Immortal Danger (3 page)

“My niece. Vampires took her.” His fingers dug into her arm. “I've got to get her back.”

Hell. “How long has she been gone?” Another question she shouldn't have asked. Because the more she learned, the harder it would be to turn away.

I'm not a helper.
She'd told him the truth when she said those words earlier. Maya had tried that whole helping bit while she was still human. It had gotten her killed in an alley days after her thirty-first birthday.

“They took her two weeks ago.”

Two weeks.
She shook her head, and told him the truth, “She's dead.”

A muscle flexed along his jaw. “You don't kill your prey.”

How did he know that?
But she didn't deny it, there'd be no point in lying. “Yeah, well, I'm not your average vampire, either.” Most of her kind were sadistic bastards and bitches who liked to play with their food, then kill it, painfully. “If they've had her that long, she's dead. Mourn her, then move on.”

The bloodlust in her had cooled at his words. With one last look at him, she spun around and began walking down the street.

She'd taken five steps when his voice stopped her cold.

“She's a child, Maya. Only nine years old.”

Hell.

Her eyes squeezed shut. Vampires with a kid. Sick fucks.

“I have to find her. I
will
find her. With or without your help.”

Doubtful.

A kid. Why'd it have to be a kid?

“A Born Master sent his pack after her. Bastard named Nassor.”

Her body tensed.
Nassor.

“You've helped others. I
know
you have. You've hunted down demons, shifters.”

Yes, she'd gone on the hunt. For a price.

But a kid. With Nassor. He'd rip her apart.

Damn. Her shoulders fell. There wasn't much of a choice for her anymore.

Maya started walking again. Her Harley Sportster motorcycle waited for her just a few feet away.

“So that's it?” He shouted. “You're just going to leave? Going to turn your back on me and—”

She reached the bike. Climbed on. Revved the engine and felt her baby purr beneath her. Her fingers tightened around the handlebars as she glanced over her shoulder and drawled, “You comin' or are you gonna scream all night?” The guy must have some strong lungs on him.

He shook his head and then a full smile split his lips. “You'll help me?”

“Maybe.” Because she was the world's biggest idiot. Her gaze held his. “But there's gonna be a price.” Nothing came free. Especially not a life.

His smile faded. “Isn't there always?”

Ah, but he'd never had to pay a vampire. She'd bet her undead life on that fact. If Adam Brody wanted her to track a pack of vamps and try to rescue a kid, well, he was going to have to pay a heavy price, indeed.

He'd have to pay it in blood.

The motorcycle's engine growled. “Get on,” she ordered. “There's a helmet on the back.”

In seconds, he was behind her, climbing onto the bike and sliding those long, strong legs behind hers.

“Hold on.”

His hands wrapped around her waist. His chest pressed flush against her back.

Damn, but the guy was
warm.

And he felt good.

The cycle shot away from the street corner, flying straight into the night.

Adam's hold tightened. “Where are we going?”

“I've got a stop to make.” Until they worked out their exchange, she wasn't letting him out of her sight.

“We need to find Cammie, we have to—”

“Slick, there's no damn way we're finding her tonight.” They had barely an hour before dawn. She raised her voice over the cycle's snarl. “But there is somebody I've got to see.”

She felt the sudden tautness of his body. So he wasn't happy with her plans. Tough.

A man had nearly died for her; the least she owed him was a visit.

After she settled that debt, then she'd begin her bargain with Adam Brody.

She wondered how he'd taste.

T
he nurses and doctors on duty swarmed Maya the minute she shoved open the emergency room doors at Memorial Grove Hospital, and she realized too late that she probably looked like death.

The demon's blood still covered her. It had dried, dark red, on her arms and she could feel a faint stiffness from the blood on her neck. The blood from her own wounds had soaked her shirt and coated her jeans. But at least the gashes weren't hurting so much anymore.

Yeah, it was understandable that the folks thought they had a severe trauma patient on their hands.

If only they'd been there five years ago…

“I'm all right,
I'm all right!
” She snapped when they tried to force her onto a stretcher. “The blood's not mine.” Well, not all of it, anyway.

But her comment made the hospital staff freeze. Then they began looking at each other, faces tense, fear flickering in their eyes.

“And where is the victim?” This came from one of the doctors. A young guy, with intense gray eyes and a stethoscope dangling around his neck.

Knowing the vampires, the “victim” was probably in lots of tiny pieces someplace. Not that she'd tell the pale doctor that.

She shrugged. “An ambulance picked him up.” Her eyes widened as she glanced at Adam. He'd followed her inside. Now, she deliberately pitched her voice low and threaded a note of worry in her words as she said, “Honey, I guess we beat them here.”

His lips pursed. “I'm sure the ambulance will be along any minute, darling.”

Just then, an ambulance lurched to a stop behind the glass entrance doors, sirens blaring, lights flashing. The nurses and doctors seemed to fly to the door.

Maya grabbed Adam's hand and ran down the corridor with him. They took the stairs to the third floor, and by the time they exited the stairwell, Maya's steps had begun to slow.

