Love at Stake (5 page)

His eyes darkened with displeasure. “Let me worry about such things.”

“Nope. Not interested in being the other woman.” She glanced up at him. “I’m not trying to pair you with werewolves or sirens. Show me the same respect.”

“How closed-minded of you.” His customary smile was back in place. “There’s a reason women seek out vampire lovers.”

She shivered at the unexpected longing his words produced. “Not this woman.”

“Not yet,” he said.

Abbey shot him an annoyed look and waved the file. “Be serious. Now, Janine requested this date so it shouldn’t be very hard to win her over. Even if you are being irreverent.”

He caught her wrist. “What if I don’t want to win her over?”

“Then you are wasting my time.”

He dropped her hand as if she’d burned him.

“You made me a bet,” she said, pressing her advantage. “If you don’t keep up your end of it, I’ll consider Fated Match the winner by default.”

Silence stretched and she almost regretted her words. The vampire watched her, displeasure clear on his face.

“As you wish,” he said. Lucian plucked the file from her lap and flipped it open.

Abbey focused on the city rushing by her window, telling herself she was glad he was putting the proper effort into his date. The disappointment weighing like a stone on her chest was best ignored.

Ten minutes later, they pulled up in front of Celeste’s. Abbey sprang from the car the moment it slowed.

“I’ll handle the introductions and then you’re on your own,” she told him as they walked up the steps. “You can call me tomorrow to let me know how it went.”

“You’re leaving?”

She blinked in surprise. “Did you expect me to sit by your side for the entire night?”

He smiled sardonically. “Of course not. However, I’d like to make a request.”

This was not going to end well for her, she just knew it. “What?”

“For the first thirty minutes of my date, you will wait at the bar. Have a drink.”

She looked at him in bewilderment. “Why would I do that?”

“If for some reason something goes wrong, I want my representative close at hand. After all, your job is to keep me happy, isn’t it?”

Damn vampire. “Thirty minutes,” she agreed with ill grace. “Then I’m out of here.”

His charming smile was back, the one he wore when he got her to agree to something he wanted. “Deal.”

Together they stepped into the elegant antechamber of Celeste’s. Abbey’s mouth watered as she smelled the tempting aromas wafting from the kitchen. This was a restaurant for the upper class. She wasn’t properly dressed to sit at the bar, never mind try the food. For a second she thought wistfully of the red Armani dress. A woman wearing that piece of clothing would fit in perfectly here.

But of course, that would never be her.

“Reservation for Redgrave,” Abbey said to the maître d’.

He paged through his reservation book. “Right this way, Ms. Redgrave.”

She startled, her heart skipping a beat. Before she could correct him, however, he was walking away.

“After you,” Lucian purred in her ear.

Head held high, she followed the maître d’ to their reserved table and the woman already seated there.

“Shall I bring another chair?” the maître d’ asked, clearly confused.

“No, I’m not staying.”

He smiled as if he’d just solved the puzzle of what a woman like her was doing with a man like Lucian. Abbey ground her teeth as the man left.

Do your job,
she chided herself. Turning her attention to Janine, she put on her most welcoming tone. “Miss Scott, may I present Mr. Lucian Redgrave?”

The succubus beauty rose to her feet with the same smooth grace Lucian commanded.
Was it a supernatural thing?
Abbey wondered with ill humor.

“Mr. Redgrave, this is a true pleasure.”

“Lucian, please,” he replied, bowing over her hand.

“Lucian,” the woman all but purred. “Then you must call me Janine. I’m sure we will be great friends before the night is through.”

Abbey fought the urge to roll her eyes. Sometimes the couples she introduced needed a little help breaking the ice but clearly that wasn’t necessary here.

“I’ll leave you two alone. Enjoy your evening and thank you for choosing Fated Match.” The words nearly stuck in her throat.

Lucian’s gaze left the beauty as Abbey turned to slip away.

“Thirty minutes,” he whispered for her ears only.

She glanced back to see her vampire pulling out the chair for Janine. Heading for the bar, she knew the thirty-minute request was nonsense. Anyone could see what a striking match Lucian and Janine made.

