I ignored him placing my hands palm up to watch the branded words fade away. His eyes searched the words intently. As they faded away to nothing once more, I lifted my head searching for the knife and grabbing my iPod before watching the flowers bloom on Adrian's grave as they always did thanks to the dead surrounding the soil.
It was the deal I had with the ghosts. I dance and bring the tunes and they grow the flowers once a month on Adrian's grave. I flattened my palm on the headstone, "Always remember, Adrian." I looked to where the car was parked and started forward not bothering to look and see if the Fae followed.
"You can raise the dead, how?" Ryder persisted.
"Dark Arts," I mumbled as he caught up to me.
"No mortal can do that massive scale of magic on the dead. So how the fuck did you?" He shouted, grabbing my shoulder to spin me around.
"That’s a lie and just because you think it shouldn’t be done, doesn't it make it wrong." I shouted right back with my hands on my hips.
I turned back towards the car but he stopped me again.
"Yet you haven't tried to raise any of the dead the serial killer is taking out?" He continued with his voice still raised.
"This is a cemetery, stop shouting!" I growled right back.
"Yes it is, but I just watched you bust a move with the entire blasted thing. I don’t think they are resting peacefully."
I smiled at his term for what he had seen. Busting a move? We'd been jumping since it was the best the dead could do unless you considered their botched up attempt at couple dancing. He'd seen me lit up with the brands and hadn’t made any glow in the dark comments. He hadn't said anything else…which meant he'd seen it before but how?
"Get in the car, Vlad might be leaving town soon. We need to go in by tomorrow night to ensure we see him."
I watched his eyes narrow on my face and tossed Zahruk the keys that I held in my hand. He caught them and nodded, before heading to the sleek blue sports car.
"What?" I blurted when he just continued to look at me with his tense amber gaze.
"In the office," he started.
"Stop! I was coming to say I was sorry. I…I shit. Okay here it is Ryder, I don’t trust the Fae. Never have, probably never will. It was my fault today and I'll admit to that and yes, I should probably get laid before I have enough hormones to sell them at auction. I was wrong to blame you and that was why I was coming back to your office."
"You wanted me," he said precisely, slowly making me tingle from the huskiness in his timbre.
"It was a mistake and besides, I'm a lesser being so the point is moot. I won't put myself in that position again."
He smiled wickedly, "What—grinding on my cock Syn? Or watching me feed?"
I swallowed past the lump forming in my throat. It was going to get stuck in there if I kept hanging around him. "Both."
"I could make you," he licked his bottom lip seductively. "Maybe then you would loosen up some."
I held up my middle finger and opened the passenger door before sliding into the seat and allowing the last bit of the power leave my body as the nights events sank in. Tomorrow night I was going to meet Dracula in the flesh.
Nineteen
"Tell me the plan again," Ryder growled, still upset that I hadn't been able to explain how I could raise the spirits of the dead last night, but then it wasn’t as if he was on a need to know everything about me basis.
"I go in on your arm and we separate. To make me look unavailable, since Vlad likes what he can't have, I play dumb blonde and make myself sexy." I glared as Adam barked with laughter at my words.
"No going off of the plan, when he takes you in the back room—and he will, you work the information out of him without blowing your cover, or him."
I shot the glare to Ryder. "I have no intention of bobbing on Vlad's knob. Or yours." I tossed in to remove the wide smirk my response had given him and it worked.
"No surprises in there, if you get in trouble this ends. Do you understand me?"
"Yes master," I grumbled and then winced at the heat that flashed to life in his eyes.
"Mmm I like that word on your lips."
"Whatever, let's get this done. I need sleep."
Adam and Larissa spoke into the mic's they wore, testing them before I left the bus with Ryder. I fidgeted with the black short lace up vinyl skirt that matched the lace up top of the same tight material. I seriously looked like a hooker with matching shining black heels that were well over six inches high.
"Stop fidgeting, you look fine," Ryder whispered as he slid his hand down my naked back.
"I look like a cheap hooker," I grumbled to distract myself from the feeling of his hand on my skin. I had more make-up on tonight then I had worn in my entire life. He stopped me by moving his hand further down my back until it rested on my backside. My breath hitched with the fire his hands were igniting inside of me.
"You need to get over this reaction you have to me."
I snorted. I wish it was that easy. "Try not touching me."
His golden eyes slid down the thin silk shirt to where my nipples pointed up with need. I chewed my lip but stopped when I tasted the bitterness of the lipstick. "Work on it, or I will see if I can replace you with Larissa for the Gala, I cannot have my soon-to-be-bride shying away from my touch."