Destined for an Early Grave

“I didn’t realize that’s what was happening!”

“You knew something was off, but you hid it from me. I thought you’d learned six years ago that hiding things from me was a mistake.”

That was a low blow. Several months after we met, my inhuman status was blown when I was arrested for killing the governor of Ohio. I didn’t know that Don, the FBI agent who interrogated me, was the brother of my deadbeat vampire father, who’d only impregnated my mother because he’d had sex with her so soon after turning. I also hadn’t known that Don had been aware since my birth that I was a half-breed. I’d just thought Don was a high-ranking FBI agent who knew about vampires—and who’d kill Bones if I didn’t take his offer to join Don’s elite secret team.

So I tricked Bones and went away with Don, believing it was the only way to save his life. Bones didn’t take being left behind very well. It took him over four years, but he found me, then he showed me how wrong I had been in thinking it was impossible for us to be together. I still had horrible guilt over what I’d done, and here he’d just shoved a hot poker in that old wound.

“How long are you going to punish me for that? If your last comment is any indicator, I guess I’ll have this thrown up at me for years.”

Some of the anger went out of his face. He ran a hand through his hair, giving me a frustrated—but less damning—look.

“Do you have any idea what I would have gone through, waking up to find you vanished without a trace? It would have driven me mad, Kitten.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. If I thought Bones could disappear on me in his sleep, taken by a strange vampire for unknown purposes, I’d lose all semblance of rationality, too. Get it together, Cat. Now’s not the time to keep score on remarks neither of you means.

“Let’s try to get past this, okay? I should have told you about the dreams. If they happen again, I’ll tell you as soon as I wake up. Scout’s honor.”

He came to me, gripping my shoulders. “I couldn’t stand to lose you like that, Kitten.”

I covered his hands with mine. “You won’t. I promise.”

The Palais Garnier Opera house was extravagant in every detail, with an antique, old-world architecture that only came from being old-world. Sonya and Noel went with us, as well as our protective entourage. Bones was taking no chances of Gregor’s showing up to crash the fun.

This was my first opera. Usually I didn’t get to wear a pretty dress without someone to kill, but unless the opera was far more graphic than the brochure detailed, that wasn’t happening tonight.

Bones received so many admiring looks on our way to the gilded entrance that my hand tightened on his. Granted, he looked spectacular in his black tuxedo, a white silk scarf draped around his neck, but did women have to stare? Most of the time, I pinched myself over his glittering gorgeousness, not quite believing someone so stunning could belong to me. Sometimes, however, the lustful glances thrown his way made me wish he wasn’t such a damned bowl of eye candy.

“They’re not staring at me, pet,” Bones murmured. “They’re looking at you. As I am.”

I smiled at the leer he gave me. “It’s just the dress,” I teased. “The way it drapes makes my hips and boobs look bigger.”

The vermillion taffeta gown did have extra swaths across my chest, hiding the light boning that held the strapless dress up. Then those swaths gathered at my hips before fanning out in a fishtail at the bottom of the long, narrow skirt. It was the fanciest thing I’d ever worn.

Bones gave a low chuckle. “I can’t stop wondering how I’m going to take you whilst you’re in it. Right now I’ve decided on from behind, although that may change by the end of the opera.”

“Why did we go to this if you’ll just be mentally molesting me and not watching the performance?”

“Because that’s right fun in itself,” he responded with a wicked grin. “I’ll enjoy imagining all the things I’m going to do to you once we’re alone.”

Then he became more serious, and the gleam left his eyes. “Actually, I thought we’d see the opera, have a late supper, then stretch our legs exploring the city. Although we’ll have our escorts following us, they shouldn’t need to be strapped to our backsides, I suspect. Would you like that?”

My mouth dropped. Walking around without full body armor and a highly armed squad at my elbow? Just sightseeing, like normal people?

“Oui, si, any language the word for yes is in. Please tell me you’re not about to say ‘psyche’.”

“I’m not. The performance is about to start; let’s find our seats.”

“Okay.”

“Very agreeable, aren’t you?” That sly tone was back in his voice. “I’ll take advantage of it later.”

When the curtain came down at intermission, I knew three things: I loved the opera, I wanted a drink, and I had to pee.

“I’m going with you,” Bones announced, when I voiced my bathroom necessity.

I rolled my eyes. “They have rules about that.”

