When the time is right, I’ll turn myself in to the council, but I can’t do it just yet. I have…things to do first.”
Her investigative senses flared to life. “What kind of things?”
“ Things .” His eyes hardened though his face didn’t lose its pleasant almost placating expression. “I’m not going to do anything to mess up the life you have here, I swear.” He touched a knuckle to the tip of her chin. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
For the moment she would accept him at his word. And for the time being she’d go against her training, against her duty and keep his presence in town a secret from the council until he was ready to turn himself in. He was family. She owed him that much. However, she’d do her best to keep tabs on him, starting this minute. “Come over to the house tomorrow,” she invited. “Or let’s go right now. I know Rand will be thrilled to see you again.”
Stefan opened his mouth but then his attention was caught by something behind her. “I’d love to, but not tonight. I’ll stop in soon.” He turned toward the door to the private rooms.
“Wait!” Tori grabbed his arm and yanked him to a stop. “You can’t say hi and then leave.”
“I’m not leaving town, honey. Just the main floor of the club.” He chucked her under the chin. “We have plenty of time to get reacquainted. I’ll be in touch.” Before she could stop him, he went through the door.
“At least give me your cell number.” Tori tried to follow but was stopped by a beefy security guard who bared his fangs at her.
“Off limits unless you’re a vamp or a donor,” he said. His gaze tracked over her neck and then downward.
She was tempted to say she was a donor, if only for a second, but she really had no desire to be a snack for a hungry, randy vamp. Most of them preferred to dine on humans, but every once in a while there was one who had a taste for pret.
With a low growl, she turned away and decided she’d had enough for the night. Except…there was Dante. The tall sex-on-a-stick detective headed her way, his face set in pleasant but determined lines. It would be an outright slight were she to leave now, and she didn’t want to do that to him. She had the fleeting thought that Dante was why Stefan had ducked out so early, but then she dismissed it. There’d be no reason the two men had ever crossed paths.
“Hey,” she greeted Dante when he stopped in front of her.
“Hey yourself.”
He seemed more than pleased to see her. His gaze slid down her body with the same intense focus that Finn’s had earlier, but the demon bad boy hadn’t sent the slow shiver through her that this good-guy cop did. This close, she saw the shadow of stubble over his strong jaw. Her gaze tracked over each of his long, silky lashes and every strand of his thick, dark hair. Before the night was over, she’d get her fingers tangled in that hair even if she had to knock him down to do it.
Dante stared at the back door. “Who was that you were just talkin’ to? He seemed familiar but I couldn’t get a clear look at his face.”
Tori’s heart stuttered. She couldn’t tell Dante who Stefan really was. Not yet. He’d feel obligated to tell someone or inform the council, and she’d be ordered to turn in her cousin. She couldn’t do that. Everyone deserved a second chance, and she believed Stefan when he’d said he wanted to turn his life around. She had to give him that opportunity. “Just a guy,” she said. “A vamp I know.” When Dante didn’t look convinced, she waved a hand in negligent dismissal. “He’s nobody, believe me.”
Dante stared at Tori. She was being cagey, and his first thought was that the other guy was an old lover of hers. Jealousy surged, irrational and unwelcome, but undeniable. He didn’t like the thought of someone else touching her, some other man seeing her face flushed with passion, her eyes glazed with desire. It made absolutely no sense at all. Tori had
Her investigative senses flared to life. “What kind of things?”
“ Things .” His eyes hardened though his face didn’t lose its pleasant almost placating expression. “I’m not going to do anything to mess up the life you have here, I swear.” He touched a knuckle to the tip of her chin. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
For the moment she would accept him at his word. And for the time being she’d go against her training, against her duty and keep his presence in town a secret from the council until he was ready to turn himself in. He was family. She owed him that much. However, she’d do her best to keep tabs on him, starting this minute. “Come over to the house tomorrow,” she invited. “Or let’s go right now. I know Rand will be thrilled to see you again.”
Stefan opened his mouth but then his attention was caught by something behind her. “I’d love to, but not tonight. I’ll stop in soon.” He turned toward the door to the private rooms.
“Wait!” Tori grabbed his arm and yanked him to a stop. “You can’t say hi and then leave.”
“I’m not leaving town, honey. Just the main floor of the club.” He chucked her under the chin. “We have plenty of time to get reacquainted. I’ll be in touch.” Before she could stop him, he went through the door.
“At least give me your cell number.” Tori tried to follow but was stopped by a beefy security guard who bared his fangs at her.
“Off limits unless you’re a vamp or a donor,” he said. His gaze tracked over her neck and then downward.
She was tempted to say she was a donor, if only for a second, but she really had no desire to be a snack for a hungry, randy vamp. Most of them preferred to dine on humans, but every once in a while there was one who had a taste for pret.
With a low growl, she turned away and decided she’d had enough for the night. Except…there was Dante. The tall sex-on-a-stick detective headed her way, his face set in pleasant but determined lines. It would be an outright slight were she to leave now, and she didn’t want to do that to him. She had the fleeting thought that Dante was why Stefan had ducked out so early, but then she dismissed it. There’d be no reason the two men had ever crossed paths.
“Hey,” she greeted Dante when he stopped in front of her.
“Hey yourself.”
He seemed more than pleased to see her. His gaze slid down her body with the same intense focus that Finn’s had earlier, but the demon bad boy hadn’t sent the slow shiver through her that this good-guy cop did. This close, she saw the shadow of stubble over his strong jaw. Her gaze tracked over each of his long, silky lashes and every strand of his thick, dark hair. Before the night was over, she’d get her fingers tangled in that hair even if she had to knock him down to do it.
Dante stared at the back door. “Who was that you were just talkin’ to? He seemed familiar but I couldn’t get a clear look at his face.”
Tori’s heart stuttered. She couldn’t tell Dante who Stefan really was. Not yet. He’d feel obligated to tell someone or inform the council, and she’d be ordered to turn in her cousin. She couldn’t do that. Everyone deserved a second chance, and she believed Stefan when he’d said he wanted to turn his life around. She had to give him that opportunity. “Just a guy,” she said. “A vamp I know.” When Dante didn’t look convinced, she waved a hand in negligent dismissal. “He’s nobody, believe me.”
Dante stared at Tori. She was being cagey, and his first thought was that the other guy was an old lover of hers. Jealousy surged, irrational and unwelcome, but undeniable. He didn’t like the thought of someone else touching her, some other man seeing her face flushed with passion, her eyes glazed with desire. It made absolutely no sense at all. Tori had
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