Читать книгу Enchant the Night - Amanda Ashley - Страница 16

Chapter 8

Callie met Vivian for drinks the next night. Now, sitting at a table by the back window of their favorite nightclub, she said, “I’m so glad you called.” She had spent the day by turns missing Quill and grateful that she hadn’t heard from him. “I really needed to get out of the house. Although I was surprised to hear from you. I thought you’d have a date with Greg, it being Sunday night and all.”

“Don’t mention that man to me!”

“What happened? I thought you had high hopes for him.”

“I did. Until I found out he’s married with two kids and one on the way!”

“Oh, Viv, I’m so sorry.”

“Me, too. I really liked him.” Sniffling, she reached for a napkin and wiped her eyes. “I don’t know why I’m crying. He’s not worth it, the lousy two-timing cheat. So, how are you?”

“Fine.”

Vivian wadded up the napkin and put it aside. “What is it, hon?”

“Nothing.”

“You can’t fool me. I know that tone. It always means man trouble of one kind or another. So, who is it and what did he do?”

Callie shook her head. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“After what I learned about Greg, I’ll believe anything.”

“You can’t repeat a word of what I’m about to tell you. Promise me, Viv. Not a word to a soul. Not your mother. Not your priest.”

“I promise.”

Callie bit down on her lower lip. She hoped she wasn’t putting Vivian in danger, but she had to talk to someone. “What if I told you that you were right about Quill, that he is a . . .” Callie glanced around, then leaned forward and lowered her voice. “. . . a vampire.”

“Callie, really? You can’t be serious.”

“But I am.”

“I was kidding when I suggested that.”

“I know. But it’s true! Not only that, but there are people hunting him. They almost killed him the other night.”

“How do you know that? Good Lord!” Vivian exclaimed. “Were you there?”

“No, but he called me for help.”

Looking skeptical, Vivian said, “In the movies, the vampires always heal instantly.”

“Shh!” Callie glanced around again, relieved to see that no one was paying them any attention. “He told me it takes longer for them to heal when they’re wounded with silver.”

Vivian shook her head. “You’re really buying into all this, aren’t you?”

“I know how it sounds, and if the shoe were on the other foot, I probably wouldn’t believe you, either. But I’ve been with him for the last week or so, and believe me, it’s true.”

Vivian looked intrigued and mortified. “Did he bite you again?”

Callie nodded, hardly aware of reaching up to touch her neck where Quill had bitten her.

The move wasn’t lost on Vivian. “I don’t know what to think, hon. Either you’re crazy or you’re telling the truth. So, where is he now?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him today.”

“That’s probably for the best.”

“I guess so.” Callie took a deep breath. “But that’s not all.”

“There’s more?”

“Remember in college when we were reminiscing about the crazy things we believed when we were kids?”

“You mean like angels and fairies and invisible friends?”

Callie nodded. “Do you remember when I told you I used to think my grandmother was a witch?”

Vivian laughed. “How could I forget that? You almost had me convinced.”

“I think it might have been true.” Quill had seemed certain of it.

Vivian looked up as a waitress paused at their table, pad in hand. “I think I’m going to need another one of these,” she said, holding up her empty glass.

“And you, miss?” the waitress asked.

Callie nodded.

“So, what’s he like, this vampire of yours?” Vivian whispered when the waitress left.

“See for yourself,” Callie said, gesturing toward the man striding toward them. “He’s here.”

Startled, Vivian looked up, mouth agape, when Quill stopped beside their table.

“Good evening, Callie.”

She stared at him, fear settling in the pit of her stomach. Did he know what she’d told Vivian? Had she just signed her own death warrant and put Vivian’s life in danger by betraying his secret?

“We need to talk,” he said, reaching for Callie’s hand. “I’m sure your friend will excuse you.”

Vivian nodded, her eyes wide, her face suddenly pale.

Callie knew a moment of terror as Quill’s hand closed over hers. Thinking she might faint, she stumbled to her feet, murmured, “Bye, Viv,” as Quill’s hand tightened on hers.

Feeling like a condemned prisoner being led to the gallows, she followed him out of the club, into the darkness beyond.

* * *

“You told her, didn’t you?” Quill asked, his voice tight with anger.

Mouth dry, Callie nodded.

“Why?” His dark gaze burned into hers with all the intensity of a forest fire.

