The double-entendre was so bald, I was glad Bones had put me through that dirty-talk test or I'd have blushed right then. Instead, I raised a brow in perfect imitation of his trademark.

"And you are, my p.u.s.s.y-loving new friend?" Kudos to me, not a hint of a flush.

"Roberto. Cat, I must say, you look far too young to be gracing such a place."

I leaned forward conspiratorially, opening my dress to spectacular proportions. "Can you keep a secret? I'm not really twenty- one. Actually, I'm nineteen. My friend loaned me her ID, we look kind of alike. You won't tell, will you?"

From his expression, he was downright delighted. "But of course I will keep your secret, sweet one. Is your friend with you night?"

The question sounded innocent, but I knew what it meant. Will anyone miss you if you leave?

"No. She was supposed to meet me, but she hasn't shown up yet. Maybe she met someone, you know how it is. You just forget everything else around you." He covered my hand with his and I almost gasped. Ten more points for Bones. Sergio's power nearly crawled up my arm. None of the other vampires but one had felt like this, and look where he'd gotten me.

"I know what you mean," he said, squeezing my hand.

I smiled seductively and squeezed back. "I think I do, too."

Less than thirty minutes later we were out the door. I made sure to drink multiple gin and tonics beforehand, so there was valid reason for me to be staggering in his eyes. Sergio kept up a steady stream of innuendo about p.u.s.s.ies, cream, and licking that would have shocked me into bolting if it hadn't been for Bones. d.a.m.n him, but it was turning out he'd come in handy.

Sergio drove a Mercedes. Never having been in one before, I kept up a line of suggestive compliments about how I loved the interior. Especially the backseat. So roomy.

"This leather feels wonderful," I purred, rubbing my cheek against the cushion of the pa.s.senger seat. "That's why I wear the gloves and boots. Love the way it rubs against my skin."

The tops of my b.r.e.a.s.t.s were straining against my push-up bra. Sergio grinned, showing a crooked front tooth he'd managed to conceal at the bar.

"Stop doing that, little p.u.s.s.ycat, or I won't be able to drive. How about we go to my place instead of that club I told you about?"

Warning. "No," I breathed, getting an angry look in return. Clearly he didn't expect to be disagreed with, but there was no way we were doing that. Thinking fast, I caressed his arm. "I don't want to wait that long. Pull off somewhere. Kitty needs a tongue bath." Ick, my mind protested, but as incentive I rubbed my hands across my stomach and down to skim my outer thighs.

He bought it, hook, line, and sinker. Too well.

Sergio kept one hand on the steering wheel and reached over to run his other hand along my leg. It climbed higher up my thigh and toward his goal with relentless determination. As instructed, I wasn't wearing any underwear. The thought of his fingers touching me there sent a wave of revulsion through me. Quickly, I grabbed his hand and stuck it in my cleavage instead. Better there than the alternative.

"Not yet." Anxiety made me breathless. Hopefully he would think it was desire. "Pull off. Pull off now."

The sooner I had a stake in him, the better. His hand seemed happy where it was, but just in case, I unfastened my seat belt and climbed over the seat.

He gave me a surprised look. I wrapped my arms around him from behind, licking the side of his ear. Double ick. "I'm waiting, Roberto. Come and get me."

The car swerved to the shoulder of the road. d.a.m.n, we weren't even in the woods yet. I hoped someone wouldn't drive by while we were decapitating him. That would be hard to explain.

"I'm coming, p.u.s.s.ycat," Sergio promised, and then his teeth clamped on my wrist.

"Motherf.u.c.ker!"

The word flew out of my mouth in a yelp as he bit me savagely.

"You like this, p.u.s.s.ycat?" he snarled, sucking at the blood pouring from my forearm. "s.l.u.t. Wh.o.r.e."

Furious, I unsheathed my stake with my free hand and plunged it into his neck. "Didn't your mother tell you not to talk with your mouth full?" A howl escaped him and he let go of me to grab the stake. I yanked my arm out of his mouth, tearing it more, and went for my other stake.

In a flash, he was in the backseat. Sergio loomed over me, but I kicked out hard and scored a direct hit to his groin. Another pain-filled bellow shook the car.

"b.i.t.c.h! I'm going to rip out your throat and f.u.c.k your bleeding neck!"

Not wanting him to get anywhere near my neck, I brought my knees up as a barrier when he flung himself on me. With my boots so close, I managed to extract the other stake and then ram it in his back.

Sergio flew out of the car, smashing through the doorframe as though it were paper. I charged after him, needing to retrieve one of my weapons. A blow knocked me sideways as soon as I cleared the door. I rolled to avoid the kick aimed at my head and sprang to my feet.

Sergio lunged at me again-and then was yanked backward by the vampire who seemed to materialize behind him. Bones held him roughly, one hand on the stake in his neck, the other gripping the one in his back.

"About time," I muttered.

