Cody (8 page)

H
E WAS A VAMPIRE.

The truth crystallized as Miranda found herself pinned against the second story of the house.

She glanced down to see that they were a good fifteen feet above the ground. His hard, muscular body pressed against her, holding her in place. But there was no one holding
him
in place. He stood suspended in midair. No wires or bungee cords.

His usually silver eyes glowed neon blue, as hot and bright as the center of a flame. His lips were pulled back, his fangs gleaming.

This was
not
happening.

She wasn’t seeing this. Feeling this. Feeling
him.

“You are.”
The deep timbre of his voice whispered through her head, but his lips didn’t move.
“You can feel my heart beating in your chest, my blood pumping through your veins.”

The truth hit her as she became keenly aware of the double thump in her chest and the rhythm that echoed in her ears. Even more, she could feel the hunger that twisted inside of him, so demanding and fierce that it erased any lingering doubt.

A
vampire.

The truth crystallized and slowly they drifted to the ground until she felt the solid earth beneath her feet.

“We’re connected now,”
he added before he let her go.
“You drank from me and I drank from you.”

Her knees trembled and she braced one hand against the side of the house while the other went to her neck. She felt only smooth skin.

“Vampires don’t just feed off of blood.” He said the words out loud this time. “We also thirst for energy. Sexual energy. That’s why I was in that club in the first place. I hadn’t had sex in a couple of days and I was weak. I needed to build my strength up before I made the trip here.”

“Why?” It was a tame question compared to the ones bombarding her senses, but it was all that popped out as she tried to fully comprehend what he was telling her.

“I’m here to kill the vampire who murdered my family.”

“There’s a vampire in Skull Creek?” The words came out in a high pitched squeak.
“Here?”

“Actually, he’s out of town for the next five days. But when he gets back, I’ll be here. I’ve waited a long time for this. Too long.”

Which meant he was sticking around until then.

The knowledge sent a zing of excitement through her, followed by a rush of
uh, oh.
One night, she reminded herself, despite the collage of images that rolled through her head.

The two of them naked on her front porch.

The two of them naked on the fifty-yard line.

The two of them
naked.

“What else can you do?” she blurted, desperate to distract herself from the seductive scenario playing in her head. She glanced at the spot above where he’d had her pinned just seconds ago. “Besides levitating, that is.”

“I can move things with my mind, but then you already know that.” His words reminded her of the way he’d touched her, stroked her, stirred her without actually making physical contact. “I can also read thoughts and move really fast and hypnotize with my stare.”

“Is that what you did to get me into that alley last night?”

His eyes, now molten silver, collided with hers. “I didn’t have to do anything. You were more than willing on your own.” His mouth drew into a tight line, as if he wasn’t at all pleased about his next words. “You have a very lusty appetite.”

The words echoed in her head and sparked a chain reaction of denial that gripped every muscle in her body. She’d fought too long and too hard to erase her past to have him make such an assumption. A completely false assumption. “Says you,” she blurted. “You don’tknow me.”

But that was the damned trouble of it all.

He did know her. He knew her fear. He felt it. It bubbled inside of her, making her lips tremble and her heart race.

Perfect, right?

He’d wanted to scare her. The problem was, she wasn’t half afraid of him as she was of herself. Of the way he made her feel. Because even though she knew the truth—even though she’d seen it with her own
eyes—she still wanted him. She couldn’t forget last night. Or the way he’d made her feel.

He could feel it in the hard press of her nipples against his chest. He could smell the wet heat between her legs and see the frantic thump of her pulse. He could hear the desperate denial in her voice.

“For your information, I don’t have one lusty bone in my body.”

The urge to prove her wrong was fast and fierce, and Cody couldn’t help himself. “You think?” Before she could reply, he captured her lips with his and kissed her with everything he had.

His tongue plunged deep and tangled with hers. He explored and tasted and stroked until her resistance fled. She relaxed against him. Her arms snaked around his neck and she held on tight. She kissed him back, meeting him stroke for stroke, pressing her body against his. Moving until his cock hardened and his hunger stirred.

His gut twisted and need roared inside of him. Stronger than anything he’d ever felt before.

Different.

Because
she
was different.

The thought struck and sent him whirling around, away from her.

Because that’s what Cody Braddock did. He didn’t stay too long or get too close. No ties. It was who he was now.

Who he’d always been.

H
E
WAS
A VAMPIRE.

If there’d been any smidgeon of doubt, it disappeared
right along with Cody Braddock. Literally. One minute she stood facing him and the next, he was nowhere in sight. She was alone.

