“Okay,” I breathed. “Thanks. Sorry about all this.”
“Just don’t go to your house. It’s one of the stakeout points. They might shoot garlic first and ask questions later.”
“Got it.”
“Or to his house. Just to be safe.”
“Okay.”
“Or to your sister’s house.”
I winced. Too late. “Thanks, Ryder. We’ll hide out for another day or two.”
I gave her my sister’s cell number and ended the call, then pulled on some yoga pants, thinking hard. I needed to cancel my credit cards, check if they’d robbed my house, call my job and let them know I was alive—there were so many things I needed to do.
But I found myself drawn back to Michael. If he was leaving me soon, I wanted to spend every minute I could with him. I returned to the living room, my gaze devouring him. He paced as my sister watched from her perch on the arm of the couch, worried and uneasy.
He seemed to untense at the sight of me, although his gaze remained worried. “Ruby, I can’t stay here.”
“I know,” I said with a glance at my sister. “It’s not safe for Jayde. They have teams out looking for you—and me, in a sense. If they come here, I don’t want the situation to escalate.”
Jayde snorted and stood, arms crossing over her chest. “Don’t be silly, little sis. Stay here.”
I shook my head. “Michael’s really unpopular right now. I’m going to stay with him.”
“No.” Michael’s voice was quiet but resolute.
I turned to look at him in surprise. Dread curled in my stomach. “What do you mean, no?”
“I mean that it’s too dangerous for you.” He shook his head. “Worst blind date ever, remember? It’s my fault that it’s gone on two days too long. You’re probably sick of watching over me, and I don’t blame you.”
Of course I wasn’t sick of Michael. I loved him. Always had, always would. Being with him again made my world finally feel right once more. As if a missing piece had locked into place. I’d been okay without him, but I hadn’t been happy. I missed being happy.
“But…” I said.
“It’s okay, Ruby,” he said, and took my hand in his.
Jayde said, “Looks like you two need a moment.”
As she left the room, Michael placed his other hand over mine, staring down at our clasped hands. “I really appreciate what you’ve done for me the past few days. You’ve been such a good friend to me.”
There was that damn f-word again. “You can’t go off on your own. That werewolf is working with the bounty hunter,” I said, wondering if my voice sounded as desperate as I felt. “They can track you by scent. And there are even more people looking for you tonight. If you go out without me at your side, you might as well paint a big target on your back.”
“Better on my back than yours,” he said, and brushed his fingers over my cheek in a caress. “You’ve done enough. I know that you didn’t want to see me again. I could tell the moment you took the blindfold off. It was obvious from the look on your face, and I’m sorry that you’ve been stuck with me. I need to let you get back to your regular life. I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”
What life? Watching security cameras at the storage unit? Spending my nights off bored and looking for awkward first dates on the dating service? Spending my time regretting the choices I’ve made?
“I’m not sorry you dragged me in,” I said softly.
He leaned in and kissed me. I felt the barest graze of teeth against my lip. “Good-bye, Ruby.”
And before I could stop him, he walked past me and opened the front door, as I sat there and stared. He was leaving me. The nightmare of four years ago came crashing down over me once more.
Jayde came out of her room a few moments later, no doubt scenting that Michael had left. “So you’re just going to let him walk out again?”
I said nothing—the knot in my throat was as big as a bowling ball.
“I know you want him,” Jayde prompted. “Normally, you have a miserable expression on your face, but tonight you’re lit up like a firecracker. Doesn’t take a genius to realize that it’s him. And you’re just going to let him leave? Again?” She gestured toward the front door. “Vampires aren’t off-limits. What’s the problem?”
“He thinks we’re just friends,” I said bitterly. “He’s reminded me of that repeatedly.”
She snorted. “I may not know what’s going on between you two, but the way he looks at you? It’s obvious you two were never just friends. Did you sleep with him?”
I felt my cheeks heat.
“Uh-huh,” Jayde said knowingly. “And do you sleep with your other friends?”
“No.”
“Do you think he sleeps with his other friends?”
Startled, I looked over at her. “I guess not.”
She gave me a little push. “Then I guess you should go tell him that your girl parts keep having unfriendlike thoughts about him.”
“But, Jayde, he thinks I cheated on him. He hasn’t asked me about it, but he couldn’t have forgotten.”
