She reared back. “Because of me? What did I do?”
“It’s what you won’t do. You won’t move on. I’ve been too kind to you in the past, but no more. I refuse to put up with your interference and sabotage. I won’t have you ruin another minute of my long life.”
Her eyes widened, but she didn’t interrupt.
I might as well use this opportunity to get it all out there. “If you loved me as you claim to, you’d respect my rights. The same rights everyone in this country has. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For the record, you haven’t let me pursue happiness for decades—long before I met Claudia. I’m not going to let you ruin this. I’ve finally found someone I love, who loves me…someone I want to settle down with. I can’t keep worrying that you might try to—”
Ruxandra held up one hand. “Stop.”
Anthony sensed something was different. Instead of railing at him and pounding on his chest, or crying in some melodramatic pose, she stood quietly, waiting for her turn to speak. He folded his arms and let her proceed.
“I realize I’ve been a little possessive in the past…”
A little?
“But I’ve done nothing to deserve your anger lately. I’ve done exactly what you asked me to. I’ve left Claudia alone.”
Hmmm… Something didn’t seem right.
“Besides, I’m with Kurt now.”
Anthony’s expression must have betrayed his shock.
Her lips twitched up for a second. “What? You didn’t think I’d stay single forever, did you? I can’t wait around for you to come to your senses. If you don’t want my company, there are plenty of others who do.”
“I—I don’t doubt that. You’re an attractive woman, Ruxandra—when you’re not being a pain in the ass.”
“Well, don’t worry. I won’t be.”
He kept wondering when the other fang was going to drop. When she’d start the guilt trip, the begging…
She held out her hand. “I’d like us to be cordial to one another.”
Still no tears. He could barely believe this was happening. Reluctantly, he reached for her hand and shook it.
“There. No hard feelings. Right?”
He wanted so badly to believe her. “Right. No hard feelings…as long as this is genuine. I’ll be twice as angry if I find out you’re duping me.”
“I have no desire to dupe you or anyone else. I’ve always been very honest about my feelings and intentions.”
If she’s talking about her obsessive feelings and intention to control me, she’s not wrong.
“You don’t happen to know where I could find Kurt now, do you?”
“No. Don’t you have his phone number?”
“Silly me. I lost it. Could you give it to me again? Please?”
Anthony didn’t want to throw his buddy in harm’s way, in case this was all an act. “I’ll call him for you.”
She didn’t protest or try to manipulate him into giving her the number.
Maybe this is real.
He dialed Kurt.
Kurt and Nick were scoping out a row of industrial-looking buildings on Lansdowne Street in Cambridge. Kurt had nothing of Tory’s to make a tracking device, but Nick had used his powerful sense of smell to follow the latest victim’s scent to the edge of Central Square. By combining that with Sadie’s description, they hoped to find what they were after.
“Did she say she found the cages in the basement or on the first floor?” Nick asked.
Kurt stopped walking and said, “Let me replay that part in my head.” He closed his eyes and used his magic to conjure up a photographic memory of the night Sadie astral-projected into the lab.
Before he had his answer, his cell phone rang. It disturbed his concentration, so he decided to answer it and go back to memory lane later.
“Hey, Anthony. What’s up?”
“Ruxandra wants to talk to you.”
“Me?” Kurt scratched his head.
“Yeah. Why do you sound surprised? She says you’re together now.”
“Really? Huh.”
Nick’s eyes narrowed. With his wolf’s auditory senses, he could probably hear the conversation on both ends.
“I didn’t think I was making much progress in that area.”
“Oh, give me that phone,” a female voice growled. A second later, Ruxandra took over for Anthony. “Hello, lover. You knew it was just a matter of time before I succumbed to your charm, didn’t you?”
“Well, no. Is that what you’re doing?”
“Jesus…” she muttered. Then she switched back to her syrupy sweet voice. “Who could resist you? Don’t answer that. It was rhetorical.”
“Okaaaaay…”
“I’d like to see you. I want to apologize for being so ungracious and refusing your lovely invitation to the movies.”
Nick folded his arms and stared at him. Kurt turned around so he didn’t have to look at his friend’s doubting face.
“I’m kind of busy at the moment.”
Ruxandra huffed. “It figures.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to see you. I’m just tied up with something over in Cambridge.” Then he got an idea, probably not a good one, but what the hell. “You can come here and help me if you want.”
After a brief hesitation she said, “I’d love to. Where should I meet you?”
“There’s a Starbucks on Mass Ave. Central Square. You can get here on the Red Line.”
She humphed. “Public transportation?”
“Why not? Are you too good to take the T?”
He thought he heard a gasp. Kurt glanced over his shoulder and saw Nick covering his mouth, as if holding in one of his booming laughs.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll be there in twenty to forty minutes depending on the whims of the MBTA.”
“Great! I’ll see you then.”
When he hung up, Nick couldn’t hold it any longer and burst out laughing.
“What?”
“You and Ruxandra? Have you lost your mind?”
“Probably. Look, it started as a favor to Anthony. We thought we might be able to protect Claudia if Ruxandra didn’t feel completely rejected. Then, I considered it a challenge. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I’d really like a chance with a gorgeous woman who has the ability to be loyal in her nature. Sure, her loyalty has been misguided in the past, but it’s there for the reshaping. Do you know how many old girlfriends have cheated on me?”
“No. How many?”
“All of them.”
“You’re kidding. Are you bad judge of character, or do you just let your pecker do the picking?”
Kurt shrugged. “Hell if I know.”
“Look, she’s beautiful. There’s no doubt about it. But aren’t you afraid she’ll lose her mind and drain you dry the first time you have a disagreement? Remember, she tried to harpoon my wife.”
Kurt lifted his chin. “I wouldn’t have asked her out if there was a moment when I doubted I could handle her.”
Nick shook his head. “C’mon. She’s a paranormal—a supernatural being with powers beyond yours. Vamps are not known for their patience or sense of fairness. Anthony is the exception. Most are loose cannons, and she’s the loosest cannon I’ve ever known.”
Kurt reached up and set a hand on his tall friend’s shoulder. “Try to hurt me, big fella.”
Nick chuckled. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope. I want you to see for yourself. I’m not stupid.”
“I never thought you were, which is why I’m so surprised you’d consider a suicide date like a movie with Ruxandra.”
Kurt let his hand drop and stood his ground. “Go ahead. Take a swing at me.”
“I will not. You’re my friend.”
“And as my friend, I’m asking you to knock some sense into me.”