“And I don’t.” The gang leader glared at Chase. “What does it take to get you in a fighting mood? Touching your little slut here?”
“No,” Della snapped, not fond of being called a slut or being used as bait, but more furious at being seen as someone who couldn’t fight her own battles. “That would put me in a fighting mood. Then you’d be embarrassed at having your ass whooped by a girl.” She let her fangs down and glared at the hand he held out.
“No trouble, Luis!” the bartender called out. “That’s our deal. You still haven’t paid for the last tussle your guys started in here.”
The jerk shot the bartender a third-finger salute, then focused back on Chase. “I see why you like this chick. Spunk and not a bad looker either.”
“Do we have a deal or not?” Chase seethed, no longer playing nice. “Bring the guy in for a chat and we’ll take it outside so the bartender won’t have an issue.”
“We’ll see,” he said. “I’ll make a few calls and see if my new member is interested in coming to see a lost love.” Luis, obviously that was his name, looked back at Della. “But you know, considering he was freshly turned, there’s a good chance he won’t even remember you. Now wouldn’t that just break your little heart?”
“I’m hoping that’s not the case.” Della tried to keep the venom from her voice.
Three minutes after he left, Chase went back to talking about traveling. He stopped when Della’s phone dinged with a new text. She looked at it, hoping it wasn’t from Steve again. It wasn’t.
Get out of the bar! Now! Burnett wrote.
She passed her phone to Chase.
He didn’t look happy, but when she got up, he followed. From the corner of her eye, she saw the agents watching. What the hell was going on?
“What about our plans?” called Luis from the bar.
“We’ll be right back,” Chase said. “Just going to drain the lizard.”
“Is she gonna hold it for you?” someone in the crowd asked. Laughter exploded.
Della sent the crowd her own third-finger salute.
They walked out into the dark night. Chase darted around the back of the building to the edge of the woods. He raised his nose in the air, checking for any nearby company.
He must have found it clear, because he asked, “What the hell is this all about?”
“Don’t know,” Della said. “But Burnett always has his reasons.”
“He can’t send us in to do a job and then pull us!”
“He just did,” she said. “And—”
Chase pressed two fingers over her lips and nodded to the woods, pulling her closer to the building, away from the moon’s glow.
Della tried to catch a scent, but couldn’t. But when she tuned her hearing, she heard voices. Close voices. And they were coming from two different directions. There was no place to hide. They could run, but it might be too late.
She saw a group of four guys walking from the line of trees on her left. Another two came from the right. They had their faces held up, as if they’d already picked up on their scents. Yup, it was too late. And if they were with the gang, it could mean trouble. Della’s only idea was to look inconspicuous. And the only way to make it appear believable was to …
She swung around, wrapped her arms around Chase, and kissed him. Hard and heavy. His lips felt cold, but soft and moist. He tasted like mint, as if he’d only recently brushed his teeth. And something about that taste had her almost forgetting why she started this.
If there was any hesitation on his part, it lasted a fraction of a second. His arms wrapped around her, the palm of his hands landing at the curves of her waist, then slipping to her back. In his embrace, and somehow entranced, he turned her so his back would be facing the oncoming vamps.
Della heard laughter and one of the guys said, “Those whores are always busy.”
Fury filled her heart but quickly faded as sweet hot desire spread to her belly. She realized her hands were on his chest; the feel of his hard body had her heart picking up pace. Chase’s hands glided up and down her ribs, softly caressing the sides of her br**sts. Then his thumb brushed across her taut nipple. She almost moaned. And she was certain she heard a soft murmur from deep in his chest.
It was all an act, she told herself, but her body responded to his touch and to every delicious inch of his firmness so close to hers.
Stop it. Stop it! she told herself, and tried to fight the passion swelling inside her.
With what little brain cells she owned that weren’t drunk the kiss, she listened to the footfalls as the group of vamps walked away. They were just past the building when Chase ended the kiss. His gaze met hers, and she saw the heat in his bright eyes. Bright from danger, or from their kiss, she didn’t know. Then, breathless, he uttered, “Wow.”
Okay, so it was probably the kiss.
Another voice sounded in the distance, and without a word he gripped her hand and lit out in a dead run. Pulling her beside him. She had no warning when his feet rose and he went into full flight, taking her with him.
Not that soles of her boots missed the ground; she felt as if she’d been floating since his mouth had found hers. Finally the sense of danger built and the passion, as great as it had been, got swept away with the wind. And her first thought was how bad an idea that kiss had been.
They weren’t past the first line of trees when she heard someone call out, “Where the hell did they go?” She recognized the gang leader’s voice.
And he was too close.
Chase moved faster, still holding her hand. She tried to keep up, tried to pull her own weight, but she simply wasn’t that fast. She heard the distinct sound of the vampires behind them.
Chase darted in and out of the trees as if to lose their scents. She still heard voices in the distance. The next thing she knew, Chase swung her around in his arms, holding her against him, and flew like the wind. The trees became a blur. She was no longer sure what was sky or terrain. Up, down, over this, under that, he moved faster than she’d known possible.
Her skin stung as they cut through the air. She had to bury her face in his chest to keep her eyes from burning.
She might not be able to pick up any traces, but this close, held against him, she could smell him again. The same spicy scent of male soap and the natural aroma of male skin that had surrounded her when they kissed was again filling her senses and messing with her head. Fresh. Clean. Wonderful. He had to have showered shortly before coming here.