Cass was the rare vampire who relished dumping her past identities and embracing new roles. Most clung to what they knew and went mad from it in the end. She would never have to worry about that.
“As much as I enjoy discussing my best friend’s sexual exploits, we have a job to do. Remember?”
“You’re about to be married.” She sighed dramatically. “Have fun while you still can.”
“Anonymous sex isn’t my idea of fun.”
“How do you know until you try it?”
“I’ll make you a deal.” I spun it around on her. “Keep it in your pants for thirty days, and I’ll have the one-night stand of your choice.”
“It’s a…” She wet her lips, tried again. “It’s a…” Her mouth moved, but no sound emerged. “It’s a…”
“Deal is the word you’re looking for,” I said helpfully. “Come on, say it.”
“Damn it, Addie. That’s not fair. I have needs.”
“And I don’t.” I had made it this long without sex. I wasn’t in any hurry to rectify the situation given who the rectifier would be. “So stop bullying me.”
“I don’t mean to push.” She picked at her manicured nails. “I just worry.”
Vampires her age didn’t express affection the way necromancers did. They mostly bit or sexed up the ones they loved. Since I wasn’t interested in either, she was at a loss as to how to show me she cared. I tried letting her hug me once, but she took off her shirt first and pressed my face into her boob crack. It was a very nice boob crack, but it didn’t do much for me except give me perkiness envy.
“You don’t have to anymore.” I tacked on a smile. “I’m engaged, and Prince Charming will fix all my problems. Haven’t you read any fairy tales?”
“I was alive when a few were written,” she said dryly. “Trust me, the writers took artistic license. Except with the prince-kissing-sleeping-princesses thing. Sure, he claimed he was attempting to wake her, but he didn’t have to stick his hand up her skirt to find her mouth.”
“You ruined one of my favorites for me. Thank you for that disturbing mental picture.”
“Men are pigs.” She shrugged. “What did you expect?”
“Them not to put the moves on unconscious women?”
“You’re so adorable.” She stroked her fingers through my hair. “You and all your cute little ideals.”
The hunger in her eyes wasn’t new. She would bite me in a heartbeat if I let her. That’s the danger of being friends with a vampire. She would also dry hump me if I stood still for too long. Again, the danger of being friends with a vampire.
From what I could tell, even those with firmly entrenched sexual identities as humans reached an age where they became gender blind. Bodies became bodies to them, and pleasure could be found in either form. Since I was a stick in the mud—her words, not mine—any pleasure she derived from me came from annoying me until I reminded her of my flawless aim with a stake.
“Any idea where we can find Ron?” I swatted her hand. “Or are we starting from scratch?”
Cass knew most of the local vampires, which made tracking runners that much easier.
“He was last seen near the railroad museum.” She made a production of pulling a shiny new key fob from her cleavage. “The engine section.”
Careful to avoid a clear line of sight from the front windows, in case Dad heard us and decided to check in on me, we hiked across the overgrown yard to a hidden nook in the woods I had cleared for her particular use.
The trees hid her car from passersby on the main road, and more importantly, from Dad, who never left the house. She parked there when she visited then let herself in through whatever window or door struck her fancy that night. I had offered her a spare key, but she preferred sneaking around, and I didn’t care as long as the weirdo picked locks without breaking them.
Around the final bend, I got an eyeful of her latest acquisition. A sleek black Ferrari I only recognized because of its prominent branding. Her master gave it to her as a bonus last week for bringing in the most money to the clan ten years running. Thanks, in part, to me. But did Javier buy me a Ferrari? Nope. Not even a pine tree-shaped air freshener.
Cass stalked to the driver side and slid behind the wheel, doing a happy wiggle as she settled in.
The heady combination of premium leather and new-car smell made me dizzy with lust no man (or woman) had yet to inspire in me as I claimed the seat beside her.
“I would give you this car…” she cranked it, and the engine purred, “…if you would use it and enjoy it.” She threw it into reverse, and gravel sprayed from under the tires. “But you would sell it and bank the proceeds. I can see the dollar signs in your eyes.”
The mental picture of all the zeroes I would have left in my bank account gave me butterflies in my stomach. Green ones. With pictures of Ben Franklin dotting their wings.
A buzz in my pocket almost made me jump out of my skin. “Cheez-It.”
Notorious for forgetting my phone, I realized Cass had done more than cop a feel while I was dressing. She had stuck my cell and my ID in my back pocket, and her fancy-pants car was pairing with my phone without first asking permission, like it was doing me a favor.
“You’ve got to learn how to curse like a big girl one day.”
Ignoring her, I answered the call. “Hey, Gustav.”
“Your collar has been cornered,” he rumbled in a thick accent. “Get to the pier.”
“The pier?” I craned my neck at Cass. “What happened to the railroad museum?”
“That was two nights ago.” A car engine roared to life in the background. “Cassandra’s intel is old.”
“Suck it,” she yelled at our boss, who could hear her just
