Zombies Sold Separately

FORTY-ONE



Sunday, January 2


“Suuuure you missed me.” I set down Kali’s crystal dish of Fancy Feast on the floor of my kitchen and looked at the blue Persian. “No need to pretend.”

Kali raised her head and stepped with a cat’s grace that easily rivaled that of the Elves. She took her first delicate bite before giving me a look that said, “I don’t like being watched while I eat,” then looked away from me to take another small bite.

“Dahlia always takes good care of you when I’m gone.” I turned and headed out of the kitchen. “There’s no reason you should be mad at me.”

I reached my bedroom door and sighed when I looked at the destruction Kali had left in her wake. The pretty panties I’d just bought were in shreds on the floor, scattered from one end of the room to another like black, hot pink, red and green confetti.

I quit trying to figure that cat out a long time ago. How did Kali get into a lingerie drawer three feet up? Had to be a paranorm cat—it just didn’t shift I guess until I left. Maybe that was it. Surprisingly, the panties I’d picked out with Colin weren’t among the destroyed.

Probably because she liked him. Maybe I’d have Colin do all of my panty shopping.

I smiled then turned as I heard a knock on the door. My first though was Adam, but it wasn’t his familiar knock.

To be on the safe side, I sent feelers of my air elemental magic out, allowing it to slide beneath and around any gaps in the door’s molding.

“Colin,” I said to myself with some surprise.

I opened the door and gave Colin a smile as I gestured for him to come in.

He looked as sexy and hot as he had the first time I’d seen him on stage at the Pit. His long golden hair rested around his shoulders and his burnished gold eyes looked at me in a way he’d never looked at me before.

The twist in my belly sent shards of desire through me. “You aren’t using your Dragon charm on me, are you?” I said without thinking as the door closed behind him.

He stopped in the middle of the room and his gaze held mine. “That’s just you wanting me,” he said and my face grew hot. “The same way I want you.”

My fair skin had to be full-on red. “I—”

Colin came close to me and he cupped my face in his hands. They were strong, callused hands that sent an erotic thrill throughout me. His scent, his presence, everything about him was enough to make my head spin as though I was drunk on him.

“I don’t think—” I started, but then he brought his mouth down on mine.

And kissed me.

A kiss that set my whole body on fire.

It was urgent, demanding. Nothing soft or hesitant about it. His was a kiss of ownership.

That thought made me break away. I tried to catch my breath as I looked up at him. His gold eyes looked almost bronze as he let his hands slide down to my upper arms then held onto me.

“What—what was that all about?” I said between breaths.

His smile was confident and sexy. “I’ve been waiting for this to be over,” he said. “And waiting for time to be alone with you.”

“You can’t just do that.” I wasn’t sure what I was saying, except that a man having ownership over me was not in my list of reasonable expectations in a relationship. “What’s gotten into you?”

“You’ve gotten into me.” Colin drew me up against him. It was a side I hadn’t seen. He’d been everything from friendly to flirtatious to someone who’d worked hard with me side-by-side. “From the time I first saw you watching me on stage, I knew you were the one.”

My face grew impossibly hotter.

Colin looped his arm around my waist and pinned me to him. “You and I are destined for one another, Nyx.”

I shook my head. “You are acting absolutely nuts.”

My breasts were smashed against his chest as he gave me an incredibly carnal smile. “I think not.”

Then he kissed my remaining words of protest away until I couldn’t remember what I’d been protesting.

He tasted warm and masculine. The hard press of his body against mine made me groan into his mouth.

A knocking at the back of my mind told me I wasn’t ready for this. It was too soon.

Why was it too soon?

But it kept knocking at my brain.

Then I realized I heard real knocking.

This time, familiar knocking.

I came back to myself and pushed Colin away.

This time I was breathing a lot harder and my heart was beating like crazy.

I cut my gaze to the door and heard the familiar knock again. “Adam,” I said, my voice hoarse.

