Chapter 9
He looked up and smiled. "Hello, Darcy."
Her heart hammered in her chest. Wasn't her world crazy enough without this man turning it topsy-turvy? As she closed the door, she wondered why he was sitting at her desk. Had he looked through her papers? She turned back to face him. He was still smiling. If he had snooped through her things, he didn't look embarrassed about it. Besides, why would Adam be interested in contracts with caterers or limousine rental agencies?
And why did she react this way every time she saw him? Her heart was racing, but everything else seemed to slow down. She noticed every little delicious detail about him. And there was a good ten-second delay in all her responses because her brain was refusing to work properly. At this rate, he would think she was a moron. "Good evening."
He stood and rounded the desk. "Sorry to take your chair, but the others are occupied." He gestured toward the chairs facing her desk. Two packages, wrapped in brown paper and twine, sat in each chair.
"They're portraits," he explained before she could even ask. "I just came from having mine done. Fred is actually very good." Adam grinned, displaying his dimples at their deepest. "You gotta admit, Fred is an unusual name for an artist."
Unusual for a vampire, too, Darcy thought wryly. She tried to ignore her reaction to Adam, but it was hard to do when her heart was dangerously close to exploding in her chest. And all because of a pair of dimples and turquoise eyes. She wondered if Fred had managed to do him justice. "Is one of these yours?"
"No, mine was still a little wet."
Oh yeah, a little wet. She could relate to that.
"Fred said these four were finished," Adam continued. "He was too busy to bring them here, so I offered to do it for him."
"You really didn't need to do that."
"Oh, but I did." A corner of his mouth quirked up. "It gave me the perfect excuse to see you again."
Her heart thumped louder in her chest.
"And then tomorrow, when my portrait is dry, I'll have another reason to drop by and see you. A clever strategy, don't you think?" His left dimple deepened.
She gulped. He was gorgeous. Fair of face with a sexy voice like a troubadour. Sheesh, he was a perfect match for the list the ex-harem ladies were making. Maybe they were on to something after all.
He sat on the edge of her desk. "So, how was your weekend?"
She stiffened, recalling how Shanna's father had almost ruined her wedding. Surely Adam had had nothing to do with it. "I went to a wedding." She watched him closely for a reaction.
He narrowed his eyes as if trying to remember, then nodded. "Right. Your friends, Raoul and Sherry. How'd it go?"
Darcy exhaled in relief. How could he have told anyone when he couldn't even remember the names correctly? "It was fine."
"Good." He glanced away. His jaw shifted slightly, and she wondered if he was grinding his teeth. Suddenly, he gifted her with one of his fabulous dimpled smiles. "So where are they going on their honeymoon? What's the popular place these days?"
Her heart stuttered in her chest. Why was he asking her that? "I - I don't know."
He nodded. "One of my sisters went to the mountains in Canada. Another went to Hawaii." His dimples deepened. "I bet you would choose the beach."
She looked away, her cheeks warming with a blush. He was right about that. But it was not likely to ever happen. She moved toward the door. "I'm very busy..."
He plucked a photo off her desk that showed the building where the penthouse was located. "So, this Raleigh Place is where we'll be doing the show?"
"Uh, yes." So he had looked at her stuff. Well, it was normal to be curious, right? After all, it was her own curiosity that had forever changed her life. A shiver skittered down her spine. Curiosity killed more than the cat.
He stepped toward her. "Are you all right?"
"I - I'm fine." Did he really care?
"You certainly work long hours. It's almost midnight."
Her eye twitched. How could she possibly explain DVN's odd hours to a mortal? "I - I have a lot of work to do." And she needed to get him out of here. If Sly or any of the ex-harem saw him, they would instantly know he was mortal. And then, they would hound her with questions she didn't want to answer.
"I understand." He watched her sadly.
She suddenly suspected he understood more than he was letting on. Her guard went up. "Was there something you wanted, Mr. Cartwright?"
"I want you to be safe." He touched a lock of her hair that rested on her shoulder. "I want you to trust me."
"I hardly know you."
He rubbed the tendril of hair between his thumb and forefinger. "We can change that anytime."
She wanted to sway forward and rest against his strong, broad chest. With effort, she forced herself to step back. "I don't have any time." She opened the door and peeked out. The hallway was clear. "Thank you for bringing the portraits."
"You're welcome." He stepped into the hallway. "When does the show start?"
