Everlasting Kiss (Everlasting 1)

"Safe!" Noah scoffed.

"What's wrong with safe?"

"He's boring. Daisy would never be happy with him in a million years. Our girl needs a man who's strong enough to stand beside her and hold his own, not some namby-pamby insurance salesman who'd run for cover at the first sign of danger."

"Oh, you, you..." She slapped one hand on the mattress in frustration. "You are the most infuriating man I've ever known!"

"That may be, but at least you're never bored when I'm around."

She glared at him. Damn and blast, he was the most handsome, annoying man she had ever met, and she loved him more than life itself.

Noah laughed softly. "Irene, would you be happy married to Kevin O'Reilly?"

With a sigh, Irene scooted closer to her husband. "No," she admitted. "Not in a million years."

"Don't worry about our Daisy," Noah said as he turned off the light and drew his sweet wife into his arms. "The right man will come along soon enough."

Chapter 7

The Vampire Council met in the wee small hours of the morning. Anger and a need to avenge one of their own filled the air like thick smoke as each vampire spoke in turn.

Erik stood against the wall, his arms folded over his chest. He didn't know who the Blood Thief was, but the man's fate had been sealed when he destroyed Saul. All that remained now was to find the thief, and execute him.

Easier said than done, Erik thought. Whoever the man was, he was smart enough to eradicate any trace of his presence.

"Perhaps we could set a trap," Mariah suggested.

Rhys nodded. "Perhaps."

"A couple of us could set up new lairs," Damon said. "Make them easier to find, easier to breach."

"Who's going to protect you while you're vulnerable?" Erik asked, not bothering to mask the disdain in his tone.

Damon shrugged. "Rhys?" Of those present, Rhys was the only one who was old enough and powerful enough to venture outside his lair during the day, even if it was only for a short time.

"He can't be in more than one place at a time," Erik pointed out.

"Yeah, I didn't think about that," Damon admitted, looking sheepish.

"A trap is still a good idea," Mariah insisted. She fixed Erik with a hard look. "You can be awake during the day. You can be the bait. Rhys can back you up."

"We don't need to set any traps," Erik said. "The Blood Thief isn't having any trouble finding us."

"What's the matter, Erik?" Mariah asked, her brown eyes narrowed with contempt. "Don't tell me you're afraid?"

"Why don't you worry about your own head," he retorted, "and let me worry about mine?"

"That's enough," Rhys said, glancing from one to the other. "Erik's right. The Blood Thief isn't having any trouble finding us. He found Tina. He found Saul. And even if we set a trap, there's no guarantee that the thief will fall for it. And while I'm guarding the trap, there's nothing to stop the thief from attacking someone else."

"Perhaps a different kind of trap," Erik suggested.

Rupert leaned forward in his chair. "What kind of trap?"

"Cameras. If we each set up a motion camera in our lair, we can catch the thief on tape."

"That might work," Nicholas remarked.

"I agree," Rupert said. "The thief is using modern technology to mask his presence. I say we use it to catch him."

"We're in agreement, then," Rhys said. "I expect you all to have cameras in place by tomorrow night." He thumped Erik on the back. "Good thinking, buddy. Let's go out and get a drink to celebrate!"

Chapter 8

With a low groan, Daisy opened her eyes and checked the time, twice. It was almost two o'clock in the afternoon. Little wonder she had slept so late. She didn't think she had gotten more than a few minutes of sleep last night. Every time she had closed her eyes, the image of the red-haired vampire had risen, sharp and clear, across the canvas of her mind. She could still feel the stake in her hand, the way it had slid into his flesh, like a knife through butter. See the look of astonishment on his face as it pierced his heart, see his body disintegrate into a pile of gray ash. The crimson robe, like a splash of bright blood, against the white satin.

Gagging, she scrambled out of bed and into the bathroom. Dropping to her knees, she leaned over the toilet, grateful that she had very little in her stomach.

Rising, she rinsed her mouth, then stripped off her pj's and stepped into the shower.

She stood there, her forehead pressed against the glass, until the water grew cool. Washing quickly, she stepped out of the stall and wrapped a towel around her middle, then padded downstairs. Coffee. She needed coffee. And chocolate. The world and all of its problems always looked better after a quick jolt of caffeine.

Minutes later, she sat at the table with a cup of coffee in one hand and a chocolate buttermilk doughnut in the other. For the first time, she found no comfort in caffeine or chocolate, but it didn't stop her from drinking the coffee or eating the doughnut.

With a sigh, she went upstairs to dress. She couldn't sit in the house and mope all day. She couldn't stay in here and hide from her fears. She had to get out on the street again.

But not today.

Today, she was taking a vacation.

She spent the early part of the afternoon sitting outside working on her tan. She took a nap. She read a book. She drove into town and treated herself to a full-body massage. She went to dinner at a nice restaurant. And then, feeling the need to be around a lot of people, she changed clothes, checked her make-up, and drove to the Crypt.

She sensed Erik's presence the minute she stepped into the club. He must have been looking for her, she thought, because he was at her side before the door closed behind her.

"I was worried when you didn't show up last night," he said, his gaze moving over her face. "Is everything all right?"

"It is now," she said, and meant it. Just the sound of his voice, and suddenly all was right with the world again. Oh, Daisy, she thought, you've got it really bad.

Curling his fingers around hers, Erik led her to a secluded booth in the back and slid in beside her. Little frissons of heat raced across her skin when his thigh brushed hers.

"I'm sorry I didn't make it last night," she said. "Something unexpected came up." Or woke up, she thought, suppressing a shudder.

"I was afraid you were still angry because I stood you up the other night."

"No."

"We don't seem to have much luck arranging dates." He took her hand in his again, raised it to his lips, and brushed his lips across her palm. "But we're together now. How about a late movie?"