It was a version of the truth, anyway. She hadn't been upset precisely, although she'd definitely been out of control. And he didn't want to add to her nightmares by inflicting himself on her life.
Sarah was watching him, searching his face, looking for the truth, he figured. He stared back at her calmly and knew the moment she decided to believe him. “Don't ever do that again, Raj,” she said softly. “Not for any reason. My memories are mine, good and bad, and I'll deal with them. I can't stand the idea of anyone messing around in my head."
There was more to that than what she was saying, and it made him wonder what had happened in her past. Did it have anything to do with whatever she was hiding? “I'm sorry,” he said.
She smiled all at once, as if he'd surprised her. “Well, that's something you don't hear every day.” Her expression abruptly became serious again and she gave him a funny look. “Er, Raj, we didn't, that is, um . . . we didn't—"
"Sarah,” he said softly, catching her eyes. “If I'd made love to you, you'd remember it."
Her face flushed a delightful pink. “Arrogant bastard,” she muttered, but she smiled at him again, and he felt a weight lift from his soul. “Okay. Let me get my coat."
He watched her walk past him down the rest of the stairs, watched her tight ass swing by beneath a pair of dark blue slacks, with those damn sexy heels she was always wearing. “Better make it a heavy coat,” he said. “It's cold out. Maybe the one you had on the other night.” The one that hides the temptation of your sweet little body, he added to himself.
"Okay,” she said agreeably and pulled out the long, brown coat. He took it from her, holding it while she slipped it on, sliding it up over her shoulders. He let himself run his hands down her arms ending with a light brush of fingertips, but resisted the urge to bury his face in the warm gold of her hair.
Jesus, Raj, you're in trouble.
She looked up at him over her shoulder. “So you're taking me to dinner? Are you hungry?” she asked innocently.
"Are you offering?” he couldn't help retorting.
She snorted delicately. “In your dreams, bud."
He leaned down to murmur directly in her ear, “Or maybe in yours, sweetheart."
She shivered and he smiled in satisfaction. He might not have any intention of taking her, but he didn't want her completely immune to him either.
Sarah pulled the door open, but he stepped in front of her, his attention directed next door where someone was watching once again. “Your neighbor pays a lot of attention to who comes and goes here."
"That's just Mrs. M.,” she said blithely, walking around him and out onto the porch. She gave him a warning look. “She keeps on eye on me."
"You get a lot of male visitors?"
"Not at all,” she said, patting his arm, as if he needed reassurance. “Mrs. M.'s just a bit overprotective."
Good, he thought. But he kept it to himself. “Lock your door,” he instructed her.
"Yessir, Mr. Raj, sir."
He walked ahead of her down the stairs. It was going to be a long night.
Sarah watched Raj out of the corner of her eye as he maneuvered through the Friday night traffic. He seemed different tonight, still friendly and overprotective, but cooler somehow, except for that one slip about being hungry, which had been a pretty stupid thing for her to say. She hadn't meant it as a come-on. Had she? She had to admit she was attracted to him. Who wouldn't be? He had that whole tall, dark and handsome vibe going, except he was blond and blue-eyed, of course. His hair was thick, brushed straight back to his collar, just long enough that she wondered what it would look like if he let it grow even longer, maybe past his shoulders. And with those gorgeous blue eyes, kind of an icy blue, except for when they burned with an undeniable heat. She shivered inside her warm coat. Yeah. She was definitely attracted to him. And sometimes she was sure he was attracted to her too, but then it was like he threw a switch and disappeared behind that all-business exterior.
"You're different from the others,” she said suddenly.
In spite of the busy traffic, he turned to stare at her, his eyes practically glowing in the dim light. “Others?” he asked, his voice so low and deep it was nearly a growl.
Sarah licked her lips nervously. “The other vampires here in Buffalo."
"You've met other vampires here in Buffalo?"
There was something about the way he said it, the way he was looking at her, that suddenly made her aware she was trapped in a car with a vampire. A very big, dangerous vampire. She was sorry she'd brought the whole thing up now, but he was waiting for an explanation, so she said, “Sort of. I mean, I didn't actually meet anyone, but there was a University reception last year. It was supposed to be a showcase of local Buffalo talent. Manhattan's gotten so expensive that some people are actually moving back to Buffalo to live. Not many, of course, but someone decided it couldn't hurt to remind people that there is a major university here, with a medical center and lots of eggheads and artists. It's not Manhattan, but it's not Outer Mongolia either."
