Vampire Trouble (10 page)

The five members of Horace's pack instantly rose to their feet, and Shane could feel the growls that reverberated in their chests. The sound sent his sonar-like senses off the charts, and though no human could hear it, it sounded to him like freight trains rumbling through the club. Maya must have heard it too, because she looked at the wolves with some of that healthy fear Shane was hoping to see.

“Excuse me, gentlemen.” Shane kept his voice even, his hands at his sides, and his eyes on Horace. “I need to speak with Maya for a moment.”

“She's busy,” Horace said, leering. He tugged Maya closer and squeezed her backside. “I'm just getting started with this one.”

Shane let his fangs erupt, not caring if a human saw. Just when he thought he'd lose all self-control and start a bloodbath in the middle of the club, Maya's sweet voice swept between them.

“Now, now,” she sang. Maya placed one hand on Shane's shoulder and reached around with the other to grasp Horace's hand and pull it gently but insistently off her butt. “I'm flattered by all this male posturing, but let's not make a big scene in front of all these nice humans.”

“I would never argue with a lady.” Shane retracted his fangs and glanced at Maya. “I do need to speak with her privately, if you
gentlemen
don't mind.”

Bullshit.
Maya's lilting laugh filled his head.
I
feel
like
all
you
do
is
argue
with
me.

“Don't keep her away too long.” Raising Maya's hand to his lips, Horace kept his gaze locked with Shane and kissed her fingers. “I have a feeling this one is special.”

Seconds later, a bevy of half-naked dancers showed up at the table, obviously sent there by Rat, and each one draped herself over a pack member. Two women, one vamp and one of the human familiars, pushed Maya aside and crawled into Horace's lap. With the girls distracting Horace and his gang, Maya grabbed Shane by the hand and pulled him to the back of the club. She pushed open the door that said “Dancers Only,” and without a word, she dragged him through the girls' dressing room and out another door that led them into a dark, narrow hallway.

There was barely enough space for the two of them to stand side by side, and the only light was from the bright-red exit sign above the door to the alley. Shane couldn't help but notice it cast a glow over Maya, making her hair look like it was on fire. In that tiny, red leather dress and with the tinges of fire in her hair, she looked like the little devil that she was.

“Are you crazy?” Maya asked with her hands on her hips.

“I was going to ask you the same question.”

“Me?” Maya scoffed. “I'm just doing my job.”

Shane leaned closer so that their faces were only a few inches apart. “So am I.”

“No, you're not.” She poked him in the chest with one finger and met his challenge. “You practically started a big, fat fight with Horace in the middle of the bar, which is not like you. You're acting like some kind of overprotective boyfriend or something.”

Shane's mouth set in a grim line and shame washed over him because Maya was right. He showed a remarkable lack of self-control and almost broke the truce with the wolves. His gaze skittered over Maya's face and he realized how much trouble he was actually in. This woman had managed to turn his entire existence upside down, and for the first time in centuries, Shane was unsure of himself.

“He should not have touched you like that.” Shane's voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone.

“Oh please, it's not the first time some guy in the bar has grabbed my ass, and in case you suffer from short-term memory loss,” she said in a quivering voice, “I've had worse.” Her chin jutted forward defiantly. “I can handle myself now. I'm not some stupid, sniveling human girl who doesn't know any better.”

“I have no doubt of that.” Shane placed both hands on the wall, one on either side of Maya, caging her in. “But I can assure you that no man, vampire or human, will be touching you that way ever again.” He inched closer, his lips a breath away from hers. “Except for me. Whether you are willing to acknowledge it or not, I'm your bloodmate, Maya, and the meaning of that goes far beyond ‘boyfriend.'”

“I'm well aware of what that would mean, Shane.” Her voice shook, but her expression remained resolute. “It means you own me for the rest of my immortal existence.”

Shane blinked as though she'd slapped him in the face.

“Is that what you think?” he whispered. “No, youngling. That is nowhere near what it means to be bloodmates.”

“Then what does it mean?” Maya folded her arms over her breasts defensively.

