Amelia Elias - [Guardian's League 02] - Outcast Read online

  Eli shook his head at her. “Just get dressed,” he told her before pulling the door shut between them.

  Renee all but skipped to the closet. It was silly to feel happy simply because he’d finally used her name, but the feeling refused to fade. She dropped the towel and robe and hummed to herself as she opened the lingerie chest.

  Twenty minutes later, she bit her lip. She had just discovered a distinct problem with being a vampire. She opened her bedroom door and glanced around. “Eli?”

  His door opened and he stepped out. “What?”

  Renee didn’t reply. She couldn’t. Eli stood there looking like every woman’s guilty fantasy, his eyes catching the candlelight and turning it into a thousand stars. He wore black. Black silk shirt stretched over his broad shoulders, tight black jeans which made her mouth water, enormous black boots. The sleeves of his silk shirt were rolled back, revealing tanned and muscular forearms, and the top two buttons were open to expose a tantalizing hint of golden skin.

  She swallowed hard and forced herself to look back up at his face. His hair was caught neatly at the nape of his neck, a platinum cord falling down his back. She had thought him devastating with his hair down but somehow tying it back emphasized his chiseled features, heightening her awareness that he was much more than he seemed. A predator, no less dangerous for this thin veneer of civilization. Good Lord, she thought vaguely, how can any man possibly look that good?

  Eli smiled slightly and Renee realized she was staring, but she couldn’t seem to stop. His sexy little grin didn’t help in the least. Didn’t the man realize he was sexual dynamite when he smiled?

  “You needed something?” he prompted when she still didn’t speak.

  Oh, yes, she needed something. She needed the rest of those buttons undone, she needed his hair unbound and wrapped around her fingers, she needed that gorgeous mouth on hers and that body in her bed, and she needed all of it right now.

  “Hmm?” Renee purred, lost in her fantasy, and the sound brought her sharply back to the present. Damn, she sounded like an idiot—or a sex-starved nympho. “Oh, yes, I did,” she hurriedly added, suddenly aware of her disheveled hair and bare feet. Of course she would look like a wild woman in the presence of temptation personified. Her gaze traveled over him again, unable to resist one last ogle. “I need to see my reflection so I can pin up my hair and do my makeup.”

  Eli really wished she would stop looking at him like that. She was such an enticing combination of vulnerable and sexy standing there in her short skirt and snug blouse, her dark hair tumbling down over her shoulders and her bare toes curling into the carpet. Her hungry eyes raked his body like she wanted to devour him, and heaven help him, he wanted to be devoured. He felt her gaze with every cell of his body and took a deep breath. He had to tell her to stop looking at him that way.

  “You don’t need any makeup,” he murmured, his voice caressing every word. “And you definitely shouldn’t put your hair up. Why would you want to hide its glory?”

  What the hell? Where had his distance gone?

  She blushed. It looked incredible on her. He stepped closer, his feet seeming to move of their own accord.

  “You’re very kind, but I need makeup.”

  “I’m never kind.” His fingers caught her chin and tilted her face up for his scrutiny. Her skin was flawless, her cheeks charmingly pink, her golden eyes framed by long black lashes and glittering like jewels in the candlelight. He had never seen anything more lovely in all the numberless years of his life. “You don’t need to add a thing,” he assured her again, his voice a low rumble. “You’re beautiful. There’s no way to improve upon perfection.”

  A tiny voice in the back of his head was screaming protests. What was he thinking, telling her these things? He never said things like that. He was supposed to be discouraging her, not spouting sappy compliments!

  Renee blushed again and bit her lip, and Eli stopped listening to that voice. His eyes focused on the little movement and time stopped. Her lips were very red, full and lush and almost irresistibly inviting. Hadn’t he once thought her mouth was made to be worshipped?

  By the stars, he could think of a thousand ways he wanted to pray…

  Eli actually leaned closer before he came to his senses. What the hell was he doing? She was his fledgling! He snatched his hand away from her soft skin and stepped back before this stupidity went any further.

