Vampire Assassin League Bundle Five - Loneliness (23 page)

“You won’t take my hand?”

“Uh...no. But don’t read anything into that, okay? It’s not you. I wouldn’t take any vampire’s hand at the moment. Call it my Jersey sense of self-preservation.”

“You will follow?”

“You’re promising to show me your internet. Do I really look that stupid?”

No. She looked fresh. Young. Beautiful. Sensually alluring. Physically stirring. And something he sensed. She appeared emotionally fragile behind a really brave front.

The last thing she looked was stupid.

Evelyn Warner.

ENTER.

The screen slowly started filling in linked destinations attached to her query. Each one came in a jerking fashion as it loaded.
Cripes.
He had an ancient desktop, atop an office desk that had to have come from the sixties, really Spartan chairs more devoted to clean lines than comfort, and an archaic connection. And, despite being four inches away, he was sitting too close. On her left. Leaned forward as if entertained by the screen. This was taking forever.
No.
Evie stopped her own thoughts. She mustn’t think in terms like that. No eternal stuff. No immortality. No forever.

Damn.

She wished the stupid computer would load already! She had too much time to think. Remember. Envision. Recall. Too much heat radiated from where he sat, as well. Swift, unexpected twinges shot every so often through her body, too. They started mainly in her belly.
No
. They were actually emanating from lower down. She shifted on the hard plastic chair. She didn’t need the reminder that Prince Daron, Whatever-the-hell-he-was, had to be the best lover on the planet. Then again, he’d had two thousand plus years to practice. Evie stiffened. She had to consciously relax from the instant reaction. She wasn’t jealous. That was stupid. She’d just met him. She couldn’t possibly care what he did, where at, or with how many women.

She really needed fresh air or something. Or a stiff shot of tequila. He shifted in his chair. It creaked. She heard it with hyper-sensitive hearing. Her senses were really acting weird. She could even hear his heart as if an echo to hers. And every breath as it matched, too.

Wait a minute.

He was breathing?

“Look. This is what you need to see.”

He pointed to the screen. Evie ran her gaze along his arm and almost sighed in appreciation. Maybe she shouldn’t have stopped him from donning his tunic shirt. She consciously forced herself to look at where he pointed. There were several lines of script above his finger. She could see and read them instantly without a bit of effort. That was odd. She’d never been a speed reader.

“Okay. I see where it says I’m a preacher for some religious sect in the south somewhere. Looks like I’ve been picked up for trafficking in meth. Great. I’ve been awarded teacher of the year in Maine. Oh. Wow. An Evelyn Warner has been in an altercation with a co-worker that required police intervention. Geez. Who are these other people?”

“This is the one you are looking for. The Rocking Horse link.”

He reached across her and clicked the mouse button. His arm brushed her ribcage. Evelyn’s heart stuttered and she almost forgot to breathe. It was impossible. Amazing. Stimulating. Almost scary. She’d never had such a reaction to anyone. Ever. It was instantaneous. Unprovoked. Unexpected. And pretty awesome. He probably knew it, too. She didn’t look toward him to verify. She focused on where a black and white newspaper photo and accompanying article was loading slowly down the screen in the same line-by-line stutter fashion as before.

She caught the irritation before she gave vent to it.

She really shouldn’t denigrate his internet connection. Even if it was old and slower than thick molasses on a winter day, he hadn’t lied. He really did have a link to the World Wide Web. And for all she knew, she was in middle of the Sahara Desert or somewhere equally remote. She should just be grateful for small favors. And he
had
removed his arm from proximity to her breasts.

“It’s the mate bond you feel.”

Daron spoke from beside her. Evie jumped.

“I know everything you feel,
eshq-e man
. I sense it.”

“Um...let’s just focus on the job at hand here. Deal?” she replied.

“My heart...beats as one with yours. My breath matches yours. Exactly as it should be.”

“You know...I wasn’t going to mention that, but now that you’ve pressed the issue, I’m going to have to step into it.”

“Step into what?”

“I’m going to step right into the shit bucket, and it’s going to start flying.”

“It is?”

“You called it. You are breathing, Prince Daron. And your heart is beating, and I would say for a vampire, both are those are big no-no’s.”

“No-no’s?”

“Vampires are dead. Okay? Maybe the operative word is undead. I don’t know. I never studied them. There is still the word dead in there. No heartbeat. No pulse. No life. No need to breathe. And they sure as hell can’t um...make love. Damn it. I’m blushing now.”

