Page 1 of Lucas
Chapter One
I staredat the front door of the hotel from the plush lobby chair, watching for anyone who might have followed us. This was the sixth—no, the seventh hotel Lucas and I had stayed in since leaving Santiga Bay a little over a week ago. I turned around to get a look at the vamp at the front desk, who was registering for two nights under an anonymous name.
I smiled. We’d started a game at the third hotel where Lucas made me guess the name he used to sign us in. The game included an interesting form of strip charades and a bottle of tequila, ending with laughter and hot sex.
It eased the tension of our days as we attempted the impossible task Devon Trelane, Lucas’s boss and leader of the House Trelane, had given him. The House Trelane didn’t have the largest Family in the vamp world, but the House was sizeable enough with over seventy extremely well-trained vamps. Even the children learned martial arts at young ages. Well, for the number of children there were.
Vamp fertility rates had dropped drastically over the last couple of centuries, and no one knew why. But I digress. Cressa, my best friend in the whole world, would say I have too much tosay, so it just comes tripping out of my mouth. I’m still deciding if that was a compliment or not.
I’ve always had a hard time focusing. I don’t know if I was born that way or whether I simply got bored easily. But that was also a story for another day.
“Ginger. Hey, are you daydreaming again?”
I glanced up, not realizing I’d been doing exactly that. Lucas’s eyes were the color of a summer sky, and his hair was a sandy blond that looked streaked from the sun. He had the face and physique of a beach boy, who spent his days on his board waiting for the next big wave. A shiver shimmied through me at his knowing smile.
“I’m not sure I want to admit to that.”
He laughed. “Come on. Dinner first, then some fun. But there’s not a chance you’ll figure out the name I used this time.”
I stood on tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “I guess that means I won’t end up wearing much clothing.”
He lowered his head, and his warm breath tickled my ear. “If I play it right, you won’t be wearing any at all.”
I pushed him toward the elevators, both of us laughing. “Do we have to do dinner first?”
We kissed on the ride up to the thirteenth floor. Our arms were locked around each other’s waists as we stepped out, an overnight bag hanging over each of our shoulders. I stared into his eyes, wondering what it would be like for him to mesmerize me. Was it possible for me to be more attracted to him than I already was?
The whir of a blade sliced past the back of Lucas’s head. I jumped back, slamming into the elevator wall. Lucas pulled me to him as we turned to see two vamps racing toward us. The one on the right held a blade in his hand, so it must have been the other one who’d thrown his.
The vamp on the right drew back his arm, ready to throw his dagger when a throwing star hit him in the base of his throat. I didn’t have to look to know Lucas had thrown it. He was masterful with shurikens—or, what most call ninja stars—and he constantly practiced new routines.
Unfortunately for us, he’d demonstrated that skill several times over during the last ten days. Somehow, vamps found us again as if someone had given them our exact route as soon as we planned it. We assumed we were being tracked since leaving California, but after several thorough searches, then dumping and buying new supplies, they were still one step ahead of us.
Satisfied the second vamp was incapacitated enough for me to keep him occupied, Lucas turned his attention to the first one, who’d already drawn another knife. But now, we were close enough for Lucas to launch himself as he kicked out, landing a solid blow to the vamp’s chest as he fell back. Lucas landed, ready to swing a leg out, but the vamp was prepared and was able to block Lucas’s kick, forcing him off balance.
From there it was vamp on vamp. Lucas had drawn a dagger, and the two fell into fighting stances as they prepared to dance.
I glanced down at the other vamp, who’d removed the blade from his throat. He was still on all fours but was beginning to rise. My first kick hit its mark in the vamp’s midsection, which knocked the air out of him. The next one hit his lower chin with enough force that I might have heard his teeth rattle. I grinned with a manic glee when blood dripped from his mouth.
I took a moment to check on Lucas, who was wearing his opponent down. The vamp had been cut in multiple places. Talk about death by a thousand cuts. I didn’t think Lucas had planned on taking that much time.
My vamp got a second wind. His neck had healed, and he was rising to his feet. I couldn’t waste any more time. If I let him stand with his speed and agility, the fight would end up in hisfavor. I flung a throwing star that sliced into the side of his face. He howled.
The vamp had to know I was human, which might have been why he leaned back and howled again, this time in apparent frustration. A bad move on his part to leave his neck exposed.
The slice across his jugular startled me, though it shouldn’t have. It wasn’t the first time Lucas made the injury as grievous as possible, if he didn’t outright kill them. Whatever it took to make a quick escape without pursuit.
The other vamp had the same problem. The slice to his neck was so deep it would take some time for it to heal.
Lucas retrieved my silver star, which he wiped clean. “Your aim is becoming quite consistent.”
“Well, you know what they say—practice, practice, practice. Though, I have to admit, as much as I hate Sergi’s training sessions, they do seem to be paying for themselves.” I checked the hallway, but no one else was around.
I used the bottom of Lucas’s shirt, which had pulled out of his pants, to wipe the blood off his face. “You got us a room on the thirteenth floor? I mean, I didn’t think hotels had a thirteenth floor.”
“When did you become so superstitious?”
“After the surprise attack at the third hotel.”
