Dmetri stood and started for the door. “That’s foolishness.”
“It isn’t to her,” Vane said after him. “It means everything to her.” Dmetri closed the door quietly behind him even though he wanted to slam it. He was better than any alpha. His wealth and status alone made him a damned black diamond in the rough. Besides, he wasn’t looking for a damned mate. He just wanted her body.
Chapter 7
Christine paused in the process of drying her hair when a knock came from the front door. She’d decided to let the sexy Russian vampire take her out even though she hadn’t actually agreed to it. She had to admit she appreciated his persistence. He reminded her of herself.
Throwing on her silk robe, she made for the door.
Putting on a sexy smile, threw open the door ready to battle with the vampire for being so early. Her smiled died instantly at the sight of her mother.
“Oh, mom.” She closed the robe tighter around her. “Come on in.” Her mother gave her an arched look at her attire and came into the house, her heavy heels clicking on the wood floor.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
Christine tensed at the question. Her mother’s simple question was not innocent. She should be prepared for this by now, but then she wasn’t used to explaining a date with a vampire to her mother.
“I have a date.” Hoping that would be the end of it, even knowing that was impossible, she went into the bathroom to finish her hair.
Her mother followed, a harsh look in her dark brown eyes. Christine flicked on the loud hair dryer and pretended to ignore her mother. Nancy was not one to be thwarted so easily. She unplugged the hairdryer and the cord landed with a thud in the sink. Christine barely held her sigh.
“With whom?”
“A friend.” Unable to stay this close to her and lie, Christine walked around her and went to the bedroom to sort through what she was going to wear.
“Who,” came the stern response.
This time Christine did sigh, her chest felt like an anvil was sitting on it. “He’s a man visiting the pack.” She gave the vaguest answer she could muster.
“The vampire?” her mother screeched.
“Yes, he is a vampire.”
Her mother rounded on her with a frown so deep it marred her lipsticked mouth. “How many times do I have to tell you, Christine? When will you learn that I know what’s best for you? If you just do what I say then you’ll be happy.”
Christine gave her mother a close-lipped smile. “Of course. I am happy by the way. I don’t need a mate to be happy.”
Her mother rolled her eyes. “Yes, but what of children and a husband? You don’t know what that kind of happiness feels like, so you don’t realize what you’re missing.” Christine sat on the bed. She’d heard this lecture a thousand times. It was old after the second time she heard it. Now it was just exhausting.
She felt bad for her mother, she really did. She’d lost her mate. Christine’s dad died in a fight with another lykaen when she was only four and her mother had never gotten over it. Her mother always said being with him was the only time she’d ever been happy. Seeing as she’d never seen her mother happy, it was probably true.
“And before you tell me you don’t need to marry an alpha, let me just remind you of what your father wanted. He wanted the best for you. He loved you so much, Christine. I want the best for you. Find an alpha, mate with him.”
Feeling the uncomfortable scorn of her mother’s eye, Christine looked away. “I tried it your way, mom. Even to my embarrassment. I pursued Vane and a number of other alphas. They don’t want me. Why don’t you leave it to rest?”
Her mother straightened, round cheeks flushing. “I will not disrespect my mate’s wishes for a disobedient brat who doesn’t see what’s good for her.”
“Mom, I think you need to go,” she said softly. She kept her eyes trained on the ground.
Her mother gasped. Then she heard the sound of heavy heels beating on the floor and the slam of the front door a minute later. Feeling the overwhelming need to cry, Christine curled up on the bed and stared at the white wall above her bedpost. She’d tried, she really had. Even with men she felt no attraction to whatsoever. And inside she knew she was still trying to please her mother. That’s why she was thirty and had never been mated or even in a real relationship.
Her love life consisted of dozens of dates, half of which were set up by her mother, with alphas from packs across the country. God, even one of them came from Europe. None of them had held her interest for more than a conversation or a quick roll in the hay.
She rarely ever thought about one question. Now she did.
How long could she go on trying to please her mother? The question scared her on a deep level because she knew the answer. She craved her mother’s, and maybe even her father’s, acceptance too much. She’d go on forever until one day she found an Alpha who’d mate with her.
Straightening from the bed, Christine finished dressing. She tried not to let her mother’s visit get to her but her movements were slow as she dressed. She didn’t know where the vampire planned to take her. Were there restaurants that served steak and blood? She laughed at the thought. If anyone knew of a place like that, it was probably him. He had a worldly aura to him.
An energy that said he’d been around for a very long time, and he probably had.
When the brisk knock came, she was dressed and ready to go. She may never find her mate and please her mother, but she liked to let herself enjoy little things—like passion. The way the vampire looked at her promised her a whole lot of that.
They hadn’t agreed on a time; hell, she hadn’t agreed to go, yet he arrived with perfect timing. Maybe it was a strange vampire sense.
She opened the door and had the distinct pleasure of watching his lips part and his pupils dilate. She leaned against the door and loved this feeling. The rush of excitement, the look of desire in a man’s eyes as they traced over her. It never ceased to make her giddy or grin like a fool.
“You’re perfect.” His accent was thicker than usual; it did something to her that she thoroughly planned to explore.
“Of course.”
He smiled at her and grabbed her hand. Before she knew it, he was pulling her close. She could have fought it but she was too curious to see what he was about. He pulled her against his chest and rested a hand lightly at her hip. The soft touch teased her better than if he’d gripped her. Her blood rushed, breathing growing heavy with anticipation.
“I had no idea you’d be wearing...this.”
Christine looked down at her outfit and laughed. She wore a flowing black dress that fell modestly enough to her thighs and her favorite heels—a pair of black strappy shoes that wrapped all the way up her calves. She loved them because the heel wasn’t so tall that she couldn’t walk in them and they were the sexiest shoes ever. They were meant to captivate and tease. Judging from the look on Dmetri’s face, they were doing their job well. Money well spent.
“I’m glad you approve. Let’s get out of here.”
She was eager to get away from the negative conversation she had with her mother that still lingered in the house. When she tried to pull away though, the hand on her hip tightened.
Christine looked up at the vampire and got lost in his eyes. Blue like clear water, his eyes were lovely and framed by silver lashes.
His lips came down on hers. Like the first kiss, this one was gentle, soft, barely tasting.
He pulled back before she could really get into it and nodded at her.
He led her to a black BMW parked outside and opened the passenger door for her. After he seated himself in the driver side she asked, “Where are we going?”