TWICE BITTEN

“Congratulations, Mathius. I think you got her.”

Mathias scowled at his brother as he morphed back into his human form, kneeling beside the woman crumpled on the floor. “She surprised me. I only grabbed at her to stop her from getting hurt.”

“You might want to work on your technique.”

Mathias shook his head, brushing a handful of auburn hair back from the woman’s face. He didn’t need to check for a pulse. He could sense her blood beating just below the surface of her honey-coloured skin, the rhythm erratic, but strong. “What the hell is she doing here? I thought Sirus said no one used this room anymore.”

“Just another reason we can’t trust the man.” Gabe dug through her purse, holding up a set of keys. “She had a key.”

“Now what?”

“We either leave her on the floor, or do the more noble gesture and lay her across the couch.” Gabe knelt down beside him. “You know how I feel about a damsel in distress.”

Mathias smiled. They’d been vampires for five centuries, yet Gabe still saw himself as the gallant knight. Hell, Mathias wouldn’t be surprised if the pretty little damsel had a black belt in karate with more moves than the dancers upstairs.

He nodded, lifting her limp body off the worn carpet before shifting over to the couch. Her hair fell in a puddle on the dark leather as he laid her across the cushions, her head still bowed towards her chest. He squinted when Gabe flicked on the lights, bathing the room in a harsh glow.

“I know. We don’t need the light, but I doubt our little pixie is going to want to wake up still encased in shadows.” A sly smile tilted Gabe’s lips. “I think you scared ten years off the poor girl.”

“You didn’t help by slamming the door shut with your face all fanged out.” Mathias blew out a long breath, taking a closer look at the woman.

She was small compared to them, with lush, full lips and a heart-shaped face. Her nose accentuated the perfect symmetry of her features and he couldn’t help but wonder what colour her eyes were. He’d been too preoccupied trying to make sense of her presence to notice, and now all he could see were closed lids brimming with thick, dark lashes.

Mathias traced his fingertip along her cheek. “She’s not wearing any makeup. I thought all women in this century wore that stuff?”

Gabe shrugged, motioning at Mathias to make room as he dipped the couch with his weight. Mathias shuffled back, lifting the woman’s legs across his as Gabe settled at her side. A small tremor moved through his fingers when his hand slipped on her boot, sliding up her calf and across her skin.

He pulled his hand back, looking up at Gabe. Being twins, they’d always shared a special connection, but their abilities had grown since their resurrection. He knew Gabe had felt the vibration, surely as if the man had been the one to touch her.

“What was that?” Gabe ran a single finger along the girl’s leg until he brushed her flesh.

Another tremor filled the air, prickling the hair on the back of Mathias’ neck. He shook his head, shifting his gaze to the woman’s face when an electrical charge seemed to fill the air. “Maybe she’s wearing something?”

“This isn’t human, Mathias. Whatever’s going on here is beyond their realm.”

Gabe moved his hand to her jacket, pulling the zipper down an inch at a time, as if he expected something to jump out at him. Mathias followed the slow progression, snagging his lower lip when the bottom popped open, exposing a strip of vivid green.

“I wonder if her eyes match her sweater?”

Mathias turned to Gabe, not sure he’d heard the man correctly. After a century of abstinence, Mathias hadn’t expected the comment. He drew his brow together, shifting his gaze between the vixen on the couch and the gleam glimmering to life in his brother’s eyes. “I guess that means you feel it too.”

“I don’t feel anything. I was just noting how green her sweater was.”

“No, you were wondering what shade her eyes were, which is totally different.” Mathias sat back, cocking his head over to one side. “Go ahead and lie to yourself. I can sense the truth. You’re as affected by this…this…pixie, as you called her, as much as I am.”

Mathias reached down and grazed a hand across his cock, feeling the damn thing stir to life. He closed his eyes, feeling his brother’s confusion mix with his. How many times had they taken a woman into their bed only to leave in frustration?

“Something’s wrong.” Gabe glanced at the door. “Maybe Alexander is behind this.”

“He left too close to sunrise. And I doubt even fifty-proof sunscreen would keep his cold-hearted ass alive.”

“Not funny. Maybe we should…”

Gabe’s voice trailed off as a faint flicker of blue flashed beneath the green fabric, sending a cold wave through the air. Mathias reached for the source just as Gabe pulled her coat open, revealing the deep V of her shirt and the soft creamy swell of her breasts. More blood surged to Mathias’ shaft as he trailed his fingers up her stomach, stopping below the sensual hollow between her breasts. His brother’s fingers joined his as they dipped into her shirt, skimming over a smooth vial of glass.

Mathias’ mouth gaped open, his fangs at the ready, when the room exploded into a pulse of blue light. Power surged through his body, knocking him across the couch. He hit the armrest and shuddered to a halt, wincing when Gabe crashed against the far wall. Mathias levered up, watching the tiny pendant fade from a brilliant blue into a deep sapphire, before finally winking out. He clenched his jaw, his gaze falling to his brother.

Gabe pushed to his feet, bracing some of his weight against the wall as he stared back, his brown hair wild around his face.

“Bloody hell,” said Mathias.

Gabe nodded. “If not now, it soon will be.”