She chose a stool out of view of the dining room. “White wine,” she said to the bartender. “And charge it to Lucian Redgrave’s tab, please.”

If she had to be stuck here instead of at home in her comfy pj’s and fuzzy slippers, then Lucian could damn well buy her a drink.

Chapter Five

It had been centuries since he’d had a succubus.

Lucian twirled his wineglass as he listened to Janine’s anecdote about her colleagues. The woman was charming. She was poised, beautiful, and connected. From what he remembered, the sex was explosive with her kind. In short, she was everything he needed in a mate.

Except her straight black hair wasn’t a frizzy, bouncing ball of chaos, and her liquid lavender gaze wasn’t the cool green he longed to see.

Bloody mortal was messing with his head. She was supposed to be an amusing distraction, but she was accomplishing the task a little too thoroughly. He should be focused on the gorgeous creature before him and all he could think of was Abbey’s lips and how much he desired to feel them on his.

He smiled at Janine when she looked at him expectantly before launching into another tale. The woman could talk. Which was fine by him. He had far more interesting events to replay in his mind. Like how Abbey had melted into his arms when he’d almost kissed her last night.

Lucian bit back a growl of pleasure. She had been beautiful in his embrace, all fiery and alive. He could almost taste her pulse on his tongue. What would she taste like when he finally managed to drive his fangs into that slender throat?

He almost smiled, knowing he was getting ahead of himself. The woman was proving remarkably difficult to seduce. But perhaps that was part of her allure. No one had refused him in longer than he could remember. Women did not usually hold themselves back when he looked their way. And they certainly didn’t cite a dislike of his race as a reason to avoid him. Before his month was done, he would convince Abbey that vampires were not just excellent lovers but the best species of the supernatural world. She’d never refuse another of his kind again.

The thought didn’t bring him the pleasure it should have. He wanted her accepting of vampires, all right, but he’d rather she focus on just one. At least, until he’d had his fill of her.

Still, he had time. There was no need to rush such a delicious interlude. Anticipation would only sweeten her surrender.

“I’m not doing it for you, am I?”

Lucian mentally shook himself and refocused on the succubus. “Pardon?”

“You’ve glanced at your watch twice in the past three minutes.”

Had he? How unforgivably rude.

“My apologies,” he said. “I meant no disrespect.”

Janine took a sip of her wine. “Look, we’re both busy people. I have no desire to waste an evening if this isn’t going anywhere.”

“I appreciate your candor. Despite our matched rank, I don’t believe we would make a good pair.”

“Why not?” There was no accusation in her voice, only mild curiosity.

Because I’m daydreaming about a mortal when I have a sex goddess sitting in front of me.
When he thought of it like that, Lucian almost winced. Perhaps he should rush Abbey a bit more. Once she was out of his system, he’d be able to focus on this mate search. Not that he expected much to come from it. He’d spent centuries looking for his mate, and Claudette was the closest he’d ever gotten. Abbey, for all her charms, wouldn’t be able to come up with a woman who topped his former lover. Not in a few weeks. And then Melissa would see what a waste of time this agency really was.

“Is it someone else?” Janine asked.

Yes.
“No.”

Her lips tightened as if she were fighting back a smile.

“There are several factors. Given our careers, I very much doubt we’d even find time to see each other, let alone develop a mate bond.”

“True. Perhaps we’re not going to last forever.” Her suggestive gaze roamed down his body. “Doesn’t mean we can’t last the night.”

The offer would tempt any man but he found himself shaking his head.

“Not someone else, hmm?” she purred. “Right.”

“Again, my apologies, but I must decline your generous offer. Please, stay and have dinner on me.”

She reached for her menu. “FYI, I’m getting the most expensive thing I can find.”

He smiled sardonically. “I deserve it. Enjoy your evening.”

Janine reached out a hand to him, her new bracelet sparkling in the candlelight. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Lucian. I hope she’s worth it.”

He bit back a denial and mechanically kissed her hand. As he walked away from the table, he wondered what was wrong with him. If he’d written out a list of his desired qualities in a woman, Janine would have hit every one.

And Abbey would score a resounding zero.

