Cherry Stem (6 page)

“I’ll pretend you never offered to do that,” he said finally, only slightly mellower. “Now tell me what I need to know about all this.”

What
did
he need to know? “I guess I’ll just take it from the start.” I bit the inside of my cheek. “I mean, I was sort of a celeb, I got bitten by a guy I met at a party, and until now I thought he’d left me for dead.” Alex’s gray eyes were locked on mine, making it exceedingly hard for me to remember what I’d meant to say next.

I can proudly say I managed, nevertheless. “Ted, who went poof, found me, supposedly recognized me from my films, and took me to the council to record my turning.”

“The council. You mentioned it before. What is it exactly? How does it work?”

I took a deep breath, then let the air rush out noisily between my lips. “It more or less comes up with rules to be followed. And of course with the repercussions for not following those rules.” Like for spilling my guts about our kind to a human. But it wasn’t like he’d tell anyone while I was around, and I was going to make him forget about us when I said good-bye, whether he wanted me to or not. I had to.

Alex looked at me raptly, waiting for the interesting part, I guess. Too bad there wasn’t such a part coming. “There are five council members. Used to be the oldest vampires that ran things, but after”—I pointed at myself—“well, most of the ones that overthrew them are younger.”

“Why was the council overthrown over something that an errant vamp did?”

That was a very good question, actually. Why hadn’t I wondered about that before? Oh, right: I hadn’t bothered to try and understand. What I’d cared about at the time was that I’d never have the perfect abs, that I was hungry, and that my career would never take off. “The story was that the old council should have come up with rules against random turning earlier, and that the fact that they hadn’t done so showed they didn’t really care about the ones they were appointed to protect.”

“And the new council cares more?”

“I don’t know. The services that took me in had existed since vampires were first organized, but they’re no longer necessary, since we don’t have more fledglings, so they were…discontinued. That’s the only change I know of.”

“Services?” He tilted his head to the right and cocked an eyebrow. It was unsettling that I already considered the movement a trademark of his, like I’d known him for a long time and not just twenty-four hours. “Like
social
services?”

I could see the idea of a vampire society with an infrastructure similar to that of humans amused him. “Yup.” I popped the
p
. “
Vampire
Social Services. We called them VSS. They took new vamps in and taught us what we needed to survive.” I paused. “There was also a handbook to be memorized and destroyed before we left.”

That got a full-blown grin out of him.

I swatted his shoulder playfully. “Don’t mock, sir. It was helpful.” It really had been. “I wouldn’t have learned how to control the thirst or fend for myself without it. I’m not sure I’d have even wanted to.” Constantine had helped me practice what I’d read, but it wasn’t the time to mention him.

He caressed my back, his long fingers drawing soothing circles that drove the stress away. “In that case, I’m glad you had it.” He leaned closer to me.

I wanted to kiss him. He certainly looked healthy enough for more than kissing, but there were things to be discussed. “I think I should talk to the council about tonight.”

He sucked in his lower lip. I wished I were the one doing the sucking.

“Sounds good.” His fingers crawled up my neck and began massaging my scalp. “And I should keep looking at what the missing girls had in common other than their age and looks. They didn’t even all vanish from the same place.”

The massage relaxed me; my eyelids drifted shut. “Can I take a look at their pictures? I know some people. I could ask around, see if they know anything about new fledglings.”

“I can get you their files, but I don’t want you to take any risks. He already saw you with me. If he finds out you’re looking into this…” His movements stilled, and he narrowed his eyes. “If he hurts you—”

That was another sentence he didn’t get to finish, this time because I sealed his lips with mine. It was a spontaneous reaction. He was worried for me, wanted to protect me.

“Where did that come from?” He didn’t seem to mind. His hands clutched at me, holding me to him.

I shrugged, unable to meet his gaze. “Just felt like it.”

Using his index finger, he tucked my hair behind my ear. “I’m glad you did.” His thumb brushed my chin, lingering at the corner of my lips.