“This.” Shane placed a gentle kiss at the corner of her mouth. “And this,” he murmured, brushing his lips over hers briefly. He remained there, his lips achingly close to hers, and the need to touch her clawed at his gut with brutal insistence. “My one priority for the rest of my existence will be to see to your happiness…and
pleasure
.”

“I don't know which end is up with you,” Maya whispered. Desire bloomed between them. Maya's lips parted and her hands slipped inside his jacket, settling on his waist. “One minute I want to slap you…and the next…” Maya tugged his hips against hers and moaned softly when his growing erection pressed enticingly against her. “I can't get close enough.”

“I am familiar with the feeling, and all I can think about is the taste of you—”

“Shane?” she murmured against his lips, her blue eyes glazed with desire. “Stop talking.”

“Gladly,” he growled before covering her mouth with his.

Shane dove deep, tasting and teasing her tongue with his as though he'd never get enough. Her lips melded with his and a fire burned in his gut, shattering his restraint. Kissing her deeply, he reached down and grabbed her firm, round ass with both hands, pressing her to him, but it simply wasn't sufficient. She fumbled with his shirt and pulled it from the waist of his jeans before raking her fingers along the bare skin of his lower back.

She smiled against his mouth when he growled with pleasure. Her flesh brushed over his exquisitely while he blazed a trail of kisses down her long, lovely throat. It didn't matter that someone might walk in and see the two of them together. All he cared about was getting closer and tasting every beautiful inch of her porcelain skin.

He nudged the heavy pendant out of the way before pulling down the top of her dress to reveal her full breasts. Cupping one soft mound in his hand, he bent his head and flicked her nipple with his tongue. Maya wrapped one leg around him, writhing against him as she threaded her fingers through his hair and held him to her, urging him on.

“Never stop touching me that way,” Maya rasped.

His fangs hummed, begging to be freed so they could pierce that perfect flesh and taste her, but Maya tugged his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. He let her take the lead, allowing her full control in teasing and suckling his tongue. She slowed the pace and kissed him with long, languid strokes before finally suckling his lower lip and breaking the kiss.

A knock at the door made them both freeze. Shane blinked. What the hell was he doing mauling Maya in the back hall of a strip club with a pack of werewolves out there? He'd lost his damn mind.

“Whatever you two are doing in there, finish it up, would ya?” Rat shouted. “I've got a pack of wolves out here that are requesting Maya serve their drinks, and they won't buy another one unless she brings it to them.”

Shane opened his mouth to respond, but Maya pressed her finger to his lips and shook her head.

“I'll be right out, Rat.”

Shane kissed her finger before brushing her lips gently with his. Helping her put her top back in place, he fought the urge to take it off again. She giggled and playfully pushed his hands away so she could do it herself, and though he'd enjoyed removing the garment, it was almost as sexy to watch her put it back on.

“Tuck in your shirt and keep your hands to yourself, mister.”

“As you wish for now, but I make no promises about later.” Shane made quick work of putting himself back together, but he was relatively certain his raging hard-on would need time to die down. “We wouldn't want to keep Horace waiting, now would we?”

Maya rolled her eyes and pushed past him, but Shane took her hand in his, stopping her before she opened the door. She glanced over her shoulder, her blond hair flowing in silken waves down her back, and met his stern stare with her own.

“Watch yourself, Maya.” He squeezed her hand. “Horace is not a wolf you want to toy with. He's aggressive, and according to Olivia, he came here without his father's blessing. I suspect he's here to cause trouble. I can't imagine you want to be a part of that.”

“You sure know how to ruin a moment, don't you?”

“I have your best interests in mind.” His jaw set. “But I also have a job to do.”

“You know what? I changed my mind.” Maya pulled her hand from his. “I don't need a babysitter or a bodyguard.”