  “Get your shoes,” he told her, jamming his hands into his pockets, and he sighed in relief when she blushed and disappeared back into her bedroom.

  But he felt more like swearing. He had almost kissed her. He closed his eyes and ground his teeth, forcing himself to admit the truth. He had wanted to do far more than merely kiss her. Had it been so long since he’d last had a woman that he couldn’t control his lust? This was utterly, completely, stupendously wrong and it had to stop right now. Eli took a deep breath to steady himself. If only she didn’t look so damn good it would make his life much easier.

  This was going to be a long night.

  Renee came back a moment later, strappy heels on her delicate feet and her hair tumbling over one shoulder, shining from a quick brushing. He was absurdly glad she’d left it down.

  “Ready,” she said, glancing at him as though she’d already forgotten what had transpired in the hallway. He sincerely hoped she had. “Are you going to tell me tonight’s assignment or am I to guess?”

  Despite himself, Eli smiled. “You make it sound like Mission Impossible.”

  “If you’re going to try to get me to bite any more homeless drunks, it certainly will be impossible,” Renee replied sweetly. “I’d rather go hungry. I have to tell you, they’re smelly and completely unappetizing.”

  Last night she had certainly found him appetizing.

  Eli angrily shoved the thought away. He didn’t want to remember that, especially when she stood beside him looking like pure hot sex in that short skirt and high heels. Renee had terrific legs for such a petite woman, slender and shapely and finely muscled. He couldn’t help imagining them wrapped around him and welcoming him home.

  “No more homeless drunks,” he promised, leading her toward the entryway and looking resolutely ahead as he tried to get a handle on his runaway libido.

  Then what? she asked as they shot through the fissure and out into the open sky.

  He guided them toward the busy nightclub district without answering. Instead of landing in an alley or darkened alcove this time, however, the two streams of mist darted inside one of the clubs. Eli took them back over the stage, past the band playing a Prince cover with more enthusiasm than talent, and through a gap in the stage door to the band’s tiny dressing room.

  Renee shivered as her body shimmered back into being. “Well, that’s one way to get out of paying the cover charge.”

  She looked around the cramped room to keep from staring at Eli. It did no good. It didn’t seem to matter if she stared at him or not. She felt him as acutely as if he’d been pressed against her. From across the hall he’d stolen her breath, but this close he made her entire body shake.

  He reached past her and started to open the door. She caught his arm and tried to ignore the shiver that went through her at the feel of his warm skin beneath her fingers.

  “Eli.” He looked at her, his dark eyes guarded, and she let go of him. “I know this isn’t a date. You want me to do something. Tell me what we’re doing here.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a look which made her instantly wary. He looked like he fully expected trouble and was preparing for it. “Last night,” he said, and those two words instantly made her face heat. She clenched her fingers together behind her back and didn’t look away despite her embarrassment, and he went on without a pause. “You did everything right. You know you can reach another’s mind, and your compulsion was powerful. There has to be someone here in this club you wouldn’t mind getting closer to.” He held up a hand when she started to protest. “I’m no
t suggesting you bed anyone. You don’t have to look like that.”

  She felt like her cheeks were going to catch flame. She knew he wanted her to use sex to feed, no matter what he said. “Back to hunting again.”

  “I’m not hungry, Eli. Take me home.”

  He shook his head. “You can’t lie to me, little one. I can feel your hunger. I will be nearby if you need me,” he said, putting a hand on the small of her back and giving her a gentle push. When she didn’t move, he reached past her again and opened the door. “Go on, Renee. You can do this.”

  His voice caressed her name, made it beautiful. She stepped forward quickly, trying to deny the heat spreading through her body at the touch of his hand and the warm caress of his breath on her ear. “I’ll try,” she heard herself say somewhat breathlessly, and she wondered if he was using compulsion on her again.

