Part 8 (1/2)

Charlie was on the bed in a heartbeat, settling beside her. Jo petted him absently as she flipped through the channels and discovered there was very little on at four-thirty. When the Sunday afternoon Disney movie flashed on the screen, she stopped. It would do. Jo set the remote on the bedside table, rearranged her pillows, and settled in to watch the show, realizing just how tense she'd been when her muscles all slowly began to relax.

Charlie wasn't the only one who'd had a rough day, Jo acknowledged, stifling a yawn.

Chapter Eight.

Nicholas eased his teeth from the neck of the chambermaid and released her. He then turned her to face the bathroom of the suite he'd found her working in and stepped back as he withdrew from her mind. Once free of his control, the woman stood still for a moment, and then moved forward to continue the work he'd interrupted, with no memory of his arrival or her ever having stopped her work.

Nicholas slid away then, exiting as silently as he'd entered and continuing on to the elevators.

As he waited for it to arrive, he considered what to do about food for Jo. Having to buy a new van and incidentals had really eaten into his funds, and the hotel on top of it all had nearly wiped him out. He had less than fifty bucks in his pocket. Surely that was enough to buy her something nice for dinner? And then tomorrow morning, he'd have to head straight to the bank to get money from his security box to feed her breakfast.

The elevator arrived and Nicholas stepped on board, absently rubbing his stomach as he went.

The maid was the first feeding he'd had since the morning before. In his usual cautious manner, he'd taken only a little bit of blood, and while it had helped, it hadn't helped much.

The cramps that had been attacking him since that morning had gone from almost unbearable to just really painful. Another bite was in order before he returned to Jo. Otherwise, he risked snacking on her without meaning to. Nicholas had no idea where he'd get the next meal, but had no doubt an opportunity would come up before he got back to the room. He was very good at feeding off the hoof. He knew most immortals in North America now fed on bagged blood, but for a rogue, ordering a delivery of blood from the Argeneau Blood Bank was out of the question.

Nicholas left the hotel on foot, eyes scanning the street ahead. Every other storefront seemed to be a restaurant or fast- food joint of some sort, and he hadn't a clue which were good and which were bad. They hadn' t had this variety when he'd last eaten. A lot appeared to have changed on the cuisine front since then. Nicholas had been vaguely aware of it on the periphery of his consciousness, but hadn't eaten a bite of food since Annie's death and hadn't paid close attention to the changing face of the food industry. Being confronted by it now was rather frustrating. He should have asked Jo what she wanted before leaving, but he'd worried she'd insist on coming with him and he wouldn't be able to feed.

That thought made Nicholas decide to feed now and worry about what to get Jo after. Perhaps he'd be able to think more clearly if he wasn' t so distracted by his cramping body. His gaze s.h.i.+fted from the business fronts to the people on the sidewalks. Most people were in groups of two or three, but he spotted one lone woman hurrying along. Middle-aged, with pink cheeks and some meat on her bones, she was rus.h.i.+ng up the street, hands full of bags.

Nicholas focused on her briefly, slipping into her mind to ensure she wasn't ill or coming down with anything. It did little good to ingest blood from someone ailing; bad blood would just have to be removed from his system, using up what little blood he presently had to do so.

She was fine, however, healthy and robust.

Nicholas kept his distance at first to prevent catching her attention and alarming her. He'd followed her for a block when she turned down a side street. Shortly after that, she started up the sidewalk to an apartment building. He then began to close the distance between them and was almost on her heels when she entered the lobby.

The front door wasn' t locked but there was a doorman. Nicholas slipped into the man's thoughts, making sure he didn' t see or stop him as Nicholas trailed the female to the eleva tor.

It arrived disbursing a mixed group of people in their twenties. Nicholas followed the woman on board once it was clear and offered her a polite smile as he waited for the doors to close.

The moment they did, he slipped into her mind and had her turn toward him. He stepped forward, intending to take her in his arms and feed on her, but paused as a fragrant odor enveloped him. Nicholas had been vaguely aware of the scent as he'd trailed her, but it had been faint then. Now that they were enclosed in the small elevator, it was impossible to ignore, and he glanced around curiously for the source. It reminded him of something from when he used to eat. Something...

Nicholas traced the smell to a bag she carried and took it from her to peer inside. All he saw was a box. He reached in to open it and was immediately hit with a strong wave of the scent.

