Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

With every uneventful night that passed, the “bad feeling” that had plagued Nicole retreated a little more. It still lingered, though, like a mosquito bite that wouldn’t stop itching even as it shrank.

Tonight, she covered her vest with a black T-shirt that sported a giant bumblebee with the word “Kind” written in fancy script beneath it. A shoulder holster came next, already outfitted with a 9mm. After haphazardly tucking the T-shirt into the front of her pale blue well-worn jeans, she drew on a gray zip-up-the-front hoodie Sean never wore anymore.

Since he was about eight inches taller than her, broad-shouldered, and muscular, it swallowed her. Which was perfect. In addition to concealing the weapons she carried, it left her looking like a college student who had borrowed her boyfriend’s jacket. Her artfully tousled ponytail should complete the look.

Nicole dragged a sleeve back and attached a knife to her wrist. After securing a second knife to the other one, she stuffed her feet into scuffed running shoes. She was bent over, tying the laces, when Sean spoke behind her.

“Is that my hoodie?”

Dropping her foot to the floor, she turned.

Sean stood in the armory’s doorway, staring at her as if she sported a peculiar Halloween costume.

“Yes. You don’t mind if I borrow it, do you?”

“No. Where’s your coat?”

“I’m not wearing it tonight.” Holding her arms out to either side, she struck a pose. “What do you think? Do I look like a college student?”

“Yeah. Why? You planning to troll Duke for some innocent young stud you can lure into carnal bliss?”

She laughed. “Yes, Sean. Because everyone knows that the best way to pick up a man is to wear another man’s clothes.”

He shook his head. “Any man who sees you in that is definitely going to want you to pick him up.”

Surprised, she glanced down. “Really?” Since when were jeans, sneakers, and an oversized jacket considered alluring?

“Don’t even try that. You know your ass looks amazing in those jeans.”

When something warm and tingly fluttered in her chest, she hid it with an eye roll. “You can’t even see my ass. Your hoodie covers it.”

“And I will reward it for that later. But I don’t need to see your ass, because I know those jeans. I recognize the tear in the knee. And your ass looks amazing in them.”

“Wow. You’re cataloging my jeans and ranking them according to how my ass looks? You do need to get laid, don’t you?”

He laughed. “I really do.”

For the first time since she had accepted the position as his Second, Nicole was tempted to… what? Lure him into carnal bliss?

No. It had taken her years to land this gig. She didn’t want to muck it up by crossing a line Chris Reordon had made a point of drawing several times. Sean’s sister was married to Étienne. Étienne and his sister, Lisette, were both telepathic and known to delve into the minds of others without asking permission. Étienne was, in fact, the one who had outed Tracy for having sex dreams about Sheldon. If Nicole and Sean pursued something more intimate, there would be no hiding or keeping it a secret.

And even if she and Sean could keep it a secret, what if one of them developed feelings that weren’t reciprocated by the other?

She fought an inward shudder. No way would that end well. And who knew how long she would have to wait for another immortal to take her on as a Second if Reordon didn’t fire her for having inappropriate sexual contact with the man she was supposed to guard? Reordon could be a total hard-ass when it came to keeping things on the straight and narrow. Hell, he still held grudges against Bastien and Aidan for breaking network rules, and they were Immortal Guardians.

Thus far, Sean had shown no interest in her, romantically speaking, and treated her like a sister. If he hadn’t gone so long without sex, he wouldn’t have given her ass a second glance.

“So, where are your combat clothes?” he asked, disrupting her thoughts. “Are you taking the night off?”

“No. Nick called. He thinks Becca could use an outing. He and Kayla have insisted she spend every night at David’s place and be inside half an hour before sunset. She’s feeling a little frustrated and cooped up.”

Sean frowned. “She understands it’s for her safety, though, doesn’t she?”

“Yes. But Reordon hasn’t found anything to indicate she wasn’t simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s been a week, and nothing has happened.”

“Because she’s been safely tucked away at David’s place.”

“Exactly. I think the frustration Nick’s picking up on isn’t so much that Becca wants to go out and party with her friends. I think the waiting—the not knowing—is just starting to get to her.” Nicole shrugged. “Being attacked and having no memory of it is creepy.”

“I’m sure it is.”

She sat on the bench. “You know what happened to Jenna, right? How Richart met her?”

“Yeah. John told me.” John was Jenna’s son. Since he and Sheldon—Richart’s Second—were close in age to Sean, the three of them often hung out together.

“Like Becca,” Nicole reminded him, “Jenna had no memory of the vampire attacking her. But she confronted him later with Richart’s help, and it helped her get past it. I think Becca may need to do the same.” She considered it a moment. “Either that or she wants to know once and for all if someone is targeting her. It’s the only way she’ll ever feel safe again.”