Then without another word, she disappeared through the door. Shane swore under his breath and followed her into the club. He took a seat at the bar this time and spent the next three hours watching Maya flit back and forth between the bar and the wolves. To her credit, she managed to stay out of Horace's reach, but no matter where she went, that wolf had his dark, shifty gaze glued to her. Every warning bell Shane had was going off in his head. Whatever Horace's plans were, he clearly wanted Maya to be a part of them.

Maya couldn't believe how quickly her first night of work at The Dollhouse went, and while she was cleaning up behind the bar, a smile played at her lips. Even with Shane lurking in the club all night doing his broody, staring thing, Maya felt freer than she had in a long time. She got on well with the other girls at The Dollhouse, and Rat let her do her thing behind the bar.

All in all, aside from the one tense moment when Shane overreacted, it was a good night.

I
will
escort
you
home
when
you
are
finished.
Maya's breasts tingled the instant Shane's deep, seductive voice touched her mind, and the unexpected contact almost made her trip over her own feet. It was intimate, erotic, and oddly familiar to have him speak with her like this, but at the same time, the sudden inability to hear her siblings was unsettling. Her world was changing at a breakneck pace, which made her feel unsteady and unsure and gave her an overall feeling of unease.
The
sun
will
rise
in
just
a
couple
of
hours,
but
we
could
fly
for
a
while, if you'd like.

Maya shut her mind without responding and her smile faded. So much for feeling like she had freedom. Snagging a wet rag from the bar sink, she started wiping down her work area and glanced up to see Horace give her a wave. She smiled back and studied him for a moment before looking away. He was handsome—not in the tall, dark, and sexy way that Shane was but in a ruggedly handsome way. There was a wildness about him that she found appealing, and after that one grab-ass moment at the start of the night, he'd been a perfect gentleman.

Maya was wondering what all the fuss was about.

All of the men in his pack behaved while they were at the club. They might have been a little loud, but they weren't acting like the crazy animals everyone warned her about. Horace was actually nice, and there was something about him and all the wolves that intrigued her. Maybe it was because she'd never met any before, but for whatever reason, she was drawn to them.

The rest of the club had cleared out, and the only customers who remained were the wolves. A few of the dancers were obviously leaving with them, and that girl Viola looked so excited, Maya thought she was going to bust. Smiling, Maya grabbed a couple of stray glasses and made quick work of cleaning them before slipping them back in the racks. When she looked up, she came face-to-face with Horace.

“It's about time for us to head out, beautiful.” Horace lit a cigarette, even though he wasn't supposed to smoke inside. His gaze wandered over her face and drifted down to her cleavage, lingering on that or her necklace, Maya wasn't sure which. He took a long drag, slipped the stainless-steel lighter back in the pocket of his blazer, and nodded toward his pack, who were all waiting by the door of the club. “I was hoping I could talk you into coming out with us for a little after-party back at our hotel. I promise I'll have you home before sunrise.”

Maya opened her mouth to tell him no, but before she could utter a sound, Shane appeared behind Horace and took it upon himself to answer for her.

“Maya will not be able to attend your…festivities.” When Shane shifted his gaze to Horace, he had to look down a bit because Horace was so much shorter. “Perhaps another time.”

“What are you, her brother?” Horace blew a huge puff of smoke directly into Shane's face, but the sentry didn't flinch.

“Definitely not, and I'm sure if I actually breathed, that smoke would bother me,” Shane said evenly, leveling a deadly glare at Horace. “However, your meaning is clear. I do hope you'll show better manners when you visit with the czars.”

“Yeah, I'll be sure to do that.” Horace took another drag. Waving over his shoulder at Maya, he started to leave. “I'm staying at the Plaza, and you can join us if your boy over here ever lets you off the leash.”

Leash? Like a fucking dog? Oh, hell no.

Shane was watching Horace walk away and clearly didn't notice the fury in Maya's face when she grabbed the bag with her clothing from under the bar. She should probably change before leaving, but she was so furious that all she wanted was get the hell out of there.

“I'd love to, Horace.” Maya flew across the room in a blur. She linked her arm in his as the front door of the club opened. “Bye, Shane. Tell Olivia I'll be back before sunrise.”