Thankfully.

The thought whispered through her head, reminding her of the wanton way she’d given in to his kiss and kissed him back just seconds ago.

Because
he was a vampire.

Despite his denial about hypnotizing her, she knew he’d done
something.
That was the only explanation for the fierce desire that pushed and pulled inside of her and filled her with an urgency to do all sorts of shameful things.

She’d blamed last night’s powerful reaction on the fact that he’d been the forbidden fruit—a cowboy—and she’d been as curious as Eve in the garden.

But if that had been the case, one bite would have satisfied her.

She wouldn’t still want him.

More now than before.

Connected.

The word echoed in her head and she became acutely aware of the buzz of crickets. The sound seemed amplified, her hearing heightened just like her other senses. She could smell the fresh, sharp scent of newly turned earth. See the flutter of the June bugs that bounced off the security light near the corner of the house.

You drank from me and I drank from you.

She was hyped up on vamp blood. That explained the images. The feelings. Everything.

Not that it mattered.

Vampire or not, she wasn’t going to hop into the back of a Chevy with him. Or do him on the front porch. Or the fifty-yard line. Or any of the other spots on her list. Even if he was sticking around for five days.

In fact, she was going to forget him and the list entirely. From this moment on, no thinking or fantasizing or
anything.

At least that’s what she told herself as she headed inside the house and pulled out the menu for next Saturday’s Senior Sock Hop. She needed to do something normal. To finalize the details for the biggest social event at Golden Acres.

Hot dogs or hamburgers? Tapioca or banana?

She certainly didn’t need to open up the Internet and spend three hours researching
vampires.

The trouble was, she
wanted
to.

The feeling rose up inside her, consuming her thoughts to the point that she soon gave up the menu, killed the lights and headed upstairs.

Straight into an ice cold shower.

W
AY TO GO, HOSS.

Cody damned himself as he punched the gas on his pick-up and hauled ass through town. His gut twisted and his insides ached. His fingers tightened on the steering wheel and he pushed the truck faster. There was no erasing her memory to weaken the link between them. Distance was all he had left.

That and the slim hope that another woman might be able to distract him.

He swung a sharp left and headed past the city limits.
A mile down, he saw the neon lights that spelled out The Iron Horse. A row of motorcycles sat out front, along with a few eighteen wheelers and a handful of pick-up trucks. For a Sunday night, the place was busy.

Then again, Skull Creek was little more than a map dot and chances were there weren’t too many bars to choose from. It was also just a stone’s throw from the main highway, which made for a crowded parking lot.

Cody turned into the gravel drive and pulled into a spot near the back. He pushed through the rear exit and stalled just inside the doorway. His gaze sliced through the smoky interior, scanning the various faces until he found what he was looking for.

She sat at one of the tables, her legs crossed, a cigarette dangling from one hand. She wore a pair of designer jeans and a simple button-up blouse that reminded him more of a soccer mom than a barfly.

As if she sensed his stare, her head snapped up and her gaze collided with his.

She was a soccer mom, all right, and she was fed up. Three ungrateful kids and an equally ungrateful husband had finally sent her over the edge. She’d packed up her car and was headed to her sister’s house over in Houston. The minute she hit town, she was filing for divorce and granting him full custody of the kids.

The truth left a bad taste in his mouth and he glanced around. But the only other women were locals. He was going to be sticking around town for the next few days. He could make her forget, but he’d just found out the hard way that even that wasn’t foolproof.

The last thing he needed was a lovesick woman hanging around his motel room, drawing attention to his presence. He shifted his focus back to the soccer mom. A stranger just passing through was exactly what he needed. No awkward morning after. No expectations.

Just sex. Sweet, rejuvenating sex.

He started for her table.

“Is this seat taken?” he asked when he reached her.

She hesitated. As determined as she was, she’d never actually done anything like this. At the same time, if she was serious about ditching her relationship with John—and she was—there was no better time to start than the present. She’d given him fifteen years of her life. She’d cooked and cleaned and ironed his stupid shirts. She’d endured not one but three C-sections and raised a trio of hateful, selfish boys that were just like their father. She’d even cooked the Christmas turkey every year so that John’s mother wouldn’t have to go to any trouble, and all so he could take his big boobed assistant to Hawaii instead of his devoted wife. Like hell. She deserved her own reward for all those years of hard labor. She deserved this.

She took a long swallow of her wine and motioned to the chair. “Help yourself. So,” she sipped more wine as he settled in. “Are you from around here?”

“Just passing through.”

