This Side of the Grave (#5 Night Huntress)
This Side of the Grave (#5 Night Huntress)
This Side of the Grave (#5 Night Huntress)
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“Hold that thought, luv. With luck, we’ll be back in our hotel room breaking in <strong>the</strong> Jacuzzi before dawn.”<br />
If I’d have still been human, I might have blushed. Logic said I should be past <strong>the</strong> stage where it was obvious that I was mentally stripping and<br />
molesting my own husband. We weren’t in <strong>the</strong> earliest bloom <strong>of</strong> our relationship anymore, after all. But when Bones approached, his dark eyes<br />
glittering with hints <strong>of</strong> green, gooseflesh still rippled across my skin as though this were a first date. Then everything in me tensed with expectation<br />
when he stood as close as possible without touching, only his breath hitting my skin as he spoke near my ear.<br />
“Have I told you how lovely you look tonight?”<br />
A wave <strong>of</strong> heat rolled over my subconscious, as if my nerve endings had just been brushed with <strong>the</strong> warmest <strong>of</strong> caresses. My hands slowly fisted<br />
while I resisted <strong>the</strong> urge to touch him, enjoying <strong>the</strong> building tension between us. Yes, this was different from <strong>the</strong> first giddy stage <strong>of</strong> attraction I’d felt<br />
for him, but that didn’t diminish his effect on me. Instead, <strong>the</strong> desire I felt was richer, stronger, and far more intoxicating when combined with <strong>the</strong> hold<br />
Bones had over my heart.<br />
His scent deepened, that blend <strong>of</strong> burnt sugar and musk tantalizing me with <strong>the</strong> evidence that he felt <strong>the</strong> same way I did. Last night, after leaving<br />
<strong>the</strong> compound, I’d been too emotionally bruised over Don’s condition and my mo<strong>the</strong>r’s new deadly aspirations to be in an amorous mood. Plus, we<br />
had to fill in Fabian, relocate from <strong>the</strong> cave, and take <strong>the</strong> ghost back to Dave in Tennessee before returning to Ohio again. That left little time to do<br />
more than grab a few hours’ sleep before heading out for tonight’s activities.<br />
Now, however, I wished we would have spent ano<strong>the</strong>r hour or so back at our hotel room before leaving for this club. His comment about <strong>the</strong><br />
Jacuzzi tub made some explicit images dance in my mind. Like how devastating Bones would look wearing nothing but suds—and <strong>the</strong>n nothing but<br />
my body.<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r thought teased its way into my mind. Why wait? The backseat <strong>of</strong> our car is only a few feet away . . .<br />
“You know, in addition to your mind-reading abilities, I may have absorbed some sluttiness from your blood,” I said, giving my head a little shake.<br />
Had to be. I normally wouldn’t think <strong>of</strong> getting it on in a parking lot when we had a reporter to snag inside and two undead friends just a few dozen<br />
feet away.<br />
S<strong>of</strong>t laughter tickled my neck while <strong>the</strong> invisible caress <strong>of</strong> his aura intensified. “Be still my nonbeating heart.”<br />
The sinfulness in his tone said he’d be only too open to <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> delaying our appearance inside <strong>the</strong> club—and blistering Tiny and Band-Aid’s<br />
ears—should I suggest that backseat option. I took a step away, deciding it was in <strong>the</strong> best interest <strong>of</strong> my rapidly dwindling propriety not to touch<br />
him until we were safely inside <strong>the</strong> club.<br />
Though possibilities lurked <strong>the</strong>re, too . . .<br />
“Let’s, um, go find our reporter friend,” I said, <strong>the</strong> words hitching as a breeze made his scent wash over me in a swell <strong>of</strong> lust-fragranced air. I<br />
couldn’t resist a quick, longing glance at <strong>the</strong> car before I gave myself a mental slap. Mind out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gutter, Trampzilla! People to see, bad ghouls to<br />
stop, remember?<br />
Bones took in a long breath, making me wonder if <strong>the</strong> air was also tinged with my arousal. Probably. Scent was a more obvious indicator <strong>of</strong><br />
desire for vampires than a man with a hard-on tenting his pants was for humans.<br />
“Right,” he said, <strong>the</strong> single word edged with a hint <strong>of</strong> roughness. Then he folded his aura in, <strong>the</strong> invisible energy around him decreasing until only<br />
<strong>the</strong> faint tingles <strong>of</strong> an average vampire remained. At <strong>the</strong> same time, my link to his emotions ceased, as abrupt as a cell phone dropping a call. Only<br />
very old vampires or Masters had <strong>the</strong> ability to camouflage <strong>the</strong>ir power levels, which made <strong>the</strong>m even more dangerous. Bones might want us to<br />
eventually be recognized, but it seemed we were going in low-pr<strong>of</strong>ile to start.<br />
We walked up to <strong>the</strong> entrance <strong>of</strong> Bite. The line <strong>of</strong> humans waiting to get in was smaller than usual, but I chalked that up to it being Wednesday<br />
night instead <strong>of</strong> a weekend. We didn’t wait at <strong>the</strong> back, our lack <strong>of</strong> pulses <strong>the</strong> same as being on <strong>the</strong> VIP list here. But once we were close enough<br />
for <strong>the</strong> tall, brawny female bouncer to notice us, she held out her hand.<br />
“Stay right <strong>the</strong>re. Verses is pissed at you two.”<br />
Bones gave <strong>the</strong> vampire his most charming smile. “Now, Trixie, he can’t still be sore over that trifling incident.”<br />
Her mouth opened in disbelief, showing <strong>of</strong>f her gold-plated incisors. “Trifling? You guys demolished <strong>the</strong> parking lot!”<br />
“At least fetch him so he can tell us to sod <strong>of</strong>f himself, if that’s how he feels about it,” Bones replied, still with that same effortless smile.<br />
Trixie let out an exasperated noise, but she barked out a comment telling someone I couldn’t see to get <strong>the</strong> owner. After a few moments, a large<br />
black ghoul appeared, a thoroughly unwelcoming expression on his face.<br />
“You’ve got a lot <strong>of</strong> nerve coming back here—” Verses began.<br />
“Come now, mate, that wasn’t our fault and you know it,” Bones interrupted, clapping him on <strong>the</strong> back. “Could’ve happened to anyone, but we’re<br />
only here now to do a bit <strong>of</strong> drinking and dancing.”<br />
If possible, <strong>the</strong> ghoul’s mocha features darkened even more. “Don’t think because we’ve been friends for eighty years that I’m dumb enough to<br />
believe that. <strong>This</strong> place is meant to be a time-out for all our species. No violence on <strong>the</strong> premises, and <strong>the</strong> parking lot is still <strong>the</strong> premises!”