“You thought what? That I could use a friend? Because that would be accurate.”
He laughed. “A friend. You’re not from the city, are you?”
“No,” she answered truthfully.
“I can tell.” Everett sighed and then pulled a card from his suit pocket. As he helped her into the car, he slipped the piece of paper into her purse. “A few of us are going out this weekend to a club nearby. Give me a call if you want to join.”
“Okay!” she answered a little too earnestly. She coughed and then backpedaled. “I mean, yes. Uh…if I can get away.”
“If not, then there’s always another time.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you.”
She sank into the backseat and Everett shut the door. She reached into her purse and withdrew the plain white card. She ran her fingers over the letters. Everett Taylor. She almost jumped with joy that she had plans this weekend. Real plans. With humans.
The car door opened again, and Reyna quickly stuffed the card back into her bag. She scooted over to the far seat as Beckham sat down.
“Let’s go.”
Beckham immediately pulled his phone out again and directed all of his attention to it. She was certain he was addicted to the thing. How could one person spend an endless amount of time glued to a screen? He missed everything with his face buried in his phone. She didn’t care if he had lived in the city for the last two hundred years. Well, she didn’t know how old he was. There was still so much to see!
With her eyes still directed out the window, she asked, “Where are we going anyway?”
“Work.”
Reyna cringed at the thought of going to Visage headquarters with so many vampires all in one place. “Oh. Just work? That’s all? I got all dressed up for us to go to your work?”
“You consider that dressed up?”
She ran her fingers down the silky material. “Yes. Very.”
He laughed humorlessly. “Work. That’s all. We’re having a special presentation this morning. You’ll be involved.”
“Me?” she squeaked. “Involved how?”
“You’ll be part of the presentation. Maybe say a few words. Just do whatever I tell you,” he said distractedly.
“Sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “There are two things I don’t do: needles and public speaking.”
His head popped up from his phone. “You’re afraid of needles?”
She shuddered. At least she had gotten his attention. “They give me the creeps.”
He gave her the funniest look as if he couldn’t believe that anyone could be afraid of needles.
“Look, it’s a common fear.” She fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably.
“Do you miss the irony in being afraid of needles when you’re working as a subject for a vampire?”
She cut her eyes over to him and forced herself not to touch the spot on her neck where he had nicked her last night. “I think a vampire would have to bite me for it to be ironic.”
“Don’t tempt me, Little One,” he growled.
Reyna straightened quickly. That wasn’t what she had meant.
“So…is that my new nickname or something? Is Reyna too long?” she asked, trying to lighten the mood and stop thinking about the powerful man sitting only inches from her. If she kept pushing him to feed on her, he might actually do it. Then she’d really test her fears.
“Reyna is perfectly adequate.”
He returned to his phone, and she thought that was the end of the conversation. Her gaze went back out the window to the bleak city all cast in the early morning glow. It was eerily beautiful in its own way.
Then his hand brushed her dark hair off her shoulder and all thoughts of the city evaporated. Goosebumps erupted on her skin. With her hair out of the way, he touched the tender spot where his fangs had pierced.
“Yes.”
Reyna didn’t move. She didn’t even breathe. She just felt the power of his touch vibrate through her body. His fingers moved from her neck up to her chin, and he forced her to look at him.
“Look at how you tremble.”
A smug expression crossed his face. He seemed pleased that his touch frightened her. But she couldn’t keep from feeling that way. He tilted his head in assessment, and then seemed to find what he was looking for.
“Yes, Reyna, you are my Little One.”
All that was before her was Beckham.
A predator luring his prey.
And she was trapped.
As thoroughly as a rabbit in a snare.
Beckham abruptly dropped his hand. For a moment, she had completely forgotten where she was or what she was doing. She shifted in her seat and tried to get herself back under control.
The car stopped in front of Visage, and the driver, Gerard, hurried around the car and opened the door for Beckham. Gerard then offered her his hand, assisting her from the vehicle. She tottered for a moment then regained her balance. Her head tilted up at the enormous Visage building in utter awe of the sheer magnitude of the all glass façade.
When she saw that Beckham hadn’t waited for her, hadn’t even looked back to see if she was coming, she jumped and made a dash to catch up. Luckily her high heels held traction on the concrete steps, and then she was breezing into Visage Incorporated right behind Beckham. As she walked into the tallest building in the city, her feet stilled again.
The entryway was a sight to behold. Glass upon glass upon more glass. And everything else was beautifully clean white marble and porcelain and polished granite.
“Reyna,” Beckham said sharply.
“Sorry.” She hurried to his side. “It’s just…incredible.”
“Follow me through the security screening.”
“The what?”
He sighed. “Pass through the body scanner.”
She looked at the glass box that she hadn’t noticed in her distraction. “What are they looking for?”
“Anyone and anything that doesn’t belong. I’ve already had you signed in.”
“Okay.”
She walked forward uncertainly. As she passed into the scanner, a red light blinked and then passed over her body. A duplicate image materialized before her. The light blinked blue and then posted a message: Human subject Reyna Carpenter. Identity confirmed. Approved.
She continued forward and shuddered as her body image disappeared. Beckham was waiting for her on the other side.
“What the hell was that?”
“A security measure.”
“What happens if you aren’t approved?”
“Don’t ever find out.”
Reyna rolled her eyes at his non-answer and then looked around at the Visage building. Everyone in attendance was dressed in a black suit. Even the women were in black skirt suits, with stark white blouses. Everything was crisp and orderly. Not a thing out of place.
Reyna followed Beckham to the elevator. “Is everyone a vampire who works here?”
“Of course not. You work here.”
“You know what I mean, Becks.”
His hand stopped before pressing the button, and he looked down at her. “Becks? Is this my new nickname? Is Beckham too long?”
Reyna shrugged. But she had a small measure of victory at throwing him off for a moment.
When the empty elevator opened before them, they stepped inside and Beckham selected his floor.
“Do any humans work on your level?”
“Why do you always ask so many questions?” he growled in irritation.
She shrank a little in on herself, but still said, “Because you don’t give me any answers.”
He reached instinctively for his phone in his pocket. “You have all the answers you need.”
“Fine.”
Beckham ignored her by focusing on whatever was going on on his phone. The elevator stopped on his floor, but before she could exit, Beckham reached out and stopped the doors from opening.
“What?” she asked, exasperated.
“Try not to bother anyone.” Reyna narrowed her eyes. “Not everyone is as…kind as I am.”
“Kind?” She couldn’t keep the sarcasm from her voice.