Sexiest Vampire Alive(30)
“Oh, thank you, Abby!” Madison hugged her. “It’s going to be so much fun!” She turned to Gregori. “Where will you take us?”
“I—” He adjusted his tie and glanced at Mr. Whelan, who had just cursed under his breath. “Somewhere . . . public. I don’t know any vampire places in D.C. There’s a new vampire nightclub in Manhattan that’s very popular right now.”
“A vampire nightclub!” Madison clasped her hands together over her chest. “That sounds so exciting!”
Their dad frowned. “What goes on at this club? Is it a safe place for my daughters?”
“Completely safe. All the Vamps there will be drinking from bottles,” Gregori explained. “They just go there to talk and dance.”
“Then I guess it would be all right.” Dad motioned to two of the Secret Service men. “Josh and Charles will provide transportation. They’ll need to be with you at all times, and they’ll report directly to me every five minutes. The girls will arrive in Manhattan tomorrow. We’ll let you know where they’re staying.”
“Dad.” Abigail touched his sleeve. “I have to go to work tomorrow.”
“They can give you a few days off.” He squeezed her hand. “This is important. We have to know if you can get along with this vampire and his friends.” He glanced at Gregori. “And I need to know if I can trust you with my daughter.”
Gregori nodded. “I will guard her with my life.”
“Me too!” Madison clapped her hands merrily.
Their dad stood and gave Gregori a stern look. “I will hold you to that promise. My daughters are to stay safe and protected. If anything happens to them, if they come home just feeling unhappy, then our deal is off, and you and your vampire friends are on your own.”
“I understand.” Gregori stood and turned stiffly toward Abigail and Madison. “I will see you tomorrow evening at nine in New York.”
Madison jumped to her feet. “Thank you!”
He nodded at her, then gave Abigail a questioning look.
Her cheeks blazed with heat. A date with a vampire? Her whole world had suddenly turned topsy-turvy.
Her dad gestured to one of the Secret Service men. “Charles will drive you back now.”
“Thank you, but no. It’s not necessary.” Gregori took hold of Mr. Whelan’s arm and glanced at the dog bag on the coffee table.
Dolly opened her eyes and sat up.
Abigail stiffened and stared at Gregori. “You—”
“We can talk tomorrow,” he interrupted.
Before she could respond, he vanished, taking Mr. Whelan with him.
Chapter Nine
Gregori landed close to the side entrance to Romatech. He swore silently as he dug his ID card out of his wallet. Of all the stupid things—nowhere in his strategy plans had he counted on being a damned babysitter. He swiped his ID card while Sean Whelan pivoted in a circle.
“What the hell are we doing here?” Sean demanded.
Gregori opened the door. “After you.”
“We need to go to the safe house. Take me there now.”
“No.” Gregori strode down the hall. How the hell had this mess happened? As far as he could tell, the fate of Vamps around the world now depended on how well he could babysit the president’s daughters.
“You can’t tell me no.” Sean followed him. “I’m in charge of this operation.”
Down the hall, the door to the MacKay security office opened, and Angus and Emma MacKay stepped out.
“Did ye finish yer meeting with the president?” Angus asked.
Before Gregori could answer, Sean lunged in front of him, jabbing a thumb toward him. “This idiot’s not doing as he’s told. He was supposed to take us to the safe house.”
Gregori glared at Sean. “Who’s the idiot? You had the Secret Service pick us up there. I don’t consider it safe.”
“Of course it’s safe,” Sean insisted. “The president just made an alliance with us.”
“Och, that’s good news,” Angus said.
Emma smiled. “Well done, guys.”
Gregori shrugged. “I wouldn’t bank on it yet.” He still had to take the daughters out dancing. And keep them happy, or he and his friends were screwed.
“That’s why we should stay in D.C.,” Sean said. “We need to be close by for further negotiations.”
Gregori shook his head. “We’ll just teleport.”
Sean gritted his teeth. “I can’t teleport.”
“Learn how.”
“I can’t!” Sean ran a hand over his buzz cut hair. “Don’t you see the bind I’m in? I have to keep acting like I’m human. If they find out the truth about me, they’ll fire me and I’ll lose their trust.”