Jeaniene Frost - Halfway to the Grave

“Decide now, luv, because I can’t take much more of this before I make up your mind and carry you off.”

The room seemed fuzzy, the lights dimmer, and there was a far-off noise in my head. None of those things seemed important, however, except for Bones. His body felt as hard and sinewy as a racehorse’s, and his mouth on mine made me want to scream with lust. There wasn’t a single part of me that wanted to be anywhere but with him.

“Bones…” I couldn’t begin to articulate the need.

Unexpectedly his whole body stiffened, and he looked over my shoulder with tension ringing off him.

“Bloody frigging hell, what is he doing here?”

He seemed to freeze in my arms, face hardening as though turned to stone.

Confused, I squirmed to look behind me. “Who? Who’s here?”

“Hennessey.”

M Y MIND COULDN’T SEEM TO KEEP UP WITH current events. “I thought Sergio said he was in Chicago. He’s supposed to be in Chicago!”

Bones muttered a foul curse and straightened, spinning us around until his back was to the door.

“Do you think Sergio lied to us?” I persisted.

He shook his head as if to clear it.

“Keep your eye on him, luv. Black hair. Mustache, thin beard, dark skin, tall. Wearing a white shirt, see him?”

I leaned my head against Bones’s shoulder and scanned the faces until I found one that matched.

“Got him.”

“Sergio didn’t lie,” Bones answered my earlier question grimly. “That means somehow Hennessey got word that he’s gone missing. He knew Sergio was in this area, so he’s poking around here for answers. He’s no doubt rightly worried about what Sergio would have said to whoever made him disappear.”

“Well, whatever the reason, he’s here. Let’s go for him.”

“No.”

The single word surprised me. “No? Why not? He just got dropped into our lap!”

His expression was ice, and he kept his voice low. “Because he’s a bloody treacherous sod and I don’t want you anywhere near him. You’re going straight home as soon as he’s away from the door. I’ll handle this myself.”

My head cleared enough for me to be pissed.

“You know, for someone who keeps telling me to trust him, you sure don’t extend the same courtesy. I thought tonight was a regular job, so I’m all staked out and ready to roll. I took on vampires before you, remember? All by myself and without someone to hold my hand through it. Now I have training and backup, and you still want me to turn tail and run? Don’t kiss me like a woman if you’re going to treat me like a child.”

Bones stared down at me with frustration. “This isn’t about treating you like a child. Bugger, I clearly don’t see you that way! Look, I told you Hennessey’s not just a bloke who goes out and snatches up a girl when his tummy grumbles. He’s in another league, Kitten. He’s a very bad sort.”

“Then quit arguing and let’s go get him,” I said, softly but firmly. “He sounds just like the kind of person I’d love to take out.”

Bones didn’t say anything for a moment, then he let out a resigned noise.

“I don’t like this, not at all, but…fine. We’ll go for him. So much for a night off. If anything goes wrong, anything at all, you hit that panic button. Now, here’s what we’ll do…”

He outlined the plan quickly and I picked a place near the bar where Hennessey just sat, keeping myself within eyeshot. Actually, I still felt a little dizzy, not that I’d told Bones. He’d have pulled the plug on this for sure if he knew. God, had it been so long since I’d been kissed, a few smooches were enough to throw off my equilibrium? Just to be safe, though, I ordered a Coke instead of my usual gin and tonic. Maybe my resistance to alcohol wasn’t as strong as I’d thought.

After about five minutes, Hennessey glided over. It amazed me how vampires seemed to be drawn to me. Certainly there were plenty of other pretty human girls milling about with veins just as big and juicy as mine. Bones told me once there was something about my skin that was eye-catching, some glow that still looked human but also a touch vampiric. He said it was like a homing beacon.

“I haven’t seen you here before, Red. May I sit down?”

Wow, manners. Usually vamps just plunked down next to me, ready or not. After a faint inclination of my head in the affirmative, he sat next to me, regarding me with hooded blue eyes.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

Hmmm, two for two on politeness. With feigned regret, I smiled at him.

“Sorry, but I’m kind of here with someone. Wouldn’t want to be rude.”

“Ah, I see.” He settled back into his chair but made no effort to vacate it. “Husband, perhaps?”

The thought of being married to Bones made me nearly choke on my next swallow of soda. “No. A first date, actually.”

Hennessey smiled and spread out his hands in a harmless manner.

“First dates. They can be quite something, can’t they? Either perfume or poison, with usually no in between. Tell me, if I may be so bold-which one is it for you?”

With a slightly embarrassed look to my face, I leaned in an inch. “If I had to answer now, I’d say poison. He’s a bit…arrogant. Full of himself. I just hate that, don’t you?”

My smile was all innocence as inside I laughed at my chance to disparage the man who was going to kill the vampire opposite me at the earliest opportunity.

Hennessey nodded in agreement.

“That can be bothersome. It is always better to speak less and not more of oneself, don’t you agree?”

“I couldn’t agree more. What did you say your name was?” This one would have to be handled delicately, no crude potty-mouth with him. Boy, for someone that Bones had described as practically sprouting horns, Hennessey seemed almost…charming.

He smiled. “Call me Hennessey.”

“Don’t mind if I do, mate. Been a while, hasn’t it?”

Bones appeared behind me, leaning down to kiss my cheek. I flinched out of genuine habit and it was perfect. The picture of the bad-first-date syndrome. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hennessey’s mouth tighten.

“Bones. What an unexpected…surprise. This lovely young woman can’t be with you. She’s far too well mannered.”

Well, score one for the bad guy.

Bones gave Hennessey a look laden with threat. “You’re in my seat.”

“Bones,” I chided him as if aghast, “you’re being rude. This nice man was just keeping me company while you were away.”

“Yes,” Hennessey purred, looking at Bones with a gleam. “Can’t expect to leave such a pretty thing alone for long, old chap. Some monster might just…snatch her up.”

“Funny you should say that.” There was an ugly under-current in his voice I hadn’t heard before. Whatever had happened between them, Bones really didn’t like him. “I hear that’s your specialty.”

Hennessey’s eyes narrowed. The tension between them thickened. “Now, where would you ever hear something like that?”

Bones smiled with coldness. “You’d be amazed at the things people can find if they dig deep enough.”

I looked at both of them. It seemed like any second, they’d quit the verbal exchange and go right for each other’s throats.

Logan leaned across the bar and tapped the edge of my forgotten glass. He’d apparently picked up on their malevolent vibe as well.

“Not here, gentlemen. You know the rules.”

Hennessey looked at Logan and waved an airy hand. “Yes, I know. Pesky ordinance, that, but one must abide by the rules of the house when one visits.”

“Cut the fancy talk,” Bones said sharply. “It doesn’t suit you. That is my chair and she is my date, so back off.”