Under a Vampire Moon (26 page)

Christian blinked as it slowly dawned on him that she thought he was jealous of her rather than of Captain Jack. Dear God!

“Oh look, we’re stopping.”

Christian glanced around to see that they had pulled up beside a line of outdoor stands offering island jewelry and the like. Everyone on the bus began to stand to disembark, but when Carolyn did, he frowned.

“You should wait here. Your blood sugar—”

“I’m good now, the juice and chocolate did wonders,” she assured him scrambling past his legs to get out.

Christian reached to stop her, but paused as her behind was suddenly in his face.

“Damn,” he breathed and nearly grabbed the two round cheeks in front of him, but then she was past and moving eagerly up the aisle behind the others.

Giving his head a shake, Christian stood to follow, knowing it was a mistake even as he did it. He’d been in such a rush to get down to the boat that morning that he hadn’t thought to feed, let alone to down several extra bags to make up for the exposure to sunlight. The last thing he needed was to be out in the sun, but he couldn’t leave Carolyn on her own. Her physical symptoms had been worrying enough, but when he’d sniffed her wrist the scent of her blood had been telling. Captain Jack had been right. She’d been bottoming out with low blood sugar.

Mouth tightening, Christian plunged out into the sunlight to follow Carolyn toward the first stall as everyone spread out to look at the offered wares. He followed her silently from stall to stall, his eyes moving warily from her happy face to the sun and back.

“Oh, look, Christian, this one’s lovely.”

Pausing behind Carolyn, Christian gazed over her shoulder to the necklace she’d picked up. It was made up of rows of small polished black stones separated by tiny silver beads.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“Nice,” he murmured, imagining it against her naked skin.

“I’ll take it,” Carolyn said to the woman and then picked up one that had a handful of pink stones among the black and said, “This as well.”

Much to his relief their guide called a halt to the shopping trip then and everyone piled back on the bus. Christian settled into his seat with a little sigh as the bus started to move again. The guide immediately began talking about the drive-in volcano where they would stop next, but his attention shifted to Carolyn as she suddenly pressed the black and silver necklace into his hand.

“Here, hold this.”

Christian automatically closed his fingers around the necklace and watched her undo the clasp on the one with the pink stones and put it on. She tipped her head down, trying to see it, but then shrugged and reached for the necklace he held. He gave it up at once, eyebrows rising when she began to undo its clasp as well.

“Are you going to wear both of them?” he asked with amusement.

“Nope,” Carolyn said cheerfully, then shifted to kneel on the bench seat beside him and reached up to place the black and silver necklace around his neck.

Christian froze as she leaned forward to see around his neck to do up the clasp, his entire body suddenly wide awake and alert as she inadvertently pressed against him. She’d wondered what was wrong with her perfume earlier. The answer was not a damned thing. It was spicy wildflowers and intoxicating as hell. He had to ball his fingers into fists and physically fight the urge to slip his arms around her, draw her even closer, and bury his face in her neck just to inhale it more deeply.

“There,” she said, pulling back to look at his throat.

Christian stared at her as she peered at his neck. At first he thought that she was completely unaffected by the closeness that had nearly laid waste to his own self-control, but then he noted that the color was high in her cheeks. She was also avoiding his eyes and her smile seemed a bit forced. And her heart was racing again. He could hear it, but it wasn’t from a drop in blood sugar this time, he was sure of it.

“It’s perfect,” Carolyn pronounced.

“Thank you.” The words were a bare growl as he watched her settle back on her side of the seat. “I’ll give it back when we return to the resort.”

“You will not,” she said at once, scowling. “I bought it for you. It matches your eyes. Besides, as Brent always says, you need pretty baubles to attract the male of the species. Maybe you’ll catch Captain Jack’s eye on the way back.”

Christian grimaced.

“Although, I’m afraid that will attract a few women too,” Carolyn added with amusement, casting another glance toward his neck and chest.

“Then it’s good I have you to help fend them off,” he said quietly.

She smiled faintly, and then turned her gaze to the passing scenery as the bus wound up the hill. It left Christian free to stare at her. Her color was good again, the juice and chocolate had done the trick, which suggested Jack had been right and she was hypoglycemic. It shouldn’t be a problem once he settled everything and turned her, but he’d have to keep an eye on her until then, make sure she didn’t—

“I can’t wait to see the drive-in volcano.” Carolyn suddenly turned to smile at him.

Christian nodded and did his best not to look like he’d been staring.

“I have this image of the road running into a cave and along the wall around the side of this huge cauldron of bubbling lava and then out through a cave on the other side.” She paused and frowned, and then said, “You don’t think it would be dangerous to inhale the fumes, do you?” She’d barely asked the question when she then shook her head. “I’m sure Jack would have said something.”

Christian scowled at the mention of the man’s name.

“And Genie wouldn’t have let us come at all,” she added. “Speaking of which, what did she say when you showed up this morning to get a ticket?”

“She transferred Bethany’s ticket to me,” he said, forcing his scowl away.

“Really?” she asked with surprise.

He nodded. “She also arranged for a car to take me to Soufriere to catch up with you.”

“That was good of her,” Carolyn murmured with a smile.

Christian agreed. Genie cared about Carolyn. He’d read it from her mind as he’d waited for her to finish transferring the ticket. He’d also read some of her feelings regarding him and it seemed she was wishing he was straight and interested in Carolyn, who she felt deserved some fun after the rough time she’d had. Genie thought he’d be the perfect solution if he were straight and into older blondes, like Marguerite thought.

“So,” Carolyn tilted her head quizzically. “You came because you knew I’d be on my own?”

He nodded, and risked admitting, “That and I enjoy spending time with you.”