“I would say everything you describe is accurate...before I met you. Then, everything changed. Like magic. My heart began beating along with yours. I breathe again. And I can definitely perform.”

She was probably crimson with the way his voice lowered on the last two words. “Will this thing ever load?” she asked.

“I didn’t believe, either. I thought it a tale. Pure fantasy.”

Evie focused on the screen, trying her best to ignore how his words raised goose bumps all along her arms. It was impossible. He had a fantastic range of tone, and his words were haunting. “Um. Look. The picture’s almost in...and will you look at that hole? The entire ocean side looks like it’s been blown open.”

“A vampire can reanimate. It does happen. I am proof.”

“Uh...Your Highness—”

“You are my mate, Evelyn. And I am yours. It’s inescapable. I didn’t breathe for over two thousand, four-hundred years. I had no heartbeat. No emotions. No passion. Yet, I have all that now because I have found my mate. You.”

“Look. There’s...an article.” Her voice shook. So did her finger as she pointed.

“Is there?” he asked without looking.

“Yes. It says um...there was an explosion at the world-famous Rocking Horse club. Authorities have not ruled out terrorism. Eight hospitalized. One in critical condition. Three presumed dead. New Jersey businessman Jared Goldstein, stockbroker J. Reed, and beauty pageant contestant Evelyn War—”

Her voice stopped. So did every other sound. For the longest moment, Evie just stared at the screen, slack-jawed. Disbelieving. And then the cocoon about her ruptured. She probably would have slipped from the chair if Daron hadn’t plucked her from the slick plastic and held her atop his lap. He crooned something to her in a foreign tongue. And he rocked slightly, making the chair creak in rhythm. She was still hyper-ventilating. Her heart hurt with each painful beat.

And she could hear his body echoing every bit of it.

“
Eshq-e man?”

“I’m presumed dead.”

“I heard.”

“But...
dead
?”

“It happens to every living thing, Evelyn.”

“I was not ready to die, okay? I have things to do. Places to go. People to see. Family to hug and tell them I love them. What about them, huh? Don’t you think my family deserves to know the truth here?”

Her heart hurt. Her head hurt. And her throat wasn’t working well enough for the speech she attempted, either.

“There is no truth you can tell them,
eshq-e man
.”

“But I miss them. Already.”

Tears were starting to stain her voice. They were clogging her throat. Stinging her eyes. His arms tightened about her. Warming. Soothing.

“Grief is no less hard the second time it is suffered.”

“What second time?”

“You are my mate, Evelyn. I will not let you go. You will live forever. Your family will not. They will age and they will die.”

“Now. Wait a minute.”

“Didn’t you listen? I have waited centuries for you. The mate-bond is too strong. I will not let you go. I cannot.”

“So, because you up and claim me, I just have to go along? Is that what you brought me here to show me?”

“I do not understand. I try to speak, and then show, and it still comes out wrong. I saved you, Evelyn. If I had not been there, you would be just as dead as your family thinks you are. But that is not what happened. I was there.”

“Daron. Um...”

Evelyn raised her head from his shoulder. It was harder than she suspected, as if her skin even wanted to stay near him. She forced her gaze to his, got snagged by intense ice-blue eyes. He had such amazing eyes! They were especially vivid against his coloring. No wonder women everywhere wanted him.

“I...need some time to think. Process information. You know. Uh...think.”

“You wish to return to my chambers? No. I mean
our
chambers?”

“Um. Actually...I need to be...alone. I’d like to go back to the harem place.”

“You will not leave me?”

Her heart palpitated. It could have been the flash of silver that altered his eyes momentarily. It could have been the hitch in his voice. Perhaps the feel of him along her side. Beneath her. His arms still wrapped protectively about her. It could be any combination of things, other than he suspected anything.

When planning a devious mission while stuck in a gargantuan palace, owned by an immortal being that couldn’t exist, the last thing a girl needed was a group of giggling harem servants. Evie gave them a hint of her plan when she asked Tamell if there was concealing attire of any kind available. That got her a round of giggles, and an invitation to bathe again in the tub while they searched her wardrobes.
She had wardrobes?
Evie set the question aside. Even if soaking in the pool sounded like an incredibly grand idea, she was on a mission. She sent them on an errand to locate concealing attire, while she looked for the packet she’d secreted in her panties before leaving for the Rocking Horse what felt like a month ago. It wasn’t hard to find. The girls had placed it atop the folded wreck of what had been her perfect ‘snag-a-sponsor’ dress.

