SINGLE WHITE VAMPIRE Page 0,67
of his bedroom.
"I guess I'll slip out the door from my room. Hopefully, the women aren't watching that one. I'll stop at the front desk and have security men sent up to remove the women from the hall."
"Okay. Thanks." Kate waved him off. Both Lucern and she were silent as they waited for the sound of his door opening and closing.
Kate sighed when it came. She turned to Lucern with a determination that, even in his depleted state, he knew couldn't be good. Her first words didn't reassure him.
"I have a plan."
"What do you have in the bag?" Lucern asked with bewilderment as they left the hotel.
"Stuff," Kate answered a tad shortly. She wasn't pleased with him at the moment, because he hadn't immediately fallen in with her plan. He'd heard her out, a disbelieving expression on his face, then had tried to talk her out of it. He had done his best to convince her to let him simply go bite a couple of conference guests, thinking it a much more sensible plan, but she seemed offended he'd even consider it.
He'd briefly wondered whether her upset might be because she didn't like the idea of his indulging with another woman the delights he did with her, but then he'd tossed that thought aside. She already knew, thanks to walking in while he was trying to feed on Chris, that he needn't bother with such methods. He supposed she was just generally offended on behalf of mankind itself. Humans didn't mind slaughtering baby cows for veal, but seemed testy at the idea of being food themselves.
"If it's too heavy, I'd be happy to carry itas I told you upstairs," Kate added through gritted teeth.
Lucern felt a smile threatening at her irritation. He forced it back at once. He rarely smiled. Chalking up his desire to do so now as just a symptom of his bloodless state, he shifted her bag to his other hand. The woman hadn't given it up easily. After more than an hour of arguing, Lucern had finally given in to her plan. Mostly because he was starved, she was stubborn, and it was the only way to get out of their room. He knew darn well she would hound him until he agreed.
Having relented and agreed to try her plan to garner him a one-stop meal, however, didn't mean Lucern had given up courtesy. When she'd produced her "bag of tricks," as she referred to it, he'd immediately insisted on carrying it. Kate seemed to see the move as some slight to her strength. She could carry her own bags, thank you very much. But he wouldn't let her.
Sheesh, Lucern thought. Modern women sure were a pain.
"Here we are," Kate announced, leading him to a taxi. She gave the driver an address as Lucern followed her in. Apparently, she had done her research. She obviously believed in being preparedjust like Bastien.
Despite the pain he was suffering, Lucern felt his lips twitch with amusement. He couldn't help it; Kate was just so delightfully cute.
It wasn't a long ride. When the taxi stopped and Lucern got out, it was to find they had been dropped in front of a restaurant, of all places. Luc stood staring at the building in bemusement as Kate followed him out.
"Kate, I think we're in the wrong place," he said as the taxi pulled away. "I don't see-"
"This way." She took his arm and steered him up the street. "I didn't want the cab to drop us off in front, in case our little adventure made the papers tomorrow. The cabbie might have remembered picking us up and dropping us off there, and they would be able to trace us back to the hotel. Now, that isn't a worry." Her voice was brittle. Despite this being her idea, she seemed extremely tense.
"Ah. Good thinking," Lucern murmured. He didn't want to point out that the way they were dressednot to mention the metallic clinking of the backpack he carriedwould make them memorable anywhere. And being dropped off a couple of buildings down would be of little help. Still, it wouldn't be a concern. Lucern would see to that. He had no intention of endangering Kate.
He spotted the building they sought, but Kate grabbed his arm and led him past it. He was about to ask why, when suddenly she turned down an alley that ran along the opposite side of the building.
"I cased the place before I went shopping," she whispered as she skulked