She smiled and patted his hand. “I like hanging with you too. You’re a good friend, Christian.”

It was a start, he told himself. A good start, really, forever was a long time. A life mate had to be a friend as well as a lover.

“Why are we stopping?” Carolyn asked, glancing curiously around as they pulled into an area where several other vans and minibuses were parked. “I thought the drive-in volcano was next.”

Christian looked to the front of the bus as their guide explained that they would walk from here, and commented, “I guess we don’t actually drive in after all.”

“Hmm.” She looked disappointed and he had the urge to kiss the pout off her lips, but simply stood and turned to allow her out of the seat, then followed as she trailed the others off the bus. He was rather disappointed himself. Walking meant another round under the scorching sun, something he could well do without.

“You must be boiling in those black jeans,” Carolyn said as they followed the group away from the buses. “I know you’re allergic to the sun, but you could at least have worn the white T-shirt you bought the other day. And maybe pants that were made of a less heavy material to make it bearable.”

“I was rushing and not thinking.” Christian took her arm to steer her along. It was true, he had been rushing and not thinking or he would have had blood.

“I
s it awful to admit I’m a bit disappointed?” Carolyn asked moments later as they joined the others peering over the drive-in volcano.

Christian chuckled at her expression and shook his head. “Your vision was much more exciting.”

“Yeah.” She sighed and peered out over the steaming field before them. “It kind of looks like an ash field . . . except for the steam. But those rocks are rather pretty.”

Christian nodded as his gaze slid over the rocks streaked black, yellow, and white.

“It smells though,” Carolyn muttered, wrinkling her nose.

“Sulphur,” he said, his gaze sliding to the tour guide who was explaining that while tourists used to be allowed to walk to the end of the tar pits, that was no longer allowed because a local tour guide had fallen through the crust, receiving third-degree burns over most of his body. The story made Christian urge Carolyn back from the edge of the platform. The last thing he wanted was to lose her now that he’d found her.

“Are you all right?” Carolyn asked moments later as they started along the path toward Sulphur Springs.

“Yes, why?” he muttered, relieved to see that the path led into the jungle ahead.

“You’re the one looking pale now,” she said with concern. “Would you like my other chocolate bar?”

Christian shook his head. Chocolate wasn’t going to help him. “I’m good. Keep it in case you need it later,” he said and released a slow relieved sigh as the vegetation closed around them, providing shade.

“I have water too.” She offered him her half-empty bottle of water.

Christian just shook his head again. It wouldn’t help either. What he needed was blood, but he wasn’t likely to get the opportunity to get that anytime soon.

“Are you sure?” she asked with a frown. “You really don’t look good.”

“I’m fine. You drink it.” He urged her to the side to make room for people coming from the opposite way along the path.

Shrugging, Carolyn opened the bottle and gulped it down. She was putting the empty bottle back into her bag when they stepped out into an open area.

“Oh,” Carolyn breathed as she took in the waterfalls. “Now this is impressive.”

Christian nodded, but almost sighed as he followed her out of the shade. It was pretty, but difficult to enjoy. All this sunlight was beginning to affect him. His stomach was starting to cramp and his senses were all starting to zero in on the sources of blood around him. He could hear every heartbeat of every tourist they traveled with, could hear the blood pounding through their veins louder than the falls themselves, could actually smell the tinny substance rushing beneath their skin.

His fangs tried to slide out in response and Christian clenched his jaw, concentrating on keeping them in.

“Maybe we should go back to the bus.”

Christian blinked. Carolyn stood in front of him, concern on her face.

“You really don’t look good.”

“I’m fine,” he said tightly and she snorted at the claim.

“No you aren’t. You look ready to pass out. Come on. You took care of me and now I’m going to take care of you.” Catching his hand, she moved past him, dragging him back along the path the way they’d come.

“Really, I’m fine,” he assured her, a new concern claiming him. As desperately as he needed blood, the last thing he wanted was to be closed up in a minibus with her where the scent of her blood might make him do something stupid. The temptation to bite would be unbearable. Hell, being back on the bus with a dozen pounding mortal hearts pumping all that glorious blood through their veins would be even worse. He needed to feed. His gaze slid to Carolyn, zeroing in on her neck. Her naked and now vulnerable neck he saw with dismay.

“When did you pull your hair up?” he asked with alarm.

“While we were walking through the jungle,” she said without glancing around. “Didn’t you see me? You were right behind me.”

“No,” he muttered, unable to tear his eyes from her throat. He’d been way too distracted with thoughts of his need for blood and how to get it, he supposed.

“I have another scrunchy in my bag if you want to pull your hair back too,” she offered, glancing over her shoulder.

Christian forced his eyes from her throat to her face with some effort and frowned. She’d gone pale again and her eyes were a little glassy. Her blood sugar had dropped once more, he realized.

Christ, what a pair they were, he thought, catching her elbow when she stumbled. They had reached the end of the shaded path and had the long open area to cross, but Carolyn was now moving at almost a crawl. No sugar, no energy. It would take forever to get back to the minibus at this rate, and every minute of it under the glaring sun.

Grinding his teeth, Christian scooped her up into his arms.

“Christian, I can walk. I—” She snapped her mouth closed as he began to jog, jostling her in his arms.

“Your blood sugar is low again,” he said grimly, moving a little faster as her scent wafted to his nose. Unfortunately, he couldn’t outrun her scent when he was carrying her.

People were gaping as he ran past with Carolyn, but he didn’t care. He needed to get her to the bus, sit her in it, get her to eat her chocolate bar, and then go find a blood donor. This was an emergency situation. He couldn’t risk his need making him do something stupid.