"We should be ready in two weeks. I'll send all the information to your agent." Darcy headed down the hallway, then froze when she spotted Sly talking to the receptionist. Shoot! Why couldn't he be in his office, molesting Tiffany? Sheesh. When it came to men, even the perverts were undependable. She grabbed Adam's arm and turned him in the opposite direction. "How would you like a tour?"
"Great." He cast her a worried look, but allowed her to escort him past her office. "I thought you were short on time."
"A few minutes won't hurt." She pulled him around a corner and out of view of the receptionist's area. "This is where the recording studios are located." She motioned to the right. "Studio One is where they do the Nightly News with Stone... Cauffyn." She quickly gestured toward the left. "And this is - "
"Let me guess." He pointed to the number printed on the door. "Could it be Studio Number Two?"
She smiled. "Yes, how clever of you. That's where they do Live with the..." Her smile froze. "The celebrity talk magazine." Good God, she'd almost said Undead.
He didn't seem to notice. He was trying to peek through the window, but the blinds were closed. "It looks dark in there."
"Those shows are done for the night. The last soap for the evening is on right now." She gestured down a side hall to the back of the building. "Studios Four, Five, and Six are the big sound stages where they do the soap operas."
"What about this one, Studio Three?" Adam walked toward it and peered around the closed blinds. "What's going on in there?"
He certainly was a curious one. "That's a small studio where they make commercials and such."
"The red light is on. Are they making a commercial now?"
"No, not exactly." She could hardly explain an exercise program for vampire fangs.
He examined a control panel by the door. "Is this a sound button?"
"No, don't." Darcy reached out to stop him but it was too late. Voices from inside the studio emanated from the small speaker by the door.
"I don't think she can hold that position for very long," Gregori spoke. "It looks kinda awkward."
"She can do it," Giovanni insisted. "She's a professional. And she looks so beautiful. So sexy."
Adam's eyes widened. "What are they doing in there?"
Darcy leaned against the wall. "It's like... an exercise."
"R-rated exercise?" Adam asked softly.
"I wouldn't say - " Darcy was interrupted by Giovanni's voice.
"It is time, bellissima. Let them out. Show them to me."
Adam gave her a skeptical look. "Would you say X-rated?"
"No!" Darcy huffed. "DVN doesn't do that sort of thing."
"That's it, bellissima!" Giovanni exclaimed. "They're so beautiful. So white and perfectly shaped."
Adam arched an eyebrow at her.
She winced. "It's not what you think."
"Now, pull them back in, bellissima. All the way in."
Adam leaned close, planting a hand on the wall by her head. "Maybe I have a dirty mind, but it sounds kinda kinky to me."
Embarrassed, she lowered her gaze. Then she realized she was staring at his crotch, so she raised her eyes level to his.
He smiled slightly, only revealing a hint of the dimple in his left cheek. She fought an impulse to poke a finger at it.
He braced a forearm against the wall on the other side of her head, pinning her in. "I've been thinking a lot about that kiss we shared. Have you?"
She opened her mouth to lie, but was interrupted by Giovanni's excited voice.
"That's it, bellissima! Now do it in time with the music." The strains of a slow jazz number filtered through the speaker. A saxophone played low and silky. "Do it again, bellissima. In and out. In and out."
The music made the wall behind Darcy vibrate. Adam leaned closer, his breath soft against her brow. The heat of his body was so tempting. She'd been cold for so long.
He kissed her brow, then her temple, then her cheekbone. She grabbed at his shirt. Desire pooled between her legs, making her ache with need. He drew her earlobe into his mouth and suckled.
She moaned. What was she doing? She'd sworn not to lose control again. And anyone could come down this hall at any minute. "No." She shoved at his shoulders.
He stepped back, his eyes burning with desire. "Why not?"
She inhaled a shaky breath. "This is a place of business. Someone could see us." She turned the sound button off.
"Then let's go to my place."
"No." Darcy strode down the hall. What a fool she'd been to get carried away. And what about Adam? Had he made a move on her because of the sexy talk and music? Dammit. "I didn't realize you were so easily turned on, Mr. Cartwright."
"I'm not." His voice sounded sharp as he followed her. "Look, I'm always turned on when I'm with you. But not with anyone else."
Her eye twitched. Good God, he was acting like they were a couple. She had to stop this before it went any further. "That was nothing more than a response to the most convenient body available."
"Holy shit. You think you were just convenient?"
She turned to look at him. "No, I'm saying you were convenient for me."
He halted with a jerk.
Damn, she felt cold. As cold as that horrible night four years ago. But this had to be done. It was for his own good.
