So much for keeping his raging lust a secret. As far as Roman could tell, the lovely dentist in his lap had finally realized the futility of escaping his erection. Each time she succeeded in putting a little space between her head and his crotch, he rose to the challenge and filled the gap.
He was a bit amazed himself. He hadn't experienced this much desire in more than a hundred years. Now, instead of bumping against him, Shanna was lying very still against his zipper. Her smoky blue eyes were focused on the car's ceiling as if nothing was going on. But the blush on her cheeks and the occasional shudder that rippled down her warm body told him otherwise. She was extremely aware of him. And she knew he wanted her.
Roman didn't have to read her mind to know this. He could read her body instead. The distinction was new to him, and the result was powerful, fueling his lust to a higher degree.
"Roman?" She glanced at him, her blush deepening. "I hate to sound like a nagging kid, but are we there yet?"
He glanced out the window. "We're at Central Park. We're almost there."
"Oh. Uh, do you live alone?"
"No. There are a number of.. people who live there. And I have security teams on duty day and night. You'll be safe."
"Why do you have so much security?"
He continued to look out the window. "To feel secure."
"From what?"
"You don't want to know."
"Oh, that's informative," she muttered.
Roman couldn't help but smile. The lady Vamps in his coven were too busy trying to seduce him to ever show displeasure with him. Shanna's attitude was a refreshing change. Though he did hope her irritation wouldn't lead to another knee in the groin. Somehow, he'd managed to exist for a total of five hundred and forty-four years without experiencing that particular form of torture. Vampire killers went straight for the heart.
Though to be honest, Shanna was assaulting his heart. The dried-up husk in his chest was beating to an ancient, primeval drum. Possess and protect. He wanted this woman. And he wouldn't allow his old enemy to have her or harm her.
But it went much further than that. He wanted to know why he couldn't control her. She was a challenge that mentally, he couldn't resist. And obviously, given his current condition, he found her physically irresistible, too.
"Here we are, sir." Laszlo slowed to a stop, double-parking next to one of Roman's cars.
Roman opened his door. Lifting Shanna's head a fraction, he slid out from under her. She started to sit up. "No. Stay down until I make sure it's safe."
She heaved a sigh of frustration. "Okay."
Roman climbed out and closed the door while Laszlo did the same. He motioned for the chemist to follow him a few yards from the car. "You did well, Laszlo. Thank you."
"You're welcome, sir. Can I go back to the lab now?"
"Not yet. First, I want to you to go inside and warn everyone that we have a mortal guest. We need to protect her, but at the same time, she must not discover who we really are."
"May I ask why we're doing this, sir?"
Roman surveyed the street for any sign of the Russians. "You've heard of the Russian coven master, Ivan Petrovsky?"
"Oh God." Laszlo clutched at one of the two remaining buttons on his lab coat. "They say he's vicious and ruthless."
"Yes. And for some reason, he wants to kill the dentist. But I need her, too. So we have to keep her safe without Petrovsky figuring out that we're the ones interfering with his plans."
"Oh dear." Laszlo twirled the button furiously. "He would be so angry. He.. he might declare war on us."
"Exactly. But there's no reason for Shanna to know about that. We'll keep her as ignorant as possible."
"That may be difficult with her living in your house."
"I know, but we have to try. And if she finds out too much, I'll erase her memory." As CEO of a major corporation, Roman was constantly struggling to remain invisible in the mortal world. Mind control and memory wipes made the task much easier. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure he could erase Shanna's memory.
He climbed the front steps to his townhouse and punched in a security code on the keypad by the door. "Explain things as quickly as possible."
"Yes, sir." Laszlo swung open the door and was greeted by a long dagger aimed at his throat. "Eek!" He stumbled back, bumping into Roman, who stopped him from falling down the stairs.
"Begging yer pardon, sir." Connor slid his Highland dirk back into the sheath hanging from his belt. "I wasna expecting you at the front door."
"I'm glad you're vigilant." Roman pushed Laszlo into the entryway. "We have a guest. Laszlo will explain."
Laszlo nodded, his fingers fumbling once again for a button on his lab coat. Connor shut the door.
