When her eyes widened in alarm, he hastened to reassure her. “But I’m not an ordinary human, Kayla. Remember? I’m a gifted one. And the advanced DNA I was born with protects me from that aspect of the virus.”
“So you won’t go insane?”
“I won’t go insane. We call the humans who do vampires. The rest of us we call Immortal Guardians because…” He really didn’t want to drop this particular bombshell, but wanted there to be no more secrets between them. “Because we spend our nights hunting and slaying vampires who harm or kill humans.”
“Like Blade?”
“From the Wesley Snipes movies? Yes.”
She stared at him a long moment. “Vampires really attack humans like in the books and movies?”
“Yes.”
“And you kill them.”
“Yes.”
“To protect humans.”
“Yes.”
“Global security,” she murmured.
His raised his eyebrows. “What?”
“Eliana said you’re in global security. Because you and the other Immortal Guardians protect people all over the world.”
He nodded.
“How have I never heard about this? Why doesn’t any of this ever show up on the news?”
“Because a network of human allies works with us to ensure that it doesn’t.”
“Oh.”
Long minutes passed. Nick didn’t mind. Every second she continued to let him hold her gave him hope.
“This is so unreal,” she said finally.
His whole life was unreal. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
She studied him, her gaze stripping away every facade. “I imagine it’s not an easy thing to share.”
He shook his head. “Even when I love the person I want to share it with.”
Resting a hand on his cheek, she stroked his beard stubble and continued to hollow him out with her beautiful eyes. “I know we have more to talk about,” she said softly, then arched a brow, “Mr. Furball.”
He smiled, a genuine one this time.
“But could we maybe do it after we wash the blood off and regroup?”
Relief returned. “Of course.”
Releasing him, she stood. Nick rose beside her.
She glanced down. “Oh.” Bending, she picked up a 9mm he hadn’t noticed on the floor.
“Is that yours?”
She nodded. “I almost shot Marcus with it. When he sank his fangs into your arm, I thought he was a vampire and intended to drain you dry.”
“And you would’ve shot him to protect me?”
“Yes.”
Admiration filled him. “That’s so hot.”
Amusement brightened her features. “Full disclosure—after Roland took my gun, I grabbed a knife and planned to plunge it into Marcus’s back.”
“Damn. That was ballsy.”
She glanced down, then gave him a look of mischief. “Speaking of ballsy, I think this is the first time I’ve seen you naked without an erection.”
He sent her a wry smile. “I’m too nervous to be turned on.” Otherwise, hearing she’d almost skewered Marcus in an effort to protect him would’ve swiftly raised his flag.
Her smile slipped away. “You’re nervous? Really?”
He nodded, determined to hold nothing back now. “If I weren’t, I would definitely be hard because I think strong women are unbelievably sexy. And you’re the sexiest.”
She smiled… despite the fact that he’d just dumped a steaming pile of what the fuck in her lap. “Flatterer.” Taking his hand, she headed for the stairs. “Come on. Let’s go get clean.”
Nick followed her upstairs, through her bedroom, and into the adjoining bathroom.
She grimaced when she caught her reflection in the mirror. “Sheesh. I look like Carrie on prom night.” A hell of a lot of blood coated her face and clothing. His blood.
He winced. “Sorry about that.”
“Stop apologizing,” she admonished gently. After releasing his hand, she leaned into the shower and turned on the spray.
He shook his head, barely stopping himself from confessing how terrified he was that she might decide this was all too much. He hadn’t thought the violence in his life would ever reach her doorstep. He hunted vampires miles away and never left any alive to follow him home. No one who wished him harm was supposed to have ever come close to her.
Yet tonight they had.
Even if she was able to overlook the danger that posed to her, Kayla had a daughter to think about. She wouldn’t want to do anything that might put Becca at risk when she was home. And if tonight had proven anything, it was that being with him was dangerous.
Steam rose and began to warm the bathroom. Kayla peeled her stained, sticky tank top over her head and tossed it in the sink. Her lacy white bra, which now bore red splotches, followed. Bending forward, she shucked her yoga pants and bikini panties and started to throw them in the sink, too, but hesitated as she stared at the floor. Shrugging, she dropped the pants.
Nick followed her gaze. He stood on a fluffy white bathmat, staining it with bright red footprints. “Oh. Shit. Sorry about that.”
“Stop apologizing,” she repeated gently.
He instinctively opened his mouth to apologize for apologizing.
But she covered his lips with her fingers. “Nick?”
“Yes?”
“Get in the shower.”
Snapping his mouth shut, he nodded and stepped into the bathtub/shower combo.
Kayla followed and drew the curtain closed behind them.
Nick had shared quite a few showers with Kayla since they’d become lovers. Sometimes he’d lather up his hands and glide them all over her beautiful body until they were both needy, then he’d lift her up and take her against the wall or kneel and bury his face between her legs or flip the switch from shower to bath, lie back, and draw her down to ride him until she screamed. Other times he’d ignore the desire she always inspired and laugh and chat with her while he washed her hair or they took turns soaping each other’s backs.
They never seemed to run out of things to talk about. He loved that.
But now heavy silence blanketed them as the water that sluiced down turned red with his blood and they reached for the soap.
Nick hadn’t felt this anxious or unsure since he had told his family what he had become.
That had been a disaster. He should’ve expected that, should’ve known how it would go. Malleus Maleficarum had basically equated vampirism with the worst manifestation of the devil. With no knowledge of DNA or viruses, his family had lacked a way to differentiate him from vampires when he’d told them of his transformation. So they had repudiated him. Even his beloved brothers, who had always been his best friends, had hated him for what he’d become.
Instead of trying to accept him and help him, his mother had cringed away from him while his father and brothers attacked him and tried their damnedest to kill him.
He supposed he’d merely strengthened their belief that he was an evil monster by effortlessly fighting off all four of them even though he’d done so without inflicting too much harm.
Missing his family desperately, he had tried to approach them again years later, hoping time would have helped them find a road to acceptance.