Hearts in Darkness (Nikki & Michael 2)

"So why are you here?” She regarded him over the top of her wineglass, her heated gaze touched by wariness.

He shrugged. “Work."

She raised an eyebrow. Wine glistened on her lips and looked like blood. His hunger stirred, as it always did when he was in her company. Her lust for blood, like her lust for life itself, was strong and always overran those not powerful enough to stand against it. As it had overrun him for more years than he cared to remember.

"The word is that you're working for some charitable organization now—that true?" He nodded and wondered if she'd been checking up on him. Though surely Seline or the Circle itself would have warned him had there been any computer searches. “Yes. I hunt down missing people, stuff like that."

"And that's why you're here?"

"Partially.” It was no good lying to her—she would sense it the minute he tried. And if she was involved in the disappearances, it would only make matters worse.

"And you're not here alone."

It was a statement rather than a question, and unease slithered through his gut. Elizabeth knew about Nikki. How? Had she checked the hotel register when she'd felt his presence this afternoon, or had she known all along that Nikki was here with him?

Their chance meeting might not owe so much to chance as to planning. “She's not a companion. She's a thrall."

It might have been dangerous telling Elizabeth that, but it was just as dangerous not telling her. Even if she wasn't involved in whatever was happening here at the resort, he wouldn't put it past her to seek Nikki out and play a few games with her. He'd seen her do it to lovers of her other fledglings too often in the past. And Elizabeth's games always ended with bloodshed. But if she thought Nikki no more than a thrall, a servant to his wishes and desires, she might leave her alone. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow again. “I remember telling you about thralls. You swore at the time you could never do it to another."

"I've sworn a lot of things over the years.” He shrugged again. “But I found I just needed the company." "You always did. It was one of your failings as a vampire. You'd rather talk to your prey than eat them." He smiled slightly. “Still do."

She sighed softly. “Where did I go wrong?"

"You didn't."

He touched her hand, briefly wrapping his fingers around hers. Her palm was heavily blistered, which could have only happened if she'd grabbed something silver. Perhaps a silver knife—just like the one that had stabbed Jake.

Her pulse was slow but steady. She wasn't worried by his appearance here. Maybe she thought he presented no real threat. “So tell me,” he asked after a moment. “Why are you here?"

"Why am I anywhere?” Her gaze met his, challenging him. Ask what you came here to ask , it said. Don't play games with me.

He let go of her hand and picked up his wine, taking a drink. “Are you here to hunt?"

"I hunt every day, Michael, no matter where I am."

True. But it wasn't so much the sweet strength of human blood she was addicted to, but the rush of her victim's fear and loathing, the sense of power and utter domination such a killing gave her. And while there had been a spate of disappearances from the hotel, all but three of those had returned. If Elizabeth was hunting, she wasn't doing it here or in nearby Jackson Hole.

"What happened to Vance Hutton?"

A slow smile spread across her face. “What do you think happened to him?" He studied her for a moment. Hutton was dead, consumed by Elizabeth—that much was obvious from the amused light in her eyes. He would have been too tasty a morsel for her to resist. Michael wondered where she'd dumped the body. “Are you involved in the disappearances?" Excitement began to overtake the amusement in her eyes. She'd always liked a challenge. “Maybe.” She paused. “Are you here to stop me?"

He met her gaze steadily. “Maybe."

"Interesting. What if I say I am not in this alone?"

"Then I would ask who else is."

"And if I said that it was a person more powerful than you and me put together? That if you valued your life you would leave the hotel and not come back?"

It wasn't a warning, and it wasn't threat. It was merely a statement of fact. Yet fear echoed in the recesses of her eyes. Whoever this man was, she hated him, even if she worked with him. “Then I would ask why do you not take your own advice."

She touched his knee, the warmth of her fingers pressing heat clear through to his bones. He frowned slightly. Nikki's touch had contained the same sort of fire when the flame imps had taken possession of her. “I have never run from anything in my life, Michael, but you have. I think you should continue to do so."

Her words reminded him of Nikki. She, too, refused to run in the face of most dangers. In some ways, she and Elizabeth had the same sort of strength, the same sort of courage. “I have work to do here, Elizabeth. I'm not leaving."

She took her hand away and sighed. “Then I may be forced to stop you."

"You can try."