Hmm.

Nobody offered undergarments. Still. The packet was too big to carry unseen. No worries. Evie fished through her pack, palming her credit card and the twenty dollar bill. She smiled wryly at the condom pack before setting the packet back down. She always carried a large – it kept a man’s ego from getting deflated. But in Daron’s case, not only was it too late, but it wouldn’t remotely fit anyway.

She was finally dressed in rose-shaded silk trousers, a tunic top of matching fabric in a different shade of pink, with a dark navy
chador
over everything. The cloak was also fashioned of silk, and worse. It had a design sewn into it that was probably done with real silver thread. She’d also changed into a pair of sandals that laced atop her instep and up her calf. They fit much more securely. Unfortunately, the straps were adorned with what looked like real gems. She probably looked spectacular. Exotic. If the harem possessed a mirror, she could have checked.

She didn’t look remotely covert. Maybe she could hunch down a bit.

Then again, it depended on where she was. That was the first part of her mission. Discover her whereabouts. Number two – find a phone. Three – call home. Her family deserved better than this. If she really
was
dead, that was one thing. But since she was still living, and breathing, and available to hug, then they needed to know. She wasn’t leaving the prince. Every nerve rebelled at the thought. It wasn’t just the sex...although that had been amazing. No. It was more. She was attuned to him. Linked somehow. Like she was a live wire and he was the grounding circuit. Being near him was addictive. And she wanted more. A lot more.

But she wasn’t prowling around a palace, or resting in a harem until she had some facts. So. Prince Daron was full of it. Or he was nuts. And it was time to find out.

He didn’t keep the enormous double doors leading to his harem locked. Good thing. If he’d tried imprisoning her, he’d have earned a fight. The handles were as big as her torso. Evie turned one down and pulled on the door. The handle moved smoothly, and the door opened easily. Nothing squeaked. It was really quiet, too. Her sandals made the only noise, and it was a soft shuffling sound as she slid from the room and into a span of room that made her gape.

Good night
.

Prince Daron really knew how to waste space. She had never felt so small and insignificant, like a toddler walking the floor at Short Hills Mall. The ceiling was cathedral height again, just like his throne room. Another forest of columns held up the ceiling here, as well. Evie craned her neck and almost fell backwards. It was unbelievable. Each column was topped with a pair of brightly painted, carved statues. Some looked like bulls. Some eagles, maybe? Were some of them...dragons? Evie was in awe. Katie would be in raves. Sculpture was Katie’s thing. It always had been. She’d started with mud pies and evolved from there. Katie was a fantastic sculptor. She’d made a bust of Evie back when they were young and before they seemed destined to compete with each other. Evie kept it on the bookshelf so she could see it every time she walked into her apartment. And...

Oh crap
. Evie whisked away a tear. What was she doing reminiscing? She was on a mission, here. Standing and ruing anything and getting emotional was just wasting time.

She had to find the exit. Every room had one. Even labyrinthine monstrosities like this. All she had to do was find it. Evie stepped forward from the harem until she thought she’d reached a center point. She looked right and then left. Either way was an endless amount of space, lined with columns that drew together in the distance. It was pretty much identical. No matter which direction she picked. She was probably going to get lost.
Well.
She debated her options. She either had to go back and ask for help from the girls, or she had to figure it out herself.

She went left.

The walk should tire her. She moved at a pace that seemed incomprehensible. The columns ran together as she flew by them. They started matching the heavy beats her heart was making. Her chest grew tight. Her breathing constricted. The combination was almost painful. And truly weird. She couldn’t have a heart attack. Not now. At her age? And not here in fantasy land. No. Evie slowed her pace, gasping for breath, and that’s why she actually saw the door. It was normal-sized, and blended with the wall mural so she almost missed it.

She’d found an exit.

A real exit.

She hesitated before turning the handle. Her chest cavity was filled with a mass of glowing embers where it should contain a heart. Needles were pricking her lungs. This was odd. And then a rush of tears stung her eyes. She blinked rapidly to stave them off. She hadn’t felt this forlorn since her grandpa had passed away. She was feeling...grief?
Now?

She put her left hand to her chest and pushed against the sensation as she turned the handle with her right hand. Her credit card fell. She stooped to snag it, but the door pushed her through the portal, and then it closed behind her with a hiss, as if vacuumed shut.