There was too much tension, too much
something
I didn’t want to identify between us. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if he kept being so nice, so cute, so…

I looked around. The place wasn’t really wrecked, but we had stuff to do. Thank God for small favors. The smashed coffee table lay by a broken lamp, the overhead light reflecting off the scattered shards of glass, sprinkling tiny dots of light onto the upturned couch. Dust covered a doily that I was sure had been handmade. The table I’d used was remarkably unscathed, which was more than could be said for the curtains, one side of which had been ripped off the rail.

“Let’s clean up,” I said, hopping off Alex’s lap.

“The front door lock is busted,” he said, rising to stand so close behind me that I could feel the heat of his body like we were still touching. “I’ll have to go buy a new one.”

I nodded. Casually putting some distance between us, I picked up the doily and shook it in an effort to get dusted vamp off it.

He turned the couch upright and replaced the pillows on it. “The bolt wasn’t on, so I can use that to keep the door closed but can’t lock from outside.”

I stood there, looking at the ruins of the coffee table, our glasses from the previous night miraculously intact on the floor. I was trying hard not to stare at how his dress pants stretched over the curve of his ass when he bent down for the last pillow. I really needed to bring the vacuum and mop from the basement. Anything to keep from jumping him.

“Can you stick around until I’m back?”

I raised my gaze to his. He was beautiful. Why did he have to look so adorable, looking at the floor, his hands deep in his pockets? “Alex—” I wanted to say how bad an idea that would be.

“You know, so nobody robs the place? Of course, I won’t be able to put the new lock in till the morning. I’ll need better light.” He looked like the cat that swallowed the canary, and I bet the porch light was as bright as the sun. “You could spend the night. Stay here for backup if Willoughby comes back.” He looked extremely satisfied with himself. “And we can talk about the case. See how we can proceed with it.”

Bad,
bad
idea, but I couldn’t really think of why. I’d already decided I wasn’t wiping him yet, and he already knew we existed, so one more night with him wouldn’t be a problem. “Sure.” I tried to sound disinterested, though the thought of being with him a bit longer made me giddy. “I’ll crash in the basement.”

“Good. That couch turns into a double bed, so we can both sleep there.”

I was torn between feeling incredibly stupid I hadn’t figured that out, and feeling even giddier because he was suggesting we spend the rest of the night in bed together.

“You can—” He cleared his throat. “You can drink from me again if you need to.”

As if his offer wasn’t already alluring enough. My mouth watered.

“And I don’t have to go in tomorrow, so we can stay here during the day too.” He rubbed his chin. A day’s stubble was giving him a more rugged look.

Okay, okay, I was sold! I swallowed hard. “You’ll have to get me something to wear. I’m not sleeping in leather again,” I said, trying not to sound suggestive.

“I’m on it.” Waggling his eyebrows, he moved toward the door. “I’ll be right back,” he said over his shoulder as he crossed the threshold. “Feel free to start tidying up.”

I called his name, but he ignored me. I hoped he’d be careful and stay safe. I doubted Willoughby would be going after him again so soon—not without backup, since he knew Alex had me to help him—but caution is always a good thing.

A door was shut between us once more, and I hadn’t been the one doing the shutting. Still, I felt oddly optimistic as I skipped down the steps to the basement to get the vacuum cleaner. I’d met an incredibly hot man with whom I’d had incredible sex and who hadn’t wanted me out of his life the moment he’d found out I was undead. For the first time since Constantine, I felt warm inside.

Vampires are not supposed to feel warm.

Chapter Four

Alex took a bit more than an hour to get back, giving me all the time I needed to finish cleaning up the ground floor. I was in the shower, but even under the running water, I could clearly make out his footsteps on the stairs when he called out my name.

“Honey, I’m home!”

I knew he was joking, yet the relentless romantic I have hidden deep inside let out a
woot
. I opened the glass pane so he could hear me. “I’m in here.”

I didn’t get to tell him I’d be right out, because he came right in. He wore the same clothes he’d had on since the previous night, shirt untucked, and he was barefoot. He had beautiful feet, I noticed. Big,
male
feet with long, straight toes.

I had to get a grip.

Hiding my body seemed silly after we’d already had sex, so I didn’t. Not that he looked. He just dropped a duffel bag by the sink.

