sitting at the helm of the controls was a beautiful young woman with long dark-brown hair.

“Eve, this is Elle, Arran’s mate,” Kenric said. Elle looked up and gave her a warm smile.

“It’s wonderful to meet you.” She stuck out her hand and Eve slid her palm inside for a shake.

“Likewise,” Eve said. “I’ve met Arran. He’s a fierce warrior. Loyal.”

“Yes, he is.” the woman nodded, her eyes bright. No one would have had to tell Eve the woman was in love. One mention of Arran’s name, and she practically radiated. How nice it must feel to have the feeling reciprocated. Something Eve wasn’t sure she’d ever know. “I’ll have to introduce you to my sister, Alex,” Elle added. “She’s not home right now. Maybe we can get together later? I’m sure she’ll love having another female in the house.”

“Sure,” Eve said. “I look forward to meeting her.”

Eve turned to head out with Kenric when a door opened a few feet away and Guerin appeared. Wearing a pair of black leather pants, boots, and a white T-shirt, along with his dark hair and eyes the male was a lethal combination—to her sex drive.

“Hey, Guerin,” Kenric said and headed over to him. “I’m glad you’re here.” Eve joined her father at his side. “I’m overdue to take care of Markus. It’s been way too long. Would you mind keeping Eve company? This shouldn’t take long.” Kenric slapped him on the shoulder and marched off, not waiting for a reply. Guerin swung his gaze in her direction, and from the look on his face, Eve guessed he’d prefer a roll in fire ants.

“
You
do
not
have to babysit me,” Eve chewed out and started toward the exit. “I can find my way around and am certainly capable of entertaining myself.”

“Wait,” he called out. Eve slowed and came to a stop, but she didn’t turn around. God, why had she agreed to this tour? She’d rather be upstairs alone in her room than spend time with a male who couldn’t make up his mind what he wanted. Because after a while, the forced togetherness would only end up making each other miserable.

The fresh scent of sandalwood and leather drifted into her nostrils. Guerin stood behind her. Her pulse leaped. Eve curled her fingers into a tight fist under the response. “After earlier this morning…I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about his request.”

She pivoted and faced him. “How do you feel about it?”

“We’re going to be living under the same roof, so I think we’d better get used to spending time in the same room.”

He had a point. It was a big house. But not so big they wouldn’t run into each other on occasion. She sighed. “I’ll try if you will.” Eve scanned his attire once more, noting the sheath strapped to his thigh. “You’re going out tonight?”

“Yeah. I’ve been gone a while, so it’s way past my turn on rotation.”

Eve nodded. “I see.” She didn’t know why she’d assumed Guerin’s returning home would put him in less danger. He was a member of the Enclave. Putting their lives at risk was what they did, yet the idea of him being out there didn’t sit well with her at all. A part of Eve wanted to cry out “mine” and keep him all to herself. But since when had he become
hers
to worry about? He’d made it perfectly clear that what they’d shared was in the past.

“Kenric said he needed to take care of Markus,” she said, needing a different subject to direct her focus. “Who is he?”

A look she could only call rage flashed across Guerin’s face right before it morphed into disgust.

“Wow,” Eve stated. “Maybe I don’t want to know. Or maybe I do, because based on that look on your face, he’s someone whose ass I need to kick.”

Guerin chuckled, and the sound warmed her heart. “And you would be right.” But the smile that had ridden along with his laughter quickly died before he glanced down at her and proceeded to tell her about Markus, the male’s abduction, and subsequent alliance with her mother. Guerin revealed to her that Markus was the one who had confirmed her existence and had put them in contact with Ana, whom Guerin had met on his arrival in Nuremberg.

“I remember Ana from when I was young.”

“She was the one who sent me to the Rose’s Thorn.”

“I still can’t believe my mother told Markus about me.” Eve’s chest tightened. “She must have truly thought she had him completely ensnared.” She whirled around. “I have to see him.” Eve made for the door. He was the last person to spend time with the Marguerite she never knew, and Eve had to know what secrets this male kept.

“I don’t know about this.” Guerin put his palm to the wood, halting her exit. “Kenric asked me to keep you here.”

“No, he didn’t.” She glared up at Guerin. “He asked you to keep me company. So you can do that from anywhere, even in the other room with Kenric and Markus.” Eve yanked on the door, and Guerin reluctantly lowered his arm.

“You’re determined to give me an aneurysm, aren’t you?”

They exited the Enclave’s common area and Guerin accessed the door that led into another wing of the basement. The lock secured behind them. Ahead, a light shone through the bars of a silver holding cage. Eve craned her neck, peering inside before stepping in full view of the occupant. Guerin stood behind her, within reach, but allowing her to take the lead. Unlike the cells she’d seen in the past, this one was much larger. Bars enclosed its front side, but the other three sections of the square were contained behind the whitewashed wall The silver would keep a vampire from escaping, but the room was large enough so the prisoner wouldn’t be tortured with an overdose of the toxic metal.