the feeling of languor that had seeped into my bones. ‘Who says your conclusion would be satisfactory for everyone?’
He grinned, letting me glimpse fang, a push of
‘Uh-huh.’ I nodded slowly. ‘Sounds good.’ I gave him a smile. A wide happy beam of a smile.
Satisfaction lit his face, but before he could speak, I dropped the smile. ‘Only it doesn’t sound
He laughed, and the sound bubbled through me like champagne. I shivered even as sweat trickled down my spine. I gripped the strap of my bag with both hands, holding it like a life-line, concentrating on keeping him out of my mind. The longer he talked, the more the back of my neck throbbed, reminding me I was more vulnerable than usual.
‘Genevieve.’ He shrugged an elegant shoulder. ‘What are we to do now?’
I stared at him, surprised. ‘You’re asking me?’
He indicated the police station. ‘Once you walk through that door, you make yourself defenceless.’
For a moment part of me actually felt he cared. I bit the inside of my mouth, hard, to banish the feeling.
‘You dispense with all that wonderful witch protection you have carefully cultivated.’ He spread his hands wide. ‘You are fair game.’
‘Tell me something I
‘Are you so eager to offer your blood?’
‘What do you think?’
‘Such bravado.’ He glanced at the door again, a vague anxiety in the action. ‘But even your sidhe magic will not shield you from some amongst us.’
‘Are you done yet? Because so far I’m not hearing anything new.’
He sighed, the sound coating me with remorse. ‘Go home, Genevieve, while you still can.’
‘What? Just leave?’ I stopped strangling the strap of my bag and clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms, determined to resist the impulse he’d given me to go home. ‘When you haven’t even threatened me yet?’
Something dark and sad appeared in his eyes, then it was gone, hidden by the same enigmatic look as before.
‘Threats ... Coercion ... Violence.’ The words hung like blades in the still air. ‘Is that what you would want?’
I froze, pulse speeding up, unable to move or speak, gazing into his eyes. A voice screamed in my mind, yelling at me to break his
Cool fingers circled my left wrist and lifted my still clenched fist between us. My hand moved, seemingly of its own volition, opening like a flower before the sun. Blood welled in the half-moon marks across my palm, bright against my skin.
‘May I?’ His eyes echoed the silken seduction in his voice.
My lips parted in a sigh as my head bowed in submission.
Anger flashed across his face and his fingers squeezed, the bones in my wrist grating with the pain. ‘Say. It.’
‘Yes,’ I breathed.
For an instant his pupils glowed red and my heart fluttered with sudden terror, then he dipped his head. I gazed at the line of his jaw, the long dark lashes, the sleek silk of his hair where it curled round the intricate whorl of his ear, its lobe pierced through, a single gem black against his pale skin. His lips caressed my palm, a shudder rippled through his body and I felt an answering shimmer resonate through my own. My eyes closed as he licked hot lines along my hand. Sharp fangs scraped my wrist and chill air kissed my bare skin.
Leaves rustled in the stillness and a horse whinnied from the nearby stables, startling me out of my reverie.
I opened my eyes to an empty street.
The vampire was gone.
I stared down at my palm. The cuts from my nails had disappeared, healed over as though they’d never been. A bracelet of bruises around my wrist was the only evidence of his presence.
‘Genevieve.’ My name whispered through the breeze.
I swung round fast, searching, then stopped, muscles trembling as the terror hit me again.
Fuck.
I hugged myself, breathing in the scent of spice and liquorice that fragranced the air, trying to ignore the sharp, craving ache inside me. Why had he gone? And why had he been angry when I’d offered him my blood? It didn’t make sense.
‘Ms Taylor?’
I jerked again, spinning towards the voice.
Alan stood holding the door to the police station open. He said something, but I couldn’t hear past the pulse thundering in my ears.
I took a deep breath, rubbed my hands along my arms to smooth the goosebumps, and walked up the steps into the police station.
Chapter Five
‘There’s a bit of a hitch here,’ Alan said anxiously. ‘I’m not sure you’re going to be able to see Melissa’s body tonight.’
‘Why not?’ I asked, then frowned. Was the vamp still playing with Alan’s mind? I reached out, laid my hand over his and sent a tendril of magic into him.
Alan started. ‘What are you doing, Ms Taylor?’
‘Checking,’ I muttered.
His hand was warm, the skin a little rough under my palm, his pulse was faster than normal, but the tangled net of his thoughts told me he was free of the mind-lock. Whatever commands the vampire had given him were done.
I flashed him a relieved smile and gave his hand a quick squeeze. ‘Why don’t we go inside and you can tell me what the trouble is.’
Alan wrapped his fingers round mine, as if seeking reassurance. ‘You will help, won’t you?’
I eased out of his hold and patted his arm. ‘Yes, as much as I can.’ An odd need to hug him and tell him everything would be all right came over me.
He stepped closer. ‘Bobby’s my son.’ Desperation flooded into his face. ‘He’s all I’ve got left. I don’t know what I’d do—’
‘Shhh.’ My heart ached for him and I reached up and cupped his face. Golden light spread from between my fingers, pulses of pink and orange flashing through it. The night air filled with the scent of honeysuckle.
Pinpricks of gold sparked in Alan’s pupils, his expression smoothed out and a soft smile curved his mouth. ‘So beautiful ... glowing ... like sunshine—’ Sliding his hands into my hair, he bent towards me, lips parted.
I raised myself on tip-toe to meet his kiss.
The words in my head jerked me back.
I yanked free, pulling the magic back inside me and backed off a couple of steps. I dug in my bag and came up with a handful of liquorice torpedoes and stuffed them as quickly as I could into my mouth. I crunched down, willing the sugar to quell the brownie’s magic.
