guest bedroom in designer jeans and a
blouse that dipped low enough to enhance her full bust. The colors
set off her bright green eyes. She was a beautiful girl, her allure
as soft as her voice, and her voluptuous figure firm and sultry.
She gave him a look that implied she’d rather be on a death march
than a date with him.
“Bye, Mama,” she murmured and kissed the
plump woman.
“Bye, guys. Have fun!”
Something in Mama’s twinkling eyes assured
Tristan that she was rooting for him and not her daughter. He’d
never met the mothers of any of the women he dated, suspecting
they’d forbid him from speaking to their daughters once they met
him and his shadows. He felt grateful to the matriarch of the tiny
family for accepting him despite his darkness.
He took Emma’s elbow. They stepped into the
soft, cool night, and she tensed, looking around. Something had
happened during the day, but he didn’t know what. The foolish woman
didn’t seem to understand that he wouldn’t let anything happen to
her or her family.
“Do you have a preference where we go?” she
asked, tugging away and starting down the stairs.
Tristan trailed, enjoying the feel of night
on his skin. A breeze swirled around him, kissing him gently. He
closed his eyes as shadows eased towards him, brushing him in a
warm-cool combination. Emma stared at him from the first landing,
uncertainty and trepidation on her fair features.
“I’d like to talk to you about something,” he
said and started forward.
“Why don’t we do this. Why don’t you go out,
and I’ll hide in my car for an hour or so.” The resolution in her
tone almost drew a smile.
“You want to be alone after today?” he
asked.
She turned away and started down the stairs.
Tristan joined her at the bottom. Her gaze swept over the dark
parking lot, and she shifted uneasily.
“Tristan?” Her voice was hesitant. “Are there
more people like you?”
“I imagine so,” he responded. “Emma, I’m more
dangerous than anything else you’ll ever meet.”
“How dangerous, Tristan?” she asked, hurrying
to keep up as he started toward her car.
“Nothing bad will happen to any of you as
long as I’m around.”
She slowed, deep in thought. Tristan led her
into the dark parking lot, aware of her unease. She watched him
with as much apprehension as she did her surroundings. He led her
to her car and opened the passenger door for her. Emma murmured her
thanks and sat, relaxing once in the safety of the car. She was
silent again as he pulled out of the parking lot and maneuvered
through the complex’s maze.
“You won’t hurt me, will you?” she asked at
last. “Or my family?”
“No, Emma.”
“You can see in the dark, can’t you?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Like a bat?”
“Bats use sonar. Mine is more like night
vision. You have an odd obsession with vampires, but I’m not
one.”
“I know,” she agreed. “You’re something even
more unholy and foul.”
“Like what?”
“A man.”
He chuckled. She shook her head. They were
quiet again. Tristan followed the signs to a highway, deftly
recalling Mama’s directions to a clump of restaurants.
“I saw four freaks today that looked like
they belong on Demon’s Alley,” Emma said and leaned her head
against the seat rest, gazing at him warily. “They followed
us.”
“Ignore them,” he advised. “Whoever you’ve
pissed off doesn’t want you dead yet.”
She stared at him, her look demanding him to
explain what he knew. He settled a hand on her thigh, and she
looked at it before settling her hands over it.
“You don’t know what you’re dealing with,
Emma,” he said softly. “Why didn’t you answer the phone when I
called?”
“Maybe I didn’t hear it,” she retorted. “Or
maybe you scare me as much as they do. Or maybe I feel guilty for
bringing you home with me. Or maybe, all of the above. “ Her
fingers tugged at his hand, and she flipped it over, tracing his
palm lightly
blouse that dipped low enough to enhance her full bust. The colors
set off her bright green eyes. She was a beautiful girl, her allure
as soft as her voice, and her voluptuous figure firm and sultry.
She gave him a look that implied she’d rather be on a death march
than a date with him.
“Bye, Mama,” she murmured and kissed the
plump woman.
“Bye, guys. Have fun!”
Something in Mama’s twinkling eyes assured
Tristan that she was rooting for him and not her daughter. He’d
never met the mothers of any of the women he dated, suspecting
they’d forbid him from speaking to their daughters once they met
him and his shadows. He felt grateful to the matriarch of the tiny
family for accepting him despite his darkness.
He took Emma’s elbow. They stepped into the
soft, cool night, and she tensed, looking around. Something had
happened during the day, but he didn’t know what. The foolish woman
didn’t seem to understand that he wouldn’t let anything happen to
her or her family.
“Do you have a preference where we go?” she
asked, tugging away and starting down the stairs.
Tristan trailed, enjoying the feel of night
on his skin. A breeze swirled around him, kissing him gently. He
closed his eyes as shadows eased towards him, brushing him in a
warm-cool combination. Emma stared at him from the first landing,
uncertainty and trepidation on her fair features.
“I’d like to talk to you about something,” he
said and started forward.
“Why don’t we do this. Why don’t you go out,
and I’ll hide in my car for an hour or so.” The resolution in her
tone almost drew a smile.
“You want to be alone after today?” he
asked.
She turned away and started down the stairs.
Tristan joined her at the bottom. Her gaze swept over the dark
parking lot, and she shifted uneasily.
“Tristan?” Her voice was hesitant. “Are there
more people like you?”
“I imagine so,” he responded. “Emma, I’m more
dangerous than anything else you’ll ever meet.”
“How dangerous, Tristan?” she asked, hurrying
to keep up as he started toward her car.
“Nothing bad will happen to any of you as
long as I’m around.”
She slowed, deep in thought. Tristan led her
into the dark parking lot, aware of her unease. She watched him
with as much apprehension as she did her surroundings. He led her
to her car and opened the passenger door for her. Emma murmured her
thanks and sat, relaxing once in the safety of the car. She was
silent again as he pulled out of the parking lot and maneuvered
through the complex’s maze.
“You won’t hurt me, will you?” she asked at
last. “Or my family?”
“No, Emma.”
“You can see in the dark, can’t you?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Like a bat?”
“Bats use sonar. Mine is more like night
vision. You have an odd obsession with vampires, but I’m not
one.”
“I know,” she agreed. “You’re something even
more unholy and foul.”
“Like what?”
“A man.”
He chuckled. She shook her head. They were
quiet again. Tristan followed the signs to a highway, deftly
recalling Mama’s directions to a clump of restaurants.
“I saw four freaks today that looked like
they belong on Demon’s Alley,” Emma said and leaned her head
against the seat rest, gazing at him warily. “They followed
us.”
“Ignore them,” he advised. “Whoever you’ve
pissed off doesn’t want you dead yet.”
She stared at him, her look demanding him to
explain what he knew. He settled a hand on her thigh, and she
looked at it before settling her hands over it.
“You don’t know what you’re dealing with,
Emma,” he said softly. “Why didn’t you answer the phone when I
called?”
“Maybe I didn’t hear it,” she retorted. “Or
maybe you scare me as much as they do. Or maybe I feel guilty for
bringing you home with me. Or maybe, all of the above. “ Her
fingers tugged at his hand, and she flipped it over, tracing his
palm lightly
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