I still remembered the look of utter anguish on Michael’s face, the sick clenching in my own stomach, the tears that wouldn’t stop flowing after he slammed the door shut.
“You ever hear of second chances?” Jayde gave my shoulder a harder shove. “Go on. The worst he can say is no, and then you’ll turn into the crazy cat lady that you’re heading for anyhow.”
She was right. I had to try. Even if he turned me away, I had to know how he truly felt. What did I have to lose? If he left, I lost everything.
I went outside and paused, sniffing the wind, looking for Michael’s spicy scent. Maybe it wasn’t too late. I could explain what he’d seen four years ago. Maybe we could go on another date, take it slow.
Maybe he’d stop calling me his friend.
The wind carried the scent of vampire on it, and I inhaled, wanting to fill my lungs with Michael’s aroma. Maybe he’d give me a second chance—
But the vampire scent wasn’t his. I gasped.
“Rube?” Jayde called from inside the apartment, hearing my gasp through the door.
I bolted through the parking lot, following the scent, scanning for Michael’s familiar form. There!
He strode down the street in the shadows, hands shoved into his pockets, head bent. His spiky hair seemed flat and wilted, as if his entire being were dejected.
A shadow moved to his right, and I saw the other vampire raise the crossbow to his shoulder.
I dashed forward, screaming. “Michael! Duck!”
Michael dropped to the pavement, his jacket flaring out behind him as he rolled to the ground. I kept running to him, my legs swift even if my steps were short. I could reach him in time. I could.
I heard the thwack of the crossbow releasing, and something slammed me in the back, knocking me forward onto my stomach. I gasped, the wind knocked out of me for a moment.
“No!” Michael yelled, the sound rough and hoarse with outrage. He ran for the man in the bushes, and I heard his fist slam into the man’s mouth. I heard them scuffle, yet I couldn’t seem to focus in and see what was going on. Was Michael whaling on the guy? I heard the chuffing cry of a jaguar nearby, and the wind smelled like my sister…
And blood.
I couldn’t seem to get off the ground. I pushed, but my hands weren’t responding right. Something dug into my back, and it felt like a hot poker. Warm, wet liquid ran down my spine, and I realized I’d been shot by the crossbow. “Well, damn.”
“Ruby?” Michael was at my side. I tried to get up again, but I was like a bug pinned to a board. Ridiculous that I was so strong and was felled by something so small. Michael’s hands had bruises on the knuckles as he reached for me, and they were gentle as he helped me sit up. He cradled me in his lap.
“No, Ruby, no. Sweetheart, why did you come after me?” I noticed blood smearing over his shirt—my blood. His eyes glittered with fury even as he tenderly pushed the hair away from my face. “I left to keep you safe.”
“You were in danger,” I said softly.
“You came after me because I was in danger?”
It was getting harder to breathe, my chest heavy. I wanted to cough but didn’t have the strength in me. “Wanted to tell you,” I said weakly. “I don’t want to be your friend.”
In the distance, I heard Jayde’s snarl and the crunch of her teeth sinking into the vampire, ensuring that he wouldn’t ever bother us again.
Michael stroked my face, his fingers shaking.
“I love you,” I said softly. I was so tired, and it seemed important to say it now, while I could. “Always loved you. I didn’t cheat on you… back then.”
“I know,” he said roughly, then kissed me. “I’ve always known. The whole blind-date thing was a setup. I just wanted to see you again. Everything I did—the blindfold, the stupid changes to my voice—all of it was to get you to stay just a few minutes longer.”
“How…” I asked, but things were getting dark, and I was suddenly irritated at my body’s failings. I wanted to hear the story. How had he always known?
“Ruby, I love you. I never stopped loving you.”
I smiled weakly up at him, at his face growing fuzzy. “Your timing is shit.”
He cradled me closer and pressed a kiss to my mouth. “I don’t want to lose you. Please, Ruby, don’t let me lose you.” His eyes flared black with emotion. “Do you want to stay with me? Do you trust me? Because I’m not ready to let you go.”
“Me, either,” I said softly, but I knew it didn’t matter. Wouldn’t soon.
“Then don’t be mad when I do this,” he said, and sank his fangs into my throat.
I stiffened at the flare of pain; he hadn’t licked me to ease the bite. But only a little pain. The red-hot poker between my ribs had flared outward to encompass everything, and I was too far gone to feel much more. The world was growing dark and blurry.