Desire After Dark. Amanda Ashley

      “You still think I might have killed them?”

      “No, but…”

      “I knew they were in danger. I walked them home and warned them against opening their doors to strangers.”

      “You were a stranger.”

      He smiled faintly. “A stranger, yes, but not a murderer of young women.”

      She glanced at the clock over the mantel. “I’ve got to go. I’m going to be late for work.”

      She was picking up her handbag when Antonio said, “Tom Duncan.”

      “What?”

      “The man you were with last night. What did he want?”

      “I don’t see as how that’s any of your concern.”

      He took a step forward. Though his expression didn’t change, he seemed suddenly menacing. “What did he want?”

      “Dinner, of course,” she retorted. “Why else do people come into a diner? Well, except for you.”

      He clenched his hands at his sides. “There is more, something you are not telling me.”

      “He asked me for a date, not that it’s any of your business.”

      He stared at her.

      “What’s the matter? Is it so hard to believe that someone would want to date me?”

      Battista shook his head. “No, of course not.” He didn’t think the man ever thought of anything but destroying the Undead, but the vampire hunter had actually asked Victoria for a date. Battista knew hunters rarely married. It had never occurred to him that they might date from time to time. “Are you going out with him?”

      “I’ve really got to go.”

      “Yes, of course.” His face a hard mask, he turned and stalked out the door.

      Grabbing her coat, she followed him out of the house, locking the door behind her.

      She could feel him watching her as she unlocked her car door, tossed her coat into the backseat, and then slid behind the wheel.

      She stared at him for a moment before she started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

      He waited until she was out of sight, then dissolved into mist and followed her to the diner.