hadn’t been trying very hard).
He scooted back on the couch and cradled me in next to him. “I could tell you stories,” he said, toying absently with my hair, “if you’d let me.”
“That might be nice.” I’d have to think on it.
He propped himself over me. “Heather, not that I’m complaining”—he caressed the stretch of skin between my ear and my chin—“but what happened tonight?”
I was almost afraid to tell him. “What do you remember?”
He looked somewhat embarrassed. “I was at Nina’s party, and then nothing.”
“You were drugged.”
“Me?” He seemed surprised. “Amazing.”
“Slimprol.”
His expression darkened. “Bliss.”
“Exactly.”
He nodded to himself, calculating. “Where is she now?”
Just like that, I knew our alone time was over.
Lucky for me, I liked a good fight.
CHAPTER 9
I strapped on my fixed-blade daggers, holstered my Glock 22 with silver bullets, added handcuffs, a stun gun, mace, and of course, my lucky boot knife.
It felt good to look like me again, with certain improvements. I wore a pair of black leather pants Tia had picked out, with a matching tank top that let me move.
Lucien watched me with obvious hunger, which I enjoyed thoroughly.
Probably because I knew he was going to do something about it later.
When I’d double-checked my gun and finished with my daggers, he tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “Thanks for saving my life.”
“My pleasure.” Parts of me went gooey just thinking about it.
Vinny clomped through the kitchen, carrying a shotgun in each hand. “Never mind the fact that I was stuck in the garage for the last two hours.”
I checked the clock on the mantel. Two hours? I ran a palm up Lucien’s arm, admiring his tight black T-shirt. “I’m impressed.” The man had stamina.
“And I had to send away the medic,” Vinny grumbled. “Good thing you weren’t exactly subtle. I don’t like surprises.”
“Why does he think this is about him?” I asked Lucien.
He kissed me on the nose. “I have no idea.”
Vinny headed for the front door. “Can you knock it off? We have a tiger to cage.”
It was about the only thing he could have said to move me from that spot.
“Later,” Lucien whispered, his breath hot against my ear.
God, I hoped so.
I admired his ass on the way to the front door. He wore jeans and combat boots, which was a very nice look for him. I was about to tell him so when we opened the door and found a visitor on the front stoop.
“Tia,” I said, surprised. I remembered her following us earlier tonight, but I had no idea she’d still be here.
She stood as soon as she saw us. Tia wore her dress from the dinner party, although it was torn on one shoulder and bore grass stains up the side. She’d also lost her shoes.
Guilt pricked at me. I’d been inside, having my way with Lucien, while she’d been, well, what had she been doing?
“What happened to you?” Vinny asked.
She ignored the question, eyes trained on me. “I told you I needed to talk to you,” she said, voice shaky.
“That you did.” But I really didn’t think she’d camp out.
Vinny took her by the arm. “Did someone attack you?”
“Excuse me?” She seemed surprised. “Um. No. I, well, it’s hard to run in a dress.”
Funny. That had been my point all along.
Tia being here was all fine and good, but we had to get moving. I’d say we had barely an hour of darkness left.
I led her down the front walk while Lucien started up the car and Vinny loaded the trunk with shotguns. “Okay, well what did you need to talk about? We’re on our way to kick some tiger ass.”
“That drug you found in your drink,” she said. “It was sparkly.”
“Yes.” I didn’t want to rush her, but as soon as Vinny went back for a few extra cases of silver bullets, we were leaving.
Tia touched my arm. “Sunny had been giving me vitamin supplements, for my husband. They were supposed to help him get extra nutrients, because, well, I’m anemic and”—a blush crept up her cheeks—“he only wanted to drink from me.”
“How romantic,” I said, stunned that I almost understood.
“It is,” she said dreamily. “Anyway, it seemed he needed more. Or at least we thought he needed something. Thomas was getting more and more tired, until one day he decided to sleep.”
Then it hit me. “Sunny was mixed up in Slimprol.”
It made sense, and it didn’t. Sunny and Bliss were friends, but Bliss didn’t seem all that eager to share her pills—or her