When I looked back at Colin he gave me a gentle smile before bringing me to him and kissing my forehead. “I understand,” he said. “You need to work things out in your head. I’ll give you time.” His mouth quirked. “But not much.”

What was there to say? My recently ex-boyfriend kept knocking at the door, and another male had just given me a kiss worthy of his Dragon reputation.

Still, I knew he hadn’t used his Dragon charm on me. It had been the real thing.

“I’ll save you some embarrassment and questions.” He smoothed my hair. “You talk to him. I’ll see you later.” He said in a gently teasing tone. “Just remember what I said about not having eaten human males in a while.”

And then he was gone.

I knew he’d been teasing, but at the same time I knew he was serious about me. And him. The two of us.

For a moment I stared at the spot he’d been standing in, wondering if he’d just used a transference to leave my apartment, or was hanging around in glamour.

“If you’re still here,” I said as I walked to the door, “you’d better leave. I need to talk with Adam alone.”

No answer and I didn’t expect one. I couldn’t sense his presence in my apartment and I was sure he was gone. I knew he’d respect me and my privacy. Even if he had gone from friend to wannabe lover in sixty seconds flat.

My belly flip-flopped for another reason as I opened the door.

Adam looked so good with his tousled brown hair, his warm brown eyes, and the stubble on his jaws.

“Hey, Nyx.” The tenor of his voice sent a shiver through me, but then the look in his eyes made me pause.

“Do you want to come in?” I didn’t move out of the doorway, just waited for his response.

He shook his head. “I just wanted to talk with you for a moment.”

I tried not to show any outward sign that his mere presence was affecting me. I wanted to be in his arms. Wanted to feel his embrace. Wanted to feel like everything was okay and nothing had changed.

“I won’t be working as a liaison to the paranorm anymore.” He paused, and a prickling sensation traveled over me. “I’ve been promoted and am moving to another precinct.”

“Congratulations.” My voice wavered a little. “Guess I won’t be seeing you around.”

Adam shoved his hands into the pockets of his bomber jacket. “I’ve been thinking about it over and over again. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see now how it could work between us.”

I met his gaze. In his eyes I could tell he was hurting as much as I was, but he was right. How could it have worked? Maybe if I were a Doppler or Shifter and had a normal human appearance any time I wanted. But I’m Drow, and it just doesn’t work that way for me.

“You’re right.” I tilted my chin a little. “Meeting your family proved that our worlds are too different.”

“I’m going to miss you, Nyx.” He looked down at his shoes before returning his gaze to me. “I already do.”

“Me, too.” The words came back in a whisper that I had to force out.

Adam took a step toward me and in the next moment I was in his arms with him just holding me. I would miss his coffee-and-leather scent, would miss his smile and his laugh. Would miss everything about him.

He released me and took a step back. “I’ll always love you, Nyx.”

Those words almost sent me over the edge. At that moment I was glad I didn’t have tears, because I wouldn’t have wanted to cry in front of him.

I met his eyes. “I love you, Adam.”

He studied me for a long moment before he said, “I’ll see you around.”

I nodded. “Yeah. See you.”

I shut the door behind Adam, then placed my forehead against the smooth wood and closed my eyes. I could hear his footsteps growing fainter as he walked away.

I took a deep breath, pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, and dialed Nadia’s phone number. While the phone rang, I wandered into my room and saw the blank space where the picture of Adam and me in Belize had been sitting on my nightstand. I had put it in a drawer earlier, unable to look at it without feeling heart-wrenching pain.

Nadia answered, her “Hello” sounding like a word in a song.

“You up for a sappy movie and some popcorn?” I asked my friend who was always up for a sappy movie. If I wanted action-adventure, I would have called Olivia.

It was obvious Nadia heard something in my voice. “I’ll bring over Casablanca. You start up the popcorn maker.”

“Deal,” I said before disconnecting the call.

I straightened my shoulders and headed into the kitchen, straight for the pantry and the popcorn.