High Stakes (Vegas Vampires #1)(33)
Author: Erin McCarthy

Her breath hitched, "Oh. So how am I supposed to tell who’s mortal and who’s not?"

"I’ll tell you who is."

She moved away from him. "Brilliant.Not . How do I know now to act then? I should just be bossy all the time with you to be safe."

He bet she would love that. "I don’t want you to be nasty to me. I’m trying to project the image of a kinder, gentler Vampire Nation, yes, but not a ‘walk all over me’ Vampire Nation."

You really don’t know what you want, do you?" Oh, yes, he did. With a charming smile, he said, "I want you."

"Bite me, Carrick."

"That can be arranged." He loved the way her eyes told him everything, the way they lightened and darkened with her emotions. Maybe he couldn’t read her thoughts, but he could see her feelings on her face, and while her words were tough, her eyes were starting to melt.

"Don’t be a pervert."

He laughed. "Have you eaten dinner? Let me get you something."

"It’s four in the afternoon, Ethan."

"Is that a no? Then walk the Strip with me and we’ll have dinner." It had been months since he had been outside before sunset. He wouldn’t mind revisiting the day with Alexis.

"Won’t the sun fry you to a crisp and leave you in ashes on the sidewalk? Because I don’t think I want to see that."

"No. And I wouldn’t suggest a stroll if it would." They were standing right smack in the middle of the main floor, three feet from the bar. People were walking in every direction, and the constant ring of the machines vibrated the room around him. There was a low hum of voices, dealers and gamblers, and soft, piped-in music, but none of that was really registering with Ethan.

He saw only Alexis and the desire on her face that mirrored his.

"If I go for a walk and to dinner with you, will you let me practice my Soo Bahk Do on you later?"

That had the potential to be entertaining and sexual. "Sure.

"No campaign stuff tonight?"

"No. Tomorrow is the debate betweenmyself and Donatelli . But tonight the main attraction in my casino is an appearance in the lounge by Tom Jones."

Seamus was going to burst a blood vessel when he found out he was planning a night out with Alexis, but Ethan couldn’t work up the regret. He did not need to go over another endless round of questions and note cards to prepare. He was as ready as he’d ever be to face his opponent.

Alexis grabbed his arm. "Tom Jones? Wow, I totally love Tom Jones. He’s like quintessential Vegas—over the top and indecent fun. Let me just go grab a pair of underwear to throw at him and we’ll be all set."

Over his undead body.If anyone was getting her underwear tossed in his face, it was going to be him.

"I don’t think so, Ball Buster. You’re not giving your panties to an old man."

"Oh, and you’re so young, Garlic?"

"Garlic?"What the hell was that?

"Yep.Now we have pet names for each other, isn’t that adorable? You’re Garlic and I’m Ball Buster. Now everyone will believe we’re a real couple."

Oh, God. Ethan would not laugh. He would not laugh.

He laughed. And Alexis laughed with him.

Normally on a Sunday, her only full day completely free of work, Brittany liked to go swimming in her apartment complex pool, do a little laundry, and cook dinner for her sister. This Sunday she was trolling around the shopping complex at The Ava, trying to run vampires to ground.

Of a vampire.

She wanted to see Corbin again. When she had screamed on the phone the night before, he had suddenly appeared beside her, full of concern. When she had reassured him she was okay, he had left her, but not before he gave her a ride down from the roof. And not before she’d seen the compassion in his eyes.

It had convincedher what she had thought all along about Sea- musand Ethan. Vampires weren’t soulless. They were lost souls. They just needed to give up the whole bloodsucking thing and they could be perfectly happy and productive people, with just an incredibly long life span.

She wasn’t sure how long that life span would last if they did give up putting the bite on people, but it seemed worth investigating. It was sort of like with children. Parents didn’t like their kids’ actions at times but they still loved their offspring. Biting was bad, but vampires weren’t.

It all made sense to her, except she didn’t know where to find Corbin. He wasn’t registered at the front desk, at least not under the name he’d given her, and Ethan didn’t seem to be in his room. Hopefully, he was with Alexis being saved from eternal damnation. Brittany thought that would be ideal. Ethan saved, Alexislaid . Everyone benefited.

Wandering through the lobby for the fourth time, wondering if she should just go home, she ran into Seamus.

"Hey, Brittany .Have you seen Ethan?"

"No, I haven’t. Have you seen Corbin?"

"Who?"Seamus looked at her in confusion. He was wearing a suit, as usual, and he had dark circles under his eyes like there hadn’t been a whole lot of sleep for him lately.

"Corbin.The French guy."

He stiffened just a little. "I’m sorry. I don’t know who that is."

How obvious was it that he waslying ?

"No? I thought he was a friend of yours."How does she know the banished one ?

Seamus’sthoughts floated over to her, and Brittany was just itching to know why Corbin had been ejected from the vampire coven, or whatever it was called.

"No, sorry, Brittany .If you’ll excuse me?"

"Sure, Seamus."If he wasn’t going to tell her, there wasn’t much she could do about it. But Brittany had an idea. If she could hear vamp thoughts, maybe she could make them. Maybe she could locate Corbin by calling him.

Moving down the hall, her heels sinking into the soft gray carpet, she absently adjusted the strap of her orange sundress and clutched her purse. Maybe there was somewhere a bit more private, so she didn’t look like an idiot mentally screaming for Corbin. A hand touched her arm. "Kelsey."

She turned, startled, and looked at a man wearing a black silk shirt and dark glasses. Like the prescription sunglasses that take a few minutes to ease up after you’ve gone inside.

He realized immediately she wasn’t the woman he was looking for. "Oh, I’msorry, I thought you were someone else."

"That’s okay." She smiled.

There was no responding smile. He just nodded, and Brittany felt the anguish from him roll over her like a rising tide. The emo-tion swelled and crashed over her, and she gave a little gasp as he talked away.

Swallowing hard, she shuddered as he turned the corner at the end of the hall.

Moving behind a large potted plant and screwing her eyesshut, the mentally screamed for Corbin.Corbin! Corbin Jean Michel