Part 3 (2/2)
She reached the ladies' room door just as a tall man in a leather jacket stepped before her and clutched her forearm. She hadn't noticed his clothing before. Just his presence. How did she shake this guy?
”You're in danger if you remain here,” he said.
”No kidding? I'm in danger from you. Let me go.”
He released her arm and put up his hands as if to say ”I'll back off.”
But he didn't back off. And though Bella could not see over his shoulder, she knew escape was but a dash away.
A couple of dark-haired men brushed roughly by her, and she had to lunge closer to the man to not get her feet stepped on.
”Vampires,” he said close by her ear. ”They're tracking you again.”
”You don't know that.”
”What? That they're vamps? Or that they're following you? They've had their eyes on you since you sashayed through the front doorway. What did you do to p.i.s.s off the vamps?”
”Nothing. I didn't know they existed until last night. Now would you back off?”
”If I leave now, you're vampire prey. You want that? Fine.”
He stepped around her. He favored one leg with a slight hitch. Within a few strides, he blended into the darkness.
His menacing presence gone, Bella could breathe now. The air in her personal s.p.a.ce cooled.
She eyed the back door. The two alleged vampires loomed before the doorway. Their eyes didn't glow. They didn't flash fangs.
Besides the matching black business suits and slicked hair, they pa.s.sed for average human men.
Over her shoulder and ten feet away, her self-a.s.signed protector held his hand out to her.
Pressing a hand to her chest, Bella realized her heart was pounding. Yet it wasn't music pummeling her insides; it was fear. So much excitement in two days would surely put her over the edge. Could a person OD on adrenaline?The men at the door crossed their arms before them, their gazes fixed on her.
What kind of horror movie had she stumbled into?
Now she had two choices: take her chances walking by two vampires or put her trust in a man she couldn't be sure wasn't as bad as the other two.
She remembered what Seth had said. Vampires bite. Werewolves are s.e.x freaks.
Choosing the lesser of two evils, Bella stepped quickly and slapped her hand into her self-a.s.signed protector's palm. He tugged her down the hallway. When they reached the main room, he pressed her against the stainless-steel wall.
”I am what your friend guesses. Does that frighten you?”
”Listen, buddy, the only thing that frightens me about you is your need to shove your hard-on against my thigh. Give it a break, will you? I just took your hand to get away from those vampires. Now I'll be on my way.”
”You need me to walk you out of here. There are vamps outside, parked across the street. Do you want to take a chance they are interested in you?”
”What is going on? What did I do? Twenty-four hours ago, you...you people didn't exist. And then my best friend tells me he's dating some vampire chick, and isn't at all surprised when I tell him I've seen three of them. And you're a freaking wolf?”
”I am a man. I only wolf out during the full moon, and I'll thank you to call it correctly.”
Again he did that strange sniffing thing before her face.
Now Bella was getting angry. ”Stop it. You're acting like a wolf, so I'm going to call you one. I'll have you know I don't like dogs.”
He flinched, as if attempting to hold off a snarl. What? He didn't like being called a dog? Then take a hike, buddy.
Softening his expression, he shook his head, admonis.h.i.+ng. ”Just know that between me and those longtooths eyeing you up and down, I'm the one who won't feast on your blood.”
”Yeah? What do you do? Shake me around like a chew toy? Oh, mercy, I can't do this anymore. I have to leave.”
”Let me escort you. This way.”
Again he held out his hand for her to accept. Bella stared at the offering. This was so wrong. Much as she liked horror movies, she preferred romance and comedy and happily-ever-after. And she never left noisy bars with strangers.
”I'll hail a cab,” she said but took the man's hand.
He led her toward the front door. ”If you want to wait for a cab, that's your choice. But I beg your trust to allow me to escort you home. It's not as though I don't know where you live.”
At the reminder Bella's world began to swirl.
He squeezed her hand. ”Don't faint on me, sweet. Come.”
The rush of air as the door opened smacked her to reality. He tugged on her hand, and she merely followed, moving around the waiting line of hopefuls.
The street was busy with pa.s.sing headlights. The werewolf tugged Bella close to the wall and they walked along it. He walked with a slight limp, as if he favored one leg. When they had reached the end of the block, not far from the end of the line of waiting hopefuls, the man slowed.
”So your friend is dating a vamp? Did he mention her name?”
”No,” she answered. ”I don't know anything. And for that matter, I don't have your name. If you're going to stalk me, it would be good to have a name to give the cops.”
He smirked and drew her close, more as a means to allow others to pa.s.s by as they headed for the line. ”Severo,” he said. ”And you are Bella.”
”What? Are you psychic, too?”
”I heard the bartender use it. See the limo?”
A s.h.i.+ny black stretch was parked five car lengths down from the club entrance. Dark windows did not reveal pa.s.sengers.
”Vamps,” he said. ”And if my guess is correct, it's Elvira.”
”You are so kidding me. Not the mistress of the dark?”
His smirk didn't touch mirth. ”Her name is Evie, but I call her Elvira because she fits the cliche to a T. If she's the one your friend is dating, you may as well write his eulogy now. I wonder...”
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