The Vampire's Curse (17 page)

Whoa. Sounded like she’d been hanging on to that for a long while. "Your sister doesn't strike me as the type of woman to run in an alley with garlic spray to help a man and woman she doesn't know."

Jackie blushed again. "It's not like I ever thought I could do something like that, but what I really meant was brave in bed."

Holy Mother of God, did that really come out of her pretty little mouth? While he wasn't sure of how Jackie worked in that area he knew perfectly well that her sister prided herself on being a tiger.

She looked at him and somehow must’ve known his thoughts, because she sighed. "Told you."

He coughed and scratched his face, trying to hide the color until it went down. "But really, was it worth the agony you put into losing any man if they were only going to leave you for a piece of tail?"

The words left his lips before he thought about how she’d react to her hearing her sister referred to as a
piece of tail
.

Luckily she didn't seem to mind. "When you're a seventeen year old girl, losing your boyfriends to your fifteen year old sister matters. But you don't have to worry," she put up a pretty convincing smile for him. "That was a long time ago, and I'm better at choosing who I spend my time with."

She certainly seemed like the kind of girl who knew how to avoid being taken advantage of, but he sensed the flicker of pain within her and knew that despite the brave front she put on, she wasn't quite over what her sister had done.

Speaking of sensing her emotions, "There's been something I've been meaning to ask you."

She inched closer. He tried not to notice.

"What is it?"

He didn't know how to bring this up. Would it scare her? Knowing he could read her like he did? "Ever since I met you I've been able to tell when you're feeling specific emotions."

She tensed and he was quick to continue. "I'm not doing it on purpose, and it's not as bad when I'm not a vampire. I was wondering if you knew anything about it."

***

If only the ceiling would open up and a vortex would take her where she didn't have to answer his question, but no such thing happened. The phone didn't ring, the power didn't go out. No sudden and unexpected distraction saved her. She was on her own. And he was staring at her, waiting for a response.

She pushed an invisible strand of hair out of her face. "I know about it, and it doesn't bother me, entirely, I mean. Mike can do something like that, only he can actually read a person's thoughts, which is why he's so good at his job."

Kyle’s eyes widened a little before narrowing. "If he could do that then why was I questioned all night after being arrested?"

"It's different for vampires and weres," she said quickly. "At night you're technically a member of the undead, and the dead don't have thoughts, at least they're not supposed to, and because werewolves are animals part of the time, and Mike can't read an animal's thoughts, he has trouble seeing what they're thinking too."

He nodded, accepting her explanation. "So then, how is it I know what you're feeling? I'm a pretty good judge of someone's emotions but it was never like this before."

She couldn't tell him what Evey had told her. How would he react? To know this personal part of his life had already been mapped out for him would be a blow, especially since she was the sister of the woman who cursed him.

I know we just met and all, but there's a really good chance we're each other's true love, y'know? Like in
The Princess Bride?
Hope that doesn't bother you much since it looks like you're trying to avoid me every time after we kiss
.

"It's probably just a side effect to your change." Oh God. Lame, lame, lame.

"But I've been like this for five months and I've never had this reaction to anyone else."

His eyes darkened when he said that, and she could all but feel the lust radiating from him in pulsing waves. He held back though. Part of her wished he wouldn't.

"I mean the change you've been going through since you met me. I've been turning you back to normal with …" She scratched her ear to hide her hot face. "Kisses. Maybe that's the answer."

She chanced a glance at him and saw he was no longer looking at her, but staring straight ahead in thought. Any lust that was once there had disappeared.

"Seems logical."

"Well," Jackie slapped her knees and got to her feet. "I'm going to get ready for bed. The TV is there if you want to watch for a while, bathroom is off the kitchen, and—."

He nodded and smiled. "I know, goodnight."

"Goodnight." She leaned down and brushed his stubbling cheek with her lips before she knew what she was doing.

He held perfectly still but for the tightening of his body. He hadn't expected it anymore than she had. There was only one thing to do, she pulled away and gave him the biggest brightest grin she had in her and went to her room.

Right, I meant to do that
, she told herself, squeezing her eyes shut and groaning when her door was firmly closed behind her.

"Idiot."

***

Kyle touched his rough cheek, contemplating a shave and that kiss. Maybe he did have to tell her, outright, that he couldn't get involved with her.

He leaned back against the couch. In no way did he believe she was capable of doing what her sister had done, but if he thought bending the rules to become involved with a client for the sake of love was acceptable before, he certainly didn't now.

His cell rang. He looked at the name on the screen. It was Carter.

He flipped it open. "What is it?"

"Is Jackie with you? Is she safe?"

He was on his feet, his body strung into ready alertness. "She just went to bed. What happened?"

"I'm sending a car over and I want you to take her to her mother's, she's a talented witch, Jackie’ll be safe there, and then I'll have my boy bring you to the corner of Spooner and Main."

Kyle didn't understand. "What's on Spooner and Main?"

"A burning building and the body of what looks like Charles Clayton. Get ready, now."

TWELVE

Jackie was going to kill him when she saw him again. Flat out, smother him with a pillow, murder. But that was only if she survived the accusing stares of her mother and sister for the rest of the night.

"For the last time, I'm sorry," she said, her slippered feet tucked under her butt while she sat on her mother's couch, a colorful flower blanket made up of welcoming blues, reds and yellows around her shoulders for when she decided to get to sleep.

