Sexiest Vampire Alive

popped off and bounced onto his black-topped table.

“Yes! Roman used a plant from that province when he invented the Stay-Awake drug.” Laszlo fiddled with another button. “The drug works, but it has the unfortunate side effect of aging the Vamp one year for every day he ingests it.”

“Amazing,” Abigail said for about the tenth time.

“Roman still has the plant in his lab,” Laszlo continued. “Perhaps you would like to examine it?”

“I would love that!”

“I’ve been working on the Stay-Awake formula to try to minimize the side effects, but it’s hard to find a Vamp who’s willing to test it. They don’t like taking a chance that they could age a year.”

Abigail gasped. “You test your formulas on your fellow vampires?”

Laszlo chuckled. “We don’t have any vampire mice. Besides, if a formula ends up making a vampire ill, it won’t last for very long. His body will automatically heal during his death-sleep—”

“Laszlo!” Gregori stepped behind Abigail and made a cutting motion across his neck.

“Death-sleep?” Abigail asked. “He’ll automatically heal?”

Laszlo’s eyes widened as he realized he’d said too much. “Oh, I—I meant—” He nervously plucked at a button.

“What he means is vampires have superior strength,” Gregori said. “We tend to heal more quickly than mortals. Of course we can still die. And if we lose a body part, we can’t regenerate. We have a Vamp friend who lost a hand in battle.”

“True.” Laszlo nodded. “Our healing abilities are quite limited. Shall I go find that plant for you?”

“Ah, yes, thank you.” Abigail watched as Laszlo scurried from the room.

“Let me show you my office.” Gregori grabbed her elbow and steered her out the door.

Charles frowned at them and followed.

“What did he mean by death-sleep?” she asked.

Gregori winced inwardly. Vamps would be in deep shit if the government knew how helpless and vulnerable they were during the day. How easy they were to kill. “It’s just a term we use to describe our sleep during the day. It’s a . . . very deep sleep.”

“So if you teleported me into China, you would have to sleep during the day?”

“Yes, but remember we can move super fast at night and teleport hundreds of miles. We can do more in one night than a mortal could do in a week. Besides, if you want to remain covert, you’re better off doing things at night.”

“I suppose that’s true.” She walked beside him, chewing her bottom lip. “What did he mean by automatically heal?”

Shit. He should have never invited Abigail here. She was too smart, too quick at figuring out their most guarded secrets. “I told you, we tend to heal more quickly.”

She stopped abruptly. “Would you let me examine you?”

He gave her a slow, seductive smile, hoping it would distract her. “Do I get to strip?”

She blushed, but waved a dismissive hand. “I’m sure your anatomy is basically the same as a mortal man. What I need is a few tissue samples and some vials of your blood.”

His smile faded. “Scholar, I’ll take you anywhere you want in the world. I’ll protect you with my life.”

“I appreciate that, but right now, all I want is some blood.”

“I . . . can’t. I’m sorry.”

Her eyes narrowed. “If there’s some sort of special healing properties in your blood, I need to know. It might help my mother.”

He clenched his hands. This was what he had feared the most, what every vampire in the world feared, that mortals would not only learn that vampires existed, but that their blood could heal. “We can’t let you examine our blood.”

She gasped. “I’m right, aren’t I? Your blood has healing properties.” She touched his arm. “Please, this is for my mother.”

He shook his head. “Every Vamp in the world is trusting me to keep them safe. If mortals thought our blood could heal disease, they would hunt us down and drain us all dry. It would be mass murder.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “You would let my mother die?” She gripped his arm. “Just give me a little. I won’t tell anyone where I got it from. I can keep a secret.”

“Secrets have a way of getting out. Look how well the vampire secret was kept.”

She moved closer. “Gregori, please.”

He winced. She wasn’t going to let this go. “I’m sorry.”

She released his arm and stepped back. “I can force you. Give me a blood sample, or I’ll tell my father to break the alliance.”

A chill ran down his back. Without the alliance, Vamps could be in serious danger. But if he gave her a blood sample, they would be doomed. “Abby, don’t do this. Don’t push me.”

A tear rolled down her cheek. “You’re not giving me any choice.”

Shit. There was only one way out of this mess. He hated to do it, but what choice did he have? Thousands of Vamps were counting on him.

Her words came back to torment him. If someone messed with my mind, I’d want to kill him, too.

He squeezed his fists. He had no choice.

He shot a surge of mind control at Charles, and the agent slumped against the wall. You will forget everything you heard since we left the foyer.

He grabbed Abigail by the shoulders. “Forgive me.”

She blinked. “For what?”

He hesitated. Why not? This might be his only chance. He kissed her.

She stiffened in surprise, then slowly relaxed as he poured his apology into the kiss. Her lips molded against his so soft and sweet. Forgive me, Abby.

He broke the kiss and invaded her mind.

You will forget everything that has happened since we left the foyer.

Chapter Fifteen

Abigail stumbled as a wave of dizziness swept over her.

Gregori caught her by the upper arms. “Are you all right?”

“I—” She rubbed her brow. “I think so.” Why on earth was she feeling faint? She never fainted. Correction, she’d fainted two nights ago when she saw Gregori floating on the ceiling. From the moment she’d met him, her life had gone haywire.

“When’s the last time you ate?” he asked, still holding her steady.

“I—” She searched her fuzzy mind. “I’m not sure.” Where was she? Oh, right, Romatech. She’d just witnessed a family drama and discovered that Sean Whelan was a vampire.

And something more . . . but she couldn’t quite put a finger on it. It was like trying to remember a person’s name when it was on the tip of your tongue. Somehow she knew it was important, but it flitted away and was gone.

She gazed up at Gregori, who was watching her carefully. His brow was furrowed with worry. His eyes . . . strange, he looked upset. And his mouth, there was something familiar about his mouth.

Her lips tingled, and she licked them.

He sucked in a breath of air, and his grip on her arms tightened.

“Miss Tucker, are you all right?” Charles asked.

She glanced at the Secret Service man, who was rubbing the back of his neck and frowning. “Yes, I—”

“Let’s go to the cafeteria,” Gregori interrupted. “I had a gourmet chef brought in. He’ll be terribly disappointed if you guys don’t stop by to eat.”