many issues,” the voice said, incredibly gentle and kind. “I know it’s hard to believe, but deep down he’s a great guy.”
Something about the man’s voice made her want to crumple. To just give in and let it all out. What in God’s name was that about? “Just because I can’t stand him doesn’t mean I should take it out on you. He lost some blood, but he should be fine.”
“You’ve taken a weight off my mind. Thank you for driving him and Juma to Bayou Gavotte. I’m Gil, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” Rose said, mollified again. “I’m Rose.”
“You’re the vampire Jack mentioned?”
Rose’s temper flared. “What’s it to you?”
“Just that I’m happy to meet you, ma’am. Please accept my apologies on Jack’s behalf. Some bad experiences with vampires have scarred him, but that’s no excuse for rudeness.”
Rose marched past a row of vehicles, glancing at her burly trucker and a friend hanging out in front of the building, watching her every move. “Vampires are human beings, not animals,” she blurted. “We’re not undead. We’re not evil monsters who drain people dry. Just because we need sex and the taste of blood doesn’t mean—” She clamped her mouth shut. Gil was a total stranger, for God’s sake. Why was she letting herself get so upset? “Not that it matters what Jack thinks.”
“Of course it matters,” Gil said, and maudlin sadness swept over Rose. Hastily, she gave him her cell number.
Jack’s Jeep turned into the parking lot. “Oh, no. Here they are,” Rose realized.
“Who?” For the first time, Gil’s voice was less than soothing.
“Bad guys,” Rose said. “Shit. Shit. How did they find us?” She whirled toward the main entrance.
“What’s going on? I can have the cops there in five minutes.”
“No! That’ll only make things worse. Don’t worry. I won’t let them get Juma.”
“What about Jack? He’s injured, and—”
“He’s not that badly off.” I hope. “We’ll handle it.”
“Don’t risk your own safety, Rose. If Jack’s well enough to function, let him protect the girl. Those guys are underworld, and therefore extremely dangerous.”
“Fuck the underworld,” Rose said. “Gotta go.” She slapped the phone shut—and collided with the big trucker.
“Need some help, ma’am?”
Rose pushed herself slowly away from his chest, appraising him and his buddy, a lanky guy with horn-rims and a goofy grin.
“Yes, please,” she said. “I believe I do.”
Chapter Four
Grimacing, Jack sipped the chamomile tea Cindy had pressed on him the instant Rose stomped away.
Juma seemed genuinely anxious. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, thanks.” Except that a vamp had, quite possibly, just saved his life. Again. She had certainly saved him froma roughing up. She was furious at him, but she hadn’t stood back and let it happen.
“I don’t know what got Rose so mad.” Juma picked at the polish on her nails. “We were in the restroom, and I was going to French-braid her hair, and suddenly she went nuts. But she didn’t seem mad at me.” She looked up. “Did she?”
Jack shook his head slowly. “She’s not mad at you.” He took a long swallow of the herbal tea. Even Cindy was annoyed. You should have told me you had the flu, she’d said reproachfully. No coffee for you. He was being told off for not lying, treated for nonexistent illnesses, and deprived of what he needed to get himself moving. He yawned, drained the tea, and filled the cup himself with warmish coffee from the half-empty carafe left behind at the next table.
What had he done wrong? Apart from calling Rose a bitch, but that was after she’d gone ballistic. Her uncontrolled allure had directly caused his atrocious lapse of manners.
Other people’s behavior is no excuse for yours. That was his endlessly caring mother. She hadn’t saved much sympathy for him, but she’d been even harder on herself, so he couldn’t complain. See it from the other
Something about the man’s voice made her want to crumple. To just give in and let it all out. What in God’s name was that about? “Just because I can’t stand him doesn’t mean I should take it out on you. He lost some blood, but he should be fine.”
“You’ve taken a weight off my mind. Thank you for driving him and Juma to Bayou Gavotte. I’m Gil, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” Rose said, mollified again. “I’m Rose.”
“You’re the vampire Jack mentioned?”
Rose’s temper flared. “What’s it to you?”
“Just that I’m happy to meet you, ma’am. Please accept my apologies on Jack’s behalf. Some bad experiences with vampires have scarred him, but that’s no excuse for rudeness.”
Rose marched past a row of vehicles, glancing at her burly trucker and a friend hanging out in front of the building, watching her every move. “Vampires are human beings, not animals,” she blurted. “We’re not undead. We’re not evil monsters who drain people dry. Just because we need sex and the taste of blood doesn’t mean—” She clamped her mouth shut. Gil was a total stranger, for God’s sake. Why was she letting herself get so upset? “Not that it matters what Jack thinks.”
“Of course it matters,” Gil said, and maudlin sadness swept over Rose. Hastily, she gave him her cell number.
Jack’s Jeep turned into the parking lot. “Oh, no. Here they are,” Rose realized.
“Who?” For the first time, Gil’s voice was less than soothing.
“Bad guys,” Rose said. “Shit. Shit. How did they find us?” She whirled toward the main entrance.
“What’s going on? I can have the cops there in five minutes.”
“No! That’ll only make things worse. Don’t worry. I won’t let them get Juma.”
“What about Jack? He’s injured, and—”
“He’s not that badly off.” I hope. “We’ll handle it.”
“Don’t risk your own safety, Rose. If Jack’s well enough to function, let him protect the girl. Those guys are underworld, and therefore extremely dangerous.”
“Fuck the underworld,” Rose said. “Gotta go.” She slapped the phone shut—and collided with the big trucker.
“Need some help, ma’am?”
Rose pushed herself slowly away from his chest, appraising him and his buddy, a lanky guy with horn-rims and a goofy grin.
“Yes, please,” she said. “I believe I do.”
Chapter Four
Grimacing, Jack sipped the chamomile tea Cindy had pressed on him the instant Rose stomped away.
Juma seemed genuinely anxious. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, thanks.” Except that a vamp had, quite possibly, just saved his life. Again. She had certainly saved him froma roughing up. She was furious at him, but she hadn’t stood back and let it happen.
“I don’t know what got Rose so mad.” Juma picked at the polish on her nails. “We were in the restroom, and I was going to French-braid her hair, and suddenly she went nuts. But she didn’t seem mad at me.” She looked up. “Did she?”
Jack shook his head slowly. “She’s not mad at you.” He took a long swallow of the herbal tea. Even Cindy was annoyed. You should have told me you had the flu, she’d said reproachfully. No coffee for you. He was being told off for not lying, treated for nonexistent illnesses, and deprived of what he needed to get himself moving. He yawned, drained the tea, and filled the cup himself with warmish coffee from the half-empty carafe left behind at the next table.
What had he done wrong? Apart from calling Rose a bitch, but that was after she’d gone ballistic. Her uncontrolled allure had directly caused his atrocious lapse of manners.
Other people’s behavior is no excuse for yours. That was his endlessly caring mother. She hadn’t saved much sympathy for him, but she’d been even harder on herself, so he couldn’t complain. See it from the other
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