“Thought you’d want clean clothes as soon as you were dry,” he said. “Got a couple tees and sweatpants from my place. They’ll be too big for you, but at least the pants have drawstrings. Should be good for the night.”

Then he pulled his shirt over his head.

If I were human, I’d have been drowned by the water filling my mouth and clogging my throat while I gaped at him. As it was, I was grateful I’d opened the shower stall door and could enjoy the view.

Most people look better when they’re dressed than when they’re out of their clothes. There are always flaws, something that needs covering up: a slightly jutting stomach, love handles, scars, pimples.
Something.

To me Alex was perfect.

I’d already run my fingers down his chest and abs, but seeing the smooth, flawless skin stretch over rippling muscle made me itch to caress it. His shoulders were wide; I knew that already, but the way they rounded, leading to his flexing biceps, was a sight to behold. And that’s what I did. I
beheld
, wishing he was closer, that I could press my breasts against his chest and see goose bumps rise.

I would probably have kept staring at his six-pack for much longer if his fingers hadn’t gotten in the way. Splayed across his abdomen, they touched what I longed for, ghosting their way down to the front of his pants. I wanted to lick my way along the trail of fine hair beneath his navel that disappeared inside his waistband. I sucked in a breath when he undid the button and another when the zipper lowered, allowing his slacks to fall to the teal, tiled floor.

My gaze followed them, until he stepped out of the pooled fabric and toward the shower stall.

Toward me.

I bit my lip, barely registering the pain as I took in the muscled calves, the strong thighs, and finally his magnificent cock. Even though he’d been inside me the night before, my position above him and our hurry hadn’t allowed me to fully appreciate his…assets.

I did now. Springing from a nest of trimmed black curls, already hard, darker than the rest of his body, long and thick and slightly curved to the right, his cock beckoned with every step Alex took.

I was more than ready to respond to its beckoning when he joined me under the water jet.

Just like staying there again had gradually become a good idea and telling Alex about vampires had seemed preferable to making him forget he’d ever met one, having sex with him one more time struck me as the only viable scenario once he was in the shower stall.

I didn’t care how he’d take me; he could press my face against the glass door, my back against the tiles, or have me on all fours. I just wanted him inside me. As soon as possible.

I tried to wrap my arms around his neck, but he got hold of my wrists, stopping me. My face must have shown my confusion, because he smiled.

“The water is cold,” he said.

“Don’t like it much hotter than this.” Ignore what you read in most books. A vampire’s temperature makes us sensitive to heat, not cold. Still, I turned the faucet a bit to the left.

He turned the water off altogether. “That’s better.”

I watched, mesmerized, while he took his time uncapping the shower gel, pouring some of it in his palm, and capping the bottle again. He put it back on its shelf and rubbed his hands together until they were covered in foam.

“Turn around. I’ll do you first.”

Oh, the innuendo in that last sentence.

Uncaring that I’d already lathered and rinsed, I turned my back to him without a second thought.

“Pull your hair up.”

I twirled my red tresses into one thick curl and tucked it at the side of my neck.

It wasn’t enough. “Hold it up with both hands, and don’t let go.” His voice brooked no argument, and I was more than excited with his take-control attitude.

I did what he asked, managing to tremble only slightly when his big, strong hands closed over my shoulders and massaged the lather onto my skin. His thumbs pressed against the back of my neck, his fingers rhythmically digging into the muscle, releasing knots I hadn’t known were there.

Moaning my approval, I let my head fall forward. His hands went to my shoulder blades, spreading the foam there before moving on to my back. He followed the line of my spine, his palms and knuckles taking turns in working my flesh. I could barely keep my footing as he slowly stroked his way down to my ass before kneeling behind me.

He ran a finger between my ass cheeks and chuckled when I reflexively clenched. He pressed a finger lightly against my asshole. “Don’t worry. I’m not going here—today.”

I wanted to come up with some smart retort, but he began massaging my inner thighs. His thumbs almost touched my pussy. I jerked back toward him, trying to rub against them. I craved his touch just a bit higher…just a bit…