Predictably, Corbin shrugged off the illegalpart.
“What is wrong with being immortal?”
“Nothing except you have to watch yourentire family get older and older and die all around you,” I said.“And what do I tell people at work when they ask why I’m not aging?My superiors will know right away what’s going on—fraternizing withthe enemy will get you kicked off the force. I might as well handin my badge right now if I let you bind me to you.”
“What was it you did before you decided toharass my kind for a living?” Corbin asked. “I thought you said youwere getting a degree in some kind of literature.”
“I was.” I looked away. “I never did finishmy dissertation, though.”
“Finish it then,” he urged gently. “Give upyour grudge against vampires and go back to doing what you trulylove. You can’t tell me you really enjoy the endless inspections,the gory crime scenes, the executions…”
To tell the truth, I didn’t enjoy any of it.In fact, lately I just about loathed it but I wasn’t about to admitthat to Corbin.
“So, what—I’m supposed to give up my job tobecome your good little wife?” I demanded, pulling my hands out ofhis. “You’ll put me up in a sweet penthouse somewhere in the cityand visit me whenever you want to fuck?”
Corbin frowned. “You know it would not belike that, Addison. You could live with me—or I with you. Providedyou don’t mind me making some modifications to your house. I musthave a light-tight place to stay during the daylight hours.”
For one crazy moment, I actually let myselfconsider it. There was no denying that there was something betweenus. But was that electric spark I felt every time he touched meenough to give up my job, my family…basically my entire life? Also,I had spent the past six years upholding the laws that separatedvamps and humans in the most basic and vital way. Was I reallygoing to throw all that time in the toilet and jump the fence? WasI willing to live with Corbin and take the chance every single timewe made love that he wouldn’t lose control and kill me? After allthe horrible, gory crime scenes I had been witness to?
Was I crazy?
“No,” I said at last with a sigh. “No, I’msorry, Corbin. I’ll admit there’s something between us. Wehave…really good chemistry. But I can’t give up my life andeverything it stands for just to be with you.”
“And this is your final decision?” He lookedat me, his silver-blue eyes serious and infinitely sad. “Think,Addison…really consider before you refuse to give me your heart. Alove like this doesn’t happen very often—for me it has happenedonly twice in four hundred years. I lost my first love—I don’tintend to lose you.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, forcing the wordsout around the lump that had somehow formed in my throat. “But Ican’t. Please…just let me go.”
“I will, for now.” He stroked a strand ofhair out of my eyes and tucked it behind my ear in a gesture oftenderness that made my eyes sting. “But I refuse to give up. Ilove you, Addison. If you’ll only give me a chance, I will proveit.”
“Prove what? My, my—do excuse me. I hope Ihaven’t interrupted a tender scene.”
We both turned to see Roderick standing inthe doorway, smirking.
Asshole, I thought, looking at him. Ireached automatically to my side and then remembered I didn’t havemy gun with me that night—Corbin had insisted that I leave it inhis private bathroom after the incident the night before.Considering how badly I wanted to shoot the vampire Inquisitor, itwas probably a good thing.
“Ah, Roderick.” Corbin inclined his head tothe other vamp. “How good of you to join us. I trust Lucinda wassatisfactory?”
“She was…until I accidentally broke her.”Roderick said it in such an offhand way it took a minute to sinkin.
Corbin’s face darkened. “What exactly do youmean?”
Roderick shrugged. “She was paying theCrimson Debt and I got rather…carried away. You’ll find her in thedumpster out behind your establishment—what’s left of her,anyway.”
I stared at him, uncomprehending. I hadplenty of experience with vamps who S and F-ed their human loversto death but I had never heard of one vampire doing it to another.Considering how strong they all were, even the fledglings, it musthave taken unimaginable strength to kill the hapless Lucinda. Thepoor girl must have been ripped limb from limb and probablydecapitated as well.
“That’s horrible,” I whispered.
“It is despicable.” Corbin took a steptoward the other vampire, his face white with rage. “How dare youkill one of my people? Especially one who simply wanted toentertain and service you?”
“Oh, she did both before she met the truedeath—never fear about that.” Roderick laughed, a very ugly sound.“She served her purpose and I disposed of her—just as I willdispose of you, Corbin, if you displease me.”
“Lucinda had only one star to her credit—Ihave four. I think you will find me considerably more difficult tokill,” Corbin growled. “I challenge you, Roderick—you will pay forwhat you’ve done.”
Roderick’s eyes gleamed greedily. “By allmeans, please do make a formal challenge. I will be happy toannex your little territory when you are gone. And I will takeTaylor and your human consort with me to court. The Empress willlove that—you can imagine how popular human Auditors whoattempt to control our kind are with her.”
Corbin’s eyes blazed. “How dare you threatenmy consort?”
“You mean the one not actually bound to you?The one who is technically still available to any male strongenough to take her?” Roderick turned his greedy gaze on me andshowed his fangs. I felt my stomach turn over. Oh God, was heserious?
“You will never have her.” Corbin put mebehind him and seemed to grow larger. “Listen to me, Roderick, youmay be strong enough to best me but if you attempt to take her, Iwill not hesitate to sacrifice for your death!”
“You would do that—for a mere human?”Roderick shook his head. “That is most surprising, Corbin.”
“Nevertheless it is true,” Corbin growled.“Try me if you don’t believe I’m sincere.”
“No, no, that won’t be necessary.” Abruptly,Roderick retracted his fangs and went from menacing to mild. “Irefuse your challenge, Corbin.
