Sexiest Vampire Alive

“I’ll find a makeup remover pad. Hang on.”

A knock sounded at the door. “That was Gregori,” Josh announced. “He’s down in the lobby.”

Abigail’s heart lurched.

“We’re almost ready,” Madison called out as she wiped the lipstick off Abigail’s cheek. “Are you nervous about tonight?”

“How’d you ever guess?” Abigail muttered. “Aren’t you nervous?”

“No. Not too much. Dad sent the two biggest Secret Service guys to watch over us.” She lowered her voice. “Have you seen Josh without his jacket on? Oh my God—”

“Madison, our guards may be strong, but they don’t have supernatural powers like the vampires. In fact, I strongly suspect Gregori didn’t reveal all his powers. He may have some strange psychic abilities.”

Madison shrugged. “Probably so. It’s one of those vampire things. Kind of sexy when you think about it.” She tossed the dirty makeup remover pad in the trash can.

“Sexy? It’s downright dangerous.”

“Abby, chill. You heard Dad. If we’re unhappy about anything tonight, he’ll call the alliance off. Gregori won’t dare do anything to upset us. The way I see it, that puts us in the position of power.”

Abigail bit her lip. She wouldn’t call their position powerful, not when Gregori was the one with the powers.

“It’s all about attitude,” Madison continued. “I’ve played hostess at a lot of events, and I’ve met people from strange countries and cultures. You just smile and act like everything’s okay. You can do this.”

“Okay.” A twinge of guilt pricked at Abigail that she’d never given her sister the respect she deserved. For the past few years, Abigail had congratulated herself for being the one most dedicated to helping Mom. She worked long hours trying to come up with a cure for lupus, while she considered her sister the frivolous party girl.

But now she realized that in her own way, Madison was helping their mother, too. Serving as hostess at state dinners and parties couldn’t be easy, and as nervous as she was tonight, Abigail knew it was a job she couldn’t manage half as well as her sister.

“Thank you, Madison. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Madison’s eyes widened. “Well, I suppose I have my uses.” A blush spread over her pretty cheeks. “You like him, don’t you?”

“Who?”

Madison gave her a pointed look. “Do you want some alone time with him tonight?”

“Good Lord, no. I’d rather you keep him busy.”

Madison smiled as she picked up her small rhinestone-encrusted clutch. “So you do know who.”

Abigail grabbed the black pashmina shawl and black beaded clutch she was borrowing from her sister. “He’s a vampire.” And he’s waiting downstairs in the lobby.

On the elevator ride down, Abigail looped the end of her shawl over one shoulder so it covered her from the neck past the bodice of her dress. Beside her, Madison smirked. She was striking in a blue sparkly dress that matched her eyes. In front of them, Josh and Charles stood facing the elevator doors. They wore their usual black suits, and each sported an earpiece and wrist communicator so they could converse with each other.

The elevator doors opened. Josh held the doors and blocked their departure until Charles determined it was safe for them to emerge.

Abigail tensed when she spotted Gregori across the lobby. Wow. Still more handsome than should be legally allowed. Women could have car accidents if they spotted him on the sidewalk. Or they could choke on their food if he wandered past a café. He was clearly a menace to society.

She slapped herself mentally. Of course he was a menace. He was a vampire!

He was talking to another man. Both were well dressed in expensive suits, although the new guy was more casual. No tie, and the top buttons of his dress shirt were undone. Was he a vampire, too?

“Oh look.” Madison flipped her hair over a shoulder. “Gregori brought a friend. It’ll be like a double date.”

“It’s not a date,” Abigail mumbled.

She and her sister accompanied the security guys across the lobby. Gregori’s gaze drifted over the guys and Madison, then settled on her. His face remained blank, but there was a growing intensity in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. She wobbled on her high heels, and Charles grabbed her elbow. Gregori’s gaze shifted to Charles’s hand, and his mouth thinned.

Madison switched into hostess mode, beaming a smile at Gregori and extending a hand. “Gregori! How delightful to see you again.”

“Madison.” He shook her hand, then nodded at Abigail. “How do you do?”

She nodded back. “Good evening.” So he didn’t intend to shake her hand or even say her name? Abigail squeezed her hands around her clutch, feeling the little beads bite into her fingertips. So what if he wanted to act stiff and formal? It was better this way.

Meanwhile her sister aimed her dazzling smile at the new guy. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Madison Tucker.”

“I’m Phineas McKinney.” He shook her hand. “Also known as Dr. Phang.”

Her eyes widened. “Really? I guess that means you’re”—she lowered her voice dramatically—“one of them.”

He winked. “You bet your sweet blood type I am.”

She giggled and leaned close to Abigail. “Isn’t he cute? He’s just like Denzel, but younger.”

“He can hear you,” Abigail muttered.

Josh and Charles quickly introduced themselves, then Charles hurried off to retrieve the limo from its special parking place. While they waited, Josh called their father and gave him a brief update.

“This is my sister, Abigail,” Madison introduced her to Phineas. “She’s a doctor, too. What is your area of expertise, Dr. Phang?”

“I’m the Love Doctor. Everyone turns to me with their romantic queries, and now our world is full of happily married couples.”

Madison gasped, then whispered, “You mean your . . . kind like to get married to each other?”

“Actually, most of the guys have hooked up with luscious-looking mortal babes.” He smiled. “Like you.”

Madison gasped again, then gave Abigail a wide-eyed, excited look. “Did you hear that?”

“Don’t even think about it,” Abigail whispered, casting a nervous look at Josh. “Dad would kill us.”

“No, he would kill us,” Gregori said softly.

Abigail met his eyes for an electric second before he looked away. Good Lord, was that why he was acting so distant? But if he was concerned about getting involved with her, then it had to mean . . . He’s attracted to me.

A part of her was shocked to admit it. But another part, deep inside her, had sensed it from the beginning. The way he had looked at her, smiled at her, watched her so intently.

It’s impossible, she reminded herself. And thankfully, he knew it was.

Still, it might make traveling with him a bit awkward. She slanted a look at his expensive suit. Could he rough it in the wilderness? His super strength and other abilities would certainly come in handy, but what about his liabilities? What happened to him during the day? What happened if he ran out of bottled blood?

“Charles is pulling up now,” Josh announced. “Let’s go.”

They stepped out onto the sidewalk on Park Avenue. The night air was chilly, so they hurried to the waiting car.

A flash of light blinded Abigail, and she lifted a hand to shade her eyes.

“Madison! Give us a smile!” A paparazzo eased closer, lifting his camera for a second photo.

“Quickly.” Josh opened the door to the Suburban limousine and ushered Madison inside.

The paparazzo halted suddenly, and his face went blank. He raised his camera overhead and hurtled it to the sidewalk. It smashed into pieces, but his face remained expressionless.

Good Lord! Why would he destroy his own camera? A crazy thought screamed through Abigail’s mind. He was forced to.

She spun toward Gregori, but stumbled in her high heels. He caught her, grasping her arms.

She planted her hands on his chest to keep from falling against him. “Did you do that?”