Kerrelyn Sparks: Eat Prey Love

Catalina. The name sizzled through her. Maybe he was just translating her name into Portuguese, but she could have sworn he’d made it sound like an endearment.

With shaky knees she sat on the bench. She fumbled through her silk handbag for a tissue, then wiped her damp cheeks. The two girls had touched her heart. And Carlos—what was he doing to her? If he came back and asked for a pint, she’d actually be tempted to bare her neck. Did all vampires exude that sexy seductive charm?

But she’d seen other vampires on the basketball court. It was only Carlos who was affecting her like this. She looked in his direction, but he and the girls had moved out of view, blocked by a huge rhododendron bush.

“Carlos!” a female voice yelled. “We need to talk.”

Caitlyn eased to the other side of the oak tree. There in the shadow she had a good view. A young man and woman approached Carlos and the girls.

In a low voice Carlos urged the girls to go on to the cafeteria. “I’ll be there soon.” He walked a few steps with them, then watched them continue past the gazebo.

“Is it true?” the young woman asked. “You’re leaving on another trip?”

Carlos turned to face the young man and woman. “Yes. Angus approved it.”

“Howard mentioned it at the party,” the young woman continued impatiently. “And he said you wanted to leave right away?”

“That’s true.” Carlos’s gaze shifted toward the oak tree and his eyes narrowed.

Could he see her? Caitlyn moved farther back into the shadows and slipped her white tissue back into her handbag. Maybe vampires had superior night vision.

“How long do you intend to be gone?” the young woman demanded.

Carlos sighed. “However long it takes. A month, maybe more.”

“You can’t leave for a month,” the woman insisted. “Your children need you. You’re their hero, Carlos. They know they would be dead if you hadn’t rescued them.”

“They’ll be fine, Toni,” Carlos gritted out between clenched teeth. “They’ll be at school with you.”

“Aye, and ’tis at school where they’re having problems,” the young man said with a Scottish accent. “Emiliano is picking fights with Phil’s boys.”

“I’ll talk to him before I go,” Carlos grumbled.

“And what about the girls?” Toni asked. “They need you, Carlos.”

“They need a mother!” Carlos yelled. “And I need a mate.”

Caitlyn gasped. He was looking for a mate? What kind of mate? His gaze shifted toward her, and his eyes glittered with a hard, angry look.

“You—what?” Toni stepped back, apparently stunned.

“You heard me,” Carlos growled.

“Ye want to get married?” the Scotsman asked.

“Don’t look so shocked, Ian. Didn’t you want to get married?”

“Aye, but—”

“You can’t get married,” Toni declared. “You’re gay.”

Caitlyn snorted. Were they crazy?

Carlos glared at her in the shadows, then shifted his gaze to Toni. “I never said I was gay.”

“Of course you’re gay,” she insisted. “I saw you dance the samba in a hot pink sequined thong.”

Carlos shrugged. “So? You said I was very sexy. You were practically drooling.”

Ian stiffened. “When was this?”

“Before I met you,” Toni muttered, then turned back to Carlos. “And what about Fernando? Whenever he came to visit, the two of you would hug and kiss.”

“We kiss on the cheeks.” Carlos waved a hand in dismissal. “That’s not strange in our culture. If you choose to misinterpret it—”

“But Fernando’s gay,” Toni interrupted. “He said he was.”

“Yes, he is,” Carlos said impatiently. “But I am not.”

“Bloody hell.” Ian walked away a few steps. “I knew it.”

Toni gestured wildly with her hands. “You let me think you were gay!”

“I had my reasons,” Carlos grumbled.

“To purposely mislead me?” Toni planted fists on her hips. “You used to watch me get dressed. How could you?”

Carlos shrugged. “You never told me I had to leave.”

“Because I thought you were gay!” Toni shouted. “You—You pervert!”

Carlos frowned. “There’s nothing perverse in enjoying the sight of a woman’s body.”

“Oh really? Well, enjoy this!” Toni slapped him so hard the sound echoed across the garden.

Carlos stumbled back. Caitlyn winced.

He rubbed his cheek. “ Menina —”

“Don’t menina me! I trusted you!” Toni drew back her hand to slap him again.

“Stop!” Ian pulled his wife back. “That’s no’ the way to handle this.”

“Thank you for understanding,” Carlos murmured.

“Och, I understand it verra well,” Ian said. “Ye ogled my wife under false pretenses, ye bloody bastard.” He punched Carlos in the face, knocking him flat. “Now, that’s the way to handle it.”

Caitlyn’s mouth dropped open. Apparently, Carlos was getting his comeuppance for being naughty, but really, how could those people ever think he was gay? He could make her breathless with just a look.

“Come on, Toni.” Ian grabbed his wife’s hand and led her back to the cafeteria.

Carlos sat up with a groan.

Caitlyn winced at the sight of blood trickling from his nose and lip. She retrieved her small pack of tissues from her handbag and hurried toward him. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll live.” He pressed the back of his hand against his nose.

Did the scent of blood make him hungry? “Here.” She passed him a tissue.

He tilted his head back and held the tissue against his nose. “Well, menina . Did you enjoy the show?”

She crouched on the flagstone path beside him. “It was…interesting.”

“What a relief. I would hate to be boring.” He frowned at the blood-soaked tissue.

“I doubt you’re ever boring.” She handed him another tissue. “Do you really dance the samba in a hot pink sequined thong?”

He pressed the fresh tissue against his nose with his head still tilted back. “Not on the first date.”

She smiled. “It seems like every time I see you, your head is getting pummeled.”

“It must be your lucky night.”

She took another tissue and dabbed it against the blood that had oozed from the corner of his mouth. His bottom lip looked swollen and puffy. She touched it lightly with her fingertip, wishing she could kiss it.

She glanced at his eyes. They were closed, so she took advantage of the opportunity to look him over close up. His eyelashes were thick and black. His hair was shoulder length and very silky. His skin was surprisingly tanned for a vampire. The short sleeves of his black T-shirt were tight around his biceps. His shoulders were broad, his chest muscular. A tattoo in red and black circled around his neck to his collarbone, but too much of it was hidden beneath his T-shirt for her to make out the design.

She tried to wipe up the blood on his chin, but the tissue tore against his dark whiskers. “I don’t know how that woman could ever believe you’re gay.”

He opened his eyes. “I let her believe it.”

“I would never believe it.” She met his gaze. “I saw the way you looked at me.”

The golden tint in his brown eyes glimmered like amber. “I never looked at her that way.”

Caitlyn’s face grew warm. She brushed the bits of shredded tissue from his chin. “Why did you want people to think you’re gay?”

He shrugged. “It was easier that way. I didn’t have to worry about women pursuing me.”

She sat back. “Because there are mobs of drooling women stalking you?”

“In Brazil, yes. There were many beautiful women who would come on to me. It was very tiring.”

She snorted. “Poor baby.”