His eyes simmered with anger, and he stalked toward her. "There is nothing remotely convenient about this relationship. It's damned near impossible."
She breathed sharply. Why did she keep getting the feeling he knew too much? There was something dangerous about him, but God help her, it only made her want him more.
He stopped in front of her. The rage in his eyes Flickered hot.
Oh God, she wanted that heat. She needed it.
"I still want you," he whispered.
She blinked away tears. He was so damned tempting.
Footsteps and voices echoed in the side hall. The strident voice of Corky Courrant rang out. Dammit. There was no way to get Adam out the back exit without Corky seeing him.
Darcy spun around, looking frantically for an alternative, and spotted a door. "In here." She shoved Adam inside.
"Gee, is this part of the tour?" he asked dryly.
"Yes." She closed the door, then fumbled for the light switch. The lights revealed row after row of clothing racks and shelves.
Adam wandered down an aisle between two long racks.
"This is the wardrobe department," she explained needlessly.
He plucked a hanger off a rack and smiled appreciatively at a skimpy red negligee. "Is modeling for me part of the tour?"
"No." She snatched the nightgown from his hand and jammed the hanger back onto the rack. "Mr. Cartwright, you have to stop flirting with me. This is a purely professional relationship."
His jaw tensed. "Have you kissed any of the other actors? In a purely professional sense, of course."
She folded her arms over her chest. "It's none of your business."
"Have you kissed any of them?" he gritted out. "Did you even want to?"
"No." She glared at him. "But that doesn't mean this flirtation should continue."
He stepped toward her. "This is a lot more than a flirtation, and you know it. What's happening here is special. It's damned frustrating and... beautiful."
Somehow, he always managed to say the right thing. Damn him. "There can't be anything between - "
"Hurry!" Corky's voice sounded outside the door. "In here."
With a gasp, Darcy swiveled toward the door. She gasped again when Adam grabbed her from behind and pulled her behind a clothing rack. "What - "
He covered her mouth with his hand. "Quiet," he whispered.
"Hurry!" Corky opened the door. More than one set of footsteps shuffled into the room. "Close the door," she hissed. "And turn off the lights."
"Yes, my darling," a low voice answered.
The male voice was familiar, though Darcy couldn't quite place it. Then the lights shut off, and she was left hiding in the dark with Adam. He still had one hand clapped lightly over her mouth and an arm around her waist like a band of steel. He was breathing rapidly, his broad chest stirring against her back. His hand released her mouth and skimmed down her neck. He rested his chin against her hair. They remained perfectly still and quiet.
Not so for Corky and her boyfriend. Their lips made loud smacking noises as they kissed. Their bodies crashed into clothing racks as they spun about. The clothes started swinging, knocking into Darcy.
With his hand splayed against her stomach, Adam guided her quietly back behind a second rack of clothes. She was extremely aware of her hips and bottom brushing against him as they moved.
They stopped against a wall of shelves. He pulled her close, her rump pressed against the front of his pants. With a swift intake of air, Darcy realized he had become fully engorged. Or at least ninety-five percent. A guy couldn't get much bigger than that, could he?
"My darling Corkarina, you drive me mad with desire," the male intruder murmured with a Latin accent.
Corky moaned. "Oh, take me, Don Orlando."
Darcy stiffened with a jolt. Oh no! The rumors were true. Poor Maggie. This was awful. Darcy sagged against Adam, and he instantly tightened his hold on her. Oh, my. He must have been at only seventy-five percent of his potential. There was definite growth in the last quarter.
She shifted her hips so he was nestled in the crevice of her derriere. Oh yeah, his stock was rising rapidly. And her heart was clanging like the closing bell. He lowered his head and nibbled softly on her ear. Luckily, there was no way they could be heard over the other more boisterous lovers.
Adam stroked the length of her neck with his long fingers. Then, his mouth moved down her neck with soft kisses. She leaned her head back onto his shoulder, allowing him better access. His fingers skimmed down her T-shirt. She shuddered when his palm covered her breast. Gently, he squeezed.
Don Orlando's voice murmured, "Oh, Corkarina, your boobies are like succulent mangoes."
Darcy slapped a hand against her mouth to keep from reacting. She didn't know whether to scream or laugh.
"And I have a hot tamale for you," he added.
Darcy clamped her lips together to keep from howling. This was Don Orlando, the world's greatest lover? Adam's chest vibrated against her as he stifled his own laughter.
Suddenly, the door burst open and a screech rented the air. "Don Orlando, how could you? You said you loved me."
"I do love you, Tiffany."