  But finally she sighed and forced herself to look around the club. If he was compelling her it was only for her own good, even if the method he suggested made her blush to think about it. Not knowing quite where to start, she slowly made her way through the writhing mass of dancers toward the bar, wondering absently if she could have a drink without bringing a repeat of the awful pain she’d felt upon wakening today. Right now she really, really wanted a drink.

  “Hey there, gorgeous! Can I get you something?”

  Renee turned at the voice, smiling automatically at the young man who had stopped beside her. “Sure, thanks,” she said absently as the young man pressed a cold bottle into her hand. She barely glanced at him as she scanned the crowd for Eli. With his height and distinctive hair he should have stood out easily, but she couldn’t find him.

  “I’m Tom,” the man said, smiling engagingly at her.

  Abruptly she remembered what she was supposed to be doing. “Renee,” she replied, looking at him. Tom was good-looking enough, but she didn’t feel any urge to snuggle up to him. She clenched her fingers around the beer bottle and wished Eli hadn’t left. She didn’t think she could do this alone, no matter what he said.

  “Want to dance?” Tom asked as a slower song started up, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the present.

  “All right,” she accepted, biting her lip. Dancing would be good. Maybe if they danced close enough, no one would notice when she bit him. She let him pull her into his arms on the crowded dance floor and tried to calm her sudden nervousness. What if she did it wrong and he yelled, attracting everyone’s attention?

  She pushed her doubts resolutely away. She had to find a way to feed. She swayed in time with Tom, barely listening to him. The music was so loud he had to shout in her ear. She nodded absently at him, giving him a smile which felt totally fake, trying to remember what she’d done last night to reach Eli.

  When she was as ready as she was ever going to be, Renee took a deep breath and gathered her courage. With her high heels she was almost on eye level with Tom and she gazed into his eyes, remembering how she’d reached out and felt Eli’s mind last night and trying to find Tom’s in the same way.

  He stopped speaking right in the middle of his sentence. Renee almost lost her focus in her surprise. He still moved with her in the rhythm of the dance, although he was clearly unaware of where he was or what he was doing. He was completely hypnotized.

  All at once her hunger leapt to life and her fangs lengthened in response. You won’t feel anything. She pushed the thought hard at him, trying not to remember the pain of Eli’s fangs slashing her own throat. She felt her own fangs sharp against her lip and leaned closer, directing Tom to draw her against him. He obeyed without hesitation and didn’t even twitch when she pressed her mouth to his throat and bit him.

  His hot, living blood hit her like a fireball, sweeping through her body and wiping every thought from her mind. Only her directive that Tom continue dancing kept them moving as Renee closed her eyes, letting the relief of his blood flowing into her wash through her as he moved her around the floor. As the first rush faded, Renee slowly came back to herself, instinctively keeping a firm hold on his mind, reassuring herself he felt nothing. Elation rose in her heart. She could do this!

  The song ended and she pulled away, not wanting to take too much from him, but she realized she didn’t know how to close the wound on his neck. Eli had always done it for her. She covered the little punctures with her hand and looked around for Eli, but she still didn’t see him.

  Suddenly, the warm wetness beneath her palm evaporated. When she lifted her palm, his neck was completely unblemished.

  What the hell? Eli was nowhere to be seen. How in the world?

  Tom still stood frozen beside her, looking blank, and she made herself concentrate on the task at hand. “Go home and eat a big meal, Tom,” Renee murmured in his ear, releasing him from her spell. “No more partying for a few nights for you.”

  “Sure,” he replied dreamily. “Bye now.”

  Renee watched him walk out of the club, making sure he didn’t stumble or look too weak. She smiled in relief. She had done it.

  She couldn’t wait to share her triumph with Eli. But as she looked around for him, someone grabbed her arms in a bruising grip right above the elbows. Her joy evaporated in a surge of alarm as she tried to spin around to see who had grabbed her, but his grip prevented it.

  “You are very bold,” a menacing voice growled in her ear. “Did you think no one would notice what you did?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she gasped, trying to pull her arm away. There was no way this stranger knew what she’d done. Half the couples on the dance floor were necking. She was certain she and Tom had looked exactly like the rest of them.

