The woman’s look turns calculating and predatory, then she licks her lips and blows me a kiss. “Bebe didn’t happen to ‘like’ women, did she?” We continue to move toward the tunnel on the right.
“Uh, yeah, why?”
“Lucky guess.” I dig my fingers into his arm. “We really need to find that gold—fast.”
“Right.” He clasps his hand with mine. “Ready.”
Bebe strides toward us, a satisfied smile pasted on her face. I’m in big trouble. “I’ve never been more ready.”
“Run!”
We bolt down the tunnel. It takes every ounce of stored energy to keep up with Asa. Basically he’s dragging me and I swear there are times when we angle around a corner that my feet lift from the ground. But I don’t complain and I don’t stop.
After what must be the twentieth turn, Asa slows. My chest is burning and it feels like my lungs are literally in my throat. Even though we’ve stopped running, we haven’t stopped walking. He guides me down another corridor, slightly narrower than the others, and into a room.
“Vivian says the gold is around here.” He flips on the light. “She mentioned chests. Maybe in one of these crates.”
The room is rectangular and stacked with wooden boxes. I’m really hoping the treasure is on top because I doubt we’ve got a lot of time. “Hurry.” We race to the first stack and haul down a crate. I turn, scanning the room for a crowbar. “If Bebe can sense me, I’m sure she’s on our tail.”
“No doubt.” The squeak of the lid being ripped free draws my attention back. Asa smiles. “A perk of being a vampire. Big muscles.”
I give him a coy smirk. “It’s good to know they’re not just for show.”
“You’ve been looking?”
I shrug and dig into the crate. Crystal perfume bottles trimmed in gold, an antique doll, but no gold. “Not here.”
Asa drags the next crate down. I’m willing to let him flex his muscles in the name of our rescue. Again he peels the top off and tosses it to the side. We both rifle through the packing material, but again come up empty handed.
“Damn it.” I kick the crate. “We don’t need much.”
“We’ll find it.” Asa drops a third crate onto the ground. “Now what they hell did she say on the call…”
Just as Asa throws the lid over his shoulder I’m hit from the side by the same icy blast. But this time Bebe doesn’t pass through me. “Asa.” I barely get his name out before the ghost’s fingers wrap around my neck. With one hand she pushes me against the wall.
“Shit,” Asa says.
Over Bebe’s shoulder I see him frantically digging through the crate, but then she blocks my view.
“I think she mentioned a lamp. Fuck I should have been paying closer attention rather than trying to tease you.”
Her face hovers an inch from mine and her cold breath feels like it’s crystalizing against my cheek.
“Like I said, you’re prettier than I thought,” the ghost whispers. Her chilled lips brush against mine. Thinking she’s going to try and possess me like Ivan, I press my mouth together. “Silly reaper.” She lays her cheek against mine and I have to repress the urge to gasp from the icy bite. “Don’t you know there’s more than one way in?”
Her hand dips to the waistband of my pants. Holy crap, is she thinking what I think she’s thinking? I’m sorry, but I choose who’s going to get into my girlie bits, and for my first time after my husband’s death it’s sure as hell not going to be an icy-fingered Amazonian vampire bitch.
“Asa, oh my God, you’ve got to stick your hand down my pants!”
Nine by Night: A Multi-Author Urban Fantasy Bundle of Kickass Heroines, Adventure, Magic
Chapter Twelve
Asa
I race to the reaper’s side, all thoughts of finding the gold soaring right out of my head. With more heat pumping through my veins than I’ve felt in years, I willingly, and eagerly, comply with Lisa’s outrageous suggestion. I lay my palm under her shirt against the skin of her slightly rounded stomach, and slide downward, easing past the waistband of her pants.
She rips her mouth away from mine. “Under. You’ve got to go under my panties. She’s… I can’t believe I’m about to say this—she’s trying to possess me by entering through my privates!”
I snug her plump breasts more firmly against my chest with one arm around her back, while pressing my lips firmly on hers. My other hand plunges low, cupping the juncture between her thighs. Moist heat greets my questing fingers as I shift deeper; making sure my whole hand covers both entrances.