A Bite to Remember Page 0,74

mind a muddle.

Vincent liked Jackie and enjoyed her company. He even liked her bossiness with him at times. And then there was tonight as they'd danced... Vincent had never felt so at peace in his life. Holding her in his arms, he'd felt like he'd found home.

As for when he'd kissed her... God, he hadn't felt such passion in centuries. His heretofore lack of interest in sex had most definitely been revived this evening. In fact, if he were to be honest with himself, he'd admit it had been revived even before tonight. Since the day in his office when he'd slipped into her dreams, Vincent had wasted hours each morning before going to sleep, just lying in bed, imagining stripping her naked, laying her on various flat surfaces, and feasting on every inch of her body.

But it had all seemed to be happening too fast. He'd delayed trying to read Jackie and finding out if she really was his life mate to allow himself time to adjust to the possibility that he had finally found his life mate, as well as to allow her time to get to know him. Immortals knew that when they found the one they couldn't read, they'd found their life mate. They accepted it and went with it easily. For mortals, it was a little different, they generally needed time to adjust. Their desire was there, and the bonding happened, but the logical part of their mind often insisted on a courtship.

Unfortunately, Vincent's delay had lost him any chance with Jackie. He could never turn her now. If he hadn't been such a coward and delayed, if he'd turned her right away?/p>

Vincent shook his head. If he'd done that, Stephano would now be dead, although he wasn't sure the man might not still die. He frowned to himself as he wondered why the man hadn't yet awoken. They were all starting to become terribly worried.

"Jackie has no family, nothing to hold her to the mortal world," Marguerite said suddenly, drawing his mind back to the topic at hand. "She would do very well as one of us, Vincent. She will be a good life mate to you. She compliments you perfectly."

"We will not be life mates," Vincent said quietly.

"She is your life mate, Vincent. Your missing half."

He shifted with irritation and snapped the truth he hadn't wanted to look at too closely before now. "I cannot turn her."

"But I can," she pointed out.

"You? Vincent paused abruptly and glanced toward the door as it opened, not wanting Jackie to overhear what they were talking about. However, it wasn't Jackie who entered. It wasn't even Tiny. He stared blankly at the man standing in the kitchen doorway. Tall, at least his own height or more, the man had long auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was also dressed all in black and eyeing them with cold, grim eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Vincent asked, getting to his feet.

The stranger remained silent, his gaze sliding over Marguerite, only switching back to Vincent when he stepped protectively in front of her.

"Well?" Vincent asked.

The man arched one eyebrow, looking vaguely amused at his reaction to his presence as he finally said, "Christian Notte."

"Neil and Stephano's cousin from Europe," Vincent realized and his stance relaxed. Obviously, Jackie had let the man in and sent him to the kitchen. "When did you arrive in California?"

"Today," he admitted. "We called when we landed at the airport. There was no answer."

"We were out earlier making the rounds of the clubs and only got home about fifteen minutes ago. I told Neil not to bother answering the phone," Vincent explained. His gaze slid to the door as he wondered where Jackie was, but he supposed she was still in the office and would be along shortly. He glanced around the kitchen, but was at a complete loss as to what to do or say, finally he sighed and offered, "I'm sorry about Stephano. He's a good man. A friend."

Christian Notte nodded slowly, but he was frowning as he asked, "You were out tonight and just got back?"

"Yes." Vincent's eyebrows drew together at his expression. Concerned the man was offended that they appeared to be out partying so soon after Stephano's attack, he said quickly, "It was necessary. We weren't just out having a laugh." He hesitated, then added, "I have to feed off living donors because of a genetic?

"Neil explained about that," Christian interrupted. "He said the last donor you fed