A Fire in the Blood(74)

“I’m tired of waiting,” Tessa said. “There’ve been so many times when we’ve almost done it and every time, I’ve pulled back. I think, deep down, I’m a little afraid.”

“Of sex?”

Now it was Tessa’s turn to whisper. “No. Of sex with a . . . you know.”

“Oh. Do they do it different?”

Tessa stared at Jilly, then burst out laughing. And sobered again just as quickly. What if vampires did do it differently?





Chapter Thirty-One

Tessa pulled into her parking place and switched off the engine. She sat there a minute, listening to the rain pounding on the roof, and wished she had an umbrella.

After her earlier conversation with Jilly, she decided she needed to have a serious talk with Andrei. Until today, she had just assumed that vampires made love like everyone else on the planet, but maybe they didn’t. How would she know? They hadn’t been sexually intimate but as far as she could tell, he had all the right equipment in all the right places. She couldn’t decide if discussing the subject with Andrei would be the silliest conversation she’d ever had, or the most embarrassing.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her handbag, stepped out of the car, and dashed up the stairs.

Tessa was fumbling with her key when an arm curled around her throat, cutting off her breath. She dropped her handbag, her fingernails digging into the arm around her neck, but to no avail. Her attacker had a grip like iron.

Her chest burned as she fought to draw air into her lungs.

Black spots danced before her eyes as her vision narrowed.

Darkness closed in around her.

And then swallowed her whole.

* * *

Bailey checked the clock on the stove. She had a meat loaf in the oven and she turned the heat down, covered the corn, and turned off the gas. She glanced at the clock again. Where was Tessa? She was usually home by now.

Going into the living room, she peered out the window. Seeing Tessa’s car in the lot, she opened the door, expecting to see Tessa on the landing or coming up the stairs.

But she wasn’t there.

Frowning, Bailey was about to go back inside when she saw Tessa’s handbag near the railing. Fear sent an icy tingle down Bailey’s spine as she grabbed the purse, quickly ducked inside, and bolted the door.

Tossing the bag on the sofa, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and punched in Andrei’s number.

He was at the door before she had time to say more than Tessa’s name.

Bailey took a wary step backward when she saw his face. He stood on the landing, his face a mask of fury, but there was fear in his eyes as his gaze swept the area.

Bailey wanted to ask if he could tell what had happened, but she was afraid to speak. Power rolled off him in waves, making the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stand at attention.

“Have you talked to her?” he asked curtly.

“No. Can you tell . . . do you know . . . ?”

“A vampire’s taken her.”

“Is she . . . ?”

“I don’t know.” His hands curled over the banister, his fingers digging into the wood. He had no sense of her, which meant she was unconscious. Or . . . He slammed his fist on the rail, so hard it shattered. Bits of wood and dust drifted down to the parking lot. Dammit! He should have been there when she got off work, but he had gone hunting farther afield than usual and gotten tangled up with a hunter.

“What now?” Bailey asked, careful to keep out of his reach.

“I’m going after her.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No. Hold out your arm.”

“What?”

“I’m going to drink a little of your blood and then you’re going to drink a little of mine.”

She stared at him, eyes wide. “Why?”

“It will forge a link between us so we can communicate mentally.”

“Oh.” Bailey held out her hand, palm up, pressed her lips together as he bit into her wrist. She was surprised when it didn’t hurt. A moment later, he licked the wound. She watched, fascinated, as the shallow cut healed itself.

When he was done, he bit into his own wrist and held it out to her.

Bailey stared at the dark red blood. She had never tasted vampire blood. What if she developed a taste for it? Heaving a sigh, she licked the crimson drops from his arm.

“Stay here,” he said. “I don’t have to tell you to keep the door locked. Oh. You might want to call Luke and let him know there’s another vampire in town, maybe more than one.”

Bailey nodded. After locking the door, she went to the window. Lightning split the skies. In the bright flash of light, she saw that he was already gone.

* * *

Andrei cursed as the vampire’s trail grew faint and then disappeared. He had expected as much, knowing that sooner or later, the vampire would will himself to his destination, leaving no trace behind.