Dalton, Tymber - Brimstone Blues [Brimstone Vampires 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Tymber Dalton Page A

but better that than to have the man he loved as a brother dead, and the woman they both loved in danger and almost killed.

    * * * *

    An hour later, Matthias brought up another subject hanging in the air. “If you’re stressed over planning a wedding, don’t worry. We’ll take this as slowly as you wish. I wanted to make sure you knew how I felt, that I didn’t do something stupid to screw up what we’ve got.”
    “Or me do something else stupid like getting shot by a demon again?”
    He started to reply, spotted the smile on her face, and laughed. “God, you are a ball buster.”
    “Sarcasm is just one of my many services. Wasn’t that listed on my résumé?”
    “I think Albert overlooked that.”
    “You’ll have several hundred years to listen to me hone my rapier-edged wit.”
    “Rapiers are pointed, dear.”
    “So’s my sarcasm.”
    He looked at her, laughed, and took her hand again. “God, I love you. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
    “That scares me, I think. Are you a masochist?”
    He grinned, and she felt herself wanting him. “No, but I would gladly play dungeons with you.”
    “I think that’s called Dungeons & Dragons , Matthias.”
    “Not the way I play it.”
    It was her turn to laugh. He dealt it as good as she did.
    Matthias’ heart leapt at the sound of her laughter. It was good to hear that, to see her genuinely smile again. He knew she would eventually be okay, but it pained him to see her suffer.
    She was truly his equal, his match. Dare he say his superior? This was one of the many reasons why he loved her. She wouldn’t give up her personality to mold herself to someone else’s ideal. People had to take her as she gave herself. You liked it or walked away.
    He loved her for it. She reminded him so much of…
    Best not revisit that now. He was young, then. Impulsive. Sarah had truly been unique.
    God, he missed her.
    The ache he’d constantly and persistently felt since Sarah’s death had finally abated. He’d felt it lift when Tim first showed him Taz’s picture, then nearly totally disappear when he was able to finally set eyes on Taz in person that night at dinner at his house, when he extended the job offer. God, barely three months ago? He knew then Taz was the one, and didn’t regret his decision to wait for her all those years. Ten long years, from when she graduated law school until Tim felt her ready to move on to the next phase of her life.
    Carla took it hard, of course, when he broke up with her. He’d been looking for an excuse to dump that woman for decades. Fortunately, she was much weaker than him and wasn’t able to exact any of the revenge she took great pleasure in describing to him. He hadn’t talked to her in several years. Last he heard, she was terrorizing eligible bachelors along the French Riviera.
    Taz studied her hands. “This sounds stupid, I know, but you’re right that we need to get to know each other. Not that I want to change anything,” she quickly added. “I love you. I guess I’m still worried that maybe you only love me because of the stupid vampire voodoo crap.”
    He kissed her hand. “Taz, I love you because of you, because I love you, not because I feel compelled to love you. This isn’t the right time to have this discussion. I’d rather do it at home.”
    She nodded. He was right, this wasn’t the time. But still…
    “Can we do something when we get home?”
    “Anything you wish.”
    “I want to go out.”
    “Where?”
    She shrugged. “Surprise me. We’ve never been on a date, Matthias. Not really. We just kind of fell together and that’s it.”
    “All right. We can do that.”

Chapter Seven

    Taz didn’t know what she expected. Rafe owned a two-bedroom condo in a small, upscale gated private complex south of Atlanta, not too far from I-75. Matthias shut the Hummer off and touched her leg. “You don’t need to do this.”
    “Yes, I do.” She worked Rafael’s ring on her right hand. He noticed