“Pfft.” Venus waved a hand dismissively. “Have you ever met a man you couldn’t seduce?”
“Of course not.” But she wasn’t trying to seduce Spencer. She’d let her guard down and had actually started to like him. What was wrong with her?
“Something is off about this. I’m never wrong when I make a match.”
“It’s fine. I should’ve stuck with the downstairs guys. At least they’re not afraid of me.” She turned to the bar to retrieve Percival and go home to lick her wounds. She’d have to find another way to save her snake.
“No, Lilith.” Venus clutched her arm. “You don’t understand. Spencer is your soulmate.”
She laughed dryly. “There is no such thing.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“What the hell was that?” Mandy grabbed Spencer’s arm the moment they stepped onto the sidewalk. “I haven’t seen you smile like that in ages, and you run off for what? Because she’s immortal? Famous? Too beautiful?”
“All of the above.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and paced toward the parking lot. Don’t let the rumors fool you. He didn’t have to. He’d let the woman do it on her own.
Mandy stood outside the car, peering at him over the top as he opened his door. He slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, and his sister slowly sank in next to him. Her jaw was tight and her nostrils flared as she stared out the front window, no doubt writing a lecture in her mind.
He was an idiot. He could see the power sparking in Lilith’s aura, could sense she was a formidable being the moment she sat at his table, yet he’d allowed himself to be drawn in, to let down his guard, and to enjoy the attention of a beautiful woman.
Damn, she was good. Her feigned interest in his job and family had sucked him into her trap like a mosquito to a bug zapper.
Mandy puckered her lips, making a popping sound before she spoke. “She seemed like a nice woman.”
“She’s Lilith. She can’t be nice.” He pulled onto the street and headed for his sister’s apartment.
“Then why did you talk to her for so long? Did she glamour you? Were you really held hostage?”
“She didn’t glamour me. She used her magic to make us invisible so she wouldn’t have to rotate, and I didn’t protest. But that’s her game, isn’t it? Using her wiles to seduce men and drain their energy.”
“She’s a vampire, not a succubus.”
His shoulders tightened, drawing toward his ears. “The world’s first vampire. Who knows what kind of influence she has? I’m not about to get involved with a woman who has the power to ruin my life. Been there, done that, still paying for the t-shirt.”
She narrowed her eyes at him before looking out the windshield. “Whatever you say, big brother. I’d hate for you to give away your power. Though it sounds like Isabella still has control of it.”
His teeth clicked as his jaw tightened. “She does not.” His ex could choke on a pellet for all he cared. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m leaving in two days. It’s not like I have time to date.”
“It sounded like you were making plans for tomorrow. I think you liked her and it scared you.”
His slow exhale warmed the back of his throat as he stopped at the curb in front of her building. “Good night, Mandy.”
“At the very least, you should apologize for leaving like that. It was rude. Mom raised you better.” She climbed out of the car and slammed the door before he could respond.
It was just as well. His sister had a point. He did like Lilith, and it definitely scared him. He put it in drive and headed to his apartment. Dating had been the last thing on his mind since Isabella broke his heart and ruined his career. The moment Alan hired him onto the show, he’d buried himself in his work. Hell, he was probably driving their producer crazy with all the extra hours he was putting in “helping” the video editors.
He parked in the garage and mashed the elevator button for the tenth floor before leaning against the wall and closing his eyes. Damnit, Mandy, I see what you did. Her friend hadn’t canceled on her. She’d planned to take Spencer to speed dating from the beginning. He should have known.
And Lilith… Gods, she was beautiful. Smart and funny too. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had shown that much interest in him. Usually, as soon as they found out he worked on a television show, their questions turned to whether or not he could get them into parties, arrange auditions—as if he was a fucking agent—or help them meet the stars.
Lilith was more interested in what he did on the show than what he could do for her. She seemed genuinely interested in him. And that spark he felt when their eyes met? The electric jolt that zapped his heart when he shook her hand? It was enough to make his owl take notice, and that was the most terrifying part of all.
He’d made it a rule to never date vampires. The last thing he needed was to fall in love with an immortal being when he was going to grow old and die. Owl shifters had the same lifespan as humans, and he was already thirty-eight years down.
The elevator door slid open, and cool air wafted in from the hallway. He hung a left and paced to his apartment, his heart sinking lower with each step. Inside, he tossed his keys in the bowl by the door and grabbed a beer from the fridge.
Mandy was right, damn her. Spencer had been rude. Despite her reputation, Lilith had been nothing short of pleasant to him. He dropped onto the couch and took a long pull from the bottle. The cool, bitter liquid slid down his throat and churned in his stomach along with his guilt.
