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Adrian’s head popped up above the table’s edge with Ophelia as they scanned the party-filled hangar together. “You were jealous.”
She glowered at him and ducked behind the coffeemaker. He probably danced with Katelyn just to make me jealous.
He pulled Ophelia back further into the shadows. With only the disco lights on the dance floor, the shadows were quite dark.
“Adrian.”
He kissed her, a little longer this time.
“Stop kissing me.”
Adrian grinned very close to her face and slipped a hand up around her waist. He sniffed her hair instead. “Okay. As long as you’re listening to me again, that’s what matters most. We still have a lot to talk about.”
Feeling very warm, Ophelia glanced at her neighbors dancing and chatting and let a little breath go through her lips.
He touched his lips to her ear, just enough to tickle. “Aren’t you going to elbow me in the ribs or something?”
“Adrian.”
He kissed her, tilting her head and grasping firmly, refusing to allow her to pull away. “Not even going to scream for help, hmm?”
“You’re entirely too sure of yourself.” Nevertheless, Ophelia kept her mouth very close to his until they stung for wanting to press against him.
“Still want me to stop kissing you?” His breath tickled and caressed her face.
“Yes.” She glanced around, ears burning. “In about an hour or so.”
Adrian laughed and pinned her to the wall, kissing her and dragging her behind a stack of cardboard boxes full of party favors. He never broke contact, even when their bottoms settled on the floor.
The party vanished beyond their little corner, leaving Ophelia in the one place she truly wanted to be, alone with Adrian, free to kiss him as much as she wanted. He kissed along her upper lip from one corner to the other and then along the bottom lip. The tip of his tongue touched her teeth and he cradled her back against the wall.
“You’re a freakin’ lunatic.” She managed to say when he moved from her mouth back to her ear and shivers went up her spine.
He started on her lobe. “That’s why you love me so much. A freakin’ lunatic gets to do everything you don’t.”
Ophelia moved her mouth back to his. “Yeah, I guess that’s it.” Her body took on a profound sort of weightlessness as they kissed and kissed. She didn’t care how much time passed until the corset stays cut into her ribs with her quick breaths, depriving her of oxygen. No. No. I don’t want to stop. But, panic set in and she thumped Adrian’s shoulders with both fists, breaking lip contact. “I can’t...I can’t...”
“Geez, you’re a ghost.” He reached around her back and ripped open the corset with both hands.
She exhaled and sucked in a big breath, and then another, and another, collapsing on his shoulder.
Cupping her face, he studied her under one of the disco lights. “Are you all right?”
Ophelia shuddered, unable to stop the tears rolling over her eyelashes. “It’s just not fair. I can’t even make out with my boyfriend without something happening.”
“Life isn’t...”
“Don’t tell me life isn’t fair. I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was nine years old. I know life isn’t fair.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Adrian hugged her close, smoothing down the back of her hair. “Once we get you away from here, we’ll get your diabetes under control. We’ll go for a long walk and you won’t need me to carry you, but I will if you want me to for fun.”
Ophelia watched the couples swinging and dipping.
One boy did a back-flip and spun on his butt, and then back onto his shoulders with his legs spinning in the air.
“And dance? Like that?”
Adrian smiled. “Just like that, if you want.”
“With you? In front of everyone?”
He nodded and kissed her nose. “I’m going to find Bianca to help get you home without anyone noticing, especially your jackass ex-boyfriend.”
“Martin’s here?”
Adrian nodded. “Saw the Brynners drive up just before you walked in.”
“I don’t want to go. It’s not fair. We shouldn’t have to sneak around.” She gripped his shoulder in her hand.
“We’ll watch Star Trek First Contact on your sofa, okay?” He kissed her forehead. “That’s your favorite Next Gen movie, right?”
“Okay.” Ophelia let him peel her arms off and stand.
“Wait here.” Adrian slid into the darkness.
And for an instant, she feared he’s disappeared into thin air.
True, the music drowned out most noise, but Ophelia couldn’t help thinking about all the other times he just vanished, silent, like a ninja. Or a griffin. Griffins are fiercely monogamous, defending their mates to the death.
“Ten. Nine.”
She perked out of her thoughts. Already counting down to midnight? Geez, how long were we kissing?
“Happy New Year.” All the horns blasted. Someone smashed the drums. Everyone cheered and kissed.
Still, Adrian was a no-show.
What is it with him sometimes? Ophelia rubbed her nose and refused to cry.
Fireworks blasted and whistled and most everyone rushed outside.
A few stayed behind, laughing hysterically over some prank or joke, she did not know what.
A few familiar voices, Trevor for one, rose above the scuffling and laughing.
Brandon? Ohmigoodness, I just abandoned him. Ophelia cupped a hand over her forehead.
I am all right.
“What?” Ophelia straightened and tried to see over the boxes. “Brandon?” She swore he was right next to her and now he was gone.
A body smashed into the stack of boxes, knocking them everywhere, and landed right next to her.
A little scream got out of her and she clutched her ripped bodice with both hands and jerked back against the wall. “Trevor.”
“Oh, geez, I’m sorry, Ophelia.” He sat up and placed a caring hand on her shoulder. “Did I hurt you?” Her bare back caught his attention. “Whoa, what happened?” He waved the other hand. “Never mind, none of my business. I know who your Alpha Male is now. Adrian’s totally cool and I’m ha—”
“Get away from her.” Martin’s voice boomed at them.
Ophelia gasped. With Trevor’s hand on her naked shoulder, she realized how the scene appeared to Martin.
Trevor barreled over and scrambled away on all fours.
Martin’s eyes flashed harsh yellow.
Ophelia’s throat clenched in terror.
Martin charged.
Trevor was just a bug to him, an annoying bug to be squashed.
