Vampire Mine (18 page)

“Can ye focus on a place close by? If we teleport straight into the nursing home, we‟ll cause a fright. Or ye might end up accidentally brushing against someone and causing more death. Some place outdoors and isolated would be best.”

She nodded, frowning. She‟d never purposely missed the mark before. “I‟ll try.”

He checked the dagger in his sock. “We shouldna run into any trouble, but I like to be prepared.” He looked her over and grabbed the hem of her hooded jacket. “ ‟Tis a wee bit chilly out here.” He connected the zipper and zipped it up to her chin.

“Oh, I was wondering how that worked.” She smiled sheepishly. “I knew it looked like the fastener on my pants, but I didn‟t how to get it started.” She moved the zipper up and down.

“I love this. Humans are so clever.”

“Lass.” He covered her hand with his own to stop her. “Are ye ready?”

To let him inside her mind? She swallowed hard. She‟d always been an open book before, sharing everything with the Heavenly Host. But she‟d never had these quivery feelings of desire before. She didn‟t want Connor to know that he was causing them, that even now she wanted him to pull her into his arms and kiss her.

She took a deep breath. She would focus all her thoughts on a place in the vicinity of the nursing home. That would be all he would sense. “I‟m ready.”

He grabbed her by the upper arms and pulled her close.

She gasped.
Good heavens!

“Ye need to hold on to me,” he said softly. “So I can teleport with you.”

“Oh, right.” She slipped her arms around his neck. Her heart thundered in her chest.

Concentrate. Think about the location. Not about being in his arms.

His arms enveloped her and his cheek pressed against her temple. “Open yer mind,” he whispered. “Let me in.”

She shuddered when she felt a cold stab at her brow.

Marielle.
His voice echoed in her mind.

He was with her, his presence strong and determined. So masculine. And bold, as if he were staking a claim on her soul.
Marielle
, he repeated, and she wanted to melt around his voice.

She rallied her thoughts and focused on the location.

I have it
, his voice said, then everything went black.

C
onnor scanned their surroundings quickly to see if anyone had witnessed their arrival.

Marielle had stumbled a bit when they materialized, so he continued to hold her. They appeared to be in a dark alley.

“Good. No one saw us.” He glanced down at her pale face, and his heart squeezed like it always did when he looked at her. Only now, it was stronger. He‟d been inside her mind, and it was a beautiful place filled with love and compassion, so much so that he wondered if she could ever forgive the monstrous things he‟d done in the past.

Doona even think about it
. He was a condemned man, already on the list for hell. An angel could never care for him, not one as beautiful as Marielle. At least he suspected his secrets were safe. She‟d been too busy protecting her own thoughts to even attempt to breach the thick wall he‟d taken five centuries to build.

He led her toward the street. “Are ye all right?”

“Yes.” She peered to the right. “The nursing home is that way.”

Apparently, they‟d arrived at one of the main streets in this town for it was fairly busy.

Cars drove by in a steady stream. Other cars were parked along the street. The sidewalk was wide, and street lamps illuminated a long line of shops with colorful signs and awnings.

Pedestrians walked by in small groups, chatting and laughing. Horns blared in the distance. The scent of grilled meat drifted from a nearby restaurant.

Across the street, a wrought-iron fence separated the sidewalk from a garden. A large arch spanned an opening in the fence with the words
Hudson Park
painted across it. A man in a security uniform was closing and locking the gate.

“Let‟s find the nursing home,” Connor said. “I want to see how close you managed to get us.”

“There are too many humans here,” she whispered. “I‟m afraid I‟ll hurt someone.”

“Stay close to the storefronts. I‟ll make sure no one touches you.”
Except me
. He hooked her hand around his elbow and led her down the street.

She clung to his arm, her shoulders hunched with tension as she watched mortals pass by.

He recalled the way her touch had activated the toilet and bathroom sink. It seemed like an odd gift for an angel of death to possess. “Does yer touch always kill?”

She frowned. “My touch used to heal, but now . . .” She shook her head. “It was hard for me to adjust to being a Deliverer. The job isn‟t meant to be destructive, although humans tend to see it that way. We deliver souls, giving them comfort and companionship as they cross over.”

