Luther's Return (Scanguards Vampires Book 10)

“No!” The word shot out of his mouth almost automatically. He ran a hand along his nape. “Just take off the cardigan and the T-shirt. I’ll find you something else to wear.”


He ripped open a closet, then another one. Just like he’d suspected, Bauer kept a change of clothes in his office, like most guards did. It happened often enough that clothes got ripped or bloodied during fights.

“Here.” He took a white dress shirt from a hanger and handed it to Katie. “Put this on, but don’t button it. Just tie a knot at your waist so your black bra will show. It’ll make you look slutty enough.”

Without protest, Katie changed into the shirt. She turned over the sleeves that were too long for her. When Luther saw her transformation, he knew he’d been right.

She looked like sin personified. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, the top of her breasts peeked out from over the black lace of her bra, and at the right angle, one could even see her belly button. Her jeans were tight, showing off her fabulous ass, and her legs were long and slim. Yes, definitely hooker material, though he hated the thought of other men looking at her like that, thinking they could have her in exchange for cold hard cash.

When he lifted his eyes and met hers, he saw something there, saw that she could read him, read the thoughts that were going through his mind as plainly as if he’d spoken them. But she said nothing, didn’t comment on what she saw, didn’t even flinch or toss him a look of contempt, though she had to think that he was just like all the other vampires: lecherous, and unable to control his need for sex and blood. At the moment those two needs were battling for supremacy, and even though he was doing his best to appear calm on the outside, the storm raging in him had to show on his face and body. He could sense his muscles twitch, his nostrils flare, and his cock thicken, just as surely as he could feel his fangs lengthen.

“Let’s go,” he ground out and turned abruptly.

“How do you want me to act?” Katie asked from behind him, while he marched to the door.

“You looked pretty convincing earlier. I don’t think you need me to coach you on what to do.” Luther ripped the door open. Strobe lights on the walls indicated that the intruder alert was still active.

He felt her hand on his elbow and with it a shock of electricity traveled up his arm. He whirled his head to her, a curse already on his lips, when he saw her eyes.

“I’m scared,” she murmured.

The curse never left his lips. Instead he lifted his hand and brushed his gloved knuckles over her cheek, surprising himself with the gentle gesture. “I’ll keep you safe.”

Her lips parted slightly, before he turned his head back toward the corridor and lowered the visor of his protective head gear.





21


The corridor was empty when Katie followed Luther, but even without vampire hearing she could already hear approaching footsteps and commands being shouted. Despite Luther’s assurance that he would keep her safe, she knew their chances of getting out of this place alive were minimal.

This had been a bad idea.

A guard came running down the corridor, talking into his communication device as he rushed past them with barely a second glance. Surprised, Katie gave Luther a sideways look. The reflective visor hid his face, and he appeared just like any other guard. Only the name tag would identify him. Bauer it said.

“Just how common is it for a guard to be seen with a woman?”

Luther shrugged. “Common enough.”

A door opened a few yards ahead of them and another guard dressed in Kevlar gear ran in the other direction. Katie followed him with her eyes when she realized something.

“Why wasn’t he wearing a visor like you?” The guard who’d run past them only moments earlier hadn’t worn one either.

“Because the UV lights aren’t on.” Luther’s response was clipped; he seemed pre-occupied with deciding which way to turn next.

He gripped her by the elbow and dragged her down a hallway to the left. She almost tripped over her own feet trying to keep up with him and only saw the door in front of them when Luther opened it.

The room looked like a central foyer from which several doors and walkways, as well as stairs, led in a multitude of directions.

Vampires dressed in their protective Kevlar gear seemed to converge here, some strapping on weapons, others speaking into their communication devices.

Neither glancing right nor left, Luther marched through the space as if he owned it. Katie’s heart pounded, while she tried to avoid looking at anybody in particular. None of them was wearing the kind of visor that covered Luther’s face. Shit! That had to look suspicious.

The door Luther was heading for was closed. Next to it, there was a card reader. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Luther pull an access card from his pocket.

“Hey, Bauer,” a voice from behind them called out.

Katie froze.

Luther grunted and pulled her along. Only a few feet separated them from the door now.