Zane's Redemption

“Yep. Listen, Oliver, about what we talked earlier, about you thinking it would be cool to be a vampire.”

“Yes?” Oliver’s voice lifted in interest.

Perfect, he’d found the right subject to keep Oliver busy for a few minutes. He wouldn’t hear Portia open her window and jump out in the garden.

***

Portia felt giddy with excitement. It was really happening. Zane had decided to help her. Tonight, she would lose her virginity, and it would be at Zane’s hands. Whatever had made him suddenly make this decision, she didn’t want to investigate right now. His claim that his boss was taking him off his assignment of protecting her probably had something to do with it. But there had been no time to ask him about it, particularly not with Oliver within earshot.

At least she’d fooled him into thinking she was talking to Lauren, even though she’d said goodbye to Lauren only a short while earlier.

She rummaged through her closet and pulled out a few pieces, not really knowing what she should take. Darn, if he’d only given her a little more warning, she could have figured out what to wear and maybe even gone to Victoria’s Secret to get some suitable underwear. Now all she could find in a hurry were boring panties and a plain bra without frills. Great! That didn’t sound very romantic!

When she heard Oliver’s cell phone suddenly ring from downstairs, she suppressed a curse and threw the garment in her hand into her backpack and zipped it up. She snatched her boots from the bottom of her closet and rushed to the window.

As quietly as possible, Portia shoved the window open and threw out the backpack, followed by her boots. She quickly lowered herself out of the window and let go of the sill. Her landing made no sound. She was getting good at this.

She darted cautious looks to her left and right and listened for any sound from inside the house, but it was quiet. Picking up her backpack in one hand and her boots in the other, she ran toward the fence and vaulted herself over it with ease despite the height. Vampire strength and speed were handy at times.

The neighbor’s garden was empty, and she hoped nobody would see her and alert Oliver to her escape. She ran along the low bushes and hit the tiled garden path. Her socks soaked up the dirt from the ground, but she didn’t want to take the time to put on her boots until she was at a safe distance.

Running past the trashcans, she reached for the gate and flung it open. The street beckoned.

“Hey!” a male voice called after her, but she didn’t care what her neighbor thought.

Portia didn’t turn and continued running into the street, her eyes searching for the black Hummer. It sat double-parked in front of the house to her right. The headlights flashed at her.

Zane!

For a fraction of a second, she wondered whether she was making a mistake by trusting a man she barely knew and allowing him to practically kidnap her. But the thought fled just as quickly as it had come. Her heart beat faster, not from the brisk run, but from the knowledge that she would be with Zane, the man who excited her beyond all others.

She could still turn around now, but then she would be no further than before. No, Zane would keep her safe.

As she reached the Hummer, she remembered his words to be quick about entering the car. She jerked the door open, threw her backpack and shoes to the floor of the passenger seat and jumped in, slamming the door shut with the same movement.

The engine howled, and she was jolted forward, bracing herself on the dashboard.

“Hold on tight.”

Zane’s voice was on edge, driving home the fact that what they were doing was against not only her father’s wishes but also Scanguards’ rules. She knew that he would get in trouble for this. But there was no turning back now.

“Where are we going?” she asked as she tugged on the seatbelt and clicked it.

“Somewhere where nobody will find us. Make sure your cell is turned off.”

She pulled her phone from her pocket. “Why?”

“Scanguards has your number. They’ll be able to triangulate your location with the help of signals between the cell towers.”

She shivered at the thought that they were running away.

“Are you afraid?”

Portia quickly shook her head. “No.” She wasn’t afraid; she was terrified. Terrified of what was going to happen. What if she didn’t like it? What if this was a mistake? But she couldn’t chicken out now. She had to do this. Zane was most likely risking his job for her; she couldn’t bow out now.

“We can still turn back if you’ve changed your mind.”

She looked at him, and he turned his face to her, his eyes gleaming with understanding. But beneath it, she saw the disappointment that loomed there, disappointment that would surface if she pulled back now.