Unbound (Forbidden Bond Book 1)(25)

"Is this the new study hall dress code? If so, I'm going to need a change." His smile was blinding.

"I had a different subject in mind tonight. I thought maybe you'd want  to study chemistry." She tilted her head, flirting. "Do you like my  chemistry experiment?"

Jared reached out and ran his fingers down her arm. "I'm definitely  experiencing a chemical reaction. I think your experiment is a success."

"Would you like to take me out tonight? We could continue the  experiment, if you don't mind being my test subject." Dani offered him a  shy smile. Jared took her hand and began to drag her out the door.  "Where are we going?" she said and laughed.

"I need to change and I'm not letting you out of my sight. You'll  disappear in a hurry looking like that." He chuckled. With a huge grin,  he led her across the courtyard to his dorm. Neither of them missed the  stares and comments of every guy they passed.

"See what I mean? I'm going to have to stay very close to you all night … for your safety, of course."

"Well, thank you for agreeing to be my bodyguard on such short notice."  Dani's eyes were full of fake innocence when he opened the door to his  room. She sat on his bed while his roommate, Steve, eyed her with  interest.

Jared went to take a quick shower and change in the bathroom. Before he  walked away, he shot Steve a look that clearly said, Don't even think  about it.

Just out of curiosity, and for practice, Dani decided to see if she  could catch what was running through Steve's mind. He sat with his back  to her at the computer. She focused on words only, not wanting to see  anything graphic, and she was shocked at what she heard. It was  something along the lines of, Don't even look at her. Jared has had the  hots for her since that first night at the club. He will kill you, so  don't look at her, no matter how badly you want to.         

     



 

Dani was surprised at this insight. She hadn't realized Jared was that  interested. They were good friends, but he had never crossed the line.  Maybe this was what she needed, someone normal to date. Maybe it was a  bad idea, given the fact that she and Lucas had just broken up very  recently. And, she couldn't stop thinking about Chase.

Everything that she'd learned about herself recently made getting  involved with anyone a bad idea. After drinking the blood of the  bartender, her earlier suspicions had been verified. She was a vampire,  or at least half vampire. Then she learned from her visit to Chase's  condo that she wasn't alone. The funny thing was that they knew she was  one of them all along, and she'd had no idea. Dani was sure she would  have a huge reality check about vampire life during her upcoming visit  with her mom. There had to be some good reasons for her mom to keep this  life-changing knowledge from her, and Dani needed to understand those  reasons. But for the night, she just wanted to have a good time and  relax.

Jared stepped out of the bathroom looking every bit the honey, and his  wonderful mint aroma poured out with the steam. His shaggy, blond hair  was neatly slicked back. He wore black slacks and a dark gray  button-down. Yes, he was exactly what she needed. That kind of  distraction would do nicely.

"Well, shit! Now I am going to have to guard my bodyguard. I must  remember to send a thank-you letter to my high school chemistry  teacher."

Jared sat next to her on the bed and bent to put his shoes on. She  lifted his chin gently with two fingers and placed a sweet little kiss  on his lower lip. Jared stared back at her as if mesmerized. He licked  his lips and leaned in for more, but the moment was shattered when Steve  fell off his chair and papers went flying.

"I'm gonna wait for you in the lobby. I have to make a call before we  head out," she told Jared with her lips still very close to his.

His only response was, "Uh-huh."

She giggled and left the room. She had gone about ten feet down the hall  when Jared and Steve erupted into a chorus of hoots that startled  people walking by their room.



In the car on the way to the club, Dani was staring out the window when  Jared put his hand on her leg and then looked at her to make sure it was  okay. She smiled and placed her hand over his in a gesture of  acceptance. At the club, Dani decided to use her vampire all-access  pass. She led her group to the front of the line, where Vince snapped to  attention at first sight of her.

