The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo (Love at Stake) Chapter 15 Youre back, Freemont said from behind the desk. Aye. Thank you for manning the fort for me. Dougal scanned the monitors. Abby and Gregori had left. Laszlo was working alone in the lab. The captured soldier was still in the silver room. No problem. You were gone for only half of your lunch hour. Freemont stood. Ill do a perimeter check. He headed out the door. Thanks. Dougal retrieved a bottle of blood from the small fridge and popped it into the microwave. What should his next move with Leah be? Should he take her to another place tomorrow night? What did modern people do on dates? Dinner and a movie? Dinner would be awkward, since he couldnt eat. And Leah would object if it was too obvious that he was trying to date her. He sipped from his bottle, recalling their conversation at the Empire State Building. Shed had a lonely life. He understood that all too well. After being kidnapped at the age of fourteen, hed learned quickly that he was alone against the world. She didnt have to be alone anymore. She could have someone who admired her courage, her brilliant mind, and her strength of character. Someone who ached to touch her beautiful face and explore every lovely inch of her. She could have him. Chapter Ten Leah woke up the next day around noon. Immediately her thoughts fixated on her trip with Dougal to the Empire State Building. The date that wasnt a date. The attraction she didnt want to acknowledge. How could she keep from falling for a guy who was so sweet, so attentive, so gorgeous, strong, and dependable? So Undead? With a groan, she shoved him out of her mind. She would think about work instead. On her first night on the job, shed succeeded in isolating three genetic mutations. Thankfully, Abby and Laszlo were expert chemists who could devise a serum to reverse the mutations. Unfortunately, she doubted one antidote would do the trick. Changing the mutated soldier would probably require numerous injections over a period of time. So how could they hope to change a thousand mutated soldiers? She might have to work here for a long time. And that meant more Dougal. Even if she refused to date him, he would always be nearby. He was probably close now. Downstairs in the basement. She smiled to herself. He did have an underground lair. And she could go see him if she dared. She pushed him from her mind once again as she climbed out of bed. By the time she showered, dressed, and went downstairs, the Echarpe family was preparing for an outing to Central Park. She declined their invitation to join them, citing dirty laundry as an excuse. Not that she didnt like them. She was just accustomed to quiet and solitude. And she did need to do some laundry. Shed originally come with clothes for only three days, thinking it would be a short trip. But it made more sense for her to work alongside Abby and Laszlo, and to remain close to the test subject in the Romatech basement. That made her think about Dougal again. Was he in the townhouse basement? She started a load of laundry, then flipped on the lights in the billiards room. Empty. Her gaze drifted to the closed door. With a groan, she paced back to the washer. How could she let this attraction continue? So what if he was incredibly handsome? And intriguing? Did it matter if his deep, lyrical voice made her bones melt? Or that her heart pounded when he looked at her like she was the only woman on the planet? He was dead. But he was close by. What was the harm in taking a little peek? This time, she would be careful not to leave any trace. She opened the door wide to allow plenty of light inside, then moved quietly toward his bed. He was stretched out on his back, his face peaceful. His eyes were closed and fringed with thick black eyelashes. His beautifully shaped lips were relaxed, almost touching. Dark whiskers shaded his jaw. She smoothed her fingers across his cheek, intrigued by the transfer from soft skin to prickly. Her gaze drifted down his body, the long, white nightshirt buttoned up to his neck, covering the fiery dragon. No wonder she found him so fascinating. Beneath his old-fashioned, staid surface, he concealed an unexpected, dangerous interior. A solid, quiet mountain of a man, hiding a volcano in his center. A beautiful man, but a vampire. Her arms tingled with goose bumps. It was safe to be here now, admiring him while he was dead, but how exciting it might be to get caught up in one of his explosions. Or even to be the cause of his explosion. She shook her head. What was she thinking? She would simply end up burned. As she turned to leave, she spotted something odd. A piece of paper stuck out from his left hand. He must have fallen into his death-sleep holding it. She leaned over for a closer look and froze at the sight of large, bold letters. Leah. Hed written her a note? A thrill of excitement shot through her, quickly followed by a jab of annoyance. How dare he assume that she would come downstairs to ogle him in his death-sleep? It wasnt as if she was obsessed with him. She winced. She was here, wasnt she? With a tug, she slipped the note from his hand, then opened it. Dear Leah, I doubt youll come downstairs to see my dead carcass, but in case you do, I am leaving you this note. Im not good at saying what I feel, so I thought I would write what was in my heart. If I could dream, I would dream of you. If I could see the sun, it could not shine brighter than you. If I died a thousand deaths, I would come back to search for you. Leahs eyes blurred with tears. Shed been told he was shy, but she hadnt realized he was so romantic. How cruel could fate be that shed finally met the perfect man, but he was a vampire? She folded the note and wedged it back beneath