Roman hurried down the steps to the Honda. He yanked the back door open to find Shanna pointing her Beretta at him.
"Oh, it's you." She blew out a sigh of relief and dropped her gun back into her purse. "You were gone so long. I was beginning to think I'd been abandoned."
"You're under my protection now. I'll keep you safe." He smiled. "At least, you no longer want to shoot me."
"Yeah, that's always a positive sign in any relationship."
Roman laughed, a rusty sound, but a definite laugh. God's blood, how long had it been since his last laugh? He couldn't even remember. And there was beautiful Shanna, returning his smile. The lovely dentist had brought a spark of life back into his godforsaken, endless existence.
Still, he should fight this compulsion to be with her. After all, he was a demon. She was a mortal. Historically, he should be seeing her as lunch,craving her blood, not her company. But he did want her company. It was as if his mind was waiting for the next words to come out her mouth, just so he could have the pleasure of responding. And his body was waiting anxiously for the next accidental touch. Hell, accidental wasn't enough.
"I probably shouldn't trust you. But for some reason, I do." She climbed out of the car, and instantly his entire body wakened to her proximity.
"You're right," he whispered, lifting a hand to touch her cheek. "You shouldn't trust me at all."
Her eyes widened. "I.. I thought you said I was safe."
"There are different kinds of danger." He skimmed his fingers along her jaw.
She stepped back, but not before he felt a shiver run through her. She turned toward his townhouse, shifting her purse to her shoulder. "So, this is where you live? It's very nice. In fact, it's quite lovely. Great neighborhood."
"Thank you."
"Which floor are you on?" She rushed her words, apparently trying to pretend there was nothing going on, that the air between them wasn't sizzling with sexual awareness. Maybe she didn't feel it. Maybe it was just him.
"Which floor would you like?"
She glanced his way, then her gaze locked with his. Her chin lifted slightly, her mouth slowly falling open. Oh yeah, she was feeling it. She sounded breathless. "What do you mean?"
He stepped toward her. "They're all mine."
She retreated a step. "The entire townhouse?"
"Yes. And I will provide you with a new wardrobe."
"What? Wait." She broke from his gaze and squeezed between two cars to step onto the sidewalk. "I'm not going to be your.. kept woman. I have my own clothes, and I'll gladly pay for room and board."
"Your clothes are in your home, and I doubt it's safe for you to go back there. I will provide you with clothing"¡ªhe stepped onto the sidewalk beside her¡ª"unless you'd rather go without."
She gulped. "A few clothes will be fine. I'll reimburse you for them."
"I don't want your money."
"Well, you're not likely to get anything else!"
"Not even a little gratitude for saving your life?"
"I am grateful." She glared at him. "But you can expect all my thank-yous to be extended in a vertical position."
"In that case, let me remind you." He stepped closer. "We are vertical right now."
"I.. suppose so." Her glare dissolved into a look of wary speculation.
He moved close enough that only a fraction separated his chest from her breasts. He placed a hand on the small of her back, just in case she tried to step back. She didn't try.
He touched her cheek, so soft and warm. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. He skimmed his fingers down to her neck. Her pulse throbbed, quickening its pace. When she opened her eyes, there was trust in them. And desire.
He pulled her against his chest and brushed his lips across her temple into her soft hair. He'd seen her shocked expression earlier when his eyes had turned red, so just to be safe, he wanted to avoid eye contact until her eyes were firmly shut and her lips parted, begging for their first kiss.
He smoothed her hair back to expose her neck, then slid his mouth down past her sweet ear to the throbbing pulse.
With a sigh, she tilted her head back. He inhaled her scent, Type A Positive. It was coursing through every cell in her body. He ran the tip of his tongue along the artery and felt her shudder in response. He risked a look at her face. Her eyes were closed. She was ready. He moved in for the kiss just as a block of light suddenly fell on them.
"Oh, bugger," a Scots accent rolled the final r. Connor had swung open the front door.
Shanna jumped, then stared at the doorway.
"What's wrong?" Laszlo asked. "Uh, maybe we should shut the door."
"No way!" Gregori's voice piped in. "I want to watch."
