Winter's Touch (Immortal Touch Series) (36 page)

“Ash? You alone?”

A yawn from the other end, then, “Just a sec.” To someone else he grunted, “Hey.
Hey!
Wake up. Get the hell out.”

A female voice said something unclear, then he heard Ash
er’s deep voice again. “I said get out of my bed, you dimestore tramp! Move your ass! What are you, stupid or something?”

The female hurled some angry curses at him in Spanish, then there
were a few more muffled exchanges before abrupt silence.

“Okay,” the alpha vampire said calmly. “What’s up?”

Tristan wasn’t the least bit fazed by the crude altercation. Reid was well-known for his habit of chewing women up and spitting them out - when he wasn’t sucking them dry and killing them, that is. They were disposable objects. Trivial ones at that.

“I have a location on our fledgling.”

“Let’s have it.”

“
Scotland. Some little village near Inverness.”

“Hmph. Sawyer still in
Texas?”

“Yeah. Sorta points away from him then, doesn’t it?”

“Looks that way,” Ash agreed. “Lucky for him.”

“How do you want to handle this?”
Tristan was pretty sure he already knew. Something told him he’d better start packing a bag. Why couldn’t the woman have been in Maui?

“I want you to get over there, what do you think? Track her down and find out who she is. But don’t approach her
yet. You got that?”

“Understood.”

“Good deal. Nice job, Kendall.”

The
rare praise brought a twinkle of pleasure to his bleary eyes. It meant more to him than Ash probably realized.

“Hey
...it’s what I do.”

~
*~*~

“
Well now, when’s the wedding?” Lainie smiled broadly at the sight of the simple diamond solitaire sparkling on Eva’s small hand. She’d been hard put not to cry like an old ninny when Jules had asked her for it yesterday. The modest three-quarter carat marquise ring was the only item of his mother’s that remained in their possession. Left behind in a jewelry box since wearing expensive jewelry was prohibited during mission trips, it escaped sinking into the fathomless ocean with Talia Winter.

For
forty-one years she’d held on to it for him. Almost forgotten she still had it. Tucked away in the attic in a chest with other mementos of her faded youth, it collected dust until yesterday when she’d pulled it out and cleaned it carefully, lovingly.

Eva glanced uncertainly at Julian whose response was, “As soon as we can arrange it.”

Lainie sighed happily, patting the girl’s hand affectionately. “Och, wee lamb, ye have nae idea how glad I am! I’d given up hope long ago o’ him e’er havin’ any need for that ring. He thought me a sentimental fool for keepin’ it all this time, but I’m right glad I did. Talia would have been thrilled to have ye for a daughter-in-law.”

“
All issues of blood drinking aside, right?” The green eyes twinkled mischievously.

“Now don’t make fun! I
said what I meant, and I meant what I said. And I’ve nae doubt ye both will find a way to make this work.” She looked pointedly at Julian. “
Without
all the...unnecessary mess.”

He feigned innocence. “I’m not
quite sure what you mean by that. Are you trying to tell me I shouldn’t leave my clothes on the floor for her to pick up?”

Och, that boy! Poor Eva was going to have her hands full
right enough. “Wheesht, ye know very well it isn’t! I’m tryin’ to tell ye to be careful. Ye’ll have more than yerself to think o’ from now on. She’s yers to protect and teach and keep safe, and it’ll be that much harder wi’ two o’ ye. What I’m sayin’ is...ye can ne’er let yer guard down. Ye’ve always been a cocky one and it’s just that sort o’ carelessness that’s likely to get ye both into trouble. Are ye gettin’ my meanin’?”

Julian
’s eyes softened as they always did now whenever he looked at Eva. “I’ll protect her with my life. Trust me, there’s no need to worry, Lainie. Nothing can hurt her now.”

~
*~*~

In a waterfront luxury condominium in
Florida, the one unmistakable threat to Evangeline Spencer’s existence slumbered dreamlessly to the sound of ocean waves ebbing and flowing.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Eternally
Ever After

“God, it feels good to be back in Oregon.”

Eva stretched blissfully, refreshed from the much-needed
eight hours of sleep. They’d arrived exhausted from the grueling flight and both of them had immediately collapsed into bed without bothering to unpack. As a result she was clad in the
Real Men Wear Kilts
t-shirt she’d picked up in the airport gift shop. She’d thought it was funny, even if Julian did roll his eyes and laugh at her for purchasing something so touristy.

His face
buried in a pillow, he mumbled something unintelligible.

“What?”

He lifted his head. “I said, I need a shower in the worst way.”

S
he smiled at the sight of his mussed hair and unshaven stubble. This was probably the most disheveled she’d ever seen him and somehow he still managed to look like he just stepped off a Chippendales stage. “You and me both. I feel grungy.”

“You don’t look
grungy. I rather like you in that shirt.”

“I thought you said my t
-shirt was corny.”

“Mm. It looks
considerably better on you than it did on the rack. I’ll bet it would look even better on the floor.”

“No way, pal. Not until I’ve bathed and brushed my teeth.” Sliding out of bed and padding toward
s the bathroom, she asked, “Can vampires get cavities?”

“I never really considered it. I
haven’t had any that I’m aware of.”

“Good. I’d have a lot of explaining to do if I
ever had to see a dentist.” She slammed the bathroom door just in time to dodge the pillow he threw at her.

