Page 55 of No One’s Daughter

I shook my head as I huffed a laugh. I couldn’t fault her for it, we both stank and were in dire need of showers.

I set the bags down on the table and started going through the first one. This one appeared to have been packed for me, and I was grateful to see clean clothes that actually fit me as well as a stack of cash, two more burner phones and an assortment of weapons, ranging from modern guns to daggers.

I could kiss Merrick for packing my weapons. I spun my favourite knife between my fingers, feeling comfort at the familiar feel of it.

“I hope your friend packed more than just your favourite toys,” her voice caught me unaware from the bathroom doorway as she pulled her stained top up over her shoulders.

I stopped my eyes from following the lines of her body despite how much they wanted to. Unzipping the second bag, I was relieved to find what looked like a stash of her folded clothing. But I didn’t particularly want to rummage through her lace undergarments, so after a quick assessment of the interiors of the bag I concluded this one had been packed for her, and there were no weapons or anything that could be deemed dangerous. I threw the bag onto the bed adjacent to the doorway in which she still stood, now half dressed.

Fuck my life.

I really needed to shake this thing I had for her.

“There’s clothes in there, as well as some toiletries.”

“Oh, thank God,” she said, as she strolled over to it, grabbing it before turning back to the bathroom, giving me an excellent view of her backside. I flexed my jaw to keep from letting an involuntary moan slip out, because the sight was far too good. Either she genuinely didn’t give a shit about me seeing her like this, or she was playing her own games. My money was on the latter.

“Just hurry up,” I glowered, trying to distract myself with the contents of my bag. I was looking for some more secure locks to barricade all entrances. “We’re not on a holiday.”

She let out a laugh from the bathroom, before turning on the shower. “No. No we’re not, are we?”

Then she closed the door and I felt like I could finally breathe. I secured the door and the windows before collapsing back into the wingback chair.

The room was dark, save for the faint orange glow that flooded through the window, emanating from nearby streetlights. The only sound was the running water from the shower. This had been the first time in days I had allowed myself a breather. I was more tired than I’d realised. I unlaced my boots and kicked them off.

I exhaled the stale air in and out, the faint scent of her bodywash drifting in from under the door and calming me more than I cared to admit. I dragged my hand down my face, a sigh slipping through my fingers. As much as my body begged for a break, I pushed myself upright and moved to the edge of the room, rolling my shoulders once before pressing the pad of my thumb against the tip of my fang. Just a small puncture, but it was enough.

Blood welled quickly.

Muttering under my breath, I dragged my thumb along the skirting of the walls and marked each corner in a slow, deliberate circuit. It wouldn’t do much, especially to those with the ability to read magic, but it was better than nothing and at the very least it would keep us hidden from the humans. Maybe buy us a little time with the supernaturals.

I may not have been a true born with the gift of magic, but I had learnt a spell or two in my time. And, as a vampire by nature was a supernatural creature, there was magic there to be harnessed. And my blood worked perfectly for that.

I dropped back into the chair, my head tipping back against the wall as I closed my eyes, just for a moment. Just long enough to let the tension bleed out of my limbs.

Sweet silence followed.

Until my eyes snapped open when I heard the bathroom door handle turn and I straightened my back.

She stepped into the room, the light from behind her catching briefly before the door swung shut again. Her hair was damp, curling slightly at the ends, skin flushed from the heat of the water. Her clothes were mismatched, and I’m guessing not her usual style, but it didn’t matter. She still looked stunning.

Her gaze flicked around the room, taking it in properly this time as she glanced at the bed then to me, as if only just realising that this was it—there was only one bed. A small double pushed against the wall, mattress slightly dipped in the middle from years of use. Only a thin blanket folded was at the end and there were two shitty pillows that had seen better days. “Where are you sleeping?”

“On that bed,” I said, nodding toward it without hesitation. Sure, I could have slept on this chair, at this point I was so exhausted I could have slept anywhere, but that’s exactly why I needed her as close as possible. Should she try anything, I’d need to be ready, and I’d have a much greater chance of that if I felt her movement atop the same mattress.

She folded her arms, shaking her head. “Yeah, no. I don’t think so.”

“It’s not up for discussion. It’s either that or the boot of the car,” I said, standing up. “Now, can I trust you to just behave and go to sleep while I shower?”

She groaned, and while that sound was in no way sexual, my cock had other ideas. How long was this infatuation going to last? I’d drank the blood of true borns before, and usually the aftereffects only lasted a few hours at most. Why was she so different?

Thankfully, she didn’t argue any further and got into the bed. I grabbed the duffle bag with my items—all weapons included—because I sure as hell wasn’t going to trust her with my stuff or anything she could use against me.

I locked the bathroom door and turned on the shower. The room was still warm from her presence here and steam clung to every surface. I leaned my hands against the sink for a moment, head bowed, letting the silence settle around me. Then I stripped off and stepped under the water.

It hit like a shock.

Too hot at first, then not enough, my skin still oversensitive from the sun, from her fights, from everything.