"Princess, Vince is so glad to see you all in one piece. The last time  he saw you, well, it was not your best day. He hopes you can forgive him  for the mistake he made," Vince apologized sincerely and bent to kiss  Dani's hand.

Jared looked from the huge, muscle-bound man and back to Dani in  confusion. Then he stepped up and took her other hand possessively. She  smiled at him and grasped his hand tighter.

"Vince, there's nothing to forgive. I am not sure what happened but it  is over, and I do not want to think about it tonight. Could you get me a  table, please?"

"Sure thing, Princess. Vince will seat you himself." Vince held the door  for her party to enter. Once inside, he parted the dance floor like the  Red Sea as he led them to the VIP section. They sat at the usual spot,  and Vince went to the bar. He returned with a waitress who was carrying a  bottle of top-shelf champagne and six flutes. Vince winked at Dani  before heading back to his post. It was a nice gesture, but there was no  way in hell after her first two experiences with alcohol that she was  drinking anything. She'd let her friends enjoy the bubbly. Her nerves  were off the chart. Just being there at the same table where her life  had changed forever was overwhelming.

Jared and the others had heard every word of the conversation with Vince  and clearly had no idea what to make of it. Dani was very glad of that,  because an explanation was out of the question.

She got up to hit the dance floor and, after scanning the crowd,  realized that Chase was indeed there and watching her intently. No  matter. That was his fiancée's problem, not hers. She put her hand out  for Jared, and he was up and at her side. Dani was sick and tired of  worrying. She was going to dance and have fun with someone she knew and  trusted.

As she started for the floor, she did her best to pretend she wasn't  being watched, ignoring the telepathic plea she was receiving from  Chase. It was hard because he was persistent, but she'd learned how to  block it. She'd tell herself to listen to a different channel or turn  off the radio of her mind, and off it went.

She danced and spun around the floor with Jared. The whole crew was full  of smiles and laughter as they performed their own little dance-off in  the center of the floor. Jared and Steve danced as a team against Dani  and Olivia. The crowd made room for them to dance. They yelled and  shouted for their favorite dancers. Vince came over at one point to  check out the commotion. He just smiled and shook his head as he walked  away. Olivia and Dani won the contest when they broke into an old-school  move, hooking their feet and spinning around in a circle. The crowd  roared, and the girls were named the victors.         

     



 

Jared swept Dani up in a congratulatory hug and returned her sweet kiss  from earlier. He continued to kiss her softly, caressing her lips  gently. He coaxed a response from her with teasing nibbles and warm  strokes of his tongue as the music slowed, and they swayed to the  rhythm. It was a perfect evening, until Chase tried to cut in. Dani felt  Jared stiffen under her lips. She opened her eyes and turned to see  Chase behind them.

"May I cut in?" Chase practically snarled at Jared. It was phrased as a  question, but he clearly had no intention of taking no for an answer.

"No, you may not." Dani stepped forward, putting space between him and Jared.

"I need to speak with you, Love … Danielle. It's important. We need to get  some information about your attacker. You're not the only one. Another  girl is still missing." Chase reached out to take Danielle's hand, but  she jerked it away.

"You were attacked? When? Why didn't you tell me? Were you hurt?" Jared  showed his shock at the news she hadn't been able to share with him.

"I'm fine. I just have some cracked ribs and bruises. It's nothing  that's kept me from dancing the night away." Dani rubbed Jared's chest,  trying to soothe him, and turned back to Chase.

"I'm on a date. I don't want to talk to you now, or later, for that  matter. I'll call Kayden. He can get me in touch with whoever would like  to speak to me," Dani snapped.

"I'm sorry. Did you say your ribs are still cracked? You should have  healed the day you left me." Chase stepped closer. He reached out and  began to probe her rib cage with gentle fingers. Jared moved in and  pushed Chase's hands away. Chase growled a low curse, and Dani heard the  mental command he sent to Jared to get him away from her. Chase told  Jared to go find another dance partner.