Argeneau Family - Vampires Are Forever Part 5

"I won't hurt you," Thomas said solemnly through the door. "I could have broken down this door if I wanted, but I haven't, have I?

I don't want to hurt or frighten you, Inez. Once we leave this suite, you'll be surrounded by people in the hotel, the taxi driver in the car, the people at the airport and on the plane, and you'll have your own room at the hotel. You only have to see me in public where you feel safe so I can explain everything. Surely you're curious to know about us?"

Inez scowled at the door, cursing herself for being tempted by the promise of an explanation.

"Please," he said quietly, and then added, "You've worked for Bastien for... how long now?"

"Eight years," she admitted reluctantly.

"Right. Eight years. And he says you're one of the best employees he's ever had. He wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

"You just told me not five minutes ago that he told you to bite me," she pointed out dryly.

"Yes, but he didn't think it would hurt you, or that you'd even remember it. I was supposed to wipe it from your memory."

She snorted at that.

"Look, Inez. If you don't come with me and let me explain things, he's going to send over someone to clean up this mess."

Inez frowned at the door. "Clean up this mess?""Yes. He'll send an immortal to come here and remove this incident from your memory."

"Like you were supposed to do?" she asked dryly.

"Yes."

She ignored the fear that quivered through her at the thought and said, "You couldn't do it. What makes you think anyone else could?"

"I'll explain that too, but we really don't have time right this minute. I have to head to the airport. So make up your mind. Do we wait here for someone to come remove this whole incident from your memory, or do you come with me, memory intact and perfectly safe?"

Inez hesitated, considering her alternatives, and then Thomas added, "If they remove your memory, they'll probably remove the memory of everything from the day you were promoted on. You'll go back to being whatever you were before being promoted to vice president."

"What?" she squawked with dismay. While Inez wasn't completely sure she wanted the job anymore, she wasn't sure she wanted to give it up either. This whole working for and with a nest of vampires rather sullied things. But Inez had worked for Argeneau Enterprises for eight years and enjoyed her greatest triumphs there. She'd also worked long and hard for that promotion. She'd neglected her own social life, forsaking dates for work and pouring all her energy and time into it, building a career and climbing the corporate ladder to her vice presidency. She'd worked too d.a.m.ned hard and given up too much to let anyone take it away.

"That's the only alternative," Thomas explained. "Either you come with me to Amsterdam and allow me to explain things, or we wait here for Wyatt to come wipe everything from your memory."

"But just the memory of the bite," she protested. "He wouldn't-"

"He'll wipe everything from the last few months," Thomas responded firmly. "Bastien was supposed to explain about our people to you when you were promoted. In fact, you shouldn't have been promoted without it. You were sent to New York to be told about us. If you'd been able to accept it and agreed to keep the secret, you would have been promoted. If you hadn't, what he'd told you would have been wiped from your memory and you wouldn't ever have been promoted."

"Unfortunately," he added dryly, "Bastien was a bit distracted at the time. He'd just met his lifemate and there was a lot going on.

He promoted you, but sent you back to England without doing the rest of it. Wyatt was supposed to keep you from any jobs or information that might give us away until Bastien could fly to England and take care of you. If you can't accept us and our explanations, Wyatt will wipe everything from your memory, including your promotion."

Thomas let that sink in and then said, "So what is it going to be? Are you going to fly to Amsterdam with me and allow me to explain? Or do we wait for Wyatt, let him wipe your memory and return you to whatever job you had before the promotion?" He waited a beat, and then added, "At least until they find another job for you and remove you from the company altogether."

Inez didn't have to think long. Her career had become her life. She wouldn't give it up easily. In fact, they'd have to take the key to the vice president's office from her dead, clutching fingers before she'd give it up. Still, she hesitated, her eyes on the doork.n.o.b, but her fingers refusing to reach for it.

Finally, she raised her hand to her throat. A golden cross hung from a fine gold chain around her neck. It had been blessed by the pope during a trip to Italy. It should have double power, but had been tucked inside her blouse when Thomas had bit her. Now, she pulled it out and held it up before her like a s.h.i.+eld with her left hand as she unlocked the door and tugged it open with her right.

