Everlasting Kiss (Everlasting 1)

"A little late to be asking, don't you think?"

He grinned at her. "That's why I didn't ask."

"Alex...?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you destroy a vampire and her mortal lover here in LA?"

"Yeah, how'd you know about it?"

She shrugged. "That kind of news travels fast, you know that. You were careful, weren't you?"

"I'm always careful," he said with a wink. "See you in the morning, little sister. Oh, and I'd like eggs, bacon, and French toast for breakfast."

"Have whatever you want. The frying pan is in the drawer under the stove."

"Very funny." Whistling softly, he headed down the hall toward the guest room.

Daisy stared after him. Her domineering big brother was one complication she definitely didn't need in her life right now. She chewed on her thumbnail. She should have warned Alex that Rhys had his scent, but then Alex would start asking questions she didn't want to answer. Questions she couldn't answer unless she wanted Alex to know that Erik was indeed a vampire, just as he suspected.

Yawning, she grabbed the smaller of her two suitcases and carried it up to her bedroom. Maybe things would look better in the morning, she thought as she unpacked her nightgown and got ready for bed.

And maybe not.

Chapter 15

Rhys prowled the dark underbelly of the city. Though he no longer needed to feed as often as he once had, he was addicted to the chase. Life didn't hold much excitement for a man who had lived as long as he had, but hunting...ah, that never grew old. He chose a different kind of prey for each hunt--one week he might decide to stalk only blondes, the next week, only brunettes. Another week he might prey on nothing but young males, then on females. He could be as discriminating as he chose.

Tonight, he was hunting only women between the ages of twenty and thirty who had black hair and blue eyes and who were exactly five feet tall. Thus far, he hadn't had much luck.

He was thinking he would have to redefine his search when Erik appeared beside him.

"What brings you here?" Rhys asked, unable to completely mask his surprise. All of the West Coast vampires had their own hunting grounds. Trespassing on another's territory was forbidden and had, on occasion, led to bloodshed.

"I felt the need of some company," Erik said, falling into step beside the other vampire. "What's on the menu tonight?"

"Black-haired females with blue eyes."

Erik grunted softly. "Any luck?"

"Not yet." Rhys lifted his head, his nostrils flaring as he caught the scent of prey. "But I think my luck's about to change."

"She's blond," Erik said. "A streetwalker. And very young."

"And how would you know that?" Rhys asked, his eyes sparking red with anticipation.

"I passed her on my way here."

Muttering, "All cats are gray in the dark," Rhys moved quickly down the street.

With a shake of his head, Erik followed him, though at a slower pace. Coming here had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now...he swore softly, thinking that Daisy's brother couldn't have shown up at a worse time.

His hunger stirred as the scent of blood drifted on the wind. Up ahead, he could see Rhys standing in the shadows, his head bent over the neck of the blond hooker. Apparently the Master of the City wasn't averse to altering the cuisine he had chosen for the night.

Rhys looked up as Erik approached. A vampire caught in the midst of feeding was rarely a pretty sight, and Rhys was no exception. Blood dripped from his fangs; his eyes burned red. He growled softly, warning Erik to stay away.

Erik took a step backward. Folding his arms across his chest, he watched Rhys drink his fill and in so doing, Erik understood why he was there. It was to remind himself of what he was, what he was capable of.

While watching Rhys feed, Erik knew Daisy had been right.

There could be no future for the two of them.

Chapter 16

Daisy awoke on Monday morning to the deliciously mingled aromas of fresh-brewed coffee and frying bacon. She frowned, momentarily disoriented. This wasn't her bedroom at Erik's, she thought groggily, and then remembered that she was home and that it had to be Alex, cooking in the kitchen.

Muttering under her breath, she headed for the shower, wondering how long Alex intended to stay, and how she could persuade him to leave sooner if he was planning to stay more than a day or two.

After pulling on a pair of faded jeans and a blue Mickey Mouse sweatshirt, she padded barefoot to the kitchen door. Pausing a moment, she took a deep breath, pasted a smile on her face, and entered the room.

"Hey, good morning, sleepyhead," Alex greeted her cheerfully as she stepped into the room. "I wasn't sure what you were in the mood for, so..." He gestured toward the stove. "I made a little of everything. You take what you want, and I'll eat the rest."

Daisy glanced at the counter and shook her head. He had made a little of everything, all right. There were plates of bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, pancakes, waffles, buttered toast, and a ham and cheese quiche.

"Alex, there's enough food here to feed a family of six."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm famished. Do you want coffee, milk, tea, juice, or hot chocolate?"

Realizing there was no point in arguing, Daisy sat at the table. "Juice and coffee will be fine."

Alex carried all the plates to the table, then slid onto the chair across from hers. "Dig in, sis."

Daisy helped herself to a couple of pancakes, two strips of bacon, and a helping of scrambled eggs. "You really are a good cook," she remarked. "If you ever get tired of taking heads, you could probably open a restaurant."

Alex snorted softly. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Where's the fun in taking heads?"

"It's not in the taking," Alex said, speaking around a mouthful of eggs. "It's in the hunting. You know how it is, the way your mouth goes dry and your heart beats with excitement..."

"With fear, you mean."

"Fear, excitement, whatever it is, it makes you know you're alive."

"So, you've never thought of doing anything else?"

"No," Alex said, looking surprised. "Why? Have you?"

Daisy shrugged. She had considered finding another line of work from time to time. Since destroying Saul, she'd been thinking of it even more, but she was reluctant to admit it, especially to her gung-ho brother.

"It's because of that vampire you killed, isn't it?"

"In a way. It made me feel good, knowing I could defend myself if I had to, but..." She pushed her plate away, her appetite suddenly gone. "I killed a man..."