The Darkest Kiss

I should have guessed he might have been here, because he always seemed to support major charity events like this. But it had been so long since we’d crossed paths that I simply hadn’t thought about it.

And if I had, what would I have done?

Not come, a voice deep inside whispered.

Maybe. Maybe not. I was no coward, after all, and I’d faced far worse things than a vampire determined to make me his own—even if he broke my heart and my soul in the process.

I closed my eyes for a moment, taking deep, slow breaths that did little to calm the erratic dance of my pulse, then slowly turned around.

I’d never really believed the line in romance books that said, “Their eyes met, and everything else faded away,” but that’s exactly what happened.

My gaze met Qui

And oh, he looked so good. The simple elegance of his black suit emphasized not only the broadness of his shoulders but the lean power of his body. His night-dark hair was cut short and neat, but so thick and lush that my fingers itched with the need to run through it, as they had months ago when we were still lovers. Being an older vampire capable of standing quite a lot of sunlight, his skin held a warm, healthy tan rather than the pasty white that was common among most of them. And his eyes—his eyes had always captured me the most. They were vast wells of darkness that held his secrets and emotions well in check—too well, most of the time—and yet it was so easy to lose yourself in those endless depths. In all respects, he had the sort of looks that drew the eye time and again. Saying he was good-looking didn’t even begin to do him justice.

For several more minutes, I did nothing, said nothing, just stood there staring at him, my skin burning and my heart racing.

Then he smiled, and it was such an achingly sweet smile that a shiver ran down my spine and desire spun like a fireball ready to explode all around me.

One touch, that was all that was needed.

One touch, and I was his.

But only a moment, not for eternity. I might want him as I’d wanted few others, but the past between us was laden with lies and mistrust, and it was not something that would ever be brushed aside easily.

He walked toward me, moving with an economy of movement that was both graceful and powerful. But it broke the spell, and suddenly there was noise and people and movement all around me.

I gripped my purse in front of me as if it were some sort of shield and forced a smile. “Fancy meeting you here.”

He stopped when there was little more than an arm’s length between us. His scent swirled around me, soft and spicy.

“How have you been, Riley?” he said quietly, the lilt of Ireland caressing his voice, sending my already erratic pulse into overdrive.

“Fine, considering. How have you been?” God, we were so polite it was sickening—especially considering all I wanted to do was strip him and make love to him. Right here, right now.

It seems the leash had well and truly broken on my hormones.

“I’ve been keeping myself busy.” He paused, and just for a second, emotion fired his eyes, making them burn as fiercely as the desire that continued to flare unchecked between us. What that emotion was, I couldn’t say. As usual, the shields slammed down before I could really identify it. “I heard about you and Kellen. I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

I snorted softly, and couldn’t help the slight edge in my voice as I said, “You know I’m not believing that, Qui

He raised a hand, as if to touch my face, then stopped inches away, pausing long enough that I felt the heat of his fingers, then let his arm fall again. Part of me regretted that. Part of me was thankful.

One touch was not what I needed right now, even if my whole body ached with a need that totally refuted it.

“You made your choice, Riley. In the end, I respected it.”

“Because you had no other option.” I took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Look, I don’t want to stand here and rehash the past.”

I don’t want to redo us. Don’t want to deal with any more pain. Just go, just leave, before it all starts up again and I end up in an even bigger mess.

He didn’t leave, of course. Whether he’d actually heard my thoughts or not, and whether he was simply ignoring them, I couldn’t say. I wasn’t consciously trying to use telepathy, but he and I had a link that went beyond psi-talents. So often in the past, he’d made comments that suggested he was reading more of my thoughts than he would ever admit, but he’d never really confirmed or denied it. The only admission he’d ever given was that our sharing blood had allowed us a deeper co

Any lovemaking, not just him and me.

That was just one of the things that had torn us apart. That and him trying to change the very essence of what I was.

He studied me, his dark gaze assessing. As if I were some fragile animal he didn’t want to spook. I would have laughed if it wasn’t so true.

After a moment, he asked, “Would you like a drink?”

“Just a lemonade. I’m actually working a case.”

“Oh?” He snagged two drinks from a passing waiter, and handed the lemonade to me. I took the glass, careful not to touch him. The heat from his fingers hit mine regardless, and a tremor ran through my body.

“Yeah,” I said, glad my voice sounded normal when my insides were anything but. God, after everything this vampire had done to me, you’d think I’d be over the sight of him. But no, my ditzy hormones were acting like I was a pubescent pup going through her first moon dance. “We think we’ve got a bakeneko on the loose.”

He raised dark eyebrows. “Now there’s a creature I’ve not heard of in a while.”

“So you do know of them?” I took a sip of the drink. The fizzy liquid did little to ease the dryness in my throat.

“They’re rare. If there’s one in Melbourne, you’ve got real problems.”

“Tell me about it,” I muttered. “The bitch has killed five people already.”

“That’s definitely not a good sign.” He hesitated, then said, “Come sit at my table, and I’ll tell you what I know.”

“What about your partner?”

The smile that touched one corner of his lips was sexy, and yet at the same time, almost sad.

“I didn’t come with anyone.”

“Why not? You’re an eligible bachelor who has women falling at his feet and who never has to pay for it, aren’t you?”

His soft laugh sent little shivers of delight traipsing up my spine. Good Lord, I had it bad.

“Trust you to quote my own damn words at me,” he said.

“That’s not answering the question. As usual, I might add.”

He gave a slight nod in acknowledgment of the barb. “There was no one in my life that I wished to take to this function.” He paused, then added with a slight glint of mischief, “Sometimes, going solo is better than settling for second best.”

“Says the man who can afford nothing but the best,” I said dryly, totally ignoring the intent behind the words.

“Ah, but there are some things you can’t buy, no matter how much you try.” He raised his glass slightly, as if in salute, then took a drink before adding, “It’s a lesson I’ve learned recently, actually.”

“Who’d have thought ancient vampires could still be taught things,” I said lightly, even as I wondered whether he had learned anything, or if it was just another one of those lines, easily said but never really meant. There’d been a lot of those moments between us, too.