All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire(81)

 

And that's what he wanted more than anything. He wanted Toni to be free to love him. She was the one he wanted.

 

Toni woke slowly. She'd had trouble sleeping all night, for it felt like a heavy weight was pressing against her chest. Ian. She'd lost Ian. She rolled onto her back and realized she was not alone.

 

"Ian?" She sat up. He was there beside her.

 

Relief swept through her. He couldn't be angry with her if he'd climbed into bed with her, right? Last night she'd feared their relationship was over. He'd looked so upset.

 

He looked perfectly peaceful now. He was lying on his back, his hands folded over his stomach.

 

She checked the clock on the bedside table. Eight-forty-five? She'd set the alarm for six-thirty. He must have turned it off before climbing into bed with her.

 

She turned back to him. For the first time since she'd known him, he wasn't wearing a kilt. He had on flannel pajama bottoms, although still a red and green plaid, which made her smile. He'd showered off all the blood and grime.

 

She leaned closer to examine the cuts on his face. They looked much better already. She lifted one of his hands. The gashes had closed and the scars were fading. By sunset he would be back to his usual gorgeous self.

 

She realized suddenly she was holding hands with a dead man. And she didn't flinch or let go. Why wasn't she freaked out? She glanced at his face. He was still the same brave warrior who had charged to Gregori's rescue, the same selfless hero who had insisted she go to safety while he stood there bleeding, the same sweet man who had kissed her passionately and then taken all the blame for it.

 

She climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom. There she found a note taped to the mirror.

 

Toni,

 

I want to help you rescue your friend. Please forgive me for being an arse.

 

Ian

 

With a laugh, she pressed the note against her chest. Ian understood. She could trust him. And Sabrina would be saved. She ran back into the bedroom. "Thank you, Ian. Thank you."

 

He just lay there.

 

She sat on the bed, smiling at him. "You're not an arse. You're a wonderful man."

 

And she was falling in love with him.

 

A thrill shot through her. How could she not love him? He was the dearest, sweetest, sexiest man she'd ever met.

 

She studied his face as love continued to swell inside her. This wasn't at all like her two past relationships. She'd thrown herself into those affairs with a desperation born from her mother's rejection. She'd needed to feel loved.

 

This was different. She hadn't meant to fall for Ian. For the first time, it wasn't about her and her need to be loved. It was all about Ian and the love she felt for him. It had become painfully clear to her when the explosions had gone off and she'd feared him dead.

 

She touched the dimple on his chin. She couldn't run away from him. She'd be running from her own heart.

 

She showered and dressed and left Ian locked safely in the silver room. When she stepped out of the elevator onto the ground floor, she was immediately surprised by all the people. Real people. They were bustling up and down the hall. Most of them were wearing white lab coats. They all had Romatech name tags clipped on their pockets.

 

On the way to the MacKay security office, she called Carlos on her cell phone. "Guess what? Ian agreed to help us rescue Sabrina."

 

"That's great!" Carlos lowered his voice. "So tell me, menina, what did you do to convince him?"

 

She snorted. "I talked to him."

 

"Come now, you must have been…friendly."

 

"Carlos, we need to rescue Bri as soon as possible. Do you think we can do it tonight?"

 

"Yes." His voice grew more serious. "I'll draw up some plans and come see you this afternoon."

 

"Good." Toni hung up and strode into the security office. Howard was sitting behind the desk, his bandaged leg propped on a chair.

 

"Sorry I overslept." She sat beside him.

 

"No problem." He waved at the monitors. "Nothing much going on. Day security is getting the mess cleaned up in the parking lot."

 

Toni gazed at the monitors that showed the parking lot. A wrecker was hauling the burned car away. "What did the police say about last night?"

 

Howard munched on a doughnut. "They're used to Romatech getting bombed. I told the officer in charge that we've been targeted by a group of psycho fanatics who are opposed to the synthetic manufacture of blood. Which is pretty much the truth, actually."

 

Yeah, you couldn't get any more psycho than the Malcontents. Toni scanned the other monitors. One showed a bedroom with several twin beds. Phineas and Dougal were stretched out in their death-sleep. The silver room was displayed on another monitor. Oh great. Had Howard seen her touching Ian's face? "Doesn't day security think it's strange that we're in here, watching dead people sleep?"