Well.

Looks like she’d found the exit.

She almost turned back. Almost. Two things stopped her. One was the chamber she stood in. It was a span of gray-painted space, larger than her apartment back home. It was miniscule compared to the palace, however. A set of stairs began on her right that would have given a firefighter pause. They were made of grooved metal to prevent slippage or something. They didn’t look like something from ancient Persia. They looked completely modern and absolutely normal. For a maintenance stairwell. Just like back home.

That was reason one.

Evie looked up. And up. The thud of each heartbeat increased. Harder. More painful. Each one carried a sense of loss and desolation. She winced and turned back to the door, and discovered the second reason she didn’t turn back. The door had sealed shut. It was barely noticeable against the walls, and only because she knew where it was. That door didn’t have a handle on this side. Or a door bell. No knocker. No intercom button. Nothing.

She looked at it for long moments, hearing nothing but the sound of her own heart pounding heavily. The rasp of her breath. The incredible sense of sadness worsened. She sniffed back real sobs. This was stupid. But...could it really be that outrageous? She should cut herself some slack. Somebody should. It seemed her entire life she’d been trying to please everyone. She’d been trying to be the perfect daughter, the most loving older sister, the most beautiful woman, the most charming, appealing, polite, captivating, successful...

Damn everything!

She dabbed at her eyes with her
chador
, darkening the navy shade with tears. Her entire life was a farce. And what did she have to show for it? A non-death by explosion. A family that was mourning her but would probably move on. Katie wouldn’t forgo entering the Miss New Jersey pageant because she’d recently lost her older sister. And now she faced a stairwell from hell.

So, what was life about, anyway? Why did any of this happen to her? And why was there a gorgeous man, who was either a certified lunatic or a phenomenal actor, in the mix? What was up with that? And why the hell couldn’t anything he said have been true? Did she have to find out like this? She had to see it? And climb it?

And with her luck lately, the metal grooves were going to bite into her thin-soled sandals. Well. It wasn’t getting any easier if she stood looking it over. Evie set her chin and started climbing.

Okay. Something was severely skewed here. The climb didn’t take but a minute. Maybe two. Toward the top, she was taking steps two at a time at a jog. She should be exhausted. Worn. Panting. Struggling up each level by using the rail, hand-over-hand. She was neither. She wasn’t even winded. The only effect of climbing over a thousand steps seemed to be the heavy weight in her chest, where her heart was supposed to be. The pain was still there, and it was accompanied with a sense of loss so severe, she really was sobbing as she reached the plateau at the top.

And another door.

Evie wiped her eyes again and turned for a look over the rail. It was a pretty impressive view. She’d climbed that? Wow. And just last week, she’d been applauding a two hour work-out session. She should be elated. Thrilled. She’d managed to find an exit. All she had to do was find a phone. Discover where she was and where reality had hidden.

The weight that was her heart thumped heavily as she thought it. This pain resembled her last break-up, but at a much more intense level. And she’d thought that impossible to live through. She’d holed up in her apartment for three days and four nights, mostly sobbing, while devouring every potato chip and cookie in the house. She’d sworn off relationships. That’s how bad it had been.

But this. This? Was even worse.

What had Daron said? They shared a mate-bond? Was that why she felt as if her heart was being ripped from her chest? She got another heavy thump at that thought. Maybe she needed to change her objective here. All she really needed was to find out if she was still on the planet. Maybe...her location. She didn’t need to call anyone. She was just going out to peek and then scuttling back in.

And the door wasn’t making her decision this time.

Evie leaned against the wall and unlaced a shoe. This door wasn’t vacuuming her ass out. Not without a fight. She was blocking it with a shoe. And while the leather straps might not present much of a problem, that door was going to have trouble with all these gems. She was sneaking out for a quick look and coming right back in. Just as soon as she found out where in the hell she was.

Evie wrapped the jewel-encrusted bands around the sandal until she had a nice-sized ball. She eyed the door handle for a moment, sizing up her opponent. The handle wasn’t like the others. It didn’t have a long, ornate handle. No. This one was utilitarian, and would be hard to hang onto. She’d go on the count of three.

Oh.

This was ridiculous.

She’d go now.

Evie grabbed the knob, twisted it, dropped her sandal as the door swung outward, and there wasn’t a damn thing out here but a lot of sky and a lot of empty space. She lost out to the door, too. She slid off the knob and started falling.