“Don't do this, Maya.” Shane's voice, cold and curt, filled the club.

“She made her choice, big guy.” Horace's eyes flickered to orange briefly and a growl rumbled through him that sent Maya's sonar-like senses into overdrive, almost making her nauseous. She stilled, thinking she'd made a huge mistake, but his eyes quickly went back to normal and he winked. “I'm all bark and no bite…unless you ask me real nice.”

The door swung shut behind them, and the last image she saw was a look of pure, unadulterated fury on Shane's face. Stepping out into the chilly air, Maya was filled with guilt, anger, and frustration. Sensing the change in her demeanor, Horace wrapped one arm around her in an almost protective gesture. Maya smiled at him and noticed that his body temperature was far warmer than any human she'd encountered—even more than someone with a fever—and he smelled different too.

All of the men in his pack had a distinctive scent, a combination of fresh earth and wood smoke. Their scents made her almost dizzy, and for some inexplicable reason, she simply had to go with them. She didn't particularly want to be with Horace, but something deep inside her gut pulled her toward him.

“After you,” Horace said with a sweeping gesture.

Maya looked up and saw a massive, white stretch limo waiting at the curb. All of the other couples had piled in, and the human limo driver stood patiently waiting by the open door. Maya looked from the closed door of the club to the limo and back to Horace. She nibbled her lower lip, knowing full well she should get her butt back to her apartment, but one of the other girls, a vamp named Ginger, leaned out the open door and waved.

“Come on, Maya. You've never partied until you partied with these boys. They're wild,” she shrieked just before Marcus, one of Horace's pack members, pulled her back into the limo.

“See,” Horace said. “You're perfectly safe with us.” He trailed one finger along her jaw, down her throat, and around the necklace. “We're just here to have some fun.”

The door to the club swung open and Shane stood in the doorway like the angel of death. If Maya didn't know better, she'd say he'd grown about a foot and a half. In the blink of an eye, Maya slid into the waiting limo, but Horace stopped in the doorway and faced Shane. He waved off the limo driver, who promptly went to get in the driver's seat.

“The lady made her decision, Quesada.”

The girls in the car giggled and clung to their dates, but the men kept their eyes on Maya. She gripped her bag tighter and peered out the door past Horace. Her stomach dropped when Shane's eyes met hers.

“Yeah,” Horace said on a laugh, “I know who you are. You're a sentry, one of the soldiers that do all the dirty work for the Presidium. So unless you want to break the nice little truce we have going between our races, I'd suggest you back the fuck up. I'd hate to have to tell the czars that you were picking a fight with the heir to the throne.”

“Heir? That's funny, I thought you were the spare,” Shane murmured, shifting his furious glare from Horace to Maya.

“I'm royalty, and
you
are the fucking help.”

Shane said nothing but took a step back. Maya didn't know whether to be relieved or annoyed.

“That's what I thought.” Horace flicked his cigarette butt into the gutter and slid into the seat next to Maya.

The limo door slammed shut just before the driver pulled away. Maya turned around to look out the window, but Shane was nowhere to be seen. Her gut clenched and tears stung at the back of her eyes because she knew that she'd hurt him. But when Horace implied that Shane had control of her, that he had her on a leash, she lost it. One thought nagged at her: Had she lost Shane in the process?

***

Maya leaned on the smooth granite counter of a lavish bathroom that was bigger than some entire NYC apartments. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she didn't like what she saw one bit. One of the human misconceptions about vamps was that they had no reflection, but that wasn't true. Nope. Maya could see her dumb blond self as clear as day.

How could she have been so stupid?

Once they arrived in the suite, which was one of the most gorgeous spaces Maya had ever seen, she quickly excused herself to go to the bathroom and change. At first she worried that Horace might try to stop her and keep her in the horribly tacky dress from the club, but he didn't. He continued to be a gentleman.