  “You would have caused quite a stir in a moment, leaving him open to bleed,” the cold voice continued. “I can’t allow that, you know.”

  This guy wasn’t making any sense. Tom’s wound had been closed when she’d released him, and Renee hadn’t created any stir. In fact, apart from the cold man, no one had noticed her at all. “What do you mean?”

  Rather than answering her, he jerked her back by her arm. Renee tried to dig in her heels as he dragged her through the club. “Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Let me go!”

  Her captor didn’t even seem to notice her struggles. She stared hard at his broad back, trying to reach his mind as she’d reached Tom’s.

  He laughed low and even with the ear-splitting music she had no problem hearing him. “Nice try, but I’m not that easily manipulated.”

  Before Renee could try anything else, he pushed through the back door and shoved her out into the alley. She stumbled when he released her arm and tried to bolt back inside, but the heavy door had already latched behind them, locking her outside with a psychopath. She whirled and faced him, so furious she was momentarily unable to speak.

  She found herself staring at a man who could have been torn from her nightmares. Blond hair crowned a handsome face twisted with hate. He glared at her with inhuman, cat-like eyes filled with a rage too powerful for anyone to contain and keep their sanity. A snarl bared his fangs, overlarge and vicious.

  Suddenly things made a lot more sense. No wonder he’d known what she had done on the dance floor. Maybe he was angry because she’d messed up and hadn’t closed the wound on Tom’s neck fast enough. It was obvious now who had done it for her.

  “Who are you?” she asked, determined not to show fear. Angry he might be, but he had helped her escape detection inside.

  “Ronin.” He reached beneath his coat and whipped out two wicked, serrated daggers. “Any more questions before I slay you, Outcast?”

  She gaped, stunned and horrified. She remembered Eli mentioning Ronin’s name once, but he had said nothing to prepare her for this. Ronin took a step closer and she tried to back away, only to find the door at her back.

  “Don’t,” she gasped as he raised the long daggers high. It was the only word that came to her shocked mind. “Don’t!”

  He didn’t even seem to hear her.
Renee watched the blades slashing down, the streetlights glinting off razor-sharp edges, and couldn’t even close her eyes. There was no time to dodge. All she could do was watch her end rushing to meet her.

  Suddenly her view was blocked by a black wall. There was a ringing clash of metal on metal and she heard Ronin swear viciously. “Damn it, Eli, get out of my way!”

  Eli. Renee went limp with relief as she realized the black wall was his back. She had no idea how he’d managed to get between her and Ronin in that split second, but she was immensely grateful.

  “I can’t let you slay my fledgling, Ronin,” Eli replied, his voice completely calm in the face of Ronin’s murderous rage. Renee glanced cautiously around him and saw the blades of Ronin’s daggers were clasped in Eli’s bare hands.

  Ronin snarled and tried unsuccessfully to pull his daggers free from Eli’s grasp. “Don’t try to give me this crap about her being yours. She’s a damn Outcast. I can smell it on her!”

  “She’s not an Outcast,” Eli replied, still calm. “You’re wrong.”

  “The hell I am.” Ronin saw her looking at him from behind Eli and bared his fangs at her again. “You might have Eli fooled, but you won’t always have him around to save you. And I’ll be waiting, Outcast. That’s a promise.”

  “Ronin.” Eli’s voice was commanding, dangerous. It echoed down the alley like a pronouncement of doom. Renee cringed at the promise of violence in his tone. “Don’t make me fight you. Leave her alone.”

  Ronin made a sound of deep disgust and pulled at his daggers again. This time they slid free from Eli’s hands with a screech like fingernails on a chalkboard. Ronin spat on the ground and stalked off down the alley without another word.

  Only when he was gone did Eli turn around to look worriedly at her. “Are you hurt?”

  Renee ignored his question and grabbed his hands, turning them over and touching his palms. They were completely unmarked, but he’d caught the daggers in his bare hands! By all rights they should have been slashed to the bone. She stared at them in awe. “How did you do that?”