"Back up, Nosferatu!" Inez snapped, covering her fear with anger as she glared at Thomas. Much to her relief, he backed up at once.

His hands were raised-the cell phone in one-in a gesture that might be used to soothe a wild horse, but a smile tugged at his lips."I knew you'd come out," Thomas said, and much to her amazement he sounded proud, as if she'd done something praiseworthy instead of incredibly stupid.

"Tell Bastien not to send Wyatt. We're on our way to the airport," she ordered, holding the cross higher.

Nodding, he raised the phone to his ear. "We're on our way. Make sure there are tickets waiting for both of us."

Thomas didn't wait for Bastien to respond, but then snapped the phone closed and turned away to head through the dining room.

Inez hesitated, and then moved quickly back into the bedroom to s.n.a.t.c.h up her purse before moving more slowly-and cautiously-back through the hall and into the dining room, holding the cross out in front of her as she walked into the living room.

Spotting him by the love seat, she positioned herself by the door of the suite and silently watched as he gathered his knapsack and shoved his binder and pen into a side pocket, then moved to join her. The moment he headed in her direction, she skittered backward, reaching behind her with her free hand to open the door. She then preceded him out into the hall, never turning her back to him.

"You can stop flas.h.i.+ng that at me," Thomas said calmly. "You're kind of drawing attention holding it up like that."

Inez quickly glanced in both directions to see that there was a maid and two couples in the hall, all staring at them curiously, and did lower the cross closer to her chest. She didn't release it, however, but held it tightly in her sweaty hand in case he suddenly pounced.

Heaving out a sigh, Thomas gestured for her to precede him down the hall. "After you."

"No," Inez said, and then cleared her throat and said more firmly, "After you."

Thomas shrugged and led the way to the elevator. She followed at a safe distance, watching narrow-eyed as he nodded at the first couple they pa.s.sed in the hall. Inez hardly even glanced toward them herself, her attention wholly focused on Thomas as he led her to join the older couple waiting by the elevator.

"That's a lovely cross, dear."

Inez glanced nervously to the older woman who had spoken. She managed a weak smile and then glanced sharply back to Thomas as she said, "It was blessed by the pope."

Thomas raised an eyebrow at the claim and asked with interest, "Which one? The new one or the one before him?"

Inez hesitated, wondering if one had been holier than the other, and then lied and covered her basis by saying, "Both."

Thomas gave a little laugh and shook his head, murmuring, "It's going to be a long trip," as the doors opened and he followed the older couple on board the elevator.

Inez followed, thinking that he was right. She felt like she'd aged ten years in the last few minutes. It was going to be a long flight indeed.

They rode down to the main floor and crossed the lobby in silence. It wasn't until Inez had followed Thomas into the back of a taxi that he spoke again, and then it was to mutter, "We'll have to buy you some perfume when we get to the airport."

Inez's eyes sharpened on him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because I can smell your fear, Inez, and it's making me want to kiss and comfort you," he admitted easily.

Inez's eyes widened, her mind dragging up memories of his arms around her, his mouth on hers, the pa.s.sion coursing through her as he'd kissed and caressed her and then the overwhelming pleasure and excitement as he'd bit her. She was hard-pressed not to slide across the seat and plaster herself to him as the memories a.s.saulted her. She'd enjoyed his touch and even his bite until she'd realized he was biting her.

Shaking away the memories, Inez focused on him again, suspecting he was somehow putting those thoughts and sensations in her mind, somehow making her want him. This was a much more dangerous trip than she'd first realized.

"London Gatwick Airport," Thomas instructed the driver and Inez watched him silently as she sank back in her seat. When she saw him inhale, his nose quivering slightly, she frowned and wondered if he still smelled fear, or if he could differentiate that from the desire that had shot through her as she recalled their earlier embrace. When she saw the small smile that tugged at his lips and noted that his eyes-normally a beautiful silver blue-now flared more silver, as if filled with fire, she felt herself blush, sure he had picked up on her desire.