Still, when he walked into the bar and saw her talking animatedly with the bartender, he couldn’t help but smile at her energy. So young. So human. Two things he’d never be again.

She turned around while he was studying her and saw him. Her green eyes widened and she sat a little straighter. His gaze immediately dropped to the generous breasts straining to break free from her simple blue work dress. Yes, he needed to get her in bed soon if he was ever going to think straight again.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded when he reached her side. “What happened to Janine?”

“It didn’t work out.”

“Why?”

Like hell he was going there. Instead he drew his fingers down her bare arm. Immediately her eyes grew dazed and her body relaxed into his touch.

“I’m glad you stayed,” he told her, realizing he truly meant the words.

“I was going to leave at thirty minutes on the dot but you arrived with five to spare.”

“About twenty-three minutes too long, then.”

Seeming to remember herself, Abbey leaned away and broke the connection between them. “I don’t understand. Janine was perfect.”

“Yes. Just not for me.”

Her green eyes blinked up at him and he wondered if he’d ever get tired of looking at them.

“If she didn’t make the cut, then just what sort of woman is perfect for you?”

A few days ago he would have said everything Abbey was not.

“Come,” he said instead. “Let’s get out of here. I’ll buy you another drink for your troubles.”

She glanced at her empty wineglass while chewing on her lower lip. “One drink,” she said. “But no funny business.”

He nodded, schooling his features to hide his amusement. “As you wish.”

Abbey hopped down from the stool, wobbling slightly on her heels before finding her balance. He took her arm in his as he escorted her from the restaurant.

They fell into an easy rhythm and Lucian found he liked looking down at the top of her curly head. She was the perfect size for him. Not too tall, and when he held her in his arms, her head nestled comfortably under his chin. How he’d like to pull her close right now, press his body against her far softer one. His cock jumped in agreement. Hell. He’d stared down a blatant offer of sex from a succubus, but a few daydreams about Abbey had him hard as iron.

“There’s a bar a few blocks down,” she said. “We can grab a drink before I catch a cab.”

His instinct was to insist on seeing her home but Melissa had filled his ears with rules for dating modern women. Things were so much simpler back when he could just abduct a maiden from a tower.

The thought of abducting Abbey made his fangs ache. To spirit her away to his home and bend her over his bed, tie her to him with chains of pleasure so intense she’d never want to leave…oh, yes. There was definitely something to be said for the old ways.

“Here it is.”

He grimaced when he noticed the place she’d chosen. Loud music assaulted the night and he spotted pool tables behind the bar. Abbey walked in without hesitation.

He eyed the bar, thinking of the soft classical music and perfectly placed silverware he’d left behind at Celeste’s. A small smile curved his lips. Looked like they really were from different worlds.

Following her lead, he stepped into the tavern and followed her to a booth.

“A pint,” she was telling the waiter. “Whatever’s good on tap.”

“Wine,” Lucian added as he slid into the booth. “Red.”

The waiter disappeared while Lucian examined his surroundings. Brash orange-and-red painted walls were littered with crookedly framed pictures from around the world. Mortals joked by the bar, slapping each other on the back. One of the waitresses wiped down an empty table with a dirty rag, crumbs tumbling to the floor. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in a place like this.

“Not your sort of bar, huh?” she asked, reading his mind.

“No.”

She leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin in one raised palm. “So tell me why the succubus didn’t work. I’ll put notes in your file tomorrow and see if I can’t tweak your future dates.”

“You brought me here to discuss work?”

She said nothing for a moment before nodding resolutely. “Work. Only work.”

If that’s how she wanted to play it. He leaned closer as well, invading her space. “All right. Shall I tell you why your agency is going to fail?”

Fire lit her eyes. “Please.” There was nothing pleasant about her smile.

“Because you don’t understand the mating bond. How could you? You’re so—”

“Human,” she spat. “And a creature as inferior as me couldn’t begin to comprehend such a deep and abiding devotion, right?”

“Actually, I was going to say so young.”

Lucian watched avidly as color blossomed on her cheeks. Abbey would never be able to hide her emotions. They splashed across her face, as bright and vibrant as she was. Other women might blush delicately, but Abbey’s whole face turned pink all the way to the tips of her ears. He eyed her high neckline and wondered if that lovely flush continued even lower. No, Abbey was not a delicate woman. Not poised or controlled.

