After Sundown: Redemption (18 page)

Christian wasn’t sure exactly what Joyce was asking, but he suspected it was more than the words she was using. She was trying to help him understand something about Alyssa. So he stayed quiet. He didn’t try to answer her question. He knew she was going to answer it for him.

“The way a man keeps a strong woman, Mr. Galiano, is to let her figure out that she needs to keep him.”

Alyssa’s aunt gave him a satisfied smile.

“Keep up the good work. I like you. And I trust you to take care of my niece. Considering she’s the one person I care most about in this world that should tell you something.”

Then she walked away.

Now Christian knew for sure. He knew whom Alyssa took after. It wasn’t her mother or her father. She definitely took after her aunt.

* * * * *

Alyssa finished her speech to enthusiastic applause. She had tried to stay focused as she spoke, but it had been difficult. She kept thinking about what had happened between her and Christian earlier and the resulting conversation. If he pushed her about this she knew she wouldn’t handle it well. She wasn’t ready to deal with her feelings right now. As a therapist, she knew this wasn’t the healthiest attitude in the world, but she couldn’t help it.

Where Christian was concerned, she couldn’t seem to think rationally. She had glanced at him periodically throughout her speech. The sight of him made her heart flip-flop like a fish out of water. His devastatingly handsome face was serious as he checked out the people listening to her. She could have told him that the energy in the room was only positive tonight, but she wasn’t sure he would believe her. And she didn’t know if she was ready to share her ability with him.

He scanned the room constantly. Searching for something amiss. He looked tense, ready for anything. She remembered the feel of his muscled back beneath her fingers and his hard chest pressed against her. He was a male in his prime. He would have no problem handling any situation that arose.

His eyes had touched on her briefly during her speech and she stuttered over a word or two. After that, she tried to ignore him and concentrate on what she was saying. She hadn’t been completely successful. His dominating presence made him stick out like a wolf among sheep. But she had managed to complete her speech without any more stumbling.

When she walked off stage, Christian met her at the edge and guided her back to her room backstage. He didn’t speak as he went in first. She followed close behind and watched him do a quick check of the room. Then he turned without a word and left.

Alyssa didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t said a word to her. She had expected him to start the discussion where they left off before her speech. But he hadn’t. What was he up to? She quickly freshened her makeup and hair and then opened the door. Christian stood stiff and unyielding with his back facing her.

He turned at the sound of the door opening.

“Are you ready to go to the reception?” His face held no emotion. His voice sounded polite, professional and distant.

Alyssa didn’t know how to react to him. She was relieved he didn’t push her about their relationship. But she was also disappointed for some reason. She knew it was irrational, but couldn’t help it.

“Yes, I’m ready,” she replied just as coldly.

If that’s how he wanted it to be, then she would go with it too.

As they walked together to the reception, neither of them spoke. Yet Alyssa felt the tension between them fill the air. She was relieved when they entered the room and she saw her aunt standing right by the door.

“Alyssa! You did a wonderful job.” Her aunt gave her a big hug. “Please come meet some of my friends.”

Alyssa spent the next hour talking to her aunt’s friends. She felt Christian constantly by her side. But he wasn’t the only one. Women were gathered around him like bees to honey. Engaging him in conversation and flirting outrageously. She could see he was trying to maintain his distance from the group, keep an eye on her. But every once in a while a woman would lean towards him, say something quietly to him and they would both laugh. That irritated her. His husky laughter was a pleasure that she wanted to be the only one to enjoy.

If they had all been her aunt’s age, it probably wouldn’t have bothered Alyssa as much. But they weren’t. The women who seemed to find him the most fascinating were young, some younger than her. Alyssa tried to get Christian’s attention a couple of times, but every time he glanced her way, her aunt would grasp her arm and steer her towards someone else she wanted Alyssa to meet.

She tried to ignore it. Tried to put all her energy into her conversations with various people, but it was no use. Her irritation rose to the point where she felt like yelling and pulling her hair out. She wanted to tell all Christian’s admirers to get lost. He belonged to her. She had the primitive urge to yell, “He’s mine!”

After about an hour, she was tired of talking. And she was sick of seeing all those women fawning over Christian. She glanced at the dance floor and saw a few couples dancing. She had an idea. Despite her aunt’s protests, she excused herself and walked to where Christian stood with his harem. She pushed her way through the crowd until she stood facing him.

His face still held no emotion as he looked at her, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be with him at that moment and nobody was going to stop her. Not the throng of women around him, not even him. She lifted her chin proudly and held her hand out.

“Dance with me.”

Chapter Nine

Christian wanted to throw back his head and roar in triumph.

Yet he held everything inside. He kept his face a blank as Alyssa approached him. He had been excruciatingly aware of her as she moved around the room, talking with various people, and not just because he was trying to protect her. His eyes were drawn to her without thought, without will. He just couldn’t get enough of looking at her. That was a pleasure he refused to deny himself.

The women around him paled and faded into nothing. Their inconsequential conversation and flirting meant absolutely nothing to him. Mortal women were always attracted to him, wanted to be near him. He had accepted that long ago. It mattered little to him.
Until now
.

He watched the sweet sway of Alyssa’s hips as she approached him. The dress she wore made his mouth water. She shimmered with beauty, seduction and innocence, all at the same time. And she called to him. Maybe not consciously, but it mattered little. He felt it, heard it. Her mind and body were shouting out her message loud and clear.