"Hallo, Sergio!" Bones said cheerfully, giving a vicious jerk to the stake in Sergio's neck.

There were a few sickening gurgles before Sergio spoke. "Filthy b.a.s.t.a.r.d, how'd you find me?"

It amazed me he could talk at all with half his throat laid open. Bones tightened his hold on the stake in Sergio's back next, digging it deeper until it must have been grazing the other vampire's heart.

"I see you've met my friend. Isn't she just wonderful?"

Blood was running in rivulets down my arm. I ripped off one of my sleeves and wrapped it around the wound, which throbbed in accordance with my pulse. Even with that, I managed to get a grim satisfaction out of the look on Sergio's face when his eyes swung back to me.

"You. Set me up." Incredulity filled his voice.

"That's right, p.u.s.s.ycat. Guess you won't be giving me that tongue bath after all." There was a piece of me that was startled by my coldness, and another that gloried in it.

"She is something, isn't she?" Bones went on. "Knew you couldn't pa.s.s up a pretty girl, you worthless sod. Isn't it fitting that now you're the one who's been lured into a trap? What, did you grow short on funds so you had to go out for dinner instead of order in?"

Sergio went still. "I don't know what you say."

From his expression, he did know. Well, I didn't have a clue.

"Of course you do. You're his best client, from what I hear. Now, I have just one question for you, and I know you're going to answer me honestly, because if not"-he gave another twist of the stake in Sergio's back-"I'm going to be really unhappy. Do you know what happens when I'm unhappy? My hand twitches."

"What? What? I tell you! I tell you!" His accent was thicker now, almost incoherently so.

Bones smiled a truly frightening smile. "Where's Hennessey?"

A petrified look came over Sergio's face. If it were possible, he blanched even paler than his vampire white. "Hennessey will kill me. You don't cross him and live to brag about it! You don't know what he'll do if I talk. And you kill me anyway if I tell you."

"See, mate." Twist, turn, yank. "I promise I won't kill you if you tell me. That gives you a chance to run from Hennessey. But I swear to you, if you don't tell me where he is"-another thrust of the stake, and Sergio let out a high-pitched wail-"you'll die right here. Your call. Make it now."

He had no choice, it was clear on the doomed vampire's face. Defeated, his head slumped forward and a single sentence emerged from his b.l.o.o.d.y mouth.

"Chicago Heights, south side of town."

"Thanks ever so, mate." With a c.o.c.k of his eyebrow, Bones turned his attention to me. "This your stake, luv?"

He ripped the one out of Sergio's back and threw it at me. Catching it in midair, I met his eyes with perfect comprehension.

"You promised! You promised!"

Sergio whimpered as I advanced, my torn arm clutched to my chest. It was amazing how frightened he was at the thought of his own death when minutes ago he'd been delighted to hasten mine.

"I did. She didn't. Got something you want to say to him, Kitten?"

"No," I answered, and shoved the stake into Sergio's heart. My hand went into his chest with the momentum and I jerked back, shaking his thick dark blood off in disgust. "I'm done talking to him."

SEVEN.

B ONES WAS FAR MORE EXPEDITIOUS IN disposing of a body than I'd been. He had Sergio wrapped in plastic and tucked inside the trunk within a few minutes, whistling to himself all the while. Meanwhile, I sat with my back against the car applying pressure to my wrist. He squatted down next to me after he'd closed the trunk with a bang.

"Let me see it," he said, reaching out to me.

"It's fine." Tension and pain made my voice sharp.

Bones ignored that and pried my fingers off the wound, undoing my makeshift bandage.

"Nasty bite, tore the flesh around the vein. You'll need blood for that."

He pulled a switchblade out of his pocket and started to press the tip against his palm.

"Don't. I said it's fine."

He just gave me an irritated glance and scored the blade along his palm. Blood welled up at once and he clamped it against my resisting forearm.

"Don't be irrational. How much did he take?"

My wrist actually tingled as his blood mingled with mine. The magic of healing, in real time. Somehow it seemed almost as intimate as when I had to lick blood off his fingers.

"About four good pulls, I guess. Stabbed him in the neck as fast as I could to get his mind off it. Where were you, anyway? I didn't see a car behind us." "That was the idea. I drove my bike but kept back far enough so Sergio wouldn't know he was being followed. Bike's about a mile from here down the road." Bones nodded toward the nearby trees. "I ran that last part through the woods so there'd be less noise."

Our heads were only inches apart and his knees were pressed against mine. Uncomfortable, I tried to scoot back, but the car door left nowhere to go. "I think the car's ruined. The rear door is in sc.r.a.ps."

Indeed it was. Sergio had mangled it beyond belief. A wrecking ball would have done similar damage.

"Why did he go for your wrist, if you were both in the backseat? Couldn't get to your neck?"

