Hearts in Darkness (Nikki & Michael 2)

"No. But there are drawbacks you haven't told me about, aren't there?"

"No,” he said, even though there were. Lots of them. Like being an easy target for those vampires old enough to know what she was—and how to use her to get to him and destroy him. If the vampire who'd taken Matthew was also involved in the resort kidnappings, they were both in serious danger. But he also knew he didn't have a hope in Hades of getting her to turn around and go home. As she'd warned, she didn't give up and she didn't give in. He'd just have to find some way to keep her out of trouble.

"Why can't you just be honest with me, Michael? Even on something as simple as this?" He looked away from the accusation in her eyes. “I can not change three hundred years of habit in a matter of months."

"Can't, or won't?” she muttered.

"Both.” Because honesty was a dangerous weapon when you held as many secrets as he did. She pulled her gaze from his, but not before he'd seen the glitter of tears. He rubbed a hand across his eyes and silently cursed the capriciousness of fate. Why couldn't it have just left well enough alone? He didn't want to hurt her, but he had no doubt that he would, and more than once—until she accepted they were something that could never be.

And what is she supposed to do in the long years that lie ahead? He shoved the thought aside and reached for the briefcase near his feet. “You should read this,” he said, handing her a manila folder.

"What is it?” She accepted the folder without looking at him.

"Background info. How we met, when we were married."

"I see we're on our honeymoon.” She snorted softly and glanced up. “That'll be a hard act to pull off when you won't even touch me."

"As you can see,” he said, ignoring the tartness in her words, “Seline kept as close to the truth as she could. Less room for mistakes that way."

"Are you rich? This implies you're a multimillionaire.” She raised an eyebrow and studied him warily. Why? What was it about wealth that worried her? “You cannot live for as long as I have without collecting a certain amount of financial independence."

"Which is a roundabout way of saying you're swimming in it.” She shook her head, then added in a voice that was little more than a murmur, “I really don't know anything about you, do I?" And that was the way he intended to keep it. He pointed to the ring taped to the top of the folder. “Your wedding ring.">"She wasn't. She was trying to discover more information about Vance Hutton." Nikki frowned. “The actor? Why?"

"He's disappeared from an exclusive resort in Jackson Hole, and apparently he's not the first."

"So why are you getting involved?"

"The resort is the base for some form of dark force. Whether it is a vampire or something worse, Seline can't say. So she sends a killer to hunt a killer."

A chill raced across her flesh. What in the hell could be worse than a vampire like Jasper? “So how did my name get involved?"

He shrugged gracefully. “Seline's visions sometimes have a will of their own."

"And you believe her?"

His dark gaze met hers. “I would not be here otherwise."

Though she'd known this all along, having it said out loud seemed to make it final. Unchangeable. Like he'd taken the knife from her boot and sliced open her heart.

She looked down at her coffee. A tear ran down her cheek and splashed against the back of her hand. She ignored it. “What happens if the kid I'm looking for isn't in Jackson Hole?” Even though it felt as if someone were squeezing her throat tight, her voice came out even, as devoid of emotion as his.

"If it comes to that, you can search nearby areas during the day." She frowned. It was tempting, if only because she'd be close to Michael. Yet she couldn't escape the feeling that he wasn't telling her everything. “How expensive is this place?"

"The Circle will pay for everything."

"And in return?"

He hesitated. “You are to be my cover. The resort is geared towards couples." A couple? How could that work when he couldn't even touch her? And even if he could, could she survive touching and kissing and loving him, knowing all along it was nothing more than a lie? That after the mission was over he'd simply leave? “If you think you can share my bed and just walk away again, I've got news for you—I'm not that easy."

"I never thought you were.” He sighed and looked away. “Believe me, this is as hard for me as it is for you. But we have no other choice."

"Bullshit, Michael. We have plenty of other choices. You're just afraid to try.” As she'd been, not so long ago. Yet even then, even as he'd tried to make her admit her feelings, he'd warned he would never stay. That she could never share his world.

She hadn't believed it then, and she didn't believe it now.

"I have watched the passing of three centuries,” he said softly. “I have buried those that I cared about more times than I want to remember. I do not want to have to bury you as well."

"And I have lived just over a quarter of a century, but I've watched my mother, father and lover die brutal deaths. What makes us so different?"