“Let’s just say she has a colorful past.”
“And I thought being a reaper was special.” I prop my hands on my hips and sigh. “Now what?”
“I supposed I should get dressed.”
Or not. “Yeah, I think I’ll go freshen up, too.”
Asa inches around the desk and I step back so we don’t touch. No telling what will happen. The sexual tension is humming between us and I don’t think it will take much to set us off. “You need to drink water and get something to eat after donating blood. Let’s meet back in the lobby in thirty minutes.”
“Okay.”
I go to my room and after checking in with Vella and the kids, which takes all of ten minutes, I pace. Having Asa around gives me a sense of protection. The idea of waiting in the lobby alone makes me nervous. First of all, there are too many ghosts that don’t know what personal space means. Then there’s the werewolves and God knows what else lurking around the inn. Asa has never given me an exact account of who is what and if they’re at the inn. Better safe than sorry, and for me that means sticking close to my vampire bodyguard.
My stomach growls and I notice bottled water and a bowl of fruit on the table Asa and I sat near earlier. This place is full of surprises. Deciding it’s safer to eat here, I reluctantly dig in to an apple and grab the water.
After half an hour, I sneak from my room and ease down the hall until I can peer over the railing. He’s there. Breathing a sigh of relief I descend the steps with as much composure as I can muster. Time away from him and the fact that he’s wearing clothes again have tempered my rampaging lust.
“Sorry I’m late. I wanted to check in with the kids.”#p#分页标题#e#
“No problem.” He places a hand on my back and leads me toward the basement again. “Everything all right at home?”
I ignore the heat spreading across my skin from his touch. “Just peachy. My friend Vella spoils them. They’ll be hellions when I get home. Probably sugared-up and sleep deprived.”
He laughs as he leads me back to the spiral staircase. “Don’t be too hard on them.”
I glance at him and again see a spark of yearning for a family. “I won’t—unless they start irritating me.” He laughs again and I inwardly sigh. I could get very used to having Asa around. It was a dangerous realization. “I know I’ve asked this fifty kagillion times, but what now?”
“Vivian gave me some vague directions to the gold. First we’ll find that and then look for ghosts.”
“Okay, but eventually I’m going to have to eat.” As if emphasizing my situation my stomach growls. I pointedly ignore mentioning the apple. We all know fruit doesn’t count as real food. “You might be unaware of just how delicate this reaping machine is. It thrives on carbs.”
“Oh shit, sorry.” A grimace tightens his face as we make our way into the tunnels again. “Sometimes I forget you need real food. Do you want to grab something now?”
“No, I’ll be fine for a while. I drank water like you suggested.” No way did I want to appear gluttonous, even though I was on the fluffy side. “I’ve got stored energy supplies.” I give my butt a slap and rub. Asa’s pupils dilate slightly. “I’m pretty hardy.”
“I bet you are.”
Before I can retort with a flirty comment I’m hit from behind by something cold. An icy blade slices through my body. I gasp and grab onto Asa, my eyes wide with shock.
“Lisa, what’s wrong?” I stumble but he catches me before I go down.
When I finally focus, my gaze levels on an Amazonian-looking woman standing several feet in front of me. I point. “Ghost. Tall. Dark hair and eyes.” I exhale, my body shuddering from the cold still rippling through it. “She looks—determined.”
“Bebe,” Asa says.
The woman smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Then she nods. “I sensed you on the property.”
I want to believe Bebe’s reap is going to be as easy as Vikram’s but from her expression, I think it will be quite the opposite. My fingers tighten around Asa’s biceps. “She says she sensed me.”
He pulls me closer to him. “Be careful. She’s dangerous.”
“Yeah—” Another shiver skitters through me. “I got that.”
The ghost points a long, slender finger at me. “You’re prettier than I thought.” She takes a step forward. “I think I’m going to like being inside you.”
I take a step backward, dragging Asa with me. “That’s what they all say.”
“What’s happening?” he says.