Downstairs over a breakfast of warm oatmeal he asked her the question she still
had no answer for.

“What are
we going to tell your mother, love?”

It was a problem she’d been tossing around in her head ever since her future had been completely altered. The one solution that
persistently vied for the forefront position of her list of ideas was also the one she feared he wouldn’t approve of.

Although the way he said
we
instead of
you
made her somewhat more optimistic.

Prodding at the oatmeal with her spoon, she
meekly proposed, “We could just tell her the truth.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that.” He pushed his bowl away and leaned back in the chair
, folding his arms over his chest.

“Do you have a better idea?
I’m pretty sure she’s going to find it strange that I’m engaged to the man who used to live next door to us and who, by all accounts, should be pushing forty. Other than faking my own death, I don’t see where we have much of a choice.”

“I do have an acquaintance in
Sicily who is incredibly skilled in the art of making people disappear,” he commented. She wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not. If he wasn’t...well, she didn’t really want to know.

“Jeez, overreact much? She doesn’t have a hit out on me
, she’s my mother!”

“It was just a suggestion.”

“Well, it was a lousy one. I don’t want her thinking I’m dead! Do you have any idea what that would do to her?”

“I have some idea,” he said quietly. There were traces of pain in his eyes, and she wondered how long it would take before she became accustomed to seeing emotion there. This particular one she could live without.
She didn’t want
that
for him, even if it did come with the territory.

“What if you made her forget? That she’d ever
known you. Could you do that?”

He rubbed his freshly shaven jaw absently. “I’m not sure how well that would work. We’re not talking about a recent
or isolated memory here. And even if we
could
pull it off, it would only be a temporary solution. Eventually we’d still have to deal with the issue of our state of perpetual youth.”

“Then there’s only one solution.”

“I don’t know, Eva.”

“Jules, we can trust her implicitly. Believe me, there’s no way she would ever do anything that could put me in harm’s way. I mean, it might be a little weird at first but given the alternative, I’m pretty sure she’ll have no trouble adapting to the idea. Um, eventually.”

He studied her expression carefully, then slowly nodded. “Very well then. I don’t know if I would trust her or not, but I do trust
you
. If this is what you think best, then so be it. When is she expecting you back?”

“Not for another week.”

“We’ll go together then and break the news. But I’m afraid, darling, that you’ll have to eventually sever ties with everyone else. Friends, family members...your father. It’s just better that way. You understand, don’t you?”

Sighing, she picked up the bowls and took them to the
dishwasher. “Yes, of course.” No need to even attempt to debate this one. He was right and she knew it.

“It’s the price you pay for immortality,
my love.” Clapping his hands together, he rubbed them briskly and said in a more cheerful tone, “Well! Are you ready to get started?”

“Get started with what?”

“Your training. It’s time for your first lesson, rookie!”

~
*~*~

It was a damn good thing he hadn’t been able to get an earlier flight. If he had, he
would currently be stuck on a plane headed in the wrong direction.

Tristan
had been keeping tabs on the elusive vamp - as much as he was able to, anyway - and it soon became apparent that she’d abandoned the Highlands for the United States.

For pity’s sake,
couldn’t the wild bird stay in one place long enough for him to
get
there? Well, at least he wouldn’t have to travel all the way to Scotland. It was a good thing Reid was funding this little adventure. His bank account would have taken a beating otherwise. The restaurant was doing well, but not well enough to afford a jetsetter’s lifestyle.

While tuned in on her
surroundings, he’d heard once again the same male voice from before. Was this the one responsible for bringing her into the circle? And more importantly,
why
could he not be tracked? How was he insusceptible to Tristan’s keen psychic senses? All this was bound to spell trouble. Ash wouldn’t like it.

Twelve hours ago he’d placed her at the
Portland International Airport. It took a quick online search to determine whether that particular airport was in Oregon or Maine. Turned out
not
to be Maine, which was a lucky break for him. Hell, she was practically right in his back yard, comparatively speaking. What were the odds?

It was time to move.
His flight plans had already been changed and tomorrow afternoon he’d be in Portland, Oregon.

From there, she’d be easier to track. The closer he was to his target, the stronger his mental
connection was.

He was close
now. So close.

~
*~*~

“What are we doing here?” Eva wanted to know. The general store in Brightwood hardly
struck her as an appropriate place to learn the tricks of the trade. At the opposite end of the store she caught sight of Dane on his knees unpacking a box of Washington apples, oblivious as of yet to their presence.

“
We’ll begin with the most basic and vital lesson. Mind control. This is something you’ll be required to master quickly if you wish to sustain yourself without being forced to kill your prey.” Julian stood close to her, speaking softly so he wouldn’t be overheard by anyone else. Not that there were more than two or three people wandering about the small shop. “Now give it a try. Go speak to Dane, exchange a few niceties, that sort of thing. And when you’re finished with that, erase his memory of having seen you today.”

Her
ponytailed head shook its refusal. “You must be kidding! I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

“Look into his eyes. Concentrate on his
consciousness, his perception. When you have a handle on him, tell him what it is you want.
Will
it.” He gave her a gentle nudge. “Now go.”

As she walked down the aisle toward
s the teenager an uneasy paranoia insinuated itself in her mind. Would he notice there was something different about her? What if he could tell? Was it obvious? Suddenly self-conscious, she felt that every customer in the store was staring at her suspiciously. As if they knew precisely what she was.