Her eyes widened with alarm when Thomas eased a little closer on the seat until his hand brushed lightly against the side of her upper thigh. The light touch immediately sent up a clamoring in her body that was alarming in its strength.

"Get your soulless b.u.t.t back on the other side of the seat," she hissed, glancing nervously at the back of the driver's head. Surely he wouldn't try to bite her right here with the driver in front of them?

"Sorry," he murmured. "I thought..."

Thomas didn't finish the sentence, but moved away and turned his head to peer out the window, as if he was trying to ignore her presence in the car. She decided to wait until they reached the airport to ask for the explanations he'd promised her. For now she was content to let him ignore her. It was incredibly disturbing to realize she was l.u.s.ting after a dead, soulless thing.

Frowning, Inez peered over him, taking in his strong, pale features. He wasn't pale like the dead, but pale like a man who spent little time out in the sun. There was a healthy pink glow to his cheeks and she wondered grimly if it was her blood that had given it to him.

She stiffened as his nose quivered again and he glanced her way so that she caught a glimpse of the silver fire in his eyes. Inez shrank back into the cus.h.i.+oned seat, feeling like a cornered cat. Fortunately, he immediately turned his gaze away again and she was able to relax a little.

Watching him warily, she decided his idea hadn't been a bad one. The first thing she was going to do when they reached the airport, was visit duty free and buy a bottle of perfume. Inez didn't want him being able to tell what she was feeling. Especially when she was beginning to experience more desire than fear now that they were out in the relative safety of the public. Yes, she was definitely buying perfume. It would be easier to ignore her desire if he wasn't so obviously aware of it.

Chapter Four.

Thomas was twisted around in his seat, watching a group of rowdy Brits at the back of the plane with fascination. They were all men, but one of them was in a short nurse's costume with pink fishnet nylons covering his hairy legs, a blond wig, high heels, and a very bad makeup job on his bearded face. He also wore a piece of paper taped to his back that read I'm getting married. Kick me.

The rest of the men in the group were all laughing and taunting the groom-to-be, and every one of them seemed to be three sheets to the wind. It was obviously a stag party on the way to Amsterdam to kick it up for the weekend, and Thomas shook his head, wondering why they didn't do things like that in Canada. He'd have taken great enjoyment in seeing Lucern dressed like that. Not that he'd probably agree to do it.

Thomas was smiling faintly at the idea, when Inez suddenly said, "Explain now."

Sighing, he gave up watching the group milling about the back of the plane. The stewardess was having trouble keeping the half a dozen or so men in their seats. They kept stumbling into the aisles to talk to the others in their group. The men weren't being rude or annoying, and most of the pa.s.sengers were watching their performance with amus.e.m.e.nt, but they were keeping the stewardesses busy.

Turning back in his seat, he glanced at Inez, noting that she wasn't wearing the indulgent amus.e.m.e.nt of most of the rest of the plane. Instead she was watching him with narrow-eyed displeasure.

Sighing, he glanced around at the people seated around them, and then shook his head. "I can't. There are too many people here."

That just made her sweet little mouth compress a bit tighter and her eyes go cold. The woman was a bundle of pa.s.sions-one moment angry, the next flaming with desire. His senses were alert to every change, reading the scents rolling off of her in waves and fluctuating between desire and guilt as her mood changed.

Inez had headed straight for the duty-free shop once they'd checked in at the airport and purchased a bottle of Paris.

Unfortunately, they hadn't given her the perfume then, but told her she could collect it when she boarded the plane.

Inez hadn't been pleased. Trying to distract her, Thomas had steered her to a small pub-and-grill in the airport waiting area and they'd both ordered and eaten a meal.

Inez had been openly surprised that he ate food. Thomas had been a little surprised himself. Not so much because he was eating, but because of how enjoyable it was for a change. He'd grown tired of food the last decade or so, finding it all tasted the same and was something of a bother, but that meal in the restaurant had been bursting with flavor and texture and he'd gobbled it up with relish. Thomas knew he shouldn't be surprised. Eating and enjoying food was one of the signs of finding a lifemate, as was not being able to read the individual. It seemed there was little question that Inez was his lifemate.