Damn but she was getting weak. She'd have to get some blood, and fast. She'd fed days before, and normally wouldn't have to drink again for about a month. But a wound, well, that always changed things. The longer she bled, the weaker she became.

Her gaze darted to Adam's throat and she licked her lips. Fresh blood would make her heal faster, but the way she was feeling, well, the hunger was just too strong.

She couldn't risk losing control and taking too much.

She'd have to find another source. Lucky for her, she was in a hospital. Sources all around.

Sean's room was on the right. The door stood partially open, and Maya paused for just a moment.

Adam watched her, that green gaze too intent. “Who's in there?”

Day watcher. Friend. The guy she'd nearly gotten killed.

Her shoulders stiffened and she pushed open the door.

Machines beeped inside, a steady, insistent
duh duh duh
that seemed to rake across her brain. On the bed, his face nearly as white as the sheet, lay Sean.

His body was wrapped tightly in gauze and bandages. He'd been cut, slashed with claws and teeth, and left to bleed out on the street in front of her safe house.

Safe house.
There was no safe place for her anymore. She'd have to find another secret shelter.

Very slowly, Maya crept toward the bed. Her hand lifted, hesitated over Sean's disheveled mass of blond hair.

She could feel Adam behind her, watching, waiting.

Her fingers fisted. “You realize—this could be you.”

He didn't respond.

Her gaze darted to the hospital tray near the bed. Someone had put flowers on the tray. Roses. Sean's glasses were next to the vase. Lenses repaired now, black frames in perfect condition.

She'd gotten his glasses fixed yesterday. She wanted them there, waiting for him, when he woke up.

“The demon did this.” Not a question.

Maya nodded anyway and then she leaned in close to the bed. Her mouth was inches from Sean's ear when she whispered, “I got him. I wanted you to know, I—I found him.”
He won't ever hurt you or anyone else, again.

For an instant, she thought she saw his eyelashes flutter and her breath caught in her chest. “Sean?”

His eyes didn't open. Hadn't opened, not for two days. At least he was out of the Intensive Care unit. The doctors had told her that he
would
get better.

Sean had barely escaped death.

Now it was time for him to stay the hell away from her.

Maya backed away from the bed. Turned her attention to Adam. “Take a good look at him,” she said, her voice hard. “Because this could happen to you. If we go after those vampires, and they attack—”

“I'm not worried about getting hurt.” His gaze didn't drift toward the bed. The intense stare stayed locked on her. “You don't need to warn me. I know exactly what I'm doing.”

“Do you?” Heavy doubt coated the words.

“Yeah, I do.”

He'd been warned. Maya shrugged. “Sean was my day watcher. Had been for the last five years.” Despite what most people thought, sunlight couldn't actually kill a vampire. That was just some crazy legend that had been circulating thanks in large part to Hollywood.

Bram Stoker had hit closer to the truth about vampires and daylight. Vamps were weaker during the day, basically only having strength equal to that of a human. Sure, they could still shift their fingernails into claws and drink from prey, but rousing the energy for those acts was a major drain. Because of that weakness, most of her kind had decided to rest in the daylight hours and hunt and play during the night.

Maya generally followed that rule. But she liked to have someone around, watching her back while she rested.

With Sean out of commission, she'd be on her own.

She cast one last look down at Sean's still face.
Shouldn't have happened like this.
She should have protected him.

Maya turned and left the room.

Adam didn't speak until the door closed behind them. “You were avenging him. Earlier tonight, that's what you were doing at the feeding room.”

Didn't take a genius to figure that out. It wasn't like she normally hung out in the feeding rooms. Those places, oh, shit, they were hellish. The humans, twisting, moaning,
begging
for the bites. It made her sick.

And the vampires…Hurting their prey. Enjoying the pain.

Monsters.

Since she was a vampire, Maya knew she fell in the same category.

Monster.

“We need to get a few things straight,” she told him, casually resting her arm against the wall. While her pose was relaxed, she was actually starting to feel a bit dizzy and she needed the support. “If I help you—”

“If?”
He growled, shoulders stiffening.

She ignored the interruption. “Then I'm the one in charge, got it? You might think you know vampires because you've stumbled onto one or two in the dark and lived to spread your tales, but believe me, you have no idea how vicious some of those bastards can be.”

“Oh, I think you'd be surprised by what I know.”

Maya sucked in a quick breath, then lunged, grabbing Adam and shoving him against the wall on the other side of the corridor. “Shut up, Slick, and listen. Vampires kill. It's what they do. Most don't do it quickly, either. They like to play with prey. Make the humans cry, beg. Then the vamps rip them apart.”

Her right elbow pressed against his chest. Adam stared down at her, eyes glittering with anger. No, not anger.
Rage.

“I'm strong enough to fight them,” she said.
Well, usually.
When she hadn't been bleeding out all night. “They'd make a meal of you.”

She wanted him to understand. This wasn't some kind of game. If they went after the ones who'd taken his niece, he could die.

He had to follow her orders. To. The. Letter.

