Maya tucked her hands into her back pockets. "How'd you know I was here, Josie?"
"Could feel you." Her stare drifted to Adam. "You always know when evil's around."
No, most people didn't know, but Josette did. And so did her grandmother.
So as fun as this walk down memory lane was…"I need to find Marie."
Josette stiffened.
"Where is she?"
"How the hell should I know?" Josette turned away. "Get out of here and-"
Maya lunged forward and grabbed her arm, holding tight. Adam never moved.
Josette shuddered at her touch.
"I need to find her. It's very, very important." Josette might have turned her back on the old ways, but Marie hadn't. She never would.
" Rete! Let go." The words were gritted between clenched teeth.
Maya dropped her hand, but didn't step back.
Josette glared at her. "I haven't talked to grand-mere in months. I have no idea where she is-"
"Bullshit." Sure, Josie might have stopped the visits and the phone calls to protect her new image, but Maya didn't buy for one minute that she didn't know where Marie was. "You're probably sending rent money to her. All I need is the address."
Adam stalked forward, and Maya was suddenly, fiercely aware of him at her side.
Josette stumbled back a step, her eyes widening.
"Josie…." Shit, she didn't have all night.
"Mythlin Street. 208." Another hurried step back.
Jeez. Had that been so hard? Maya waved to a guy in a tuxedo who'd poked his head out of the gallery's entrance.
"Josette?" Uh, oh. Mr. Elegance looked worried.
"I'll be right there, Martin." Cool, calm tone. Wild, desperate eyes. Josette lowered her voice and said, "You cannot come here again, understand? I am out of that life now. All of it. I don't want demons, vampires," those wild eyes darted to Adam, " anything coming around. I want to be normal, okay?"
Normal. Check. "You won't be seeing me again."
Her breath caught. "We're even?"
Not really, but Maya nodded.
Her chin lifted, some of the hard arrogance coming back. "Then get the hell off my property, vampire."
"Charming friend you have," Adam drawled as they made their way back to the bike.
Maya grunted.
His anger spiked. Adam grabbed her arm, jerking her around and against his chest. He had the feeling she was dicking around with him, and he didn't like it. "Why the hell did we come here?"
The way he saw it, they were wasting valuable time. They needed to be out there, tracking down the vampires who'd taken Cammie.
Not screwing away time at some gallery.
Maya's teeth snapped together. Her hands balled into fists and pressed against his chest.
He should have let her go then, but he didn't. Her eyes were wide, swimming with emotion, and damn if he didn't want to kiss her.
She'd gotten her taste of him last night. Now he wanted his turn.
She smelled of roses instead of death.
What would she taste like? "You're overstepping your bounds, Slick." Her voice was a warning growl.
Oh, the vampire was getting angry. Good. He liked to see her with some kind of passion in her eyes.
The valet lifted a hand as he approached them. Adam stared at him, let the fool see the rage he carried.
The young guy nearly tripped running away.
Maya wasn't struggling within his hold. Her breath came hard and fast, but she wasn't trying to break free.
Good thing that. Because the mood he was in, he'd just hold her tighter, vampire strength be damned.
Then she'd know he wasn't just a man.
Her chin lifted as she stared up at him. "Do you know," she began quietly, "just how many vampires there are in the world?"
Too f**king many.
"Hundreds of thousands," she gritted. "And they are everywhere . In every country that you know and even in those small-ass ones you don't. They hide in plain sight. Drink when they want.
Kill when they want." Her fangs glinted.
She wasn't telling him anything he didn't know. His fingers tightened around her. "Your point?"
"My point is that finding them can be like hunting in the dark. You don't know what's out there until it's too late." She shook her head. "I wanna know what's waiting. Who is waiting."
"And this Marie-she's going to tell you?"
"I think she will."
His hand fell away. "Fine. Then I'll trust you, for now ." But he didn't want to waste any more time.
"Hey, you came looking for me, remember? If you don't like my methods, hit the road."
The woman truly didn't understand that she was playing with fire.
He caught her chin in his hand. Soft flesh. Tender. Her mouth was close to his. Just inches away.
Such a full, tempting mouth.
And one that could spew insults so quickly.
"I'm not leaving you yet." Not until Cammie was safe. Because he truly didn't doubt that Maya could find her.
He just knew that Maya was going to keep pissing him off along the way.
His thumb brushed over her bottom lip.
"Wh-what are you doing?" Her breath feathered against him. No more belligerence in her voice.
Confusion filled her eyes.
He wasn't sure. He was furious, impatient, and…hungry. For her.
Just a taste.
One taste, that was all he'd need, and then this ridiculous hunger for a vampire would disappear.
She wouldn't taste sweet. He wouldn't like the touch of her lips against his. Her teeth-they would repel him.
Yes, just one taste. That was all he'd need. And this insanity would end.
"Adam…"
Her mouth was open. Perfect.
His lips covered hers.
She gasped softly into his mouth and he stole her breath, locking his mouth onto hers and feeling the soft press of her lips beneath his.
His tongue pushed inside, swept against hers and-
Her taste. Adam shuddered Her taste was unlike any other.
His mouth tightened on hers in sudden demand.
Not bitter, dammit. Good. So f**king good.
Sweet like honey. Rich like wine. And the flavor of her-it was making him drunk. Making him crave. More.
More .
His fingers locked around her waist, and he pulled her tight against him so that he could feel her ni**les pressing into his chest.
Her tongue met his. Just as hungry. Just as wild.
Mistake. The word blasted through the growing fog of lust in his mind. Tasting the vampire had been a serious mistake.
Because now he wanted more. A hell of a lot more.
Fuck, he was so screwed.
Fighting his instincts, struggling for control, Adam managed to lift his head and step away from her. Her scent, roses and aroused woman, tickled his nose and made his c**k jerk.