“Me, too.” Her gaze caught and held his. “You know, you look familiar. You don’t have friends in San Antonio, do you? That’s where I’m from. Maybe I’ve seen you before—”

“No,” he cut in. “No friends in San Antonio.” He let
his gaze slide over her, noting her short red hair and fair skin. She had a small chest and a narrow waist. No long blonde hair or lush curves. Nothing like Miranda.

And this was bad?

It wasn’t. It was damned good. He needed to forget her. And last night. And the damned way she’d welcomed him into her hot, lush body. And the fact that she was thinking about him at that very moment. Wanting him.

“So how about going back to my place?” he asked, determined to get on with things before he changed his mind.

Not that he would. Hell, no. He was hungry. That was all. Hunger made for impatience. No use beating around the bush.

She held up her glass. “Aren’t you even going to offer me a drink first?”

“Is that what you really want?”

I’d rather have you.
That’s what her body said. She was on fire, desperate for someone to hold her, appreciate her, need her the way her husband never had.

But her head…Her head wasn’t so sure she wanted to go through with this. She’d never done anything like this. Ever.

Cody caught and held her gaze for a brief moment and her doubt fled.

“Let’s go,” she murmured, pushing to her feet. She took his hand and led him out to the parking lot. “We can take my car.” She hit the lock fob and the lights flashed on a black Beemer just a few feet away.

Cody was just reaching for the doorknob when he felt the rippling awareness. He turned and came face-to-face
with the one person he’d been desperately trying to outrun for the past few years.

“I thought that was you.” Benny James smiled and Cody couldn’t shake the sudden feeling that he was totally screwed.

EASY.

The word echoed through Cody’s head as he faced off with the pain-in-the-ass reporter who’d been dogging him for the past several months.

Benny wore a pair of faded jeans and a green T-shirt that read The Truth Shall Set You Free. Not that he was the religious sort. It was the name of a band he’d played in back in college. Cody knew that much from the numerous run-ins he’d already had with the man.

Right now, however, he could read nothing in the man’s gaze because it was hidden beneath a pair of Costa Del Mars.

“Isn’t it a little dark out for glasses?” Cody arched an eyebrow.

“I’ve got sensitive eyes.”

That, or he’d finally figured out the truth.

The possibility sent a rush of alarm through Cody. His hands tightened and his muscles went tense.

“The minute I spotted you inside,” Benny went on, “I said to myself, that’s got to be Cody Boyd. But then my sanity kicked in and I realized that it couldn’t be Cody Boyd because Cody Boyd is supposed to be headed for Vegas right now. At least that’s what his
publicist told me this morning when I called her.” His mouth drew into a tight line. “But you aren’t headed for Vegas, are you? You’re right here in Skull Creek.” A click echoed in Cody’s ears and he knew James had hit the record button on the small unit in his pocket. “I’m sure the fans would love to know what you’re doing here. Besides picking up women, that is.”

Cody shrugged. “She’s just giving me a lift. What about you? What are you doing here?”

“I go where the stories go. You’re on fire right now, thanks to that last ride. Everybody who follows the bull riding circuit wants to hear your plans for after the win in Vegas. Provided you do actually win.”

“I’ll win,” Cody said.

James shrugged. “So what’s up next for the infamous Cody Boyd? Retirement?”

“Maybe.”

“Come on. You’ve been on the circuit for fifteen years now. You’ve got to be well into your thirties.” When Cody gave him a sharp glance, he added, “Not that you look it, buddy. You don’t look a day over twenty-five. Speaking of which, I’m sure the fans would like to hear how you keep such a youthful appearance in such a grueling sport. Diet? Exercise? Botox?”

“I only eat organic. Listen, I’m in a hurry. I’ve got an early day tomorrow.”

“But I haven’t gotten to the juicy questions yet—”

“Call my publicist. She can issue an FAQ sheet. I’m late.”

“For what?” James shoved the handheld recorder in Cody’s face. “A little R & R with your friend, there?”

“I’m catching a red-eye flight for Vegas to do some preliminary PR stuff before the PBR finals.” Cody pushed the microphone aside and climbed into the car. Keying the engine, he gunned it and left Benny staring after him.

Shit.

Shit. Shit.
Shit.

The last thing he needed was James dogging him, asking questions,
watching.

He’d seen the man jot down the BMW plates. He had no doubt he would be looking up the woman in the passenger’s seat to get the scoop on her night with the infamous Cody Boyd.

Not that she was going to have anything to tell him.

Time to bail.