Shanna eased back, blushing.
Roman glared at the three men squeezed into the doorway. "Great timing, Connor."
"Aye, sir." Connor's complexion turned a few shades lighter than his red hair. "We're ready for you now."
Maybe it was good timing after all. Now that he thought about it, Roman figured his mouth would taste like blood, and given Shanna's fear of the stuff, the kiss could have been a disaster. He'd have to be more careful in the future.
Future? What future could there be? He'd sworn never to involve himself with a mortal again. Once they figured out who he really was, they invariably wanted to kill him. And who could blame them? He was a demonic creature. "Come." He took her by the elbow to escort her up the stairs.
She didn't budge. She was frozen in place, staring at the door.
"Shanna?"
She was staring at Connor. "Roman, there's a man in your doorway wearing a kilt."
"There are a dozen Highlanders in the house. They're my security force."
"Really? How amazing." She proceeded up the stairs without him. Without even glancing his way.
Damn. Had she forgotten their embrace already?
"Welcome, my lady." Connor stepped back to let her pass. Laszlo and Gregori moved back, though she appeared oblivious to their presence.
Smiling, she faced the Scotsman. "My lady? I've never been called that before. It sounds almost.. medieval."
With good reason. Connor's Old World charm was really old. Roman rushed up the stairs. "He's a bit behind the times."
"Well, I like it." She scanned the entry hall with its polished marble floors and sweeping staircase. "And I love this house. Absolutely beautiful."
"Thank you." Roman locked the door and made introductions.
Shanna turned her attention back to Connor. "I love your kilt. Which plaid is that?"
"'Tis the tartan of the clan Buchanan." He bowed slightly.
"And the little tassels on your socks¡ªthey match your kilt. That's so cute."
"Och, lassie. Those be flashes to hold up my hose."
"Is that a knife?" She leaned over for a closer look at Connor's socks.
Roman suppressed a growl. Next she'd be telling Connor his hairy knees were cute. "Connor, take our guest to the kitchen. She may be hungry."
"Aye, sir."
"And have your men conduct a full surveillance sweep every half hour."
"Aye, sir." Connor motioned to the back of the entry hall. "This way, miss."
"Go with him, Shanna. I'll come for you shortly."
"Aye, aye, sir." She gave him an annoyed look, then followed Connor to the kitchen, mumbling, "I should have shot him."
Gregori whistled low as the kitchen door swung shut. "Sweet. Your dentist is one feisty little babe."
"Gregori¡ª" Roman gave him a stern look that was ignored.
He adjusted his silk tie. "Yeah, I think I need a check-up. I've got a cavity that needs to be filled."
"Enough!" Roman growled. "You will leave her alone. Understand?"
"Yeah, we know. We saw you drooling on her outside." Gregori strolled toward Roman, his eyes twinkling. "So, you got the hots for a mortal, huh? What happened to the 'never again' speech?"
Roman lifted an eyebrow.
Gregori grinned. "You know, I could tell she really likes those guy skirts. Maybe Connor could loan you one of his."
"They're called kilts," Laszlo said as he fiddled with a button.
"Whatever." Gregori looked Roman over. "So, how sexy are your legs?"
Roman gave him a warning look. "Why are you here, Gregori? I thought you were going out with Simone."
"Oh, I did. I took her to this new club over by Times Square, but then she got mad cause nobody recognized her."
"Why should they?"
"She's a famous model, bro! She was on last month's cover of Cosmo. Don't you keep up? Anyway, she was so pissed off, she threw a table across the dance floor."
Roman groaned. Becoming a vampire could vastly increase one's strength and enhance the five senses, but unfortunately, it did nothing to improve one's intelligence.
"I thought it might look suspicious for someone that skinny to be so strong," Gregori continued, "so I took care of it. I erased everybody's memories and brought her back here. She's with your harem now, getting sympathy and a pedicure."
"I would prefer that you not call them my harem." Roman glanced toward the closed parlor doors. "Are they in there?"
"Yeah." Gregori looked amused. "I told them to stay put and be quiet, but who knows if they'll behave?"