"What?" Corky screamed.
"I love all the beautiful women," Don Orlando explained calmly. "And they all love me."
"Then feel the love, you bastard." There was a loud smack. "I'll destroy you on my show." Corky stomped from the room.
"Corkarina!" Don Orlando ran after her.
"Slime ball!" Tiffany yelled. She paused, then ventured into the dark room. She fumbled past the racks of clothes until she reached the shelves against the wall.
Fifteen feet from her, Darcy and Adam froze.
She didn't notice them, for she was peering at all the shoes. "Oh, these look nice." She grabbed a pair and stumbled back to the hallway, closing the door behind her.
"Alone at last," Adam whispered. "I thought they'd never leave."
She turned around in his arms to face him. "I didn't realize it was going to be so lively here tonight."
"Yeah. I kinda expected it to be more... dead."
She glanced quickly at his face, but couldn't make out his expression in the dark.
He stuck a hand in his trouser pocket. "I've got something here for us."
"A hot tamale?" Darcy winced. She shouldn't have said that.
He chuckled. "Pardon me while I whip this out." There was a jangling of keys, then he turned on a small flashlight connected to his keychain. He pointed the light at her face.
She squinted and scrunched up her face.
"Lovely as ever." He lowered the light to her right breast, then her left.
"Do you mind?"
"Just making sure I didn't damage the succulent mangoes."
She snorted. "Can you believe that guy?" She took hold of Adam's hand and turned the light down, away from her breasts. Unfortunately, the light was now aimed straight at his groin. Whoa, that had to be one hundred percent. Biggest tamale she'd ever seen, and she'd seen a few in Southern California.
"Wow," she whispered.
"I'm delighted you're impressed." He turned the light to the ceiling. "But if you keep looking at me, I'm going to end up very embarrassed."
"Oh." She stepped back. "We'd better get you out of here."
"Lead the way." He lit the path for her back to the door. "You know, I couldn't help but notice that you don't want anyone to see me."
Darcy shrugged. "I shouldn't get involved with one of the actors." She opened the door and peered outside. "The coast is clear."
He reached across her and shut the door. "Do you find our relationship embarrassing?"
"No." She faced him, her back against the door. It's just impossible. Impossibly tempting, and impossible to have.
"Then why are you hiding me?"
Her eye twitched.
"Sweetheart." He touched the corner of her eye and gently caressed the skin with small circles. "You don't need to be afraid anymore. You can trust me."
"I - I'm not afraid."
"Then why are you fighting this?" His fingers outlined her cheekbone and jaw. He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. "Will you tell me?"
"Hmm?" She couldn't think straight with his mouth nibbling down her neck.
"Why are you afraid for anyone to see me here?"
"Oh." Because they'll know you're alive? She couldn't say that. "The judges for the reality show are here, and they mustn't see any of the contestants ahead of time. It would really spoil everything."
"Is that it?" He watched her carefully. "Nothing else?"
"No, I just want to keep you a secret. For right now."
"Any other secrets?"
A rush of heat poured into her, starting at her temples, then sliding down her throat, warming her heart and blazing pure heat into her groin. She sagged against the door. Good God, he wasn't even touching her now, and she was getting all hot? How did he do this to her? She'd never wanted a man so much in all her life.
He stepped back and turned his flashlight off. She couldn't see his expression in the dark, but she knew he was staring at her. She could feel the heat of his gaze.
Slowly, the heat in her body dissipated, leaving her cold and empty once again. "Come." She peeked out the door. No one was in sight, but she could hear screaming from the direction of Sly's office. Corky was giving him an earful.
"This way." She motioned for Adam to follow her.
They moved quickly down the back hallway to the rear exit. Darcy pushed open the heavy door.
Adam paused halfway through. "When can I see you again?"
"In two weeks. Please, promise me you won't come here again."
"Fine." Frowning, he removed a small notepad and pen from an inside pocket of his jacket. He jotted something down. "I want you to call me if you need anything. Or feel free to stop by."
She accepted the piece of paper. He'd given her his address and phone number.
He reached toward her and slid a fingertip down the side of her face. He traced her lips lightly. "Thank you for the tour." He slipped out the door into the darkness.
A cool night breeze swept into the hall, erasing the warmth that had lingered where he'd touched her.
With a sigh, Darcy let the door swing shut. It was going to be a long two weeks.