Alyssa wanted him. Nothing else mattered. The other women seemed to sense what was going on. They slowly moved away, until it was just he and Alyssa facing each other. She held her hand out to him. Christian’s chest tightened. His breath grew short. Still he waited. He held back a moment. Continued to stare at her, exhibiting no emotion. He needed her to remember this moment. Remember how much she wanted him. And remember that it was her choice.

She asked him to dance.

His expression changed. Christian let his desire and hunger burn in his eyes. Let her see the beast’s face as it pinned her with its powerful gaze. Alyssa’s eyes widened. Her lips parted in a gasp. She started to back away. He seized her hand before she could move. He led her to the dance floor. Once there, he didn’t give her a chance to escape. Instead, he pulled her against him. He knew she could feel his desire. Feel his body tighten with hunger. He moved to the slow music, keeping her soft curves pressed against him.

His movements were meant to entice and seduce. She didn’t fight it. She clung to him, her body wrapped around his. He knew she finally understood. He had lain in wait and she had come to him. He was the predator and she the prey. Alyssa had been well and truly caught.

Alyssa was panting. There was no other word for it. She would like to think she was just breathing hard or taking quick breaths, but that wasn’t the case. The feel of Christian’s hard contours rubbing and sliding over her sensitive body made her pant with desire. And she could do nothing to stop it. She didn’t want to stop it. She had asked, no, practically begged Christian for it.

She had requested a dance. But they both knew she was asking for so much more. Jealousy had consumed her while she watched Christian talk with the other women. Alyssa had never felt that kind of jealousy and anger, ever before. It had taken hold and given her a good, hard shake. But it had also made her admit how much she wanted Christian. Needed to feel him inside her and all around her as they made love, over and over again. That thought alone filled her mind as she had approached him.

The responding
roar
she heard coming from his thoughts told her everything. When she saw his eyes suddenly flare with desire and a hunger so strong it left her breathless, she knew. He wanted the same thing she did. Tonight. Nothing would stop them. Tonight they would satisfy the lust burning through them like a wildfire.

Slowly, Christian moved them towards the door. In the hall outside the reception room, he backed her up against a wall. He took each of her hands in his and held them on either side of her head. His actions surprised her. She broke eye contact and looked around. The hall was empty. Everything became blurred as Christian kissed her neck. She leaned her head back to give him better access. He nuzzled her, then ran his tongue over her collarbone. Her knees grew weak and she started to slide down.

She felt his knee lift up against her leg. He nudged her thighs apart and pushed his knee against the fabric of her dress until it pressed between them. His leg held her up, but the feel of it pressed against the center of her made her gasp with need. He moved his mouth back up to hers and plunged his tongue inside her parted lips. He stroked her again and again, plundered every corner of her mouth, demanding her response. He moved his leg slightly and she whimpered. The friction against her hot core felt too good. She tilted her hips forward, then back again. The movement built her flaming passion into a roaring fire.

Christian stiffened. He tore his mouth from hers and released her hands.

“Someone’s coming.”

Alyssa struggled for composure. Christian grasped her shoulders and slid his knee from between her legs. Alyssa smoothed her dress down and steadied herself while he held her in place with his hands. He waited until she gave him a nod. Then he released her and took a step back, putting some distance between them.

A few seconds later, a couple walked out of the reception room. Alyssa gave them a friendly smile, then turned back to Christian as if they were in the middle of a conversation.

“That was a little too close for comfort,” she said, trying to ignore the flames of desire burning in his eyes.

Christian nodded and gave her a lopsided smile. Her heart did a little flip-flop. It was the type of grin she would have expected to see on a younger Christian, one who was not a vampire. She couldn’t resist smiling back. They were like a couple of kids who had gotten caught making out at the school dance.

Christian’s smile faded as he stared into her eyes.

“I want you,
palomita
. So much my body hurts. What do you want?”

Alyssa’s image of two kids dissolved. They weren’t kids. And what she wanted from Christian was utterly and completely adult.

“Let me say goodbye to my aunt and I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Christian walked beside her.

She turned and held her hand up.

“No. If you come, I’ll have no excuse to leave. I’ll explain that you’re pulling the car around front and will be waiting for me, so I have to leave.”

“I will not leave this building without you, Alyssa. It’s not safe for you to be so far away from me. Especially after what happened in your apartment. I’ll wait here, where I can keep my eye on you.”

Alyssa started to argue, but knew he was right. Plus the stubborn look on his face made her realize the futility of it. She nodded in agreement.

“Fine, I’ll only be a minute.”

She turned away and walked into the crowded room.

She found her aunt a few minutes later and said her goodbyes. Aunt Joyce wasn’t as disappointed as Alyssa thought she’d be. In fact, she agreed with Alyssa’s decision to leave very quickly.

“Oh, I understand dear. You two run along and do what ever it is you need to do,” her aunt said with a smile. “Have a nice time.”

The speculative gleam in her aunt’s eyes made Alyssa wonder what she was up to.

A crashing noise caught Alyssa’s attention. She swung her head towards the sound. She was shocked to see one of the waiters drop his tray of drinks and start running in her direction. As he did so, she noticed him pull something from his jacket. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was a large dangerous-looking knife. He raised it above his head as he drew closer and closer. Everything moved in slow motion after that—the waiter running towards her with the knife, the shocked looks on the faces of the other guests as they stood frozen in terror.