Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

“Sean,” she said without looking up, “you are working my last nerve. Either sit down or leave.”

He sat on the foot of the bed beside the open bag. “How soon did Melanie say she could have the autoinjectors ready?”

“Later tonight.” She dumped an armful of bras and bikini panties into the bag.

More of those were lacy than he’d expected. For some reason, he’d assumed she preferred utilitarian sports bras. “Do you know how to use them?”

“Flip the cap open, then jab the vamp. Easy-peasy lemon-squeezy.”

“Not if he bites you.”

“I’ll still have time to jab him before I get loopy. And if he does bite me, he’ll probably go for my neck. I could always wear a turtleneck and tuck one of the stab-proof guards inside it.”

“Something that would instantly tell him you aren’t who he thinks you are. And what if he isn’t alone when he grabs you?”

“If he grabs me. We don’t even know if someone is still out to get Becca.” She sighed. “You’re overthinking this, Sean.”

“When it comes to your safety, there is no such thing as overthinking it.”

Pausing, she smiled. “Awww. That’s so sweet.”

He frowned.

She pointed at his forehead. “Keep doing that, and people will believe you’re as antisocial as Roland.”

He attempted to smooth his brow. “I still think one of the shape-shifters should do this.”

Nicole added socks to the bag, then headed into the bathroom. “There’s no way any of those guys could pass for an eighteen-year-old girl from this century. You know how out of touch they are. The only thing most of them can do on a smartphone is make a call. Stanislav can’t even download audiobooks. If Susan isn’t around, Alexei has to do it for him.”

Immortal Guardians did tend to be behind the times when it came to electronic devices, slang, and the like.

Upon returning, she added a hairbrush, comb, and various other toiletries to the bag. “Besides, I’m fully capable of doing this. Reordon and Seth wouldn’t have okayed it otherwise. Neither would David.” Grabbing the bag, she left the room.

Sean followed her to the armory and sat on a bench while she added a multitude of weapons to the duffle. “It isn’t that I don’t think you’re capable. I’m just worried.”

Sighing, Nicole sat beside him and took his hand.

His heartbeat picked up a little as he twined his long fingers through hers.

“I know,” she said softly. “But I’m the best one for the job. Becca is gutsy. I’ll give her that. But she’s only eighteen and has lived a pretty sheltered life. She’s new to this vampire-hunting world. Very new. You and I, on the other hand, have been at this for a while now. Years, if you count the time you and Krysta hunted vampires before you transformed. If something happens, I’m more likely to think on my feet and less likely to be traumatized. Plus…” She gave his shoulder an affectionate punch with her free hand. “I’ll have you at my back.”

Nodding, he met her pretty brown eyes. “Always.”

Nicole was his best friend. He would always be there for her. And even if this mission didn’t carry an element of danger, Sean still wouldn’t want her to go simply because he’d miss her.

She blinked. And the moment passed. “Well.” Releasing his hand, she stood up and grabbed the bag’s handles. “I think that’s everything.”

Sean rose. “Seriously? All you packed was underwear and weapons.”

“Not true. I also packed my toothbrush.” When he continued to stare at her, she laughed. “I’m not going to run around campus in my bra and panties, Sean. I’ll be wearing Becca’s clothes. Remember?”

“Oh. Right.” He smiled. “Actually, I’d have more fun shadowing you if you stuck to the bra and panties.”

She laughed again, and his spirits lightened. “I bet you would. Should I pack the jeans with the hole in the knee?” The ones her ass looked fantastic in?

He threw out his hands in feigned dismay. “No!”

Shaking her head, she chuckled and left the armory.

Sean strode along beside her. “I’m going to miss you,” he admitted.

She sent him a sly smile. “Will you miss my music?”

“Hell no.”

She laughed, unoffended. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you and Cliff will have loads of fun. You two can pretend this is your bachelor pad.”

“Did you forget Emma will be staying with us?”

“Yes, I did. That was very nice of you, by the way, inviting her to join you.”

He shrugged. “They’re newlyweds. They shouldn’t have to be apart, especially after everything they went through.”

“So, so sweet,” she said with a smile.

Sean sighed. “Why do I always cringe when women say I’m sweet?”

“I don’t know, because it’s a good thing. I was only attracted to bad boys until I tried to date them.”

He studied her curiously. “It didn’t pan out?”

“No. They might make great eye candy, but they suck as boyfriends.”

“I think Melanie would disagree.”

She grinned. “Yeah. Bastien appears to be the exception.”