Raj gave her a skeptical look. “The vampires?” he reminded her.
"Right. Well, I'm just a historian, and a junior one at that, but my friend Linda—you met her the other night—her husband's kind of a star in the art department."
He nodded, and Sarah thought it was possible she'd told him about it last night and didn't remember. “Well,” she continued, “they invited me to go with them to the reception. All the local bigwigs were there including your boss, Krystof Sapieha."
"He's not my boss,” Raj snapped.
Sarah frowned in confusion. “But I thought he was the local vampire lord, and that—"
"It's complicated. Go on with your story,” he commanded.
She gave him a dirty look—he really was going to have to stop giving her orders. “Anyway, Sapieha was only there for maybe an hour or so with a couple of other vamps—bodyguards, I guess—although I wasn't too impressed."
"No?” Raj gave her a quick, amused glance before switching his gaze back to the road to stop at a red light. “What did you expect?"
"Giant eunuchs. You know, gold earrings and stuff."
He laughed. “I'm sure they were quite capable, despite their absence of gold and gelding, and there were probably others in the crowd you didn't know about. Krystof is very aware of his own safety."
"Maybe. But I thought it would be interesting to meet him. You know, because of Cyn and Raphael. I figured they're probably friends."
"You spoke to Krystof?"
She was suddenly aware that the light had turned green but they were still sitting there. Raj was regarding her intently, overwhelming her, not just with his size, but with a sense of menace, as if everything rested on whatever she said next.
"No,” she said carefully. “I tried to, but he was talking to this woman, like really involved, you know? I went over anyway, but when I got too close, one of the other vamps stopped me.” She shrugged. “Maybe Krystof was lining up his next meal or something. He left right after that."
Raj seemed satisfied with her answer. At least he relaxed so that she no longer felt as if her life hung on her next words. He glanced up at the light and accelerated across the intersection. “Just as well,” he said at last. “Krystof is very old,” he said, as if that explained everything.
He turned into an industrial area not far from the airport, taking several turns until they were driving along a dark side road, fronted by what looked like a bunch of abandoned warehouses. He pulled into the parking lot of one of those warehouses and stopped right by the door. Sarah looked around, leaning forward to see through the windshield. There were no other cars anywhere and no lights coming from inside. “You're living up to your stereotype, you know,” she said.
"Stereotype?"
"Big, bad vampire, innocent, helpless female, abandoned warehouse, middle of the night. You know. Stereotype."
"I've done nothing lately that was bad, and you are hardly helpless and probably not that innocent either,” he added with a sidelong smirk. “Also, this warehouse is not abandoned. I will give you middle of the night, however. Think of it as vampire noon."
"A sense of humor? Be careful, Raj, your stereotype is slipping."
When he didn't so much as crack a smile, Sarah thought maybe he didn't have a sense of humor after all. Leaving the keys in the ignition and the car running, he turned and met her eyes directly.
"Wait in the car. I'll only be a few minutes."
"Yes, Master,” she intoned.
He shook his head and climbed out. Before he'd taken two steps, the warehouse door opened and a woman emerged—a tall, beautiful woman who Raj looked awfully happy to see. Curious, Sarah opened her car door, intending to join the party.
The woman looked over at the sound and grinned. “Who's for dinner?” she asked, jerking her chin in Sarah's direction.
Raj glanced quickly over his shoulder and turned to face Sarah, blocking her view of the other woman. “Get back in the car,” he ordered grimly.
"Don't be a party pooper, boss,” the woman said clearly. “Let your little friend join us."
Raj spun back around, and Sarah saw his fangs flash for the first time. “Shut the f**k up, Em!"
The woman's playful expression froze at his words, but what replaced it was not outrage, which Sarah would have expected from a girlfriend. Instead the woman dropped to her knees, head bowed. “My lord,” she murmured. “Forgive me."
Sarah stared from the kneeling woman to Raj and wondered if she should be afraid too.
"Get back in the car, Sarah,” he repeated, walking toward her, his fangs once more out of sight.
Wait. My lord? This woman was a vampire?