Fried chicken, Nicholas realized, smiling. Annie used to make it on Sundays. It had been his favorite.

That's what he'd get Jo, Nicholas decided, closing the box and peering at the bag. KFC. He recalled pa.s.sing a restaurant with that logo. ”What are you doing with my chicken?”

Nicholas glanced to the woman with surprise. He'd gotten so distracted by his find that he'd released his control over her and she was now peering at him with confusion. Setting the bag on the floor, he slipped into her thoughts and took control again. Nicholas then quickly took her in his arms and sank his teeth into her neck, using more speed than finesse. His distraction had cut into the time he had for this endeavor. Fortunately, he still had time to do what he had to do. He'd finished feeding and just released the woman when the elevator dinged, announcing their arrival at her floor. Nicholas picked up the bag of chicken and gave it to her, and then sent her off the elevator before releasing her mind.

He felt much better now, the cramps had eased considerably. One more bite and he should be good to get the chicken and head back to the hotel, Nicholas thought as he hit the b.u.t.ton to return to the ground floor.

The elevator had traveled down only two floors before it stopped to allow a young man on.

The fellow was all alone, and a quick check of his thoughts proved he was healthy as a horse, a real health nut, in fact, into natural foods and something called green tea. Nicholas smiled to himself as the doors closed. It seemed fate was on his side for a change. He'd be back at the hotel in no time... then he just had to figure out some explanation to give Jo for everything that had been going on.

That or tell her the truth, Nicholas thought as he slid into the young man's thoughts and leaned in to bite his neck. His preference was to tell Jo the truth, but he doubted she'd be allowed to keep her memories of that truth once they had her back at the enforcer house...

and he would eventually have to take her there. On the other hand, they hadn't taken away her memories after the first time. True, she didn' t really know much, but still...

The elevator dinged. Nicholas finished feeding and stepped back from the young donor, rearranging his thoughts and making him move to the doors as they opened. He kept control of him until they were out of the building, and then released his thoughts and turned to make his way back to the busy street where he'd first spotted the chicken lady.

Twenty minutes later Nicholas let himself back into the hotel room, his arms weighted down with a large bag marked KFC. He let the door close behind him and strode into the room, mouth opening to speak, but closed it again when he spotted Jo sound asleep on the bed. He peered at her blankly and then to Charlie. The dog lay beside her, but his head was up, eyes open and alert.

Sighing, Nicholas set the bag on the small table by the window. The moment he did, Charlie was off the bed and at his side, tail wagging frantically.

”Hi, buddy,” he whispered, giving him a pat.

Charlie promptly lifted up, resting his feet on Nicholas's leg so that he could reach more of him, and then turned to nose the bag of chicken curiously.

”Hungry, huh?” Nicholas asked quietly. ”Luckily for you I thought you might be and got a bucket. But you' ll have to wait until I strip the meat for you. I'm not sure you can handle chicken bones.” Charlie dropped back to sit on his haunches patiently, and Nicholas smiled wryly as he opened the bag to retrieve the food containers and paper plates inside. He then settled in one of the two chairs at the table and set to work, selecting three meaty pieces of breaded chicken and then using one of the plastic forks provided to strip the meat onto the plate. He'd barely started on the first piece of meat when he couldn't resist and popped a bite of the delicacy into his mouth. The flavor exploded on his tongue, making him moan softly. Charlie whined in complaint.

”Sorry,” Nicholas muttered, making himself resist trying any more until he had the meat from the three pieces he'd selected stripped and cut into small chunks on the plate. He then set the plate on the carpet for Charlie, watched him begin scarfing up the treat, and then turned a nd pulled out a piece for himself. Nicholas hadn't felt like eating since Annie's death fifty years ago, but now had to wonder why. The chicken was incredible and he was reaching for a second piece before he'd even finished the first.

He'd just have one more and then he'd lie down and try to sleep before Jo woke up and started demanding her answers, Nicholas told himself as he finished the second piece. He hadn't slept since the day before and could really use a couple of hours of shut-eye before trying to explain things that she would no doubt find impossible and upsetting by turn. The bed was big enough she wouldn't even know he was there.

Jo was dreaming. She knew it was a dream because she was back at the party at Sam and Mortimer's place, but the dream was a little different than the reality had been. The buzz of the guests' conversation was incredibly loud yet at the same time m.u.f.fled, so that she couldn' t understand what was being said... and the light was a little off, wavering and almost watery.