They went back to their card game.

Earlier, Kyle, the frigging traitor, had rushed into her room without knocking and caught an eyeful of her naked chest before she could pull her pajama top all the way down. They both froze.

The clear, wide look in his eyes and heavy breathing told her she’d just given him a not unwanted surprise. For a second, she thought he was in her room for just that, and like an idiot, tired of fighting it and definitely in the mood, she leaned against her bed, and smiled a
come hither
smile, ready to let him have what he wanted.

"Get a bag ready, I'm taking you to your mother’s." Was all he said before spinning around and leaving her room as fast as possible.

So not what she’d expected.

When she didn’t move, too humiliated to speak, he rushed back in and grabbed a duffle bag not too dissimilar from his own, aside from the fact that it was pink, and began throwing random items from off her dresser into it.

She’d rushed to stop him, yanking the bag out of his hands. "What are you doing?"

"I got a call from Carter a minute ago, he needs me to see something and the best thing for you to do right now is stay someplace where you can be protected."

"I don't need protection." She insisted, irked that he could suggest such a thing as though she were completely helpless.

"Then why do you keep me around?" His tone wasn't sarcastic or accusing, he even smirked, and Jackie saw red.

He was there when she phoned the police on her own sister, he saw the anger her mother directed at her. How could he send her there knowing that?

She opened her mouth to suggest staying with Evey, but then remembered her friend was still in the hospital, and she hissed. "Fine, but I'll pack my own things." And she stormed into the bathroom for her toothbrush and other essentials because she didn’t know how long he was dumping her off for.

Which brought her here. Instead of Kyle on the couch it was her.

The living room and dining room were connected, separated only by a blue loveseat, whose matching couch Jackie now occupied. A stylish throw rug in the center of the area reserved for the living room lay on top of dark hardwood floors, under a glass coffee table that added extra character. The landscape paintings done by the local artists hanging on the wall behind her and above the modest entertainment system highlighted the relaxing look.

Jackie couldn't decorate to save her life. Her mother was a decorating pro.

The lamps and television were off on her side of the room, but the old style three bulb chandelier hanging over Patty's rectangular oak table was bright enough to make it hard to sleep.

Patty and Carly quietly played poker together. Neither of them had invited her to join. So she sat up on the couch and watched them, listening to the cards flap as they shuffled, dealt, and rearranged them in their hands.

"You’re both acting like brats," she muttered, turning away from the light and pulling the blanket over her head. The light still penetrated it enough to make her yearn for her dark room and comfy bed.

She still heard her sister's haughty snipping. "Hear that mom? I didn't know defending your family was bratty."

"Neither did I, sweetheart."

Jackie let out a loud snarl, punched the couch cushions and sat up. "Okay,
you
broke the law Carly, not me. You were the one who had to throw a fit and curse someone. You're lucky he was good enough to not press any charges."

Carly slammed her cards down and stood. "It was an accident!"

Patty gently touched her hand but Carly yanked away from her.

Jackie laughed. "Nice accident. Oops! I accidentally turned you into a vampire, silly me. I'll run away now and make it worse, bye."

Carly made to run around the table, probably to scratch Jackie’s eyes out. Her pretty face twisted in an ugly snarl, but Patty rushed to head off her daughter, grabbing both her arms to try and soothe her.

"Calm down, don't be acting this way in my house. It's not worth it."

"What's not worth it?
I'm
not worth it?" Jackie shrieked, beginning to feel the first stages of a swelling throat and burning eyes.

Patty shook her head at her, frustrated annoyance on her face and in her voice. "Don't put words in my mouth, young lady. Now if you want to stay the night you'll mind your sister."

"I loved him," Carly blurted, and Jackie saw that her face was wet with tears that couldn't even smudge the expensive makeup she wore. She probably learned her lesson the last time she cried and got out the good stuff in case she had to weep again.

Despite what her mother said, Jackie itched for a fight with Carly. To tell her off and make her see, for once, that everything didn't revolve around her, even if their mother liked to pretend that it did. "Oh please, if you loved him you would have let him go when he wanted to leave. You didn't have to ruin his life."

"
Shut up!
"

"Stop arguing, the both of you!"

Jackie wouldn't hear either of them. "Do you know what he told me? Before he found out that you were my sister? He told me that you were selfish. That the only reason you even bothered with getting a bodyguard was so everyone around you could see how important you were, which, you must not have been since he described it as the most boring job on the planet. Now, it looks like you're having trouble finding work, because no one wants to deal with you!"

Maybe not Kyle’s exact words, but they were damned close.

Carly spun to grab her purse. "I'm leaving."

She stormed out of Jackie's sight. Patty followed her, trying to convince her to stay, and to pay no mind to what Jackie had to say.

Jackie sat perfectly still on the couch, listening as her mother chased Carly, pleading with her to stay until the resounding slam echoed through the house, the screech of expensive tires against the asphalt of the driveway following it until they faded into the distance.

Jackie dreaded her mother's footsteps, calm and loud as they returned. It felt like being twelve all over again, after being caught sneaking out when she wasn’t supposed to and was waiting for the repercussions.

She looked up and there her mother stood, tight as a bow string and staring down at her with disappointment and silent anger.

Jackie took a deep breath, her voice breaking but she couldn't stop herself from speaking. Not yet, she needed someone to see things as she saw them, to know that she didn't do what she did to be malicious.