“I have to freshen my lipstick, Cat, would you mind if I accompany you?” Sonya asked. “Bones, you could fetch some champagne, I’d love a glass as well. It’s across from the facilities, so you’ll have no trouble finding us.”

The translation was obvious. Bones would be close in case there was trouble of any kind, be it misguided dream suitor or murderous undead opera buff, and I’d have a bodyguard.

He nodded. “I can escort you. That’s not being overprotective. It’s only mannerly.”

“Sure.” My lips twitched. “Whatever you say.”

There was a long line at the ladies’ room. Bones let out an amused snort when he saw my speculative glance at the empty entrance to the men’s facilities.

“They have rules about that,” he mocked.

“I know all these chicks aren’t waiting to let out their bladders, they should have a separate makeup room so the rest of us can pee,” I grumbled, then turned to Sonya apologetically. “Um, I didn’t mean you. Just ignore everything I say, we’ll both be better off.”

She laughed. “I know what you meant, cherie. Often I’ve thought the same myself, since the latrines have been of no use to me for a long time.”

“Bring me some liquor, Bones, fast, to take my foot out of my mouth.”

He kissed my hand. “I’ll see you back here.”

When he walked away, I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the view of him leaving.

“Mmm hmmm.”

The low exhalation came from a brunette farther up in line. I gave her an arched brow and tapped my engagement ring for effect.

“Taken, honey.”

She was human, or I’d have thrown down at the second lingering look she gave Bones before shrugging at me.

“Nothing lasts forever.”

My teeth ground. “Except death.”

Sonya said something in French that made the woman’s mouth curl sulkily before she turned away with a last parting shot.

“If you can’t stand for your man to be admired, you would do better to keep him at home.”

With her heavy French accent, her h’s were almost silent. You can’t kill her just because she’s a tramp, I reminded myself. Even if you could have her body discreetly disposed of…

“He fucks even better than he looks,” I settled on saying. Several heads turned. I didn’t care; I was pissed. “And that beautiful face is going to be clamped between my legs as soon as we get ooome, don’t you worry.”

From the crowd at the bar, I heard Bones laugh. Sonya chuckled. The woman gave me a venomous glare and stepped out of line.

“Bon, one less person in front of us, we’ll be finished before he has our drinks,” Sonya observed when she quit laughing.

“One down.” I eyed the line of women, most of whom either smiled or avoided my gaze due to that little scene. “About a dozen more to go.”

Ten minutes later when we entered the bathroom, I was trying not to hop on one leg in impatience. It had been all I could do to wait my turn and not have Sonya use vampire mind control to get the other women out of my way, but that wouldn’t have been fair.

When I came out, Sonya was putting her lipstick back in her small clutch bag. I joined her by the mirror to wash my hands.

“Small world,” someone said to my right.

I turned, noticing a cute blonde staring at me. “Excuse me?”

“You don’t remember me?” She shook her head. “It was a while ago. I wasn’t even sure it was you until you snapped at that woman, but your coloring stands out. Plus, you were antsy the first time we met, too.”

From her accent, she was American. And I’d never seen her before in my life.

“I’m sorry, you have the wrong person.” After all, I was good at placing people. Half-vampire memory skills, and it had come with my old job.

“It was at the Ritz on Place Vendome, remember?” I still shook my head. She sighed. “No big deal. Sorry it didn’t work out with the other guy, but you seem to have traded up, so good for you.”

“Huh?”

Now I was wondering if she was crazy. Sonya moved closer to me. The girl dabbed powder on her nose before tucking her compact back in her purse.

“You looked way too young to get married anyway, so I don’t blame you—”

“Huh?” With open incredulity.

She sighed. “Never mind. Nice to see you again.”

She left the bathroom. Sonya started to grab her when I muttered, “Don’t bother. She’s just got the wrong person.”

Pain went off in my head, like little needles were jabbing at my brain. I rubbed my temples.

“Are you well, cherie?” Sonya asked.

“Fine. She had the wrong person,” I repeated. “After all, this is my first trip to Paris.”

We walked along the Rue de Clichy with our bodyguards trailing several paces behind us. I’d opted against a full dinner and just had a croissant and cappuccino at one of the many charming cafes lining the streets.

Sonya and Noel hadn’t joined us, choosing to let us have our quasi privacy. It did seem kind of intimate, escort and hundreds of passersby notwithstanding. We