friends. “You may still be in danger,” she said. “Whoever tried today may try again. In some ways it doesn’t matter whether it’s connected to the murders or not. Either you have a personal enemy or we’re dealing with a serial killer—and he’s targeting vampires.”
“I promise I will not ignore the potential danger.” He flashed a wicked smile. “I have every reason to want to stay alive, little witch. I very much look forward to the future.” The soft hint of danger in his voice was like a velvet brush across her skin.
Andreas was taking great pains to remind Ari he was no choirboy. Since she’d never been drawn to the tame ones, his warnings were having no deterrent effect. In fact, she was beginning to think that being together might have its rewards—as long as she didn’t lose her life, her mind, her heart, or her soul. All possibilities if you were dating a vampire.
After dinner Andreas walked her home. It was a beautiful July night, a little humid, but Ari barely noticed. She was much too conscious of the man walking beside her. What was she getting into? Was she letting her hormones dictate her life? It was madness to even contemplate anything between them.
As they arrived at her door, she made up her mind. She had to convince him this wasn’t going to work, put an end to it now. Then she felt his hands touch her hair, his lips on the base of her neck, and she quit thinking about anything except those lips moving across her sensitive skin. She leaned against him for a moment before pulling away.
“I should go in,” she said, struggling to keep her voice steady.
“Do not fight this, Arianna.”
“I can’t promise that,” she said, fumbling with the door handle. “But I guess I’m willing to see what happens.” She looked over her shoulder. “What did you have in mind?”
Chapter Nine
By the time Ari reached her office on Monday, it was mid-morning. Having long, intense discussions with a guy who stayed up all night wasn’t good for her day job, but she felt like they’d reached a compromise she could live with. Slow and steady, no commitment, no promises.
Her first client paced impatiently in the hallway, and the phone was jumping off the hook. She snatched it on the fourth peal.
“Hey, Ari. It’s Russell.”
“And Lilith,” another voice chimed in. Andreas’s new security team of werelions. “Almost gave up on reaching you. Is your cell off?”
She pulled it from her pocket. Dark. “Uh, I guess so. Either that or dead. What’s up?”
“Andreas woke us near dawn. Said shots were fired at him yesterday, but he didn’t give me the details. In fact, he kind of brushed it off, said you’d fill us in.” Russell’s voice was business-like, but Ari heard a layer of excitement. As a former mercenary, the everyday guarding of the Prince—checking visitors and packages, watching the surveillance screens—must be dull stuff. He sounded eager to tackle a bigger challenge.
“I was surprised to hear you’d be briefing us,” Lilith said, bald curiosity in her tone. “Something’s sure changed since I saw you. What’s going on?”
Ari tucked the phone under her chin, grabbed the jug of distilled water, and started fixing coffee while she struggled for an acceptable answer to Lilith’s question. Leave it to the lioness to get straight to the point. No subtlety in her nature.
Russell was impatient. “The girl gossip can wait, security can’t. Who or what are we guarding against, Ari?”
“Wish I knew. Somebody took pot shots at Andreas from a passing car. In the last week, we’ve had two vampire murders. Unknown killer. Apparent shootings but the weapon isn’t confirmed. The attack on Andreas might be part of that or something personal. Where are you right now?”
“Andreas’s office at the club.”
“Good. Familiarize yourselves with every corner of the building. I’ll be there this afternoon to fill you in with what I know. In the meantime, I wouldn’t let anyone in. The club doesn’t open until 5:30, and if they’re legit, they can wait. Call me if something urgent comes up.”
Andreas was safely tucked away in his hidey-hole for the day. Ari needed time to deal with her client, check in with Ryan, and have a sit down talk with Claris. No way she was going to pursue this thinly disguised friendship with Andreas without warning her best friend. Ari owed her that. Maybe Claris could still bring her to her senses.
* * *
As Ari entered the touristy