“Aden?” she whispered, her eyes straining to see what her fingers told her was there.
“Control yourself, Sidonie,” he said drily. “Your friend is about to open her door.”
Sid snatched her fingers away. He was such a jerk all the time. Well, maybe not all the time. He’d seemed almost human for a while back there in his office. Better than human, actually. She’d never met a human male who was as seductive as Aden, much less one whose seduction she’d so willingly succumbed to. But then he’d turned off the seduction like a switch, which made her think it had all been a pose, just a game he played to see if he could get away with it. She figured he must have lots of notches on his bedpost. Maybe hundreds if he was as old as she thought he had to be.
The porch light came on, and the door opened, forcing Sid’s attention back to their current problem, which was Dresner. The prof was standing in her open doorway, giving Sid a curious look.
Remembering the ruse she’d used to arrange this late night visit, Sid painted a nervous smile on her face and said, “Professor, thank you for letting us come over so late.”
“You seemed upset,” Dresner said absently. She tilted her head and leaned to one side, trying to get a look through the screen door at Sid’s supposed friend. But the shadows Aden had wrapped around himself were too thick, concealing him while appearing to be nothing more than the natural shadow thrown by the yellow porch light.
“Could we come in?” Sid asked, nudging Dresner cautiously.
“Of course,” the professor said at once. “Where are my manners, leaving you out in the cold? Come in, both of you.”
“Thank you,” Sid murmured, trying not to show the depths of the relief she was feeling. What would have happened if Dresner had refused? Or if she’d phrased her welcome to include Sidonie only?
“Don’t look for problems,” Aden muttered against her ear. The concealing darkness dissipated as if it had never been more than a trick of the eye. He stepped up to her side, pulled open the screen door, and gestured for her to go ahead of him, looking all too pleased with himself.
Sid scowled over her shoulder. Had he read her mind? She knew that some vampires could do that.
“No, I didn’t read your mind. Your concerns were written on your face.”
“Stop that,” she snapped. The a**hole just grinned and stepped inside, closing the door behind them.
Dresner had backed up a few steps, making polite room for them as they came through the door. But once she got a good look at Aden, she backed all the way to the open archway leading to her living room, her knuckles going white as she gripped the elegant molding.
“Introduce us, Sidonie,” Aden drawled, his dark eyes heavy-lidded as he watched the professor shrink away from him, her eyes wide.
“Professor Dresner,” Sid said obediently. “This is Lord Aden.”
“I know who you are,” Dresner said, her words defiant, despite her obvious fear. “You think you’re going to be the next Lord of the Midwest,” she sneered.
“I don’t think,” Aden responded dismissively. “I know. No one, not even your precious Silas, will stop me.”
“Arrogant bastard,” Dresner hissed. “You’re not fit to lick Lord Klemens’s boots. He was a giant, a genius. And it won’t be someone like you who takes his place, a masterless bastard from God-knows-where. Silas is his child and rightful heir.”
“The same Silas who has run twice from a stand-up fight? Who sends minions to kill me, while waiting in safety? That Silas? Silas isn’t fit to run a dockside blood house, much less a territory.”
“You think you’re so smart,” Dresner persisted. “But you’ll see.”
Aden took a long step forward, until he was towering over her.
“You’re right,” he agreed. “I will see. You’re going to show it to me.”
She glared up at him. “I’ll show you nothing. I’ll tell you nothing.”
Aden’s sensuous lips curved up in a confident smile. “Wrong,” he said softly. “You’ll tell me everything.”
Sid stared as Dresner’s defiant stance softened into something almost dreamy. Her entire body relaxed, her lips tilting into a peaceful smile. “I’ll tell you everything,” she agreed happily. “Whatever you want.”
“Did you warn Silas about me coming to the club the other night?”
“Yes,” Dresner said, nodding eagerly. “When Sidonie mentioned Silas’s name, I knew that’s where you had to be going, so I called and warned them.”
“And why won’t Silas meet me directly?”
“You’re so strong,” she cooed. “Silas is afraid. If my master Lord Klemens was still—” She cut off her words with a wince.