anyways. “I said get lost!”
I pushed past him, eyes scanning the dance floor, the myriad of human bodies that glistened like wet silk under the strobe lights and frenetic colored lights that would give any healthy human the seizure of the lifetime.
He followed me as I walked around the dance floor, hoping for a glimpse of a white shirt, a glimpse of dark hair, even a flash of onyx eyes.
“Hey, I said I could help!”
Persistent bastard.
Still, if he wanted to help so much…
I stopped, sudden enough to make him bump into me. Most women would’ve taken it the wrong way and slapped the crap out of him, but I didn’t take it personally. I’ve got about as much curves as a plank of wood and about as much sex appeal. But you’d never find me complaining. “Fine, you want to help?”
His eyes were wide. It was cute. Not really. “What can I do?”
How much could I tell him without the wrong information going to Vincent? Such a precarious situation.
What was more important?
Finding Jason?
Or explaining away a wrong impression to Centennial City’s most powerful vampire?
The latter I could do.
But the former would lead to consequences that were unfixable, should they come to pass.
I drew in a deep breath of the slightly sweet, slightly sweaty heated air. Not because I like it, but because it was calming. Breathe in…breathe out…
“I’m looking for the vampire I was with,” I explained. “Jason. The newborn. My…master.”
The blond vampire tapped the side of his elegant nose. “Ah, he put the sack over you, eh?”
I had no idea what that even meant. “Um. Yes. Whatever you said. Look, it’s imperative I find him. If we split up, we can find him that much sooner.”
He squared his wide shoulders. I would’ve been more impressed if he wasn’t a vampire. “I can do that. What do I do after I find him, if I do?”
First thing tomorrow, I was going to get a cell phone. “Just stay with him. He might be feeding. When he’s done, escort him back to our seats. If I don’t find him within thirty minutes, I’ll assume you have him and we’ll rendezvous there. Got it?”
He grinned. “Ooh, rendezvous, hm? Sounds professional. I think I kind of like it.”
Who was this man and how had he survived for this long? I’d never met such a flippant being.“Just…just find him, okay?”
He clicked his heels together. “Aye, aye, Captain!”
I had serious doubts as to whether he could help me, but two pairs of eyes are more useful than one. “See you in thirty, if not sooner.”
“Um.” He stuck out his hand. “Name’s Ryder.”
I stared at the proffered hand. I didn’t want to take it. I didn’t need to start making vampire friends. As soon as Noir’s head was off his shoulders, I would be back hunting his kind. I didn’t need this kind of emotional attachment. “That’s nice to know.”
He sighed and extended his hand further. “You’re supposed to take my hand. Shake it. And then you say, Hi, my name is…whatever your name is. And then you say, nice to meet you. I’ll say likewise. Then we’ll be on our merry way.”
There was absolutely nothing merry about this. Nothing. “You sound ridiculous.”
He winked broadly. “Maybe so. But I’m pretty hot, so most people tend to overlook my faults.”
Reluctantly I took his hand, all the while painfully aware of the seconds, minutes ticking by, seconds and minutes better spent looking for Jason and being aware of his safety.
His grip was strong, but not overpoweringly so, just enough to show he was no pansy. Ryder was certainly innocent looking enough with his blond hair, blue eyes and the perpetual pout like he’d been sucking on his own lips.
But he was strong. Stronger than he looked, than he felt.
That much was clear.
And he knew the limits of his strength.
That boded…well.
“Ran,” I said, and then immediately wished I hadn’t given him my real name. Ah well. He was probably going to find out, sooner or later, sooner if he found Jason before I did. “Nice to meet you.”
His grin widened. “There. Now, that wasn’t too hard, was it?”
“You’re quite annoying.”
“All the time,” he said, laughing quietly under his breath. I think I would’ve liked him better, or at least tolerated him better, if I didn’t feel like he was laughing at my expense. “All the time, Ran.”
We parted, he to the left and I to the right.
If I thought I would find Jason soon, I was wrong.
Every minute spent