His head jerked in a brief nod.
Maya took that for the agreement it was. "You'll have to stay with me," she said, already making plans. "And I'll need to know every detail about the vampires who took your-"
"Why do I have to stay with you?"
The man sure liked to interrupt. An annoying trait. "For your safety, of course." He probably didn't realize it, but just by going into that feeding room and talking to her, he'd already captured the attention of many in the vampire realm. If one of the vampires who'd taken his niece happened to find out about their connection, well, then they'd both be in for a bloody fight.
"Um, of course."
She waited for him to argue, but he just said, "I'll need to stop by my hotel. Pick up some things."
Whatever. As long as they were fast, he could pick up his goodies.
She stepped back.
Adam rubbed his chest. "I'm surprised."
"By what?" Maya's head cocked to the right.
"I mean, I'm surprised you trust me enough to bring me into your home."
Home. Right. She didn't have a home. They were going to the last safe spot she knew, and the place was closer to a hovel than a home.
But she knew what he really meant. Taking him with her was a big step. Generally, she trusted two humans in the world, and one of them was currently unconscious back in his hospital room.
But, once she'd tasted Adam's blood, she'd be linked to him.
Trust wouldn't be an issue then.
"Before I sleep, I'm gonna need to drink from you." Her mouth grew dry at the thought. "After that, trust won't really matter." Because if she wanted to, then she could control him through their blood link.
He nodded once, curtly.
"Don't worry. I promise, it won't hurt…much."
His gaze fell to her lips. Lingered.
A curl of heat rose in her stomach.
What the hell? Maya shook her head. She was covered in blood. Weak with hunger. And the sun would be rising soon.
Time to go.
"Come on. I need blood."
His hand lifted to his throat.
She growled. "Tempting. Very tempting. But if I drink from you now, I'll drain you." Since she hadn't actually drained anyone dry, yet , she'd rather try another option.
They were in a hospital. Blood was nearby, right down the hall, actually. Just waiting for her.
Time to break into the blood bank.
Adam stalked the small interior of Maya's safe house. The place was shabby, too small, and covered in dust.
She'd taken him there after their brief pit stop at his hotel. She'd driven too fast, speeding over the deserted streets and traveling past the edge of town.
This wasn't the house she'd used when he'd watched her for the last few days.
This place was a dump.
But a very, very secure dump.
There were a grand total of three rooms in the house, but the whole place was wired with state-
of-the-art security. Cameras outside the house. Motion sensors. Steel doors and windows with automatic locking shutters.
The little vampire obviously believed in being prepared.
He figured as far as backup houses went, it could be worse.
It could also be a hell of a lot better.
The shower stopped, the crashing of the water dwindling to a faint trickle. He heard a rustle of sound. Muttering. Then Maya opened the bathroom door and stalked toward him.
Adam stared at her, a bit surprised. She'd finally gotten rid of all the blood. Her smooth skin was shining, glistening with drops of water. She'd secured a white towel loosely between her br**sts.
The bottom of the towel barely skimmed her thighs. When she moved, the terry cloth shifted, revealing and concealing in tempting flashes.
Adam swallowed and realized with a bit of shock that he was getting aroused by a vampire.
When she'd touched him on the street, rubbing her body against his and drifting her fingers over his throat, he'd felt a stirring in his groin. When she'd put those red lips on his flesh and licked, his c**k had jerked to attention.
Now, all it took was a flash of thigh, and the lust he felt stirred to life.
A vampire.
What was happening to him? This wasn't part of his plan.
Screwing a vampire definitely hadn't been on his agenda. No matter how soft her skin looked or how red her lips were or how-
Maya walked past him. Her bare shoulder brushed his arm, and the contact seemed to send an electric current through him.
She stopped at the bed. Dropped the towel and treated him to one fine view of her ass.
And of the black dragon tattoo that blew flames at the base of her spine.
He blinked.
His lust seemed to double.
Oh, he hadn't been expecting that.
His hands lifted and he stepped toward her. The need to touch her suddenly burned through him.
The lady obviously wasn't the modest sort and if she hadn't wanted him to play, she wouldn't have stripped.
She had a good ass. Tight. Firm. Just the right size for his hands to grip and caress.
His fingers skimmed over her flesh.
Maya jerked on a T-shirt that he hadn't even noticed lying on the bed. Then she spun around and caught his hand. "I don't remember giving you permission to touch, Slick."
He swallowed. His c**k pressed hard against the edge of his zipper. "Thought the striptease was an invitation."
She snorted. "When I give an invitation, you'll know it."
He clenched his teeth and fought to rein in his desire.
She pushed him back. Reached behind her, maneuvered a bit, and pulled up a thin scrap of lace.
Probably supposed to be some kind of underwear.
His control slipped, just a bit. Now it was his turn to grab her, to wrap his hands around the silken skin of her upper arms and to yank her against him. "You like teasing men?"
Her chin lifted. "This place is the size of a shoebox. It's not like either one of us will get privacy while we're here."
But she could have changed in the bathroom. That walk across the room, the falling towel, the bare ass, it had all been designed to get to him.
To turn him on.
"Baby, if you wanna f**k, all you have to do is say so."
Her mouth tightened. "I'll remember that lovely little tidbit."
Well, shit.
Adam drew a deep breath, smelled her. Damn flowers. How did she do it? No other vampire had ever carried a scent like-
"It's time."
He blinked.
"Dawn's coming."
Understanding hit. The little vampire wanted her drink.
She thought she could control him that way. Thought she'd be able to look into his mind, link with him.
Drinking from a human gave a vampire enormous power over the victim. Enough power to glimpse into the victim's mind. To see memories. To touch dreams.