flirtation was anything more than a game staged for Hank's benefit. Didn't want him to think she would be willing to continue once they were alone. Especially when she could still taste him on her lips.
'What will you do if she is there?'
He glanced up at her. 'I will apply my many charms and see what happens.'
She raised an eyebrow in surprise. 'You're going to flirt with her? After the show we just put on?'
'Basically, yes.' He studied her for a moment. 'I'm not sure that Hank bought the act anyway, and Eleanor is the key to this whole situation. Besides, maybe he'll think I'm after nothing more than another conquest.'
Another conquest. Somehow the words seemed to roll so easily off his tongue. Is that how he lived his life, seeing women as nothing more than prizes to be won? 'And maybe he'll just try to kill you again.'
He shrugged. 'At least we'll know whether he's involved or not.'
'But—' 'Maddie, the kids are what matter, nothing else. If we don't find them before the full moon, we won't find them alive. Now come over here and get warm.'
She hesitated but realized she was being silly. He certainly wasn't showing any inclination to carry on their flirtation. He'd admitted it was nothing more than an act.
'We have to find them.' Too many people had died because of her. She didn't want her nephew to join the list.
She knelt down next to him and held her hands out to the flames' warmth. 'Did you ever find any of the other teenagers who were missing?'
He nodded. 'Eleven, I think the count is up to.'
She eyed him for a moment, then looked back at the fire. Something in his blue eyes told her she didn't want to know the rest of it. 'And?' she asked.
'It looked as if they'd been used in some sort of sacrifice. They'd been drained of blood.'
Why would anyone in their right mind think a vampire was a simple solution? What sort of world did he live in? Obviously a delusional one. For a start, there were no such things as vampires. She shivered and crossed her arms. It was just another reminder of how little she really knew about the man kneeling next to her.
'What makes you think Hank and this Eleanor are involved with the disappearances?'
'The man's not what he appears to be. He's involved somehow, I just know it.'
'And Eleanor?'
He hesitated. 'The same can be said about her.'
Despite his earlier promise, it was obvious he still wasn't telling her everything he knew. 'Then how safe was it to reveal yourself at the cafe? Wouldn't it have been better to remain hidden?'
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Firelight caught the hairs on his arms, making them gleam softly. 'I honestly don't know. I just have a feeling time is running out, and that nothing will be gained by hiding. I've learned to trust my instincts in cases like this.'
Just as she'd learned not to trust hers. It had been the instinct to protect herself that had led to all the trouble in her life. She swallowed the lump in her throat and pulled her eyes away from his steady gaze.
'Are you a cop or something?'
He hesitated. 'I'm a private investigator, of sorts.'
'Of sorts?'
He shrugged and didn't elaborate. Frustration ran through her. Why wouldn't he tell her anything about himself? Didn't he trust her?
'So, you charm the pants off this woman.' Her voice held a slightly sarcastic edge that made her wince inside. 'What happens then?'
He rose, moving away from her. 'What happens next depends very much on her, doesn't it? Do you want to shower first?'
She glanced up at him. His bright gaze told her nothing, but she sensed he was suddenly annoyed. Over what, she couldn't say. 'No, I'll stay near the fire a bit longer.'
He nodded. She watched him walk away and wondered what was going to be harder—being in the same room as Hank, or watching Jon flirt with another woman.
Chapter Eight
Jon accepted a glass of wine with a smile of thanks and leaned against the mantelpiece, watching Maddie. She was across the room, easily chatting with another guest. There was no way anyone would know by simply looking at her that she was terrified.
He sipped his wine and heard her laugh, a sound so warm and free it made him smile. Her hair fell down her back like a river of flame, gleaming brightly whenever she moved. Even with the long, loose, jade-colored shirt hiding her slender figure, she looked good.
As if she felt the weight of his stare, her gaze turned to his. In her expressive gaze he again saw wariness and fear—not of the situation, but of herself.
He frowned and wondered again what her other talent was. He had a feeling her fear was tied to it—as was the memory of death he occasionally saw in her eyes. His gaze flicked to her lips, and he remembered their taste, the warmth of her mouth against his own. He took a long gulp of wine. Such thoughts would only lead him into trouble.
Someone touched his shoulder lightly, and a sweet honeyed scent wafted around him.
He turned his back on Maddie. Even from across the room, he felt her annoyance, even hurt. He had no choice but to ignore it.
'Eleanor,' he said, forcing more warmth into his voice than he felt. 'What a surprise to see you here.'
'Heard you were staying here and thought I'd drop by and say hello,' she purred, brushing the thick strands of silken gold away from her face. 'Unfortunately, I can't stay for long.'
Her nail polish was the color of blood. Appropriate for a hunter like Eleanor. 'Another appointment?'
'Business, darling. You know how it is.' She screwed up her nose, then took a sip of wine and slowly licked the residual moisture from her ruby-red lips.
It looked like he wasn't the only one with seduction on his mind. He smiled and blatantly ran his gaze down her body. Eleanor had certainly come dressed for the part. Her black dress clung in all the right places and allowed plenty of long, honey-colored legs to be seen. Nice, real nice, but no Maddie.
He drowned the thought with another drink. He hadn't come here to seduce Maddie. It was time he started concentrating on the business at hand.
'We could meet for a drink later, if you like. Get to know each other a little better.'
'Oh, I like,' she purred, meeting his gaze with a look that was pure heat.
A dinner bell chimed faintly in the adjoining room. 'Are you eating?' he asked, offering Eleanor his arm.
She linked her arm through his. 'Only main course. Dessert will come later—if you're lucky.'
His smile felt tight. As easy as this seduction was turning out to be, it was one he had no real desire for.
And yet, at any other time, it wouldn't have mattered. He too was a hunter, both in spirit and in profession. Sometimes he had no choice but to flirt with a woman to get information vital to his case, whether or not he was attracted to her. Many women seemed to relax their guard once flirtation had moved to kissing, making it that much easier to question them. His gaze flickered across the room until he saw the fiery gleam of her hair. Would Maddie ever drop her guard?
His gaze suddenly narrowed. Hank's dark head was close to Maddie's. Though he'd half expected this to happen, the sight of the man sleazing up next to her annoyed him more than he'd thought it would.
There wasn't a thing he could do to get her away from Hank, though. He had a feeling that Eleanor was the key to everything, and with the lives of the teenagers at stake, she had to be his main concern, not Maddie.
