She took the turn and made it past one block when Rob leaned his torso out the window in a sudden jerk.
“Damn, can you stop?”
“Did I miss it?” She pulled over and parked along the deserted street.
“No, I smell someone I know, and I need to talk to him too.” He opened the door and leaped out, then spun around. “Wait here for me?”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
He grinned and ran down a side street.
Shaking her head, she leaned it against her steering wheel. He smelled someone? What an odd thing for her to just accept, or would be if he were human…which he wasn’t. Esther, what are you doing playing chauffer for a werewolf and also not taking a contract that could take care of you for life? She groaned. Could Rob be worth it? Something in her gut told her he would be.
Robert jogged around the building next to where Esther parked. He watched the rooftops until he saw who he smelled.
On a four-story building a set of huge boots dangled over the roof’s edge. Not too many men had feet that size, and Daedalus liked a place with a view. Even if he fell, nothing would happen to him. Was it coincidence he sat here so close to where Talon hung out? Robert didn’t think so.
Climbing the fire escape, he reached the roof easy enough. “Hey.” He hopped onto the surface and trotted to the vampire. Sitting next to him, he leaned on his hands. They could see Lake Michigan as a big flat, black spot dwarfing the city’s edge. “Nice view.”
“Yeah.” Daedalus continued to stare at the city, an aura of dark foreboding surrounding him.
“You waiting on Talon?”
“I was, but I started thinking about Sugar.” He shifted his shoulder, then glanced at Rob. “She okay when you left?”
“Sam took her to the movies.”
He nodded. “You’re good friends. She deserves the best.”
“Go home, Daedalus. She should be back soon. Surprise her with something.” Two more days before Eric and Spice came home. They would know what to do. He needed to keep the pack and his small family together for that short amount of time. Should be an easy task but everything wanted to fall apart.
“I’ve got nothing left to give her, Robert. She can’t accept what I am, and I can’t watch her grow old and die. No matter what, I’m headed for heartbreak. It’s like watching someone cut off a piece of you. It would be better to do it quick and fast. Leave now before the pain becomes unbearable.”
“That’s stupid.” The moment the words left his mouth he knew he was a dead shifter. He did a backward somersault and avoided a slap to his noggin. “Listen before you decide to beat me to a pulp, D.”
“D?” The Nosferatu twisted.
“We’re buddies now, right?” He grinned at Daedalus who only stared back at him as if he’d grown two heads. “Don’t make any rash decisions.”
“I’m not,” he shouted. “Ever since I asked Sugar to cross over and become a vampire things have been heading this way.” He turned his back on Robert. “I’ve never asked a woman to cross over. Part of me wishes I’d just gone ahead and had it done. At least, I’d have the rest of eternity to make it up to her instead of a few decades wishing I’d done it when we first met.”
“She never would have forgiven you.” Robert didn’t want to sit on the edge of the building anymore. It would be too easy for Daedalus to shove him off. He might survive the fall, but it would hurt like hell, and the vampire was in an ugly mood.
“Time heals all wounds. Trust me on this one.”
“Then why haven’t you done it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe that’s why I’m off my game. I—I care too much. It’s not a good habit, take my advice on this, Robert.”
“You want her to want this.” Robert ran his fingers through his hair, trying to yank a solution from his head manually. “You’re both so stubborn. You remind me of my parents, believing so much in your own ideas you’re willing to let it tear you apart.”
Daedalus rose from the edge and faced him. Anger radiated from him in waves.
Yet Robert’s mouth kept on its suicidal path. “I’d give anything to experience what you and Sugar have. There’s a solution, you just need to think outside the box. Isn’t there some other way for her to live longer instead of becoming vampire?”
“I don’t know,” Daedalus snapped. “Never thought about it.” He crossed his thick arms over his chest. “When did you get so smart about women?”
Robert chuckled. “I’m not. Just ask the crazy one following me tonight.”
“You’ve got a girl with you? And you’re up here?” The vampire leaned over the side of the roof and glanced at the street, then waved. “You call me stupid. She’s hot. Nice leather. Didn’t take you for the dominatrix liking kind.”
“Never mind her.” He edged to the side and watched Esther rush to the car. Great, the vampire spooked her. “Sugar still has a few decades before you need to make a decision.”
“You say that like it’s a lot of time.” A frown pulled at the corner of his mouth, increasing the darkness of his expression. “It’s not fair to her either if she won’t cross over, Robert. She should find herself a human mate. Maybe she could have children.”
Rubbing his forehead, Robert tried to wish away the pounding in his temples. “Don’t leave. It would kill her.” God, he didn’t want to have to live with a falling-apart Sugar. It would be like living with his mother all over again after his father left. “If you want, the three of us can sit down and discuss options.”
The surprised bark of laughter drew Robert’s attention from staring at the roof surface. Daedalus grinned. “You want to mediate? It’s a love affair, not a contract.”
“Bullshit. Love is about give and take. What are you willing to lose in return for what you want? Once both of you figure out the answer to that question, then we can negotiate.”
Daedalus raised a non-existent eyebrow.
Esther stared hard at the silhouettes on the roof. She didn’t need night vision goggles to see who stood with Rob. The bald head and pointed tips of his ears were all the evidence she required. Her equipment sat in her trunk a few feet away. Temptation warred with logic.
And she knew fate had played a hand in this too. Twice in two days she’d run into Daedalus, and she believed in destiny. She’d also met Rob.
Her gut twisted as her cellphone beeped. Glancing at the message, her fate was sealed. They doubled her fee to take the contract.
The vampire leaned over the edge of the building and waved as if daring her to take the shot.
Racing to her car, she yanked her keys out her pocket and pressed the button on the remote to open the trunk. She had minutes to do this. It would probably be her only chance. Damn Rob and his connection to the Nosferatu.
She snapped open her long flat case and pulled out her miniature crossbow, then grabbed a wooden bolt, the next best thing to a stake. She ran across the street, knelt, and aimed.
Rob stood next to Daedalus, waving his hands in the air like they were arguing. Damn, look at him standing up to that monster. Pride swelled in her chest. She could really use a man like that in her life, someone with enough balls to confront her when she was making a mistake, like now.
The vampire stood inside her scope mounted on the crossbow. With a steady hand, she pulled the trigger.
Chapter 6
“Look, you love Sugar and she loves you. That’s the important part. Maybe getting an objective view point on your relationship would help.” Robert extended his hands out to Daedalus.