“But when ye touch someone, they die.”

She sighed. “The touch itself doesn‟t destroy. It releases energy, enough energy to set the soul free. And when all the energy is gone, the body ceases to be.”

“I see.” So when it came to mechanical objects, her touch released energy, making things work until the energy ran out.

After a few blocks, she relaxed and looked curiously about. “This is amazing. I‟ve never done this before.”

“Walk down a street?”

She smiled. “I like the way you say
down
.” Her smile widened when he rolled his eyes.

“And no, I‟ve never walked
dune
a street. We usually come to complete an assignment, and then leave. Oh, look.” She stopped to peer into the window of a gift shop.

Connor checked to see what was catching her eye. It was a sun catcher in the shape of an angel with crystal wings and a golden halo.

He smiled. “Och, will ye look at that. Ye‟re famous.”

She laughed, and the sound warmed his heart.

Her head turned when a young woman walked past them eating an ice cream cone. “What is that?”

“Ice cream.” He slapped himself mentally. She was probably hungry. He‟d made her work for several hours, and he hadn‟t even thought about feeding her. “Ye should try some.”

He spotted the ice cream parlor two shops down and led her inside. Two human customers were at the counter, and she tugged at his arm.

“Doona fash,” he whispered. He positioned himself between her and the customers. They received their orders and wandered off to a table in the corner.

He stepped up to the counter. “A cone, please.”

The lad behind the counter took one look at his kilt and smirked. “Whatever you say, man. What flavor?”

Connor ignored the pimply-faced youth and turned to Marielle. “What kind would ye like?”

“There are so many to choose from.” She wandered down the freezer, peering through the window, then jerked upright with a smile. “Chocolate.”

Connor smiled back. “One scoop of chocolate for the lady.”

“The one wearing the pants in the family?” the lad muttered as he scooped up a ball of chocolate ice cream.

Connor narrowed his eyes. He was sorely tempted to cuff the young whelp on his head, but he wanted to get the ice cream for Marielle.

She edged closer to him and whispered loudly, “Did I ever tell you how much I love your kilt?”

“Nay.” He wondered if she was telling the truth or putting on a show for the rude employee. “Do ye really?”

“Oh yes.” She nodded seriously. “It makes me think about . . . giving you a blow job.”

The lad squeaked and dropped the scoop of ice cream on the floor. “Don‟t worry! I‟ll get you another one.” He hunched over, digging furiously at the ice cream, his face bright red.

Connor arched a brow at Marielle, and she looked away, her cheeks blushing. He bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

The lad completed the cone and reached toward Marielle.

“I got it.” Connor grabbed the cone, then passed it on to Marielle. “How much do I owe you?”

The lad told him, then lowered his voice. “That‟s an awesome kilt, dude. Where did you get it?”

“In Edinburgh.” Connor retrieved some money from his sporran and handed it to the lad, who looked perplexed. “That‟s in Scotland.”

“Oh, right. That‟s like . . . far away, huh?”

“Ye could probably order one online,” Connor muttered as he dropped the change into his sporran.

“That‟s right!” The lad grinned. “Thanks, dude.” He glanced at Marielle, then gave Connor two thumbs up.

He found himself grinning as he led Marielle from the store and down the sidewalk. “I appreciate what ye did, lass, but there are certain things ye doona talk about in public. For instance, blow—” He glanced at her and jerked to a stop.

Holy Christ Almighty, she was running her tongue all over the scoop of ice cream. A bead of chocolate drizzled down the cone. She caught it with the tip of her tongue, then dragged her tongue up the side of the cone.

His groin tightened. “Good Lord,” he whispered.

She licked her lips. “Would you like some of this?”

God, yes
. “Nay.” He frowned at the cone she was extending toward him. “It would probably make me ill.”

“Oh, that‟s a shame ‟cause it‟s really good. Though I‟m not quite sure how to eat it.” She opened her mouth, molded her lips around the entire scoop, and sucked on it.

He groaned.

She gave him a worried look. “Are you all right?”