There had been no sign of Shane, and so far, he hadn't tried to telepath with her. Right after the limo pulled away, Maya opened her mind to him and found nothing but silence. Achingly sad silence filled Maya's head and made her long for one of Trixie's jabs about her bad taste in music or one of Suzie's silly newbie vampire questions. At this point, she'd even take a scolding I-told-you-so from Sadie.

She heard none of that. There was only silence because Shane, the one person whom Maya could now telepath with, wasn't speaking to her—and she couldn't blame him. Maya nibbled her lower lip and ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to smooth it as she thought about how upset Olivia was going to be when she heard Maya went with the wolves. However, no matter how angry Olivia got, it would be
nothing
compared to the hurt look on Shane's face when she went with Horace.

“What are you doing?” Maya whispered to her own reflection. She rolled her eyes and shook her head on a growl before answering her own question. “You're going home, you dumb ass.”

Grabbing the bag, she opened the bathroom door and was struck by the surprising lack of noise. There was no more chatter or giggling from the girls, and the only sound was the music coming from the sound system hooked up throughout the massive, three-bedroom suite. She reached out with her senses and could tell all three bedrooms were occupied—two of them with more than one couple. Closing her eyes, she sharpened her focus and captured the distinct scent of the wolves mixed with the pungent odor of sex—and blood.

The girls were feeding on the wolves, breaking one of the cardinal rules: no feeding on werewolves. Maya's eyes whipped open and she ran into the main living room of the suite. Panicked and dizzy from the strong, almost overpowering combination of scents, Maya felt her vision blur, and lights flickered behind her eyes. Her skin felt too small for her body and her necklace hung heavy and cumbersome around her neck, like a noose.

If she didn't know better, Maya would think she'd been drugged.

“Wh-what's happening to me?” she whispered. Stumbling, Maya grabbed the back of one of the living-room chairs for support. “I don't feel well… I need to go home.”

“You okay?” Horace's voice whisked around her in the air, and he encircled her bicep with his hot, sweaty hand. As Horace helped her to her feet, his face went in and out of focus, and she vaguely noticed him take the bag from her. “Come on, let's go out on the terrace and get you some fresh air.”

“But I don't breathe,” Maya said absently.

The terrace doors opened and the cold, New York City air hit her, instantly making her feel better. Squeezing her eyes shut, with Horace's hand still firmly around her arm, Maya focused on the sounds and scents in the air that were so distinctly part of the Big Apple.

Car exhaust. Human heartbeats fluttering like a swarm of butterflies. Hot dogs and pretzels. Blood.

Even when her head started to clear a bit, Maya couldn't rid herself of Horace's pungent, intriguing scent of burning wood. That same pulling sensation tugged at her gut and willed her closer to him. It wasn't desire, the way her body yearned for Shane's, but something else…something she couldn't quite decipher. Even though she didn't want him, her body was inexplicably drawn to his like a magnet.

Maya leaned on the railing of the terrace and gave Horace a weak smile. The tugging sensation throbbed in her belly, making her nauseous.

“Feeling better?” Horace asked. He linked his arm around her waist and tugged her against him. She could feel his growing erection pressing against her hip, and that feeling of panic began to bubble up again.

“Not really.” Maya laughed nervously. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned back, pushing him away while he tried to nuzzle her neck. “It looks like your party isn't happening and everyone went to sleep. Speaking of which, I have to get going.” Maya glanced at the glimmer of light on the horizon. The sun was beginning to rise, and her time was running out. “The sun will be up soon, and I'd really rather not use the tunnels to get back, so I should leave now.”

“They're not sleeping.” Horace's eyes glowed orange and he held her against him with surprising strength. “They're fucking. Which is exactly what I'd like to do with you.”

“No.” Maya shook her head and tried to extricate herself from his grasp. It should have been easy—she was, after all, a vampire—but to her horror, it wasn't. “Let me go.”

“Think you're stronger than me, little vamp? Not a chance,” he growled. In a flash, Horace's hand curled around her throat. “I guess your boyfriend didn't school you on our kind. We're even stronger than you bloodsuckers. So you're not going anywhere. You have something I want, and you're not leaving until I get it.”