Even though he was prepared, another powerful jolt of electricity charged into his body. His lips tingled, his face heated up, his bones felt as if they were turning to rubber. Fire raced through his body, igniting just about everything. His fingers. His toes. And a few key places in between.
Damn. What the hell is going on with him? Is this what reverting feels like?
If so, no wonder it was so compelling. Her energies were rejuvenating him like a hit of adrenaline or a megadose of caffeine.
The woman’s mouth was hot on his and tasted faintly of some Italian spices and … Bubble gum? He’d have guessed she’d be more of a mint-gum person. Soft waves of her auburn hair brushed across his face. It smelled like honey. Or maybe that was her gum. Everything about her was tantalizing.
But he could not—would not—give in to it. Struggling not to get lost in the sensation, he forced himself to think of what he needed to do. He’d wipe her memory, take the two of them home, then get the hell away from her forever. Everything about this woman was way too dangerous.
He no longer cared that Krystal reminded him of his sister. Like most sweetbloods, she’d probably succumb to an unscrupulous vampire at some point in her life. There was nothing he could do to prevent it. He’d have her name taken off his list and put on another Guardian’s. Let someone else keep tabs on her, just as long as it wasn’t him. The long-ago guilt he’d harbored about his sister seemed much less important than his survival in the here and now.
“Shh,” he whispered against her lips, working his way past her mental barriers. He was vaguely aware that this felt different, as well, but then he couldn’t recall doing a mind wipe on a human host during a kiss without putting his hands on her temple. He quickly implanted the thought suggestion.
You have nothing to worry about. You saw a street fight, that’s all. I came along and broke it up.
Her body relaxed just a touch, her free hand no longer pressing against his chest in an effort to get away.
Thank God, it appeared to be working. Finally.
He slipped into his usual mode with a woman and let his hand go to the small of her back, just above the curve of her bottom. She didn’t push away. If he weren’t holding on to the girl, he’d have threaded his fingers through the woman’s luxurious curls to caress the back of her neck or cupped her ass to pull her hips closer. But he didn’t. Despite his reputation, he did have a few scruples.
And then, because he couldn’t help it, You’re kissing me because you’re grateful for my assistance. You and your cousin were in terrible danger.
Only when he stepped away from her was he aware that her arms had gone around his neck at some point during the kiss. She blinked, touched her lips with the tips of her fingers, as if confused by what just happened.
“What—what was that?”
“You tell me,” he said, shrugging. “You were the one who kissed me.”
Her cheeks colored to a lively shade of pink. “I—I did? But I don’t understand … how?”
“How? Well, if you’d like another demonstration, I’d be happy to oblige.”
The combination of a cough and a nervous laugh bubbled from her lips. “I’m grateful for your help, but … ah … that’s not necessary.” It took two tries to get her hair tucked behind her ear. She was clearly unaccustomed to doing what she thought she’d done—willingly kissing a complete stranger.
Thank God the mind wipe took this time. He didn’t know what he would’ve done otherwise. Give him a knife and a Darkblood and he was golden, but anything that needed a careful hand or any kind of finesse wasn’t his deal.
After tonight, hell most definitely had a special place waiting for him. They were probably having his name engraved now.
The woman grabbed her cousin and held her close. “Are you okay?” she asked, stroking the girl’s hair. “I’m so sorry you had to see that fight. The city usually isn’t like this. I promise.”
“I’m okay,” Krystal said.
Though relieved that the memory implant had taken hold, he was still confused. The woman made it sound as if the girl wasn’t from around here. “She’s visiting you?”
“No. She moved in with me two months ago.”
Right before she’d been kidnapped, he realized. But that didn’t surprise him. It wasn’t safe for sweetbloods to live in big cities, where vampires were concentrated in order to be close to human hosts, and tonight proved that. She’d be better off way out in the country, where it was less likely she’d run into vampires.
“Where did she live before she moved in with you?”
“In a small farming town in eastern Washington.” Perfect. “Then she needs to move back. The city is no place for a girl like her.”
“She can’t right now. I’m the only family she’s got for the time being.”
Apprehension knotted his gut. This sweetblood girl had no other options but to stay in the city.
“I’m Arianna Wells, by the way,” she said, holding out her hand.
He pretended not to see it and tucked his hands into his pockets, instead. He really didn’t want to experience her energy again. He was barely holding it together as it was. “Jackson Foss. Nice to meet you.” Changing the subject, he asked, “How far away do you live?” Although he knew the answer, he still needed to pretend he didn’t. She wouldn’t remember that he’d already admitted knowing her address.
“About twelve blocks north.”
“Good, I’ll see you safely home, then.”
“This is your car?” he asked as they approached a decades-old Cadillac parked half on and half off the sidewalk. Its pale yellow paint was chipping, one of the hubcaps was missing, the back bumper was askew and a dent in the back passenger door made him wonder if it even opened.
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, for one thing, who parked it?”
“You just broke up a gang fight and you’re concerned about my parallel parking?”
He laughed. “It’s kind of a piece of shit, if you want to know my honest opinion. It isn’t what I had expected from you.” He hadn’t really considered what he was expecting, just that it wasn’t this.
“I actually don’t recall asking for your ‘honest opinion.’” She cocked an eyebrow. Even though he’d wiped her mind and planted some completely self-serving thoughts, he liked that she stood up to him. “That is, if you want me to be honest with you.”
Okay, she had a point. “Fair enough.”
He opened the passenger door and waited for them to climb in.
“You’re driving us?” Krystal asked.
“Yes. I’ll either come back for my truck on foot or have one of my associates pick me up.” He shut the door and jogged around to the driver’s side.
Arianna probably loved this old thing because of its sentimental value, he thought as he slid in behind the wheel. Maybe it used to belong to someone she really cared about. Her grandfather? The boat of a car did look like the kind that had belonged to an old duffer who met the boys at the neighborhood coffee shop for an early breakfast before playing eighteen holes. He’d probably kept his clubs in the large trunk and set his hat on the back ledge. No doubt she couldn’t bear to part with it. But what did she expect his or anyone else’s reaction would be? There was no denying it. The car was a total junker.
“Unfortunately,” she said, “what’s under the hood runs well. That’s all that matters.”