Chasing Midnight

Griffin accompanied her into the lobby and stopped beside the elevator. “I…hope the night’s events have not proven too troubling for you, Miss Chase,” he said.

“Troubling? Because of Ivar? Or because I saw you turn into a wolf?”

“I regret that you were compelled to witness such unpleasantness.”

“I’ve seen plenty of that on the vampire side of things.”

“I’m sorry to hear it.”

“You are, aren’t you?” She removed the hat and twirled it around on the tip of her finger. “Do you really think I’ll go wild and attack all your boring human friends?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“At the party. Is it because of Gemma that you don’t want me there, or because I’m a leech?”

If he was taken aback by her bluntness, he managed to hide it. “You obviously have excellent control over your…needs, Miss Chase.”

“At least you must admire that quality in me.” She chuckled at his expression. “We don’t exactly go around assaulting humans in public places. If we were that indiscreet, we’d hardly survive in a human world…any more than your kind would if you changed shape in the middle of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”

He flushed and glanced at his shoes. “I apologize. My personal experience of vampire behavior is somewhat limited.”

“And what knowledge you do have is tainted by prejudice.”

“You’ve expressed some pride in being unlike other vampires, Miss Chase.”

“You just said you didn’t know much about vampires. Anyway, I didn’t say I approve of everything my fellow strigoi do. I don’t take responsibility for them, only myself.”

A glimmer of some emotion she couldn’t identify flickered in Griffin’s eyes. “In that case, perhaps we should call a truce.”

“I’m all for that, bub.”

His shoulders relaxed as if he’d just released an intolerable burden. “The party will be held out of doors, in the afternoon…but you may certainly remain inside the house without attracting undo attention. If you dress for travel in daylight, I’ll send Fitzsimmons to collect you on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.”

“That’s most convenient, thank you.” She touched her finger to his chin. “Very gallant of you to worry so much about my safety.”

“You didn’t seem to welcome it before.”

“Maybe I changed my mind.”

“Why do I find it difficult to believe you?”

“You mean, you still don’t trust me, after all we’ve been through together?”

He looked away. “Miss Chase—”

“Don’t you think we should be on a first-name basis by now…Griffin?” She reached up and set his hat on his head, remaining on tiptoe so that her face was very close to his. “Say my name,” she whispered. “Say it.”

“Miss—”

“Why are you so afraid of a little word?”

His gaze met hers, embarrassed and angry. “Allegra.”

“My friends call me Allie.”

He stepped back abruptly, looking for all the world like a man who had nearly tumbled over a precipice. “I must take my sister home,” he said. “Saturday, Miss Chase.”

“I’ll be there.” She tossed him the coat and laughed as the elevator doors opened.

He hesitated, pulled his hat lower on his head and strode briskly toward the door. Allie stepped into the elevator as the attendant gaped at her sleepily.

“He should know by now that he’s no match for Allie Chase,” she said to the boy.

He grinned at the bills she pressed into his hand. “Yes, ma’am!”

Chapter Five

“I HOPE YOU LIKE IT,” Griffin said, presenting the beribboned box to Gemma.

She examined the box with excitement she did her best to conceal, convinced—as were so many girls her age—that any outward sign of enthusiasm would betray a lingering attachment to childish things. She untied the ribbons with deliberate slowness, then slipped them off the box and laid them in a neat pile on the sofa. Her eyes sparkled as she lifted the lid.

“Oh,” she whispered, stroking the soft yellow georgette with her fingertips. Abruptly she removed the dress from the box and stood, letting the silk tumble down over her body.

There was a moment of silence as Gemma examined the gift. The moment stretched far too long, and even before she looked up Griffin knew she was disappointed.

“It’s lovely, Grif,” she said, smiling with only a hint of strain. “The silk is…lovely. And the color…” She smoothed the long skirt over her legs. “Shall I wear it to the party?”

He returned her smile, knowing how embarrassed she would be if she suspected that he’d seen through her pretense. “That’s your decision,” he said.

She folded the dress, replaced it in the box and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. “Of course I’ll wear it,” she said. “In fact, I think I’ll go upstairs and try it on right now.”

“By all means,” Griffin said. “You have plenty of time before the first guests arrive.”

With a brief, self-conscious move, she touched her short hair. “Griffin, do you think—” She shook her head, gathered up the box and headed for the staircase.

Griffin rose from his chair. “Gemma…”

She paused at the foot of the stairs. “Yes, Grif?”

“I hope you understand why I don’t want you to go into Manhattan alone.”

Her gaze dropped to the floor. “Sure. I understand.”

“Members of the pack believe in their absolute right to behave like animals when it suits them. I will not have that become your fate.”

“It’s not as if they go around killing people.”

“But the temptation is always there.”