Jo was alone, walking through the group of men, each of whom turned and gave her the strange silent stare they'd all greeted her and Alex with last night. Their eyes focused briefly on her forehead as if she had a p.e.n.i.s growing there and then they turned away indifferently.

Though she knew it was silly, each time one of them turned away it felt like a rejection, and Jo was relieved when her dream took her outside. But here too things were a bit off. The sounds of night creatures and the wind in the leaves was magnified and overloud, and the caress of the cool breeze on her skin was like hands brus.h.i.+ng over her skin making it tingle and raising goose b.u.mps over her body. Ignoring that, Jo continued around the corner of the house, completely unsurprised when Bad-Breath Boy, Ernie, came lunging out of the darkness at her. This time there was no fear in her at the sudden attack, and no pain as she hit the wall. In the dream, her eyes were open and she saw Nicholas suddenly appear and drag the man away from her.

Jo leaned against the wall, watching as the men struggled in a strange, slow, violent dance and then bent and picked up the same boulder she had last night and moved forward to slam it over the blond man's head. Ernie's head swiveled around at once, eyes glowing golden and teeth bared, showing long, pointy fangs. Jo stared with confusion because it suddenly felt more like memory than a dream. The magnified sound and watery feeling were suddenly absent, leaving everything sharp and clear. But then the sound came roaring back and everything began to waver again as the two men continued to struggle. Jo simply stood there in the dream, watching until Ernie fell to the ground and Nicholas stepped over him to get to her.

”I can't read you,” he said clearly, grabbing her upper arms, and then his head descended, his mouth closing over hers as his body pressed against hers and his tongue slid out to taste and invade her. Jo forgot about that moment of clarity and fell into the sensations rolling over her.

The feel and taste of him forced everything out and brought the desire she'd experienced last night roaring back to life like a fire that had been banked, and then he tore his mouth away and tugged her T-s.h.i.+rt up and Jo gasped as his lips closed over one nipple.

As suddenly as that, the dream changed. They were in the garage now, the stark fluorescent lights overhead burning into her eyes, and the bars of a cell pressing against her back as he ran his hands over her body and his lips drew at the dusty rose nub he'd claimed. She closed her eyes again, running one hand over his arm and shoulder, the other knotting in the hair on his head as his teeth and tongue sc.r.a.ped over the excited nipple.

”Yes,” Jo breathed, and then gasped again when one of his roaming hands slid between her legs, pressing against the core of her through her jeans. It was enough to make her wish she wasn't wearing them, that she could feel his touch without their inhibiting presence, and suddenly the jeans were gone, as was her T-s.h.i.+rt. The bars of the cell were cold against her back, a stark contrast to his warm mouth and fingers as he caressed her more intimately.

Jo moaned as his fingers slid over her slick flesh, but when one finger slid inside her, she couldn't bear the a.s.sault anymore and tugged at his hair violently, forcing him to release the nipple he'd been teasing and raise his head. The moment his lips were in reach, Jo kissed him, sucking frantically at the tongue Nicholas thrust into her mouth, and then sending her own tongue out to wrangle wi th his as she reached blindly to find the front of his jeans. Jo found the bulge of his excitement and squeezed it briefly through the heavy cloth, and then started to wrestle with his belt before recalling how nicely her own clothes had disappeared when she wished it. She immediately paused to wish his were gone as well, and suddenly she was touching naked skin. Jo released a relieved sigh and immediately clasped him in hand.

Nicholas broke their kiss on a deep chuckle.

”Impatient,” he whispered by her ear as he paused to nibble at it briefly. ”So eager.”

”Yes,” she breathed, ”I need you.”

The words made him chuckle again, but it died on a gasp as she tightened her fingers around him and let them slide his length. A growl followed, and then he caught her hand and pulled it away, pressing it against the bars by her head as he kissed her again. When she tried to reach for him with her other hand, he caught and lifted that too, then ground himself against her as he kissed her almost punis.h.i.+ngly. Jo gave as good as she got, her own kiss becoming demanding, and-thinking it had worked so nicely with the clothes-silently wished he'd thrust himself inside her, but the dream Nicholas wasn't nearly as accommodating as their dream clothes. Instead of lifting her by the hips and thrusting himself into her, he broke the kiss to growl, ”Not yet,” and began to trail his mouth down her throat to her collarbone.