Must Love Fangs

He glared at me. “You’re making a mistake.”

“Why? Because it doesn’t fit your plans?”

“My plans—”

“—can change now that you’ve nailed me. Congratulations.”

Josh’s gaze darkened. “You think that’s all I was after?” he said in a harsh voice. “That I just wanted to get a little tail?”

“You said yourself that you’re a predator and you like to chase the prey. What else could it be?”

His mouth curved in a sneer. “What else when it comes to me, right? Is that what you wanted to say?”

I didn’t reply. It was.

The realization dawned on his face, and I watched his expression harden. “You know what your problem is, Marie? You say that you don’t want to hurt others, but I think that’s not it. You don’t trust anyone not to hurt you, so you just cut everyone out of your life.”

“You have me all figured out.” I gave a slow, mocking clap of my hands. “Way to go.”

He shook his head and picked his cap off the counter. “You want me to go? Fine. I’m gone.”

“Fine! Then go.”

Josh gave me one last hard glare before slamming out my front door. I watched him go, arms crossed over my chest, feeling righteous in my indignation.

It was only after he’d gone that I wondered if he was right.

In pushing everyone away, was I protecting me . . . or them?

Chapter Twelve

Minnie. It is good to see you again,” Andre said, standing up as I approached the table. “You look beautiful, as always.”

Such a thoughtful lie. I looked like hell and knew I did. No amount of makeup could cover up the hollows under my eyes, and I looked weak because I was too tired and sick to even contemplate eating. I just wanted a long damn nap. Maybe a good cry. Unfortunately, I had to sit here and romance a vampire. I gave him a smile, hoping it looked more enthusiastic than I felt.

It wasn’t Andre’s fault that he wasn’t Josh, after all.

I’d taken care to look as good as I could. I’d worn a black cocktail dress that tied behind my neck and left a lot of shoulder and cleavage bare. I’d paired it with tall, open-toed heels and worn my hair twisted up, a few tendrils curling at my neck. When his glance went there, I knew that it didn’t matter how big the circles under my eyes were. I might as well have waved a red flag in front of a bull.

He took my hand, and I felt that disconcerting oddness of his cool flesh against my warm skin. He leaned in to kiss me and I panicked, averting my face so he kissed my cheek. “It’s good to see you, too,” I said, air-kissing his cheek in response.

He pulled away and gave me a scrutinizing look, but he didn’t comment on my reluctance to kiss him on the lips.

It was stupid, I knew. But the thought of kissing him again made me uneasy. Josh wasn’t here tonight to stop him if he drugged me again. I glanced around the crowded restaurant. “No bodyguards tonight?”

“Oh, I have one,” Andre said easily, moving to pull my chair out for me. As I sat, he leaned in and whispered in my ear. “But I didn’t think you liked the last one, so I changed things up a bit. I want you to feel easy in my presence, Minnie.”

I smiled, not sure if I was relieved or saddened that Josh wasn’t here. I hadn’t seen him and he hadn’t called, but why should he have called? I’d been horrible to him. “That was sweet of you to think of me, Andre. But he didn’t make me nervous.”

“Didn’t he? You watched him all night.”

My cheeks felt hot. Well, now. How to answer that? “Just wary, I suppose. Most men don’t need a bodyguard for their dates.”

“I am not most men,” he said and gave me a disarming smile.

“No, you’re not,” I said boldly and gave him my most direct, intense smile. Time to kick things up a notch. “That’s what I like about you.”

“Is it?” he chuckled, as if amused by my response. “You’ll be pleased with tonight’s bodyguard, I think.”

“Oh?” I scanned the wine menu. I’d need something strong soon. My stomach was churning and my head ached, a sure sign that I was going to start hallucinating. It made me anxious, and alcohol would help that.

“Yes,” Andre said, distracting me. “I’m surprised you didn’t notice him right away.”

I glanced up. “Why?”

“Because he’s one of the otter clan. Should be a cousin of yours.” His dark eyes watched me intently.

Oh, shit. I scanned the restaurant again. It was small and elegant, but the tables were only half full. There was no one seated by himself, and no one that seemed like a bodyguard. Unease fluttered in my stomach.

“Is there a problem, Minnie?” Andre asked coolly.

I looked back at him and realized he was no longer giving me that charming smile. Damn it. The gig was up. He’d figured me out. Or he knew something was wrong. Either way, I was fucked.

Utter panic shot through me, and I felt the urge to burst into tears.

Instead, I took a deep, calming breath and laid it all out on the table. “I lied,” I told him quietly. “I’m human and I’m looking for someone to turn me. That’s why I looked you up.”

“I see,” he said mildly. “And your real name?”

“It’s Marie.”

He studied me, leaning back in his chair as if he’d been the king of the world, deciding what to do with one of his subjects. After a long, long pause, he said, “Marie is a better name than Minnie.”

That . . . didn’t sound like rejection. “I like to think so.”

“Are you the Marie that works at the agency?”

“I am. That’s how I found you. I am a member of the Alliance, if you want to see my ID.”

He flicked a hand, as if brushing away a ridiculous thought. “So, tell me, Marie, what am I going to do with you?”

“I still want to date you,” I told him quickly.

“Correction. You want to be turned.”

I swallowed. Now I felt like a supplicant instead of the one in control of the date. And I felt like a whole lotta prey at the moment. But I needed to be turned. “Yes.”

“I am four hundred years old, my dear girl,” he said, and gone was the soft, laughing notes in his voice. In its place was utter boredom. Sheer jadedness. It struck me how well he’d been masking it all this time. “And in all that time, I have never turned someone to be my companion.”

My heart seized painfully. No! I refused to give up. “You hadn’t met me, though,” I said boldly, taking a page from Josh’s book. “I’d be honored to be your first.”

“Would you?” he said, and I thought I saw a hint of amusement on his face.

Before I could say more, the waiter dropped by, all pleasantries and smooth rolling voice as he began to recite the evening’s specials. Andre, who was all lazy smiles now, ordered an expensive bottle of wine for us and sent the waiter on his way.

“For someone who wishes for me to turn her, you were quick to avoid my kiss, darling Marie.”

“You didn’t tell me before that it was an aphrodisiac,” I pointed out.

“No, I did not,” he admitted, still amused.

“Then you’ll understand why I avoided it tonight. I need my wits about me.”

He inclined his head. “This I understand.”

The waiter returned, opened the wine, and poured. When our glasses were set in front of us and the wine bottle left on the table, Andre picked up his glass and swirled it, admiring the dark red contents. “I’m not entirely sure of where we move next, Marie. I feel as if my trust has been betrayed, yet I enjoy your company. You are