“I’ll come up with something. But please do this for me now.”
He stepped closer. “Why should I help you?”
“Please… Michael…”
“I’ll do it. I’ll lie for you—”
“Thank you.”
“—ifyou have skin in the game. I want you by my side next time I meet with Malvern, as my date.”
Nick’s teeth ground together. That fucking slimy bastard. He drew his gun and took a slow, deep breath. Verinetti was dangerous and supernatural. Nick would love to take his head off, but he wasn’t stupid. Galloping in there with guns blazing when he wasn’t sure what he was dealing with was more likely to get everyone killed than help Rowan. He closed his eyes and returned his gun to his holster.
“You would extort a date out of me in exchange for Nick’s life?”
“I’m not requiring you to have sex with me, Rowan, although I wouldn’t mind if that was a natural outcome of being close to me again.” He flashed her a wolfish grin that turned Nick’s stomach. “I’m asking you to appear before the vampire master with me so that he doesn’t suspect you and so that you can help me deflect his interest in this matter. Malvern has a weakness for beautiful women. You’ll be a distraction, one that will hopefully keep him from asking too many questions. If you want to protect your human, you’ll do this.”
Nick cringed when Rowan hugged her stomach and tucked in her wings. She couldn’t seriously be considering it! He wouldn’t allow it. No way would he let her do this to protect him.
“I accept your proposal,” he heard Rowan say. “Tell me where and when and I’ll be there.”
Michael grinned smugly and approached her, reaching for her waist. Nick’s eyes widened. Thankfully, Rowan recoiled from the bastard’s touch. In the blink of an eye, she’d put the sofa between them.
“This is business, not pleasure. That’s over between us, remember?”
Michael swaggered toward the terrace, his smile growing wider. “For now.” He opened the door, shifted into the snowy white owl again, and took off into the night.
Nick watched Rowan lock the door behind the owl, then close the drapes. Her chest rose and fell in rapid pants. By the time she turned around, he was there, pulling her into his arms.
“Start thinking of alternate ideas now, Rowan, because there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go on a date with that guy just to protect me.”
Chapter Sixteen
“You heard that?” Rowan felt wrung out and exhausted. This was the worst-case scenario. Not only did Michael know who Nick was, the vampires were expecting him to turn over his identity. The only reason Verinetti had hesitated was because of her, whether out of some nostalgia for what they used to have, a sense of guilt for suggesting she investigate the auction, or lingering hope that they might pick up where they left off. Rowan didn’t care what Michael’s motivation was. Keeping him from turning over Nick’s identity to the vampires was her only hope of keeping him safe, and she’d do anything to keep him safe.
“You are not going on a date with that guy to protect me. I can protect myself,” Nick gestured toward his gun.
“I told you, the bullets in that weapon are useless against vampires. They’d hardly slow one down.” How could she make him realize he was in grave danger? He was a strong man—a strong human man. That wouldn’t be enough.
“I seemed to do okay tonight at Wicked Divine. As I recall, there were a few vampires on the floor when I left. I broke one’s neck with my bare hands.”
“Yes, you did, and if they were humans, that would be the end. But what you need to know, Nick, is that neither of the vampires you fought are dead or disabled.”
“Huh?”
“They healed in a matter of minutes. Woke up, stood up, and probably almost drained someone dry to replenish their strength. There are only a handful of ways to kill a vampire, and breaking their spine is not one of them. It might slow them down, but not for long. You could cut them into pieces and they would eventually heal.”
A muscle in Nick’s jaw twitched. “So how do you kill them?”
“That’s hardly the point! The point isyoucan’t kill them. This is a big, powerful coven. Michael knows who you are. Our only hope is to use magic and manipulation to protect you. That means I need to lay new protective wards around this place to keep supernatural creatures like Michael out. I’ll need to do your place too. Then I’ll ask Harriet to create a charm to hide you. And I will do whatever Michael asks to keep your identity a secret, up until the time the vampires lose interest in you.”
“No.”
“No what? There wasn’t a question in there.”
“Michael is using me as leverage to get closer to you. The guy clearly still has feelings for you, and you’re playing right into his hands.”
“I don’t have a choice!”