Roman sighed. "I don't have time to deal with them. Call your mother and see if she'll keep an eye on them."
Gregori snorted. "She'll love that." He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and stepped away to make the call.
"Laszlo?"
The short chemist jumped. "Yes, sir?"
"Would you go to the kitchen and ask Shanna what she'll need for the.. uh, procedure?"
Laszlo looked confused for a second, then his expression cleared. "Oh, right! The procedure."
"And tell Connor to come out here for a second."
"Yes, sir." Laszlo scurried to the kitchen.
"Mom's on her way." Gregori slipped the phone back into his pocket. "So the dentist hasn't implanted your tooth yet?"
"No. We ran into a problem. Ivan Petrovsky. It appears the young dentist is on his latest hit list."
"You're kidding! What did she do?"
"I don't know exactly." Roman glanced toward the kitchen. "But I mean to find out."
The kitchen door swung as Connor strode into the foyer. He met them at the base of the stairs. "Can ye tell me why I just made a turkey sandwich for a dentist?"
Roman sighed. He'd have to let his head of security in on the situation. "Earlier tonight, I lost a tooth while conducting an experiment." He removed the bloody hanky from his jeans pocket and displayed the contents.
"Ye lost yer fang? Holy Christ Almighty," Connor whispered. "I've never heard of that happening before."
"Neither have I," Roman confessed sadly. "And I've been a vampire for over five hundred years."
"Wow! Maybe it's old age," Gregori suggested, then winced at the look Roman and Connor gave him.
'The only explanation I can think of is our new diet." Roman wrapped the tooth and stuffed it back into his pocket. "It's the only variable that has changed since we became vampires."
Connor frowned. "But we're still drinking blood, man. I doona see the difference."
"It's how we drink it," Roman explained. "We no longer bite. When's the last time either of you extended your fangs?"
"I don't even remember." Gregori tugged at one end of his black bow tie to unravel the knot. "Who needs fangs when we drink our meals from a glass?"
"Aye," Connor agreed. "And if ye doona keep them retracted, they'll be clinking on the glass, getting in the way."
"Right." Roman didn't like his conclusion, but it was the only explanation he could come up with. "I think it's a case of 'if you don't use them, you'll lose them.' "
"Bugger," Connor muttered. "We need our bloody fangs."
Gregori's eyes widened. "Well, we can't start biting mortals. I refuse! All the progress we've made would be lost."
"Exactly." Roman nodded. Gregori Holstein was annoying at times, but totally committed to their mission of making the world safe for vampires and mortals alike. "Perhaps we could come up with some sort of exercise program."
"Yeah!" Gregori's eyes sparkled. "I'll get right on it."
Roman smiled. Gregori attacked every problem with unfailing enthusiasm. It was times like this that he knew promoting Gregori had been a wise choice.
The kitchen door swung open, and Laszlo rushed toward them. "There's a problem, sir. The lady insists the implantation procedure is best achieved in a dental office. And she refuses to return to her place of work."
"She's right about her clinic," Roman conceded. "No doubt the police are all over the place by now."
Connor closed a fist over the hilt of his Highland dirk. "Laszlo told us there were some bastards wanting to kill the puir woman. Those bloody whoresons."
"Yes." Roman sighed. He had hoped Shanna could fix his tooth in the safety and privacy of his home. "Gregori, you'll need to locate another dental office, one close by that we can use."
"No problem, bro."
"I'd better watch the lass," Connor grumbled. "We canna have her digging about in our fridge." The Scotsman hurried back to the kitchen.
Laszlo plucked at a loose button on his coat. "Sir, she mentioned a specific product that would greatly increase your chances of a successful reimplantation. She was certain that any dental office would have the product on hand."
"Good." Roman removed the handkerchief-wrapped tooth from his pocket and handed it to Laszlo. "I want you to go with Gregori and take care of my fang until I arrive."
Laszlo gulped and stuffed the fang into his lab coat pocket. "We.. we'll be breaking and entering, won't we?"
"Don't worry about it." Gregori gripped the small chemist by the shoulder and herded him toward the front door. "The place will be empty, and the mortals will never know what happened."