“What was that stuff about Vegas—” his companion started, her words dying a quick death when he caught her gaze and held it. Her stare went blank and he shifted his attention back to the road. He hit the interstate and drove for the next fifteen minutes before he found a Motel 6 and pulled into the parking lot.

Soccer mom stared through the glass and blinked several times as reality seemed to settle in. She turned toward him. “I thought you were taking me home with you? Not that I mind a motel. It’ll do just as well—”

“Not tonight.”

“But—”

“It’s okay,” he cut in, staring deep into her eyes. Her gaze sparked and then it was as if a candle flame had been blown out.

“You’re okay,” he told her. “You stopped for a drink
while waiting for your car. Had a few too many and the bartender dropped you off here. Now you’re going to go inside, register for a room and sleep off the alcohol. You’ll forget everything and everyone you’ve seen in the past half hour. In the morning, you get back on the road for Houston. Understood?”

She nodded, her eyes vacant and empty.

“And one more thing. Lose the husband if you have to, but not the kids. They need you. Even if they don’t know it.”

Once she climbed from the cab and disappeared into the motel lobby, Cody shoved the truck into reverse and pulled out of the parking lot. Hanging a left back on the interstate, he headed for Skull Creek and his own motel room.

As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t afford to feed right now. Not with James
this
close.

No way had Cody ditched the soccer mom because he didn’t
want
to have sex with her.
Hell,
no. He was a vampire, for Christ’s sake. He wanted every woman. Even if she didn’t have long blonde hair and lush curves and the most incredible whiskey-colored eyes.

Every woman.

But not with James watching him.

Tomorrow he would call his publicist and have her drop a hint that Cody had stopped off in Skull Creek to order a custom chopper before heading for Vegas. James would buy it and get off his back. Cody could then get back to the business at hand—forgetting Miranda and building up his strength for the coming showdown with Garret Sawyer.

Cody intended to win.

He would make Sawyer pay once and for all and maybe, just maybe, he would finally have some peace.

I
F SHE SAW ANOTHER VAMPIRE
blog, she was going to slit her wrists.

Who knew there were so many?

Most were normal humans with a vampire fetish, but there were a few posts here and there that rang true.

Because vampires really and truly existed and she just so happened to have the hots for one.

She didn’t want to have the hots for Cody. She wanted to forget. To throw herself into planning the following week’s activities for the senior center. Monday morning would come early and she had to have everyone divided up into Bunko teams.

Not that everyone would want to play.

Mr. Sherman would claim he couldn’t sit still because of his recent hernia operation. Maureen West-erlee would gripe that she couldn’t do anything that would distract her from the Wife Swap re-runs on Lifetime. Sue Lynn Crapple would swear Bunko was too much like Bingo and she hated Bingo. But Miranda had to do the team assignments anyway on the off chance that everyone would want to join in.

She didn’t need to waste her Sunday evening fantasizing about Cody. Or the list. Or Cody and the list.

He’s a bloodsucking vampire. Dangerous. Deadly.

That’s what she told herself.

If only she believed it.

But he’d saved her last night and he’d even driven her
home. He wasn’t going to hurt her. Not physically, anyway.

Not emotionally either, she reminded herself. Because it was over. She’d had her orgasm and now it was time to get on with her life.

That’s what she told herself as she pulled on an oversized T-shirt and climbed into bed. She was going to forget Cody and the all-important fact that he was hanging around town for the next few days. Instead, she was going to focus on her job and her future and sleep.

She definitely needed sleep.

When she closed her eyes, however, she didn’t drift off. Instead, she thought about him. And the way he’d touched her in the alley behind the club. And the way he’d kissed her in the backyard.

And how much
she
wanted to kiss
him.

Because of him.

He’d worked his magic on her. Entranced her. Now she was hooked and there was no way she
couldn’t
think about him and the fact that he was right here in town. Close.

Waiting.

To give her another orgasm.

Nine of them to be exact.

The moment the thought struck, she tried to push it back out. She didn’t want to think about the damned list. Or what it would be like to visit each spot with Cody Braddock. At the same time, she couldn’t
not
think about it. He was in her head. Under her skin. There was no escaping the lust.

She had to deal with it. To burn a little off and then
maybe, just maybe, she could satisfy her curiosity and get him out of her system.

And if not?

It didn’t matter, because Cody would be gone. He was only here for five days. Then it was out of sight, out of mind. Right?

She could only hope. She climbed out of bed and headed for her closet. Pulling on a pair of shorts, she knotted her T-shirt at her waist and reached for the pink boots she’d worn last night. She slid her feet into them and drew a deep breath.

And then she headed out to make vampire Cody a proposition he couldn’t refuse.