“Martin. I’m cold.”
Martin stopped near the door. His rigid red face softened, and his indulgent grin returned. “Oh, my poor Sweet.” He swooped back and took off his jacket.
I’m his drug. Ophelia cringed when he wrapped the jacket around her, but she had to choose between letting him hold her and letting Trevor get killed.
Because, Martin would kill Trevor, she could not deny that truth. She’d seen murder in his eyes. Maybe Adrian was right.
Martin sat beside her and pulled her into his lap. “I’ve missed you so much. No one would let me even talk to you on the phone.”
“Well, I’ve had a really crappy Christmas.” Her throat was like cold steel, but she managed to get the words out.
Martin held her face against his chest and rocked her like a baby. “I know, but your destiny is imminent. We have more than enough power now.”
“What do you mean?”
He’s a vampire. Brandon’s voice inserted into her thoughts from somewhere nearby. His coven now has enough power to assert themselves into the war.
Ophelia sat, locked in the arms of a very powerful being. But he is not a vampire.
And, Brandon, still invisible, talked inside her head. Yes, he is.
Okay, I’m the freakin’ lunatic here. She froze, realizing, as she always had, that physically resisting Martin was pointless. Not only was he more powerful than her, but also more powerful than anyone she knew, at least stronger than anyone who could help.
Except me. Brandon. Because I’m what he is. Only good.
But, how can that be? The Scientific Method passed through Ophelia’s head. Step One: Ask the question.
Martin stroked her cheek.
Is he a vampire? She studied his eyes, now returned to normal-looking human eyes.
Tanned skin, full lips, no scars, perfect teeth, Martin was more ruggedly handsome than ever. He smiled and sniffed along her chin to her neck.
Ophelia hated him with all her might, but his touch generated good feelings with absolutely no basis in fact. She latched onto the next step and the inexplicable attraction vanished. Research. Her eyes fixed on his dark blond hair, a curl resting on his clavicle, his skin warm and moist. Skin warm, not vampiric. “May I have a lock of your hair?”
“My hair?”
“Yes. Please?” Ophelia fingered his collar and tried to fake a smile. “A keepsake.”
“I can give you diamonds, and you ask for my hair.” Martin kissed her cheek. “Of course.”
Ophelia opened her purse and dug out her little fold-up scissors.
Why do you want his hair? Brandon spoke to her thoughts.
DNA testing. Ophelia tried not to think about how Brandon could be talking in her head, but little bits of knowledge were clicking together at a furious rate, and she couldn’t very well ignore it. She snipped Martin’s hair and shoved it in her purse.
DNA testing? What is that?
Ophelia’s thoughts scrambled back over her available data, Martin’s warm skin, and so on. Genetic testing. The boogieman must be dismantled from the feet up. Martin is not a vampire.
Martin placed a doll in her arms. “Belated Christmas present.”
The porcelain doll was about twenty inches in height with long, dark blond hair and big hazel eyes. If she’d been a real child, she looked like she might have been fathered by Martin.
Creepy. Ophelia studied the doll. Its dress was full and of pink silk with big, puffed sleeves. “She’s beautiful.” Ophelia licked her dry lips.
“I’ve been calling her ‘Muffy.’”
“Whatever.” She hoped the edge hadn’t shown in her response. As long as his fantasy remained intact, she was safe, at least for the moment.
Martin pulled her up with him. “Come on. We’ll have a lot more fun at home.”
If Martin isn’t a vampire, what is he?
Possibly something much worse. Ophelia tried to find Brandon among the shadows.
Brandon dropped from the ceiling and landed on his feet in front of Martin. “I cannot permit you to take possession of this Sweet.” His blue eyes shone.
Ophelia covered her mouth. You think you’re a vampire too?
Yes, of course.
Martin pushed her behind him and paced like a black tiger. “You? You’re pathetic. You take orders from a diabecracker.”
The lights went completely out as Ophelia scrambled back against the wall, right into Adrian’s arms. A few regular humans cussed or wondered aloud if a fight was imminent, depending on their vantage point.
“Let’s go, Buttercup.” Adrian whispered in the darkness and guided her silently along the wall.
A shriek drew her attention and she saw Martin smash Brandon through the wall behind them.
Out in the frigid air, Adrian scooped her up and broke into a jog, not slipping once on the ice. “An important thing to remember on this side of reality is to cut and run whenever the titans face off. Otherwise, you’ll get squashed.”
“Oh, my dog.”
“Yeah, now you know I was telling the truth.” Adrian’s breath came fast in his warm chest. He slid down an embankment, headed to where Jimmy’s truck was already warm and running.
A thought solidified in Ophelia’s mind and burst out before she could stop it. “The Oldbloods and Newbloods are two separate species.”
“The Newbloods are a recent American offshoot of the European vampires, that’s all, like lions and tigers are both from the cat family.” Adrian rounded the McDaniel’s’ van, glancing over his shoulder.
“Since when have vampires been such picky eaters? As far as I can tell, Newbloods are only interested in diabetics.”
Adrian opened the truck door and set her inside. “Take her straight home.” He fastened her seatbelt and pointed at Bianca. “And don’t you ever put my girlfriend in a corset again.”
“Oh, yes, sir.” Bianca gave a mock salute.
“Where are you going?” Ophelia hung onto his arm.
“To make sure Brandon’s okay.” He kissed her quickly.
She let go.
“He’s powerful, but he doesn’t know a right hook from a sidekick.” Adrian locked the door and ran into the woods.
Wolves appeared among the shadows with him.
She sucked in a breath to scream for help, but then she saw him pet one. Another wolf leapt up and licked his face as they trotted along together.
The trees loomed into the starry sky, crystalized with ice shining bright in the moonlight. Adrian, a mere human, vanished among them, leading the pack.