"No." Inwardly I cursed at the memory. "He got frisky in the front seat and tried to feel me up, thanks to you and the no-panties idea. I wasn't about to let that happen, so I climbed into the back and put my arms around him from behind so he wouldn't get suspicious. Stupid of me, I know now, but I didn't even think of my wrists. Every other vampire had always gone for my neck."

"Yeah, including me, right? The car swerved off the road so fast, I thought you two were already sprawling inside. What made him pull off so erratically then?"

"I told him to come and get me." My voice was flippant, but the words hurt. He'd come and gotten me, all right. A question suddenly leapt to mind.

"Is he okay back there in the trunk?"

Bones chuckled. "You want to keep him company?"

An evil glare accompanied my retort. "No, but is he really gone? I'd always cut off their heads to be sure."

"Critiquing my work? Yeah, he's really gone. Right now we need to get out of here before some nosy driver pops alongside and asks if we need help." Releasing my wrist, he examined the wound. The flesh was already closed together as if by invisible st.i.tches. His hand no longer even bore a mark. "That'll hold you. We need to move this vehicle."

I stood up and again looked at the mangled car. Not only was the door hanging by a mere few sc.r.a.ps of metal, but there was a fair amount of blood in the front area from my wrist and Sergio's neck.

"How I am supposed to drive in this wreck? Any cop that sees this car is going to pull me over!"

He grinned that c.o.c.ky smile of his. "Don't fret. Have it all worked out." From out of his jacket he pulled a cell phone.

"It's me, we're finished. Looks like I'm going to need that lift after all, mate. You'll like the ride, it's a Benz. Needs a little body work on the door, though. We're on Planter's Road, just south of the club. Step on it, right?" Without saying goodbye, he hung up and turned his attention back to me.

"Sit tight, Kitten. Our ride will be here in a minute. Don't worry, he's nearby. Told him I might have a use for him tonight. Course, he was probably figuring on it being a little later in the evening." He paused, giving me a knowing look. "You left with him right quick, didn't you? He must have been quite pleased with you."

"Yeah, real happy. Color me flattered. Seriously, Bones, even if you tow this car there's still too much blood in it. And you didn't listen to me about bringing cleaning materials. This thing could have been at least mopped up."

He moved closer to pull my arm out for another inspection. There was only a thin red line of healed skin now, but after satisfying himself with its condition, he still didn't let me go. Avoiding his gaze didn't prevent me from feeling its weight.

"Trust me, luv. I know you don't, but you should. You did a smashing job tonight, by the way. That stake in his back was just a thought away from his heart. It slowed him, as did the one in his neck. You would have had him even if I wasn't here. You're strong, Kitten. Be glad of it."

"Glad? That's not quite the word I'd use. Relieved? You could say that. Relieved I'm alive and there's one less murderer prowling around for naive girls. But glad? Glad would be if I never had this lineage. Glad would be if I had two normal parents and a bunch of friends, and the only thing I'd ever killed was time. Or if even once I had been to a club just to go dancing and have fun instead of ending up staking something that tried to kill me. That's glad. This is just...existing. Until the next time."

I pulled my hand away and moved off a few feet to put some distance between us. A wave of melancholy coursed through me at the things I had just mentioned that would never be mine. Sometimes it was frightening to feel old at twenty-two.

"Rot." The single word broke the silence.

"Excuse me?" How like a vampire, to have no sympathy.

"Rot, I said. You play the hand you're dealt just like everyone else in this b.l.o.o.d.y world. You have gifts people would kill for, no matter that you scorn them. You have a mum who loves you and a nice house to go home to. Sod your backwoods neighbors who look down their ignorant noses at you for your lack of a father. This world is a big place and you've got an important role to play in it. Think everyone goes around whistling about the life they lead? Think everyone is given the power to choose the way their fate goes? Sorry, luv, it doesn't work that way. You hold the ones you love close and fight the battles you can win, and that, Kitten, is how it is."

"What would you know about it?" Bitterness made me brave, and the words flung out of my mouth.

Surprisingly, he threw back his head and laughed before he seized my shoulders, moving closer until his mouth almost touched mine.

"You...haven't...the...slightest...inkling of what I've been through, so don't...tell...me...what I know."

There was thinly veiled menace in the way he deliberately spoke each syllable. My heart started to pound, and I knew he could hear it. His grip loosened until his fingers no longer dug into my skin, but his hands remained. G.o.d, he was close...so close.

Unconsciously I licked my lips, and a jolt went through me as I saw his eyes follow the movement. The air fairly crackled between us, either from his natural vampire energy...or something else. Slowly his tongue snaked out and caressed his bottom lip. It was mesmerizing to watch.

A horn blaring made me jump nearly out of my skin. My heart caught in my throat as an eighteen-wheeler slowed down and parked just ahead of us. The noise of the axles releasing and brakes locking sounded deafening in the suddenly quiet night.

"Bones...!" Frightened of discovery, I was about to say more when he walked up to the vehicle and called out a greeting.