Too frightened to speak, she stared at him, wishing she could call back every word. But it was too late. Would he kill her and Vivian to silence them forever? Forcing the words past her dry throat, she begged, “Please don’t hurt Vivian.”

“Why, Callie?” he asked again, his voice filled with hurt at her betrayal. “Why would you tell her about me?”

“I’m sorry, but I had to talk to someone. I just couldn’t keep it all bottled up inside any longer. You don’t understand.” Tears burned her eyes and dripped, unheeded, down her cheeks. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Not about you, not about me, or my grandmother. Sometimes I think I’m trapped in a horrible nightmare or lying in some hospital lost in a coma. Either way, I wish I could wake up.”

Quill swore under his breath as he pulled her gently into his arms. Murmuring her name, he held her close. “It’s all right, love. Don’t worry about your friend. I won’t hurt her. But I will wipe tonight’s conversation from her memory.” I just hope her mind isn’t as strong as yours.

Callie looked up at him. “You promise?”

“I promise. If you need to talk about all this, talk to me. No one understands better than I do.” Or loves you more.

“I’ve just been so confused.”

He nodded again as he brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away her tears. “Let’s get your car,” he said, “and I’ll take you home.”

* * *

Callie couldn’t help thinking he looked out of place behind the wheel of her VW. Long-legged and broad-shouldered, he reminded her of a giant driving a toy car. His presence, his nearness, brought all her senses to life.

She grew tense as he pulled out of the parking lot. He had promised not to hurt Vivian, and for that, she was grateful beyond words. If anything had happened to her friend, she never would have forgiven herself. But what is he going to do to me? That was the question pounding in her head as he pulled into her driveway, killed the engine, then focused all his attention on her.

She shrank back against the seat, her breath coming in hard gasps.

“Relax, Callie,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you or try to wipe your memory again.”

“Why not?” she blurted, then clapped her hand to her mouth.

He laughed softly as he took her hand in his. It sent a shiver of awareness racing down her spine. His gaze moved over her face. “You must know how I feel about you.”

She nodded warily.

“I’ve never met anyone like you. I know we got off to a bad beginning, but is there any chance we could start over and you could forget what I am and pretend I’m just a guy who wants to get to know you better?”

“I don’t know.”

“Will you try?”

Callie bit down on her lower lip, her gaze sliding away from his. What did she want? A life without him? Or a chance to get to know him better? Yes, he was a vampire, but if she put that aside, he was just a remarkably handsome man who treated her with kindness and respect. On the other hand, they couldn’t have much of a future together. And the more she got to know him, the harder it would be to let him go when it was over.

She stared at his hand holding hers, felt the tension building in him as he waited for her answer.

“I’ll try. I can’t promise anything. But I’ll try.” She felt the tension drain out of him as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

“Are you busy tomorrow night?” he asked.

“No.”

“May I call on you?”

She nodded. “What time?”

“As soon as the sun goes down. What would you like to do?”

“Dinner and dancing?”

“Nothing I would like better than a chance to hold you in my arms.” He kissed her palm, sending little frissons of delight spiraling to the core of her being.

Exiting the car, he went around to open her door. He slipped his arm around her shoulders as he walked her to the porch. “May I kiss you good-night?”

Callie nodded, excitement fluttering in the pit of her stomach as his lips claimed hers in a long, slow kiss she wished would never end.

Murmuring, “Until tomorrow,” he kissed her once more, lightly, then descended the stairs and disappeared into the darkness.

Callie smiled faintly, thinking there was no way to pretend Quill was just an ordinary man. But she was more than willing to try.

* * *

Quill arrived at sundown the next night looking splendid in a pair of black slacks, a gray shirt, and a thigh-length black leather jacket. He whistled when he saw her.

“Like it?” she asked, twirling around in front of him. She had spent the better part of the afternoon looking for just the right thing to wear for the evening.

“What’s not to like?” Her dress was pale-blue silk with a fitted bodice and a short skirt that outlined her figure to perfection. She wore a pair of matching high heels and a sapphire bracelet. Her honey-gold hair fell in glorious waves around her shoulders. A deep breath carried the scent of her perfume and her own warm, womanly fragrance. “Ready?”