His teeth clenched as he gritted, “I'll do what you say.”

So he wasn't pleased with that deal. Too damn bad. “I've taken on retrieval jobs in the past.” She hadn't been helping anyone or doing the jobs out of the kindness of her heart. Because there wasn't any kindness left in there.

She'd done it for the cash. Even vamps needed money. There was the little matter of needing money to pay for the safe houses.

Ah, money. “My fee is two hundred grand.”

“Done.”

Maya blinked. Okay, so she had a rich boy on her hands. Now for the second payment requirement. “And I'll need your blood.” No sense in her having to go out and hunt for food when she had a perfect source right in front of her. If he wanted her help, well, then he'd have to bleed for it.

Now there was hesitation. And struggle. She saw it in his eyes.

Doesn't like the idea of a vampire tasting him.

Not that she particularly blamed him. Back in her human days, the idea of a vampire tasting her blood hadn't been on her top ten list, either.

But times had changed. She had to keep her strength up if she was going to be chasing vampires—especially considering the fact that those vampires would have access to fresh blood.

“How much?”

Maya lowered her arm, but didn't step back. Even this close to him, she still couldn't catch his scent. Damn odd. “As much as I need.” She didn't plan to drain him, or even take enough to weaken him. “Don't worry. You won't even notice it's gone.”

His head jerked in a brief nod.

Maya took that for the agreement it was. “You'll have to stay with me,” she said, already making plans. “And I'll need to know every detail about the vampires who took your—”

“Why do I have to stay with you?”

The man sure liked to interrupt. An annoying trait. “For your safety, of course.” He probably didn't realize it, but just by going into that feeding room and talking to her, he'd already captured the attention of many in the vampire realm. If one of the vampires who'd taken his niece happened to find out about their connection, well, then they'd both be in for a bloody fight.

“Um, of course.”

She waited for him to argue, but he just said, “I'll need to stop by my hotel. Pick up some things.”

Whatever. As long as they were fast, he could pick up his goodies.

She stepped back.

Adam rubbed his chest. “I'm surprised.”

“By what?” Maya's head cocked to the right.

“I mean, I'm surprised you trust me enough to bring me into your home.”

Home.
Right. She didn't have a home. They were going to the last safe spot she knew, and the place was closer to a hovel than a home.

But she knew what he really meant. Taking him with her was a big step. Generally, she trusted two humans in the world, and one of them was currently unconscious back in his hospital room. But, once she'd tasted Adam's blood, she'd be linked to him.

Trust wouldn't be an issue then.

“Before I sleep, I'm gonna need to drink from you.” Her mouth grew dry at the thought. “After that, trust won't really matter.” Because if she wanted to, then she could control him through their blood link.

He nodded once, curtly.

“Don't worry. I promise, it won't hurt…much.”

His gaze fell to her lips. Lingered.

A curl of heat rose in her stomach.

What the hell?

Maya shook her head. She was covered in blood. Weak with hunger. And the sun would be rising soon.

Time to go.

“Come on. I need blood.”

His hand lifted to his throat.

She growled. “Tempting. Very tempting. But if I drink from you now, I'll drain you.” Since she hadn't actually drained anyone dry,
yet
, she'd rather try another option.

They were in a hospital. Blood was nearby, right down the hall, actually. Just waiting for her.

Time to break into the blood bank.

 

Adam stalked the small interior of Maya's safe house. The place was shabby, too small, and covered in dust.

She'd taken him there after their brief pit stop at his hotel. She'd driven too fast, speeding over the deserted streets and traveling past the edge of town.

This wasn't the house she'd used when he'd watched her for the last few days.

This place was a dump.

But a very, very secure dump.

There were a grand total of three rooms in the house, but the whole place was wired with state-of-the-art security. Cameras outside the house. Motion sensors. Steel doors and windows with automatic locking shutters.

The little vampire obviously believed in being prepared.

He figured as far as backup houses went, it could be worse.

It could also be a hell of a lot better.

The shower stopped, the crashing of the water dwindling to a faint trickle. He heard a rustle of sound. Muttering. Then Maya opened the bathroom door and stalked toward him.

Adam stared at her, a bit surprised. She'd finally gotten rid of all the blood. Her smooth skin was shining, glistening with drops of water. She'd secured a white towel loosely between her breasts. The bottom of the towel barely skimmed her thighs. When she moved, the terry cloth shifted, revealing and concealing in tempting flashes.

Adam swallowed and realized with a bit of shock that he was getting aroused
by a vampire.

When she'd touched him on the street, rubbing her body against his and drifting her fingers over his throat, he'd felt a stirring in his groin. When she'd put those red lips on his flesh and licked, his cock had jerked to attention.

Now, all it took was a flash of thigh, and the lust he felt stirred to life.

A vampire.

What was happening to him? This wasn't part of his plan.

Screwing a vampire definitely hadn't been on his agenda. No matter how soft her skin looked or how red her lips were or how—

Maya walked past him. Her bare shoulder brushed his arm, and the contact seemed to send an electric current through him.