Page 23 of A Velvet Kiss After Dark

Clearly flattered at her compliment, the (soon-to-be dead) vampire straightened his shoulders. "Both, actually. I have significant collections ranging from the Sumerian age to post-colonial. Pottery, amulets, rings, coins, books, a whole assortment of rare, museum-quality goods. You should stop by my office someday. I'd love to show you personally." His voice deepened.

Kane's feet propelled him forward without a second thought.

Tabitha spotted him, her eyes widened. Kane broke through their space with the force of a freight truck. The vampire named Cohen backed up but glowered at Kane like he was a dissecting a pesky insect.

"What are you doing here?" Tabitha hissed at him, clasping tightly to a glass of wine she held.

I should be asking you that, he thought.

"There's been a security compromise. I need you to come with me, Ms. Burke."

"Viveca, who is this gentleman?" Cohen asked, faltering over the last word.

Kane never took his eyes off of her. Viveca?—he mouthed so only she could see. She gave him a not now glare and smiled up at the vamp.

"This is my…" She floundered to find the correct word, then shrugged. "Bodyguard. Everette," she said pointedly.

Kane almost laughed aloud, but he didn't care to chit-chat with pretty boy vamps.

"Pardon us," he said pointedly, proud that he'd managed any niceties whatsoever.

In seconds, he had her secured in a darkened alcove.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, livid. Her eyes sparkled with her ire.

A lovely sight.

Better question, he thought, was why the fake identity?

"Trying to get a new story?" he bit out.

Her head cocked to the side; eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she considered her answer. "Why are you even here, Kane Gunner? And this better be good, because Cohen is the leading trade's dealer in rare antiquities, and he has information I need."

His eye twitched. "You'd actually meet up with that filthy varmint? For what? Some lousy story?"

If that despicable vamp so much as touched her wrong, he'd find his fingers downstream the Mississippi by nightfall. If that wasn't good enough, Cohen might find other appendages downstream as well.

She crossed her arms in a huff. "Of course, I would. He has a one-of-a-kind collection. The kind you-know-who might even want to get his hands on, and I have a story to write and a mystery to uncover."

She lost him at that.

"Who?" he mumbled, distracted by the low-cut bodice of her dress. Her cerulean blue dress slit up one leg and hugged her body covetously. She had curves like an hourglass. Suddenly he felt primitive. He wanted to haul her out of here and carry her home proclaiming: 'Me man, you mine, Jane'. Just like Tarzan would.

These were not healthy thoughts to have for someone so outrageously defensive towards him. A slower approach would be best. Maybe entering an unknown demon realm would serve him well to get away from her and all these toxic feelings that were coming up. Space sounded good right about now. And how could you get any more space than a whole other world?

"Les the Revenant, you fool!" she seethed at him. "Cohen just happens to own a priceless collection of ancient memorabilia from staffs, pendants, and books said to contain primordial magick inside. I do want in his office, and I need to see that collection."

"Too bad. You'll have to let it go. He's dangerous, and I don't like the way he was looking at you."

Her jaw dropped open, and then her hands fell to her hips and she laughed, suddenly quite relaxed. "Oh, right, dad, I forgot to ask permission. May I pweeeaze go to Mr. Cohen's house? I pwomise I'll be real good and come home before dark?"

Thump, thump. The pulse at his temple banged like Hephaestus hammering on iron.

This was a bad idea, he realized. Coming here, finding her. She didn't want him. Never would. She was human, for after all. They had so little in common it was frightening. He abhorred her gossip column and all the toxicity it produced in his life and all the others it negatively impacted.

"My apologies," he stated gruffly, then he stepped back, taking her by surprise.

"What you're just going to leave now?"

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