Nodding, she grabbed a long, white sweater from the back of a chair, collected her handbag, and followed him out the door. She blinked in surprise when she saw the car in the driveway. “What happened to the Jag?” she asked as he opened the door to a fire-engine-red Corvette.

“It’s a clear night. I thought we’d take the convertible for a change.”

“How many cars do you have?”

“Three.”

“Must be nice,” she muttered as he closed her door. Of course, she could buy a luxury car if she was of a mind to, but Ava had bought the pink VW as a high school graduation present for Callie. Driving it was fun and made her feel closer to her grandmother. “Where are we going?”

“The Chalet. Have you ever been there?”

“No.”

“Me, either.” He smiled at her. “A first for both of us.”

Callie nodded, thinking she had experienced a lot of “firsts” since she’d met Quill.

The Chalet was a small, intimate restaurant. The lighting was dim, the music low.

Callie ordered shrimp and rice; Quill chose steak, very rare, a baked potato, and a bottle of cabernet.

Spreading her napkin in her lap, Callie said, “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything you want.”

“How did you get that scar on your neck?”

“Oh, that.” He ran the back of his forefinger over the jagged scar. “Souvenir of a nasty fight with one of the Knights of the Dark Wood.”

“You told me all your injuries healed.”

“They do. But wounds made with pure silver don’t only hurt like hell, they tend to leave a mark,” he said with a rueful grin. “I’m afraid that attack the other night left me with a few more.”

More than a few, she thought.

“Anything else you’d like to know?”

“Your parents . . . are they still alive?”

“As far as I know.”

“Are they both vampires?”

“Only my father.”

“And your mother’s still alive? How is that possible? Vampires might live for hundreds of years, but ordinary people don’t.”

“Perhaps one day I’ll tell you.”

She lifted one brow. “But not now?”

“ No.”

“Do they live here, in the States?”

He shook his head. “Last I heard, they were living in Australia. Sydney, I think.”

“Do you see them often?”

“Often enough so that they don’t forget who I am,” he said, grinning.

“Were you born here?”

“No. In Savaria, Hungary. Most of our kind still live there.”

“Why did your parents leave?”

“My father’s got an itchy foot and doesn’t like staying in any one place too long. They move every fifty years or so.”

Callie mulled that over until their dinner arrived. She grimaced when she saw Quill’s filet mignon. He had asked for rare, but she couldn’t help thinking if the steak had been cooked a minute less, it might have stood up and walked away.

Her meal, however, was excellent, the wine a rare vintage that lingered on the tongue. They made small talk during the meal. While waiting for dessert—a rich chocolate mousse Callie had been unable to resist—she asked about Vivian.

“She’s fine.”

“Did you . . . ?”

“Yes. Last night, after I took you home.”

“Will she remember that we were together Sunday night, or did you erase that, too?”

“She’ll remember that you met and had a good time together. That’s all.” Seeing her frown, he said, “You don’t approve?”

“No,” she said flatly. “It seems wrong, messing with people’s minds. You tried to make me forget what you are. What else have you made me forget?”

“Nothing, love. That was the one and only time.”

She wanted to believe him, but how was she to know if he was telling her the truth?

“Trust me, Callie. Please.”

It was the please that did it.

“Do you want a bite?” she asked, when the waitress brought her dessert.

He slid a glance at her throat.

“That’s not what I’m offering.”

“I know. More’s the pity. But in answer to your question, no, thank you.” He smiled as she took a taste, wondering if she wore the same look of exquisite pleasure during lovemaking. He rather enjoyed watching her. “Do you want another?” he asked when she’d licked the last trace of chocolate from the spoon.

“I’d love one, but no. Too many calories.”

“Maybe we can shed a pound or two,” he suggested, nodding toward the dance floor in the adjoining room.

“Good idea.”

Taking her hand, he led her into the other room. The lighting was soft, the music slow. Callie felt a rush of excitement when Quill drew her into his embrace, so close she had no trouble following his lead. It was heaven, being in his arms. He was incredibly light on his feet for such a big man.

There was something magical about being in his arms. To Callie, it seemed as if they were floating over the floor. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked up to find him gazing down at her, his eyes smoky with desire.

The first song blended seamlessly into another ballad. Drawing her closer, he brushed a kiss across her lips.

Callie closed her eyes when he kissed her again, longer this time. She leaned into him, her insides quivering at his touch.