The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo(15)

On the lab monitor, Abby rose to her feet. "All this talk about pea soup is making me hungry." She nudged Leah. "Why don't we head to the cafeteria for some supper?"

"Okay." Leah stood. "I could use a break."

Laszlo eased to his feet, a hopeful look on his face as he twisted a button.

"We'll be back in about thirty minutes," Abby told him as she strolled toward the door.

"Bye." Leah left with Abby.

Ping. Laszlo's button popped off.

"Damn, Laszlo," Gregori muttered. "You missed your chance." He adjusted his tie. "Well, I need to get to work. Though I might stop by the cafeteria for a few minutes." He grinned.

"I'll come with you," Dougal said. He wasn't going to miss his chance. When Gregori gave him a questioning look, he added, "I need to make the rounds."

"I just did that." Freemont stuffed half a donut in his mouth.

Dougal's jaw shifted. "I need to set up an appointment with Abby."

"Oh, right." Gregori slapped him on the back. "Well, let's go."

As Dougal marched toward the cafeteria, he resolved to impress Leah and win her heart. According to Gregori it was simple. He only had to be charming and make her laugh.

His prosthetic hand clenched. He was doomed.                       
       
           



       Chapter Eight





Leah was drizzling more dressing onto her grilled chicken salad when Abby looked toward the cafeteria door and grinned.

"Gregori's here!" Abby set down her soup spoon and jumped to her feet.

"Hi, sweetheart." Gregori hugged her, then motioned to her bowl of potato soup. "Don't let me stop you. You're eating for two now."

Leah concentrated on her salad to give the two lovebirds some privacy.

"I missed you," Abby whispered.

"I missed you more." Gregori nuzzled her neck. "I woke up from my death-sleep, and you were gone."

So the Vamps called it death-sleep? Leah took a big bite of salad. Was Dougal awake now, too?

Abby swatted her husband's shoulder. "I told you I was coming to work early and bringing Leah."

Gregori seemed to notice her for the first time. "How are you today, Leah?"

"Fine," she mumbled, her mouth full of lettuce.

"Oh." Abby glanced toward the door. "I didn't see you there, Dougal."

Leah stiffened. He was alive! She gulped down her food, then swallowed some water, her eyes watering. She peered over her shoulder and saw him coming toward them. Alive. And as handsome as ever.

She turned back, focusing on her salad.

"I think I need more food," Abby said. "I'm going through the line again."

"I'll go with you." Gregori accompanied her.

Leah pushed her salad around with her plastic fork. He was still behind her, staring at her, she could feel it. His presence seemed to engulf the room.

"Good evening," he said in a deep, lilting voice that caused a delicious little shiver to run down her back.

"Hi." She looked up as he moved to stand beside her.

He leaned forward, his nostrils flaring, then he straightened, his mouth curling into a slight smile. "How are you?"

"Fine." She paused. "How are you?"

"Well, thank you."

She fiddled with her plastic fork. If only she could come up with something brilliant to say. Would he want to hear about the research she did for her doctorate degree? Probably not. "Would you like something to eat?"

"I had a bottle when I wakened at sunset."

"Right." He doesn't eat, dummy. She slapped herself mentally. Her gaze drifted to the window, where she could see the basketball court outside and the game still in progress. "I recognize Angus, Roman, and Tino, but who is the man they're playing with?"

Dougal glanced at the window. "That's Carlos. He's a were-panther."

"Another killer cat?"

"We could give him a CAT scan to be sure."

She winced.

With a sigh, he shifted his weight. "I doona have the gift of blarney."

Did he feel socially awkward, too? "I was never good at meaningless chatter, either," she muttered.

Time stretched out as he eyed her intently. What on earth was he thinking? She filled the awkward pause by taking a bite of her salad.

"Then perhaps we should say something meaningful," he said softly.

She swallowed her salad without tasting it. "Meaningless is safe."

"If ye wanted safety, ye would have run away." He sat in the chair beside her. "Why did ye decide to stay?"

