In Blood and Worth Loving Page 10

  Conner sat up. “I haven’t touched her—yet. Tell me, Adrian, are they natural?”

  “Yes.”

  “Holy shit. And you walked away from her before the weekend was over? You’re a better vampire than I am.”

  Conner’s interest in Brandi pissed him off. “Do me a favor.”

  “Another one?”

  “Yes. Stay away from her.”

  “Give me one good reason why I should.”

  “I asked you to!”

  Conner rose. “Maybe that’s not reason enough.”

  Adrian stared at his twin. “She’s too damned young.”

  “That didn’t stop you from fucking her. Why should it stop me?”

  He stormed across the room to glare at Conner. “Why the hell are you doing this?”

  “I haven’t actually done anything—yet.”

  “Since when have you gone in for my sloppy seconds?”

  Conner compressed his lips. “What the hell is wrong with you, Adrian? You know she doesn’t deserve that shit from you.”

  The rebuke, which he knew he deserved, increased his anger. “What I know is that you’d better stay the hell away from her.”

  “If this is how you behaved with her, small wonder she was afraid of you and anyone who looks like you.”

  That stung far more than it should have. “She’s not afraid of me!”

  “The hell she isn’t.”

  “She’s not afraid of me. I don’t care what she told you—”

  “She didn’t tell me anything, Adrian. But clearly you left your manners at the door of the cabin before you entered and proceeded to fuck and run.”

  “Keep your sanctimonious lecturing to yourself and stay the hell away from her.”

  “Or?”

  “Take her out and find out!” Uncaring what Conner would make of his threat, he quickly left the room and ran up the staircase to his bedroom.

  He undressed and stepped into the shower.

  With cold water pouring over him, he closed his eyes and made no effort to dismiss thoughts of Brandi. He’d repaid her trust by hurting and frightening her. And that bothered him.

  Conner was right. He had been out of line talking about her as if she was some whore selling herself on a corner. She was just young, passionate, and foolish enough to fall for him. Of course he’d probably cured her of that folly by forcibly penetrating her and then ingesting her blood when she so clearly wasn’t willing.

  And now she’d met Conner and agreed to go out with him. Adrian balled his right hand into a fist. He sucked in a breath and unclenched his fist. Punching the wall wouldn’t help. He just had to hope…hope what?

  Why was he wasting time worrying about Brandi Knight liking Conner more than she did him? For all he cared the two of them could spend the next two weekends fucking like rabbits. He was finished with human women in general and Brandi in particular.

  After his shower, he dressed in dark slacks and a pullover. He paced the length of his bedroom for over twenty minutes, staring at the sketches of Brandi he’d framed and hung on the wall opposite his bed.

  Finally he acknowledged that Brandi was the source of his anger and irrational irritation. The admission only served to increase both. He had to get her out of his system. Maybe one more fuck would do the job.

  He returned to the family room to find Conner reclining on the sofa reading again. Conner glanced up but didn’t speak.

  Adrian shrugged. “Where does she live?”

  “Why do you want to know?”

  He counted to ten and then exploded. “Where the fuck does she live, Conner?”

  Conner closed his book and rose. “Why the fuck do you want to know, Adrian?”

  “Fuck you. I’ll find her without your help.”

  Conner flashed across the room to swing him around to face him. “Why? Why are you going to see her?”

  He jerked away. “That’s none of your damned business.”

  “If you’re going to do anything to frighten her, I’m going to make it my business, Adrian.”

  “Fuck off!”

  “I will—as long as you remember how young and vulnerable she is and that she’s Rayna’s friend. There's a reason we stopped dating human women, Adrian.”

  “I didn't know she was human. How is it my fault Rayna tricked me?”

  Conner shrugged. “If all you want is a meaningless fuck, find another victim.”

  “Victim? What the hell are you implying, Conner?”

  “I’m not implying anything, Adrian. I’m suggesting you remember she’s human, young, and easily hurt both physically and emotionally.”

  “You think I want to hurt her?”

  Conner sighed. “I think you’ve already hurt her.”

  Recalling her tears and pleas for him to stop, he couldn’t deny Conner was right. He stalked away, struggling to control his temper. During their two hundred year existence he and his brothers had few major disagreements and almost none that had ended in a fist fight. He wasn’t going to be driven to violence by the likes of the teasing, conniving Brandi Knight.

  Conner followed him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Adrian, we don’t fight over women.”

  “We’re not fighting.”

  “We are. Tell me what’s wrong.”

