He paused with a handful of her panties in his fist. "I was angry when I saw how those bastards punctured you with holes. I wasna horrified. Yer body is beautiful."
How could she stay angry when he said that?
He dropped the panties in her suitcase. "Please hurry. We need to go."
"Where are we going?" She ran into the bathroom, grabbed her hairbrush, toothbrush, cosmetic bag, and contacts, then tossed them into the suitcase.
"I'll take you to Romatech. Security is much tighter there. Then the lads and I can return here to fight the bastards if they come."
She liked the idea of being safe, and she really hated the idea of seeing the Malcontents again, but something about Ian's plan annoyed her. She didn't like being a weak damsel in distress. She sat on the bed to pull on her socks. "I'm not going to hide and leave all the fighting to you guys. I was hired to fight."
Ian smiled as he grabbed clothes from her closet and dumped them in her suitcase. "Ye're a brave lass, and I commend ye for it, but this is no' yer fight."
Normally she would agree. Why risk her life over a vampire dispute? But the night the Malcontents attacked her, it became personal. As much as she hated seeing them again, she had to do it. She jerked on her boots. "This is my fight. I won't cower in fear. I'll do what I was hired to do."
Ian zipped her suitcase shut. "Sweetheart, ye were hired as a day guard. That means ye're supposed to fight daytime enemies, namely mortals. Ye're off duty at night for a reason. Ye canna survive against a vampire foe."
"I pinned Phineas down the other night."
"A lucky break."
"Look, sweetheart." She marched toward him. "I'm good. I'm damned good. Do you need a demonstration?"
"Perhaps ye do." He vanished, and a second later he was behind her, pulling her against his chest. She reacted quickly, ramming her elbows into his chest. It was like hitting a brick wall.
His hands moved to her neck and face, and his voice was soft against her ear. "The next sound ye would hear is the snapping of yer neck."
Rage swept through her. Dammit to hell, was there no winning against them? The memory of her attack flooded back and sucked her under, drowning her in horror. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the memories, but they filled her mind, playing back every excruciating detail. A shudder almost doubled her over.
"Toni, it will be all right," Ian whispered.
"No!" She fought back the tears, but the more she struggled, the more her emotions swelled. She broke free from Ian and staggered back. "I--I hate your kind!"
His face paled. She pressed a hand to her mouth, startled by the intensity of her outburst.
His mouth thinned, and pain glinted in his eyes. "At least ye're being honest now."
She splayed her hands across her scarred rib cage. "They chewed on me like I was food. Like I wasn't human. I was just a piece of meat." Tears rolled down her face, and she wiped her cheeks. "I couldn't fight them. They took over my mind, and it was like my soul was squashed."
He pulled her into his arms. She stiffened, but he held her tight. "Lass, I would never harm you. Ye can trust me."
She took a slow, shuddering breath, and let it out. "I know." She burrowed her face in his thick sweater and let his scent fill her nostrils. He smelled clean, but earthy. Sweet, but manly.
He rubbed a hand up and down her back. "I hope I do see those bastards tonight. I'd love to skewer them for what they did to you."
She rested her cheek against his shoulder. He still didn't quite understand. She appreciated his desire to protect her, but she didn't really want a protector against evil vampires. What she wanted was a way to protect herself. And given their superior abilities, she didn't think such a way existed. And that's what bothered her the most--the inequality and injustice of it all.
"I wish I could whip your ass," she whispered.
Ian chuckled. "That's my girl."
She nestled her cheek deeper into his thick sweater. He was surprisingly warm and wonderfully solid. When he released her and stepped back, she wanted to throw herself back into his arms.
"We need to go, lass." He dragged her suitcase off the dresser.
She pulled on her coat and grabbed her handbag. "Are you driving?"
"Teleporting. It's faster." He grasped the handle of her suitcase with one hand and extended the other toward her. "Ye'll need to hold on to me."
"Oh." Not a problem. She slid her arms around his neck.
"Closer." His arm tightened around her waist.
She pressed against his solid chest. "Like this?"
He closed his eyes briefly. "Aye."
Her breath caught when his eyes opened. "What's the deal with your eyes? They keep turning red."
"It's a normal reaction for a vampire."
"I don't think so." She studied the red, glowing irises. "None of the other Vamps do that."
"Good. I wouldna want to fight any of my friends."
"What are you talking about?"
He gave her a wry smile. "Toni, when my eyes turn red, it's because I'm wanting you verra badly."
She swallowed hard. "But it's been happening for days."
"Aye, since I first met you. But doona let it worry you. I know ye hate our kind."
"I don't hate you, Ian. I don't hate any of the good Vamps. Maybe I did at first, but now..." He watched her carefully. "How do ye feel now?"
A flood of emotions brought tears to her eyes. "I--I have a lot on my mind. Not just you, but my friend Sabrina. I'm so very worried...and confused." She shouldn't feel so damned attracted to a vampire.
"Tell me what's going on. I might be able to help you."
She studied his handsome face and saw genuine concern and compassion. She wanted to trust him. Dear God, she wanted to stay in his arms forever. "I'll think about it."
"Good. Hang on, sweetheart." He pulled her tight, and everything went black.
As soon as Ian was assured that Toni was safely ensconced in the silver room at Romatech, he teleported back to the townhouse with Dougal and Phineas.
When they materialized on the back porch, they heard the high-pitched buzz of the alarm inside the townhouse. They instantly drew their swords. There were only two explanations for the alarm--either a mortal had broken into the townhouse and didn't hear the alarm, or a vampire had teleported inside and didn't know the proper combination required to turn the alarm off.
Dougal quietly unlocked the back door and let it swing open. They waited, swords ready, for someone to poke his head out the door and look. If it was a Malcontent, his head wouldn't stay attached for long.
No one fell for the bait. Ian moved to enter, but Phineas pulled him back.
"It's you they want, bro. Stay between us." Phineas entered first.
The kitchen was a mess. Cabinets and drawers hung open, and the contents were scattered on the countertops.
"They must be looking for the drug." Dougal started to punch in the combination to turn off the alarm.
"Nay." Ian stopped him. "If we turn it off, we'll be announcing our arrival."
Dougal grimaced. "Ye're right, but the noise is bloody annoying."
"Yeah, sounds like a cat on crack," Phineas muttered. He positioned himself by the swinging door.
"Ready?"
Ian nodded, and the three Vamps zoomed into the foyer. A quick glance assured them that the intruders were not on the first floor. Books were tumbled onto the floor in the library, and the parlor had been ransacked.
They zipped downstairs to the cellar. Phineas's bed had been slashed, and the coffins ripped apart. "Shit." Phineas studied the broken picture frame of his family. "We're too late."
"We should check Roman's office," Ian suggested. "I'm sure they've realized that he invented the drug."
"We go together," Dougal said. "Aim for the fifth-floor landing."
The trio teleported to the landing outside Roman's office and bedroom. The two doors were open, and inside, voices were speaking in Russian.
Ian eased toward the office door and spied Jedrek Janow at Roman's desk, fiddling with the computer. The Malcontent cursed and pounded a fist on the keyboard. Then he started rifling through the desk drawers.
Dougal peeked into Roman's bedroom, then raised two fingers to indicate two men. Ian lifted one finger. It was three against three. He gave Dougal and Phineas a questioning look, and they both nodded.