blouse with a
collar. Maybe something with her favorite perfume on it.”
“All right. She lived ... lives at 420
Fortune Drive, Building A, apartment 5.”
Though he didn’t need to, Max wrote it down.
He’d learn a lot more from looking around Elena Talbot’s apartment
than just what she smelled like, and he was glad for the chance to
do it without Erica along. He had a feeling he would find things
there that even her sister didn’t know about. His desire to protect
Erica was starting to overwhelm him. He’d never felt like this
before and it left him off balance and edgy.
He looked at the kitchen clock. He still had
an hour until sunset.
“Come with me,” he said as he rose from his
chair. He took Erica’s hand in his and tugged her toward the
bedroom. “I want to show you something.”
She raised one perfect eyebrow. “Is it
something I’ve seen before?” Her half smile ignited him and he
growled as he dragged her into his arms.
“You’ve seen it before, but not up close.” He
punctuated his words by cupping her rear and pulling her tight
against him. The look in her eyes told him she understood exactly
how much he wanted her.
She reached for the buttons of her blouse but
he grabbed her hands and held them. “No. Everything stays on until
I tell you to take it off.”
She sighed happily and her breathing grew
shallow. “Do we have time...?”
“We have as long as it takes. I’m not leaving
here until I’m done with you.”
The sound she made drove him over the edge
and he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.
It was well after six when he left.
Chapter Thirteen
Erica felt Max around her and inside her. She
tasted him and she ached for him long after he left her
apartment.
Because the memories of their lovemaking were
so fresh, guilt gnawed at her as she stood before her closet
looking for an outfit that would help get her into The
Underside.
She hadn’t mentioned anything about Elena’s
phone call knowing he’d insist on being involved. Erica had no
illusions that her task would be easy, but she wouldn’t do anything
to jeopardize her sister’s life. Her trips to After Dark and Club
Dead had taught her more about the vampire world and what they
expected of her feeders. She could do this.
A little on-line research told her The
Underside was more of a Goth club, which she might have found
amusing under other circumstances. What could be more Goth than
vampires after all?
That thought brought her back to Max. The
line between human and vampire was blurred in him. As blurred as
his image had been each time she’d looked in the mirror. She hadn’t
asked him about it, but as they made love again that afternoon,
she’d stolen glances across the room and marveled at the fact that
his reflection was no more than a waxy smudge. She wondered if it
was simply her own perception, clouded by the delirium of sexual
fulfillment or if there was some truth at least to that bit of
vampire lore.
Beyond that, she felt him and remembered him
as human. Everything in the way he touched her today was different
than last night. Though he’d looked at her with the same dark
longing in his eyes, that dangerous look that turned her insides to
liquid, he’d been gentle and slow with her. He’d kissed her
senseless and caressed her body until her nerves caught fire, but
he hadn’t delayed her pleasure like last night. He hadn’t forced
her to promise him things, or tortured her with words that made her
want what she couldn’t have.
He’d loved her thoroughly and left her
wondering once again what she’d gotten herself into.
With a ragged sigh, she thumbed through the
clothes in her closet until she found a long straight skirt and a
black tank top. She appraised the outfit in the mirror and tossed
the top aside. A leather bustier would work better but she didn’t
have one.
She wished she’d insisted on going with Max
to Elena’s apartment. There, she’d have found a
collar. Maybe something with her favorite perfume on it.”
“All right. She lived ... lives at 420
Fortune Drive, Building A, apartment 5.”
Though he didn’t need to, Max wrote it down.
He’d learn a lot more from looking around Elena Talbot’s apartment
than just what she smelled like, and he was glad for the chance to
do it without Erica along. He had a feeling he would find things
there that even her sister didn’t know about. His desire to protect
Erica was starting to overwhelm him. He’d never felt like this
before and it left him off balance and edgy.
He looked at the kitchen clock. He still had
an hour until sunset.
“Come with me,” he said as he rose from his
chair. He took Erica’s hand in his and tugged her toward the
bedroom. “I want to show you something.”
She raised one perfect eyebrow. “Is it
something I’ve seen before?” Her half smile ignited him and he
growled as he dragged her into his arms.
“You’ve seen it before, but not up close.” He
punctuated his words by cupping her rear and pulling her tight
against him. The look in her eyes told him she understood exactly
how much he wanted her.
She reached for the buttons of her blouse but
he grabbed her hands and held them. “No. Everything stays on until
I tell you to take it off.”
She sighed happily and her breathing grew
shallow. “Do we have time...?”
“We have as long as it takes. I’m not leaving
here until I’m done with you.”
The sound she made drove him over the edge
and he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.
It was well after six when he left.
Chapter Thirteen
Erica felt Max around her and inside her. She
tasted him and she ached for him long after he left her
apartment.
Because the memories of their lovemaking were
so fresh, guilt gnawed at her as she stood before her closet
looking for an outfit that would help get her into The
Underside.
She hadn’t mentioned anything about Elena’s
phone call knowing he’d insist on being involved. Erica had no
illusions that her task would be easy, but she wouldn’t do anything
to jeopardize her sister’s life. Her trips to After Dark and Club
Dead had taught her more about the vampire world and what they
expected of her feeders. She could do this.
A little on-line research told her The
Underside was more of a Goth club, which she might have found
amusing under other circumstances. What could be more Goth than
vampires after all?
That thought brought her back to Max. The
line between human and vampire was blurred in him. As blurred as
his image had been each time she’d looked in the mirror. She hadn’t
asked him about it, but as they made love again that afternoon,
she’d stolen glances across the room and marveled at the fact that
his reflection was no more than a waxy smudge. She wondered if it
was simply her own perception, clouded by the delirium of sexual
fulfillment or if there was some truth at least to that bit of
vampire lore.
Beyond that, she felt him and remembered him
as human. Everything in the way he touched her today was different
than last night. Though he’d looked at her with the same dark
longing in his eyes, that dangerous look that turned her insides to
liquid, he’d been gentle and slow with her. He’d kissed her
senseless and caressed her body until her nerves caught fire, but
he hadn’t delayed her pleasure like last night. He hadn’t forced
her to promise him things, or tortured her with words that made her
want what she couldn’t have.
He’d loved her thoroughly and left her
wondering once again what she’d gotten herself into.
With a ragged sigh, she thumbed through the
clothes in her closet until she found a long straight skirt and a
black tank top. She appraised the outfit in the mirror and tossed
the top aside. A leather bustier would work better but she didn’t
have one.
She wished she’d insisted on going with Max
to Elena’s apartment. There, she’d have found a
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