his left hand. It would be better if he didnt know that shed read the note. She didnt dare let him know how deeply he affected her. A tear ran down her cheek and landed on his hand. She wiped it dry and hurried from the room. How is everything? Dougal asked that evening as he strode into the security office. The usual. Austin slipped on his coat. Angus and Emma will be returning to London tonight, so itll be just you and Freemont. Oh, and Abby wants you to come by her office tomorrow night at five thirty. All right. Dougal hoped she wasnt planning to run more tests on his hand. He took a sip from his bottle of synthetic blood as he scanned the monitors. Plenty of mortals were still in the facility, but that tended to happen in the fall and winter months, when the sun set early. He spotted Freemont in the cafeteria, presumably making his rounds, although it looked more like he was flirting with the pretty young cashier. His gaze shifted back to the lab. When did Abby and Leah arrive? About two hours ago. Austin pocketed his car keys. They needed to see the guy in the silver room, so I took them down there. Leah wanted more blood and tissue samples, and Abby gave him another injection to keep him in stasis. Dougal eyed the monitor showing the silver room. There was no problem then? Nope. Austin headed out the door. See you tomorrow. Aye. Have a good evening. Dougals gaze drifted back to the monitor showing Leah and Abby hard at work. Had Leah come to see him during the day? Had she read his note? When hed awakened, hed thought there had been a slight whiff of jasmine in the air. But was it simply wishful thinking? He couldnt be sure. The cell phone in his sporran dinged, so he took it out. There was a text message from Angus. He and Emma were teleporting back to their townhouse in London and wished him good luck with his new job. As soon as Abby reported that his hand was working perfectly, Angus would put him on the mission roster. Dougal texted back his thanks, then finished his breakfast bottle while watching the monitors. A few minutes later, Laszlo arrived at the lab, this time sporting a purple polka-dot bowtie. Dougals eyes narrowed, watching Leah carefully to see how she reacted to Laszlo. She seemed friendly, but there were no stolen glances, no blushes, nothing to indicate she returned his affections. Thank God. Dougal exhaled with relief. He didnt want to feel like he was stealing Leah from anyone. He had another trip planned for her tonight. As soon as Freemont returned to the office, he would set his plan into action. A little after seven, he spotted Abby and Leah on a monitor, deep in conversation as they wandered toward the cafeteria. He strode there quickly to meet them at the door. When Leah saw him, her heart rate sped up. Fear or excitement, he wasnt sure which. Good evening. He inclined his head. May I speak with you alone? She glanced at Abby. We were about to eat. You can catch up with me later. Abby shot him a suspicious look, then headed toward the cafeteria line. Is something wrong? Leah asked, avoiding eye contact. Nay. I - He wished he wasnt so awkward at this. Id like to take you out to dinner. She turned to him with an exasperated look. You dont eat. Ye do. And I think yell like the place were going. She winced. I dont think I should go anywhere with you. That hit him hard in the chest. I thought ye enjoyed our trip last night. A pained look flitted across her face. I did. I enjoyed it, too. And I like talking to you. Dougal. She motioned for him to follow her to a quiet corner. I dont want to get involved with anyone at work. He frowned. Do I frighten you? Her eyes glistened with moisture, and she looked away. I would never harm you, Leah. I-I believe you mean that, but I-I cant . . . His heart sank. Ye canna date a vampire? She turned to him with a beseeching look. Please try to understand. I only learned about vampires two nights ago. Im still trying to adjust. I need time. Was that reason to hope? If she had enough time to adjust, would she change her mind? She sighed. Where did you plan to take me? Niagara Falls. I went earlier to check it out. She closed her eyes briefly. That would have been nice. Ive always wanted to see it. We could still go. As friends. Theres a place there where ye can eat. And then, theres a boat ride - No! She stepped back, turning pale. I-I cant do that. I dinna mean to frighten you - Its not you. I-Im afraid of boats. I always think theyre going to sink. I know its silly. He stiffened. A memory flashed through his mind. A storm on the Yangtze River almost three hundred years ago. A boat capsizing and his desperate attempt to keep Li Lei from drowning. Im sorry. Leah gave him a sympathetic look. I know you want to date me, and I-Im really flattered. But I cant do it right now. Im sorry. She rushed off to get in line with Abby. Rejected. His heart squeezed in his chest. He would have to honor her feelings and leave her alone. But there was still hope. She might change her mind eventually. He glanced over at her. Afraid of boats? That wasnt something hed expected. He trudged back to the office. The first time he saw Leah from behind, she had reminded him of Li Lei. Something about the way she moved and the tilt of her head. But hed quickly realized that Leah was different. Vibrant and beautiful. Hed admired her strength and courage when her safe world had been stripped away. The pain and loneliness shed endured over the years reminded him of his own suffering and made him long to comfort and protect her. Hed become so intrigued with Leah that Li Lei hadnt even crossed his mind since that first night. Hed completely forgotten about her.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:22:07 +0000
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