He looked away. “I will be. Where is the nursing home?”
And do they have ice packs?

“It‟s on the other side of the street. Just past the park.”

“All right.” He walked slowly down the sidewalk, trying his best to ignore the sucking and slurping noises she was making. The ladies didn‟t need to give her any instructions. She was a natural.

In spite of the growing discomfort in his kilt, he found himself smiling again. She had purposely embarrassed herself in the ice cream shop in order to lend him support.

A loud noise drew his attention. Someone was having trouble starting a car that was parked half a block up the street. The engine made a whirring sound, then died. He caught the words of the distraught woman inside the car.

“Please, please start! Don‟t die on me now. Please, just get me home,” she wailed. “Oh God, help me!”

He took Marielle by the elbow and maneuvered her over to the car. “Let‟s cross the street here.”

“Okay.” She took a bite out of the cone, then stepped off the curb.

He pretended to bump into her, causing her to stumble against the car‟s rear bumper.

“Sorry.”

The car started, and the woman inside squealed with joy.

He bit his lip to keep from laughing as he pulled Marielle back onto the sidewalk. “Are ye all right?”

She nodded and took another bite into the cone. “This is really good. I‟m sorry you can‟t have any.”

He grinned. “I‟m fine.”

She studied him as she chewed. “Are you usually this happy?”

“Nay.” He watched the car drive off. “I havena been this happy in centuries.”

“You look very handsome when you smile.”

The tenderness in her eyes nearly melted his heart. “Come.” He took her hand in his and led her across the street.

By the time she finished her ice cream cone, they were standing in front of the nursing home.

“We arrived too far away,” he said. “We‟ll try again tomorrow night.”

She tilted her head back to gaze at the stars. “It was a good passing. His family and friends were by his side.”

“Ye can sense that?”

She nodded, still gazing at the night sky. “He‟s very happy to be with his wife again. He lost her to cancer a few years ago and missed her sorely. That sort of love is amazing, don‟t you think?”

His chest grew tight.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “Can you feel it?”

“Feel what?”

“So much love. He‟s surrounded with it.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “Glory to God in the Highest.”

Something jabbed at his chest, causing a crack in his defenses. He lifted a hand to wipe the tear from her face, but stopped. How could he even touch her? She was so perfect, and he was so flawed. And yet, he wanted her so much. He lowered his hand.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

Christ Almighty, he was falling for her. “We should teleport back.” He looked around.

The parking lot was too visible from the busy street. The park. It looked empty and dark.

“Come.” He motioned for her to follow.

The side gate was locked with a chain, but with a quick jerk, the chain broke. He led her inside.

They walked down a brick path, flanked by brilliant yellow and red flowers. In the distance, he could see fruit trees bursting with spring flowers. He breathed deeply of the scented air. This was a night he would cherish for centuries.

She sighed. “It‟s lovely.”

“Aye.” He stopped by a water fountain. “Are ye thirsty?” He pushed the button, and a spray of water arched into a basin.

She took a drink, then rinsed her hands, and they resumed their leisurely walk.

When they reached a crossroads, she halted with a gasp. “Is that a carousel?”

She ran up to the low fence that surrounded it. “Look at all the different animals. I love it.”

“Would ye like to ride on it?”

She waved a dismissive hand. “It‟s closed.”

He leaped over the low fence. “Come on.” He grabbed her by the waist, lifted her over the fence, and deposited her next to him.

“Connor, it‟s not working.”

He jumped onto the carousel platform and extended a hand to her. “Trust me.”

She placed her hand in his. He pulled her onto the platform, and it lurched into motion.

She gasped, stumbling to the side, but he steadied her. Music blared around them, a waltz played by a pipe organ. All the twinkling white lights came on.

“Good heavens.” Her eyes widened with astonishment. “It‟s so beautiful.”

“Come.” He led her to a white unicorn with a golden horn and saddle.

It was moving up and down, making it difficult for her to mount, so he levitated her up and placed her on the saddle. She tilted her head back and laughed.

When he climbed onto the horse next to her, she looked at him and laughed some more.

“Connor, you‟re riding a pink horse with a garland of flowers.”