do was stop the car and . . . No. He stomped the hunger into submission.
He concentrated instead on the slight shifts he could feel in his facial muscles, the tingling in his fingertips, and the tightening of Len’s borrowed shirt across his shoulders. Not enough change for her to notice yet. But soon, very soon, she’d see.
There was a long simmering pause.
“Why did you bring the cat?”
“To eat. You wouldn’t volunteer, so . . .” He shrugged.
She gasped and tightened her grip on the cat. The cat rewarded her with an annoyed hiss.
If the last few days hadn’t sucked so badly, he would’ve laughed. Or maybe not. The idea that she might actually believe he ate small animals bothered him. Not comforting. Nothing she said or did should be able to touch him.
“Relax. I don’t eat cats.” He knew he sounded angry. But it seemed that everything about her made him mad. Those big brown eyes and all that blond hair don’t make you mad. Neither does the rest of her body. Okay, so maybe it was all about sex deprivation. He could live with that explanation.
She nodded and some of the tension left her. “How old is your brother?”
“Twenty-seven.”
She frowned. “Then that means you can’t be ancient.” The fact that he wasn’t seemed to bother her.
“I’m thirty-two, but I was turned when I was twenty-eight. So I’ll pretty much look that age forever.”
“But I saw you kill Len without touching him. Doesn’t a vampire have to be old and powerful to do that?”
He made an impatient sound. “Power doesn’t come with age. Wisdom does. And a smart vampire will live a long happy life.” He thought about that. “Or unlife. If that’s not a word, it should be.”
Her questions stopped for a short time while he bought cat food and litter box stuff. Once back in the car, he hoped she’d run out of things to ask.
“Why did you save me?”
There it was. The one question he’d hoped she’d keep for later. “I don’t know.” An honest answer.
She didn’t look satisfied. Too bad. Relieved, he pulled in beside Zareb’s warehouse.
Cassie seemed to finally realize they’d stopped. She looked around. “Where are we?”
“A warehouse. That’s the Delaware.” He pointed to where she could just see the river flowing dark and cold past the back of the building. “This isn’t a residential part of Philly. Once the warehouses shut down for the night, the area pretty much empties of traffic and people. We’ll be safe.”
They climbed out of the car. It was so quiet their footsteps rang loud in the darkness. Even the cat had shut up. Nothing moved. She tugged her jacket more tightly around her. The night must’ve turned cold. He felt nothing. For a moment, he considered pulling her against him, but offering warmth or comfort would only lead to other temptations. He led her toward a door hidden in the shadows.
He pressed a small button next to the door and waited. She shivered beside him, and with a frustrated curse he gave in and wrapped his arm around her. When she moved closer, he wasn’t sure if it was an attempt to get warm or a lesser-of-two-evils thing. Even a human had to pick up on the scary vibes surrounding this place.
After what seemed forever, the door creaked slowly open. No light came from inside. No one stood in the opening. If anything, the blackness seemed deeper, more silent than the night. Ethan felt Cassie cringe away from the open door.
“You’re safe.” Maybe.
He pulled her inside. The door closed behind them.
“Come.” The voice was a deep rumble. Disembodied. Terrifying.
Even knowing who spoke, Ethan couldn’t control an instinctive shudder. He led Cassie further into the darkness.
Suddenly, a candle flickered on, quickly followed by more and more until the room was ablaze with their glimmering lights. With a quiet whoosh, flames leaped in the fireplace.
A figure glided from the shadows. Tall and muscular, he moved with that strange flowing motion only very old vampires achieved, those who no longer remembered they’d once been human.
Ethan knew by Cassie’s frightened gasp when she finally got a good look at their host. And if Ethan hadn’t been determined not to make an ass of himself, he would’ve gasped too.
“Hello, Ethan.” The vampire shifted his gaze to Cassie. “You come bearing gifts. A beautiful woman and . . .”
Screeching and hissing, the cat leaped from Cassie’s arms.
“A bad-tempered cat.” He smiled. “We’ll dine well tonight.”
Ethan grabbed her hand before she could make