Kathy Love - Fangs For The Memories

She darted in and found the coat. She paused long enough to tug the thick parka on. As she pulled up the zipper, her knuckles brushed against the hard, cool topaz at her chest.

The pendant suddenly felt heavy around her neck, and she fumbled to get the small clasp undone. Once the necklace was off, she held it in front of her, the pendant twirling back and forth. The jewel winked at her in the lamplight as if to say that everything the necklace had come to mean to her was a colossal joke.

She placed the necklace on Rhys's nightstand and then left. She didn't slow down until she reached the freight elevator. She struggled with the large metal gate, but finally got it down. She pressed ground level.

The gate was even more difficult to get open, and just when she was starting to get a little worried, that she might be stuck on the stupid elevator, Mick appeared.

He easily lifted the grid for her.

"Thank you," she murmured, feeling silly and annoyed. She needed to be stronger. Physically and mentally.

Mick nodded. His usual silent self.

This time, she was too consumed with her own problems to find his stillness unnerving. She headed right to the metal back door and began turning the various locks. Finally she shoved the door open and breathed in the cold winter air.

"Be careful out there," Mick said, and for the first time, she realized he was right behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder at the huge man. "I will."

He nodded and reached over her head to hold the door open for her.

She slipped out into the alley, glancing back at Mick.

He nodded again, and she gave him a tentative smile back. Funny she should feel a strange affinity to the man now. Now that she'd be leaving.

She turned back toward the street, her heels clicking on the concrete as she hurried into the bustling city.

Rhys knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He had to check on Jane, make sure she was okay.

He paused outside her closed bedroom door, but she wasn't there. He concentrated; he couldn't feel her anywhere in the apartment. Her scent still drifted in the air, but it had faded to only a faint hint like the smell of roses drifting away on a breeze. Soon it would be gone altogether.

Was she gone? Already?

He placed his hand on the doorknob, holding it for a second before making up his mind. Finally he opened the door and peered inside.

Relief overcame him. Her suitcase still sat beside the bureau. She hadn't left for good. He knew he shouldn't be happy. That the goal was to get her out of here as soon as he could. To put distance between her and Christian. And himself. But he wasn't ready for her to be gone quite yet.

But she was gone. At least for a while.

His first instinct was to follow her. To see where she was going. To make sure she was safe. But he headed in the direction of his bedroom instead. He was going to have to let her go soon enough, and he wouldn't be able to follow her then.

But what if Christian is out there watching her?

Rhys spun on his heels, striding toward the elevator.

Once he was downstairs, he went directly to Mick, where he sat in his office watching several monitors, the images from different security cameras around the club.

"Did Jane leave this way?"

Mick nodded.

"Do you know which way she went?"

Mick nodded again.

"Follow her."

Mick rose, reaching for his jacket on the back of his chair.

"Just make sure she is safe."

"What am I looking for?"

Mick had worked for Rhys and Sebastian long enough to know that Rhys wouldn't send him after her unless there was a very real threat.

"Christian."

Mick's eyes widened just slightly, the only sign that he was startled by Rhys's announcement. But he didn't waste time heading for the door.

Rhys watched the giant disappear outside. Mick seemed to understand much quicker than Rhys what kind of threat Christian could pose.

"Excuse me, do you have the time?"

Jane turned from the bookstore window, where she was half-heartedly browsing the new titles in the window.

She blinked, looking into pale, pale blue eyes. Eyes she'd seen before. She instantly recognized him as the man from the coffee bar.

She hesitated, uneasiness stealing her voice.

The man smiled. A warm smile. A friendly smile. And she immediately wondered at her nervousness. Just wary given her bad experiences on the streets of New York.

She laughed self-consciously as she realized she was staring. But it was hard not to look at those eyes.

"I don't have a watch."

"Sorry to bother you then." He didn't leave, but rather moved beside her to look at the books.

She pretended to browse them again, uncertain why she didn't just walk away.

"Have you read Interview With a Vampire?"

She glanced at him. "No. Is it good?"

"Very."

She nodded, unsure what to say.

He frowned at her then. The lines across his brow somehow adding to the beauty of his face rather than detracting from it. "Do I know you?"

She quickly shook her head, then laughed again. "Well, you bumped into me once. Literally."

Recognition dawned in his pale eyes. "Oh, yes. I think I used a rather bad pick-up line on you?"

"Did you?"

He shrugged. "If you don't remember it that way, then neither do I."

She couldn't help but smile at his glib charm. She glanced back at the books, not really seeing them.

"I know this is rather forward. And it's really going to sound like a pick-up line now, but would you be interested in joining me for something to eat? There is a great café across the street." He gestured to a restaurant on the other side of the busy road.

Jane started to say no, but something about the man made her waver. Maybe it was the shape of his lips or the tilt of his eyes; something in his appearance looked so familiar. Outside of meeting him in the coffee shop.

What the heck, she decided. It felt nice to have the attention of this very attractive man, especially after the awful evening she'd had thus far. A little conversation would be a good distraction. Good for her ego.

She cast another look over to the restaurant he'd suggested. The building's façade was very quaint, decorated like a Parisian café. And it buzzed with patrons.

Not a dark alley. Or a seedy bar. She certainly would be safe enough there.

"Actually, I am a little hungry."

He grinned, obviously very pleased. "Great." He held out his hand, a nicely shaped hand with a broad palm and long, blunt-tipped fingers. "I'm Chris."

She smiled, touching her fingers to his. "Jane."

He gave her hand a polite shake and then immediately released it.

Certainly nothing inappropriate about that.

She followed him as he wove the way through the crowded sidewalk to the corner, and then they crossed to the restaurant.

But once they were seated in a softly lit corner, Jane began to question her decision. The restaurant radiated romance, from the soft French music to the flickering candles on the cloth-covered tables.

She shifted slightly, fiddling with the clasp of her purse.

Chris's hand came out to cover hers. "You don't have to be nervous. I just want some company."

She stared into his eyes, then nodded. "Sorry, it's just this seems like the type of place you'd take a romantic date, not an acquaintance."

He glanced around. "Yes. But I get the feeling you could use a little romance tonight."

She laughed at that. The sound was grim, even to her own ears. "That obvious, huh?"

He moved his hand from hers and gave her a sympathetic smile. "Sad eyes. I'm a sucker for them. I think that must be what I noticed about you back in the coffee bar."

She frowned. "Really? Sad eyes?"