Part 14 (1/2)
Dylan smiled lazily. ”Whatever you're having, dear.”
”See how he dotes?” she said, with a wink at Quentin. Emmy blew Dylan a kiss and followed Darcy through the swinging door.
Dylan's face grew serious. ”So, tell me about Nicky.”
”He's on the run. We found his new lair, but he gave us the slip.”
”Us? I heard you were working with the local vampire hunters.” He jerked his head in the direction of the kitchen. ”I take it Darcy is one of them? Aren't you playing a dangerous game?”
”It's been interesting,” Quentin murmured.
”I'll bet it has. But you should worry about the moment your usefulness to them ends.”
Darcy cut raw steak into bite-sized cubes, enjoying the sharp crack of her cleaver as it met the cutting board.
Emmy busied herself with was.h.i.+ng potatoes and popping them in the microwave.
”My guy's Irish,” she said. ”Strictly a meat and potatoes kind of guy.”
”So, you two are married?”
Hack!
”Last night,” Emmy replied happily.
The woman was unaware Darcy was glaring holes in her back. Hack!
”It's so hard to believe. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was a bookkeeper and had sworn off men forever, and then, there was Dylan. Don't you find vampire men impossible to resist?”
”Nope. The only thing I find hard to resist is slipping a stake through their hearts.”
Hack!
”Oh.” Emmy's eyes rounded as she turned to watch Darcy. ”Oh! You saw me sitting on Quentin's lap. That was nothing. Quentin's just a tease. A little jealousy goes a long way in the bedroom, if you know what I mean.” She smiled. ”Dylan will be rea.s.serting his mastery when he drags me to a bed. There's never been anything between Quentin and me, so you don't have to worry.”
”I wasn't worried.” Darcy's words were clipped. ”I don't give a rat's a-”
”Although, he has seen me naked,” Emmy continued in a rush of words. ”Actually, he's watched Dylan and I having s.e.x several times.”
Hack!
”Not that he did it on purpose, I'm sure. Dylan and I tend to get carried away and can never make it to a bed.” A frown marred her forehead. ”You're not jealous, are you?”
Hack!
”Of course not. What's it to me who he watches having s.e.x?”
”Oh. I thought you two were...involved. You seemed to be enjoying yourself earlier. Sorry about walking in on you and all. Are you mad about that?”
Darcy slid the meat off the cutting board onto a platter and handed it to Emmy. She turned her back to wash her hands at the sink.
”You know, you aren't at all who I expected Quentin to fall for.”
Darcy's hand stilled as she dried them off. Emmy's comment mirrored her own thoughts. After seeing Quentin's hands curled around Emmy's abundant curves, she'd felt distinctly s.e.xless.
”I never would have expected him to have such good taste. Dylan tells me he's strictly a munchable man. Any port in a storm. But you're not like that. You're in love with him, aren't you?”
Startled, Darcy let Emmy see her torment. ”I'm not in love with him,” she lied.
”Of course you are,” Emmy said softly. ”Who wouldn't be? He's an honorable, s.e.xy guy. You know, he saved my life.”
Darcy shook her head. ”What we have is just s.e.x.”
”Keep telling yourself that,” Emmy said with a slow smile. ”I did. I thought there was no way Dylan would ever fall in love with me. I was too fat, too ordinary.”
Anger melted beneath Emmy's thoughtful gaze. Emmy was as insecure about her body as Darcy was. And that was a very human emotion. She snorted. ”Ordinary? You're beautiful. Any man would appreciate your curves. I feel like a stick-girl standing next to you.”
Emmy blinked. ”Well, thanks, but you're wrong. Men were not beating down my door. Only Dylan ever appreciated my big a.s.s. And if I'm s.e.xy now, it's because Dylan makes me feel that way.” She set down the platter and stepped closer to Darcy. She reached to smooth Darcy's drying hair away from her face. ”I can see why Quentin would fall for you. You have beautiful, expressive brown eyes.” Her hand cupped her cheek. ”And soft skin. And a willowy, yet strong, body.”
”No b.o.o.bs,” Darcy said with a crooked smile. Emmy really was harmless. And funny.
Emmy lifted an eyebrow in challenge and cupped Darcy's breast.
Darcy sucked air into her lungs, shocked by the intimacy of the caress.
”You have lovely, small, round b.r.e.a.s.t.s-with very, very responsive nipples. I'd do you.”
Darcy blushed and pushed away Emmy's hand.
Emmy's expression grew serious. ”You're not what I would have expected for Quentin. You're much better.”
Desperate to change the subject, Darcy asked, ”I take it you haven't been a vampire long?”
”No. Dylan was dead-set against turning me, but Nicky Powell nearly killed me. Dylan had to turn me to save my life.”
Darcy chewed her lip. ”Do you...like being a vampire?”
Quick as the flip of a light switch, Emmy beamed. ”It's incredible. Every sensation is more intense. I can see in the dark. My hearing is keener. Scents are richer, fuller. Oh my G.o.d, food tastes better-and my l.u.s.t!” Her laughter sounded like tinkling bells. ”I'm insatiable! Poor Dylan thinks he has to follow me around everywhere I go, because I want s.e.x all the time.”
Amen! ”I'm not a vampire, but I want it all the time with Quentin,” Darcy admitted.
”So, are you thinking about turning?”
Biting her lip, Darcy nodded. ”He's asked me.”
”I'm surprised. Turning is very dangerous. Think long and hard about it.”
A blush heated her cheeks. She gave Emmy a sheepish look. ”It's the long and hard part of him that nearly has me convinced!”