"Well, okay, I guess." At the door, Laszlo halted and looked back. "I should warn you, sir. Even though the young lady was forthcoming with information, she insists that she will not, under any circumstances, put a wolf's tooth in your mouth."
Gregori laughed. "She thinks it's a wolf's tooth?"
Roman shrugged. "It's a logical misperception on her part."
"Well, yeah." Gregori gave him an exasperated look. "But why didn't you just plant the right perception in her head?"
Roman paused. Laszlo and Gregori watched him, waiting for the reply. God's blood. Hadn't he endured enough humiliation for one night? "I, uh¡ªI was unable to gain control of her mind."
Laszlo's mouth dropped open.
Gregori jolted back. "Snap! You couldn't control one measly mortal?"
Roman clenched his fists. "No."
Gregori slapped a hand against his brow. "Snap!"
"Why the hell are you snapping? Are you a turtle?" It was times like this that firing Gregori seemed to be the wise choice.
"It means I'm floundering in stunned disbelief. Sheesh, bro. You gotta keep up with the latest lingo."
Laszlo frowned, his fingers fiddling even faster with a button. "Begging your pardon, sir, but has this ever happened before?"
"No."
"Maybe you are getting old," Gregori suggested.
"Screw you," Roman growled.
"No, no. You gotta sound more modern, bro. Try using the F-word." Gregori paused, then his face slowly turned pink. "You, uh, were referring to me, weren't you?"
Roman lifted an eyebrow. "The young can be a little slow."
Laszlo paced across the foyer. "This is somewhat beyond my area of expertise, but it seems to me that it is highly likely that you are missing a distinct possibility."
They turned to stare at the small chemist.
He licked his lips and yanked at a button. "Since Mr. Draganesti has never experienced this sort of.. uh, problem before, the answer may not lie in his abilities or uh, lack thereof." The button tumbled to the floor, and the chemist leaned over to pick it up.
"What are you saying?" Gregori asked.
Laszlo slid the loose button into his coat pocket. "I mean the problem may rest with the mortal."
"She's extremely strong-willed," Roman conceded, "though I've never known a mortal who could resist our power."
"I agree." Laszlo nodded, attacking the last button on his lab coat. "But the fact remains that somehow, she did resist. There is something different about that woman."
There was utter silence while Laszlo's announcement sank in. Roman had already suspected she was different, but to hear one of his smartest scientists reach the same conclusion¡ªit was unnerving.
"This is bad," Gregori murmured. "Really bad. If we can't control her, then she's.."
"Fascinating," Roman whispered.
Gregori winced. "I was going to say dangerous."
That, too. But even the thought of danger seemed appealing to Roman tonight. Especially when it involved Shanna.
"We could try to find another dentist," Laszlo suggested.
"No." Roman shook his head. "We have only a few hours of darkness left, and you said it yourself, Laszlo¡ªthe tooth must be fixed tonight. Gregori, take Laszlo to the nearest dental office and secure the premises. You can take his car. It's out front. Laszlo, do what you can to save my fang. Give us thirty minutes, then call my office upstairs."
Laszlo's eyes widened. "You'll use my voice to teleport?"
"Yes." It would be the quickest way to get the procedure over with. But they would never be able to do it unless they had full control of Shanna's mind and could erase her memory afterward. "Gregori, come back as soon as you can. I'll need you and Connor to assist me with the dentist. We have to gain control of her mind."
"No problem." Gregori shrugged. "At the club, I erased a hundred mortal minds all at once. This will be child's play."
By the worried expression on Laszlo's face, it was clear he didn't share Gregori's confidence.
"It should work," Roman said. "Even if she can resist the power of one vampire, she'll be no match for the three of us."
While Gregori and Laszlo hurried out the front door, the words of the chemist echoed in Roman's mind. There was something different about Shanna. What if he couldn't gain control of her mind? She'd never agree to implant his fang as long as she believed it belonged to an animal. He'd spend the rest of eternity as a joke. The one-fanged wonder.
And he didn't dare tell her he was a vampire. She wouldn't want to implant his tooth. She'd react like Eliza and want to bury a stake in his heart.