It took a cold shower to get Austin's mind focused once again on business. He padded into his kitchen, dressed in the SpongeBob briefs his youngest sister had given him for Christmas. Thoughts about his family made him wonder again why Darcy was living among the undead. He knew from his research that she had parents and two younger sisters living in San Diego. Was she completely cut off from her family? Were the vampires holding her prisoner in their world because she knew too much? Had they threatened her family to keep her in line?
That must be it, because otherwise he felt sure she would attempt an escape. He knew from watching her news reports that she was brave and resourceful. Clearly, the vampires had some kind of leverage on her to make her stay with them.
What the hell had happened to her four years ago? Austin had a copy of the police report, but it was inconclusive. She'd gone to a vampire club in Greenwich Village to do a Halloween report on kids who pretended to be vampires. Somehow, she'd ended up in the alley behind the club. The pool of blood and the bloody knife had been traced back to her. The police suspected she was dead, but no one really knew what had transpired in that alley.
The day before, Austin had located her old cameraman, Jack Cooper. Jack was barely scraping by, living in a one-room apartment in a grimy basement with aluminum foil taped to the tiny windows. It was easy to see that Jack had never recovered from that evening. Maybe the aluminum foil cap on his head was a clue. Or his conclusion that vampires were bloodthirsty, mind-controlling aliens who were hunting for him, intending to abduct him like they had Darcy. It was sad that everyone thought Jack was crazy, because he was right about the blood sucking, the mind control, and Darcy's abduction. The vampires had taken her. And they weren't letting her go.
Austin grabbed a can of beer from the fridge. What would it take to get her to trust him? He'd urged her tonight to confide in him, and when she hadn't, he'd invaded her mind, hoping the secrets were there for the taking.
What he saw there had stunned him. No dark secrets. Darcy's innermost thoughts were about how much she wanted him. It had taken every ounce of his resistance not to pull her down on the floor and make love to her right then.
Love on the floor of the wardrobe room? That would have made him as sleazy as Don Orlando. With a snort, Austin set his beer on the coffee table and picked up the legal pad where he'd started a list of vampires. He added Don Orlando's name.
He slid one of Darcy's tapes into the VCR. He'd seen them all now. Some of them more than twice. Sheesh. He was watching her every night instead of sports. He thought about her all the time. And if it was only lust, he'd only think about her gorgeous body, right? But no, he was worried about her. Was he falling in love?
He collapsed on the couch. No, it couldn't be love. It was an intellectual thing. The mystery of her strange lifestyle intrigued him, and he wanted answers. And he was worried about her safety. That was normal.
He'd grown up always protecting his younger sisters. It was natural for him. No big deal.
He grabbed his jacket off the arm of the couch and dug into the inside pocket. He removed the small notepad and flipped through the notes he'd taken in Darcy's office. She'd hired a business called The Shuttered Life to install aluminum shutters in the penthouse. So this meant he and Garrett would be living there with vampires. He'd better pack some wooden stakes in his luggage.
He'd jotted down the name of the caterer Darcy had hired. He'd get Alyssa or Emma an undercover position there. That way, they could come to the penthouse during the day, retrieve information from Garrett or himself, and pass it on to Sean.
He also had the address for Raleigh Place. He'd go there during the day and install hidden cameras and bugs. He removed a computer disk from his jacket pocket. He'd managed to download the DVN employee records from Darcy's old dinosaur computer before he'd heard her approaching the office. He set the disk on the table next to his list of vampires.
He stretched and glanced at the television. Darcy was beginning a report. Oh, this was one of his favorites. He grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.
"I'm here in the South Bronx at the dedication of a new park." Darcy smiled at the camera as she walked down a path. "It's not a park for children. It's not for basketball players, roller skaters, or even chess players. This park is for the dogs."
The cameramen zoomed in on a woman in the distance who was walking her fluffy white poodle. Then, he panned back to Darcy.
"As you can see, the park is divided into sections, depending on the size of your - aagh!" She skidded forward about five feet, her arms windmilling in the air. After a valiant struggle, she regained her balance. She glanced down at her shoes, wrinkled her nose, and gave the camera a wry grin. "Obviously, this section is for the extremely large dogs."
Austin chuckled. No matter what happened in her reports, Darcy always made it work. She was brave, funny, clever, and beautiful. Nothing could get her down.
But something had. He tightened his grip on the remote. Something had happened to wrench her out of this sunny, happy life and imprison her in a world of dark demonic creatures. And it was hurting her. He could see it. The sorrow in her eyes. The tense way she clenched her hands together. The fear that caused her right eye to twitch. That nervous twitch never occurred in any of these tapes. It was something new. And most likely, it had started on Halloween four years ago.