  He slowly turned to face his twin, swallowing the hot, angry words tightening his throat. He sighed, hesitated and then admitted everything that had happened since his meeting with Brandi.

  Conner kept his face expressionless and listened without interrupting.

  Adrian finished and sighed. “Go ahead. Say it.”

  Conner gave him a long stare. “That you’re in blood?”

  “No! That I fucked up!”

  “Are you saying she’s not your blood?”

  “Yes!”

  Conner shook his head. “There’s no need to pretend with me, Adrian. I know she’s not just another easy lay for you.”

  If only she were, things would be so much easier. “What do you want me to say, Conner?”

  “I want you to admit how you feel.”

  “Fine! I’ll admit that sex with her is incredible, but that's all it is. Sex. I am not in blood with her.”

  “Was there blood in your semen with Marcella?”

  The question annoyed him. “What has that to do with anything?”

  “Was there?”

  “No,” he admitted.

  “I thought not.” Conner squeezed his shoulder. “It'll be easier for you if you accept the inevitable.”

  “What makes you think there's anything to accept?”

  “Let's see. It was all right for you to fuck her until she was walking bowlegged, but I'm a dirty old man when I mention her charms. You're secreting blood when you make love to her, and you've been an absolute bear since you met her.”

  He shook Conner’s hand off his shoulder. “I didn't make love to her. I fucked her. There’s a big difference.”

  “Call it what you like, Adrian. I think you've met a woman capable of making monogamy and wedded bliss seem semi-attractive. By any of our definitions that would make the charming Brandi your blood.”

  “You sound delusional. You must have gotten a hold of some tainted blood.”

  Conner smiled. “Unfortunately, it’ll happen to us all sooner or later, Adrian.”

  He shook his head. “There's nothing special about her.”

  “If you really believe that, leave her alone to settle down with a man who does think she’s special.”

  Adrian narrowed his gaze. “And who would that man be?”

  “What’s your interest in him?”

  “Who is he?”

  “I think he’s someone who wants to marry her.”

  He clenched his jaw. “Marry her?”

  “Yes, Adrian. Marry her or at the very least spend her birthday weekend with her.”

  When hell iced the fuck over! He took a deep breath before he spoke. “You told me she was between boyfriends.”

&nbs
p; Conner shrugged. “I was wrong.”

  Adrian stared at him. “How do you know about this man?”

  “He called her on the drive back.”

  “And?”

  “And she agreed to spend her birthday weekend with him.”

  Adrian felt a knot in his stomach. “The hell she did!”

  “Did you know her birthday is in two weeks?”

  “Why should I care about her birthday?”

  “Maybe you don’t, but he does and that’s probably why he’ll be sharing her bed while you’ll be trying to pretend Marcy still gets the job done for you when we both know she doesn’t.”

  Neither Conner nor Jay had ever exhibited the proper respect for Marcella. Rather to Adrian’s surprise, Marcella had always shown a surprising tolerance towards them. “Her name is Marcella. As you know, she hates being called Marcy.”

  “Does she?”

  Adrian compressed his lips. “And leave her out of this.”

  “Are you going to tell Brandi about her?”

  “Marcella is none of her business or yours.”

  Conner shrugged. “Still can't break the cord? You must know by now that Marcella isn't and never will be your blood.”

  “You don’t know how I feel about either of them, Conner.”

  “You and I both know that’s just not true. I’m sorry you’re feeling torn.”

  “Save your sympathy for someone who needs it.” He turned and stormed from the room.

  Conner flashed past him and leaned against the mansion’s front door.

  He came to an abrupt halt to keep from running into Conner. “Get out of my way.”

  “I will, but keep your temper under control, Adrian.”

  “Get out of my way, Conner!”

  Conner clamped a hand on the back of his neck. “Get a grip, Adrian. You’re in no condition to see her. She already needs reassurance. Take a little time to calm down.”

  He clenched his right hand into a fist, half raised it, and then let it fall back to his side. As was often the case, Conner was right.

  “When you see her, take her flowers and go out of your way to make her feel attractive.”

  “If I didn’t find her attractive—”

  “I’m not the one you need to convince, Adrian. She is. You weren’t very kind to her when you left.”

  “Is that what she told you?”

  “No, but we both know that’s true, Adrian.”

  He sighed. “I didn’t intentionally…I…”

  “I’m sure it wasn’t intentional and I know why you had so little control.”

  He silently shook his head.