"Many reasons." But mostly you. She sipped some water. "I have an opportunity to save lives. It would be cowardly of me to refuse that, don't you think?"

"Ye're a brave lass, to be sure."

Her heart swelled. Not only did he compliment her but he also did it in a way that sounded like sweet music. She picked up her plastic knife to saw on one of the grilled chicken strips. "Another reason-as a scientist, I'm naturally curious about this new world I've stumbled into."

"Curious enough to venture into the basement while I was sleeping?"

Her plastic knife snapped in two.

"It was you, aye?" He leaned an elbow on the table as he twisted to face her. "Ye unbuttoned my shirt."

She shrugged, feigning indifference in spite of her pounding heart. "Any number of people could have gone downstairs."

"I recognize yer scent of jasmine. 'Tis verra nice."

Busted. Her cheeks grew warm. "Fine. I went to check on you. I was concerned. I am your doctor now, you know."

His mouth twitched. "So ye had a medical reason to see my chest?"

She huffed. "I wanted to see if you had a heartbeat. You didn't. I have no idea how you can be dead for hours and then magically resuscitate yourself just because the sun went down."

" 'Tis the way it is."

"It doesn't make sense."

His eyes softened and he leaned close to her. "Does everything have to make sense?"

Her skin chilled with goose bumps. No, it made no sense that she was so drawn to him.

"I'd like to spend some time with you so we can get to know each other."

He wanted to date? How could she date a vampire? It was impossible, even if a small part of her was thrilled. "I-I don't think it's wise to date anyone where I work."

He looked away, frowning, then turned back to her. " 'Tis business. Right now, ye're surrounded by vampires ye doona trust. And ye canna trust us until ye know us better. So getting to know me will help you work more efficiently."

Did he expect her to buy that leap in logic? Still, it was sweet that he was trying so hard.

His gaze lowered to her mouth, then returned to her eyes.

She swallowed hard. Was he thinking about kissing her?

"Will ye give me a chance?" he whispered. "I've waited so long for you."

Her heart lurched.

"We're back," Abby announced as she plunked down a plate filled with fried chicken strips and French fries.

Dougal straightened and looked out the window.

Leah took a deep breath. I've waited so long for you. Did that mean he thought they were somehow fated to be together? Her heart thundered in her ears. How could she have a future with him?

Abby sat at the table. "I don't usually eat like this, but I'm so hungry." She bit into a chicken strip.

Gregori sat beside her, his gaze focused on Leah and Dougal. "So what's up? You two were deep in conversation."

"It was nothing." Leah took a sip of water.

"She was explaining why she decided to stay," Dougal said.

"Ah." Gregori gave her a charming smile. "How could you resist us? We're so utterly fascinating."

Abby snorted. "And modest."

Leah smiled. "I guess it's not surprising that I would end up in a strange world. The other kids in college always said I was strange. ‘Dr. Freakazoid' they called me."

Beside her, Dougal stiffened.

Abby winced. "That was mean."

Leah groaned inwardly. What had possessed her to confess that? It was all Dougal's fault. He'd completely unnerved her, and now she was babbling like a fool. "To be honest, I was kinda strange. I was fourteen when I started college."

Gregori leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "Since you were so young, they should have been nicer to you, not meaner."

"Aye," Dougal said quietly. "If ye give me their names, I'll track them down-"

"Doon?" Leah looked at him. Why did he have to sound so adorable?

"Aye, doon," Dougal muttered. "They deserve to have their heads knocked together. And as head of security here, it is my duty to protect you."

"Retroactively?"

His eyes flashed an intense green. "Anytime, anywhere."

Another wave of goose bumps prickled her arms as if he'd reached out to caress her. "It was a long time ago. I'm over it."

"Are you?"

No. For the entire twenty-three years of her life, she'd felt like she was alone in the world without any friends. Alone in a world where she didn't fit.

So how old was Dougal? Did he have centuries of pain that he carried around on those broad shoulders? I've waited so long for you. Did he crave a comforting touch as much as she did?