While her curiosity had been obvious, the loud talking and music in the establishment had prevented her questioning him. Not eager to start into explanations, Thomas had insisted on remaining there until they were called to board. Inez had been given the bag with her purchase of Paris when they boarded, but had merely tucked it away in her purse rather than use it in such an enclosed s.p.a.ce.

Thomas was kind of glad about that. While the roller coaster her emotions were taking was forcing him to roller coaster with her, he was enjoying the ride. After decades of experiencing little in the way of emotional stimulation, he was eating up the highs and even the lows, enjoying each nuance. Although, the truth was, he was enjoying her pa.s.sion more. Thomas's interest in women had started to wane of late as he grew bored with even s.e.x. It was the thing that had bothered him most over the last few decades.

"Thomas?"

Hearing the annoyance in her voice, he realized he was just staring at her, unspeaking as his thoughts crowded in his mind. Now, he cleared his throat and said, "Not here. We'll be overheard."

"You said we would be in public all the time so I would feel safe while you explained," she pointed out grimly. "If you can't explain in public, how-"

"All right," Thomas said at once, ending her irritation. He glanced around again, relieved to see that everyone seemed to be paying attention to the men at the back of the plane, and then turned back to her. Thomas hesitated and then reached out and caught her cross in his hand. As she watched wide-eyed, he closed his fingers around it, holding it for a moment, and then opened his hand to reveal the golden pendant lying in his unharmed hand.

"The cross didn't keep me from harming you, Inez. I did. You are safe with me," he said quietly, then smiled wryly and added, "And the Caeser's salad with extra garlic that you ordered at the airport restaurant was completely unnecessary. Garlic does not harm us either."

She flushed at his words, but didn't say anything.Releasing the cross, Thomas continued, "We aren't dead. We aren't soulless. We aren't cursed."

Her eyes widened with each claim. "Well then, how-"

Thomas held up a hand and she immediately fell silent. Nodding approval, he said, "I'm going to tell you a story."

Inez tsked with irritation. "I don't want to hear a story. I want-"

"Work with me here, Inez," he said with exasperation and gestured to the people around them.

She glanced around, noting that while no one appeared to be glancing their way, they were certainly close enough to hear. Biting her lip, she nodded in understanding. "Tell me the story."

"I was reading this book about Atlantis," he began, peering at her meaningfully.

Her eyes widened, but she remained silent.

"In this book, Atlantis was an isolated civilization that held a much more advanced society than the rest of the world at that time.

More advanced than even we are now."

Her eyebrows rose slightly.

"And in Atlantis, scientists discovered a way to combine bioengineering and nano technology to create little nanos that could be shot into a mortal's blood stream and carried through the body where they repaired damage and killed off illness in the individual as well as regenerated new cells where necessary. These nanos were programmed to shut down and disintegrate once the repairs were made."

Inez nodded her understanding, her expression fascinated.

"But what the scientists hadn't taken into account was that the mortal body suffers constant damage from sunlight, the environment and even aging, so the nanos never shut down, but continue to repair and regenerate, even replicating themselves to continue the work they had been programmed to do."

"So you-"

Thomas caught her hand, bringing her to silence so he could continue. "These nanos, however, use more blood than a mortal can produce. In Atlantis, this wasn't a problem. They had blood banks and those mortals in Atlantis who were now immortals, because the nanos kept their bodies at the peak stage between about twenty-five and thirty-two years old were simply given transfusions every morning."

"Where did they get the blood?" Inez asked.

"From mortals," Thomas answered, and then explained, "Not everyone in Atlantis had these nanos in them. I don't know the exact sequence of events or how many it was tested on before they realized the nanos weren't dying off as expected. All I know is that my father's parents were among those who had the experimental treatment before it was stopped. It's how they met. And then, of course, all their children were infected, the nanos pa.s.sed into them through their mother."

"I see," Inez murmured. "And these nanos gave them fangs and-"

"No. They had no fangs in Atlantis. As I said, they had blood banks and got transfusions. The fangs weren't necessary... but then the day came when Atlantis fell."

"Fell?" she asked curiously.