  Conner nodded. “The time for denial is past, Adrian. We both know what’s happening…what has happened to you. Because she is who she is, you have to be very careful with her.”

  “And if I’m not you’ll be waiting to step in?”

  Conner shook his head. “I was teasing, Adrian. I didn’t ask her out. My only interest in her stems from what she means to you and Rayna.”

  “Did she…was she attracted to you?”

  “No. She sat beside me wishing I were you.”

  “You’re sure of that?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Adrian blew out a relieved breath.

  Conner slapped the back of his neck. “When you go see her, remember she doesn’t owe you any explanations. She’s free to see and sleep with who she likes.”

  “No, she isn’t!”

  Conner arched a brow. “It’s like that, is it?”

  “Like what?”

  “You get to fuck who you like and she gets to sit home waiting to see what kind of mood you’re in when you can trust yourself to see her?”

  He narrowed his gaze. “You have a problem with that?”

  “Me?” Conner shook his head. “Nope. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.”

  Chapter Eleven

  His twin’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on him. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this so damned much.”

  Conner sighed. “Unfortunately you’ll get to return the favor one day when I meet a woman who turns my life upside down as she does yours.”

  “I’ve known her for a weekend. I’ve only seen her twice.”

  “So? What’s your point? No one can say how falling in blood will affect any given vampire. I don’t plan to fall within a single weekend, but clearly you have.”

  He parted his lips.

  Conner lifted a hand. “Don’t bother denying what we both know is true, Adrian. After you’ve had time to get your temper under control, go see her. Remember the flowers and that her birthday is approaching. Buy her a birthday present that conveys how you feel about her—even if you’re not ready to admit it to anyone. Make sure it’s something that will tell her just how much she and your child will mean to her.”

  Adrian swallowed hard. “My child? You’re assuming a lot.”

  “It doesn’t take much of an assumption when you’re so out of control. Meeting her has obviously driven you into blood. I know this is a difficult time for you and you’re in turmoil, but you need to treat her with a lot more consideration, even going so far as to show way more affection than you did on Saturday night unless you want another male to raise your child.”

  Adrian took a slow, deep breath. After so many years of hoping in vain he’d go into blood, he’d given up hope of ever becoming a father. Now, despite secreting blood with Brandi, he couldn’t quite imagine himself as a father. Nor could he imagine allowing any other male to touch Brandi—even if she weren’t pregnant. But he wasn’t about to admit that to Conner. “You’re assuming a lot,” he said again.

  “Am I? We both know how our chances of getting a lover pregnant multiply when we’re in blood.”

  “I’m not in blood. And even if I were, that wouldn’t mean she’s pregnant.”

  “Do you want her to be, Adrian?”

  The thought of Brandi carrying his child left him with mixed emotions. Part of him liked the idea of her having his baby. Another part dreaded taking on the responsibility of raising another child.

  “Why?” Conner asked. “We didn’t do so badly with Rayna, Adrian.”

  He arched a brow. “Didn’t we?”

  Conner laughed. “Okay, she’s a spoiled brat who spends money like it was free and she’s determined to have her way. But she’s also kind, sweet, loving, and very quick to volunteer and work her ass off when the occasion calls for it. She’s a good girl. We did a good job with her and you’ll do a better one with your child with Brandi.”

  His child with sweet, passionate, unforgettable Brandi Knight. He shook his head. “I don’t think she wants to see me again.”

  “Of course she does.”

  He glanced down at his nails. “Did she tell you she wanted to see me?”

  “No.”

  Damn. He looked up at Conner. “Then what are you basing that conclusion on?”

  “She’d hardly have been so distraught if you hadn’t stirred her emotions.”

  He raked a hand through his hair. “I forced myself on her. That’s reason enough to distress a human woman.”

  “I’m sure it is, but you also stopped when she asked you.”

  “After ignoring her initial pleas.”

  Conner sighed. “No one’s perfect.”

  He grimaced. “I’m sure she certainly doesn’t think I am.”

  “Maybe not, but you didn’t see the look on her face when she thought I was you. Her eyes lit up and she was a second away from jumping up and tossing herself into my arms. She looked like a woman ready to forgive you. Trust me. She wants to see you again.”

  Adrian released a relieved breath. Did she still think there was something in him worth loving? “Do you think she…”

  “I know she wants to see you again, Adrian. I also know you need to be as gentle with her as you can be. She’s afraid and badly in need of your assurance that you care about her. You do care about her. Don’t you?”

  He shook his head. “I do
n’t know what I feel.”