And he found he rather liked it.

“Not so young. Just a few years shy of thirty.”

He snorted. “I cannot even remember what it was like to be such a child.”

Her eyes narrowed in warning. “All right, old man, I’ll try to find you more mature women.”

“Not my point.”

“Then what was?”

Lucian reached out to claim her hand. He pulled it to him, tracing invisible patterns in her palm. “When the world is so new, you see all the possibilities. Everything is attainable and you rush forward to meet it.”

“So?” She sounded a little breathy.

“After all the years I’ve lived, I see time differently. My mate is out there, but I have no expectations of finding her in a handful of weeks. If I find her in two centuries, that will be a miracle.”

“But,” she swallowed and tried again. “Sometimes the bond is immediate, sure. Other times it grows slowly. What if you pass your mate by and never realize it? Janine could have been the one but you didn’t give her more than twenty minutes of your time.”

“Trying to convince me to date another woman when I’m sitting here with you?” he asked.

She dropped her gaze to their entwined hands. “I just meant you shouldn’t be so quick to judge.”

“She wasn’t the one.”

“You don’t know that.”

He smiled at her stubborn belief. “There was no spark, no connection. A mate bond isn’t just about attraction. It is…” He stopped, unsure of how to describe such a supernatural occurrence to a human.

“It’s a soul-deep connection,” she said. “It’s finding someone who is your equal, your match. Someone who excites you every day for eternity. The one person in the world you can’t live without. A mate is your support, your home. They are a lover, friend, helpmate, and confidant. Finding your mate is like finding the piece of yourself you always knew was missing but couldn’t do anything about.”

His fingers stilled against hers. How? She was mortal. How did she understand so perfectly what a vampire’s mate meant to one of his kind?

“I’ve surprised you.”

“No human I’ve ever met truly understood what our mates mean to us.”

She drew back and he mourned the loss of her touch. “It always comes back to being human,” she said in disgust. “All you supernatural people run around thinking we can’t possibly understand the things you do. That we’re too inferior. But just because we’re human doesn’t mean we’re not looking for the exact same thing. If I ever find that man, I’ll marry him in a heartbeat.”

Lucky man
, he thought despite himself.

Their drinks arrived before he could reply. Abbey took a healthy gulp of her beer before staring mutinously into its amber depths.

“Look,” she said to her beer. “Just tell me what you’re searching for and I’ll do my best to find it.”

“It would take far more than a month to find my mate.”

“Then give us more time. Our standard contracts offer one-, five-, and ten-year commitments. Sign up for a century and you’ll receive a sizable discount.”

He shook his head. “I just need to prove my point to Melissa.”

Abbey looked up at him then. “Why are you so determined to keep her away from Fated Match?”

“She’s still a child.”

“A hundred-plus-years-old child.”

“Still young by our terms,” he argued.

Abbey ran a finger along the rim of her glass. “You’re very protective of her.”

“She’s mine.”

He could almost see the train of thought running through her mind. When she spoke, he was prepared for her question.

“Why did you turn her?”

The words grated despite his prediction. “Vampires do not like to talk about turning. It is a very private process.”

She blushed again. “Sorry.”

Silence descended. Though it went against all his instincts to talk about Melissa’s transformation, he regretted snapping at Abbey. Humans didn’t know any better. He shouldn’t—

“How’d you get turned?”

A growl escaped his throat. Did the woman have no tact?

“If I understand you better, I can find more suitable candidates to introduce you to,” she said with an overly innocent smile.

If she was so determined to make him uncomfortable, two could play that game. He leaned closer so his words wouldn’t be overheard.

“If you want me to expose my deepest secrets to you, darling, then I demand quid pro quo. Strip away your defenses. Allow me to run my lips over your naked body and I promise to tell you whatever you want to know.”

…

Her swift inhale seemed to gratify him. Abbey pushed herself as far away from him as the booth would allow. She knew her cheeks were burning, but there was nothing she could do about it. And nowhere she could go to escape the dark satisfaction in his eyes.